Chapter Six
DESIREE AWOKE EARLY the next morning with the need for structure, which wasn’t surprising given that things had been in such turmoil since she’d arrived. Except last night, which hadn’t been tumultuous in the same sense that the rest of her life was. It had been surprising, exciting, and wonderful. She’d never gotten completely lost in a man like that before, much less in a truck. But she couldn’t have pried herself away from Rick if she’d wanted to. She’d craved him. And feeling his body against hers had made her want him all the more deeply. Even after their rampant make-out session, they’d had a hard time separating. They’d shared so many one last kisses that she thought Violet might find them lip-locked on the porch in the morning. She touched the tiny spot beside her lip where his whiskers had left a little burn, and a shiver of heat skittered through her. The man knew how to kiss, and touch, and say all the right things. He’d left her body humming for hours, which was probably why she’d woken up with her head spinning and the need to get her arms around her new summer plans.
She picked up her phone, her pulse quickening as she reread the text Rick had sent shortly after he’d left last night. Sweet dreams, beautiful. I miss you already. She’d had so many conflicting thoughts—Were they moving too fast? Was she getting caught up in him because of the craziness in the rest of her life?—and his text had soothed her worries. He seemed to know just what she needed.
Boy, does he ever.
He’d been open and honest about what he’d wanted, and that had made her want him even more.
She had never come with a man before. Not once, and certainly not with nothing more than kisses and his hand. But their molten kisses alone had brought her right up to the verge of release, never mind what he’d done with his hand.
She chewed on those thoughts throughout the morning as she walked around the house making a to-do list, starting with her outdated bedroom and bathroom. She’d taken one of the two bedrooms on the third floor. She liked the privacy and the gorgeous bay views out the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, but also, it had been her grandmother’s bedroom, and it provided a sense of stability she desperately needed. But if she was going to be there for the summer, she needed to get bedding from this century. She spotted Violet on the beach with Cosmos, and she warmed all over. My new family.
She carried that thought with her as she continued on her list-making journey. Crossing the hall, she passed the narrow door that provided access to the stairs leading up to the widow’s walk. She used to sit up there for hours as a little girl, dreaming of all the ways her mother might suddenly show up for a lengthy visit, instead of the quick forty-eight hours at the end of her vacation. She debated going up now, but she wasn’t ready for the emotions she knew would trample over her when she did. Instead, she pushed open the heavy wooden door to the other bedroom, swallowing hard at the sight of her mother’s art studio in progress. The ceiling and walls had been stripped down to the ancient framework and rafters. Unmatched wooden tables were littered with painting supplies, some of which were open, the paint dried up. Masking tape secured sketches of women to the studs, and the windowsill was home to a host of paintbrushes, pencils, paints, magazines, and jars of dingy water with paintbrushes sticking out like lost bones. Half-finished paintings sat on easels and rested against studs.
She took a few steps into the room, inhaling the scents of her mother’s chaos and unearthing memories she didn’t realize she still held on to. She didn’t have many memories from when Lizza and her father were married, and she was never sure what was real and what she’d fabricated out of desire or resentment. But as she stood in the midst of her mother’s studio, flashes of the past rushed in. She remembered standing in her mother’s studio in her childhood home, trying to get her mother’s attention. Talking hadn’t worked. Singing hadn’t worked. She’d nearly yelled, and still she hadn’t broken through her mother’s trance. Her hands sweated as she remembered knocking a jar of paint off a table and the horrified expression on her mother’s face. Her chest constricted from the memories. She spun on her heels and stormed out, closing the door behind her. She leaned against it, palms to her chest, waiting for her heart to stop racing before she headed downstairs.
She’d forgotten how high the ceilings were and how each room felt twice as big as rooms in more recently built homes. She was glad her mother was remodeling. But as she moved from room to room, she wondered where the expensive renovations had taken place. The dark hardwood floors were still worn and scuffed, and there were cracks she remembered from her childhood in the drywall. Even the kitchen, though spacious, with a big center island, hadn’t been updated beyond a new refrigerator.
She was working at the kitchen table when the door to the patio opened and Cosmos’s nails clicked across the floor. He went paws-up on her leg, and she lifted him into her lap, wet paws and all. He licked her chin, his eyes sparkling, like she was the best surprise ever.
“Morning,” she said to Violet, who had on the same black bikini top she’d worn yesterday and another pair of cutoffs. She looked relaxed and ready to hang out on the beach, but Desiree hoped she’d help her out with the items on her list.
“What are you working on?” Violet peered over her shoulder.
