by Jamie Pope
“Maybe we could have lunch together,” his grandfather said.
“Maybe we should have lunch apart. Excuse us.” He took hold of Nova’s hand and led her away. Nova looked back at the senator who was clearly disappointed with the encounter. She never thought she would experience this, but Nova actually felt bad for a politician.
* * *
Tanner tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible as he walked through the hallways toward the salon that the Second Family had secured for Nova to use. It was hard to not be seen when you were the tallest person in the room no matter where you went. He recognized a lot of the people who were starting to fill the hotel. It was one of the pitfalls of belonging to a wealthy political family in New England. He had gone to school with so many of the guests. Attended polo tournaments with them and gone on lavish ski vacations with them. He didn’t want to see a single one of them. They weren’t happy memories that came up when he thought back on that time. That had been another life and he had been a different person then, a supremely unhappy one. All because his family had kept a secret that ended up tearing them apart.
He should have realized that before he agreed to come here, but as he walked through the salon doors he knew it didn’t matter if he had realized that. He had come here for Nova. She had gone down earlier than she was expected to report. She told him that she needed to set up. That a good stylist always had their tools set up as soon as the client walked through the door.
She had changed her clothes and was wearing her signature black stylist’s uniform. But this time instead of tight black pants or a dress that hugged her body, she was wearing a long loose itting sack with some sort of kimono-like silk short-sleeved jacket on top. There was no sign of red high heels; even her red lips had been changed to a more neutral color. Her beautiful thick black hair had been ruthlessly pinned up, held back from her face with a headband. She didn’t look anything like his Nova. It was like she was trying to hide her beauty. But she was being foolish. She would still be the most beautiful woman in the room, no matter what she did to disguise it.
“You look different since the last time I saw you. I didn’t realize you had changed,” he said.
“You were on the phone with the town of Chilmark when I left. I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“You didn’t want me to see you,” he accused. “You look like a nun.”
“I do not!”
“A very beautiful nun, but still a nun. Where’s your red lips? Where’s your hair? Where are your heels?”
“I always dress like this when I am doing weddings like these. Besides, I thought you said you would be attracted to me no matter what I wear.”
“I will be. But this makeover is not for yourself. It’s so you don’t stick out. I thought we talked about this, Reed. You are here because you are damn good. They aren’t going to send you away for being more beautiful than the bride.”
“I’m not more beautiful than the bride.”
“Yes, you are. You’re sexier than every woman you work with, and they hire you because they pray that you’ll make them look a fraction as good as they do.”
“Only you could manage to annoy the hell out of me and make me feel good at the same time.”
“Well, if you got your head out of your ass I wouldn’t have to be here annoying you.”
“I get hit on at these jobs. Groomsmen. Brothers. Uncles. Even a father of the bride or two has tried it with me. The baggy clothes help a little.”
“Anyone try anything with you tonight and I’ll break their damn face,” he said seriously.
“I don’t think you should do that. Secret Service is here.”
“That’s why I didn’t say I would kill them.” He winked at her. “Show them how sexy you are. Show them the girl I’m crazy about.”
“Fine.” She ripped off her headband and pulled out the elastic tie that was keeping her hair up. It came tumbling down her shoulders in a wavy black waterfall. “Better?”
He nodded. “Red lipstick.”
“You know this is the color-stay kind of lipstick. I can’t just wipe it off with a tissue.”
“You have three thousand dollars’ worth of makeup with you. I think you can find the right thing to take it off.”
“You’re being a bossy pain in my ass,” she said as she took a cotton pad and some sort of liquid and scrubbed the bland color off her lips.
“You like it. You would never be with me if I were some sort of wimpy guy.”
She put on her signature red lipstick and then faced him, her hands on her hips. “Happy now?”
“Take the jacket off.”
She removed it to reveal bare shoulders and arms and then turned in a slow circle. The dress was sexier than it first appeared. There were laces in the back, giving it a little bit of a daytime dominatrix feel. “Okay? I’m done now, Your Royal Highness.”
“There’s my girl. Sassy mouth and all.” He closed the distance between her and hugged her. “Damn, you’re short without your heels. You want me to go get them?”
“No.” She smacked his shoulder, but smiled at him. “Why did you come down here anyway? You told me you were going to take a nap.”
He pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “Play the first voice mail.”
It was Teo. “Mansi said not to call Mommy when she was doing the rich people’s makeup, so I called you. Can you tell Mommy good luck and that I hope she gets a big tip. And ask her if she’ll make waffles for dinner when she comes back. That’s it. Bye.”
Her eyes went watery. “You’re determined to crack through my hard shell, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t leave the message. Your kid did, and I’m going to get through the shell. But it’s the gooey stuff on the inside I’m after.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. He wanted more as soon as she did so. She had that effect on him. He would have to wait until tonight to have her again. She was addictive. One taste and he was in search of his next fix.
“Get out of here.” She stepped away from him. “They’ll be here soon.”
