Nash laughed.
“You wait,” said Larry. “We’re going to restore it using Fibonacci numbers.”
Crystal blinked her confusion at him.
“It’ll be gorgeous,” he finished.
“And for now?” she asked, gazing worriedly at the sagging door. Surely they weren’t actually sleeping here.
“The electricity works. So does the plumbing,” said Larry, creaking open the truck door.
“Upstairs only, for water,” Nash warned.
“That’s all we need.” Larry swung out of the vehicle. “The café open?”
“It’s Sunday,” said Nash, exiting from the driver’s side.
Crystal slid across the velour seat cover. “What does that mean?”
“The café’s closed Sundays. We can grill some burgers on my deck,” Nash offered.
Larry nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll bring the wine.”
Standing on the uneven ground, Crystal put her hands on her hips and stared up at the three story monstrosity. “I feel like a teenager in a horror movie.”
Larry snagged her hand, pulling her against his side. “Don’t worry,” he muttered, then leaned down and planted a long kiss on her surprised mouth, leaving her speechless. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“You sure she doesn’t have a sister available?” asked Nash.
“I’m working on it,” Crystal answered. She’d like nothing better than for Amber to become available.
“Find your own dates,” Larry growled at Nash. “He’s a hound dog,” he added for Crystal’s benefit.
“You have a job?” she asked Nash.
“Own my own business.”
“Then you’ve got my vote.”
“It’s a bait shop,” Larry reminded her.
Nash folded his thick arms over his broad chest. “Nitroworms and night crawlers,” he proudly informed her.
Crystal shuddered.
“See what I mean?” asked Larry, pulling down the tailgate so that Rufus could jump out of the box.
“Better to sell night crawlers than to be one,” she pointed out. Though she honestly didn’t think she could be intimate with a man who handled creepy crawly things all day long. But maybe Amber was different. Crystal would think about that.
“Need anything else?” asked Nash, his tone going serious.
Larry shook his head, settling their two overnight bags on his shoulder. “Half an hour?”
“See you then,” said Nash, easing back into the driver’s seat and slamming the door. The diesel engine roared to life.
“We’re really sleeping here?” asked Crystal.
“The master bedroom is comfy. Honest.”
She took a breath. “Whatever you say.”
He started up the rickety stairs, and she followed along. “We’ll have complete privacy.”
Okay. That sounded pretty good.
Rufus sniffed at an old porch swing, glancing at Larry before gracefully leaping up to settle on the cushion. The springs creaked gently under his weight.
Larry shouldered open the door and hit a light switch.
The entry hall and living room were a jumble of power tools and building supplies. From what she could see, the dining room was the same, except its walls had been torn down, the bare two-by-fours exposed beneath.
“This way,” said Larry, leading a winding path through rubble and plywood to a sweeping staircase.
It squeaked when he put his foot on the bottom stair.
“Is this thing going to collapse?”
He started up, tugging her along. “Trust me. I’m a rocket scientist.”
“I’d feel better if you were a carpenter.”
The worn banister wobbled under her hand. But before any real panic could set in, they were in the upstairs hallway. Larry pushed a door open, flicked the light on and motioned her into an astonishingly beautiful room.
The walls were copper in color, highlighting a polished cherrywood dresser, armoire, headboard and footboard. A cream-colored loveseat was positioned in one corner, across from two French provincial armchairs. On three windows in the corner room, pale gold curtains were held back by gleaming cords. Three tiffany-look lamps glowed on the dresser and bedside tables, reflecting off the patterned rug.
“Wow,” she breathed.
“The former owner did this,” Larry told her, moving to the windows to pull down the shades. “I suspect she had plans for the rest of the house. But she had a sudden financial setback.”
Crystal moved into the room, running her fingers over the smooth surface of the dresser.
“Unfortunately,” Larry continued, “there are structural problems underneath.”
She couldn’t help but glance worriedly at the floor.
“It won’t fall apart tonight,” he assured her.
“You sure about that.”
He took her hand, drawing her into his arms. “Have a little faith, sweetheart.”
She tipped her head to gaze into his warm eyes. “How long did you tell Nash we’d be?”
Larry glanced at his watch. “We have seventeen minutes.”
Warmth swirling in her stomach, Crystal came up on her toes and kissed him. “I wish you’d made that a little longer.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
R ECOVERING FROM THE LONGEST, most passionate kiss in history, Crystal scrambled to comb out her mussed ponytail and fix her smeared lipstick, while Larry retrieved a couple of bottles of wine.
She straightened her top and smoothed the front of her pants, stuffing her feet back into her shoes.
“The world won’t stop turning if we’re five minutes late,” he pointed out.
“But Nash will get suspicious.”
“So what?”
“So, I thought we were trying to be discreet.”
“I’m pretty much over that.”
She paused on the way out the door. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I guess if you’re willing to be seen with me in public, I can handle being seen with you.”
She started back down the stairs. “How truly magnanimous of you.”
He followed behind. “Isn’t it though?”
They exited through the front door.
Rufus opened one eye to watch them leave the porch. But then he sighed and closed it again as they headed down the dirt path to Nash’s house.
