“Gotcha. You’re right.” Albert gave him a pat on the shoulder. “We can do this.” Albert left to get the dolly.
He shouldn’t hand off the work involved in these arrangements to Delphine and Veronica’s mom, but Albert was right. If left to Grady, the gifts and clothes would sit in the lobby storage room forever. Out of sight, out of mind. And Delphine didn’t need anything else to pester him about.
Unreturned wedding gifts would stick in her mind, and she’d never give him a minute’s rest.
He wondered how Farren was managing and reached for the phone to call her but stayed his hand. He needed to focus on his task. Albert had stayed late to help him and, as difficult as this next hour would be, he had to face it.
Chapter Twelve
TEN P.M.
Farren decided Grady wasn’t calling. His promise to talk tonight had only been a reaction to their fake phone call silliness. She shouldn’t have put any stock in it.
She’d had a stress-filled day with Delphine. Every word Farren said had had to be weighed against the desire to be honest. But Grady was adamant about not wanting Delphine sticking her nose into his life. Farren had respected his wishes.
After spending the day with his sister, Farren couldn’t blame Grady for guarding his privacy.
The more time she’d spent with Delphine, the more she could see how he would need to distance himself from her controlling behavior. The towels hadn’t been stacked to her satisfaction and some of the sheets were a different shade of white. White was white to Farren and while she agreed about the slight difference in hue, it didn’t matter to her, nor would it matter to guests.
She and Delphine had spent over an hour matching the hues for the top and bottom sheets. Apparently, it wouldn’t do to have a cool white on the bottom and a warmer white on top. Delphine had wanted the sheets paired with the same color hue to prevent mixing the shades.
Finally, Farren had snapped. “The only person in the entire world who’d notice this slight difference, at a budget motel, would be you.”
Delphine had hmphed in her throat. “Or someone else who cares what they’re sleeping on.”
Farren had slumped against the stack of towels. “If they care that much, they wouldn’t be a guest of the Landseer, would they?”
Something about the purse of Delphine’s lips said Farren’s outburst had been satisfying. Odd thing to see.
Since Grady had decided not to call, she decided a bath would help her decompress before bed. She could read a bit and soak until she felt relaxed for sleep. She added lavender scented bath salts to the water and let the steam rise while she undressed in the bedroom. Her robe already hung from the hook behind the bathroom door, so she dropped her clothes, grabbed her phone from the arm of her sofa and returned to the bathroom. There, she drew in several deep breaths while she set the phone on the floor beside the tub. She turned off the faucet, stepped into the tub and then sank into the water.
The bath enclosure had been recovered and shone like new. The tub wasn’t deep, but she’d manage by sliding down until her shoulders were covered. Later, she’d scooch up, so her legs got the benefit of the soak.
She leaned over the tub wall and checked her messages for anything important, sighed when she realized she was free for the rest of the night, and sank into the water to just below her nose. The lavender scent soothed, and the hot water eased her shoulder and neck muscles. She wasn’t sore, exactly, but tired from the stress of the day and Delphine. The woman was draining.
Someday, she mused, she’d have a deep soaker tub of her own and love every decadent moment using it.
Her phone buzzed and she startled. Peering over the rim of the tub, she saw Grady’s name on the screen. She flicked her fingers to get as much water off them as possible while the phone buzzed insistently. She wiped her hands across the terry floor mat and hit the answer button where the phone lay.
“Hi,” she called. “Hold on, I’m wet.” She dragged the floor mat up and dried both hands completely before picking up the phone. So much for her quiet soak. Still, she felt warmth flow through her, and not from the hot water.
“Are you in the tub?” Grady asked, his voice at least an octave lower than usual.
Oh, she really didn’t want him imagining her. Did she?
“No, I’m ah...washing dishes.”
He chuckled in her ear. “Sure, you are. Because that’s what everyone does at ten thirty at night. You forget that I know what an accomplished liar you are.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you saw the blush in my cheeks. I give myself away.”
His chuckle deepened as it resonated through her. Her body responded in ways that would’ve shocked her younger self.
“I’m sorry for calling this late,” he said. “I tried to finish up earlier, but once word was out that I was here, the texts and calls wouldn’t stop. I’ve been hounded into my foxhole.”
He sounded tired and she made a sympathetic sound in her throat.
“I’m not used to this anymore,” he went on. “When I was in Last Chance Beach, people respected my privacy and kept their messages and calls to emergencies only. Also, last time I was here, I had an assistant to screen calls and handle the small stuff.” He hitched a breath and paused. “But I’m done talking about my day. How was yours?”
The poor man must have been reminded at every turn that Veronica wasn’t with him now. He had no assistant and no bride. She kept her tone light because he’d been surrounded by darkness all day.
“Poor you.” She crooned. “I sympathize. It’s hard being the boss. When I worked at the Sands, I was part of a team but now? Wow, all the decisions are mine.” It was a challenge.
“If you win you get the credit but if you fail you can’t blame anyone but yourself.”
“And for you, there’s the added concern about keeping people employed.” He had offices in New York and other large cities across the globe.
“I keep the operation as small as I can. Some of my people work from home in other markets.”
