But Farren worked with a dedication to her business he admired, while still having time for herself. He’d seen her from afar as she strolled the beach or had lunch with Eva. Farren’s life was well-rounded. Small town.
He understood now why she’d stayed in Last Chance Beach. She understood the value in the place, in the lifestyle. He admired her and the determination to stick with the place despite all the reasons he saw for leaving. The thought surprised him.
THE SUN WAS STILL LOW on the morning horizon, the breeze cool and fresh as Farren stood beside the pool and welcomed the new day with a couple of deep breaths. She mentally skipped through her to-do list and smiled. Everything was in order. Still plenty to do, but nothing was awry, and she had no emergencies to sort.
Her first night at the motel had been perfectly quiet and she’d slept straight through. It was quieter on this end of the island. Since the motel was empty, she hadn’t heard any late-night revelers returning home after partying on the beach.
She decided to grab her tablet and sit out by the pool to work. She could wrap up in that pretty peach-colored throw she had draped over her sofa back and spend the next hour out here listening to birds and breathing in the salt air.
Trying not to think about Grady. He’d left without a goodbye. Not that she’d expected one, exactly, but it would’ve been nice to wave him off. To ask if he’d ever come back. But she’d heard his car drive off as she’d woken, and the chance had been taken from her. Maybe it had been her last chance to talk with him face to face.
She hoped not.
He’d shown up in Last Chance Beach and moved into his great-aunt’s place in stealth mode. Grady O’Hara had disappeared from public life, ghosted his sister, and holed up for six months. The man was perfectly capable of ghosting Farren if the mood struck.
She hoped he didn’t. She wanted to see him again. He wasn’t nearly as grumpy as he’d seemed at first.
Mellow Grady could be kind, funny, and caring. She liked Mellow Grady and imagined that was how he’d been when he’d fallen for his fiancée. Veronica had seen him at his most charming when he’d pursued her.
She wondered if it had been love at first sight between him and Veronica. Some people claimed that happened, but she had major doubts.
The last time she’d seen Grumpy Grady had been when he’d loomed over her at the Sandbar Bar and Grill at the Sands. Had he been jealous of her talking with Archie and Jesse? He’d certainly made it clear they were “seeing” each other.
Not that he’d been possessive. Once he realized what the four of them were discussing, he’d joined in and seemed at ease. And since then, he’d been Mellow Grady, Kind Grady, and most helpful. Sweet, even.
But still, he’d left without a last goodbye. She sighed and turned toward her unit. With her hand on the door, she heard light, hurried footsteps coming around the motel office.
Whoever it was, they were on a mission. With a nervous flutter in her mind, a sense she often listened to, she stepped back from the door.
Delphine barreled around the shadowy corner by the office and into the morning light.
“Delphine! I didn’t know you were stopping by. How’ve you been?” Don’t babble. She can’t have seen you with your hand on the doorknob. She hid the offending hand behind her back and felt a rush of heat to her face. Stupid light complexion.
“I thought I’d check to see how things are going with the motel and your plans for Singles Fest.” No hello. No gotcha glance. Just a breezy smile that belonged on a friend.
Farren smoothed her hair and tucked it behind her ears for something to do.
Delphine was a feminine form of her brother. A solidly built woman with strong shoulders, a straight back, and next-to-no waist. Formidable to say the least. Her eyes were sharper, more critical, than Grady’s or maybe that was because Farren felt guilty about lying. It was so much easier on the phone.
She set the guilt aside because, after spending time with Grady, she understood that Delphine had never been her friend, not when she inquired about the business, not when she encouraged Farren to approach Grady and definitely not when she’d pushed her to have that extra glass of wine. To Delphine, Farren was a means to an end.
That end being a brother who was back at work, and in a relationship.
Delphine was a predator, determined to achieve her goal. The fact that Grady’s sister felt obligated to fix her brother’s life was beside the point. Delphine was relentless.
