Emily had listened with rapt attention. The story so closely mimicked her own experience that it was simply uncanny. “Without Harry’s support I probably would have run away screaming by now,” she intimated, eliciting a warm smile from the other woman. “He’s been simply amazing. Really standing up to his parents—especially Amanda, who seems to absolutely hate me.”

  “It’s not that she hates you, but that she probably had a different partner in mind for her son,” said Sarah. “Which isn’t all that difficult to understand, since we all want the best for our children, don’t we?”

  “Oh, of course. But she doesn’t even want to give me a chance. I think she had her mind made up about me from the moment Harry told her that we met at Zumba class.”

  “You’re a Zumba teacher, yes?”

  “That’s right. Well, dance instructor. I don’t just teach Zumba but all different dance styles. But Harry came to my Zumba class one morning and that’s how we met. He hung around after the class was over, wanting to get some pointers on style, and so we got to talking. Then the next class he asked me out for a drink, and it wasn’t long before we were dating. I didn’t even know who he was until he told me his last name was Griffiths. That’s when I put two and two together and asked him if he was a member of the Griffiths family.” She stared off into space for a moment as she remembered those first couple of heady weeks, when everything was still new and exciting. It had been quite the whirlwind romance, ending with Harry’s proposal. She said yes, without realizing what she was getting herself into.

  “It all sounds wonderfully romantic,” Sarah gushed. “Like the stuff from fairy tales.”

  For a moment Emily didn’t speak, then she said, “I think she’s actively plotting against me.”

  “Amanda? Do you really think she would go that far?”

  “Oh, yes. That woman is not to be underestimated.”

  Sarah reached out and put a hand on her arm. “As long as Harry is prepared to stand by you, you’ve got nothing to fear. Let his mom do her worst. You’re not marrying her, after all. You’re marrying him.”

  Emily teared up a little at these words. It was exactly what she needed to hear right now.

  “I don’t know what difference it makes, but you can count on me, Emily. I’m on your side.”

  “It means the world to me,” she assured the other woman, and they shared a conspiratorial smile.

  CHAPTER 20

  As luck would have it, the entire company had decided to go on shore and pay a visit to the pleasant little town of Saint-Tropez. Though when I say that the company had decided it was in fact Amanda who had announced the program for that afternoon and the others all happily complied. For Dooley it was an opportunity to take a step away from the boat, which he had started to view with a baleful eye, and put four paws on solid ground again. And I have to say I wasn’t complaining either. As I’ve already indicated cats aren’t the seafaring kind of pet, and so I was happy to walk that gangplank and leave the Audrey.

  To accomplish this feat the captain of the Audrey, whom we hadn’t yet met, steered his vessel closer to shore, and moored it on one of the piers that jutted out of the small port. Since space came at a premium, he would immediately sail back out again, leaving me to wonder if we would ever make it back on board.

  But none of the others seemed even the slightest bit concerned, so I guess this was the way things were done in the world of luxury yachting.

  We were in fact a full quorum, with not a single person having elected to stay behind. Though when I looked a little closer, I saw that Matthew Brown was not amongst those present on the quay. He probably had work to do for his employer.

  But the rest was all present and accounted for: the Griffiths parent pair, Emily and Harry, Heather and Brian Johnson, Kim Griffiths, Eric Atkinson and his girlfriend Chloe, even Sarah Dawson. The pets were in the minority, with me, Dooley and Frankie representing the animal kingdom. Then again, Odelia had first opted to leave us behind, but vocal protestations from both myself and Dooley had decided otherwise.

  “But it’s going to look really funny, you guys,” she had argued. “I can’t possibly put you both on a leash, now can I?”

  “We don’t need a leash,” I told her. “We can walk around perfectly fine all by ourselves, thank you very much.”

  “Yeah, we can walk, you know,” said Dooley. “It’s the swimming that’s iffy, but the walking is fine.”

  “All right, fine,” she said. “But Amanda is going to look at me funny when I tell her I want to bring my cats along.”

