Maggie pulled out some snacks. She looked at her cousin and said sheepishly, “I got caught in a storm.”
“Oh…a…storm?”
“Yes!”
“Really?”
Maggie muttered under her breath.
“There wasn’t a storm last night.”
“Was!” Maggie said, taking an armful of food out of the fridge.
“What kind of storm?”
Exasperated Maggie sighed. “An electrical kind of storm with lightning and other thingies.” She put her snacks down. “A storm that hisses then crackles then hisses again and blows a few things up.” She opened a packet of cheese and put it and other things on three slices of bread. “What other types of storms are there?”
Amy smiled slowly. “Well. Let’s see there’s figment-of-your-imagination type of storms that stop you from coming home.”
“Yeah?” Maggie sandwiched the bread together and bit into it. She chewed. “I couldn’t comth home becauth there wath fog as well.”
“Oh! Not just an electric storm with thingies blowing up…but fog too!” Amy said, cocking her head. “No wonder you couldn’t come home.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Maggie bit another large chunk from her sandwich. “Yeth…exacthly.”
“I think it’s right about now,” Amy said, her eyes shining with humor, “that you should be telling me what you got up to last night.”
Maggie defiantly bit into her sandwich.
Amy looked at her cousin and thought no matter how carefully constructed her tomboy look was there was no hiding her features. She was a stunner.
“So…where were you last night?”
“I’m the older cousin, remember?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Eh…a frat party.”
“You’re kidding…a frat party!” Amy shook her head. “Are you cradle-snatching now?”
Josh walked into the kitchen and gave his fiancé a quick kiss. “Bye, hon.”
“Where are you going?” Amy asked as she reached out to smooth down his dark hair.
“To pick up Celeste?”
“What about the barbeque?”
“It’s okay,” he said. “We’ll be there by three.”
Amy frowned. “Okay.”
“See you later, cradle-snatcher,” Josh called out to Maggie as he made his way down the hall.
“Bye, bye Joshie boy,” Maggie called after him. She finished her sandwich. “I didn’t know his sister was here.”
“Yeah,” Amy replied her frown deepening. “She flew in a few days ago.”
“You met her before you moved here didn’t you?”
“Celeste came to stay in Glasgow for a few days last year when Josh was finishing his studies.”
“I must have been hiking.”
Amy nodded. Maggie was a keen hiker.
“Yes, I remember now,” Maggie said. “You two didn’t get along. There was a bit of fracas wasn’t there at the airport or something?”
“Hardly a fracas, Maggie,” Amy said, sounding annoyed. “We just didn’t click.” She raised a hand. “And before you ask, I’m going to make a real effort to get on with her this time.”
“Does she still work for that organization…whatitsname?”
“Médecins sans Frontières,” Amy replied. Her eyes narrowed as she recalled that first meeting with Celeste over a year ago. For most of Celeste’s stay, she’d made every excuse to avoid spending time with her.
Taking a carton of apple juice out of the fridge, Maggie filled two glasses and handed one to Amy.
“You’re coming this afternoon, aren’t you?” Amy asked, accepting the cool glass.
Maggie shrugged. “Maybe.”
Amy sighed. “We already talked about this and you agreed.”
Maggie made a face.
“Oh, c’mon. Maggie! Don’t pull this stunt on me. Not today.”
“Don’t blame me…blame your mother,” Maggie said, leaning against the breakfast bar. “She’s always interfering.”
“Maggie,” Amy paused and caught her temper. Knowing this could end in an argument, she breathed in deeply. “Look, she just wants us all to get together to talk about your outfit.”
“Outfit…frilly dress, you mean!” Maggie looked down at herself. “Look at me. I’m a biker.”
“I need you there today.”
Maggie ran a hand through her short, red hair. “Amy, you know I haven’t worn a dress since I was at school, and even then it was a struggle to get me into one. And you’re letting her make me wear a stupid outfit to give you away!”
“You’ll be wearing the same dress as Caitlin and Rosie.”
