by Amy Saunders
"True." Alexa sounded suspicious. "But since I'm fortunate enough to have bumped into you, I'll go ahead and say I really wanted to talk to you. In fact, I was planning to call."
Alexa was planning to call him? Weirder and weirder things kept happening in this town. Maybe it was time for a move. He might need to sell his house, anyway. "Really?"
"I...I have some things I'd like to say. Not here, but I was hoping we could meet soon."
Yep. It was definitely time for a move. "I–"
"Just come. Nothing fancy. We'll just have lunch. You can tell Belinda I..." Alexa took a deep breath. "Tell her I'm trying to atone for the past." Her eyes pleaded with him to agree.
In all his wildest dreams, Bennett never would've pictured Alexa Dupuis coming to him after all this time to make amends. He'd accepted that part of his life was as closed up as it ever would be. Part of him didn't care what she had to say, but a stronger part was curious.
"If you really want to," he said.
Alexa nodded, relief washing over her face. She pulled out a business card and scribbled on the back of it. "I do. Meet me here tomorrow."
Bennett glanced at the writing–it was some restaurant in town–and slid the card into his pocket.
Alexa smiled. "I'll let you get back to your run. Ciao!" She walked back in the direction he came from. Bennett stood and watched her in amazement, wondering if he was also having hallucinations.
He'd find out tomorrow.
~ * ~
After thinking long and hard about her situation with Bennett, Belinda devised a plan on how best she could help him. The first step was dealing with Colleen's demands concerning Gary Wolman and Belinda's grandmother. So she swallowed her pride–more like choked it down while gagging–and asked her grandmother to have lunch. She wanted to talk.
Her grandmother sounded smug, and invited her to come to her favorite seafood restaurant on the harbor. Belinda tried not to think about Bennett's charges and her grandmother's possible involvement as she followed the restaurant's host to the outside deck, where her grandmother sat. Fortunately, an awning spread over top of them and a light breeze blew off the harbor. Belinda was already sticky just from walking across the parking lot.
She took the seat across from her grandmother, glad she'd worn a knee-length skirt so her thighs wouldn't stick to the chair.
Belinda settled in, expecting the usual chitchat before delving into the real conversation. But she wasn't fully used to her grandmother, never having been around her as often, and learned there would be no time for wading in.
"I presume you have good news for me," her grandmother said, sitting like she had a book on top of her head. It looked uncomfortable.
Belinda knew that Bennett would come into the conversation eventually. She just wasn't mentally prepared to face it straight off. Life in that camp was rocky. She was afraid to contact him after his chill parting at the hardware store, and she hadn't heard a word from him, which scared her. But she didn't want her grandmother to know that. So she chose to play dumb. It was the easiest way to hide her fear.
"Well, the Cake Diva did well this weekend. I mean, we're not really making any money yet. Money we can keep. But the future looks good." With her world falling to pieces, Belinda couldn't believe she actually just said that. And said it with some conviction.
Her grandmother took her time responding. Slow and deliberate. "I've never been sure if you were more like your mother or father. But right now, you remind me of Rosalind." She left it there, and Belinda nipped her curiosity and didn't ask how she reminded her of her mother. But her grandmother's demeanor iced over immediately, and Belinda didn't feel positive about the outcome of her meeting. "What do you want?"
Belinda told herself to loosen up. She wouldn't get anywhere diving into her mission without warming up her grandmother first. If she could get anywhere at all. "I was just hoping we could talk. We don't cross paths much." She smiled, feeling guilty for not really meaning it. If Colleen wasn't a threat, Belinda probably would never have thought of calling up her grandmother to have lunch. She wasn't that kind of grandma.
Her grandmother relaxed–sort of. But she wasn't convinced, and Belinda couldn't blame her. How often did Belinda reach out to spend time with her? "What would you like to talk about?"
Belinda straightened her silverware for something to do with her hands. "Mom said you're staying in town for a while. It sounded like you had something special going on." It was just a talking point, but she hoped her grandmother didn't think she was fishing around for when she was leaving.
