Oh, well, he obviously had a very high opinion of his abilities, which was ridiculous because I couldn’t even remember them. “I need some aspirin.”
“There’s some in the bathroom.” Galen gently reached out and pushed my hair away from my face. “I shouldn’t have pushed you to do what you did last night. I don’t think you were ready.”
“It’s fine.” It’s fine? What is wrong with me? It’s not fine. It’s not even close to fine. “It happened and it’s done. Let’s not dwell on it.”
“I don’t want to dwell on it either, but I think we need to talk about it. The thing is, I have to get to the office. I’m already running late. I didn’t want you to wake up alone because I figured you would have questions.”
Why would he possibly think that? The only question I had was how much of a slut he took me for. “I don’t have any questions right now. I’m just … I feel funny.”
“You need to have a big breakfast,” Galen ordered. “Eggs, hash browns, maybe some sausage.”
Oh, now he was going for double entendres. What a creep. If he thought I would fall for that, well, he had another think coming. “Sausage sounds good.” Oh, good grief! Clearly some unseen force invaded my brain while I was unconscious.
“Eat a lot of protein,” Galen ordered, his knee cracking as he stood. “I have some things to check on, but I’ll be back after my shift. We need to talk, but you slept much longer than I thought you would.”
“Yes, well, I expended a lot of energy.” Sexy energy that I couldn’t remember. Could this day get any worse?
“You needed the sleep,” Galen said. “We’ll talk tonight. We have some decisions to make. You should be okay here for the day, but if you go to town make sure you stay on the main drag and don’t get lost. I’m not convinced someone still isn’t after you.”
“Yes, sir.” I mock saluted because … well, because I’m a geek and I have bouts of social awkwardness that I can’t possibly explain. “I’ll be good and keep to myself all day. I promise.”
“You don’t need to do that. Just … be careful.”
“I’m on it.”
Galen’s expression was hard to read, but he left it at that, shaking his head as he moved toward the stairs. “Drink some water, too. I think you might be dehydrated after last night.”
Could he be more full of himself? “I’ll do that.”
“Okay. I’ll be in touch.”
I SCURRIED INTO the shower as soon as I heard the front door on the main floor shut, whipping my hair back into a loose bun rather than worrying about drying it before fleeing the lighthouse and the huge curtain of sex guilt and shame hanging over it.
I headed toward Main Street, a bottle of water in hand, and ignored every stray glance cast my way. I felt as if I was wearing a huge scarlet “S” on my shirt, so I kept my head down and scampered inside Lilac’s tiki bar.
For the first time since I arrived on the island there were actual customers in the bar. Sure, it was only eight people and they were spread out at three different tables, but it was people all the same.
Lilac caught my eye as I breezed through the door, arching an eyebrow as she mixed drinks behind the counter. “Your hair looks cute pulled back like that. You should do it more often.”
“I generally prefer wearing it down, but the humidity makes me look like I have a dead animal on top of my head.”
“I don’t think it’s so bad. There’s some special shampoo and conditioner to get if it’s a problem.”
Lilac was sunny and happy as she bopped her head back and forth to music only she could hear. Okay, I could hear it, too. I was going to tire of hearing about piña coladas at a certain point, but I ignored it for now.
“Do you want to hear about my night?”
“Absolutely.” Lilac slid two umbrellas into the fruity drinks. “I waxed my legs and eyebrows, so whatever you did has to be better than that. Hold on.” Lilac carried the drinks to one of the tables, her hips swishing as she did. She stopped at another table before swinging back. My patience was practically non-existent by the time she locked gazes with me. “Did you magically throw someone else out your window?”
“Why don’t you say that a little louder,” I hissed. “I don’t think the couple in the corner heard you.”
Lilac craned her neck to see over my shoulder, not bothering to hide her efforts as she stared at the couple in question. “They’re sphinxes. Harmless.”
I had no idea what that meant. “Sphinxes?”
“Yeah, they’re kind of anal-retentive freaks, but they mostly keep to themselves unless they decide to lust for power. Then you have to kill them,” Lilac supplied. “Those two are just here for tans and mixed drinks.”
Wow! Every single time I think I have my head wrapped around this place something proves me wrong. I don’t even know what to think about that. “Okay, well … .”
“Hey, can we get two more rum runners?” A guy in a corner booth raised his hand to get Lilac’s attention.
“Sure thing.” Lilac nodded as she hopped to work. “Keep talking. I’m listening.”
I wasn’t so sure, and I needed her full attention. “Something weird happened last night.”
“Did you and Galen get naked and sweaty? By the way, if you answer that question in a negative manner I’ll totally lose all respect for you.”
How did she know? “Yes.”
“Good.” Lilac shoveled ice into a glass. “I’ve been saying … wait, what?” She stilled before lifting her head, very slowly and deliberately, and giving me an extended once over. “You had sex with Galen?”
“Yes, only I don’t remember it.”
Lilac wrinkled her nose. “Was this sex in your head?”
“No.”
“Then there’s no way you wouldn’t remember it,” Lilac challenged. “He’s the catch of the island. No, I’m not joking. Every woman who grew up here wants a piece of Galen. He dates occasionally, but it’s never serious. Talk at the gym says he’s … well … fabulously gifted in that department. The relationships never last long, but the memories are forever.”
