Dominic watched Charles make the call. The boy held the phone to his ear and spoke at a low volume. Dominic was relieved he couldn’t hear the conversation, because that meant Natasha couldn’t either.
When Charles had finished with the call, Dominic turned around and surveyed the bar. Natasha had slipped out the door.
Chapter 16
“You’re in love,” Jenny practically whispered.
“I’m not in love,” Sammie said. “I’m in intense like, and wondering if it could have turned into love.”
“Samantha Margaret Finch!”
Sammie winced and kept her eyes closed. She knew Jenny wasn’t done.
“I know my best friend.” Jenny leaned forward and grabbed Sammie’s hand, nearly spilling her Dr. Pepper.
Sammie moved her drink out of the way. She’d gone two days without it and didn’t want to lose this one. “You know I hate being called by my full name, but that doesn’t change much, does it?”
“Just admit it,” Jenny said. “Being honest with yourself is the only way to work things out in your head.”
“There’s nothing to work out!” Sammie said, almost shouting. She paused and lowered her voice. “Sorry, but there’s not. He lives in St. Lucia, and I live in Kansas. We’ve only known each other for two drama-filled days.”
“Do you have his email address?” Jenny asked.
“I don’t have my email address anymore. I have to set up a new one.” Sammie sighed. “Can we change the subject? You’re getting married tomorrow, to Owen. You’re going to be Jenny Kaine! I’m so happy for you, even though I’m going to miss you so much. I’ll come up and visit every chance I get, of course.”
“Well...” Jenny squinted and took in a breath.
“That’s not a good look for you,” Sammie said, laughing. “What’s the news?”
“We bought a house in Dover,” Jenny blurted out. “We don’t plan to live there full-time, but I can’t tear myself away completely. I miss you, and I miss my clients. I won’t go back to working regularly, but I want to volunteer my services. I don’t want to let my home town go.”
“What? What?” Sammie got up and ran around the table, then threw her arms around Jenny’s neck.
The two laughed together and hugged.
“One truth, okay?” Jenny asked. “Be honest with yourself so you can be honest with me. Did you fall in love?”
“You’re relentless.” Sammie took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I barely know him. But it’s so weird. It’s like my soul recognized something in his. And of course I had the hots for him, so I really don’t want to read too much into it and be wrong. Let’s just leave it alone.”
“Fine. We’ll leave it alone for now. Let’s go get a massage,” Jenny said. “We can talk about tomorrow while we do.”
“Sounds good.” Sammie was okay with anything that didn’t require her to talk about Dominic. Talking wedding plans with Jenny would hopefully get her mind off him.
At dinner that evening, Sammie looked at Jeff and Molly through fresh eyes. Instead of bemoaning the fact that she was the only single one in the group, she took the time to get to know Owen’s friends more and be present in the moment.
She hated that a small part of her still resented being the only single person. She imagined what it would have been like if Dominic had been at the table with her, holding hands with her the way Owen and Jenny were now. Jeff and Molly had been married for a while, but they were still a little lovey-dovey. Sammie could even see the group of them sitting together in Dominic’s bar, chatting it up and laughing at funny stories. He was such a warm personality. Jenny would love him.
“What about you, Sammie?” Molly asked, snapping Sammie out of her thoughts.
“I’m sorry. I was lost in my head. What did you ask me?” So much for being in the moment. Sammie’s cheeks warmed, and she hoped the color from the sun she’d absorbed the last two days hid her embarrassment.
Molly dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Oh, I was just wondering if you have any interesting stories from being stranded on St. Lucia. You must have had some sort of adventure while you weren’t on the ship.” She paused, noting that everyone’s attention was on her. “Sorry. Now I’m babbling because I know I’m being nosy.”
“I’m a witness to Molly’s nosiness.” Owen raised his hand. “It’s not a fun spotlight to be in.”
“You?” Jeff sat back. “Try living with her when you’re shopping for Christmas gifts.”