“Of course, it’s nice of you to stop by to see me,” Farren responded smoothly. “I was heading to check that the linens are in order. Walk with me? It’s too bad you missed Grady by a few minutes.” She frowned because Delphine should’ve known her brother’s schedule.
Clearly, she wanted to catch Farren alone. Hm. What was she up to?
“I’m dying for coffee. I left the hotel without breakfast.” Delphine wore an expectant expression.
The Sands, where Delphine stayed, had coffee machines in all the rooms and a huge urn in the lobby. The idea that Delphine had bypassed it all didn’t sit right. Grady’s sister wanted inside Grady’s house.
For a second Farren panicked, then she remembered that the key to the house was on the ring with all the other motel keys. She’d also been in Grady’s kitchen often enough to know where he kept the coffee. “I’ll go put on a pot. Would you like to bring it along while we walk?”
“No. I’d like to come inside with you.”
“Sure thing.” Another flutter of nerves that Farren beat back. She could do this. If she didn’t, Grady might pull the plug on their agreement. Then she’d be kicked out of the motel and Singles Fest would flounder before it had a chance.
Like a mouse with a cat breathing down its neck, Farren led the way to the house’s private entrance. She held the entire ring of keys hidden in her palm as she used the house key, not that it mattered because Delphine was busy looking into the interior of Farren’s car. “It’s so tiny in there.”
“It’s roomy enough for the driver,” she responded vaguely as she held the door open for her visitor.
“Grady’s never been in it, has he?”
Farren laughed. “Of course not. He’s convinced he wouldn’t fit.” Nice save. Grady had never mentioned her car. She followed Delphine inside and flipped on the lights. Grady had left the place tidy. But then, he was a tidy man.
Delphine looked around with interest. “I’m surprised you didn’t bring any of your own furniture when you moved in. This place looks exactly the same as when my aunt lived here.” She eyed the dead plant in the corner. “She fussed over that Ficus.”
“Grady forgot to water it.” Farren moved into the kitchen. “I plan to buy a replacement.”
“And your furniture?”
“I sublet my place furnished,” she lied.
Delphine eyed her. “You kept your apartment?”
Farren shrugged. “Grady and I haven’t known each other long,” she said with a cool breeze in her voice that said it was not Delphine’s business. She made for the kitchen and started the coffee. “And I can use the income.”
She bent to search the fridge, dismissing Delphine’s line of questions. Great. Grady had left milk inside. Relieved, she pulled it out and set the half-full carton on the table.
Her phone rang and her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was Grady calling. She gave a silent thank you as she answered. “Hi, sweetheart,” she crooned happily.
“She’s there,” Grady intoned. He was a smart man. She’d liked smart men. “When my sister wasn’t at the office or picking up at home, I figured she’d waylaid you.”
“Of course,” she replied with a smile in her voice. “It’s no problem.”
“Does she know you moved into the unit?”
“Not at all.” She kept her voice a happy singsong. “Your sister’s here. We’re having coffee.”
“Where?”
A question she couldn’t see how to answer without giving something away.
So she moved the conversation into left field and hoped he’d play along.
“Did I tell you the linens were delivered yesterday? I don’t know if I mentioned it.” She clasped the phone closely and chuckled in an intimate way. She turned and walked a few steps into the living room. A shared breath, delight in hearing from him, a warm smile on her face and in her tone. The type of conversation any newly minted couple would have, she hoped.
“You deserve an acting award,” he said in his deep gravel voice. Thrills chased down her spine at the approval.
“I know, right? I’m about to check the linen but I don’t anticipate a problem. And I’ll be interviewing people to staff the motel later today. From now on linen will be someone else’s responsibility.” This last part was the bald truth. The motel details bogged her down and she’d be thrilled to pass them along to an employee.
“Can you handle interviews on your own? Have you ever done them?”
For a second, she wanted to admit she dreaded them. But he didn’t need to hear that. Grady had his own problems and wouldn’t want to hear about her nerves. “I’ll be fine,” she said. “I’ve done a few.” But final decisions had belonged to higher-ups.