“I made a list of things we need to do to get the shop going. I didn’t see a sign out by the road, so I thought maybe we could make one so people know we’re open. Unless you saw one stored away somewhere? I didn’t check the closets. I guess I’ll do that first.” She made a note to check the closets. “I also made a plan for working at the shop.” She knew Violet had a hard time with schedules, so she didn’t call it that. She pushed the notebook across the table. “I alternated mornings and afternoons, so neither of us is stuck there all day.”
Violet smirked. “A schedule? Seriously?”
“It’s a plan, not a schedule.” Ignoring the deadpan look her sister was giving her, she pushed a little harder. “Why not? I’d like to know when I need to work and when I can go to the beach, or out with Rick, or—”
“Sorry, Des, but I really do suck at schedules.” Violet pushed the notebook away. “Although I’m glad you’re hooking up with Rick. That should loosen you up.”
Why had she thought this was going to be the easy part of getting organized? A schedule was rudimentary. It wasn’t like she was asking Violet to make the schedule.
“I’m not that uptight. But I do like to know my plans. Otherwise, how will we know who’s running the shop and when?”
“We live in the same house,” Violet pointed out. “I’m pretty sure we’ll figure it out.”
“I’m sorry, Vi. I thought I could try to do this without a schedule, but I can’t even begin without some sort of plan. It won’t work for me. I’m just not wired that way. I like knowing where I have to be and when I have to be there so I can plan my week.”
“Plan your week? No wonder you’re so uptight. And just call it what it is. A schedule.”
Desiree fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Look. I’m not asking for much. Just give me an inch and at least consider it? If you don’t like what I’ve laid out, we can change it. It was just a starting point.”
Violet sighed. “I’ll look it over, but I’m telling you, schedules are not my thing. It’s not like I don’t want to stick to them. I’m just not good at it.”
“I appreciate you trying,” Desiree said, hoping for the best. “At some point we need to go through Lizza’s things and figure out how much the mortgage is. I was so shocked at her leaving, I forgot to ask.”
Violet reached on top of the refrigerator and tossed an envelope onto the table. “I found this in the den.”
Desiree took the envelope. “I looked around the whole house and I can’t find any renovations except in her studio. And that’s a mess. The walls and ceiling have been ripped out, but it looks like she was using it that way. I can’t figure out where she’s spent enough for a mortgage of any substance. It makes me wonder if there’s any debt to be paid. It would be just like her to lie about that, too.”
Violet pointed to the envelope.
Desiree withdrew and quickly scanned the contents from the envelope. “Is this some kind of joke? How could she get a fifteen-year mortgage for three hundred thousand dollars? She doesn’t have a pot to pee in. When she said there was a mortgage for renovations, I was thinking, fifty, maybe sixty thousand.”
Violet waved her hand around the room. “The house is worth millions. Bay-front property on Cape Cod. Think about it.”
“But why would the bank give it to her? She doesn’t even have a real job.”
“She probably sold them on the idea of reopening the inn, and everything on the Cape is hugely expensive. Renovations that cost fifty thousand in Virginia are probably twice that here. The question is, where’s the money? She said she’s been renovating, but obviously that’s about as true as the reasons she brought us here.”
“The next mortgage payment is due in three weeks.” Desiree set Cosmos down and pushed to her feet. “Why would she do this? Before Grandma’s funeral, I hadn’t seen her for years. Years, Vi.” She paced. “Wasn’t it enough that she ruined my childhood? Does she really need to mess up the rest of my life, too?”
“Careful, Des. You’re going to pop a vein or something.” Violet pushed herself up and sat on the counter, her bare feet dangling, like it was just another summer’s day.
“How can you be so infuriatingly calm?” She was too angry to even begin to figure out how they’d come up with the money for the next mortgage payment. She had savings, but that was her hard-earned money to be used in case of emergencies. She didn’t earn much, and it had taken her a long time to save it up.
“Because while you’re whining about how she ruined your childhood and you’re not used to her antics, this is what I grew up with. This is normal for me.” Violet pushed from the counter.
“What does that mean?” She glared at her sister. “And I’m not whining. I’m just pointing out a fact.”
“Trust me, you were a hell of a lot better off in Virginia with your father than traveling the world with her. You have no idea what it was like moving every six months, never having friends long enough to build relationships. Never knowing what country I’d be in next.” She shoved her feet into a pair of black leather boots by the kitchen door, grabbed her keys from the counter, and stormed outside.
“Wait!” Desiree chased after her and grabbed her arm.
