“But I can’t let you deliver this money. The guy’s dangerous. He needs to be put away.”
“I can’t, Sage. I can’t get involved. I’ll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. He has people. They’ll come after me.”
“This is Maine, not some primetime drama. I’ve organized a few charity events for the police department. I know some people.” Sage turned the car around and drove toward the Portland police headquarters. “Trust me. I’ll take care of everything. But I’ll need your cooperation.”
***
Three hours later, they left the station, ten thousand dollars lighter and a known drug peddler off the streets. For now. Detective Blanchette had Lucy set up a meeting to deliver the cash. Both Gabe and Lucy were arrested, or so they made it look. Once Gabe had been taken away, they uncuffed Lucy, congratulated her on her efforts, and lectured her on getting involved with street slime.
“Where are we going?” Lucy, looking exhausted and relieved, slouched in the front seat of Sage’s car.
“To my office. I have a client meeting there in less than two hours and need to rearrange my conference room. The Jones and Fergusons have decided to disagree on everything from seating arrangements to the color scheme for their princess’s wedding. One week before the big day.”
“You can drop me off somewhere. I’ll find a ride home.”
“No time. I’m putting your artistic skills to use. You said you’re good with color and textures, let’s see how good you are with furniture. I have a spare room I haven’t figured out what to do with yet, and you’re going to help me design it.”
“In two hours?”
“No. In ninety minutes.”
Sage pulled up to the Victorian-home-turned-office-space. A title company rented out the upstairs, while Tom Savage, Attorney at Law and Everlasting Moments Event Planning shared the first floor.
“This is beautiful,” Lucy said as she got out of the car.
The white Victorian had been well restored. There was a larger parking lot out back where the title company’s clients parked and entered the house, while Tom and Sage’s clients entered through the front. She opened the door and stepped into the shared entryway. The wide-plank wood floors creaked under her heels as she unlocked the door to her space.
“I pictured your office all sleek and modern, not quaint and charming. Nice.”
Sage viewed the office through Lucy’s eyes. She typically only used the front room. A Queen Anne chair and matching desk sat in the corner, where Thyme would sometimes fill in and answer calls and emails when Sage was busy working an event. A large rectangle cherry coffee table sat in the middle of the room, with six high-back chairs strategically placed around it. Close enough so her clients could see and hear each other, but enough space to spread out material, paint, and flower samples. The floor-to-ceiling windows were simply dressed with ivory brocade. The walls, a plain cream color, made the space feminine, but not frilly.
“I need to accommodate ten people for this meeting. They’ll be here at eight and will be cantankerous. The last thing I need is everyone sitting on top of each other. Right now I only have room for six. I have extra chairs in the back but they’ll look ridiculous around the table. Suggestions?”
“What’s in the back?” Lucy stuffed her hands in her pockets, her eyes wide with excitement.
“Come.” Sage led her through a hallway. “Bathroom to the right.” She pointed. “Tiny kitchen to the left.” It was cramped, just enough counter space for a microwave and coffee maker. The sink and refrigerator were standard size. She often kept wine, appetizers, and sometimes flowers for her clients.
“This is my storage space. The room is larger and nicer than the front room, but I don’t want my clients to have to walk through all of this every time we meet. The layout isn’t the best; that’s where you come in.”
“I’m supposed to move things around in less than an hour? That’s impossible.”
“I know. I’m desperate. I had planned on doing this today…” She didn’t mean to make Lucy feel guilty, but she had a timetable to keep.
“May I?” Lucy asked as she started to move bolts of fabric, bins of candles, and glassware.
“Help yourself.”
There were two pale green antique loveseat settees that came with the office that Sage didn’t care for. She supposed they matched the era. Lucy was right, Sage preferred modern lines and styles more than the old stuff. Bolts of fabric were piled on a mahogany chaise lounge. The woodwork was ornate and pretty, but the cream and gold fabric needing reupholstering.
