“Funny you should put it that way.” Charity smiled. “But for the record, he’s changed career paths recently. He’s become a small business proprietor.”
Brett made a face. “Like hell.”
“It’s all right, I know what I’m doing,” Charity said quietly.
Brett lifted a hand. “I get the point. I’ll back off. But speaking as a future member of the family, be careful, okay?”
“Don’t worry.”
Meredith looked far from reassured. “I don’t like this, Charity.”
Brett’s gaze went to the front door of the dining room. “Speak of the devil.”
Charity turned halfway around in her seat and saw Elias walking toward them. In his faded jeans and black pullover, he should have looked completely out of place in a room full of suits. Instead he subtly dominated the setting. Every eye in the place went to him and then slid away.
Elias seemed oblivious of the discreet, assessing glances. He held Charity’s gaze as he came toward her. A pang of disappointment went through her when she saw his shuttered, enigmatic expression. She knew at once that things had not gone well in the interview with Garrick Keyworth. She wondered if she had been wrong to urge him to pay the visit to his old nemesis.
“Is that Winters?” Meredith asked in a low voice.
“Yes.” Brett slowly, politely got to his feet as Elias approached. “Someone pointed him out to me once at a business luncheon.”
“He looks as if he’s been in a fight,” Meredith said, in a low, shocked voice.
“Usually he wins,” Charity assured her.
“Winters.” Brett stuck out his hand when Elias arrived at the table. “Brett Loftus.”
Elias shook hands briefly.
Charity summoned up a bright smile. “Elias, I’d like you to meet my sister, Meredith.”
“How do you do,” Meredith said very coolly.
Elias took her elegantly manicured hand. “Your secretary told me where to find you and Charity.”
“We were just finishing lunch,” Charity said quickly. “Do you want something to eat?”
Elias looked at her. “I went to the Pike Place Market before I came looking for you. Had something to eat there. I also did some shopping.”
“I hope you stocked up on soba noodles and balsamic vinegar.”
“Among other things.” Elias remained on his feet.
“Join us for coffee?’ Brett asked blandly.
“No, thanks.”
No question about it, Elias wanted to leave, Charity thought. “We’d better be on our way.” She grabbed her purse and got to her feet. “Long drive ahead, you know. Good-bye, Meredith. Brett. And congratulations.”
“Drive carefully,” Brett said casually.
“Good-bye, Charity.” Meredith smiled, but her eyes rested thoughtfully on Elias. “Maybe Brett and I will get a chance to drive up to Whispering Waters Cove in a couple of weeks.”
“That would be wonderful.” Charity leaned down to give her a quick hug. Then she straightened and looked at Elias. “I’m ready.”
He took her arm and led her away from the table.
Charity was almost through the French doors at the far end of the dining room when she caught the low-voiced comments from a nearby table.
“That’s Winters, all right. Wonder what he’s up to these days.”
“Heard he had a major deal going down somewhere up north.”
“Must be something involving Charity Truitt.”
“Can’t imagine what it would be. She flamed out a year ago. Stressed to the max, they said. Walked away from everything.”
Charity knew Elias had overheard the remarks, but he said nothing. She waited until they were alone in the elevator.
“You see?” she murmured. “Big city or little town. The gossip factor remains the same.”
“Yes.” He said nothing more as the elevator cab started to descend.
“Well? How did it go with Garrick Keyworth?”
“We didn’t exactly get closure, if that’s what you mean.”
“No need to be sarcastic. I just asked.”
Elias exhaled slowly. “Sorry. It was my decision to see him. I shouldn’t have snapped at you just because it didn’t go well.”
“It may take a while to see the results of your visit. How do you feel about it?”
He looked at her, his eyes intense. “I don’t know.”
She took his arm. “It’s okay, Elias. You did what you could. Now you have to let it go.”
The elevator fell another five floors.
“Cozy little family scene back there in the dining room,” Elias said.
“Mmm.”
“Was it hard?”
“Was what hard?”
“Seeing Loftus and your sister together? Looks like they’re a couple.”
“Yes, they are now.” She was surprised by his insight. “And, no, it wasn’t hard to see them together. I think they belong together.”
“Did Loftus mean a lot to you?”
“I walked out on our engagement party, remember?”
“Yes, but the two of you were lovers, and knowing you, that had to mean something.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Brett and I were never lovers. Whatever gave you that idea?”
Elias blinked the way Otis often did, an enigmatic gesture that betrayed no hint of emotion. “You were almost engaged.”
“I told you, he was too big. You saw him. He’s six and a half feet tall if he’s an inch and at least a yard wide across the shoulders. He’s a mountain. I got a severe attack of claustrophobia every time he kissed me.”
“Claustrophobia?”
She shuddered delicately. “I couldn’t imagine getting into bed with him. Poor Brett. I think he assumed I was just too stressed out to be interested in sex. I could hardly tell him that I felt smothered every time he put his arm around me.”
“That’s what you meant when you said he was too big? That he was too tall?”
“Too tall, too wide, too heavy. What did you think I meant?” Charity widened her eyes as understanding dawned. “Oh, my God, you didn’t think I meant that he was, uh, too well endowed?” She broke off as a fit of giggles overtook her.