Violet spun around, her eyes throwing daggers. “It’s not your problem.”
“It is my problem. I never thought about what you were going through. I thought you loved living with her, that you were just like her. Free-spirited and perfectly happy traveling around the world.”
Violet turned away, jaw clenched tight.
“Please don’t drive off. You’re my sister, and we’re in this together. We may not know each other very well yet, but we’ve got all summer.” The tension around Violet’s mouth eased. Not a lot, and if she weren’t looking for it, she might have missed it. But it was enough to make her want to try harder.
“I’ll take away the schedule,” Desiree offered, hoping it would help.
Violet smiled, and an incredulous laugh fell from her lips. “You didn’t even want to stay for the summer in the first place.”
“I know, but maybe this is our chance to finally become the sisters we were never able to be when we were growing up.”
“We’re so different.” Violet looked over Desiree’s yellow tank dress and strappy sandals.
“But we came out of the same womb,” Desiree gently reminded her, making them both smile. “You rushed up here when you thought I was in trouble. That has to mean something.”
“Yeah, that I didn’t want to lose the only person I have in the entire world besides her. I always thought that one day we’d, I don’t know, be able to hang out together. Find a way not to fight when we saw each other. And then I thought you were dying and we’d never have the chance. And if she’s the only person I have in this entire world, then I’m truly fucked.”
“I’ve wanted that, too,” Desiree admitted.
An untrusting expression washed over Violet’s face. “You don’t have to say that to make me feel better. I’m sure when you’re at home I’m the last person you think about.”
It didn’t surprise Desiree that Violet didn’t believe her. They had nothing to base trust on. A couple of stressful weeks over the summers when they were younger hardly built a solid foundation. But they were on the cusp of a new turn in their relationship, and it was shrouded in possibilities. Her thoughts unexpectedly turned to her date with Rick. Apparently, this was her summer for stretching her boundaries in all directions. She inhaled a jagged breath, wondering how she’d survive so many emotions and changes at once.
“I do think about you. Maybe not in a missing you kind of way anymore, because we don’t have that type of relationship, but I’ve always wished we did. Or could,” Desiree reiterated. “Come on. Please, Vi? Let’s both agree to give this a chance. How hard can it be to sell paintings and vibrators?”
Violet laughed. “Fine. Jesus, just turn those sad puppy eyes away from me.” She knocked Desiree with her shoulder. “She really screwed us up, didn’t she?”
“I don’t know. You’re a world traveler and I’m a preschool teacher. We’re not doing so bad.” As she said it, she realized it was true, and she needed to stop thinking about how her mother had ruined her childhood. She hadn’t ruined it as much as she’d broken her heart. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were unhappy when we were younger. I wouldn’t have stopped coming here to spend time with you.”
“Des?” Violet asked as they walked toward the house.
“Hm?”
She held the screen door open for Desiree to walk through. “Stop being so fucking good. It’s really annoying.”
“WHY ARE DATES so nerve-racking?” Desiree held up two dresses and turned toward her laptop, showing Emery her choices. It was nearly seven o’clock, and Rick would be there soon to pick her up.
“Don’t you have anything sexier to wear? And you’re nervous because you made out like horndogs last night and you know you’re on the brink of jumping his bones.” Emery made kissing noises.
“I am not going to jump his bones on the second date.” Desiree’s insides heated at the idea of jumping Rick’s bones.
“If a guy could make me orgasm with my clothes on, I’d shed my clothes so flipping fast,” Emery pushed. “You really need to get new curtains. Those flowery things behind you are total boner killers.”
Desiree looked at the curtains, thinking about Rick in her bed. “Can you please stop talking about making out and boners? You’re making me even more nervous.” She tried to focus on choosing an outfit. She hadn’t thought she’d be dating, and almost everything she’d brought was either too casual or too proper. “I don’t know where he’s taking me, so I was trying to err on the conservative side.”
Violet popped her head into Desiree’s room. “Hey. I picked up the flyers. Did you get the signs done? And who weeded the patio? Does Lizza have a secret gardener? And if she does, is he hot? Tatted-up with a big-ass co—”
“Violet!” Desiree pointed to the laptop.
“Sorry. Hey, Emery.” Violet came into the room wearing the same outfit as earlier, with a black hoodie over her bikini top.
After their talk this morning, she and Violet had worked together creating flyers advertising Devi’s Discoveries ~ Art and Personal Explorations, and sent them to a local printer. Desiree hadn’t been able to bring herself to go back into her mother’s studio, so while Violet was out putting up flyers, Desiree weeded the brick courtyard by the cottages. It made the place look a thousand times more welcoming.
