“Cool.” Then she stopped. “Wait…”
“Yep.”
“You’re Isaac Quinn?”
“Yep.”
She grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, you must think I’m a dumbass. It’s just I’m not very technological minded. I can work my iPad but that’s about it.”
Isaac smiled. “No problem – at least you won’t bother me about your lost passwords… although you can totally bother me about your lost passwords.”
Sarah laughed. “Now that you mention it…”
Isaac reached over to touch her face, running the back of his finger down her cheek. “Sarah?”
“Yes?”
“Would you spend the day with me?”
Sarah walked through the storeroom into the kitchen, into the wave of noise sweeping in from the open door to the shop. Sarah drew in a great lungful of air and blew it out slowly, feeling the happiness in her flood through her body.
Going out into the coffee house, she grinned at Molly in greeting, trying to hide her joy. Molly wasn’t fooled for a second.
“What’s up? You look weird.”
Always the silver tongue. Sarah smiled despite herself.
“Weird is right. There’s a new man in my life.”
Molly’s eyes lit up. “My brother finally did the decent thing and left the witch?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Will you ever stop trying to fix me and Finn up?
“Not ever,” Molly smiled, a wicked grin. “Oh, I know…”
Sarah waited.
“Is it that guy? The computer dude?”
Sarah gaped at her. “Am I the only one who didn’t recognize him?”
Molly sighed dramatically. “And you such a geek, as well. Shame on you. So…?”
It was Sarah’s turn to grin. “Oh look, customers.”
Sarah went to serve the new customers as Molly grinned to herself. Sarah looked out of the window. She saw Finn, dressed in his cop’s uniform, walking out of his front door with Caroline at his heels. Caroline was smiling. More like a rictus, Sarah thought. She saw Molly looking at them too. She grimaced
“Ignore her, she’s a hideous troll.”
“What does he see in her?” Sarah slammed the register with a little too much force. A stand of muffins fell off the counter. She went round to pick them up. Molly leaned over to watch her.
“Well, what did you get up to with Mr Robot then?”
Sarah stood, hands full of ruined cakes and dumped them in the trash. Despite herself, she was enjoying tormenting the ever curious Molly.
“We, um, connected.”
Molly’s mouth was hanging open. “You slept with him?”
Sarah leaned on the counter. “A lot. A lot, a lot.” She grinned at her friend’s astonished face and knew what she was thinking. Sarah didn’t have affairs or flings or whatever. Not until now.
Molly started to smile. “Well, hallelujah. Was it good?”
“Yup.”
“Wow. Wow.”
Sarah nodded. “Mols, honestly, I never knew…well, let’s just say it was never like this with Dan. That’s not to say it was bad,” she added hurriedly, “Just with Isaac… well.”
Molly came around the counter and hugged her. “I’m so pleased. I’m so, so delighted for you, Sars. You deserve to be happy.”
“Thank you.”
“Did you tell him about Dan?”
Sarah felt her chest hurt. “Not yet. I don’t know where this is going yet and I’m not ready to see that look in his eyes, the one I always get when I tell someone Dan disappeared.”
Molly rubbed her friend’s arm in sympathy. “I understand, honey.”
Sarah was quiet. Molly gave her a minute and went to clear some tables. Sarah looked out of the window, over to Finn’s house. Now Caroline was yelling at a departing Finn and his face was set in a grim line as he walked into the coffee house “Hey.”
Sarah rolled her eyes at him sympathetically. “Hey, dude.”
“Hey girl.” He said, his eyes softening. Molly might want Finn and Sarah to be together but both of them knew that was never on the cards. They were too close friends now to ever cross that line.
“Yo, bro.” Molly slapped. “What did the dragon yell at you today for?”
Finn shrugged. “Who cares?”
“Why the hell are you still with her?” Molly asked the question Sarah was thinking.
“Fuck knows. My shift doesn’t start for an hour but I just had to get out of there.”