“Okay.” He kissed her cheek. “Dinner as soon as you’re done. There’s a little lobster place in town that I think you’ll like.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m looking forward to after dinner,” he said with a grin. He squeezed her hand and then turned to walk away when he saw a woman he recognized walk through the door.
“Tanner! I haven’t seen you since high school. It’s great to see you.” She hugged him. “I knew your grandfather was coming, but I never guessed I would see you here.”
“I’m actually here with the woman who is going to make you even more beautiful.”
“Hi, Molly,” Nova said with a wave. “Tanner is my boyfriend.”
It was the first time she had called him that, the first time she admitted that this was more than just a fling. It was greedy of him, but he wanted more than just the label of “boyfriend.” He had girlfriends before; somehow this felt bigger than that.
“I can see why Tanner would want to be with you. You’re even more gorgeous in person. But Tanner here was the wildest, craziest kid in our class and we were sure he was going to end up in prison.”
“I almost did.” He smiled, but thinking back to the angry kid he was, he didn’t find any humor in it.
“He turned into a decorated war hero and leader.” Nova spoke up. “He’s one of the most dependable people I know and I have a hard time imagining him as the boy he used to be.”
“I’ve heard wonderful things about you,” Molly said to Tanner. “My father told me how proud he was to give you your Medal of Honor.”
“Thank you, but we’re not here to talk about me. Nova has to get you ready for your rehearsal dinner. Congratulations, Mol. I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Come to the wedding. Both of you.” She looked back at Nova, then turned to Tanner again. “You were at my fifth birthday, my sweet sixteen, and graduation part
y. You might as well be here for this milestone.”
“I couldn’t impose.”
“You wouldn’t be.”
He glanced at Nova who looked a little afraid. He knew she was nervous enough about being here. He knew the last thing she wanted to do was mingle with everyone. And the last thing he wanted was be constantly reminded of what a screw-up he had been.
“We didn’t come prepared to be wedding guests. Especially at such a high-profile wedding. We can grab a drink sometime though and catch up. I’m living on the Vineyard. Just stop by the next time you’re in town.” He looked back at Nova and then kissed her cheek again. “Bye, baby. I’ll see you tonight.”
He walked out of there before Molly would try to convince them further. He was ready to head up to his room, when he spotted his grandfather sitting in the lobby. Tanner couldn’t avoid him this time. He had no excuse. “Come on, Captain. If you’re this determined to speak with me, you’re at least going to buy me ice cream.”
“What?” Bryce looked surprised.
“I want ice cream from that stand in the center of town. You’re my grandfather. You’re going to buy it for me.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of Scotch, but if that’s what you want.”
“It is. Let’s go.”
They were silent on their walk through town. He couldn’t recall the last time he had been alone with his grandfather. The captain was the person in his family he spoke to the most and yet he rarely saw him. Rarely spent any time with him.
All those years he knew. He knew why his parents fought. Knew why Tanner felt so out of place and he had remained quiet.
His grandfather walked up to the stand and ordered the same thing that Tanner had always ordered when the two of them used to take their summer trips alone into town to get ice cream. Chocolate soft-serve ice cream. Chocolate shell. It was nice to know that he still remembered. For himself he ordered a root beer float.
“Let’s go sit.” They picked a picnic table in a shady spot and for a moment they just ate. Not saying anything to each other. Tanner was waiting for his grandfather to speak first.
“I’m waiting for you to let me have it,” the captain said. “Go ahead.”
“Don’t take the fun out of it.” He shook his head. “I’m pissed. I’m so angry that I feel it boiling beneath the surface. I feel like I did when I was a kid. Pissed at the world. Only now I can’t crash cars, or vandalize an abandoned building. I can’t get high or drunk, or be a rebel because you forced me to grow up when you made me join the army. And you knew. You knew the whole time why I was so damn mad and you never said a thing.”
“You weren’t mad. You were hurt. And you’re right. I never said a thing. I couldn’t.”
“You could have. You could have prevented all it all, by just telling me the truth.”
“I gave your mother my word.”
“Damn your word. I felt like a stranger in my own family.”
“I know and I’m sorry. But your word has to mean something. If a man doesn’t have that, he doesn’t have anything. And when was I supposed to tell you? When you were five and wondering why your father never showed up at your school concerts? Or when you were twelve and starting to look more and more like the man you never met? How would you have taken it if I sat down and told you? Be honest. Think about the boy you were. Think about the man you are now. What would you have said to me?”
“I would have wanted to know why Mom didn’t tell me.”
“You’re damn right. So why the hell are you so mad at me?”
“Because I need to be mad at someone and you’re the only person in our family that I’m speaking to.”
“You could be mad at your grandmother. She knew, too.”
“But that woman is an angel. I could never be mad at her.”
His grandfather smiled. “I really am sorry, son. I begged her to tell you the truth. You should have known. You shouldn’t have had to grow up as a pawn in their sick game.”
“Who is he? Dad said he didn’t know.”
“I don’t think he does.”
“But you do.”
