Truth About Men & Dogs

by Andrea Simonne

  I nodded. “It’s just weird having this party without my dad.”

  “I know.” She reached over and touched my arm.

  Theo was eyeing me with sympathy too. “I wish I was going to be here. I can’t believe the timing for everything.” It turned out she’d accepted a guest lecturer spot at a university in Montana before she knew about the party.

  “Me too,” I said. “We’ll have to share a bottle of rum when you get back and then have our own bonfire on the beach.”

  She nodded. “That sounds fun. Should I invite Clement? He’ll be back from Guatemala by then.”

  I cringed a little. Clement was Theo’s boyfriend. I didn’t know him that well since he was gone a lot—usually to Central America. Last time I saw him, he talked to me for two hours straight about the acoustic signals of the horned passalus beetle. “Let’s just make it a girls’ night. What do you think, Leah?”

  She shrugged. “Sounds good. I don’t have a boyfriend anymore anyway.”

  My mouth fell open. “What about Neil?”

  “I broke up with him.”

  “You did? You never said a word. When did this happen?”

  “About a week ago. It just wasn’t working out anymore.” She picked up her water bottle. “To be honest, I think I was only dragging the relationship out because he was giving me such a great deal on my vet bills.”

  I couldn’t help smiling, since it was the exact thought I’d had myself. “Are you okay, then?”

  “Sure. I’m fine. It’s not like it was true love or anything.”

  By the time Friday rolled around, Philip still hadn’t flown back. I’d invited Gavin too, but he’d never returned my text.

  I called Philip, worried. “Are you still coming to the party?” I asked.

  “Of course.” There was a pause on his end of the phone, and I heard someone else talking. “It’s been crazy here. I’ll be there, I promise.”

  “It’s tomorrow night.”

  “I know.”

  I realized he was busy, but I thought he understood how Pirate Days was an important part of my past, how it would be difficult enough not having my father there. “This is a big deal to me.”

  “I know it is, sweetheart. Trust me, I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

  “Plus the ticket sales are paying for the cost of turning our downtown into a historical district.”

  He didn’t say anything to that.

  “Have you spoken to Gavin by chance? I texted and invited him, but he never answered me.”

  “Gavin’s been in Hong Kong all week.”

  “Hong Kong?”

  “He gets back later tonight though. I’ll let him know.”

  I nodded, not sure what else to say. I wondered why Gavin needed to fly to Hong Kong, though I knew some of the tech companies they invested in were overseas.

  Philip and I only sent a handful of texts all week, and we’d barely spoken on the phone. I was trying not to read anything into it or let my fears run amok since I knew he could be obsessive when it came to work.

  “You’ll be pleased to know I have my pirate costume all ready to go for tomorrow,” he said. “I think you’ll approve.”

  “You do?” I smiled with relief. “What does it look like?”

  “It’s black with sapphire blue accents, cuffed sleeves, and a long jacket. It’s definitely something a pirate would wear.” He chuckled. “Or a rock star.”

  “That sounds great. Where did you find it? Or let me guess, Sam found it for you?”

  “That’s correct.”

  I smiled. “I want to meet Sam sometime.”

  “He wants to meet you too.”

  “He does?”

  “Yes, he thinks you sound delightful.”

  “Well,” I said teasingly, “I am delightful.”

  “Mmm, that you are.” I could picture Philip’s grin on the other end of the phone. “I miss you so much, sweetheart. I know I’ve been consumed with work this week.”

  “What is that you guys are working on?”

  He hesitated. “I’ll explain it to you later. Tell me about your week instead. Anything new to report with your clients?”

  “Not really.” I thought over my week and then perked up as I remembered something interesting that happened. “I think I might have found a new employee.”

  “Is that so? I didn’t know you were looking to hire someone new.”

  “Not right away, but soon. I met her when she was a nanny for Mona. I gave her my card that first night we met, and she called me a few days ago.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  “Because I could tell she was responsible. She had a good vibe about her.” I told him how I’d read online that successful business owners were always on the lookout for good people, always thinking two steps ahead. “Is that true?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “It is?”

  “Let me tell you a secret. When I invest in any venture, it’s with the person as much as the idea. Sometimes even more so.”

  “Really?”

  “If I meet someone and their business doesn’t impress me but they do, I always get their contact information and keep in touch.” I could hear him shifting the phone around to get more comfortable. “Just because their first idea isn’t a winner doesn’t mean their second or third idea won’t be. That’s paid off more than a few times.”

  I thought about how, when I’d spoken to Taylor recently, she’d told me she was glad to get my message, that she was thinking about quitting her nanny job. “I’m going to meet her for coffee next week. I figure I’ll put her on the schedule with a client or two and see how it goes.”

  “That’s great thinking, Claire.”

  I could feel his approval emanating through the phone, and I had to admit I liked it. Philip’s approval was addictive. “Thanks for being so supportive of my tiny business. I know it’s nothing compared to what you do.”

  “If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me. You know that.”

  “I know,” I murmured.