Sarah tugged one of his blonde curls. “Stay and chill out with us, dude. We’ll feed you all the basic food groups – sugar, coffee, butter.”
Finn grinned at his friend. “You make it sound so good and so dirty at the same time.”
Molly cleared her throat and nodded at her boss.
“Talking of which… Sarah’s had an interesting twenty-four hours.”
Sarah blushed and Finn raised his eyebrows at her. Sarah half-smiled, feeling strange at telling her old friend about the new man in her life.
“I’m seeing someone. Sort of.”
“She means she got laid. Properly laid.” Molly’s grin was wide and wicked.
Finn choked on his coffee as Sarah laughed in shock at Molly’s pronouncement
A half hour later and with the coffee shop empty, the three of them sat at one of the tables. The heat outside had become oppressive and stormy.
“Well.” Finn pulled his tie down.
“Yeah.”
Finn took a slug of coffee. “I think I should meet him. You know, for security. Make sure he’s not a con artist.”
Molly grinned into her coffee. Sarah raised her eyebrows at him.
“And how will you ascertain that, Colombo?”
“I shall say… are you a con artist? From his answer, I shall make a judgment call.”
“You mean if he says yes, then…”
“Exactly.” Finn tried not to grin. Sarah started laughing.
“Our tax dollars hard at work.” She got up, squeezing his shoulder. “Thank you, though, you’re sweet to think of it.” She moved away to the kitchen. She called back over her shoulder. “Anyway, you’ll meet him tonight if you’re still here about eight. He’s picking me, we’re going to George’s.”
He nodded and stood up. “I’ll try and come back and meet…what’s his name again?”
“Isaac. Isaac Quinn.”
“Got it.”
Sarah smiled at him.
“Later then?”
“You bet.”
“That woman is very unpleasant.” Isaac turned back from staring at Caroline. Sarah looked over at Finn – he looked so unhappy that she ached for him. She felt Isaac watching her and turned back to him with a smile.
“Sorry.”
They were seated at dinner across the restaurant from Finn and his wife. George’s restaurant was full to capacity and the room was buzzing with conversation. Above it all was Caroline’s nasal screech, arguing with a morose Finn. Caroline shot daggers over at Sarah who responded with the cheesiest of grins, making Isaac chuckle.
“Not friends then?” He asked after a particularly poisonous glare.
Sarah grinned. “Nope.”
Caroline suddenly stood up, scraping her chair against the stone floor.
“Fuck you, Finn!” She stormed out. Finn buried his head in his hands. Sarah’s hands tightened on her napkin. Isaac was watching the redhead cross the street and slam into her house. Sarah sighed.
“You’re right, Isaac. She is unpleasant. And Finn is one of my best friends, he deserves better.”
Isaac covered her hand with his. “Let’s change the subject. You look breath-taking.”
Sarah grinned, embarrassed. “It’s the dress, not me. How are you settling into the hotel?”
“Very well. I travel pretty light so I didn’t have to bring much.”
“A Nomad.”
“Yes. Something like that.”
She cleared her throat softly. “You know
, you don’t have to stay at the hotel.”
Isaac smiled. “Is it wrong that I’ve been sitting here wishing you might say something like that?” He leaned over to kiss her, his lips brushing along hers in a way that made her head swim.
Trying to calm herself – and the frantic quiver between her legs - she studied the menu. “I can never decide what to have in here.”
He laughed. “Surely you must have worked your way through the entire menu by now. For our next date, I’ll take you to the city and take you to my apartment.”
She smiled. “Our next date?”
“And the many, many more to follow.”
“Well, how-de-doo.” George sang his greeting and Sarah giggled at Isaac’s surprised face. She stood and embraced the newcomer.
“Hello George. Isaac, this is George, my pops for intents and purposes. George, this is Isaac Quinn.”
“How are you, Isaac?” George offered Isaac his hand. “How are you liking our little island?”