Everyone laughed.
“I did meet some interesting people. One in particular,” Sammie said, looking down at her hands.
The table grew silent.
“Oh my gosh, you guys.” Sammie shook her head, realizing that Molly had asked about stories, not people. Yet here she was, on the verge of spilling the news about the time she’d spent with Dominic. “I’m sorry. My brain is still a little scrambled. Please forgive me.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” Jenny said, jumping in to save her from a potentially awkward situation. “I almost forgot to tell you guys. I met a woman here on the ship with a service dog, and...”
“Speaking of dogs,” Jeff interrupted. “Where’s Molly the dog?”
“Home with a babysitter,” Owen said. “We miss her, but she seems to be having a great time.”
Sammie was grateful for Jenny’s shifting the conversation away from her. When she looked up, Owen gave her a sympathetic smile. Obviously, he could tell Sammie was uncomfortable.
And it was true. Unable to appreciate the beauty of the ship and the scenery, she was ready for the cruise to be over. She craved the normalcy of her life in Dover. Thinking that way was a change for her, because she’d always despised routine. Her motto was that normal was for the birds—for boring birds, at that. Now, boring didn’t seem so bad. She’d been gone from home for less than two weeks, but it felt like she’d been away for months.
After dinner, Jeff and Molly went for a stroll around the ship, leaving Sammie with Jenny and Owen. “Can I talk to you guys?” Sammie asked them.
“Of course,” Jenny said.
“Do you want me to give you two some privacy?” Owen asked.
“No, no,” Sammie said.
“Well, let’s walk and talk. I’m stuffed.” Jenny linked one arm through Owen’s and her other through Sammie’s. “What’s up, buttercup?”
Sammie rolled her eyes and snickered. “Since I have my ID back now, I’d like to fly home after the wedding. Do you think it would be possible to change my ticket so I don’t have to wait till we get to Florida?”
“I can have Patty do that for you. It shouldn’t be a problem,” Owen said.
“I hate the way this has all gone for you,” Jenny said.
“Don’t. It’s all okay. I think I just need to be home and work things out in my head. It’s been a lot to take in, and I’ll still need to make a few phone calls. Plus, it’ll give me a little extra time before I have to go back to work.”
“I get it.” Jenny rubbed Sammie’s arm. “We’ll have to do this again in the future, and we’ll leave out all the predators.”
Sammie had to laugh. “Definitely take them off the invite list.”
Jenny rose to her tiptoes and clapped her hands. “Your dress should be hanging in your cabin by now. I hope you like it. It’s your favorite color.”
“Is it, now?” Sammie put her hands on her hips. “I’m sure I’ll love it. There’s no one on earth who knows what I like better than you do.”
“There’d better not be.” Jenny nudged her with her shoulder.
Hopefully, I didn’t put on weight or the measurements will be off.” Sammie said, placing her hands at her waist.
Jenny looked her over. “You’re good. I’m sure of it.”
“I’ll take care of the flight. Just email me your ticket info,” Owen said.
“Um... I have to create a new email. And my flight info is in the old one.” Sammie put a hand to her head. “I can just wait to go home, I guess.”
“We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry,” Owen said. “I’m sure you’re ready to be home after all you’ve been through.” He leaned in and whispered, “Just FYI, Dominic Dupre refused to accept payment.”
He took his phone out of his pocket and walked a few paces away as he made a phone call.
“Of course he did,” Sammie muttered and shook her head, but she didn’t have time to consider what that meant.
“Don’t worry,” Jenny said. “Owen will get your ticket figured out. The way he puts it, I don’t think there’s much that Patty can’t do. Are you up to a girls’ night before my big day?”
“Do you think I’d miss it?” Sammie asked incredulously. “What are we going to do?”
“Our first stop is a comedy show. There’s a comedienne on board who’s supposed to be hilarious. I think you could use some laughs.”
“I do too!” Sammie said. “When do we start?”
“One sec,” Jenny said.
