Lynette managed a weak smile. “Hope you didn’t pay too much for that.”
“I paid enough.” His jaw twitched the way it always did when he was hiding something.
But she couldn’t force it from him.
Wouldn’t.
She moved closer and put an arm around his shoulders. “I love you, you know. But I need to know you’re going to be honest with me, Gray. No calling and telling me everything’s fine when it’s not. If you want me in your life, I need to know what’s going on with you.”
He shrugged out of her embrace and inched away. The wall went back up. “You wanted me to tell you I was a junkie? That I was in rehab? You really wanted to hear that?”
“I would have preferred to hear it from you instead of Cecily.”
He drummed out a beat on the side of his water bottle. “I didn’t want you to know. I don’t like what I’ve become. The look you’re giving me right now is exactly the one I wanted to avoid.”
“I would never judge you. I hope you know that. And whether it means anything to you or not, I’m praying. I really believe you can do this, Gray.”
“Thanks, Lynnie. Seems you’ve got lots to pray about these days, huh?” He gave a short laugh. “What do you think God would do with someone like me?”
A lump pressed against her throat and she wiped her eyes. “Love you. There isn’t anything you could do to make Him stop, Gray.”
His faraway look said it was too much, too soon. “I haven’t had a whole lot of faith lately. Not like you.”
She gave a shaky sigh and met his eyes. “I haven’t had a whole lot of faith lately either, but I’m trying to. I have to believe God’s going to work all this out.”
Gray nodded. “I’m sorry I can’t help with the house. I don’t have the kind of money needed to get the place back in shape. I know you don’t want to sell.”
She’d figured as much, but the truth of it squeezed her heart. “It’s all right.”
Gray scooched closer and took her hand. “But it’s not, is it?”
Lynette lifted her shoulders. “I’ll deal with it. At least we’ve all been able to spend some time together.”
“And lived to tell the tale.” His sly look hinted at old mischief. “So far.”
If only Ryan would show up. And perhaps she could get the others on board with her idea before he did.
The very thought now seemed silly—but something made her forge ahead anyway. “I thought maybe, if we could afford it or get a loan somehow, we could renovate. Turn the place into a bed-and-breakfast. Lots of people around here have done that the past few years.”
“Yeah?” A new light flickered in his eyes. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“That’s what Nick said too. He thought that with the right investors, people really interested in saving the property, instead of just handing it over to a hotel chain, the idea might fly.”
Gray rubbed his face, groaned low, and nailed her with his eyes again. “I wish you hadn’t—”
“What, Gray? You wish I hadn’t talked to Nick?” Sudden anger came out of nowhere. “At least he listened. There wasn’t anyone else to talk to.”
“I don’t trust him.”
“I don’t believe that.” The uncomfortable knot in her stomach pulled in on itself. “What’s with the two of you? Can’t you just get past it?”
“Nope. And I’m not telling you, so quit asking.” Gray turned his attention to the windmill. “Why is he hanging around all the time, anyway?”
“Maybe because it’s better than being at home with his father.”
Gray knew Nick’s history better than anyone.
She saw a spark of recognition in his eyes. “Did you ever think he might have regrets too, Gray? That he might want to work things out with you?”
Her brother pouted like a two-year-old.
“If you’re going to make changes in your life, you should start with a big one. It’s called forgiveness.”
“Are you just saying this because you think he’s hot?”
“Shut up.” She smacked his arm. “I’m saying it because it’s true. Nick’s like part of the family, Gray. He was your best friend. At least think about it.”
He raised his hands and glowered. “Enough already. I’ll think about it.” He pulled the bandana back over his damp hair and flexed his arms. “So do you like him? I mean, like him, like him.”
Lynette stared at her hands and willed away the heat that rushed to her cheeks. “It doesn’t matter if I do, I guess. Apparently he’s seeing Mindy Vanguard.” She was going to confront Nick about that kiss. The moment his lips had touched hers, her entire being lit with a warmth she couldn’t explain. Being in Nick’s arms felt like the most natural thing in the world. She could quite happily have allowed him to kiss her all night. And now she wondered if it would ever happen again.