“Get Delphine to help,” he said firmly. Part of her wanted to protest that she could do it herself, but she’d be foolish to pass up a chance to learn. “It’s the least she can do,” he continued, “after springing this neat little trap. She’s only there to see if you’ve really moved in.”
“Yes, you’re right, sweetheart. It’s all going smoothly,” she assured him, continuing with her happy girlfriend charade.
“Still, honeybunch,” he said, sounding delighted, “you should pick her brain about interviewing people. She’s done it for years.”
“Will do. Thanks for the tip.” She tried for a seductive chuckle but wasn’t sure she pulled it off. Delphine was looking through Grady’s kitchen cupboards, distracting her.
“Okay,” Grady said briskly, and she felt his dismissal. She heard horns honking and the sounds of traffic. “I’m heading into the airport. I’ll call tonight.”
“Really?” She blurted, surprised that he’d offer to talk again so soon. Until now, when they’d been busy, they hadn’t made time for each other. “I’ll look forward to it,” she promised, like a lovestruck teen.
Her cheeks warming, she disconnected and turned to face Delphine. She was pouring coffee for them both. She held up a mug. “Shall we go look at towels and sheets?”
THE RELATIVELY SHORT flight to JFK went without a hitch. All the while he only had half his mind on his laptop. The other half filled with concern about Farren being stuck with his sister, as she lied to cover up the truth of their relationship. Delphine was a bloodhound.
Still, he didn’t want to call the game. He was having fun helping Farren, seeing her dreams come to fruition. Painting the playground equipment and rebuilding the walkway had been therapeutic and he felt better than he had in years.
Better than he had with Veronica in the early days. He should feel a pang of guilt for that, but he didn’t.
It wasn’t until Grady walked into the lobby of his condo building that he realized everything Veronica had left behind would still be in his home. The realization drove all his warm thoughts of Farren from his mind.
He walked to the security desk and Albert’s face lit up at the sight of him. “Mr. O’Hara, you’re back.” His smile dimmed as he remembered what had driven Grady away in the first place. “I want to offer my condolences, sir.”
“Thanks, Albert,” he said with a deep sigh. “I’m going to need some help with boxes and clothes.”
Albert held up a hand to stop him. “Of course, whatever you need. I saved all the cards from the floral arrangements that arrived in the days after.” He reached into a drawer at the bottom of his desk. The stack of envelopes was thick and ranged from bright pink to somber charcoal. “I think some of these were for the wedding and the rest...”
“I’ll take them all. Thanks.” He’d hand them off to Delphine and she could decide how to handle the wedding wishes and the condolences. He assumed some were from the same people, sent days apart. “Would you mind coming up with me? I’ll wait if you need to get someone to cover the desk.”
“I’m off shift in a few minutes, so as soon as Felicia arrives, I’d be happy to help.”
Fifteen minutes later, Grady opened his door and walked into his apartment with Albert. Gaily wrapped packages sat just inside the door in three stacks. Wedding gifts Veronica had let known she wanted. Grady had no idea what she’d asked for.
But he knew enough to keep the cards with the gifts so Delphine could return everything. She wouldn’t mind. “I should have seen to all this before now.” He frowned.
“No, Mr. O’Hara,” Albert said with a sad shake of his head. “Nobody would expect you to handle this on top of everything else. I’m sure Ms. O’Hara will help, and your friends will understand.”
“I haven’t been the nicest guy lately, Albert. I’ve spent a lot of time ignoring my sister.” He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it over a chair in the living room. The chair was soft pink and had fancy legs and satin upholstery. Veronica’s choice, not his. “Wanna beer? There should still be a couple in the fridge. It couldn’t have gone skunky yet, right?”
“Right, should be fine. But I shouldn’t, Mr. O’Hara. Drinking on the job can get me fired.” Albert shifted. “I took the liberty of coming in and emptying your fridge of anything that could go bad. When you told me not to let anyone else in, I didn’t want you coming home to a big mess in there.”
