What Makes Us Stronger (A Well Paired Novel Book 3)

by Marianne Rice

  Ty pushed the mower off the slight embankment and turned it around again. Meatball hadn’t moved from his spot in the grass. His head was shaded from the sun while his rump basked in it.

  “I’m coming your way, Meatball. Move it or lose it.” Even the loud mower wasn’t enough to get the dog moving. As Ty neared, he turned off the mower and squatted. “Four feet to the left. That’s all I’m asking. Give me ten seconds and you can rest your ass back here again.”

  Nothing. Rolling his eyes, Ty picked up Meatball and set him in the newly mowed grass. Shaking his head, he started up the mower again. If only the guys from school could see him now, totally owned by his mutt.

  The guys he’d been close to in high school either moved away, picked up drinking as a regular hobby, or were out on the ocean from sunup to sundown. Although Brady and Carter Marshall were still in town.

  Local farmers who lived over by the winery, they’d gone to school together but never traveled in the same circles. Farm boys and hard workers. They had family loyalty and manual labor in common.

  From what he knew, Brady was pretty good friends with Alexis, but he never socialized much. That was Carter who went out with Mia from time to time. Just friends, she’d said, and Ty believed her. Mia was not the settling down type.

  He knew the locals and the locals knew him, but like the Marshall brothers, Ty preferred to keep to himself.

  Or rather had preferred. Hanging out with Cam and Ben and spending time with Lily was a nice alternative to sulking by himself.

  It wasn’t healthy, he knew, keeping to himself, working the same hours as the overworked and underpaid fisherman, and devoting the rest of his time in supporting Hope. Until Lily came around, those seemed like his only options.

  He’d first noticed her when he drove by to go to The Happy Clam. She had on cut-off jean shorts and flip-flops, a bag of dirt and a tray of purple and pink petunias at her feet. He’d given his mom a hanging basket full of the same flowers the week before for Mother’s Day.

  After he’d parked at the restaurant, he thought about taking a leisurely stroll down the street to check out the newcomer. And then what? Ty wasn’t one for small talk. He didn’t randomly strike up conversations with women he didn’t know.

  In high school, he’d bring a girl to the movies and to Dairy Queen for an ice cream. They’d make out in his truck or at the beach. When the rare occasion happened and his parents went out for a night, he’d sneak a girl back to the house and into his bedroom. Not exactly dating.

  His time with Kristi was more of the same. Only less. There weren’t many places to go, and their leave never matched up. He confused their deep conversations for trust and relationship building. Instead, they were simply passing time.

  She’d ruined him. Ruined the little skill he had at conversing and totally destroyed his confidence. To approach someone as beautiful as Lily, he’d need a boatload of confidence.

  For weeks he’d waited, hoping Lily would stop by the restaurant. He couldn’t ask anyone about her or they’d pounce on the idea of setting him up. Hope would be more tactful; Mia, however, would do just what she had done the past month. If he was going to take a girl out, he’d be the one asking, not his sister or best friend.

  That tiny spec of male chauvinism was lost when Lily had initiated their first date at the drive-in.

  Having patience had paid off. He’d discreetly tried to find out information about Lily: where she moved from, if she had family in Maine, siblings, an ex-husband, a current boyfriend.

  Being the quiet one in the town had its advantages. Often, others forgot he was there and chatted mindlessly revealing more than they would have had they thought Ty had any interest. It still didn’t give him much information on Lily.

  She didn’t appear to have any family. She was single—which was the most important part. His sister and Hope loved her and thought she was the sweetest, kindest soul. Yet they all agreed she had a painful past. Something about seeing it in her eyes when she first moved here.

  By the time Ty had the courage to look her in the eyes, he hadn’t seen any pain. Any skeletons. Just stunning blue eyes filled with humor, kindness, intelligence, and lust. Someday he’d ask her about what brought her to the cove. For now though, why rock the boat?

  Lifting his arm, he wiped the sweat from his brow with his bicep and walked the mower back to the shed.