“So he’s just messing with you? Because from what I’ve seen, he seems to be interested in more than just friendship with you. And you want me to trust him?”
“We are friends, Gray. That’s it.” She couldn’t mask her irritation. A car honking pulled their attention toward the road. Lynette watched Nick’s Jeep pull up. “Speak of the devil.”
“And he always shows up.” Gray moaned like a dying cow and flopped back on the grass.
“Search and rescue at your service.” Nick jogged across the road to where they sat. He wore baggy beige shorts and a Stones T-shirt that had seen better days. His blond hair was tousled and dirt streaked his face.
“What in the world have you been up to?” Lynette almost didn’t want to know.
“Helping David replace shingles on the house. They said you’d been out awhile. Liz was about ready to call the police, so I offered to come look for you.”
“We haven’t been gone that long.” Lynette hated the way her pulse picked up the minute he met her eyes.
Nick nodded toward Gray. “I think Liz thought this one might not make it home.”
Gray sat up and yawned, rubbing the small of his back. “She thought right. Please tell me that is a bike rack on the back of your Jeep.”
“That is a bike rack on the back of my Jeep.” Nick brushed sand off his shorts and pulled on the brim of his Yankees cap.
“Praise the Lord.” Gray struggled to his feet. “Don’t get too excited, Coop, but I do have to say that for once, I’m actually glad to see you.”
Chapter Twenty
Lynette organized a barbeque that night. Jed didn’t need her, so she fully intended to enjoy the evening off, even if it was spent grilling more burgers. Nick stayed, under protest from Gray, but Lynette informed her brother that if he wished to eat, he’d keep his opinions to himself. So far they’d survived the evening without war breaking out.
After dinner, once she’d settled Dad in front of the television, Nick found her in the kitchen, fixing coffee.
She glanced at him and tension crept across her shoulders.
He raised a brow, grabbed a dishcloth, and began to dry the stack of dishes she’d washed. “Is it my imagination or have you been avoiding me all night?”
She blew out a breath and put her back to him, watching dark liquid drip into the carafe. “Not avoiding you.”
“Well, you haven’t said two words to me. Did I do something to upset you, Lynnie?”
“Fine.” She turned his way with a scowl. “Yes. You told me there was nothing going on with you and Mindy. So why do I see some stupid magazine article my sister showed me, all about you and her? Seriously, Nick. I told you, I’m not going to—”
“Lynnie, stop.” Nick was beside her in two strides, his hands on her arms. “It’s not what you think.”
“How is it not what I think? I’m not an idiot, Nick, and I don’t really care. But I don’t want to be played for a fool.” She blinked hot tears and rolled her eyes at her traitorous emotions.
“You don’t care, huh?” He cupped her face and wiped her tears with the base of his thumbs. His touch sent a shive
r through her.
“Shut up.” A sigh slipped out as she grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands away. “I might care a little.”
Nick’s eyes sparkled under the glow of the overhead lights. “Do you trust me?”
“Nope. And I wouldn’t trust any guy in this situation. No offense.” Lynette studied his now serious expression and wished her heart had some sense. “And even if you’re not in a relationship, I don’t think I’m in a good place for any kind of involvement right now, Nick,” she said quietly. “Maybe this is for the best.”
“Lynnie, don’t say that.” He ran the back of his hand down her face. “I promise you, I’m not involved with Mindy. And I know what I want. But if you don’t feel the same . . .”
Oh, could he make this any harder? She shook her head and moved away. “I have to get the coffee.”
“Can we talk about this later?”
She shrugged. “David told me you’re the one who hired Cecily back.” She couldn’t be angry with him for that. She’d tried.
“I wanted to do something to help.”
Lynette nodded, close to tears. “Well, thanks.”
She didn’t want to discuss Mindy anymore and he didn’t press the issue, so they worked in silence.