The trees closed in around them. The light from Larry’s porch faded, while Nash’s house lights brightened in the distance. On the starlit pathway, Larry casually slipped his hand over hers. She was instantly filled with a sense of comfort and security.
She glanced up at his profile.
He reacted by looking down as they walked. “What?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
He slowed to a stop, turning to meet her eyes, his tone low. “But it’s something, isn’t it?”
She agreed with a nod. “It’s something.”
He leaned down to kiss her gently on the lips. “You’re an amazing woman, Crystal Hayes.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, Larry Grosso.”
She saw him smile.
“Later?” he asked.
“Absolutely.”
He gave her hand a squeeze, and they continued down the pathway.
Nash was standing on his massive cedar deck, spatula in hand, burgers sizzling on the grill. Pot lights decorated his lush lawn, while overhead beams glowed burnished amber against the polished wood.
He nodded toward the open glass doors. “Beer in the fridge, or there’s a corkscrew on the counter.”
“You have a gorgeous home,” said Crystal, gazing in awe at the ultra modern kitchen and the sparkling pool and hot tub combination off the far edge of the deck.
“Thank you,” said Nash.
“He uses it to seduce women,” said Larry, heading through the door with the wine.
“I imagine it works quite well,” said Crystal.
Nash grinned unrepentantly.
“You probably w
ant to stay away from my sister,” Crystal joked.
“I wouldn’t go near a woman who didn’t know the score,” Nash assured her.
Crystal’s gaze slid to Larry as he opened the wine. Did Larry think she knew the score? Had he concluded-like so many men in the world-that she took sex casually?
The vibes she was getting from him felt sincere. But maybe it was all part of a game. And maybe he thought she was playing along.
He looked up, met her eyes and smiled. “Red or white?” he called.
“White, please,” she answered, the intimate smile reassuring.
“Grab me a beer?” asked Nash, closing the lid on the propane grill.
Larry stepped out of the kitchen, a glass of red and one of white dangling from the fingers of one hand. In the other, he held Nash’s beer. He handed them each their drink. Then he gestured to a cushioned love seat grouped with a couple of chairs around a low oblong table.
Nash turned out to be a marvelous cook. He produced gourmet burgers with salsa and avocado on homemade multigrain buns.
He’d only lived on Myrtle Pond for two years. Like Larry, he’d bought an aging house and rebuilt.
Crystal tried to press him for details of his life before the bait shop, but he was vague, other than to say he was an architect who’d given up the rat race. He clearly enjoyed having Larry as a new neighbor, and the men engaged in several good-natured arguments about the best way to redesign Larry’s Victorian.
Mostly, Crystal got lost in the detail.
Around midnight, her cell phone rang. Surprised, she extracted it from her handbag, trying to figure out who might call so late.
“It’s Amber,” she said to Larry, noting her sister’s number with a sigh of frustration.
She flipped open the phone. “Hello?”
“Auntie Crystal?”
Crystal came alert, sitting up straight with shock at the sound of her niece’s voice. “Jennifer? What’s wrong.”
Jennifer sniffed. “Mommy’s not home yet.”
“Are you alone?” Damn Amber. Damn her. Damn her.
Larry came to his feet.
“Lisa Beechman’s babysitting.”
“Who’s Lisa Beechman? Where’s David?”
“David’s in bed. Lisa says she has to go home now. She’s really mad. I tried and tried Mommy’s number.” Jennifer’s voice broke, and Crystal’s heart squeezed tight.
“Honey, can I talk to Lisa?”
Nash was silent, while Larry was giving her a what’s up? look.
“I’ll go and get her,” said Jennifer in a small voice.
Crystal covered the mouthpiece. “Amber’s out, and the babysitter has to leave.”
Larry glanced at his watch.
Nash stood. “I’ll get the truck and tell Hank to turn on the runway lights.”
“Thanks,” said Larry.
“Hello?” came a clearly annoyed girl’s voice on the other end of the line.
“Lisa? This is Jennifer’s Aunt Crystal. Do you know where Amber went?”
There was a chopped sigh. “Somewhere with that guy.”
“Zane?”
“Yeah. I guess. She promised she’d be back by ten. I have to work tomorrow, and there’s no way-”
“Can you hang on for another…” Crystal glanced at Larry.
“Forty-five minutes,” he said.
“Forty-five minutes?” Crystal finished.
“Isn’t there anyone closer?”
Crystal thought of her mother, but her parents would be asleep. It would take them half an hour to get there. And she could well imagine the family turmoil if she brought her parents into the middle of this one.
“It’s the best I can do,” she told Lisa. “I’m really sorry. We’re coming in by plane, but we’re all the way out at Myrtle Pond.”
The young girl heaved another sigh.
“I’ll pay you double,” Crystal offered.
“I guess,” said Lisa. “It’s not like I’m gonna walk out on two little kids.”
Unlike their own mother, came Crystal’s immediate and uncharitable thought.
“I’ll be there just as soon as I can,” she pledged. “Can I talk to Jennifer again?”
“Just a sec.”
