by Kathi Daley
Chapter 9
I woke with a smile on my face. Although I’d never actually said as much, nor was I ready to do so, after thinking about my conversation with Ryder, I realized that he wasn’t the only party in the relationship falling in love. To this point, my life had been all about my sister and my career. I’d certainly dated and had even had a few meaningful relationships along the way, but I’d never been interested in finding someone to build a life with. My long-term plan had always been to grow old with Kayla, but now that she was gone, I realized that staying here on the island with Ryder and Carrie, where I’d been happier than I’d been for a very long time, was an idea that appealed to me quite a lot.
Rolling over, I looked out the window as the first rays of the sun turned the sky to wispy shades of pink and purple. The fog had rolled in by the time Ryder had finally brought me home, but apparently, it had rolled out again at some point during the overnight hours. I sat up and grabbed a warm sweatshirt to pull over the shorts and tank top I’d worn to bed. Opening my window, I looked out at the calm sea as the waves lapped onto the beach. Ryder and I had agreed not to meet up for our morning run since he had an early surgery, and I wasn’t getting home until well into the wee hours of the early morning, but I found the lure of the quiet morning more than I could resist. Stepping away from the window, I pulled on running shorts, a sports bra, and a clean tank top, and after grabbing my shoes and socks, I headed outside into the crisp morning air.
Settling into a comfortable pace, I let my mind wander. The conversation with Ryder had started out awkward and had continued down a somewhat rocky path as he’d tried to find the words to convey what he needed to say, but once he got the words out there on the table, and his meaning had become clear, our evening had taken on a different feel entirely. Making love with Ryder last night, knowing that he felt the same strong emotions for me that I felt for him, was something I’d never really experienced before. When Kayla had tried to explain the difference between an act of intimacy between two people with a true emotional connection and an act of intimacy between two people simply looking for companionship or tension release, I’d honestly thought she’d been making things up, but as it turned out, I was wrong.
The sun peeked over the distant mountain as I merged onto the hard sand where Ryder and I normally ran. I missed him being here this morning, but I did understand his commitment to his patients, and I understood that being a man with many talents and interests, his time was in high demand. I thought about how it would be to live here on the island and to see him every day. I also thought about how it would feel to leave, should that be my ultimate decision. Last night, the decision seemed complicated, but somehow this morning in the bright light of day, it seemed obvious. Turning around, I headed back toward the house. It seemed that perhaps I needed to have a chat with Carrie.
When I returned to the house, I found Carrie sitting on the back deck with a cup of coffee. Our morning chats were a ritual I’d come to enjoy.
“Good morning,” she said. “How was your run?”
“It was nice. Quiet since Ryder had a surgery and wasn’t able to join me.” I sat down across from her. “Did Quinn ever make it home?”
“Not as far as I know. There are muffins on the counter to go with the coffee.”
“Thanks, but coffee is fine for now.”
“So how was your dinner?” she asked.
I thought of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we’d eventually settled on. “Actually, it was perfect. I’m sorry I didn’t make it home as early as I’d planned.”
“No need to apologize.” She smiled. “Like I said, I’m a big girl. I can spend a few hours in the house alone.”
I tucked my legs up under my body. “I know. It’s just that you planned this awesome get together for the four of us, and it seems that ever since we’ve been here, we’ve all been bailing on you.”
Carrie lifted a corner of her mouth. “It’s not a problem. I’m glad you and Quinn are having fun. I’m hoping Nora is working things out with Matt, and I am thrilled we found Peggy alive and well. All in all, it’s been a better reunion than I’d imagined it might be. Besides, I’ve spent more than my share of time at the new condo, so perhaps it’s me who is ignoring you.”
I smiled. “I’m really happy you found the condo. You seem a lot happier since making the decision to move.”
“I am a lot happier, although I am really going to miss you and Quinn when you go.”