“Hey, before we go back out there . . .” Nick hesitated, catching her eye. “I’ve been thinking about your idea, you know, to convert the house into a B&B? I think you need to tell the others. Tonight.”
“Really?” Lynette’s pulse picked up. “I don’t know. They’ll think it’s stupid.”
“Lynnie, do it. I’ll support you. Promise.”
Apprehension almost made her refuse, but then she nodded. “Okay. I guess it’s worth a shot.”
Nick carried the tray of steaming mugs out to the back lawn where the others sat on blankets around the fire pit.
“Well, it’s about time,” Liz complained. “What were you two doing in there? Never mind, I don’t want to know.”
Laughter rose up from the circle.
Lynette was glad for the dim light as she passed out coffee and cake and then took a seat beside Gray.
David cleared his throat and stretched his legs, kicking his deck shoes together. “Since we’re all here, and nobody’s killing anyone, I say we talk about the house.” His words sliced through the night, through Lynette’s heart. “I’ve met with Anthony Cooper. There’s a boutique hotel chain interested in the property. The price they’re willing to pay is astounding. I don’t see how we can refuse. So, I vote to sell.”
“I second it.” Liz brushed offending objects off her shirt and slid her legs beneath her like a gymnast. “Gray?”
“Whatever.”
Of course her brother’s answer would be noncommittal. Lynette glanced at Nick, but he was studying his hands.
“Lynnie?” Liz turned to her.
Lynette knew she had no choice. “Ryan’s not here.” It was a final attempt at stalling. “We can’t vote on anything without Ryan. And I think I might have a better idea.” She caught the flash of Nick’s smile through the semidarkness. “Do any of you understand what you’re deciding?” She swept an arm toward the house. “This is our home! We grew up here. Our lives are here . . . all our memories . . . We can’t just sign on the dotted line and let it go. Have you thought of what they’re going to do to it?”
She pulled in air and felt her chest tighten. “They’ll bulldoze it to the ground. Everything we ever loved and cared about will be gone. Everything!” A cry closed her throat and she stared at them. “I think we should consider something else.”
Nobody spoke. Waves crashed on the rocks below. The moon slid out from behind the clouds once more and lit their small gathering.
“Go on.” Nick’s voice was soft and barely audible, but she clung to it like a life preserver. “Tell them your idea.”
“What idea?” Liz was on the verge of a hissy fit. “Let me guess, you want to turn the place into a commune or a homeless shelter or something.”
“Liz, let her speak.” David sat beside Lynette, squeezed her shoulder, and gave a smile. “What’s the idea?”
“The guesthouse thing?” Gray asked. Lynette nodded and filled the others in.
“I think it’s brilliant.” Victoria spoke first. “I’ve checked out the hotels around here and they’re not cheap. If you could provide a nice alternative, a chance for people to really experience Nantucket the way it once was, to get a glimpse into the past, preserve a bit of history.” She clapped her hands together and smiled. “I love it.”
“Thanks.” Lynette allowed a tiny seed of hope to sprout. Maybe it wasn’t so crazy.
“In principle, the idea has merit.” Liz nodded, but then shook her head. “The house hasn’t been touched since Mom went slaphappy with a paintbrush when I was seven. And when did you last see a mustard-color refrigerator? You’d need to have a first-class kitchen, remodel all the bathrooms, redo the plumbing and the electric, and who knows what else. I shudder to think what that would cost. We’d never get a loan.”
David held up a hand. “It’s a nice idea, but I agree with Liz. Our relationship with the bank is pretty much shot. Would you agree, Nick?”
Nick looked thoughtful. “Yeah. And I know my dad really wants you to sell. But I’ve been thinking a lot about this. What if you had a few private investors? People with a vested interest in the property, willing to come on board with the money to back the project?”
“Sure.” David looked at Liz. “That could work, right?”