Larry took Crystal’s hand, urging her to her feet and pointing to where Nash had the truck running.
“We’ll get our stuff later,” he told her as they started down the deck stairs.
“Hello?” came Jennifer’s little voice.
“Hi, honey. Did your dad come back?”
“Yes,” said Jennifer in a small voice.
“I’m on my way over so that Lisa can go home.”
“’Kay,” said Jennifer.
“Can you hang on for just a little while?”
“Uh-huh.”
Larry boosted Crystal into the truck, and she slid across the seat to make room for him beside her.
Nash put Rufus in the back and, once in the truck, he pulled it into gear.
“Is David asleep?” asked Crystal.
“I think so,” said Jennifer.
“Can you check? Can you make sure he isn’t having any bad dreams?”
“Okay.”
“Thanks, honey. And I’ll see you soon. I’ll sleep there tonight, then it won’t matter how late your mommy gets home.”
“Will you come and tuck me in?”
“Of course, I’ll tuck you in. I’ll give you a big old hug and a smoochie kiss.”
“I might be in David’s room.”
“Then I’ll find you there.”
“I might be asleep.”
“I’ll hug you anyway.”
“’Kay.”
“You ready to say goodbye?”
“I guess.”
“Okay. Goodbye, Jennifer. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye, Auntie Crystal.”
Crystal flipped the phone shut, silently cursing Amber’s carelessness.
Larry stayed silent, but she could see his jaw was tense.
“My sister,” she explained unnecessarily. “I guess she forgot about the time.” Crystal waited for cutting words of condemnation against Amber.
“Then we better get you over there,” Larry said simply. “Is Jennifer okay?”
“She sounded upset, but I think she’s hanging in.” Gratitude rose in her chest for his matter-of-fact reaction to the problem.
Crystal’s heart went out to her little niece. And though she wasn’t admitting it out loud, she was furious with her sister. She was a mother, not just a party girl.
“Zane is back or he never left,” she told Larry, watching the headlights bounce along the dark, rural road.
“So I gathered.” His tone was grim.
“I’m guessing they’re drunk,” she admitted.
Larry nodded in the dim light from the dashboard.
“The important thing is Jennifer and David,” she said out loud, more to herself than anyone else. She wanted to rail at Amber, but that would be unproductive at the moment.
Larry gave another nod.
“You’re mad, aren’t you?” she asked him.
He turned his head to look at her. “I wish there was somebody for me to be mad at. I don’t know Amber, and I’ve never met Zane. None of this is your fault, and it damn sure isn’t the children’s.”
“I ruined your evening.”
His arm went around her shoulders. “Amber ruined yours.”
“At least we’d already eaten the burgers,” Nash offered.
Crystal couldn’t help a small smile. “There is that.”
“I take it your sister has a loser boyfriend.”
“Ex-husband,” Crystal said. “The father of her two children.”
Nash nodded, fighting the potholes as he sped along the road to the airstrip.
“Thank you for driving us,” said Crystal.
The big man shrugged. “I wish I could do more.” He glanced over her head to Larry, some kind of silent message passing between the two
men. “Anything else you need?”
“We’re good,” Larry responded.
“What’s Zane’s last name?” Nash asked.
The question surprised Crystal. “Crandell,” she answered after a moment.
Nash nodded thoughtfully but didn’t explain further as they came around a bend in the road. “Looks like Hank’s got the lights on.”
Larry gave Crystal a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll have you back home very soon.”
LARRY WASN’T IMPRESSED WITH Amber’s apartment. It wasn’t so much that the furniture was worn, the carpet patchy, or that smells of fish and beer wafted in from the hallway. What worried him were the unwashed dishes and the fast-food cartons littering the dining room table top.
He handed a fifty to the teenage girl who left to drive herself home.
“Amber is usually neater than this,” said Crystal, gathering up the burger wrappers and cardboard cups.
“You don’t have to apologize for your sister.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with her.”
But Larry could tell by the expression on Crystal’s face that she knew exactly what was wrong. Ex-husband Zane was wrong.
“Leave the mess,” Larry told her. Amber needed to take the responsibility for herself.
Crystal crossed the galley kitchen and kicked open the door beneath the sink, depositing the trash. “I can’t leave the mess. The kids need to eat breakfast here.”
“We’ll take them back to your place.”
“Without asking Amber?”
Larry reluctantly conceded she had a point. He wasn’t sure what the law would say about removing the children without their mother’s permission. On the other hand, Amber had basically abandoned them, and Crystal was family.
“She’s not usually like this,” Crystal stressed, disappointment and frustration showing on her face. “They don’t have a lot of money. But then neither do I.”
He moved into the kitchen, taking her by the shoulders. “This isn’t about money. It’s about responsibility. You can’t feed your kids fast food then take off partying half the night. Do you honestly think Amber will get up to make them breakfast?”
Something banged against the outer door. A key scraped the lock, while a woman’s high voice giggled on the other side.
Larry turned, putting himself between Crystal and the doorway.
It yawned open.
A tall, blond, willowy woman’s eyes went wide beneath her heavy mascara. “Who are-”
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