“Yeah, about that,” I said, setting my coffee mug on the table in front of me. “I’m thinking I might stay for a while beyond the five weeks. If I do, how would you feel about letting me rent your guest room?”
Carrie grinned. “Are you thinking about staying permanently?”
“Perhaps.”
“I’d love for you to stay, and the guest room is yours for as long as you want, no need to pay rent. I certainly don’t need the income.”
“Thank you. I have a lot of decisions to make, and I really haven’t figured it all out, but what I have figured out is that, other than my nieces, who are both off at college, everyone I care about is here.”
“What about your mother?” Carrie asked.
“Yes, I guess I do care about her, but we do better if we maintain a certain distance, and San Francisco is close enough that I can visit whenever I want.”
“Well, I, for one, would be thrilled to have you stay.” She paused. “Have you discussed this with Ryder?”
“He’s actually the one who brought it up. He even asked me to go steady.”
She laughed. “Steady? Really?”
“It was a joke, but I knew what he was really trying to say without putting me on the spot. He wants us to have a real relationship and not just a summer fling. I wasn’t sure how I felt about his suggestion at first, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that staying is what I want as well. He did hint at one point that I could just move in with him, but I think it might be better to stay in your guest room until I have a chance to think things through. The last thing I want to do is get into something I’m not ready for. Actually, that’s the second to the last thing I want. The last thing I want is to hurt him.”
“And you know I don’t want either of you hurt,” Carrie said.
“I know.” I tucked my hair behind my ear. “But I don’t think that’s where we’re headed. I really think Shipwreck Island is where I’m meant to be. I’m not exactly sure what I want to do about a career, but whatever I end up doing, I can clearly imagine Ryder by my side.”
Carrie reached over and gave me a hug.
“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” I asked once we had that settled.
“I don’t have specific plans,” Carrie answered. “I spoke with Nora last night. She said things with her and Matt are going great. He’s going to drop her off here on Saturday. She plans to attend the regatta with us on Sunday and maybe spend a few days beyond that on the island, but then she plans to go home and continue to work on her marriage.”
“That’s great. I’m happy to hear it.”
“We have this house leased for another two weeks. Quinn has never said how long she plans to stay. I’m hoping she’ll stay the entire time. If you’re serious about staying on the island, I guess you’ll need to do something about your apartment, but there’s time to consider that. I guess the most important thing for me at this point is to make sure that all my friends are settled and happy.”
“You don’t always have to be the one to take care of everyone else,” I pointed out.
“Actually, I think I do. It’s my role in the group dynamic.” Carrie looked at her watch. “I’m surprised Quinn isn’t back. Sam must be headed to work by now.”
She had a point. “I’ll text her and get an update. I know Sam indicated that he was really tired when we split up yesterday, but I also know that he’s pretty determined to find Grace before the weekend. At least that’s what he said during one of his more passionate moments.”
“Do you think she’s okay?” Carrie asked. “Do you think Grace is even alive?”
I nodded. “I do think she’s okay. She may even have left home of her own free will. She was angry at her mother, and teen feelings can mutate and multiply if not kept in check.”
“I guess, but she’s been gone for five days. It seems like a long time to hold a grudge just because her mother wouldn’t let her quit school and go pro.”
“I suppose that’s true, but I also suspect there is more going on. Lizzy hurt Grace,” I replied. “In my opinion, the fact that she’s been gone for five days probably has more to do with Lizzy obviously supporting Hope’s goals and happiness over Grace’s. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to win such a huge competition, only to realize that instead of being proud of you, your mother was disappointed that your sister hadn’t won.”
“I guess I see your point,” Carrie said. “Lizzy was pretty open about the fact that she was pulling for Hope. I suspect that same attitude might carry over into other areas of Grace’s life. I do feel bad for her.”