If her grandmother took it that way, she ignored it. "I have some business to attend to. I want to make sure you and Kyle are settled before I leave. And there's the hospital fundraiser, which I wanted to attend since I'm in town this time. Though I haven't received my invitation."
The hospital fundraiser! Her grandmother had just given her an in to her reason for meeting her. Gary Wolman was a regular at the fundraiser. "I wonder if the Wolmans will be around. You know...with everything going on."
"They will if Gary takes my advice."
"He's in town?"
"No, but we've spoken recently. I told him it was in their best interests to come to the fundraiser. Make an appearance, and make it good, and people will hush up for a while."
Belinda considered her practical suggestion. It wasn't far off from what Belinda had said about gossip. Give it time and everyone moves on. It crossed her mind that her grandmother might be trying to use Gary's pull with the fundraiser organizers to get an invitation. "So are they doing okay? I haven't known what to make of what I've heard."
"Honestly, I don't know. He promises his wife and the girls are healthy and happy. Whatever is going on is apparently none of my business."
Belinda suppressed a smirk. Her grandmother was obviously peeved she'd been left out of the loop. She could be lying to protect them, but she seemed genuinely ignorant of the facts. In that case, how could Belinda ask her to talk to Gary for Colleen? To ask for a story implied Gary had a story to tell. It also looked like Belinda might know what it was.
She groped for a way to say something before her opportunity passed. "You know, I have a...a contact...at the local news station. If Gary's around for the fundraiser, she might want to interview him since he's important to the hospital. It would be good publicity, but it could also take away some of the heat of the rumors."
It wasn't direct. But this situation called for delicacy. It would give Colleen a bridge to her goal. She could develop a rapport with Gary, do something helpful for him, and go from there.
Her grandmother raised one eyebrow, tapping a coral-painted nail on the white tablecloth. "So you do have a mind for these things."
Belinda let that slide. She'd grown up in this world. She knew how it worked. "Should I get in touch with her? My contact."
Her grandmother studied her, a strange smile on her lips. "What does she have on you? This contact of yours."
Belinda wasn't sure how to reply, so she didn't.
"It's that boy, isn't it?" her grandmother said. "She has something on him." She folded her hands on the table. "Very well. Go ahead and tell her, and I'll propose the idea to Gary.
"You just keep feeding that reporter. Maybe when her demands grow, you'll come to your senses and make the smart decision."
Belinda pressed her lips tight. The demands were higher than she knew. If Colleen didn't like how Belinda handled this, things could get messier. For all of them.
Chapter 9
The more Belinda thought about telling Colleen how things went with her grandmother once she left the restaurant, the more worried she was that Colleen wouldn't go for it. Belinda's plan would probably take time, and Colleen acted like time for this story was running out.
So Belinda went straight to Victoria's after lunch, completely despondent. How was she going to deal with Colleen? If Colleen didn't like her plan, would she immediately go and roll out a story about Bennett's police
retirement? A story Belinda didn't even know? Belinda couldn't trust that she wouldn't.
"Colleen wanted you to do what?" Victoria unwrapped a chocolate truffle while they talked at the banquette to the side of Victoria's kitchen. Every day at exactly three, she had to eat one.
"It doesn't matter because I didn't exactly get what she wanted," Belinda said. "My grandmother wants me to give Bennett the boot and doesn't care what it takes to make it happen." Including tossing him into prison and ruining his reputation for life.
Victoria stretched out her legs on the bench in front of the side window, resting her hands on her bump. "What exactly does Colleen have on you? Why are you really doing this?"
Belinda sighed and explained what Colleen had said about Bennett's retirement. "I didn't control my reaction, so now she has all the power in the relationship."
"So get the details!"
"How? I can't ask Bennett right now. Our relationship is on the verge of collapse as it is. And how else am I supposed to find out? It's not something I can just look up online."