“It seemed a reasonable conclusion under the circumstances,” Elias said dryly.
“Reasonable?” More laughter swept through her. She put her hand over her mouth in a vain effort to choke it back. “This is incredible. Reminds me of an old joke.”
“What joke?”
“You know, the one about the guy who’s six feet, six inches,” Charity gasped. She was laughing so hard now, she could barely stand. “The lady says, forget about the six feet, tell me about the six inches.”
“Very funny.”
“Sorry. I never could tell a joke.”
Very deliberately Elias moved to cage her against the wall of the elevator. He planted both hands beside her head and leaned over her. “I’m glad you’re finding this amusing.”
“Are you kidding? This is hilarious. I can’t believe you thought I meant that Brett’s … that his … that his—”
“Family jewels?” Elias offered helpfully. “Manly root? Cock?”
Charity gasped for breath. “Thingy? I can’t believe you thought that was what was so big about him. Good grief, I’ve never even seen it.”
“Don’t worry, you can look at mine any time. On one condition.”
She fluttered her lashes outrageously. “What condition?”
“That you never, ever call it a thingy.”
15
A woman’s love is a relentless flood that threatens any dam in its path.
—“On the Way of Water,” from the journal of Hayden Stone
The journey down to the lobby in the elevator had been a trip through the looking glass. Elias considered the magic of it all as he drove north with Charity. No doubt about it. He had stepped into the cab on the thirtieth floor feeling grim and morose. By the time he had reached the lobby, hi
s mood had undergone a sea change. Charity’s laughter had had a reviving effect on his spirits. And other parts of his anatomy as well.
None of his problems had disappeared during the thirty-floor trip, he reminded himself. If anything he actually had a few more of them now than he’d had earlier in the day.
The newest one on the horizon was the obvious fact that Meredith Truitt did not approve of Charity’s relationship with him. He had seen the deep suspicion in her eyes. Her sentiments were undoubtedly echoed by her brother, Davis. Elias wondered how much Charity would be influenced by her step-siblings’ attitude. She had not seemed worried about the opinion of the movers and shakers of Whispering Waters Cove, but family was a different matter.
It had also made him uneasy to witness Brett Loftus’s comfortable relationship with the Truitt women. It was not sexual jealousy that bothered him. He was satisfied that Charity felt no lingering attraction there. But the intimacy of a long-term friendship was evident. Elias was not certain how to compete with that kind of familiarity. He had spent a good portion of his life learning to keep others at a distance.
And, of course, he had still not found a way to float on past the whirlpool in the river that was his relationship with Garrick Keyworth.
But all of those problems seemed more manageable now than they had before he had stepped into the elevator.
“What else did you buy at the Market besides noodles and balsamic vinegar?” Charity asked.
“Some good capers, fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil, bread, wine. The basics.”
“Wonderful. I do believe it’s your turn to cook.”
“Going to be tough to beat your peanut butter sandwiches.”
“I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”
Elias let that slide. “Your sister doesn’t approve of me. I doubt if your brother does, either. Loftus looked worried, too.”
“It’s your reputation as a man of mystery that concerns them. They don’t really know you. Don’t worry about it, Elias. It’s not as if we’re getting married.”
Elias’s good mood went south in a single heartbeat. He gazed straight ahead at the road that was taking them back to Whispering Waters Cove. “What if we were?”
Charity turned her head to look at him. The wariness in her was sudden and profound. “I don’t understand.”
“I just asked a simple question.”
“It’s not so simple, and you know it.”
It had seemed simple enough to him, but he did not want to get into an argument about it. He could sense the riptide waiting in the shallows. “Will you answer it?”
She was silent for a few seconds. “All right, if we were planning to get married, which we’re not, I wouldn’t let Meredith’s or Davis’s opinion influence me. There. Satisfied?”
“Yes,” he lied. He was far from content with her answer. But he knew that was his own fault. He hadn’t asked the right question. Water flows in the channel that is provided for it. The wrong question created the wrong channel.
Crazy Otis was perched on a slow-moving carousel horse, preening his feathers, when Elias arrived to fetch him late that afternoon. The parrot squawked in greeting and stretched his wings.
“Ready to go home, Otis?” Elias stepped onto the revolving carousel and held out his wrist. “Our turn to cook tonight.”
“Heh, heh, heh.” Otis ambled onto Elias’s arm and climbed up to sit on his shoulder. He nibbled playfully on a few strands of hair.
“Sure am glad to see you,” Yappy said as he shut down the carousel. “Gettin’ tired of running this thing for that bird. He’s been riding all day for free.”
“Thanks, Yappy.” Elias stepped down onto the pier planking. “I know Otis is very appreciative.”
“Uh-huh.” Yappy scowled at some parrot droppings that had landed on a golden horsetail. He jerked a handkerchief out of the pocket of his overalls and wiped up the evidence of Otis’s recent presence. “It’s Charity’s fault. If she hadn’t hit on the idea of using my carousel to cheer Otis up, he’d never have developed a taste for riding it.”