Oh, good grief. That was the last thing I wanted to hear. “The sex wasn’t in my head,” I snapped, my voice carrying enough to cause the men in the corner to smile in my direction. “Why would I make it up?”
Lilac shrugged. “Maybe you’re lonely. I don’t blame you. I’d be lonely living in that big lighthouse alone.”
She was clearly trying to give me an aneurysm. “I’m not lonely. I haven’t been alone long enough since I arrived on this island to be lonely.”
“That’s good.” Lilac patted my arm before grabbing the drinks. “I’ll be right back.”
I bit my tongue to keep from exploding as she carried the drinks to the corner booth, stopping long enough to chat with the sphinxes before returning to the bar. She looked as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “What were we talking about again?”
“The fact that I turned into a total slut last night,” I barked, causing the sphinxes to giggle.
“Don’t worry about her,” Lilac offered, waving off the curious stares. “She’s high strung. She can’t help herself. That’s why the sex – even if it’s imaginary – is a good thing.”
“Do you want me to punch you?” I asked, my temper flaring.
“I’m not much of a fighter, but I get the point. You’re at the end of your rope. Okay. Spill. Tell me everything that happened.”
That’s where I ran into difficulty. “I don’t remember everything that happened.”
“Well, tell me what you remember.”
“We were doing dishes … .”
“Oh, this is how all good softcore porn stories start.” Lilac pressed her hand to the spot above her heart and made an exaggerated face. She was trying to be endearing, but I was torn between punching her and bursting into tears.
“We were doing dishes,” I repeated. “Then he said he wanted to show me something.”
“Was it in his
pants?”
“No, it was on the beach.”
“That’s promising.” Lilac’s smile was serene. “Continue.”
“The story isn’t dirty,” I supplied.
“Then get to the good stuff.”
I really wanted to punch her … and maybe kick her a little, too. “He wanted to show me that my magic could do more than kill a man, so we made a water monster … er, kind of a water girl to be exact.”
“Is that like making the beast with two backs?”
“Do you want to hear this story or not?”
“Sorry. Continue.”
“The last thing I remember is seeing the water beast thingy and then everything goes funny in my memory. When I woke up this morning, the spot beside me was warm and empty because Galen was in the shower and all of his clothes were on the bedroom floor.”
“Huh.” Lilac cocked her head. “Did you ask him?”
“I was too stunned. He came into the bedroom, said he was late for work and that we would talk later.”
“What did you do?”
“I waited until he left, hopped in the shower and then came to find you.” I had trouble catching my breath. “What do you think I should do?”
“Get him naked again and see if you can remember it this time,” Lilac suggested. “I can’t enjoy the story without more details.”
I was incredulous. “That’s it?”
“What do you want me to say, Hadley? That was a totally lame story.”
“No, you’re lame,” I challenged.
Lilac smirked. “You’re so cute I just want to dress you up like a little doll and carry you around in my pocket.” She squeezed my cheek and gave it a good jiggle. “Try really hard to remember next time. That will make the story much more exciting.”
“Ugh.” I exhaled heavily and dropped my head in my hands, ignoring the way Lilac chirped as she poured me an iced tea and took another round of drinks to her guests. When she returned, she was on to another conversational topic.
“So, Mark Santiago’s sister works at the bar down the way and I heard she has the afternoon shift today,” Lilac announced. “I was thinking that as soon as my relief comes in we can head down there and question her. You know, act like we’re real detectives and stuff. I always thought I wanted to be Nancy Drew when I was younger.”
“I preferred Trixie Belden.”
“They were both fun,” Lilac said. “What do you think?”
I thought it was an absolutely terrible idea. “Sure. What have I got to lose?”
Twenty
I’m a big fan of time travel movies and television shows. The idea that I could possibly go back and forth in time and correct a wrong was incredibly appealing given my irresponsible actions of the previous night. I had no idea if any magical creatures could make it happen, but it was an interesting thought.
“Is time travel real?”
Lilac glanced over her shoulder as she led me down the beach. I was surprised when we left the main drag and headed toward the shore but I figured Lilac knew where we were going better than anyone else, especially me. As long as we didn’t run into Galen I didn’t care where we ended up.
“Are you talking about time travel in like Outlander or The Butterfly Effect?”
That was an interesting question. “Are they different?”
Lilac held her hands palms out and shrugged. “I think they’re very different. In The Butterfly Effect he wanted to go back and alter the past to save someone in the present, but each thread he yanked made things worse or just as bad. Ultimately he had to remove himself entirely from her life if he wanted her to survive and thrive.
“In Outlander the main character didn’t make a choice to go back – er, well, at least the first time – but once she got there she wanted to change the past,” she continued. “They realized they couldn’t change their part of the past and became resigned to their fate. Which outcome do you want?”
Wow! That was an extremely heavy question. “I only want to travel back to yesterday and not make a fool of myself.”