“Exactly. They’re kids! And it’s just marginally acceptable to look like a bloody Oompa-Loompa when you’re a kid!”
“Aw c’mon, your dress isn’t that bad.”
“Yes, it bloody is.”
Amy eyed her cousin. “It’s not.”
Maggie stared back. “You wear it then.”
“Okay,” Amy conceded. “I guess, it has a little bit of a flair to it and—”
“A bit!” Maggie snorted. “It has more flair than a Samba dancer.”
“Please,” Amy said, clasping her hands together. “Pretty please. Go on for little ol’ me.”
“No.”
Amy widened her eyes and pouted. “You owe me.”
“How?”
“How?" Amy replied. Her eyes widened. “Well, let’s start with your DIY disaster last week.”
“It wasn’t a disaster. It was more like a wee technical hitch.”
“A wee technical hitch was it?” Amy replied with relish.
“I was changing a bulb that’s all.”
“You fell off a ladder, which fell through a window and smashed it,” Amy said. “On your way down, you grabbed the ceiling fan and ripped the whole thing off. And to top it all, you landed on a brand-new table that I’d just bought and shattered it!”
Maggie huffed. “I told you I had vertigo.”
“So you did,” Amy said, nodding. “And that’s why I told you I would do it.”
Maggie eyeballed her cousin. “It was a one off.”
“Was it?” Amy said. “What about the tree you cut down?”
“What about it?”
“It took out next door’s greenhouse?”
“It was an accident.”
“Really?” Amy replied. “Funny, they didn’t see it that way. I had to plan an extension for their daughter…free gratis!”
“It’s a tiny extension.”
“Still means you owe me.”
They stared each other out.
“Okay,” Maggie said eventually. “I owe you,” she mumbled. “But, I still think the dress is ugly.”
Amy tried to hide her smile. “And your preferred choice is better?”
Maggie grinned. “Yup.”
“Really? Leather is better?”
“I’m talking snug-fitting, all-in-one black leather.”
“God only knows what kind of outfit you would have me wear,” Amy raised her brow. “Some hot bunny outfit for sure!”
“Now we’re talking.” Maggie grinned then sighed when Amy gave her that look. “Okay, cuz, I’ve got your back.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Me in a frock…who knew!”
“Thank you.”
Maggie looked out the window to the backyard. “When are you moving the botanical gardens to your new place?”
“Soon,” Amy answered.
“How’s the house coming along?”
“Do you want the short or long answer?”
“Short.”
Her eyes fired up. “Fantastic.”
Maggie went to her cousin and hugged her. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”
“Why?” Amy hugged her back.
“Because, hon, it’s you that should be going all bridezilla on us.” She tapped Amy’s nose. “Not your mother.”
Amy’s eyes narrowed.
Lettin
g her go, Maggie raised her hands. “Okay…okay, I’ve got your back, remember!”
Chapter 4
“Come in for a swim,” Josh said, treading water at the edge of the pool. It was late afternoon and they had been at Irene’s house for a couple of hours.
“In a little while,” Amy replied. She laughed when her six-year-old half-sister, Caitlin, ran up and jumped into the pool.
“Josh!” Caitlin squealed in delight when he grabbed her and tossed her in the air.
Rosie, at four years old, was more hesitant. Wanting to watch, she reached for Amy’s hand, but soon let go when Josh encouraged her into the water.
“Amy,” Maggie called out.
Turning, Amy watched her lanky cousin flop onto a sun lounger. She made her way over and took the one next to her.
Passing with a tray of cold drinks, Irene smiled at Amy.
Smiling back at her mom, Amy acknowledged that Irene really was involved with all the wedding arrangements. But, wasn’t that the role of any devoted parent? This new devotion struck a sad note of irony with her. It had been years since she had been close to her mother. They were, in fact, strangers.
“I still think it’s weird you end up settling down in a place where your mum stays,” Maggie said. “What do you think the odds are of that happening?”
“Not great when my own mother gave Josh my number.”
