by Jill Shalvis
Page 22
Author: Jill Shalvis
He was bound by duty. He hadn’t caught her and Lance freeing the dogs, or trespassing, or any of the “gray” area things she did, but what if he had? What would it do to him if someday he had to make a choice between the law and her?
Realizing sleep was nothing but a distant memory, Chloe tossed back the covers and forced herself to get up. After a long, hot shower that only brought more memories, she dressed and went outside.
And came face-to-face with her Vespa.
Confused, she pulled out her cell phone and called Lance. “Hey. You okay?”
“That’s my question for you, babe,” he said, sounding just as wheezy as she’d been yesterday. Her heart kicked hard. He’d had a long hospital stay last month, complicated and awful, and he’d never quite recovered.
She was deathly afraid this was as good as it got for him. His doctors were starting to discuss lung transplants. “I’m serious, Lance. ”
“Me too,” he said, breath rattling. “I’m good. I’m better. ”
She wanted desperately to believe that. “Did you fix and bring home my Vespa?”
“No. Sawyer said he’d take care of it. ”
So he had been here…
“Chloe? You still there?”
“Yeah. ” She shook off the image of Sawyer caring enough to remember her stranded Vespa and getting someone to retrieve it. “Want lunch later? I’ll bring you something yum from Tara and also make you some more of that decongestant balm. ”
“Sure. Hey, did you really go au natural at the mud springs?”
“Not quite but close enough. ”
“Would have liked to see that,” he said wistfully. “How ’bout I make us a mud patch in my backyard?”
Chloe was laughing when she hung up, and her gaze snagged on the Vespa. Sawyer had come through for her. Again. She rubbed at the ache in her chest that had nothing do with asthma and headed inside the B&B. She found Tara cooking and simultaneously muttering to herself as she wrote something on a recipe card. Maddie was at the table with a stack of paperwork, probably organizing inventory and scheduling for both the inn and her wedding, as evidenced by the handful of bridal magazines spread across the table.
“Hey,” Maddie said to Chloe with a smile. “You’re up. ”
Tara turned off the stove, pushed Chloe into a chair, and served her a plate of food. “Feeling better?”
Chloe stuffed her mouth with a bite of something cheesy and moaned in delight. “If I say yes, are you going to yell at me for yesterday?”
“No one’s going to yell,” Maddie said with a stern glance at Tara.
Chloe tried to tell if Sawyer had come by for coffee yet. She was staring at the pot when her sisters exchanged another glance.
“Let me save you a neck crimp,” Maddie said. “The sheriff hasn’t been here yet. ”
“Nope,” Tara said. “Not yet. ” Her grip was tight on her spatula, like maybe she was hoping to hit him upside the back of his head when he did show up.
Maddie shoved an open magazine at Chloe. “What do you think of this dress?”
It was a long-sleeved chiffon in an absolutely hideous Easter-colored floral print that looked like something a great-grandmother would wear. “Um…” Chloe searched for tact. “Thought you wanted a more traditional bridal dress. ”
“It’s for you,” Maddie said, beaming with pride. “As my bridesmaid. ”
Chloe blinked, then slid a cautious look to Tara for help.
“You don’t like it?” Tara asked innocently. “Because we’ve already ordered it for you. You should see the hat that goes with it. ”
Chloe was chewing on her lower lip, trying to find something tactful to say about the dress from hell when Maddie let out a snort, her face mottled red with the effort of holding in her laughter. “Okay,” Chloe said. “That’s just mean. ”
“Sorry,” Maddie said, looking anything but. “I was hoping to scare you half as bad as you scared us yesterday. ”
Chloe ran a finger over the god-awful dress and shuddered in relief. “Yeah, well, consider it done. ”
Maddie flipped the page over. “This is more what I have in mind for you. ”
This dress was a beautiful spaghetti-strapped sundress the color of a perfect summer sky.
“I can just see you walking along the dock in it,” Maddie said, beaming.
The wedding was going to take place here at the marina, right on the water, with the reception inside the inn. Lucille, who’d become an ordained minister online, was going to do the honors.
Chloe, Maddie, and Tara oohed and aahed over the dresses for a few minutes before Tara went back to the stove and Maddie to her notes. Chloe ate and watched them both. Her sisters were happy, content to be here in Lucky Harbor doing something with their lives. And she…she needed to find her happy. If she couldn’t do that here with them, she wanted to know. “I meant what I said yesterday,” she said. “I want to do more around here than just fill in. I think I have more to offer than that. ”
“Well, of course you do,” Maddie said.