She ran over to Owen, who took the phone away from his ear. He swept Jenny up in an embrace and kissed her. After they parted, he stared at Jenny as she trotted back over to Sammie and grabbed her hand.
“Let’s go find Molly.”
Chapter 17
A knock on Sammie’s cabin door yanked her from a deep slumber. She stumbled over to open it. Jenny’s bright face greeted her when she peeked out.
“We’re docked in San Juan. Wanna come with me to go look around? Owen and I are trying not to see each other before the wedding this afternoon.”
Panic swelled in Sammie’s chest at the thought of getting off the boat, and she knew it showed. “What would we do?”
“You poor thing.” Jenny’s shoulders fell. “I think you’ve got a little PTSD from that last experience. This is where you’ll be flying out from tonight, anyway, unless you’ve changed your mind. The next stop is Turks and Caicos.”
“No, I don’t want to stay,” Sammie said, although she felt conflicted. There was no reason for her to stay once Jenny had departed. While she enjoyed Molly’s company, she hadn’t made any other friends on the ship. But leaving the islands meant forgetting about what had happened there. “I just need a couple of minutes to get ready,” she said.
Jenny waited while Sammie washed her face and brushed her teeth. After slathering on some sunscreen, she picked out a pair of terracotta cargo shorts and a striped tank top. Pulling her hair into a half-ponytail, she let a few strands fall around her face.
They left the ship and walked around San Juan for an hour of sightseeing before they settled on a small café for breakfast. Sammie saw a photo of a breakfast pizza on the table top menu and ordered that.
“Do you have Dr. Pepper?” she asked the waiter.
“We do.” He turned to Jenny. “For you, miss?”
“I’ll have the eggs and hash. Plus wheat toast with avocado, please.”
“To drink?” he asked.
“Hot tea and a glass of water. Thank you.”
Jenny smiled at him and handed the menus back. The waiter thanked them and promised to return with their drinks.
Then Jenny leaned toward her friend. “Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”
“What? Oh, it’s nothing,” Sammie said. “It’s just that Dominic made eggs and hash for me, and it was really good.”
“You can change your order, you know.” Jenny turned to get the waiter’s attention.
“No, no. I don’t want to.”
“Okay,” Jenny said. “Sammie, I know we’ve already discussed this, but you really haven’t been yourself the whole trip. Are you sure you’re doing the right thing by leaving?”
Sammie drew her brows in as the waiter set her soda in front of her. “Why would I stay?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you fell in love, and then you had to leave.” Jenny put her hands up. “Come on, Sammie. This is big. Especially for you.”
“What do you mean, especially for me?” Sammie immediately wished she could take back her words. She didn’t know why she’d asked the question. She already knew what Jenny’s response would be.
“You’re the queen of not needing a man in your life. You’ve kept the party-girl title longer than most. Now, after just a couple of days, I feel like I’m sitting with a stranger. Except you’re not a stranger, and I know what’s going on.”
“Look, I need to go home and sort things out. Nobody falls in love in two days,” Sammie said. “I barely got to know Dominic. I’d look like a fool running back into his bar with any kind of expectations.”
“So you’re afraid of rejection,” Jenny said. It was a statement, not a question.
“That, and what if, at the end of it all, this isn’t love? Then what?”
“How will you ever know if you leave? If it were me, I’d want to find out first. Then, if it’s not, you go home, and there’ll be no ‘what ifs’ to haunt you.” Jenny leaned forward. “And from everything you’ve told me, I think he was being honest with you. Owen was asking me about that girl’s last name, the one who pulled off the scam, but I don’t think you mentioned it.”
“Natasha, queen of the devil cats? I have no idea,” Sammie said. “And I don’t even care. What’s done can’t be undone.” She leaned back as the waiter set her breakfast pizza in front of her and the eggs and hash in front of Jenny.