He frowned deeply. “I don’t know for sure. Your mother has never told me, but I have had my suspicions.”
“Tell me who he is.”
“Your mother needs to tell you. You need to have a face-to-face conversation with her. Now that you know, I don’t see the point in keeping it from you.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want me to go looking for him. Maybe he doesn’t even know I exist.”
“You might be right, but there’s only one way to know for sure and that’s for you to speak to your mother. I can arrange a meeting that she won’t be able to flake out of. You can make it a little trip. I told your little boy that I would arrange for him to go on a tour of a battleship. Let me make it happen.”
“I would have to check with Nova, but I think he would love that.”
“Nova,” he said. “You wouldn’t have found a woman like her if you continued in our social circle.”
“I guess that’s one of the benefits of having been to war. You meet other veterans with single sisters.”
His grandfather nodded. “Eat your ice cream. It’s melting.” They were both quiet for a moment as they ate. “She is one of the most beautiful women that I’ve ever met.”
“She’s talented, too.”
“I know. How much do you know about her?”
“A lot. She’s had a tough life, but she’s a hard worker and a good mother.”
“You know she had to have her background investigated in order to get this job.”
Tanner stiffened. “What did you find out? That she has some sort of petty theft in her past? If she ever stole anything it was to feed herself. Her mother was an alcoholic. She had to run away from home at seventeen.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Her record is clean. Her ex-husband’s is not.”
“He was an addict.”
“He’s more than an addict. He’s a criminal who deserves more than to be locked up for five years. Most of the charges got dropped due to a technicality, but he was the mastermind behind a string of high-profile home invasions in Mississippi. People were killed. He should be in prison for the rest of his life.”
“Wait a minute.” Tanner was having a hard time processing what he was hearing. “Nova told me her husband was dead.”
Bryce’s eyebrow rose. “She probably wishes he were. She’s the reason he got as much time as he did in prison. He’s the kind of scum that shouldn’t be walking the earth.”
“She never said a word about any of that to me.”
“If you’re planning to get serious with this girl, and I think you are, you need to find out the truth from her.”
“I will.”
Tonight. He wasn’t going to leave Nantucket without answers.
Chapter 13
Nova shut her eyes and slumped down in her seat a little. She was exhausted from the weekend, but overall proud of the work she had done. The bride had given her free reign to do what she wanted to do. At first she had been terrified, but she embraced the opportunity. Molly may have been from society but she was a romantic bride, and instead of the sleek classic styles Nova was so used to doing, she had done intricate braids, combined with soft romantic curls and precisely placed flowers in her hair. She had done versions of that for the entire bridal party. She kept their makeup fresh, lots of peaches and pinks. They all looked like goddesses in their long gowns.
The ceremony had been held outdoors, the ocean serving as a backdrop. She had been so worried about failing but she had done her job well. She was pretty sure she could conquer anything now. She would do just fine in a high-end salon in Boston. In the back of her mind she had thought so, but the doubt had been so strong in her she was afraid to make the next move.
“Nova?” Tanner placed his hand on her knee as he drove off the ferry and toward her apartment. He was the reason there was some doubt in her mind, too. He had bee
n there for her this weekend in a way that no one else could have been. No one had cheered her on like he had and it made her wonder if she would be so confident without him.
“Hmm?”
“My grandfather likes you.”
“I like him, too. He makes me nervous but I like him.” They had had dinner with him last night. He had stayed the extra night just to be with Tanner. He kept him occupied on Sunday while Nova was working, doing the hair and makeup for the photo shoot the immediate family had the day after the wedding. She could tell that Senator Edmonds loved Tanner a great deal. She was glad to see that because the more she learned about Tanner’s childhood, the more she knew how miserable he had been.
“You don’t have to be scared of him. He told me the Secret Service investigated us before we were approved to go to the wedding.”
The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and her heart rate immediately shot up and made her a little breathless, but she forced herself to remain calm. She already knew she was subject to a background check. She knew she had never been wanted. She didn’t know what happened to Archie after she plunged the knife into him, but no one pressed charges. It seemed that no one was looking for her at all. And it made her want to know even more what had happened after she ran. “That makes sense.”
“You had to know they were going to find out about you.”
“What are you getting at?” She looked over to him.
“Your husband. You’ve been telling everyone he’s dead.”
She turned away from him. “He is dead.”
“He’s in prison.” She could hear the disapproval in his voice, the disappointment. She had lied to him. She lied to everyone.
“He’s dead to me.”
“Not even Wylie knows the truth.”
“And I plan on keeping it that way.”
He stopped in front of her apartment. She got out of the car without saying another word to him and began to pull her bags out of the car. They were heavy and weighing her down, but she moved as fast as she could, away from Tanner and his disappointment.
She didn’t like to think about Elijah, even though he popped into her thoughts more and more often, but she sure as hell didn’t want to talk about him, to be reminded of how stupid she was to get saddled to another addict, to someone else who was a drain on her life instead of an asset.