“Hey, Violet.” Emery waved. “Since I’m not there to drag her butt out to the store, can you take Desiree out to get curtains? And please tell me you have something she can wear tonight on her date with Rick?” The two had never met other than a few brief hellos on FaceTime, but it was amazing how easily a friendship could develop that way.
At least for them.
On some level, it bothered her that Emery and Violet could communicate so easily. But on another, she was glad for it. She and Vi had never even thought of keeping in touch that way when they were younger. Then again, Vi hadn’t owned a computer until her late teens, when the space between them had widened like a canyon.
“Tomorrow night, Des,” Violet said. “You and I are going to Hyannis to get bedding and towels. I cannot sleep on pink sheets one more night.” Hands on hips, she ran an assessing eye over Desiree. “Didn’t you say he took you out with a stain on your shirt last night? Why bother primping?”
“Because he’s seen me drenched and stained. Don’t you think he deserves to see me cleaned up?”
“I think he’s already hooked,” Violet said. “But let me see what you have.”
“Des, I have to run. I’ve got a class tonight,” Emery said. “Good luck, and let me know how the bone jumping goes.”
“Bone jumping?” Violet’s eyes lit up.
“Thanks, Em. I appreciate that.”
“Love you, too!” Emery ended the call, and Desiree closed her laptop.
“How about this?” Violet held up a coral minidress with a halter top, which Desiree had bought with Emery last summer when they’d gone to Ocean City for the weekend. The straps tied behind her neck.
“It’s pretty casual.” She slipped off her bra and into the dress, feeling mildly self-conscious about undressing in front of Violet.
“First, those lace panties are fucking hot. Good choice. And unless he’s taking you to the Wicked Oyster, you can wear that dress. Besides, with that tan you’re rocking, you look incredible. Throw on some hoop earrings and maybe a few bracelets, and he’ll be jumping your bones by dessert.”
She did a mental happy dance knowing Violet approved of her panties, and quickly reminded herself that after last night’s make-out session, she should get ahold of her raging hormones and slow things down. “I don’t want him to jump my bones by dessert.” She started to take off the dress, and Violet grabbed her hand, stopping her.
“Desiree, you look pretty, not slutty. Don’t you realize how hot you are? You could wear baggy pants and a sweatshirt and he’d still want to jump your bones.”
Secretly pleased with Violet’s praise, she glanced at Rick’s sweatshirt hanging over a chair in the corner of the room. She’d tried to give it back to him last night. Keep it. I like seeing you in my things.
“Okay. I’ll wear it, if you’re sure it’s okay.”
Her sister held up a pair of dangling gold earrings. “It’s better than okay, and these are perfect. You don’t need hoops or bangles. You look amazing just as you are.”
A knock at the door sent Desiree’s heart racing, and Cosmos sprinting down the stairs. “That’s him.”
“Whoa, babe. Chill. I’d give anything to feel whatever it is that’s making you blush.” She grabbed a sweater from Desiree’s closet and handed it to her. “It’ll be cold later.”
Desiree stared at it for a second, warmed by her thoughtfulness. She put on the earrings as they descended the stairs. “And I’d give anything for your sense of calm. Any tips?”
“Jump his bones before he can jump yours.” Violet winked and pulled open the door.
Holy mother of hotness.
Desiree’s breath whooshed out of her at the sight of Rick wearing a pair of dark shorts, a white button-down rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms, and a pair of flip-flops. He looked beyond handsome, but it was the rakish look he was giving her that practically melted her panties off.
RICK’S GAZE DRIFTED right past Violet to Desiree, stunning in a bright, summery dress that showed off her gorgeous legs. Would it be rude to plow past Violet and take Desiree in his arms? He’d noticed last night when they were kissing on the porch that his whiskers had left a little scratch beside her mouth. It was almost gone now, but he was glad he’d taken extra care to shave right before their date.
“If you two stare like that any longer, you’re going to burn holes through each other.” Violet pulled Rick inside by his wrist and leaned closer to Desiree. “I think you need to wear shoes.” She picked up Cosmos and headed upstairs.
Desiree looked down at her bare feet. “Oops.”
“Shoes are overrated.” Rick wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down to kiss her cheek, wanting a much more intimate kiss. But after last night he didn’t trust himself to stop at just one. “Hi, beautiful. I thought about you all day.”
“I thought about you, too,” she said.