“I can’t believe you have this furniture buried under so much crap.”
“Easy there. As you can see, my stuff is clearly labeled and stored efficiently. It’s not like I have piles of papers and junk shoved in corners.”
“You’re using priceless heirlooms as shelving. These pieces should be on display.”
“Which is where you come in.”
For the next hour Sage tolerated Lucy’s orders and suggestions, rearranging the furniture to make a quaint sitting area around the unused fireplace. The fabric samples, storyboards, and albums that showed off Sage’s designs were displayed on the cherry table in the front room, showcasing her business to clients as they entered the office.
Lucy carried the last of the heavy cherry chairs into the back room. Sage stood back and took in the transformation. While the boring walls needed to be painted, the dining room chairs and settees arranged in a semi-circle in front of the fireplace were spread out enough not to be tripping anyone, and cozy and intimate at the same time.
“We need a table to put the refreshments on. I suggest we clean off your desk and put it against the wall. Sort of turn it into a serving station.”
Once settled, Lucy went into the kitchen area to brew coffee, open the wine, and make a cheese, cracker, and grape platter. Sage took a few minutes to freshen up and go through her notes before the two families arrived.
“I know you need your space, so, uh, I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll come back when the party is over.”
Her office was in a relatively safe area in town, so despite the evening hour, Sage figured Lucy would be fine on her own. “Oh. Okay. I scheduled them in for an hour.”
Lucy nodded and looked down at her feet. She really was a mess. Her hair needed a serious makeover, her face was whitewashed and gaunt, and her grungy clothing looked incongruous to the room. She really shouldn’t be here when the Jones and Fergusons showed up, yet Sage felt guilty for kicking her out. She had been a saving grace. “Can you do me a favor?”
Lucy looked up and nodded.
“Can you go back to my place and make sure I locked up? We left in such a hurry…I don’t remember if I did.” Of course she did. Sage wouldn’t forget to do something so mundane and necessary. Lucy didn’t need to know that, though. She handed Lucy her keys. “Why don’t you take a nap or something while you’re there? I can call you when I’m done and you can pick me up.”
“Seriously?”
Sage nodded and turned back to her iPad. She needed to review the wedding details before the high-maintenance, high-paying families arrived. When she heard the front door close, she slumped in her seat.
Damn. She’d been blaming her tears and unpredictability the past few months on hormones. What the hell had taken over her body today? Women did get post-partum weirdness. Maybe taking on Lucy’s problems was a natural reaction. Whatever the case, Sage needed to get her mind focused on her clients, and not on Luke’s troubled sister.
Luke. For the past few hours she hadn’t thought of him once. Smiling, she straightened her shoulders, proud that she was finally moving on from the hunky firefighter.
Crap. Now her mind filled with lustful images of Luke. Naked and on top of her. Clothed and cuddled behind her on the couch. Laugh lines crinkling around his eyes. Angry, sad eyes as she kicked him out of her life.
Thankfully the craziness of the next hour occupied her mind and she di
dn’t have time to think of how much pain she’d caused Luke Riley. When his sister picked her up and she saw the regret and sadness in Lucy’s eyes, Sage couldn’t help but think of the Riley clan and how special they were.
If only she’d had a mother as nurturing as Doreen Riley. Someone who would have taken care of her and loved her no matter what mistakes she made or what path she took in life. Someone who would have encouraged her to take up band or chorus or play a sport in school. Instead, Sage had parents who were so self-involved that they barely noticed they had three daughters. As soon as Sage was old enough to take care of herself, she was given the responsibility to raise her sisters.
Afternoons were spent helping Rayne and Thyme with their homework, making sure the chores were done, seeing that there was food on the table for dinner. When she was fourteen and her sisters only twelve and ten, their parents would take off for weeks at a time, leaving Sage in charge. Once she had her driver’s license, Sage became the chauffer.
