Page 2 of Wynns of Change (Wynn Harbor Inn #3)

Harlow left the party early, returning to the motorhome she’d been staying in while on location. Having left her two special visitors before daybreak, she slowly eased the door open and peeked around the corner.

Aunt Birdie and her best friend Eryn sat facing each other at the center island, a deck of cards spread out between them.

“Who’s winning?” Harlow gave her aunt a quick hug and playfully peered over her shoulder.

“Aunt Birdie.” Eryn rolled her eyes. “Thank goodness you’re here. She’s taking me to the cleaners.”

“I am not. You won a few hands.” Aunt Birdie’s mischievous smile vanished. Her brows furrowed. “Harlow, you have a scratch on your arm.”

She twisted her arm, noticing the angry red splotch courtesy of Orlane, who scratched her on his way down. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. Actually, I’m in a pretty good mood.”

Eryn set the cards on the counter, giving her bestie her full attention. “Well? How did your scene with Jillian go?”

“She blew it.”

“Blew it?”

“Flubbed her lines multiple times. Steven, the director, finally had enough. He told her to leave the set and replaced her with Anorah, another actress.”

“How did Robert react?”

Harlow shrugged. “What could he do? Steven told him she needed acting classes and wasn’t ready for a major movie production.”

Eryn wrinkled her nose. “I bet that went over well.”

“I don’t know. They left not long after, which was fine with me.” Harlow held up her no longer broken thumb, beaming from ear to ear. “The best news is…it’s a wrap.”

Her aunt whooped loudly. “Does this mean you can leave?”

“Anytime I want.” Harlow explained she would travel to LA if there were any scenes needing to be shot a second time, but for the most part, she was free as a bird.

“We brought you a surprise.” Eryn scooched off the barstool. She ran into the other room, returning with an oversized gift bag. “This is for you.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll have to open it to find out.”

Harlow set the frilly pink bag on the table. Reaching in with both hands, she carefully removed a gorgeous bouquet of pink and yellow flowers—an even mix of long-stemmed roses, daisies, and carnations. “They’re beautiful.” She checked the attached card. Sending hugs. Noelle.

“Noelle sent flowers?” Harlow’s lower lip quivered. Her friends, miles away, were thinking of her.

“There’s more,” her aunt said.

She set the flowers on the counter and removed a pale purple box. Inside was peanut butter chocolate fudge from The Fudge Shop, Peyton Dyson’s gourmet shop in downtown Mackinac Island.

Lottie had sent a butterfly pin. Harlow removed it from the cardboard holder and promptly put it on. Meg and Abby had given her a book of poetry with empty pages waiting to be filled with Harlow’s random musings.

Gifts of love from the Magnificent Mackies, her friends who were thinking of her, filled the bag. And Harlow had missed them…missed them terribly.

Tears streamed down her cheeks when she reached the final package—a bakery bag filled with molasses cookies, cookies Abby had brought with her to the last Mackie’s party.

Harlow had raved over them and eaten way too many, to the point the others had playfully nicknamed her the Molasses Cookie Queen.

Eryn grabbed her cell phone. “I promised the Mackies I would send them a picture of you with your gifts.”

“Look at my face.” Harlow laughed through her tears. “I’m a hot mess.”

“They’re gonna love it.”

She posed with her special gifts of love and friendship, blowing a kiss at the camera. Her heart was ready…ready to go home.

Eryn promptly sent a group text. The replies came back fast and furious, each of her Mackie friends telling Harlow how much they missed her.

She texted back, thanking them for their thoughtful gifts and ended it with, I’M COMING HOME!!!

Harlow added a few celebratory emojis before sliding her cell phone back into her pocket. “Since you flew all the way out here to offer moral support not once, but twice, we’re going to paint the town red.”

Eryn clapped her hands. “Aunt Birdie and I are ready!”

While Harlow showered, removing the gobs of makeup and washing away the grit and grime from the long day of filming, she thanked God she’d upheld her end of the contract.

At least Robert had made a point of staying away except for Jillian’s part near the end of the final scene, a part she suspected he’d convinced Steven to throw in at the last minute.

If the cast or crew suspected things weren’t “hunky dory” between the couple, they kept their thoughts to themselves.

Which, in a way, made her sad. Looking back, there was little to no affection between Harlow and her husband, meaning the way they had interacted was nothing out of the ordinary, merely cool and cordial.

She finished showering, threw on some casual clothes and returned to the motorhome’s main living area. Aunt Birdie and Eryn sat huddled close together, talking in low voices.

“Ahem.” Harlow cleared her throat. “No private conversations allowed.”

“We were wondering if Robert was going to hang around,” Eryn said.

“I doubt it.” Harlow told them she figured he would return for the wrap-up party but there was no sign of him.

“So.” Aunt Birdie rubbed her palms together. “With the filming out of the way, I’m sure you’re ready to pull the trigger.”

She snatched her cell phone off the counter and waved it in the air. “I messaged Nigel during my last break and told him to file the divorce papers.”

Her aunt studied Harlow’s face. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. When I saw Robert, I was expecting a rush of emotions, but there was nothing. It was almost as if he was merely a casual acquaintance,” Harlow said. “The bottom line is we had a business relationship with a few fun trips thrown in.”

“You seem at peace,” Eryn said.

Harlow reached for her purse. “At peace and ready to get this celebration under way.”