“Yeah,” Maggie replied teasingly. “Like I said, she’s always interfering.”
Amy rolled her eyes.
“Your dad—”
Amy drew in a sharp breath.
“Sorry,” Maggie said as she patted Amy’s leg.
Ten years ago, Irene divorced her father and moved to Sarasota with her new husband. Staying behind in Scotland, Amy hadn’t had much contact with her mother after that. Sheer serendipity brought them together now. Last year her father had died suddenly from an aneurysm. As much as she loved Maggie, Amy still found it too painful to talk about him. She closed her eyes briefly to hide their bleakness. She missed him so much.
“And I’m really sorry about going on about the wedding this morning.” Maggie passed Amy a beer. “It’s just a pity it’s not as low-key as you wanted.”
“You know more than anyone that Irene’s missed a huge part of my life.” Amy sighed. “She just wants to be involved, that’s all.”
“I know,” Maggie said apologetically. “And I’m not helping the situation.”
“This is just her way of making up for lost time,” Amy said. “I don’t have the heart to tell her the wedding is getting out of hand.” She fired a warning look. “And I don’t want you telling her either. We’re lucky she’s doing it.” Taking a mouthful of beer, Amy swirled it around then swallowed. She stared off into the distance. “I keep telling myself it’s only one day.”
Maggie eyed her cousin carefully then frowned. “Yeah…that’s right…it’s just one day.”
Deep in thought, Amy peeled the label off her bottle.
“She’s something else isn’t she?” Maggie said.
“Who?”
“Twinnie.”
Amy looked over at Celeste.
“What’s she doing here anyway?”
“Celeste,” Amy said, “is here on a break…I think?” She frowned. “I got the impression she had a bit of a rough time on her last assignment.”
“What happened?”
Amy shrugged. “Not sure. But she was working in Somalia and things hit the proverbial fan.”
Maggie looked at her expectantly.
“I don’t know the details,” Amy said, holding up her hands. “You know Josh, he’s vague at the best of times.”
“I heard that she used to be a swimmer.”
“Yes.”
Maggie sighed. “I might have to move back home after all.”
“Why?”
“Whaddayathink,” Maggie replied, pointing at Celeste. “My pussy will shrivel up and fall off if she’s the type of competition I’m up against.”
“With any luck it’ll shrivel up soon!” Amy said. Maggie’s slut counter had hit stratospheric numbers over the last few months.
“What do you call a blonde with half a brain?”
Entering easily into their blonde and redhead banter, Amy sat up and crossing her eyes, replied playfully, “Uh…dunno?”
“Gifted!” Winking, Maggie put her shades on.
Amy stuck out her tongue.
They lounged in silence for a while
“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?”
“Who?”
“Celeste!”
Amy shrugged.
“She’s got a great body, hasn’t she?”
Amy didn’t respond.
“You could take her on.”
Amy glanced at Celeste. “I don’t know what parallel universe you’ve been hitching a ride to recently, but my stats in no way match hers.”
“You definitely stack a better rack,” Maggie said. She scooped out some ice from the cooler and tossed it at Amy.
“Hoy!” Amy picked up the piece of ice that landed on her stomach. “Behave,” she said. She sipped some beer.
Maggie laughed. “Okay. So, are we still playing golf tomorrow with Josh and Celeste?”
Amy nodded. “Yes, in the morning.”
Maggie yawned. “I think I’ll have a nap. I’m jiggered. Wake me up in an hour, please.”
Drinking the remainder of her beer, Amy listened as Maggie’s breathing evened out. She eyed Celeste and thought Maggie was right, she was gorgeous.
Suddenly, Celeste turned and looked directly at Amy.
“Shit!”
Blushing furiously, Amy threw herself down and lay flat out. Throwing an arm over her eyes, she bit her bottom lip and groaned, embarrassed that Celeste had caught her openly staring.
†
It was at the tail end of the evening. Josh and Celeste were playing their final set of tennis. Watching them, Amy glanced over at Maggie, who was now stretched out on a lounger, snoring after drinking beer with Sophie, Josh’s younger sister, all afternoon.