  “Amanda always looks funny, whatever you tell her,” I said. “She’s that kind of person.”

  “Yeah, Amanda was born funny,” said Dooley.

  I very much doubted that to be true, but the main thing was that Odelia allowed us to tag along, so tag along we did.

  “It’s so nice to be back on dry land,” said Dooley, taking big gulps of ‘land air’ as he called it, and actually pawing the ground with profound glee.

  “It is nice,” I agreed. “Though I have to say that boat is growing on me. It’s very luxurious, and I’m starting to understand why people enjoy these yachts so much.”

  “It is a very pleasant experience, isn’t it?” said Frankie, who was tripping along next to us. A large contingent of our humans was strolling into town, with the three of us following close behind. “When they first put me on the Audrey I wasn’t sure what to expect, but now I absolutely love it. It’s one of the highlights of the year for me. It really is,” she stressed when Dooley gave her a skeptical look. “It’s just so nice to be pampered, you know.”

  “Oh, but we’re also pampered back home,” said Dooley. “We get all the food we like, and we have our favorite pillow, and our favorite blanket, and our favorite spot on the couch. And all our friends are there, of course. It’s the perfect life, Frankie, it really is.”

  “I believe you, Dooley,” said Frankie with a smile. Her furry face was quivering with pleasure when Dooley described home to her. “I wouldn’t mind paying a visit. Or don’t they allow dogs where you live?”

  “There’s plenty of dogs,” said Dooley. “In fact two of our best friends are dogs. Fifi and Rufus. They live right next door and we see them all the time.”

  “That’s rare, though, isn’t it? For cats and dogs to be such good friends?”

  “It isn’t rare for us,” said Dooley. “We’re friendly with all kinds of creatures. Dogs, but also mice, and birds, and butterflies, and turtles, and gerbils, and ducks… Over the course of our adventures we’ve met so many different animals, and they’re all great fun to spend time with. In fact just before we came here we had a very nice interview with a beaver. Well, two beavers, actually—husband and wife.”

  “Now isn’t that something?” said Frankie, marveling at Dooley’s words. “You lead a very interesting life, don’t you?”

  “Absolutely,” said Dooley with satisfaction. “And you will soon meet two of those friends of ours. Harriet and Brutus are on a plane heading this way right now, along with Odelia’s parents and Grace.”

  The small gathering had wandered up to an ice cream store, and a large contingent of those present now took the opportunity to order an ice cream cone. Dooley and I declined the offer, since we’re not big on ice cream. For one thing it’s too cold, and for another, our digestive systems aren’t too keen on dairy.

  “I’m so glad you decided to join us,” Emily told Sarah.

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Sarah.

  “You look better already,” said Harry.

  “I feel better. The moment I stepped off the boat that nausea that’s been plaguing me suddenly vanished.”

  “Maybe you should book a hotel in town,” Harry suggested. “Just until you’re fully recovered.”

  “Oh, no,” said Sarah. “I love spending time with you guys, and I’m not going to let my poor constitution rob me of this opportunity to get to know you all. In a hotel I would just be staying amongst a bunch of complete strangers and that’s exactly what I don’t want.”

  “That’s the spirit,” said Amanda.

  Sarah gave her a warm smile. “Thanks for putting up with me, Amanda. And a big thank you to your crew, who’ve been nothing but kind and patient with me.”

  “Don’t mention it,” said Amanda. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. That’s the most important thing.”

  “And how are you feeling, Emily?” asked Chloe as she sidled up to Harry’s girlfriend. “Have you got your sea legs yet?”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” said Emily, grateful for this opportunity to chat a little and get to know Harry’s family and longtime friends. “I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s all been great fun.”

  “As a trained dancer you probably have the advantage,” said Chloe. “I mean, seasickness is all about balance and equilibrium, isn’t it? And as a dancer you’ve got that down pat.”

  “I wouldn’t know if my past as a dancer has something to do with it,” said Emily with a laugh. “But maybe you’re right. A good sense of balance is very important for a dancer.”