Lilac snorted, her amusement drawing attention as we ducked into a beach tiki bar. It was much smaller than Lilac’s bar and looked to have a removable floor and bar area. I hadn’t seen it on my earlier treks through Moonstone Bay. It was kind of cute … and also worrisome because it made me wonder if a stiff breeze could pick it up and toss it in the ocean.
“You need to let that go,” Lilac chided as she led me through the sparsely-populated bar and toward a booth in the corner. “You bagged the hottest bachelor in town on, like, your fourth day here. You should be thrilled.”
“I am thrilled. Can’t you tell?”
“You also need to work on your sarcasm.” Lilac slid into one side of the booth, leaving the other for me, and scanned the bar. “We’re looking for Sarah Santiago.”
“What does she look like?”
“Really tiny. Cute. Long dark hair. I don’t see her, but I know she’s supposed to handle the lunch shift. She’s probably not here yet.”
“What are we going to ask her?” I couldn’t help being nervous. The idea of questioning the sister of the man I killed – however accidental or necessary – made me nervous.
“We’ll figure it out as it happens,” Lilac replied, forcing a smile as a waitress headed in our direction. I didn’t know Lilac well, but I could tell when she was being genuine, and the faux sugary smile she brought out to play now was jarring. “Hello, Cordelia. I didn’t know you’d be here today.”
I watched the woman delivering glasses of water, understandably curious. I’d never seen Lilac be anything but friendly when it came to other Moonstone Bay residents. Even for those she didn’t like she put on a brave face. She barely tried with Cordelia.
“It’s my bar.” Cordelia, her hair tied back in a loose and messy bun, fixed Lilac with a challenging look. “I figured you’d be at your own bar today.”
“Yeah? I’m showing Hadley around.”
“Hadley, huh?” Cordelia shifted her eyes to me, causing me to squirm on the vinyl booth seat. “You’re the one who took over the lighthouse, right?”
“She’s May’s granddaughter,” Lilac supplied. “She’s part of our community now.”
“I heard she was thinking about leaving,” Cordelia challenged.
“Where did you hear that?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
“Ned Baxter.”
I stilled, surprised. “Really? He said I was leaving?”
Lilac absently patted my hand, her eyes never leaving Cordelia’s pretty face. “Don’t listen to her. She’s making it up.”
Cordelia sneered. “Why would I make it up?”
“I don’t think she’s making it up,” I supplied. “He showed up at my place the other day to see if I wanted to sell to him. He thought I might want to get off the island.”
Lilac jerked her gaze from Cordelia. “And what did you say?”
“I said I wasn’t making any decisions right away.”
Lilac narrowed her eyes to accusatory slits. “You want to stay, right?”
That was a dangerous question. “I don’t know.”
“Oh, you know,” Lilac gritted out. “You want to stay. You’re going to stay.”
“Ignore her,” Cordelia instructed, clearly enjoying herself as she leaned over the table and handed me a menu. “Lilac can’t take it when she’s not in the know about island gossip. It’s not your fault she’s so needy.”
“Bite me,” Lilac hissed, accepting the menu with a sneer. “If anyone should leave the island, it’s you.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of the conversation, so I merely watched for a moment, dumbfounded.
“I can’t leave while you’re still here,” Cordelia drawled. “I have to make sure someone saves the island men from your slutty powers of persuasion.”
“Oh, please,” Lilac snorted, her lips curving. “You’re the poster child for gonorrhea, for crying out loud. You’re the name on the
bathroom stalls that all of the men warn each other about.”
Cordelia’s expression darkened. “And you’re the one they say reminds them of a toilet seat when they whisper about things to watch out for.”
Ah, well, I’d really stepped in it this time. I wasn’t sure exactly what I’d stepped in, but it was obvious that Cordelia and Lilac had a past that would make most warring dictators blush. “Maybe I should head out,” I suggested.
“You’re staying,” Lilac snapped, gripping the menu so hard her knuckles turned white. “Cordelia is just trying to upset you. Don’t let her.”
“I don’t even know her,” Cordelia corrected. “Why would I want to upset her?”
“Because you’re evil.”
“Says the woman who slept with the entire rowing team in one weekend.”
Lilac’s eyebrows flew up her forehead. “The rowing team consisted of one person at the time. Ben Gordon.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“Yes.”
“Then you slept with the entire rowing team.” Cordelia was haughty as she crossed her arms over her chest. I couldn’t help disliking her. I didn’t know Lilac all that well – and there were times she irritated me to no end – but I found her to be friendly and funny most of the time. There was an edge to the way Cordelia approached Lilac that annoyed me.
“Am I missing something?” I asked, uncomfortably shifting on my seat. “Maybe I should go and let you guys … do whatever it is you’re about to do.”
Cordelia and Lilac stared each other down for a long moment, something unsaid passing between them. Finally Cordelia dragged her eyes from Lilac’s face and forced what could pass for a smile.
“Don’t be silly,” Cordelia clucked, her eyes flashing. “This is simply how Lilac and I get along. It’s not personal. It’s … quirky.”
That was so not the word I would use. “Well … okay.”
“It’s fine,” Lilac said, catching my gaze and grinning. This time the light behind her eyes was real. “Don’t worry about it. This really is the way we get along.”
Witchy Dreams Page 94