Victoria glanced impishly out the window. "You could hire someone to find out for you."
"You mean like a PI?"
"Kind of."
"I don't know. It feels...slimy. Hiring someone to dig into his past like that."
"It could be much worse than slimy if this reporter decides to broadcast it because you don't get her stupid story."
She had a point. Belinda's stomach dropped.
"She could be bluffing," Victoria said. "Maybe she dangled it out there to see how you reacted. She discovered you didn't really know, so now she can use it to get you to cooperate. If you know, she may lose some of her power."
"Or get more." Belinda rubbed her forehead. Dealing with people was giving her a headache. "Who would I hire?"
"I'll fish around and find someone for you."
Belinda agreed without an argument. The idea of hiring a PI made her woozy. But the thought of something awful being spread on the news was worse. If she knew why he retired, well, at least she'd know and wouldn't be blindsided.
"I've been thinking about something Colleen suggested," Belinda said. "She said Bennett and I should break up to pacify the grandmother, then resume things once he's out of danger."
Victoria gazed at her in disbelief. "You're considering following that piece of rubbish advice?"
Belinda hesitated, casting her eyes down sadly. "I haven't talked to him since we saw him at the hardware store."
Victoria pushed herself up straighter. "He's ignoring your calls?"
"No. I–I haven't called him."
"And you're upset because you haven't heard from him?"
"I was afraid to call. He didn't seem like he wanted to deal with me."
Victoria brushed that excuse off with a wave of her hand. "I told you he's embarrassed. I'm sure he was just as afraid to contact you after all that. You need to call him. You can't just sit here passively and let this fester."
Belinda put her face in her hands. Festering. That's what was happening with everything right now.
"So what do I do?" Belinda said. "Colleen may not give me a second chance."
Victoria's hazel eyes sparkled mischievously.
"You have a crazy idea." Belinda bit off half a chocolate truffle. "What's your plan?"
"You're going incognito to the hospital fundraiser tomorrow night to convince Gary to talk to you so you can persuade him to help you out and give Colleen some crumbs. You could say you're a journalist, and want to do a story about his work with the hospital."
Belinda stopped chewing. "I'm doing what now?"
Victoria repeated it–more slowly than necessary.
"Why incognito?" Belinda popped the rest of the chocolate in her mouth. "I'm the grandchild of someone he's on good terms with. Why not use that to my advantage?"
"You may have to later. But for now, you are definitely not on good terms with Madame Russo. She could easily sabotage you since she knows what you wanted with Gary."
Belinda nodded. She wouldn't put it past her.
"Second," Victoria continued, "Gary might be more willing to talk to someone he doesn't know, or who's tied in with the community. I wouldn't. Not the way gossip flies. Plus, you're kind of notorious these days, and none of you were invited to the fundraiser." Victoria shrugged.
"If that's the case, why don't I just tell Colleen to go cozy up to him herself?"
"She'd scare him off with the whole reporter status. Your job will be to ease him into wanting to give the story. Like you planned for Colleen to do."
"How do we even know Gary will be there? He could be in Tibet for all we know."
"Gary is the hospital's single most important contributor. He's never missed a fundraiser. He'll be there."
Especially if he took her grandmother's advice. Belinda leaned on her elbow. "Fine. But how am I supposed to get incognitoed by tomorrow night? I don't even know where to start."
Victoria smiled wide. "Leave that to me."
~ * ~
Bennett wasn't sure he knew what he was doing, meeting with his ex-girlfriend for lunch in Portside. The restaurant was actually part of an inn located on the fringe of Ocean Avenue in a more remote setting. Well, as remote as you could really get. It was certainly quieter than closer to town, and their chances of running into anyone (aka Belinda) were slimmer.
They still hadn't talked. But even if they had, he wouldn't have told her anything about running into Alexa or meeting her for lunch. It was safer that way.