  “Thanks for your help,” he called to Meatball. “Let me wait on you hand and foot. Dinner will be ready in five.” Ty held the backdoor open and waited for Meatball to slowly rise to his legs and waddle his way up the steps and into the house.

  Once his dish was filled, Ty stripped his jeans, tossing them in the washer, and turned on the water in the shower. He lathered up his face while waiting for the water to warm and sliced through it with his razor.

  Normally he wouldn’t bother shaving this late in the day, but he had a hot date at Pizza Dough with a beautiful woman.

  LILY WAS THE LAST TO arrive at Books by the Ocean. Her four o’clock highlight turned into a three-hour debacle. She’d texted the girls and told them not to wait for her. When she pushed through the door to the bookstore Mia was already pouring the drinks.

  “A lot can change in a month.” Mia filled five red Solo cups with the ginger beer mule drink she’d made and passed them around. “Water for you, Lils. Sucks being the designated driver, doesn’t it?”

  It really didn’t. Especially when she had plans to drive out to Ty’s after book club. They’d progressed from their Saturday only sleepovers to whenever they felt like it. Her first appointment in the morning wasn’t until nine, which gave her plenty of time to get back to the spa, shower, and pretend she’d slept there all night. Alone.

  Not that it was anyone’s business, but living in a small town meant gossip was easy to come by. And people loved to talk. She loved to listen and preferred the topic to be anyone but herself.

  “You know I’m not a heavy drinker anyway. I don’t mind driving if anyone gets too snockered off your mules.”

  “Snockered? That’s very European.” Grace sat at the far end of the couch, her legs crossed primly as she sipped her drink.

  Chills pricked the back of her neck. Grace knew. The question was, had she said anything to anyone else, and how much did she know?

  “It reminds me of Bridget Jones’s Diary. We should read a comedy next.” Hope passed around the plate of cookies she’d made. “We’ve been on this serious drama kick for too long.”

  “We don’t even talk about books anymore,” Alexis said as she took a cookie and sat next to Grace.

  “I think we need to meet twice a month. Once for book talk and the other time for girl talk.” This from Jenna who had yet to be the center of discussion. Being a fulltime caretaker for a geriatric man didn’t give her much time to socialize.

  “I’m all for it but now that Alexis, Hope, and Lily have men dominating their lives, they can barely get here in time. Was it my brother who had you storming through the door so late tonight?”

  Lily didn’t take Mia’s bait. She knew why Lily was late and wanted a reaction. A reaction she wouldn’t get. The distraction, however, was welcome. No one seemed to notice the change in Grace’s demeanor. She’d always been a bit stand-offish but most times they were together as a group she tried to get along with everyone.

  Their brief chat last week about opening a fashion boutique wasn’t what gave Lily the chills either.

  “I have to be honest,” Hope said. “I didn’t finish the book. I love Jodi Picoult, I really do. But this one is deep. Emotional. I didn’t want to rush it. Maybe we should do like Jenna suggested and try to make more time for each other.”

  “Won’t that cut into our reading time? With Sophie teething and the winery in full swing, I’m barely finding time to take a shower.”

  “It’s not about the books. It’s about girl time. The older I get, heck, the older Delaney gets, I realize how important friendships are. I went without for too
long. Look at us.” Hope set her cup down and inched to the edge of her seat. “Our friendships have budded over the past year. I’ve known Ty forever, but Mia never crossed my radar.”

  “Hey.”

  “No offense. You were fifteen when I was pregnant. Not exactly a lot in common there. And hell, Alexis and I have lived in this town our whole lives and only got to know each other less than two years ago. And Grace. When you left for Europe you were barely drinking age. And now you’re a gorgeous woman ready to take on the world. I heard about the Bergerons leaving and your meeting with them about renting their space. Don’t think you’re off the hook with this piece of news.”

  “What?” Alexis gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was going to.”