  “I always enjoy hearing about your maid business. In some ways you remind me of myself in the early days before NorthStone.”

  “Really?” I felt both surprised and complimented. “Even when I don’t take your advice? You realize I still haven’t changed the name.”

  “And we all have to learn from our mistakes, don’t we?”

  I laughed. “Probably.”

  He sighed. “God, I love hearing your voice. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. This week has been taking its toll on me more than I thought it would.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Nothing.” He went quiet. “I miss having you beside me all night.”

  “Me too.”

  “You and that naughty bed of yours,” he purred. “I’ve been thinking about all the things I want to do to you when I get you in it again.”

  “You’re bad.” Though I couldn’t stop the tingle of anticipation.

  “I’ve never felt like this about anyone. You’ve done a real number on me.”

  “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. We haven’t been on the phone much this week.”

  “It’s my fault. But I’m going to make it up to you, my pirate princess. You’ll see.”

  I smiled again. “You better.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  ~ Claire ~

  “Where’s your new boyfriend?” Delores, the unofficial town gossip, was studying me. “He’s still coming, isn’t he?”

  “He’ll be here,” I said.

  “Everything’s okay, I hope.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “You two haven’t broken up, have you?”

  “Of course not.” I tried to sound light and airy, but she was the sixth person at the party to ask me about Philip. Apparently everybody was excited to meet him.

  “Good, I’m glad. You deserve some happiness. Have you heard Ethan and Ivy are having problems?”

  I murmured something noncommit
tal, then took a sip of rum punch.

  “I always thought you were too good for Ethan anyway,” she said, holding up her own punch. There was red lipstick smeared on the front of her small white teeth. It matched the red in the pirate scarf tied at her waist. “He never should have left you for her. What a mistake that was.”

  I motioned to the front of her mouth. “You have some lipstick on your teeth.”

  “I do?” Her hand shot up, and she scrubbed her front teeth with her finger. “Is it gone?”

  “I think it’s still there. You might want to check in the bathroom mirror.”

  “I think I will. Thank you.”

  She hurried off, and I was relieved to end the conversation.

  Ironically, in that moment I saw Ivy across the room. The she-devil herself. She wore a tight red leather corset over a short black skirt. Pirate-style boots encased her long legs. As always, she looked perfect. Her hair fell down her back and shoulders like pale silk.

  She must have sensed my gaze, because she turned in my direction. We stared at each other.

  But then she smirked and turned away.

  If it had been up to me, I’d never have invited her or Ethan to this party.

  He was there too, standing beside her as they talked to some people I didn’t know. He wasn’t dressed up at all and wore a T-shirt and cargo shorts.

  My stomach tightened. Resentment burned through me at their presence. How could I ever forget what they did to me when I had to see them all the time? It was like I would never get rid of this burden. Their betrayal was going to plague me the rest of my life.

  On a happy note, the party was a smashing success. The place was packed with people. The great room had all the furniture pushed aside, and a DJ spun a mixture of dance music along with the occasional sea shanty. The food and alcohol were flowing. People were dancing. Apparently they’d sold every single ticket and had gotten a number of donations.

  Everybody was having a good time, and I knew many of the faces. Most of them, like Delores, I’d known since childhood. A lot of my father’s friends and clients. He was popular even before he became mayor. Seeing and talking to everyone again made me miss my dad.

  After a couple hours, I went upstairs to my old bedroom and closed the door. I needed a break. It smelled faintly of the floral perfume I wore in high school. I mostly used the room as extra storage space since the carriage house was so small.

  I sat on the bed and checked my phone again. Philip had texted me that afternoon saying he’d be here by six, but it was nearly seven. Where is he?

  It was starting to feel like I did have a fake boyfriend.

  I knew he wouldn’t stand me up though. Philip wasn’t made that way. If he was late, it had to be for a good reason. Something serious must have delayed him, and I hoped he was okay.

  There was a knock on the door, and I glanced up.

  Leah’s head peeked inside. “I thought I might find you here.”

  “I just needed a break.”

  She closed the door and came over to me. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine.” I scooted over to make room for her on the bed.

  “Wow, I haven’t been up here in ages.” Her eyes scanned my former bedroom. “It takes me back to the good old days when our biggest worry was whether the guy we had a crush on noticed if we were alive or not.”

  “I mostly remember that Danish exchange student you had a thing for. What was his name again?”

  She grinned. “Tobias.”

  “He was cute. Didn’t you kiss him once?”

  “Yes, at a party. Ivy’s friend Amber wound up dating him though.”

  I snorted. “Don’t feel bad. Amber put out. That’s the only reason he liked her.”

  Leah leaned back against the headboard and sighed. “Sometimes I wish I’d put out more.”

  “What?” I gave her a look. “That’s silly.”

  “Think about it. Girls like that have all the fun.”

  “No they don’t. Everybody looks down on them.”

  “Oh really? Whatever happened to Amber?”

  I thought about it. “I think she married Derek.” Ivy’s old boyfriend, the captain of the football team. “He owns an appliance store now.”