“Hoping to see a little more of it, if Sarah will be kind enough to show me around.”
She smiled and nodded. “George, won’t you join us?” She looked over to Isaac, who nodded enthusiastically.
“Ha, no, sweet girl, I just came to say hello. Great to meet you, Isaac. I’m sure we’ll see you again soon.” George patted her shoulder and moved away. Isaac smiled at Sarah.
“Your father?”
Sarah nodded. “Sort of. Very long story and one for another time. He’s the only family I have except for Mols and Finn. They’re my adopted siblings.”
Isaac looked over at Finn, who was still sitting at the bar. “You know, we could ask Finn to join us. He looks like he could do with a friend.”
Sarah was touched. “That’s sweet of you but I know Finn, he’d just be embarrassed.”
As if on cue, Finn slid from the bar stool and moved to the door, disappearing into the night, without glancing back to see them. Isaac turned back to Sarah.
“Can I ask? Why did you and Finn never… um… I’m presuming here, of course, but growing up together, it never crossed your mind that it could be more?”
Sarah shook her head. “No, really, it didn’t. I mean, I love Finn of course, but a relationship? It would feel weird.”
Isaac smiled. “So, I don’t have to be worried about the competition then?” His tone was light but there was something beneath that she couldn’t fathom.
“Definitely not.”
“Good.”
She smiled. “Are you ready to go? I told Molly we’d stop by the coffee house.”
“Hey, dudes.” Sarah, followed by Isaac, patted Finn on the back as they made their way into the coffee house. She walked behind the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. She filled three mugs and passed one to each of them. She grabbed a soda from the cooler for herself. Isaac sat down at the counter.
“Finn Jewell, meet Isaac Quinn.”
Finn eyed him, offered his hand and without hesitation, Isaac shook it.
“Hey, Chief, good to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
Sarah beamed.
“Be right back.”
She gave them both a smile and disappeared. Molly went to clear the tables and close the door.
Isaac grinned at Finn. “Sarah tells me you’re like her big brother. You going to give me the speech?”
Finn laughed. “Let’s just say it’s implied and leave it at that. You’ve made her light up, that’s for sure, and that’s good enough for me.”
Isaac beamed. “She rocks my world even after this short a time.”
“It’s worth it,” Finn grinned at his sister who had come back to the counter, “I haven’t seen her like this since way before Dan disappeared.”
Molly stopped and threw a murderous glare at her brother. Isaac didn’t notice.
“Dan?”
Sarah chose that moment to return to the main room. She stopped when she saw their faces – Molly and Finn embarrassed, Isaac confused. She smiled at them.
“What happened? Were you two being socially awkward again? They’re twins, you know,” she added as a joking aside to Isaac. He smiled and took a deep breath in.
“I think they’re worried because they just mentioned someone called Dan. Is it a secret or do I get to know who that is?”
***
Finn ducked as Caroline threw the glass at him. What he’d done to deserve this, he didn’t know. He’d walked in the door and she’d flipped out on him.
“Woah!” He reached over and grabbed her arm before she could pick up another weapon. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Caroline ripped her arm free. “You’re an asshole, Finn. I saw you earlier. In that goddamned coffee house. With her.”
Finn’s shoulders slumped. This again. “Also, with my sister but I suppose it’s more convenient for your little story if it was just me and Sarah.”
“Don’t say her fucking name.” Caroline spat at him. “Sarah-Sarah-Sarah-Sarah-Sarah-fucking-Bailey. It’s all I ever hear about.”
She sat down in the armchair and lit a cigarette. She leaned her head back on the chair, looking at him. “Are you screwing her? Just tell me.”
Finn sighed. “This again. How many times, we are just friends, we have always been just friends. I’m married to you.”
“But you love her.”
“What do you want me to say, Caroline?”
She laughed. “You can’t even deny it, can you?”