  The ice creams had all been dispensed, and we strolled into town. A small group of Emily, flanked by Chloe and Kimberly, and accompanied by Eric and Harry, soon became separated from the peloton, which was steaming ahead. “I remember how Harry’s previous girlfriend wasn’t all that keen on boats,” Chloe continued. “Remember, Harry? Raffaella was always sick as a dog when she came along on these outings.”

  Harry didn’t respond, but cast a warning look at Chloe for bringing up his ex-girlfriend in the presence of his current girlfriend. But Chloe ignored his silent plea to drop the topic. Instead she laughed.

  “I still remember when she told me the only reason she was putting up with the abuse was because she loved you so much.”

  “Raffaella was great,” Kim chimed in. “Wasn’t she great, Eric?”

  “Mh?” Eric had been lost in thought. “Oh, yeah. Yeah, she was pretty great.”

  “Remind me, why did you guys break up again?” asked Chloe innocently.

  “Drop it, Chloe,” said Harry now.

  “But I want to know, Harry. I really do. We all liked Raffaella so much, and we miss her. Don’t you miss her, Kim?”

  “I miss her more and more,” Kim said with a sigh.

  Emily started to look uncomfortable, and tried to change the subject. “Oh, look, Harry. That art store is so pretty.”

  “Are you still in touch with Raffaella, Harry?” asked Chloe.

  “Are you going to invite her to the wedding, Harry?” asked Kim.

  “Let’s go into the store,” said Harry, who clearly had had enough of this barrage of questions about his ex. He took Emily by the hand, and practically dragged her into the little art store slash museum.

  Chloe and Kim shared a wicked grin, even as Eric shook his head.

  “Really mature, you guys,” he said. “If you keep this up Harry won’t even invite us to the wedding, let alone boring old Raffaella.”

  “She was terribly boring, wasn’t she?” said Chloe.

  “I never liked her,” said Kim with a look of distaste.

  “Emily’s friends aren’t very nice, are they, Max?” said Dooley.

  “That’s because they’re not Emily’s friends,” I said. “They’re Harry’s friends.”

  “Strange friends,” was my friend’s comment, and he was absolutely right. With friends like Chloe, who needs enemies?

  “I think Chloe is jealous,” said Frankie. “She’s been secretly in love with Harry for years.”

  “Chloe is in love with Harry?” I asked, much surprised.

  “Oh, absolutely. Sometimes I think the only reason she is with Eric is because it gives her the opportunity to be close to Harry.”

  “But how do you know this?”

  “Observation, my dear Max,” said Frankie. “That, and the fact that I once overheard her talking to a friend on the phone and telling her she was in love with Harry but he didn’t even know she existed.”

  “He knows she exists, but she’s Eric’s girlfriend,” I said. “So naturally he’s not going to see her in a romantic light.”

  “She’s mean,” said Dooley. “I hope Harry never sees her in a romantic light.”

  “It’s not just her either,” said Frankie, who was proving to be an invaluable source of information. “Eric is in love with Harry, too.”

  “Eric?” I said. “In love with his best friend?”

  Frankie nodded seriously. “He is. Desperately in love.”

  “You also got this from a phone conversation?”

  “No, I can see it from the way he looks at Harry.”

  We all glanced up at Eric now. Harry and Emily had come walking out of the store, and as I closely eyed Eric, I could indeed see that he was looking at Harry intently. And when Harry and Emily shared a kiss, a distinct expression of pain passed across the young man’s face.

  “You know what?” I said. “I think you just might be right, Frankie.”

  “Of course I’m right. I’ve been a part of this family for a long time, you guys. There’s nothing that escapes my trained eye—nothing!”

  Just then, there was a commotion, when a man broke away from a nearby crowd and shouted, “Emily! Emily, over here!”

  Emily jerked her head up, and when she spotted the man, her jaw dropped and her cheeks instantly colored. “Oliver!” she cried. “What are you doing here?”

