Smile Like You Mean It

by S. J. McCoy

  “Sorry. I don’t mean to pry. It’s just that Miss wants him to stick around for a while, and, for some reason, she doesn’t think he’s going to because of Renée.”

  “Do you know Chance?”

  “Not very well yet. We got off to a good start. He told me his story, and I know how hard it is for him to come back here. I don’t know how Renée fits into it though. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need to know. I just don’t want to put my foot in it. I’d like him to stay a while, for Missy’s sake…and Scot’s.. Most of all for his own sake, and I get the feeling Renée is going to either make it a whole lot better or a whole lot worse for him somehow.”

  Where to start? Gabe liked Dan. He was obviously asking for all the right reasons, but it wasn’t Gabe’s story to tell. “He told you about Chloe?”

  Dan nodded. “Just the bare bones of what happened to her and what he did.”

  That spoke volumes about what Chance thought of Dan. Gabe wouldn’t have expected him to ever tell anyone. “Okay, did he tell you that Chloe was Renée’s sister?”

  “Ah…no.”

  “Yeah. They both carry a lot of unresolved guilt about what happened that night. And they haven’t spoken to each other since.”

  “Oh, wow.”

  Gabe nodded. “That’s about right.”

  Dan checked his watch again. “Do you want to walk over to the store and get that coffee?”

  Gabe nodded. He liked Dan and hanging with him for a while was more appealing than roaming the streets trying to figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life…and how he could make Renée a part of it.

  Once they had their coffee, they wandered across the square to the resort. It was getting light now, but the place was still deserted. Gabe followed Dan out onto the deck over the lake, and they sat at one of the big picnic benches.

  After a while, Dan asked, “Since I’m asking inappropriate questions about people I don’t know, do you mind if I try another?”

  Gabe had to smile. “Sure.”

  “You knew our house was the old DeWinter place. Did you know the family?”

  “Not too well. The Dewinters were good people, but their kids were quite a bit older. In fact, their granddaughter, Charlotte, was more our age—just a bit younger than Missy—if I remember correctly. She lived in the UK and came to the lake every summer. She and Missy became good friends.”

  Dan nodded. “Was she friends with any of the others, too?”

  Gabe laughed. “She was pretty good friends with Ben from what I remember. They were inseparable for a couple of summers.”

  “Do you know what happened?”

  “I don’t. I know they had some big bust up, and she didn’t come back after that. That was the summer I was doing my internship though; I only came home for a couple of weeks. I don’t know what went on between them.”

  Dan nodded.

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure, it’s only fair.”

  “You don’t strike me as someone who would have much interest in people’s personal lives. Why so much interest in Renée and Charlotte?”

  Dan smiled. “I couldn’t care less about anyone’s personal life. For me it’s a matter of logistics. We’re trying to figure out wedding invites and all that good stuff. Missy wants Charlotte to be there, but doesn’t think she should ask her because of Ben. She also wants Renée to be there, but doesn’t think she should ask her because of Chance. I want Missy to have everything she wants, so I’m trying to figure it all out.” He gave Gabe a sheepish grin. “Though I’m working at a distinct disadvantage because, as you so astutely observed, I don’t do people very well.”

  That made Gabe smile. “Sorry I can’t give you any answers, but I know enough to tell you to wait a week. I’m pretty sure that by then you’ll know whether inviting Renée is going to work or not. As for Charlotte, I can’t help you there.” He hesitated. “No, I don’t think my little brother would be able to either. I’d suggest talking to either Emma or Pete. They’d know more than anyone—apart from Missy.”

  “Thanks.” Dan looked a little uncomfortable as he saw Ben emerge from the back of the restaurant. “I wish I could just ask him,” he said in a low voice. “But even I can see that it still hurts him. If it didn’t mean so much to Missy to have Charlotte there, I wouldn’t give it a second thought.”

  Gabe shrugged. “You never know, it might give them a chance to finally make their peace.”