In middle school, Thyme used that time to test her boundaries. She’d sneak out at night or invite boys over while Sage worked at the local grocery store. Rayne didn’t socialize much and didn’t cause any problems, but she didn’t help fix them either. She’d cover for Thyme and try to calm down Sage.
If only there had been someone to take care of Sage. That was half a life ago and it was too late to go back in time. And she was too old to start having someone take care of her now. For fifteen years she’d been fending for herself and seeing to the needs of her sisters. She’d grown accustomed to her way of life, making no room for anyone else. Not even Luke.
Sage didn’t want Lucy growing old and pessimistic like her. She had a mom that loved her unconditionally and a hot brother who would give the shirt off his back for her.
And damn, did he look good without his shirt on. Daydreaming about Luke while his sister was in trouble and sharing airspace with her wasn’t the best of ideas. Temporarily erasing him from her mind, Sage locked up her office when she saw headlights pull into her parking lot.
“Thanks for picking me up,” she said once she slid behind the wheel.
“Uh, thanks for letting me crash at your place and for letting me use your car.”
They sat in awkward silence, both more comfortable with snarkiness. “You still look like crap, though.”
“Not everyone can pull off the Ice Princess look.”
“Yeah, well, you don’t pull off the Goth look either. You’re an artist. Make yourself look better.”
Lucy snorted. “So, your, uh, office looks cool. Could use a coat of paint in the new room.”
“Yeah? I dropped a few color samples in my bag.” Sage pulled them out and showed them to Lucy.
“Curry.”
“Hmm?”
“Go with curry. The dark green color. Kinda looks like mud on the swatch, but it will look great with the furniture and flooring.”
“That was my first choice as well.” Sage finally turned on the car. “Am I bringing you back to your mom’s, or did you leave a car somewhere?” She really hoped she didn’t have to go near the Rileys.
“My car is in the coffee shop parking lot where I bumped into you.”
Was that only a few hours ago? It seemed like days since her literal run-in with Lucy. Sage headed north and contemplated what to do next. Knowing the right thing to do, she offered Lucy a job. “Detective Blanchette advised you to quit your job at the art store.”
“Yeah, easy for him to say. I need a paycheck.”
“You can work for me.”
Lucy snorted.
“Seriously. You can start by painting my office.”
“I’m not that kind of painter.”
“Neither am I, but if I can do it, so can you. And when I’m at an event, I’ll need you to answer my phone and make appointments. The busy season is coming up. Companies planning holiday parties, couples getting engaged and thinking they can pull off a spring wedding. My sister Thyme used to help out, but she’s busy now with her babies.” Sage pulled into the lot. “Which car is yours?”
Lucy pointed to a rusted black four-door. Reaching behind her to grab her messenger bag, Sage pulled out the paint sample again and two hundred dollars. “Pick up the paint and supplies. I won’t be in the office tomorrow, so take the key. I’ll need it painted by Wednesday, though. I have a client meeting at noon and I’d prefer if it didn’t smell like paint fumes. Be at my office by eight Wednesday morning so I can show you how to work the phone system, call forwarding, my calendar, and whatnot. Don’t be late. Or you’re fired.”
“Seriously? What the hell?”
“Yes. And work on your vocabulary. And your mouth. You look very unattractive with your mouth hanging open like that. And when I ask you to work with me on a site, you’re not going to have all that hardware in your face or ugly clothes on your body. Now leave. It’s late and I’m tired.” Sage hid her smile as Lucy scrambled to gather her bag and jumped out of the car.
Chapter Fourteen
Luke
Luke let himself in his mother’s front door and smiled. “Something smells good, Ma.” He made his way into the kitchen, kissed his mother’s cheek, and lifted a lid from the crockpot.
“You know better than to pick up a lid.” She swatted his hand and he laughed.
“Beef stew. My favorite.”
“And your brother’s. He’ll be here any minute and I need to go change. Can I trust you in here alone?” She placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the left.
“Scout’s honor.” Luke crossed his chest.