  For it was indeed Oliver Rose, who had somehow managed to magically transplant himself from the basement of his parents in Hampton Cove to the streets of Saint-Tropez!

  CHAPTER 21

  “Emily, please listen!” said Oliver, who was dressed in colorful Bermuda shorts that were a shade too big for him and a T-shirt announcing, ‘I’m the greatest!’ “I’ve come all this way just to talk to you!”

  “Who is this person?” asked Harry with a frown.

  “Yeah, who is this lovely young man, Emily?” asked Chloe as she studied Oliver with a mocking look on her face. “He wouldn’t happen to be an ex-boyfriend of yours, would he?”

  “I am an ex-boyfriend of Emily,” Oliver confirmed. “And I still love her. I never stopped loving her. Emily, I still love you,” he added, making his meaning perfectly clear to all who would listen.

  “Oh, isn’t that cute?” said Chloe with a laugh.

  “Please go away, Oliver,” said Emily, who looked mortified at this unexpected intervention.

  “I just want you to know that I never sent those pictures. Someone must have hacked my phone,” said Oliver, whose voice had taken on a pleading notion. “I would never do that to you, Emily. You have to know that.”

  “What pictures?” asked Kim. “What are you talking about?”

  “The pictures on my phone,” said Oliver. “The ones Mrs. Kingsley asked me about. When she came to the house I realized how much I still love you, Emily. And that I probably gave up too easily.”

  “Oliver, shut up,” said Emily, whose cheeks were a vivid crimson now, much to Chloe and Kim’s enjoyment. The two of them stood chortling unreservedly as the embarrassing scene played out.

  “But I want to fight for you, Em,” said Oliver. “I want to fight for you and make you see how much you mean to me.” And suddenly, before the eyes of the small crowd that had at this point gathered, he went down on one knee, tapped something on his phone, causing it to erupt into the melody of ‘I just called to say I love you,’ and started singing! His voice was a little unsteady, and out of pitch, but you could tell that his heart was in it. All those years spent in his parents’ basement had been in preparation for this moment.

  “Oh, this is just priceless!” said Chloe, while Kim erupted into a high-pitched giggle.

  Emily, who clearly had enough of the spectacle, now simply turned on her heel and walked away.

  “Don’t go, Emily!” Oliver begged, emerging from his kneeled position with some effort. “I love you! We were made for each other.”

  “Just take a hike, buddy,” said Harry. “Can’t you see you’re making a total fool of yourself?”

  “I’ll fight you for her,” said Oliver, adopting a pugilistic pose. “How about that? I’ll fight you for Emily’s hand, you-you bozo!”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sakes,” said Harry, shaking his head at so much stupidity.

  “Yes, fight, fight, fight!” said Chloe.

  But Harry wasn’t in the mood for fighting, and instead he hurriedly went after Emily, leaving Oliver to stare after the couple. “Tomorrow at dawn!” he yelled after Harry. “Let’s have a duel!”

  “He’s very persistent, isn’t he, Max?” said Dooley.

  “Yeah, but I doubt whether he’ll win back Emily by acting like an idiot,” I said. Plus, he had almost blown Odelia’s cover. Lucky for us, Odelia had joined the main group, and was nowhere to be seen. Chloe, who had snapped a couple of shots of Oliver, now threw a few coins at the man’s feet and said, “Don’t give up, buddy. Never give up, you hear?”

  “Oh, I won’t,” said Oliver. “I’ll fight for her, just you wait and see.”

  “You do that. Make us proud,” said Chloe, and dissolved into giggles once more.

  “Who is this person?” asked Frankie as we hurried to join the rest of the group, before we got lost.

  “That was Oliver Rose,” I said. “Emily’s ex-boyfriend. We paid him a visit in Hampton Cove, figuring he might be the one who sent that picture and that threatening message. But it turned out his phone was hacked.”

  “And now he’s here,” said Dooley.

  “Now he’s here, trying to win her back.”

  “He’s very courageous,” said Frankie.