  “And she will. As soon as I’m done.” Whether Hope wanted to be or not, she would always be their unappointed group leader. “Lily’s new to town, and Jenna hasn’t been here much longer. New friends. New relationships. We need to take care of ourselves, of each other. I didn’t think having a lot of friends was important. I’m close with my parents and have a beautiful daughter. But the more my relationship grows with each of you, the more I value the power of friendship.”

  Lily dabbed her eye with a napkin and when Jenna sniffed next to her, she passed her a dry one.

  “Shit, Hope. Marriage has turned you into a complete sap.”

  “I guess so, Mia. And I can’t wait for each of you to find happiness as well. And I don’t mean with a man, although that’s icing on the cake. Or a woman, if you prefer. We need to find happiness within ourselves. I find that with each of you.”

  Lily wiped her eyes then blew her nose into her napkin.

  “I agree with Hope. You all are becoming family to me. I came here searching for... myself, and you’ve all helped me do that. You mean the world to me. Really.” Jenna hugged her, as did Alexis. They all stood and hugged each other.

  When Grace reached for her, Lily worried it would be awkward, cold. But Grace’s arms were strong around her. “We need to talk. Privately,” she whispered in Lily’s ears, and the chill crept down her spine again.

  Yeah. She knew.

  Lily’s hands began to shake. Her head was heavy on her shoulders, and static blanketed her eyes. Somehow she managed to find herself back on the couch, Grace by her side. “Breathe in and out. Slowly.” She handed Lily her water and rubbed her back. “I’ll get us out of here,” she said in a low whisper.

  Standing in front of Lily and blocking her from everyone’s sight, Grace made a big production about the alcohol going right through her. She rambled on about the book and how lame it was.

  The voices in the room were a conjoined mass of noise, and Lily couldn’t differentiate from one voice to the next. Grateful for Grace’s distraction, she took her advice and concentrated on her blood flow, taking deep breaths.

  Her heart thundered in her chest, and she frantically searched the room for... him. For them. She’d been too lax lately with her safety. Her name, her identity, and Agent Thorne were a constant reminder that she’d never be safe.

  Ever.

  Reaching blindly behind her, Grace held out her hand. “Lily said she’d drive me home, so one of you need to step up to be the DD in case someone else drinks too much of Mia’s potent drink.”

  “I’m not having another. I’ll drive if necessary.”

  “Thanks, Alexis.” Lily had found her voice and stood, gripping onto Grace’s hand for support.

  “Are you okay? You’re as white as a ghost.” Hope rested a hand on her shoulder, and Lily forced a smile.

  “Tired. It was a long day.”

  “Must be those late night sleepovers keeping you up. Ty’s been looking a little tired around the eyes as well,” Mia teased.

  He didn’t appear tired at all. If anything, Ty had more energy now that they were dating. Everyone had commented on it before. It was just Mia being Mia for which Lily was thankful. It alleviated some of the pressure in her chest.

  “Sorry to cut the book club short and to steal Lily away. This drink isn’t settling right, though.”

  Grace pulled her along and out the door. When they got to Lily’s car, Grace took the keys from her and opened the passenger door, pushing Lily inside.

  “I don’t trust you on the road right now. We’ll go back to your place. The walk would do you some good, but the girls will think something is up if both cars are out here when they leave.”

  The mile walk in the warm sea breeze would have felt good if it wouldn’t lead to questions.

  And possibly the end of her new life.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  IN A MATTER OF MINUTES, they were walking through the front door of the spa and up the flights of stairs to Lily’s apartment. Once inside, Grace boiled water then found two mugs and two tea bags.

  “If you didn’t look so ashen I’d suggest something strong like vodka or tequila. Something tells me that wouldn’t be a good idea, though.” When the water was heated, Grace filled the cups. “Kitchen table or living room couch?”

  “Couch.” Lily would need the space to curl up in a ball.

  Carrying the mugs into the living room, Grace commented on the throw pillows, the curtains. The lavender and eucalyptus candle in the corner. “Can I light it? It smells soothing.”

  “Sure. There’s a lighter in the drawer by the sink.” Lily sipped her tea while Grace bustled about.