Amy watched Sophie stagger toward her. Noticing, not for the first time, how extremely pale-skinned she was for living in such a hot climate.
Sophie nudged Amy up the bench. “Do you want some of my beer?” she asked, waving her bottle and trying to settle her legs under the table.
“I’m fine, thanks,” Amy said, reaching out a hand to steady Sophie.
“How’s the book coming along?” Amy asked. Sophie was in the process of publishing her first book. Amy had read it, and although she appreciated the writing, horror wasn’t really her thing.
“Fine,” Sophie slurred.
Amy looked Sophie over, appreciating her distinct ingénue look—small with jet-black short hair and deep brown eyes. She was pretty…very pretty. Amy remembered when they first met, she’d found Sophie difficult, but recently they clicked. And now she really liked Sophie’s quirky personality.
Leaning close, Sophie said, “Did you know Celeste was married?”
Wondering where that had come from, Amy blinked. “Uhmm...”
“Did you know she was only married for one year?”
Amy resisted rolling her eyes. Sophie had caught Maggie’s ‘did you know’ trivia. “I don’t know much about her to be honest.”
“She doesn’t keep in contact with him anymore,” Sophie said, waving her hand.
“Who?”
Sophie hiccupped. “Nick.”
Tired, Amy carefully looked at her watch before asking, “Who’s Nick?”
“Her ex, of course.” Sophie eyed Amy. “Did you know I had a major...major…crush on him?”
“Really!”
“In fact,” Sophie slurred, “I would say I was in love with him.” She swallowed. “You should have seen him, Amy.” Her eyes lost focus. “He was absolutely gorgeous. Tall, dark, you know, the usual, but he didn’t take himself too seriously.” Sophie focused on the blonde. “The only thing he took seriously
was her.” She pointed a finger in Celeste’s direction. “He was madly in love with her but my darling sister thought she’d made a mistake.” Sophie hiccupped. “A pretty big goddamn friggin’ mistake, if you ask me.”
Sophia pushed a flop of dark hair from her face. “Anyway, he was devastated when they split and tried everything to get the marriage back on track, but it just didn’t happen.”
Intrigued, Amy asked, “Why did they break up?”
“All relationships end, Amy,” Sophie said then shrugged.
Not sure how she should take this information since she would be marrying Josh soon, Amy resisted the urge to open up the conversation. Tonight, she didn’t want to get involved in one of Sophie’s philosophical discussions.
“Ultimately,” Sophie said. “He changed, I guess. I think it all came down to the fact that he struggled at med school and when he flunked, he couldn’t handle her success.”
Just then, the Cameron family’s Labrador, Bud, decided to interrupt. Barking, he padded over. Looking for attention, he gently pawed Sophie’s leg.
“You want something to eat, baby?” Sophie asked. Swaying precariously, she tried to get up from the table. “Don’t worry Buddy boy, I’ll take care of you… Oh…”
Keeling over, Sophie took Amy with her.
Chapter 5
“I wish I’d remembered my hat,” Amy said, pulling strands of hair from her mouth. “I think I’ve managed to eat half the hair on my head this morning.” Breathing in deeply, she looked around. “But it’s worth it. What a beautiful morning.”
“It’s a shame Josh had to work,” Maggie said, dropping her golf bag at her feet.
“His boss called looking for information that couldn’t wait until Monday.”
“Too bad we’re out here and he’s cooped up.”
Amy nodded. Since moving to Sarasota, Josh’s work was beginning to seriously encroach on their personal life.
“Do you know we’ve hardly played any golf since we got here?”
“I know.”
“Do you know why that is?”
Amy shook her head.
“Men,” Maggie whispered teasingly. “You’re rolling over too easy for them. Well, one in particular.”
“Me!” Amy replied loudly. Aware Maggie had not stopped shagging since she got here, she replied indignantly, “What about you!”
Denial Page 2