“Oh, I wasn’t sure.” She’d been picturing private jets and yachts and all the trappings of billionaires at play.
“We keep big business happy, Farren. But we’re not huge ourselves. We find whatever real estate holdings our clients need. Factories in the Midwest. Or land for housing developments. Or repurposing malls that have closed. It’s a tough, competitive business that runs on networking and connections. My time away was noted.”
She sank to shoulder height in the water, which meant her wet knees were exposed.
“When I have my own place, I’m installing a really deep tub,” she muttered. If Singles Fest was the success she dreamed it could be, she had her eye on a cottage down the beach. Nearly derelict, it sat alone and—
“I’m trying not to think of you in the tub,” Grady murmured in her ear, “so I’d appreciate it if you skipped the commentary so I can continue not thinking of you wet in the tub.” He cleared his throat. “Did you fake out Delphine?”
She splashed to a full sit, trying to dispel the thought of him imagining her nude.
“Your splashing isn’t helping, Farren.”
“Sorry, I’ll try to keep still. Do you still want to talk?”
There was a long pause.
And then, he responded, still raspy, still deep. “How did things go with my sister?”
With an inward sigh of relief, she spoke in a subdued tone. “She can be hard to read sometimes. But, yes, I believe she believes we’re dating.” She wished he’d let the whole being in the bathtub thing go. It was too intimate for their relationship.
If they were really dating, they could have some fun with the situation, but they weren’t dating and they weren’t intimate, no matter how sexy and alluring his deep voice sounded in her ear.
She told him about the discussion with Delphine in the linen supply closet. “It was a total waste of time, but she was so set on sorting the sheets her way.”
“She’s a pe
rfectionist, but this seems too much, even for her. She was testing you.”
“I can’t say why I went along with her.” She huffed. “One minute I had lots of other things to do and the next she had me holding the cool toned white sheets while she dug out the warmer hued sheets. We paired cool with cool and warm with warm. I’m still not sure why I allowed it.” She’d left a few other small jobs undone because Delphine had wasted so much time.
“I’m nodding my head in case you’re wondering,” he said with a quiet chuckle. “But I can’t explain her motives. She’s not your sister, so I don’t understand why she’d interfere with you or your day. You handled the visit to the house okay, right?”
“Yes, I know where you keep your coffee, and we didn’t linger in there. She did note that I hadn’t brought any of my furniture to your place.”
She hadn’t conjured a visual of Grady until now, but the thought came to her that he could be stretched out on his bed as they talked. She squeezed her eyes shut to dispel the image, but no luck. Was he under the covers or on top? Dressed or in his boxers ready to sleep? Or maybe he wore briefs.
Or nothing at all.
She gulped.
“I think I understand why you’ve avoided her lately.” She didn’t agree with sibling estrangements but sometimes a break could be a good thing.
“I have my reasons,” he said gravely. “Did you get through your interviews?”
“Yes, and Delphine was a great help. I learned a lot. It’s tough knowing someone is sitting in front of you who really needs the job, and you only have a limited number to go around. Fifteen people showed up for each position.”
She’d given priority to the previous employees, but some of them were aging out of the workforce. “A few of the old-timers who worked for your great-aunt should be retired, but I didn’t have the heart to pass them over.”
“Maybe they came in out of curiosity.”
“Maybe. But I appreciated Delphine being there. She kept me on track and was kind to everyone without giving away her opinion.”
“Which she shared with you as soon as each interview was over, right?”
“Right. I took lots of notes.”
He chuckled and the sound reverberated down to her wet, lavender-scented toes.
“I’m sure you did,” he said quietly, as if he knew the effect he was having. She almost forgot what they were talking about.
“I’ll call the people I’m hiring in the morning and once they’ve said yes or no, I’ll advise the others by email or text, if they prefer.” Delphine had said most employers don’t contact the people they decide not to hire, but Farren felt that was rude. People showed up for a job and they deserved the courtesy of knowing the outcome.
“Good. Last Chance Beach is a small town and word gets around if you’re not a good employer and courtesy is appreciated.” He paused. “How are things otherwise?”
“Fine. Everything’s fine.” She smiled and she knew he’d hear it in her next words. “What about you? I want to know all the details about your triumphant return to the Big Apple. I know you must have been reminded of Veronica, and I’m sorry for that. But did you realize you miss the city? Or did you have a different reaction?”
“It’s a pain. Too many people want too much of my time, and I’m already tired of the hustle. It’s crowded and loud and when I was younger, I loved it. The clubs and parties, the way business runs; everything was fun. But now? These last few months have changed me.”
“Oh. Well, loss will do that. It’s normal.” She shouldn’t have asked.
“I wanted to call earlier, but I needed to talk with some people about Veronica’s clothes and personal things. I don’t keep my phone by the bed and you’re my last call of the day.”
“Oh.” Was she an afterthought or the last item on an exhausting must-do list?
“I saved the best for last,” he admitted softly. His voice traveled the length of her this time, warming her and making her feel too much.
“That’s nice of you to say. I admit I looked forward to chatting tonight. It’s different knowing you’re not in town. We don’t see each other much, but it seems odd that I can’t knock on your door and chat.”