“I appreciate that. I didn’t expect to be away this long, but time got away from me.”
Alberta nodded, his eyes sad and understanding. He clasped his hands together and looked prepared to wait.
“I’ll go look in the bedroom, see what I have to deal with in there, hm?”
When he walked in, he saw an explosion of clothing. Veronica had been half-unpacked. On the bed were winter jackets and coats, sweaters, a heavy robe for wintry nights and woolly socks in piles. In the closet she’d hung her lightweight clothes; sundresses and silky tops filled her side of the walk-in. Sandals in all colors lined the floor. He remembered then that she’d planned to have the closet organizer come after the honeymoon. A professional, she’d said, would whip this small space into shape and give her the room she deserved.
He walked through the nine-foot-long closet, running a finger along the row of dresses, making them shift and sway on their hangers. He wanted to feel more than relief, but he couldn’t dredge up anything close to sorrow. He’d done all that and left it behind when he’d learned Veronica had drowned on the way to meet her lover.
The night before she was to marry Grady, she’d hopped into a canoe with three glasses of champagne in her belly and no life vest on. She’d paddled out into the lake to cross to a rental cabin. She’d hit something floating in the water. At least that was the theory. A branch, maybe.
While he’d been shooting the breeze with his best man and college buddies, his bride had sunk beneath the still waters of the lake. The tradition of not seeing the bride after midnight had given her the chance to escape the celebrations.
He’d spent weeks wondering what would possess her to go out in a canoe alone. He’d blamed himself for not noticing that she was having second thoughts or wedding jitters. But it wasn’t anything like that.
Their two-year relationship had been a fraud. That was the only way he could think of it. She’d been with this other guy since before she’d become his assistant. Delphine had hired Veronica and his sister had seen the perfect woman for her busy brother.
Back in the bedroom he spied a jewelry box on the dresser. He opened it and fingered through a collection of rings, bracelets, and earrings. He’d have to call Veronica’s mother to warn her he’d be sending them. Something like this shouldn’t arrive out of the blue.
By the time he returned to the living room, Albert had poured him a
beer in a pilsner glass, the foam head perfect. “I was a bartender in another life,” he said with a coaxing smile. “Rough in there?”
“Rough, yeah. Thanks,” he said as he took the glass. “Feel free to help yourself if you want one.”
He nodded. “I’m off the clock now. I’ll head downstairs and come up with a moving dolly for these gifts so I can store them for you. I’ll bring back some empty boxes for whatever you found in there?”
“No, it’s fine. She still had the boxes her clothes came out of in the corner of the room. We can use those. If you’ve got time.” He blew out a breath. “I can do this myself if you have to get home.”
Albert shook his head. “No problem. I’ve already called my wife. I’ll be right back and when we’re done, I’ll have that beer. The wife said she’d come by too if you need her.”
“How is Sha’Shauna? Good?”
“Pregnant with number three. She’s in that weepy stage, so if you need her to help, be warned.”
Grady smiled and nodded. “Thanks, but you and I will manage.” He wasn’t sure what the weepy stage was, but he didn’t feel like seeing it firsthand. “While you’re gone, I’ll make a couple of calls. I need to talk with Veronica’s mother and my sister. They can sort out what to do about the gifts and her clothes.” He wondered where all the expensive jewelry he’d given her as gifts had ended up because none of it had been in the box on the dresser.
“Women are stronger about these things. At least, the women I know are. You’re sure you don’t want Sha’Shauna to come over?”
“We both know how to hang dresses and fold sweaters. And I don’t know that I want to see your wife in tears.” And going through a dead woman’s clothes might trigger a flood from Albert’s wife. He’d met Sha’Shauna a couple of times, and she seemed an empathetic, warm-hearted woman. He wouldn’t want to upset her.
Fake Me Page 10