Alexa was waiting for him on the front porch. He walked by the purple azalea bushes lining the walkway, and they went inside and sat on the open back porch to eat, taking in the refreshing salt air blowing up from the water across the road.
"I'm sorry for what I said yesterday." Alexa's eyes were covered by large, square sunglasses. "I just got into town and I had no idea what was going on. I'm really sorry. For both of you. That Sykes woman was always kind of a fake." She said it almost more to herself.
"Thanks, but we're doing okay."
The breeze tousled her short hair, which was curled at the ends. "I doubt that."
Bennett pursed his lips. He wasn't here to pour out his heart. "We're fine."
Alexa crossed her arms, a smirk tugging one corner of her lips. "You're losing your business and facing sentencing. Belinda's being harassed by the local media, and she's being investigated because of the embezzling. You're not okay."
Bennett glowered. He knew exactly what was going on and didn't need a reminder. Especially not from this woman. "I don't know what you want–"
"I want to help." Alexa leaned on the table, propping her sunglasses on her head. "I wanted to have lunch with you to apologize–properly–for everything I did to you. It wasn't all intentional, but it was still my fault. I'm sorry."
Bennett leaned back in his seat, squinting out at the water. "It was a long time ago."
"That doesn't make it okay. I thought I'd come and apologize, but that didn't seem like much. I'm trying to make things right. I actually came back to mend things with my dad. We haven't talked in years and with the engagement, well..."
Bennett nodded. Based on what he knew about them, he wasn't shocked.
"That's beside the point," she said. "I can't change the past, but I can help you now so you don't go through all that again."
"I don't understand."
"My dad is also trying to make things right, in his own way. We know people, we have some influence here. I've been thinking it over, and I believe I can straighten some things out for you."
"I'm still unsure what you mean. Straighten out what?" Bennett would never have asked Alexa for help. Not in a million years. He wasn't inclined to do that with anyone.
"The charges for one. I've got some other ideas, but I need more time to work them out."
"I didn't agree to meet you to beg for help."
"You haven't done anything. You're just sitting there, glowering into the sun." Alexa g
rinned. "I can help Belinda. I hear the old battle ax grandmother's in town, which would explain some things." Alexa's eyes wandered off, but she didn't explain. "Would you deny her that?"
"Of course not."
"Good. But I'll help you as well. That's the deal."
With Belinda's well-being on the line, he couldn't very well refuse, and from the look on Alexa's face, she knew that. "Don't go out of your way. Not for me."
Alexa's eyes twinkled. "I won't. But you're coming with me to the hospital fundraiser tomorrow night. Both of you. I need some decent company, and I've heard Belinda's family wasn't invited."
Bennett was surprised about that. Belinda's family was blocked from a fundraiser? With all their money?
"Bizarre, I know," she said. "But it happens."
Bennett frowned. "I doubt I have anything appropriate to wear for that."
Alexa laughed. "You're not getting out of it that easy. I'll fix you up. Don't worry. All you have to do is show up."
Bennett wasn't sure he wanted to go along with this. And he especially wasn't sure he wanted to tell Belinda. "I'll think about it."
"Excellent. We can deal with your suit after lunch."
Alexa smiled across at him, then turned her attention to the menu. Bennett wanted to argue, but he was too tired. Maybe he'd have the strength after he'd eaten lunch.
Chapter 10
Leaving the incognito part of her evening at the hospital fundraiser to Victoria was either an awesome idea, or a really, really bad one.
Victoria adjusted Belinda's wig–black, chin-length, and razor straight with bangs that fell just below her eyebrows–and slid a pair of fake square glasses on that covered about two-thirds of her face. "There," Victoria said. "Perfect."
Victoria moved aside so Belinda could look in the full-length mirror in Victoria's closet. Belinda frowned, wiggling in the chiffon leopard print dress (sophisticated leopard print, not the tacky stuff you often saw) with a halter top that hugged her girls, then flowed out down to her calves. A fake tattoo of a flowering vine crawled up her foot and wrapped around her ankle.