“Make yourself useful and set the table. We haven’t seen Blake in months and I’m sure he hasn’t had a decent home-cooked meal since he was here last. And set a place for your sisters as well.”
Luke opened the glass doors to the hutch and took out the Fiestaware his mother always used for family meals. It would be good to see Blake again. He’d been away for the better part of the past three years designing those crazy-ass obstacle courses diehard athletes like to compete in. Luke and his brothers ran a few together, but life and careers made it nearly impossible for all of them to be in the same country, much less the same state, at the same time.
Rachael entered the kitchen from the back door and he heard Lucy stomp and holler from the front. “Blake’s home!” Teenagerish squeals escaped his mother’s lips, followed by Blake’s loud, infectious laugh. Rachael jumped back and plastered herself to the mudroom wall, her eyes round with fear.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “I hate that little things like this make me jump. Don’t tell Mom.”
Doreen would smother Rachael to death if she knew how timid and frightened she was. The only outing she’d been on since her return home was to Doreen’s birthday party quite a few months ago. Luke had been so caught up in Sage he’d completely forgotten to check up on his sister, only to discover the following day she’d spent most of the evening by herself in the suite he’d reserved for her.
“Only if you promise to talk to me…or someone, anyone, about this.”
She averted her eyes before nodding in agreement.
“Hey man,” Blake called over their mother’s head as he came in through the kitchen, one arm slung around her. “Been a while.”
“Good to see you.” Luke hugged his brother and smacked him on the back. “You’re feeling a little thin. Ma’s beef stew will put some meat on your bones.”
“Yeah? Feel up to a chin-up challenge? You may have shoulders the size of a Hemi, but I’ve got endurance.”
“Game on.”
“Oh, stop, you boys.” Doreen looped her free arm through Luke’s and led them to the table. “Rachael, get down the wine glasses, please. And Lucy, get the butter and rolls.”
Luke looked at Lucy for the first time and noticed her freshly washed face. He could actually see her eyes. Bright green against her alabaster skin. She’d done something with her hair to get rid of the pink, and slick black waves hung down to
her chin. The piercings were gone too, as was the black nail polish. He wanted to comment, but knew she’d get pissed for calling attention to the surprising makeover.
“Guess I’ve been gone a long time. Almost didn’t recognize—” Luke elbowed Blake before he could make Lucy uncomfortable. “What the hell?”
“Language, Blake Riley.”
“Sorry, Ma.” Blake glared at Luke, who mouthed later.
Something had happened to Lucy over the past week. Luke had busied himself with picking up extra shifts and hiding out in his house and had been too caught up in his own soap opera to notice. She’d stopped by only once, which was highly unusual, and he’d said he had an appointment and brushed past her, not wanting to deal with her constant jibes. Thinking back to that afternoon, she looked different then too. Those cheekbones making her look sweet, almost angelic.
Rachael remained fairly quiet at dinner, which was her normal manner since her return from California. Once Luke regained control of his life, he’d help Rachael get back to the spunky funny girl she once was, and then figure out what was going on with Lucy.
As always, Blake was the center of attention. He brought the laughter out in Lucy and a few secret smiles from Rach. Doreen would be happy no matter who was at her table and what mood they were in. Blessed to be with family, she’d say.
After the dinner dishes were washed and dried, he let Blake visit with their mom and pulled Lucy aside.
“Hey.” He nudged her with his shoulder.
“It’s great to have Blake home, isn’t it?”
Luke nodded and tugged Lucy outside to the front porch. “Sit with me.” They sat on the porch swing and looked out across the meadow.
“You doing okay?” Lucy asked.
“That’s what I was going to ask you.” Luke laughed.
“I’ve never seen you act like such a girl over a…girl.”
Ignoring her taunt, he pushed the swing with his feet. “What happened to the pink hair?”
“Grew out.”
“The face jewelry?”
Wilde For You (The Wilde Sisters Book 3) Page 17