Hurricanes in Paradise (11 page)

“I know. I’m sorry I’m late. I had a contract that I had to get out first thing this morning.”

Laine stood. “It’s really not important why. It’s simply that you were. So can we get started?”

Riley felt the hair on the back of her neck bristle. This woman was a chameleon. Last night she wanted company. Today she was a piranha. “Sure. Absolutely. Where would you like to begin?”

“I’d like to start at the far end of the property.”

And with that, Riley turned into tour guide and Laine Fulton turned into the most demanding of tourists.

* * *

Tamyra lifted her head from the pillow as if it held a weight on top of it. She leaned over and looked at the clock. It was a little after nine. She had been sleeping later and later over the last six weeks. A tiny red light was blinking on the bedside phone. She picked up the receiver and tried to figure out how to retrieve her message.

It was an invitation to the pool. A lady named Mia had reserved a place for her. She couldn’t imagine spending an afternoon sitting by a pool. The thought of sitting around with nothing but her thoughts was in no way appealing. She had to do something active. Distraction had become her friend.

That is, until last night. Last night had been different. It was the first time since she’d found out she was sick that she had really forgotten. The mental torment had been silenced, at least until everyone had gotten up to leave, and then those repulsive pills burned like an out-of-control wildfire in her pocket. On top of that, the things that used to be mindless enjoyment—television, books, magazines, the Internet—all seemed a waste of time when you were dying. They seemed frivolous and trite.

When you’re dealing with life-and-death issues, you’re not too concerned with
People
magazine’s pick for “sexiest person of the year.” No, she cared only about essentials now. And last night showed her that one of those essentials might, in reality, be people. She had spent the last six weeks running from people—all kinds of people, even her family. But now she thought it might be her family she needed most.

One thing she knew she needed right now was food. In spite of all she ate last night, she was starving. Which in and of itself was a good sign, because she hadn’t had an appetite in a while. She walked into the bathroom and pulled her hair up into a clip, piling it on top of her head. She slipped on a little sundress and some flip-flops and stepped into the hallway by the door.

Her cell phone sat in its charger on the foyer table, and it was also blinking red. She looked at it as if it were a bomb about to explode in the middle of her room. No one had this number. This was a new phone she had purchased for outgoing calls only when she had left Savannah. She hadn’t even given the number to her parents. Sure, her mom knew where she was, but that was only because she had been in hiding from her for the last six weeks and didn’t want to put her through any more torment.

She hit a button and the screen popped to life. The caller ID revealed that she had been found. The one person she had been trying to avoid had found her number. And if he could find this phone number, he was very likely to find her. She retrieved the message, and his voice sent fear rising from her gut. “I know this is your phone, Tamyra. I’m glad you’ve had some time away to clear your head. And I’m sure when you get back home, you and I will have a lot to talk about. And trust me, I will be waiting. You can’t run forever.”

The desire to eat was replaced by a wave of panic. For the last two months she had fled that voice. That fear. But in one moment every ounce of it was back with such intensity that she felt like she wanted to crawl out of her skin. She reached for the door handle and jerked it open frantically, half-expecting him to be standing on the other side. She had to tell someone what had happened. What could happen. But she wasn’t even sure whom to tell. Riley? Riley had told her if she needed anything, she could call her. She darted toward the elevator and headed to Riley’s office. A lady stood behind the large console in the office suite. She was talking frantically on a cell phone.

“I’ve got it under control, Mother.” The lanky blonde’s voice reverberated through the lobby. Her blue eyes darted up and caught Tamyra’s. “I’ve got to go.” She shut the phone quickly. “Ms. Larsen?”

Tamyra tried to pull it together. “Yes? How do you know my name?”

“I’m sorry.” She laughed animatedly. “I’m Mia. I work with Riley. We make it our business to know all of our guests. Well, okay, that isn’t completely true.” Her lilting Australian accent lifted as she spoke. “We know as many as we can.”

Tamyra tried to calm the racing of her heart before she spoke. “Yes, you left a message.”

“I did. About the pool.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think I want to go to the pool today. I’d really just like to see Riley.” She scanned the office desperately. “Is she around?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. She’s out with Ms. Fulton this morning. I’d be more than glad to help you.”

“No . . . no. That’s okay. I just really needed to talk to her. Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“I honestly don’t. I’m not sure what all Ms. Fulton intended for their day. But I assure you, as soon as she comes in, I’ll let her know you wanted to see her.”

“Thanks,” Tamyra said, backing up toward the door. “I’d appreciate that.”

“No problem. And you’re sure there’s nothing I can do for you?”

“No. No. I’m good, thanks.” Tamyra headed back out into the corridor. Her fear followed right along with her.

* * *

Winnie checked herself in the mirror that hung over the long table outside the elevator. Not bad for her age. The red bathing suit was reminiscent of a sixties pinup model with its strapless cut and tiny halter string that wrapped around her neck to keep her girls remotely pointed northward. The red looked smart against her olive skin, and the skirt hid the cellulite on her legs. And the ruche . . . oh, she thanked God for the woman who had created ruche. It ran across the front of the suit and did its best to hide her midsection, the section of her body that was the celebration of both her womanhood and her nightly bowl of ice cream.