After the waiter had walked away, Jenny leaned forward again. “I know it’s not possible to turn back the clock and save you from the bad experience you had. But maybe we can keep this ‘queen of the devil cats’ from doing the same thing to someone else.”
Chapter 18
Dominic shook the detective’s extended hand.
“Thank you for helping us, Mr. Dupre,” the detective said. “This has been a long investigation for us.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
“Natasha’s reach was growing. There will be a string of arrests over the next couple of days. If you have any trouble, call us.” The detective handed Dominic a card. “Who knew we’d get so lucky, that the American girl would come to you for help? It’s like fate stepped in, and the rest unfolded so neatly. I’m glad we had those cameras set up.”
“Me too,” Dominic said. “Did you gather all your equipment?”
“We did. We’ll send you a check for the repairs that will be needed, and for your door.”
Dominic shrugged. He had already decided he’d put his own cameras up. But if they wanted to pay him for a few holes, then so be it. He could use the extra money for the bar.
The detective turned to Charles. “Thank you too, young man.” He shook Charles’ hand and then turned back to Dominic. “Are you still in contact with the girl you became friends with?”
Dominic raised his brows. “Why?”
“We found a few things of hers. The purse was still in Natasha’s possession. There were a few photos in the wallet, a store’s shopper card, things like that. She’d probably like the photos back.”
“I can send them to her,” Dominic said, following the detective outside.
The detective, dressed in capri pants and a white button-down shirt pulled a bag out of the trunk of the old beater he’d arrived in and handed it to Dominic. Then he got into the car and drove away.
Dominic figured it was best not to make it known that he’d helped the police apprehend Natasha. She, along with three island men, had formed a crime ring that had been growing in size month after month. From what the detective had said, it sounded as if she’d begun working with a larger organization. But where she was going—the Bordelais Correctional Facility, the only prison on St. Lucia—she wouldn’t have any further opportunity to steal the belongings of any more tourists.
Dominic took no pleasure in this. Natasha was a lost soul born to drug-addicted parents. She’d often been left alone as a child. She was a survivor, but once she’d learned the trade of the thief, greed had overtaken her, and the thirst was unquenchable. Now, he hoped she would find some peace.
Dominic went back inside, carrying the bag. Charles was sweeping dust from behind the bar where the officers had been working. “I’m going upstairs. Be back shortly,” Dominic told him.
Charles saluted him in jest. “Aye-aye, Captain.”
Dominic shook his head and wondered why Charles was in such a good mood.
Upstairs, he set the bag on the counter and grabbed a drink from the fridge. After taking a swig, he eyed the bag hesitantly, then reached inside and pulled out the purse. Other than a pen and a few loose papers, there was only a pale pink wallet inside, which held a few cards that would have had no value for Natasha and her vultures.
He lifted the plastic section from the middle of the purse and pulled out the photos, feeling slightly guilty for looking at Sammie’s personal belongings. But his curiosity won out.
The first picture was of Sammie and a pretty blonde girl. Jenny, he guessed. They had their cheeks pressed together as they smiled at the camera. Sammie’s hair was curly and fell down past her shoulders, and she was wearing a lot of makeup. He liked her better without it. She was a natural beauty.
He flipped to the next photo. Sammie was standing between two older folks, a man and a woman. She was leaning against the man’s side, and the woman was resting her cheek on Sammie’s shoulder. Dominic would bet she was a daddy’s girl.
The last photo struck a jealous chord in him. Sammie was wearing a black dress that stopped just under her butt. She was standing with her arm around the waist of a handsome man. Who is this?
He returned her items to the bag and put it away.
He wished he could look at Sammie’s social media sites, but she didn’t seem to have any, which surprised him. He’d opened multiple accounts just so he could search, but he had turned up nothing. He knew she lived in Dover, Kansas, and he still had her phone number, but he wondered if she would change it when she got a new phone. Of course she could find him easily by looking for his bar online. But would she do that? That was the question.
The Conflicted Maid of Honor (The Conflicted Love Series Book 2) Page 9