“Then give me a chance. Look, I understand that over the years I haven’t exactly been the model of responsibility or reliability, but you have to admit I’ve gotten better. And we could start slow, a few days a week. See how it works out. ” She took Maddie’s hand and pulled her up. Then turned off the stove and grabbed Tara’s hand as well.
She tugged them into the sunroom and pointed to the windows lining the wall. “There’s where I’d put the spa bed, so the client could look out while getting a facial, or whatever they’ve chosen. The sea is one of the most Zen things you can look at, and we have a helluva view. And I’d put a chair there,” Chloe said, pointing to a corner. “For mani/pedis. A pretty table too, where a guest could be served a delicious lunch prepared by our very own chef—” She smiled at Tara. “It’s endless. We can do bridal parties, women’s retreats, girls’ weekends, all with the promise of being far away from the hustle and bustle of real life. Can’t you see it?”
“I can,” Maddie said and looked at Tara.
“If I ask you a question,” Tara said slowly, “will you get all mad and run off and get naked and muddy with the sheriff again?”
“Jeez, one time!” Chloe sighed. “Ask. ”
“What you’re suggesting is a major change in our marketing strategy and planning. It also changes your daily grind, hugely. ” She lifted her hand when Chloe opened her mouth. “I’m not saying it doesn’t have potential,” she said. “Because it does, but I have to know. If we do this, if we invest and get on board, do you really see yourself happy here, locked in one spot? Because you would be, Chloe. Even if we start with just a few days a week, that’s every week. You’d be locked in. This is one of those things called a root, sugar—which you’ve avoided like the plague your whole life. And it’s a biggie. We’ll be depending on you. ”
“I know,” Chloe said. “And yes. I really see myself doing this. ” Trying not to get defensive, she stood her ground. “And it’s not like it’s a cement block attached to my feet for crissake. It’s a schedule, and I can work it out to suit me. ”
“Not if we put a ton of money into it,” Tara said. “If we do that, you’re going to have to put the clients first, ahead of your need to…whatever. ”
Chloe swallowed, willing herself to stay calm. “I’ll pay for the necessary renovations and marketing,” she said, and bit back her retort when Tara didn’t look overly impressed at that. Because the truth was that Chloe hadn’t been able to put in as much capital for the B&B’s renovations as her sisters had. But she was finally starting to make money and was trying to make up for lost time.
“Why don’t we draw up plans and get an estimate on what it’d cost to get this room ready?” Maddie suggested with her ever-present mediatory skills. “And like everything else, we’ll decide together. Majority rules. ”
Tara no
dded. “Sounds good to me. Chloe?”
Not seeing much of a choice, Chloe nodded. Her sisters went back into the kitchen, and she stayed in the sunroom and let herself envision the spa room. When it was as clear as the ocean outside the window, she sat in the corner and drew her plans. Then she pulled out her cell phone and called the only contractor she knew. “Jax,” she said. “Question. ”
“Me first. You breathing today?”
She had to laugh. “Yes. ”
“Good. Keep doing it. ”
“Believe me, I intend to,” she said. “I have a new client for you. ”
“I love new clients. Who is it?”
“Me. ”
He was quiet a moment. “Why do I have the feeling I’m about to get myself in trouble?”
“No trouble. You know I want to turn the sunroom into a day spa. What I need is an estimate to install a really plush client bed, an industrial sink, hidden speakers, a wall fountain, and a pretty oak wall cubby for storage. Oh! And a soaking tub and a shower for body wraps and things like that. I’ll need to know how fast you could get to it, and how much. ”
Jax promised to get back to her as soon as possible, and satisfied that she was at least on her way, Chloe headed out the back door.
Their property was about an acre, and though they were off the beaten path, they backed up to the ocean. It was remarkable, really, and Chloe could still feel the shock that had hit her last year when her mother had died and a will had surfaced.
Growing up with Phoebe as Chloe had, she would have sworn on her own life that Phoebe didn’t have a spare dollar to her name. After all, they’d lived in tents, or on friends’ couches, or even in their car for most of Chloe’s childhood. Always at the mercy of Phoebe’s need to be free.
Looking back on it brought mostly fond memories, and she’d never suffered for their distinct lack of luxury, but there’d definitely been lean times. Lean enough that a tiny germ of resentment had found its way into Chloe’s heart. She’d never admitted it out loud. To do so felt…disloyal. But the feelings of resentment sometimes surfaced regardless.