  “From what I understand, that would be quite something.”

  “It would, wouldn’t it?” Gabe was thinking more of Chance and Renée, but he’d be happy for Ben if he, too, could make peace with his past.

  Ben grinned when he saw them and made his way out onto the deck to join them. “What’s this? Are we starting a morning coffee and motivation meeting?”

  “That might not be a bad idea,” said Dan. “Although you’d have to start serving coffee a little earlier somewhere.”

  Ben laughed. “Sorry, but it wouldn’t be worth my while. I’d have to pay someone to start work earlier and the profit on two cups of coffee wouldn’t justify the outlay.”

  “Do you calculate everything that way?” asked Gabe.

  Ben shook his head. “It’s a factor in every decision I make.” He shrugged. “But you know me. Profit is one consideration, but it’s not my main motivator. It’s a means to an end, not an end in itself. I like to think the resort contributes to the life of the town, but it can only do that because it is profitable.”

  Gabe nodded. He could see that. He wondered what Summer Lake would be like if the resort weren’t here. He also had to wonder what so many of the town’s residents’ lives would be like. Renée, for example, what would she have done without the job here? And what about this April person that Chance was bringing? He shook his head as he considered all the ways Ben and the resort touched people’s lives and made them better.

  Ben punched his arm. “Don’t look like that. I know the bottom line is what drives you, but there’s the bigger picture to consider, too, you know.”

  That stung. “Hey, I might come across as being purely money driven, but I was just thinking the same thing. I envy you. You’ve got it figured from all angles, haven’t you? You make big money yourself, and you do it while you’re enjoying yourself and making other people’s lives better. You play a big part in keeping the whole town going to boot. I wish I could do the same.”

  “You do? I thought you were happy tackling injustice in the big bad corporate world—and raking it in along the way.”

  “I thought I was, too, but the more I come back here, the more I feel like I’m missing out on what’s really important.”

  Ben gave him a knowing look. “You do, huh? Well, as I said last night, these guys have found a way to work it out. I have no doubt you can do the same if you put your mind to it.”

  Dan looked at him. “It sounds to me as though you already know what you want. Now you just have to figure out a way to make it work.”

  Gabe thought about it. Was his decision made already? He had to admit that it was. He wanted to be here. He wanted a life where he could enjoy his morning coffee sitting out here by the lake with these guys, rather than gulping it down as he ran up the steps of the courthouse. He wanted this slower pace; he wanted what to him felt like a bigger life. One where he was personally involved with the people whose lives he touched. He wouldn’t deny that he’d spent his whole career touching lives, trying to help people, but he realized now that those people were a concept, not a reality. His purpose had been about upholding an ideal, not about actually caring for real people.

  Ben stood up. “It looks like you’ve got a lot to think about, and I need to get this place rolling for the day. Stop by if you want to bounce any ideas around.”

  “Thanks.” Gabe had so many ideas bouncing around his head, he wasn’t sure how to corral them all. He certainly wasn’t ready to talk about them yet though.

  Dan stood. “I need to g
et going, too. I was supposed to be heading out for a run, not wandering the streets drinking coffee.”

  Gabe smiled at him. “I’ll see you around. And thanks, Dan.”

  Dan nodded. “Thank you.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Renée turned at the sound of the doorbell. It had already been a long morning and she wanted nothing more than to get out of here and go home. She still couldn’t quite believe that Gabe had stayed the night with her. She needed some time to herself to think about it all.

  She smiled when she saw Missy come in. She’d always liked Missy, admired the way she’d worked so hard as a single mom to raise her son.

  “Good morning, hon. How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine thanks, Miss. How about you? How’s life treating you?”

  “Wonderfully! We’re finally getting everything pulled together for the wedding, and I’m so excited.”

  “You’re going to Vegas, right?”

