Charlene heaved a sigh and leaned against him as he wrapped an arm around her.

“You’re right,” she said. “I’m not fine. What the heck is my father thinking, turning Harvey loose on Mom like that?”

“Maybe you should ask him,” Lindsey suggested.

“I would,” Charlene said. “But I’ve never actually met him.”

“Oh,” Lindsey said. She felt like an idiot, but in her usual generous way, Charlene smiled at her friend and shook her head.

“No, don’t feel bad, you couldn’t have known,” Charlene said.

“Still, I feel like a dork,” Lindsey said. “I just can’t imagine having a daughter as fabulous as you and never knowing you. It’s tragic—for him.”

“Thank you,” Charlene said. “But I don’t suppose you miss what you’ve never had.”

“Well, then he’s an even bigger moron than we supposed,” Beth said.

“Isn’t he like one of the richest men in the world?” Mary asked.

“I don’t know,” Charlene said. “I don’t pay any attention to him.”

“Well, I do,” Robbie said. “The bastard is one of the top ten most disgustingly wealthy people in the world—if you count wealth only in a dollar sum. If, however, you count it by having a daughter who is as intelligent as she is beautiful, who has gorgeous children of her own and is one of the most respected news anchors in the country, well, then sadly, he is the poorest bugger I know because he never claimed such a prize as his own.”

Charlene beamed at Robbie and hugged him tight. “And that is why I love you. You’ve always been the big brother I never had. I bet that’s better than a father. Honestly, I think I traded up.”

Robbie planted a kiss on Charlene’s head. “It was a lucky day for me when your mum came to be a guest teacher at my acting school. You girls are my family.”

Lindsey glanced at Mary and Beth. They looked as choked up as she felt, and she wondered if they should leave Robbie and Charlene alone to catch up.

Beth must have been thinking the same thing, because she half rose out of her seat and said, “I’ll just go check on Violet.”

“Me, too,” Mary said.

“Me, three,” Lindsey agreed.

“Was it something I said?” Robbie asked, and gave them his charmingly dimpled smile.

The three of them glanced at one another.

“We just thought you two might want to talk,” Lindsey said.

“No, we’re good.” Charlene let go of Robbie and sat back down. She gestured for him to do the same. “Have something to eat.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said, and tucked into the crab salad with gusto.

“Will Violet be okay?” Beth asked.