“Me too.” Leaning back in my chair, I picked up my mug and took a sip of my coffee. “I wonder where she might go. If she really is just blowing off steam, chances are she’s confided in someone.” I stared out at the sea as I considered the situation. “I remember that Grace’s best friend is named Loretta and that Sam has already spoken to her. Do you happen to know who Grace’s other friends are?”
“I don’t know,” Carrie said. “But I bet Sam has already asked Lizzy that very question. I suppose we can call him and ask. We can check on Quinn at the same time.”
Deciding that Carrie had a good idea, I called Sam, who shared that Lizzy had listed two teenage girls as being close to Grace in addition to Loretta. He confirmed that he’d already spoken to both girls. As for Quinn, he shared that she’d left in the middle of the night. He didn’t know exactly where she’d gone, but he did know that she’d called a cab that she’d asked to bring her here to the house. I headed out to the front drive, only to verify that the car she’d borrowed from Carrie was gone.
“Where could she have gone?” Carrie asked.
“I have no idea. Sam had no idea. I sent a text. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if she texts back.”
“It’s weird that she left without saying anything,” Carrie said. “I have to admit that I’m really worried. Did Sam make it sound like they’d had a fight or something?”
“No,” I answered. “He told me that they’d had a nice evening together and then they’d fallen asleep early. When he awoke, she was gone. Since he’d picked her up, he checked with the local cab company, and they told him that someone from his address had called for a ride around four a.m. The cab driver told him he’d dropped her off here at the house, so Sam assumed she just wanted to head home for some reason. He wasn’t worried until I told him that both Quinn and Jessica’s car were gone.”
“I’m sure Quinn is fine,” Carrie said. “Her boss has been hounding her to cover that summit going on over in San Francisco. Maybe she finally decided to give in and do what he asked.”
“Maybe,” I said. “I’m sure she’ll call when she can. In the meantime, let’s make some breakfast. I’m starving.”
Carrie had come across a recipe for a breakfast casserole in one of the magazines she subscribed to, so while she made that, I cut up some fruit for a salad.
“I think we need to celebrate the fact that you’ve decided to stay here on the island with mimosas,” Carrie said, pulling out a bottle of champagne.
“Sounds good to me.”
“Does Ryder know you’re staying?” she asked as she poured orange juice over the bubbly.
“Not yet. He made his case and then asked that I think about it before answering. I agreed to do that, so we changed the subject. I really thought it would take me days to decide, but I woke up this morning and just knew. He’s getting off at three today since he went in early, so I guess I’ll head over to his place when he gets off and talk to him about it.” I took a sip of the fruity drink. “Believe it or not, he started off a discussion about his feelings for me and his desire that I stay here on the island with a job offer.”
“A job offer?” Carrie laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No. I’m afraid not. I could see he was nervous, and I guess I don’t blame him. He couldn’t have known how I’d react to what he had to say. I suppose, in his mind, giving me a reason to stay by offering a job made sense.”
“So are you going to take it? The job, I mean?”
“No,” I answered. “The work sounds routine and boring, and to be honest, I don’t really need the income. At least, not right now. I think I’ll take my time and get settled before I decide where to commit my time. If I am going to work, I want to find something meaningful. In the meantime, I’ll just hang out with you, do some surfing, and maybe get back in touch with the part of myself that always wanted to be a writer.”
She slipped the casserole in the oven. “I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am about this. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed all of you, but especially you.”
“I know. I’ve missed you too.”
Chapter 10
Quinn finally called an hour later. We’d eaten our breakfast and were cleaning the kitchen by this point, although there were plenty of leftovers if Quinn was hungry, so I told her as much.
“I’m not on the island,” she said. “But, the casserole sounds yummy, so please save me some.”
“Did you decide to cover the event in San Francisco like your boss wanted?” I asked.
“Actually, no,” Quinn answered. “I have an idea where Grace might be. I can’t be sure until I check it out, but let’s just say I have a hunch.”
“Where do you think she is?” I asked.
“LA. Well, Malibu, actually.”