  When the candle was lit, she made herself comfortable on the other end of the couch, mirroring Lily’s position by tucking her feet under her butt.

  “Should I call you Veronica?”

  The tension in her stomach made her want to vomit. “No.”

  “I’m sorry. That was insensitive.”

  “What do you know?” Lily didn’t want to feed Grace too much information if she didn’t know the entire story. She could be one of Damian’s plants. Although it was unlikely. Grace had ties to the town, and Lily didn’t.

  Unless Agent Thorne was one of his men as well. If so, she needed to leave tonight.

  “Only what I saw on the news. Read online.”

  “Which was?”

  “So it’s true?” Grace set her tea down. “You’re Veronica Stewart-Gervais back from the dead?”

  The pit of despair laid heavily in her stomach. She didn’t want to admit to anything. In her heart of hearts, she was not that woman.

  “What do you know about her?”

  “Daughter of the Stewart jewel empire in New York City. Heir to millions. Married—or rather was married to renowned French jeweler, Damian Gervais. Her wedding made every gossip column and entertainment show in Europe five years ago. The gown alone cost eight hundred grand.”

  It was a beautiful gown. Custom designed for her by one of the top wedding designers in France. Damian and her father insisted on the best. They knew the wedding would attract a lot of media attention, and Jackson Stewart and Damian Gervais were not men who shied away from the glitz.

  Growing up wearing designer clothing and custom jewelry was her norm. She knew she lived the fairytale life. There were times during her young teens when she’d wished she could be normal. Go to a regular school. Hang out at the mall with friends. Eat pizza in her bedroom while gossiping with girlfriends.

  The daughter of Jackson Stewart didn’t behave in such a manner, though. It’s not what the world wanted to see, and her father was all about impressing others. His name was worth a lot of money and he had to look the part, as did his daughter.

  All. The. Time.

  “I was trying to find myself in Europe. I thought the vineyards of Italy would inspire me to care more about Coastal Vines. They didn’t. I appreciate wine more, yes, but still have no desire to work on a vineyard.”

  “That’s why you went to Europe?”

  “Sort of.” Grace picked up her tea again, blew on it, and sipped. Lily hadn’t tried her tea yet, too afraid it would come back up. Her stomach did summersaults waiting to hear what else Grace knew
about her life. If it was only her identity that had been found out, she’d call Thorne and come up with a plan.

  It would take fifteen minutes to pack her essentials in a duffle bag. Since Thorne had arranged for her rent and insurance on the spa, he could just as easily cancel it and find her a new place to set up shop.

  A new name. A new life.

  A life without her new friends. Without Ty.

  The peanut butter and jelly sandwich she had for lunch hours ago threatened to resurface. Lily clenched her hands, her nails making half-moon marks in her palms.

  She’d stayed away from the media, from civilization, and had no idea how much had been discovered and plastered all over the news.

  “I honestly did try to enjoy winemaking. Maybe if I didn’t grow up on a vineyard. However, if they had been anything like the vineyards in Tuscany, that would have been a different story. Next, I tried my hand in the fashion industry.”

  The seriousness took over Grace’s face again. This must be the connection. Where their paths crossed or where she’d learned more about Veronica. Needing to do something, Lily tried her tea. When she swallowed and it didn’t immediately come back up, she kept her mug in front of her mouth as a barrier. Of what, she didn’t know. But having something to shield her made her feel a little less... threatened.

  “I took a few classes, worked in some boutiques. I dated a guy whose sister co-owned Muse and got me a job filling in when one of her stock girls took a day off. I’ll never forget the day you—Veronica Gervais came in with her older husband looking like they’d stepped off a runway. Everyone in the store stopped what they were doing to cater to the power couple. Veronica looked like I’d seen her in the fashion and gossip magazines, only different. Her smile wasn’t staged. In fact, I never saw it. Her husband though, quite the charmer.”

  Lily didn’t remember that specific store. There were so many. Too many. Damian loved to dress her up and show her off. “We’re doing our duty by visiting the little people,” he’d say.