Damn, he liked knowing that. “I thought we’d hit the Pearl for dinner, and then Drake and some of our friends are having a bonfire on the beach.” The Pearl was one of the nicer restaurants in Wellfleet, with a second-story deck that offered beautiful views of the harbor. “It should be fun if you’re up to it.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ve never been to a beach bonfire.” She glanced at her feet again. “Just give me a second to grab my sandals.”
He watched her hurry up the stairs, unable to remember the last time he’d wanted to introduce a woman to his friends and family. He’d much rather be alone with Desiree, but his nephew had specifically asked him to come, and he’d do just about anything for that little guy.
A short while later they were seated at a table overlooking the marina. Rick reached for Desiree’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Should we risk a glass of wine tonight?”
“One, yes. Three, no,” she said with a sweet smile. “The last thing you need is a sloppy drunk on your hands.”
“I think you’re mistaken. There’s no scenario in which I wouldn’t want my hands on you.”
Her cheeks flushed, and he leaned in closer. “How can I miss you this much after one date?” He pressed his lips to hers, wishing he could kiss her forever, but the waitress arrived.
They ordered dinner, and a few minutes later she brought their wine. After she left, he moved to the seat beside Desiree, wanting to be closer.
“Did Violet tell you Cosmos went for a swim again this morning?”
“What? No.” Her brow wrinkled. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m going to have to get him a puppy pool. I was hoping to see you when I brought him back, but Violet was sitting on the porch and she said you were still asleep.” He lowered his voice and said, “I think Cosmos wanted me to sneak up anyway.”
She pressed her lips together, as if she were holding back a naughty thought.
Let it out, baby. Let it out.
Her eyes darted away, and she took a sip of her wine. “We’ll take care of it. I promise. I wonder if he dug under the fence and escaped.”
“Let’s take a look together tomorrow and see what we can figure out.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re absolutely irresistible when you’re flustered.”
“Well, you’re not getting a very good impression of me with my inebriated state last night, my mother’s misbehaving dog, and the sex shop.” She whispered sex shop. “Not to mention how fast we…” She blushed a red streak. “Last night.”
He couldn’t resist sliding one hand to the nape of her neck, drawing her closer, and brushing his lips over hers. “I think you’ve made an excellent impression, especially when you get flustered.”
Her lips parted and a puff of air escaped. “I’ll probably get flustered a lot tonight.”
He lowered his lips to hers, turning her playful smile into a series of eager kisses. He desperately wanted to deepen the kiss, but he knew she’d be embarrassed. As much as he loved seeing her cheeks pink up, battling with the hunger in her eyes, he forced himself to come up for air.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ll try to behave.”
She touched his hand and said, “Don’t behave too much, or I might have to put you in a time out.”
She was going to be the death of him. Could a man die from sweetness overload?
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I don’t think I’m capable of being too behaved with you. Unless, of course, you have a naughty corner. I’d do just about anything to land there.”
Her eyes bloomed wide. She downed half her wine and whispered, “I don’t have a naughty corner!”
He laughed and gave her a chaste kiss, then forced himself to sit back and put enough space between them to keep him from taking that any further. For now.
He took a drink to distract himself from her tongue running nervously across her lower lip, and when that didn’t work, he went for conversation. “What do you think would have been different if we’d met under different circumstances?”
“You mean besides everything?”
“I hope you’re kidding, because I really like who you are,” he said more seriously.
“Thank you. But a lot would be different. I’m floundering a little being here this summer.”
“Because you’re watching your mother’s business and you’re not into the items she carries?”
She sat up a little taller, her expression serious. “That and the whole reason we’re here. My mother is the kind of person who lives her life on a whim, without any regard for who she hurts along the way.”
“And you’ve been hurt by her whimsical lifestyle?”
She nodded, and it made him ache and angry at once. Holding her hand, he put his other arm around her, wishing he could take away whatever pain her mother had caused.
“Violet is my half sister,” she explained. “We have different fathers. She’s two and a half years older than me, and we grew up together until I was five, when my parents divorced. Lizza, our mother, took Violet and moved overseas to teach.”
He ground his teeth together at the thought of Desiree as a trusting little girl having her world ripped out from under her. No wonder Violet was so protective of her. She was trying to keep anyone else from hurting her baby sister.
“They moved from one country to another while Lizza taught on six-month contracts, sometimes shorter or longer, but you get the idea. I lived with my father in Virginia, and saw them once or twice a year for a few days at a time when we were young. Violet and I spent some time together here at the Cape, but by the time we were teenagers, it was just a few disconnected and uncomfortable days each year.” Her gaze lowered to their joined hands. “I’ve never talked about this before, except with Emery.”