  “We are.” Missy opened her mouth to speak but stopped when the door opened behind her. She waited while Renée served some tourists. Renée had to wonder what Missy was really here to talk about. She wouldn’t be hanging around if she just wanted to pick up some pastries. Once the tourists had left with their bag full of goodies she turned back to Missy.

  “I’m guessing there’s a reason for your visit, other than a sugar fix?”

  Missy nodded. “You got me.” She wrinkled her nose while she chose her words.

  Renée smiled. “If it’s about Chance, don’t worry. I know he’s coming.”

  “Oh, good. Did Ben tell you?”

  “Yeah. Apparently he’s bringing someone called April, and she’s going to be working here with me.”

  “Yeah it sounds like she’s escaping from a tough time. Chance wanted to get her out of there and thought she might be able to make a new life here. She has a son, too.”

  “Well good for Chance. I’m glad to hear he’s still doing good deeds.”

  “He’s not the ogre people make him out to be.” Missy was still so defensive of her brother.

  “I know that, Miss. I’ve never thought of him as an ogre. I just wish he didn’t hate me.”

  “Hate you?!” Missy looked genuinely stunned. “Why would he hate you?”

  Renée shrugged. “Why wouldn’t he?”

  Missy gave her a puzzled frown. “I just wanted to make sure that you knew he’s coming. He called last night and said he expects to make it down here sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Thanks for the warning. Do you think he’d be open to talking to me while he’s here?”

  “I don’t know, hon. I do know better than to try to guess what Chance will think or say or do about anything. I also know better than to get caught in the middle.”

  Renée nodded. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

  “No. If thought there was any way I could do anything to help, you know I would. Normally I’ll butt my little ass and my big mouth in anywhere.” She smiled. “But when it comes to Chance, I just know better, that’s all. Anything I try to make him do will backfire, so I’m keeping my nose out. What I did want to ask you is if you want to come for lunch with the girls on Wednesday? We usually get together on Saturdays, but Holly and Laura won’t be around this weekend, and we thought it’d be nice to do it to welcome April.”

  It was easy enough to turn it down. “Sorry, but I don’t get finished here until two thirty.”

  “We can make it a late lunch. I’d really like you to come.”

  “Why?”

  Missy smiled. “You don’t beat about the bush do you? I like that about you; you remind me of me.”

  Renée smiled back. “I think it’s why we’ve always gotten along so well, despite our circumstances. But I also think our circumstances dictate that we’re never going to get all pally, are we?”

  “I’d like for us to. Why shouldn’t we?”

  When she thought about it, Renée didn’t really see a reason. She’d just always assumed that though she and Missy shared a connection through their siblings that bound them together, it also dictated that a distance be maintained between them.

  “Are you telling me you couldn’t use a friend right now?”

  Renée had to laugh. Someone else had said that to her recently, and that had just led to more confusion.

  Missy raised an eyebrow. “Want to let me in on the joke?”

  “Gabe told me I needed a friend, too, and that’s getting all kinds of weird.”

  “Well, I’m talking about a girlfriend. And besides, even if you think we shouldn’t get too close, Emma’s coming, and Kenzie. Then there’s Holly and Laura and Megan, too. And even if you want to stay closed off to making friends, don’t you think you should come to welcome your new coworker? Get to know her a little before she comes in here?”

  “You don’t make it easy to say no, do you?”

  Missy shook her head with a smile. “So you’ll come?”

  “You don’t leave me much choice.”

  “That was the plan.” Missy gave her a shrewd look. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on with Gabe?”

  Renée shook her head. “Even if I knew myself, I don’t think I’d be ready to talk about it.”

  “Well, when you do get around to wanting to talk to someone, you know I’m here for you.”

  “Why though, Miss? What does it matter to you?”

  “You matter to me. We’re bound together, even though it’s for a reason we both wish had never happened. I’d love to see you happy; I’d love to see you stay.” She shrugged. “So shoot me.”

  “Hmm. Thanks.” Renée didn’t know what else to say.