“LA?” I glanced at Carrie, who was hanging on my every word. “Why would you think Grace is in LA?”
“Carl told Sam that Grace called him on Saturday night, asking about a house he had for sale that Rain owns. She obviously hadn’t seen the house yet, nor had her friend, since she told Carl they wanted the address so they could drive by. This indicates to me that the reason they were interested in the house was because of who owned it and not because of the merits of the house itself.”
I took a minute to process this. “Okay, I get it. If they hadn’t seen the house, the friend couldn’t know he or she was interested unless the reason they were interested was because of who owned it. But a lot of people I can think of would be interested in viewing the home of a celebrity. How does this help you know who Grace was with?”
“I don’t know for sure,” Quinn said. It sounded like she was on her Bluetooth. If I had to guess, she was cruising south as we spoke. “But I did remember that Sam mentioned that the house had been broken into. If the person with Grace was a legitimate buyer interested in viewing the home, he or she would have called the Realtor whose name was given to Grace by Carl. Since they didn’t call this woman and broke a window to get in, it makes sense that they had a reason to want to get into the house that had nothing to do with a home purchase. I asked myself what that reason might be, and settled on the most obvious reason — theft.”
“I get what you are saying, but I still don’t see how this helps us find Grace.”
“I’m getting to that,” Quinn said. “When we were at the surfing competition, I noticed Grace talking to Skeet Fairbanks. Skeet, as you know, is a professional surfer with a bunch of high dollar endorsements that have brought him a lot of money. What you may not know is that Skeet used to date a model named Rebeka. Based on what I know, they were actually quite serious until Rebeka met Rain at a party and fell madly in love with the charismatic musician.”
“So Skeet had reason to want to do harm to Rain,” I said. “I guess I can see where you’re going with this to a point. Skeet and Grace chat during the four days of competition and perhaps beco
me friends of sorts. Skeet knows that Rain has a house on the island he’s trying to sell, but he doesn’t know where on the island the house might be located. Given the nature of the sale, and the fact that it is owned by a celebrity, the address most likely isn’t listed on the listing agreement provided on the internet or in ads, so Grace volunteers to call Carl and get the address. Once they have the address, they break in and steal something, which I have to assume Skeet knows is valuable to Rain, and then what? It seems like Grace’s role would be fulfilled at this point. Why do you think she’s in LA?”
“Skeet has a place in Malibu. I really don’t know for certain that Grace is there, but it seemed reasonable to me that if Grace helped Skeet and she needed a place to hang out while she worked out her anger and disappointment over her mother’s obvious preference for her older sister, he might invite her to hang out with him for a while. I’ve been to the mansion. It has a lot of rooms, and there are always a lot of people hanging around, partying, and whatnot.”
“But Grace is sixteen,” I pointed out. “He’d be crazy to help her run away.”
Quinn blew out a breath. “Yeah, there is that, and Skeet doesn’t appear to me to be a stupid man, but it was an idea to check out, and I had some time, so I decided to follow my intuition. I’ll be back on the island tomorrow either way.”
“Call me when you get to Malibu. I’m curious as to what you find.”
“I will,” Quinn promised. “If Grace is with Skeet, I’ll bring her back with me. If not, then I wasted a couple of days chasing a dead end. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Once I hung up, I filled Carrie in.
“Do you really think a rich and connected guy like Skeet would use a sixteen-year-old to help him break into someone’s house?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Love can make you do crazy things, and Quinn made it sound as if Skeet and Rebeka were serious before Rain came into the picture. If he wanted to steal something but didn’t want anyone to know that he stole it, he wouldn’t have made the call to get the address himself. It would be too obvious. While Skeet might be an adult, that doesn’t mean he’s mature. The guy is what, twenty-five? I’ve seen him on TV. He looks and sounds like a teenager most of the time with his surfer-dude vibe. If Grace struck up a conversation with him and he needed her help, I could see him making a deal of some sort with her.”