“I suppose.” She tapped her chin. “We’d all need to agree to this. And there’s still the question of feasibility. Even with the right investors.” Liz gave a nervous laugh. “You’re really suggesting this? That we attempt to renovate a house that’s practically falling down around us? Do I need to remind you how much money we’d get if we sold Wyldewood?”
Gray lifted his head and smiled. “Shortstop, I think you’re grasping at straws.”
“No, I’m not! And I don’t care about the money!” Lynette couldn’t let it go now. Somehow she had to convince them. “I know you all want to sell, but I actually care more about Dad and what happens to him.”
“Lynnie, come on, that’s not fair,” David said.
She shook her head. “No. I’ve put up with all of you telling me what to do my whole life. For once, I’m telling you how I feel. This was Mom’s house. Dad loves it as much as she did, and I want him to live here as long as possible. If I can keep him here, with the help he’s going to need, he’ll be so much happier. It’s not right to take him from his home. Not after everything he’s been through. So I’m not going to agree to sell. If you won’t at least look into the idea, I’ll do it on my own. And you’ll have to go to court to contest the will, because my mind is made up.”
They all stared at her, silent. Nick shot her a wink, but she looked away, her chest pounding. Never in her life had she dared raise her voice against her siblings.
She didn’t know whether to cheer or cry.
Gray gave a low whistle. “Well, it’s about freaking time you found your voice.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Hey, my life’s in that compost bin you’ve got going out back. I don’t have anywhere to go. I’ll stay and help. What about the rest of you? We could cut costs by doing the preliminary work ourselves, couldn’t we?”
“Probably.” David gripped the back of his neck and let out his breath. “I’d have to make some calls. See what we’re really looking at. What do you think, Liz?”
“I think it’s a terrible idea. I have a job to get back to. I can’t stay here and play Bob the Builder. I do actually have a life.”
“A life?” Gray snorted. “Going back for another round of abuse a la Lorenzo or whatever his name is?”
“Gray!” Lynette clapped a hand to her mouth as Liz swore and got to her feet. “Liz, what’s he talking about?”
“Nothing.” Her eyes shone through the night like lasers, ready to make short work of slicing Gray in half
. “His name is Laurence. He’s English, not Italian. And I don’t care for your insinuations.”
“If the shoe fits, babe.” Gray shook his head.
“Liz, sit.” David took charge again. He shrugged and cleared his throat. “I sure don’t have anywhere to go.”
“What does that mean?” Liz gaped.
Lynette felt sorry for her brother, but the truth had to come out sooner or later.
“Joss and I . . . Well, she didn’t exactly protest my coming here. We’ve had a bad patch. We’re working on things; I’m pretty sure we’ll get through it. But it’s been hard. And as of last month, I’m currently unemployed.”
“Sucks, man. Sorry.” Gray shot him a sympathetic look. “Well, work things out with your wife and get that family of yours out here, now that I’m sober enough to remember them. You still have just two kids, right?”
“Funny.” David laughed. “I can’t guarantee she’d jump at the idea of coming over right now, but you never know.” He looked around the group. “Liz? Will you at least consider Lynnie’s idea? Let us look into it?”
“I’ve got some preliminary plans drawn,” Nick said. “They’re not great, but it would give you a sense of what I think could be done.”
Lynette sent him a grateful smile, feeling more hopeful than she had in months.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me? Well, Nicholas—” Liz glared. “Since you and Lynette seem to be in cahoots with this harebrained scheme, let’s talk about investors. Any ideas?”
“Yeah.” Nick gave a slow nod and a hesitant smile that told Lynette what was coming before he spoke. “Me.”
Nick glanced around the group and gauged the mood. The moon came out from behind the clouds again and allowed him to see their faces.
David looked skeptical as always. Liz, astounded, probably itching to get to her laptop and start digging into his financial history. Tori stared at him through those big eyes that said nothing and everything. And Lynnie . . . He couldn’t quite look her way. Didn’t want to know what she was thinking. But it was Gray he was worried about.
The Things We Knew Page 18