  “See? She’s happily married with kids. None of it hurt her at all.”

  I thought about those days, and something occurred to me. “I wonder why Ivy didn’t marry Derek. She dated him through most of high school. It must have been weird for her when he and Amber got married.”

  Leah shrugged. “Maybe she didn’t want to. Or maybe Violet didn’t approve of Derek as marriage material.”

  “Maybe.” Violet had particularly high standards for her daughters. She even had them travel back to the south with her for a debutante ball.

  Leah was watching me. “There were a couple guys you liked in high school. It wasn’t just Ethan.”

  “None of them liked me back though.” I thought about my various crushes. Ironically, Ethan hadn’t been one of them. I’d barely even noticed him until senior year, when he started showing an interest in me.

  There was a loud boom outside.

  “What’s that?” Leah looked toward the bedroom window.

  We both got up and looked out to the beach behind the house. It was still early evening, and I could see all the stacks of firewood along the water, ready to be lit into bonfires later. “I think someone blew off a firework early,” I said. “There’s going to be a show later tonight.”

  People were walking around the backyard and then meandering down to the water. I caught a glimpse of Violet giving orders to one of the caterers. It was amusing to see her in a pirate’s costume. She wore it with surprising panache. My dad used to tease her and say it brought out her true nature.

  It occurred to me that I wasn’t the only one missing him tonight. Violet would be missing him too. And then I felt bad for hiding up here.

  “I need to get down there again,” I told Leah. “I should be helping.”

  I made my way down the stairs alone, Leah having stayed behind to use the bathroom. It was a wide staircase with a rich green carpet and a decorative wooden rail befitting a home as grand as Sullivan House. As a little girl, I used to pretend I was a princess gliding down these stairs, and a handsome prince would be waiting for me at the bottom.

  Just a foolish daydream.

  I slid my hand along the rail, my eyes scanning the crowd.

  Philip stood by the front door.

  A thrill ran through me.

  He’d obviously just arrived. It had only been a week since we’d last seen each other, but I’d missed him. I’d missed him more than I could believe.

  He stopped past the threshold, his eyes searching the room.

  I knew he was looking for me, and that made my breath catch with excitement. He wore a black coat with wide lapels and large buttons down the front, the cuffed sleeves adorned with blue accents. His description was exactly right. The coat hugged his broad shoulders, then tapered down at the waist.

  Instead of rushing down the stairs to meet him, I stayed where I was.

  He took in his surroundings with the same keen interest he did everything in life. It occurred to me that Philip had never seen this part of Sullivan House. We’d gone in through the backdoor for breakfast that morning with Violet, which was the only time he’d been inside.

  I remained still, waiting for him to find me, my heart pounding.

  Other people had begun to notice him, some of them whispering to each other.

  Finally, his gaze went to the top of the stairs, and I could tell the exact moment he saw me.

  His face changed to the expression he wore so often when we were alone together. The one where he looked at me like I was a gift.

  And that was when the truth struck me. I sucked in my breath.

  I’ve fallen in love with Philip.

  I clutched the bannister in shock.

  How could this have happened?

  Of c
ourse, I knew exactly how. He was devious. A thief since the day I met him. He’d snuck past all my defenses.

  Now that he’d seen me, he made his way through the crowd with determination.

  I headed down the stairs at a quick pace. As I approached the bottom, he was already there waiting for me. The prince I’d dreamed of so long ago.

  He grinned as he took in my clothes. “You really are my pirate princess.”

  I was wearing a black dress with a corseted top. It was flattering, even if it did display a little more cleavage than I was used to. I wore gold hoop earrings, a linked gold chain around my waist, and bandanas tied at my hip.

  His eyes stayed on mine. “I’ve been going crazy all week without you.”

  I nodded, still coming to terms with my realization that I’d fallen in love.

  His brows came together, misinterpreting my silence. “I’m sorry I’m late. I hope you’re not upset.”

  I shook my head and flung myself into his arms.

  “Sweetheart,” he murmured, stroking my back. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m glad you’re here,” I whispered.

  “Did you get my texts?”

  I pulled back a little. “Texts? No.”

  “The plane I chartered was grounded with mechanical problems, and for some reason, they couldn’t get me another flight. It was ridiculous.” His expression turned stern. “As you can imagine, I raised hell.”

  I could imagine.

  “Eventually it got resolved, and I texted you from the air. I tried calling, but the line kept getting dropped.” He shook his head with frustration.

  I nodded and put my hand to his cheek. “It’s okay.” He’d let his beard grow out a little, and it was scratchy beneath my fingers.

  Philip’s eyes roamed my face. “What is it? Something’s changed.”

  “I’ll tell you later.” I could feel people watching us. “We seem to be the center of attention.”

  “Are we?” He raised a brow. “Well, then let’s give them a show.”

  His grip tightened, and then he kissed me. A real one too, long and lush. I didn’t even care that the whole room was watching. Let them watch. At least no one would be calling me “poor Claire” anymore.