“I’m sorry, and thank you for trusting me enough to share it.” In an effort to lighten her mood, he said, “Is this the same Emery who says you date ‘nice’ guys?”
“The one and only. You listened to everything I said last night, didn’t you?”
Imagining all she’d gone through, the truth came easily. “How could anyone be with you and not listen to every word you say? What you’ve gone through is what’s made you the incredible woman you are. I want to hear everything you’re willing to share.”
“It actually feels good to tell you. It’s hard to have all of this in my head and try to relax. I really like you, and I want to relax.” She looked down at their joined hands and smiled. “Just promise me that if you run for the hills, you’ll drop me off first.”
“Yeah, because that’s likely to happen.” He laughed, and her smile reached her eyes. “I’m not going to judge you by your mother’s actions, if that’s what you’re worried about. And I’m not going anywhere without you by my side.”
“You make my heart go a mile a minute.” She took another sip of liquid courage. “I’ve never felt like this before.”
He leaned in closer. “I might use that to my advantage later, but unless you want me to do so now, I’d suggest we move to safer ground, because that look in your eyes makes it seriously hard for me to concentrate.”
He forced himself to put distance between them again. “Tell me what it was like when you did see them.”
She swallowed hard, her brows knitting. “As you can imagine, those visits were stressful and disjointed. There was no time to get reacclimated to one another before they were leaving again. During the summers, Violet and I would come here to stay with my grandmother, but they weren’t joyful reunions. We didn’t really know each other, and as we got older, it became even more awkward, and we spent less and less time together. And then I went to college, and our visits became even more sporadic.”
Regardless of how good she said it had felt to tell him, he saw pain in her eyes. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, hoping to soothe it. “I’m sorry you went through that. It must have been heartbreaking.”
“It was. And frustrating.” A small smile lifted her lips. “I told you it was complicated.”
She was revealing so much of herself, he felt even more protective of her. “And I told you, I can handle complicated.”
That brought a bolder smile, and a sigh of relief. “That’s good. Because it gets even more so.”
He couldn’t imagine that she’d been through more than what she’d already described.
“Before last year at my grandmother’s funeral, it had been a few years since I’d seen either Lizza or Vi. And then out of the blue, a few days ago I received an email from Lizza saying she needed me to come to the Cape to prolong her life.”
Holy shit.
“I felt about how you look right now. Like what the heck, right?”
“Something like that,” he mumbled.
“When I got here, I found out she wasn’t sick. She was bored looking after the house, which isn’t surprising considering she never stays in one place very long.”
“Jesus, Desiree. I’m sorry, but who would do that to her daughter? I’m having a really hard time liking your mother right now.”
She laughed, and it caught him by surprise. “You and me both. Anyway, the long and short of it is that she’d also sent an email to Violet saying I needed her here to help prolong my life. I had only just arrived, and Lizza was all packed up and ready to leave. Right before she climbed into a cab she told us she’d taken out a mortgage on the house, and unless we wanted to lose our grandmother’s estate, we needed to stay and run her business to pay the mortgage. Now she’s off at an ashram for the summer.”
She told him about the lack of renovations being done and their plans for marketing with flyers and signs. She’d clearly accepted that this was her lot for the summer, and she was facing it head-on.
“No wonder you feel off-kilter. You’re a strong, loyal woman, Desiree. I think most people would have turned around and gone back home, leaving Lizza to clean up her own mess.”
She took another sip of wine. “Don’t give me too much credit. I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t strap Violet with all of this. It’s so crazy, it doesn’t even feel real.”
Thinking of when they’d lost his father, he said, “I know all about things being so far out there they don’t seem real.” He pushed those memories away, as he’d been doing his whole life, and focused on the brave woman baring her soul before him.
“Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.” Because it brought us together. He tried to lighten the mood and earn one of her beautiful smiles. “Think of it this way. You’re learning a new trade, living in a beachfront house without the headache of renovations, and you have time to get to know your sister. I’d say that’s a hell of a good summer.”
Her smile reached all the way up to her eyes, and then all that brightness smoldered. “You left out the best part of all.”
He put an arm around her, drawing her closer. “That you’re dating a guy who’s getting more into you by the second?”
“Yes. That.” She lowered her voice and said, “You should probably seal that thought with a kiss.”
“If I don’t, can we visit the naughty corner?” He slanted his mouth over hers, swallowing her sounds of surprise and turning them into something much sweeter.