Her white sunglasses weren’t quite as stark stuck on top of her white hair. She licked her red-colored lips and smacked them together in front of the mirror. Marilyn Monroe had nothing on her. She may have slept with a president but, hey, Winnie had slept with Sam. Winnie heard the ding of the elevator’s arrival and turned; her monogrammed canvas bag full of books swung with her.

The elevator doors opened and the young woman from dinner last night ran smack-dab into her. She noticed a look of fright in those brooding dark eyes immediately. “Hey, hey . . . ,” she said, reaching out to take Tamyra’s arm as she came off the elevator.

Tamyra stood an entire head and shoulders above Winnie and looked down at her as she spoke. “Oh, hey, Winnie.”

“What’s wrong, baby? You look almost as white as me. And for you that’s not a good thing.”

She shook her head determinedly as if she were trying to shake something off. “Oh, nothing.”

“You shake your head any harder and you’re going to be in the hospital for shaken baby syndrome. Now, where are you going so frazzled?”

“I’m just going back to my room and—”

Winnie’s hand flew up. “Ehh.” The sound escaped her like the sound of a cicada. “No young woman as beautiful as you is going to be in a breathtaking place like this and live in your room. Go put your bathing suit on.” She swatted her hand in the air toward the hallway.

“Winnie, I don’t want to go to the—”

“I know you don’t. I can see you want to jump out of your skin. I know what that feels like. I felt it for a couple years after my Sam died. The only thing is, I don’t know why someone as young as you would want to do that. But you know what, I promise I won’t ask you why.”

She could see relief wash over the young woman’s face.

“That’s my promise. No questions. You can tell me only what you want me to know. But I’m good company and there’s a gorgeous pool down there. So you and I are going to go spend our day by it. Now go.”

Tamyra stood stoically in front of her.

“Go. I’ll wait right here,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her. She watched as Tamyra’s shoulders eased back down and she finally nodded her head.

“You sure?”

“I’m positive. I’ll sit and read and you can lie there and talk, pump music through your ear canals, or stare out into space. But I’ve learned sometimes it’s just nice to have a body next to you. Plus, we’ll order daiquiris,” she said, raising her eyebrows up and down.

Tamyra’s face relaxed, traces of a smile almost present. “You don’t drink.”

“Who knows. I’m on vacation. Maybe I’ll start.” Winnie gave her a wink. “Now go put that beautiful body in a bathing suit so I can hate myself for the rest of the day.”

“You’re sure.”

The girl was a slow one. “Go.”

Tamyra inched backward. “Want to walk with me to my room? I’ll just be a minute.”

Winnie knew what fear looked like. “Sure, baby girl. I’ll just sit on your sofa and wait for you. How’s that?”

Tamyra’s expression relaxed further. “That would be good.”

She watched Tamyra as they walked toward her room. Winnie had spent years pulling young people out from underneath their burdens. Apparently some things never took a vacation.

6

Sunday afternoon . . .

Riley stood in the bathroom of the Mosaic restaurant and leaned against the counter. She was getting too familiar with the bathrooms around here. She had brought Laine back to The Cove for the magnificent lunch buffet but had come into the bathroom to try to get some relief from the pounding headache she’d acquired over the last four hours. She reached her hands up to the top of her head and tried to rub the throb away, but it just fell in rhythm with the movement of her fingers. She had spent the morning answering Laine’s litany of questions and had covered only a fourth of the property. They would continue the tour this afternoon, and her evening would be spent catching Gabby’s recital and finding answers to some of the tougher questions Laine had asked.

It wasn’t Laine’s questions that frustrated her as much as it was the condescending, arrogant tone. Obviously sitting alone in a room writing books all these years hadn’t honed her people skills. Riley was wondering how Laine had
gotten
a husband far more than how she had lost one. She pulled her phone from the pocket of her dress and held down the number 2 button.

“You okay?” A calming voice came from the other end.

“Teetering.”

“Work? Gabby?”

“Everything. Long day.”

“It’s one.”

“It feels like midnight. Jeremy got here this morning.”

“I know. Your mother can’t wait.”

She laughed. “Just Mom?”

Her dad chuckled. “You know how I feel about that little angel girl.”

“I’ve got this incredibly stressful client, Dad.”

“Those kind usually have issues of their own, honey.”

“Oodles.”

“Might be a reason you’re in her life.”

Riley rubbed her forehead harder and chuckled softly. “I knew you would say that.”

“You can handle this, Riley. You’ve handled much worse than a stressed vacationer—which sounds like an oxymoron, if you ask me.”

“This coming from a man who doesn’t even know how to take a vacation.”

“Well, at least
not
taking one keeps me from having stressful ones.”

“Touché.”

The line was silent.

“It’s been a really hard day, Daddy. I haven’t had one this hard in a while.”

“Only one place to go on those truly hard days, angel girl. Only one place.”

“I know. We’ve been talking.”

“Good. Now go give this woman all that goodness that’s in the heart of my girl. She’s not on your doorstep for nothing, Riley. Remember, out of the comfort to spare.”

Riley smiled, the fear dripping away. “I love you.”

“You too, angel girl. Me and Mom will call you when Gabby gets here.”

Riley closed her phone, took a deep breath, and exited the bathroom. She walked over to the buffet table where Laine was already layering her plate with seafood, cheeses, and salads. The influences of the Mediterranean were the foundation for Mosaic and came with the made-to-order dishes infused with the freshest of ingredients and cooked at the large square cooking center in the middle of the buffet.