“Do you want to?” His voice lowered even more. “Knock on my door to talk?”
She shifted and winced when she realized he must hear the water slosh with every movement.
“Sometimes.” The bath was beginning to chill, but she couldn’t stand up because he’d know. He’d already taken a mental picture of her; she didn’t need to add to the portfolio. “Yes,” she admitted. “Especially at the end of the day, like this. It would be great to have someone to bounce ideas around with.”
“I’d like that, too. There’s something about clearing your mind when the rush of the day is over.”
She heard a rustle in the background. It was faint, but real. “Are you in the living room?”
“No.”
The rustle she heard meant he could only be in one other place. Oh. “But you said you don’t keep your phone by the bed anymore.”
“I didn’t say I was in bed, Farren.”
“Okay.” Whatever the rustle was, it was none of her business. She mentally erased the image of him stretched out on rumpled sheets. Well, she tried to, anyway. Once she conjured the scene, it was impossible to get rid of.
He sighed loudly and she imagined his hot breath in her ear. Oh, she had it bad. Now she was having auditory fantasies on top of the visuals she was trying hard to wipe.
“I should go,” he said, with reluctance. “I’ve got an early start tomorrow.”
She didn’t want to hang up, but this had to end sometime. “I’m turning into a prune anyway.”
“Can we do this again tomorrow night?”
“I’ll be around,” she said coolly, as if it didn’t matter if he called or not.
“Then it’s a date.” He chuckled as he disconnected.
GRADY ROSE FROM THE bed, shucked his jockeys, and tossed them in his laundry basket. No way could he tell Farren he’d been stretched out, thinking of her in that too-shallow bathtub, naked. He hadn’t even tried to get the images out his mind. Truth was, he didn’t want to because he was curious about her. He’d nuzzled her neck, bussed her cheek, held her hand, cooked for her and laughed with her. Their kisses had been far too chaste, and he wasn’t sure when he’d decided that had to change.
He had a lot to look forward to and it had been a long time since he’d felt this way.
He padded out to the kitchen, put his phone on the counter, mentally thanked Veronica for insisting on the distance between his bed and the phone and then wandered back to bed. Sleep would take a long time to come tonight.
Chapter Thirteen
JULY 3 THE LANDSEER Motel
Farren stood by the pool behind a table with brochures and a schedule to hand out to each family group as they arrived. Her stomach was rolling and bounding like an Olympic gymnast from one side of her body to the other. She’d been taking deep breaths since she’d woken up, trying to contain her nerves. She told herself they helped. “Welcome to Singles Fest, I’m Farren Parks, your host.”
She shook hands with an excited redhead with the classic light blue eyes and creamy white skin. A bridge of freckles decorated her nose. But her smile made her whole body look as if it were lit from the inside. “I’m Val Andrews and this is my son, Topher.”
Val looked to be in her early thirties and eager for a good time. Exactly the type of client Singles Fest aimed for. Farren handed her the brochure for Barnacle Bill’s Minigolf and the menu from the J Roger. Thanks to Grady’s phone call to Bill Fester, grandson Tom saw the wisdom of helping a new business that was trying to increase tourism for the whole community.
She tapped the brochure to draw Val’s eye. “You’ll find a discount coupon if you want to go play separately from the group outing. And the J Roger restaurant is a nice stroll’s distance along the beach. But we’re having a welcome barbecue with hot
dogs and burgers at five-thirty, right here.”
“This will be so much fun,” Val replied as she looked at the papers in her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you.” She squeezed Topher’s hand. “We’re going to have a blast.”
Topher nodded his head at his mother. Then he looked at Farren. “Hullo, nice to meetcha.”
“I hope you have a lot of fun,” Farren said to the boy. She leaned toward Val to share her secret. “This is the first weekend for Singles Fest and if you need anything or have any suggestions on how to make this more fun, I’m listening.”
“Just having Topher entertained while I’m out with real live grownups sounds wonderful.” The woman said with a shy smile. “That’s why I’m here, so we can have a break from each other, and both have fun on our own. And have fun together, too.”
Topher, who looked about seven, chimed in. “I want to learn to swim,” he said with a look of longing at the pool.
Farren hadn’t arranged for lessons. An oversight, but a great idea.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have swimming lessons on the schedule.” At his disappointed look, she went on, “But I’ll see if I can arrange something for you Topher.” She scrambled mentally. Maybe she could beg Eva for a favor this one time.
“We do have a lifeguard for the organized pool time,” she assured Val. “I love the idea of offering lessons.” She grinned at Topher. “Thanks for asking about them.”
“We’ll manage,” Val said happily. “I can get him into the shallow end and see if he floats,” she teased. “But he may be too full of candy and fast food.” It was Val’s turn to lean in over the table. “He’s already been having treats in the car. The drive from Richmond was fun. Just the two of us, no phones, no work, and all the anticipation of the weekend.”
Clearly, Val was her perfect client. Here for fun with her child, but also needing a break from single parenting. And maybe there’d be a special connection with someone. Farren’s heart filled with happy anticipation for Val and Topher.
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