“Do we have to do this every week? It’s like I could schedule into my diary. The same fight, the same questions and you’ll never get a different answer to the one I always give you. Sarah is my sister.” He looked over to where the glass had shattered. “The glass was new, that was nice, made it kind of special.” Finn knew he was goading her now but he didn’t care. “If you’re so convinced I’m in love with Sarah –,” Caroline hissed and he grinned “ – why don’t you leave me?”
Caroline smirked. “Why don’t you leave me?”
Finn turned to her, defeat in his eyes. “Go to bed, Caroline. You’ve made your point.”
She smiled and stubbed her cigarette out and got up. “Are you coming?”
“No.” Finn stepped away from her.
She gave a short laugh and walked off. “Suit yourself.”
He heard the bedroom door shut and sighed. He picked up the glass on the floor, tempted to step on it with his bare feet so he could feel something else than the utter hopelessness he felt this night. Why the hell had he married Caroline? Because she’d faked a pregnancy, dumbass. He slumped into the armchair and closed his eyes. This nightmare was of his own making – and he had no idea how to leave it.
They’d gone back to her house and were sitting on the porch. Sarah couldn’t believe how much had happened in such a few short days. She’d spent a blissful weekend with Isaac, making love…. fucking like animals, she grinned to herself, but now it was time to get back to reality. He needed to know about her.
She snagged two beers from the fridge and they settled in the comfortable chairs out back, watching Wilson playing with his ball in the yard. The Labrador and Isaac were already fast friends.
Isaac hadn’t pressed her after the incident at the coffee house when she’d asked him to wait until they were alone to explain. She loved him for that.
Now, she turned to him. She was constantly amazed that every time she looked at him, she saw something new and glorious about his handsome face. Even after such a short time, she felt he belonged in her life – and she in his.
“Dan was my husband. He went missing two years ago. It was a Friday, a normal workday. I was at the coffee house, Dan was at his work. Nothing was wrong, we hadn’t argued and he showed no signs of depression. All that had happened was that, two days before, I asked him, calmly, if he was having an affair. He denied it and I let it go. I got a call from the school saying he hadn’t shown up for work. I went home – and he was gone. Just gone. He’d taken the dog so I thought he’d
just gone for a walk but it was odd that he hadn’t called anyone. I never saw him again. I found Wilson tied up near an abandoned lighthouse at the edge of our property, Dan’s wallet, phone and keys lined up neatly along the cliff.”
“He jumped?”
Sarah shrugged. “More like, I think he wanted to give the impression he had.”
Isaac studied her. “You sound angry more than sad.”
Sarah hesitated. “I was upset for a while but the more I thought about it…Dan wasn’t the type to kill himself. I think he wanted out and couldn’t face telling me.”
“You are pissed.”
She nodded. “We were happy when we first got married but things changed. He changed. Became…. I don’t know. It wasn’t as if we argued or he was abusive just, controlling. He got upset easily.” She sighed. “I don’t know, he might be dead for all I know.”
She studied Isaac’s expression but he looked interested with no trace of the sympathy she dreaded. “That’s rough.”
She nodded. “Anyways, I divorced him in absentia. They couldn’t find a body and we hired detectives to find him. Nothing. I’d gone from upset to pissed to - and I’m ashamed to admit this - relief.”
“What did he teach?”
She was startled. “Music. He taught music. When he was young he used to win prizes, all the time, for piano.”
Isaac looked behind him. “Do you have a piano here?”
She nodded. “In the drawing room.”
“Do you play?”
She nodded. “But not since.”
“I understand.”
A somber mood had fallen and Sarah felt uncomfortable. “I would have told you, I promise. I just thought it might be too soon and I didn’t want to presume, and I didn’t want to burst the bubble I’ve been in since we met.”
Isaac reached out and pulled her onto his lap. “I get it. This is all new. But, Sarah, listen. I’m in this. I want “us”. I’ve never felt this connection with anyone before. If you’ll let me, I want to give you everything he never could. You deserve all the love in the world.”
Dirty Money Page 89