Elias reached up to scratch Otis’s head. “Guess there’s a bit of the thrill-seeker in Otis. Charity discovered it.”
“Well, I can’t complain too much.” Yappy wadded up the soiled handkerchief and tossed it into a sack. “The kids go crazy when they see Otis sittin’ on one of the horses. Always do a lot of business when that bird is here.”
“If you’re thinking of a long-term contract, I’m sure Otis would be willing to negotiate a reasonable rate for his time.”
“What are you? His manager? I ain’t payin’ that bird no fee. He gets free rides, and that’s it. Take it or leave it.”
“When you put it like that, how can he refuse?”
Otis uttered his dark chuckle again.
Yappy shrugged. “Deal.”
“Any local news? Has Tybern made an arrest?”
“No. If you ask me, it was one of those Voyagers that killed Gwen Pitt. Most of ’em have left town. All had alibis, Tybern says, but who can be sure where everyone was that night? Seems logical to me that one or two of ’em could easily have lied for some of the others.”
“If you want my opinion,” Ted said as he came up behind Elias, “I think Swinton did Gwen Pitt. Probably pissed because she wouldn’t give him what he considered a fair share of the profits.”
Yappy shrugged again. “Possible. Real possible. Bea thinks Swinton did it, too. So do most folks in town.”
“I don’t know,” Elias rubbed Otis’s head. “Swinton is the type who sends other people to do his dirty work.”
“So maybe he hired someone to kill her,” Ted suggested. He walked forward and lounged against a carousel horse. The slogan on his T-shirt of the day read Tectonics Happen.
“Maybe,” Elias said. “But I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” Ted asked.
“It’s not as easy to find a hit man as films and mysteries make it appear. It costs, for one thing. A lot more than I think Swinton would have been willing to pay. And there are risks. The hit man is the first one to talk if he’s picked up.”
Yappy squinted. “You sound like you’ve had some personal experience along those lines.”
“I had a client a few years back,” Elias said. “He decided to renege on a contract, but he didn’t want to leave any witnesses. I was a witness.”
Ted stared. “Was the client from Seattle?”
“No. It all happened in a place where business is done a little differently than it is in Seattle. Any sign of Swinton?”
“No,” Yappy said. “His motor home is still parked out there on the campground. Wouldn’t think he could afford to just up and walk away from an expensive RV like that.”
“The motor home is too conspicuous,” Elias said. “Swinton must have decided to cut his losses when he left town.”
“Tybern says if no one shows up to claim it by the end of the week, he’ll have it towed away as an abandoned vehicle.” Ted absently scratched his belly. “So, how did things go in the big city today? Meet Charity’s stepbrother and stepsister?”
“I met Meredith.” Elias stroked Otis’s neck. “And the ex-fiancé.”
“That’d be Loftus,” Yappy muttered. “He as big as Charity says?”
“Only about six-three,” Elias said.
“Guess that looks big enough when you’re five-foot-four like Charity,” Yappy said.
“He’s about to get engaged to Charity’s stepsister,” Elias added.
Yappy looked thoughtful. “That a fact?”
“Charity said something once about Meredith and Loftus being a good match,” Ted muttered.
“She didn’t seem to mind that Loftus and her stepsister were going to get engaged,” Elias said carefully.
Yappy beetled his brows. “Hard to tell with women.”
“Yeah,” Ted nodded sagely. “Real hard to tell with women.”
When it came to philosophies that a man could live by
, that one was as good as any, Elias thought.
“That was great, as usual. You do incredible things with noodles, Elias.” Charity dried the last dish and stacked it neatly on the shelf above the sink. “It’s getting late, and we’ve had a long day. I should be on my way home.”
Elias stilled in the act of crouching to place the vegetable steamer inside a cupboard. “You’re going home?”
“It’s nearly nine o’clock. I’ve got some bills to pay. I should do a wash, too. I’ve been so busy lately that I’m getting behind on my routine maintenance.”
Elias straightened slowly. “Is that a polite way of saying that you think we’re spending too much time together?”
“No.” She saw the chill, remote quality gather in his eyes and sighed inwardly. She took two steps forward, moving to stand directly in front of him. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the mouth. “It’s a polite way of saying that I’ve been so busy, I’m getting behind on things at home. Simple. Straightforward. No hidden meanings.”
He rested his hands on her hips, his fingers warm and strong on the curve of her waist. “I’ve got a simple, straightforward solution.”
“What’s that?”
“Move in with me.”
It was Charity’s turn to go very still. Suddenly, it was hard to breathe. The old sense of panic welled up out of nowhere, threatening to swamp her. Elias had said nothing about love. She could not be sure the word was even in his vocabulary. Another man who did not love her was asking for a commitment from her. And she could not, dared not give it.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” she whispered.
Elias’s jaw could have been hewn from stone. “Why not?”
“We’re still getting to know each other.” She struggled desperately for logical reasons, reasons she could use to convince him. There was no way to tell him the real truth. He would not understand. “We’re two very independent people. We shouldn’t rush into anything. What if it doesn’t work out? It would be awkward to try to go back to the way things are now.”
“You’re making excuses. What’s the real reason you won’t move in with me?”
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