  “And while I’m here,” Missy seemed to understand and let it go, “do you have any of those brownies? Scotty and Dan both love them.”

  “There’s a batch due out of the oven in seven minutes.”

  “Okay. I’ll just run down to the store then; I’ll be back.”

  As Renée watched her leave, she wondered if she should still wriggle out of this lunch with the girls. She’d told herself she mustn’t hope for anything with Gabe. Now it seemed as though they were starting something, but she didn’t know where it could go. Why would she start to build friendships with some women she already liked when she didn’t know if she was going to be able to stay here, or where her life would go once Eric’s court case was finally over?

  Chapter Nine

  Renée flopped down on the sofa. She was exhausted. Emotionally as well as physically. She smiled as she remembered lying here last night—with Gabe. He was amazing! She giggled at the thought that Kenzie could keep the brownies. Renée would sooner go for the orgasms with Gabe. Sex with him had been nothing like sex with Eric, and she used to think that Eric was good. She just hadn’t known any better; hell, she hadn’t known at all for more than a year! She felt a little guilty that since Gabe had shown up, she’d hardly given Eric a thought. She certainly didn’t owe him anything, but whatever was going on with him would affect her future. There was still a possibility that she may be charged with something herself. She had no clue how or what with, but the doubt was still there. She felt as though she’d been burying her head in the sand. No, she knew she had. She had been going through the motions of surviving each day since she’d come back to the lake. Working, making the house livable, and facing people; she really had dealt with as much as she had to, to get through the days and left it at that. Then Gabe had walked into the bakery on Saturday morning and everything felt like it had gone into overdrive. She wanted to start thinking about her life and what she would do with the rest of it. She wanted to hope he’d meant all those things he’d said about caring for her last night. But before she could really think about what came next, she had to deal with what already was. She wanted an end to this horrible limbo she was in. She’d been feeling powerless, as though she had no control over her own life, but that wasn’t true. She just hadn’t been taking control of the things she could change, because she’d been too ove
rwhelmed by the things she couldn’t change. She got up and grabbed her cell phone from her purse. It was time for her to take back some control.

  She dialed the number and waited.

  “Renée, how are you? I’ve been meaning to call you.”

  “So why haven’t you?” She was tired of that answer. It seemed it was Paul Williams’ stock response. He’d been the charity’s lawyer for the last seven years, and he was supposed to be helping Renée through while Eric and the charity were being investigated.

  “I’m afraid there’s nothing new to report. I keep waiting, hoping I’ll be able to call you with some good news, but it’s just dragging on.”

  “I’m tired of it dragging on though, Paul. What can I do? I’m as much a victim in this as anyone. I want it to be over.”

  Paul was quiet for a long moment. “You can do what I’ve suggested from the beginning. Divorce him.”

  She thought about it. She’d known all along that was what she’d end up doing, but as with everything else, she hadn’t wanted to face it. Until now. Now it seemed it was the one thing she could do to put herself back in the driving seat of her own life.

  “Are you still there?”

  “Yeah. Sorry, Paul. I am.”

  “Are you ready?”

  She heaved a big sigh. “Yes. I’m ready. What do I need to do?”

  “Do you want to come down here so we can go through it in person?”

  She really didn’t. “Can’t you just draw up the papers and send them to me?”

  “I could, but we’d need to figure out the details first.”

  “What details do you need to know, Paul? He lied to me, stole me from me and everyone we dealt with, and cheated on me, repeatedly. Can I just divorce him for adultery?”

  “Not in the state of California. It’s a no-fault state. All that matters are the ‘irreconcilable differences.’ Exactly what those differences are, is immaterial.”

  “Oh.” His words made Renée realize just how clueless she was about the whole legal side of things. “So what details do I need to figure out then?”

  “Well in your case, the division of marital property is going to be the biggie. In fact, given the ongoing investigation, I don’t really know how it will work. Let me ask around. You’re going to need someone with a lot more experience in divorce law than I have.”