An hour later, Austin pulled up to the Winthrop’s rental house. Skye glanced over at him, her emotions clashing inside her. Part of her wanted to reach over and kiss him, and the other part of her wanted to run.
Instead of dealing with that now, she just needed to figure out this other part of her life. She hoped today might provide some answers.
“Be safe,” Austin said, his voice sounding as hoarse as his gaze was strained.
“I will be. Thank you.”
Tension pulled between them. Before Skye could question it too much, she opened her door and stepped out. One problem at a time, she reminded herself.
She brushed her hair back from her face as she walked up to the front door. Ginger Winthrop answered, the cold smile on her face as lifeless as her signature pearls.
“Skye, so glad you could make it.” Her words sounded nowhere near sincere.
“Thanks for having me.” She stepped inside the huge house, trying not to gape at the fancy decorations. But the place was impressive with its driftwood-colored floors, leather couches, and no-expense-spared decorations.
“Ms. Skye, Ms. Skye!” a little voice said. Briar appeared around the corner. “I heard you were coming.”
“Hey, you.” Skye felt her whole face glow with delight every time she saw him. “How are you today?”
“I’m bored again. Want to play sand soccer?”
“Now, Briar, we’re all having lunch together,” Ginger scolded. “Give the nice woman some space.”
Nice woman. Had Ginger chosen those words on purpose to put Skye in her place? To make her sound like a stranger?
Briar frowned. “Maybe later.”
Skye smiled again. “Yes, maybe later.”
“Can I go show you the lazy river in the back yard?” he continued.
Skye glanced at Ginger, who looked irritated. Finally, the woman nodded. “I suppose that can’t hurt anything.”
Briar grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. Skye could hardly keep up. He finally stopped on the other side of the house, opened a sliding glass door, and pulled her outside.
“There it is. Look at it.”
Skye’s eyes widened. The backyard was a sight to behold. A swimming pool glimmered with turquoise-colored water. A lazy river stretched around it. A few putting greens to the side. Beyond all of that was the Atlantic Ocean.
“It looks perfect, Briar,” she told him.
“Maybe you could come try it sometime.”
Skye looked down at him and smiled again. “Maybe.”
“I forgot to take my raft out of the pool. I’ve got to go get it. Be right back!”
And as quickly as Briar had led her outside, he was gone.
Someone else stepped up behind her. “He likes you.”
Skye turned and saw Ian standing there. “I like him too.”
He leaned on the railing, looking a little stiff for Ian. “This lunch may not be as fun as my father thinks it will.”
“Your sister pretty much hates me.”
“I wish I could deny it.”
“It makes me think she’s keeping secrets from me.”
“I warned you—you shouldn’t push it.”
“Why? Because you’re hiding something?”
Ian pressed his lips together. “Because life is complicated. My family is used to getting what they want, and they don’t want anyone to mess that up.”
Ian’s words caused a coolness to spread across Skye’s chest.
“But don’t worry. I’ve got your back.” Ian grabbed her hand.
Skye pulled away. “You won’t even answer my questions.”
“There’s nothing to answer. Just because you’re speculating, doesn’t mean there’s any truth to be found. But accusations can ruin a person’s life.”
His words hung in the air.
“There you are!” Atticus appeared around the corner. “It’s time to eat. Skye, we’re so glad you could join us. Now, come on before the tuna gets cold.”
She followed them to a large dining table that probably seated eighteen people. Emma sat there, her husband again absent. He apparently hadn’t joined her on this vacation. Ian sat beside Emma, and Briar at one end of the table along with Atticus and Ginger Winthrop.
It was the perfect setup for an awkward conversation.
Before they even could start to chitchat, food was served, and everyone began digging in. Skye tried to lose herself in the scent of grilled peppers, a spring salad with a citrus vinaigrette, and the savory grilled tuna.
“So, Skye, tell us what you’ve been up to,” Atticus said.
Skye drew in a deep breath, almost regretting coming here.
But this would be worth it if Skye got answers to her questions.
And if she made it out of here alive.
Chapter Twenty
“I run a produce stand,” Skye answered. Why did that answer feel so shameful around such an ambitious, successful family? There was no shame in doing what you loved. Yet she almost felt embarrassed.
Everyone stared at her blankly.
“A produce stand,” Atticus finally said. “How quaint.”
“It’s a simple life, but I like it.” Skye cleared her throat. “How about you? I heard a rumor you’re running for office.”
“That’s right. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ll be officially announcing my candidacy soon.”
Skye wiped her mouth with her linen napkin, hardly tasting any of her food. “How about your company?”
“We’ve been training Ian for years to take over. I trust it will all be in good hands if I have to step down one day.”
“That’s great, then.” Skye lifted her water goblet and took a sip, trying not to show her nerves.
“I think fruit is yummy. Can I help you run the stand?” Briar stared at her from the other side of the table. “That sounds fun. Not as fun as soccer, though.”
Her heart pounded. This boy . . . he seemed to share so much of her heart.
Skye couldn’t be wrong about all this, could she? Briar must be her son. This family had tricked her.
And now she was sitting here, eating with them like nothing had transpired eight years ago.
She held her outrage at bay. The best way to get through this was to keep the upper hand and not let her emotions get the best of her. But she wasn’t leaving here without asking some hard questions.
Austin sat in his truck, his mind racing.
What was going on in there?
He didn’t know. And he couldn’t know. Even if Skye needed his help, Austin would be hard-pressed to figure it out.
Skye might have a son.
That hadn’t fully sunk in yet. Nor had it sunk in how that might change Skye’s life.
She’d lived with a lot of guilt for a lot of years. That was a heavy burden to carry.
No wonder she’d looked so untrusting. Everyone had let her down.
Austin didn’t want to be that kind of person.
His phone rang, and he looked at the screen.
It was Jon Tibbetts, the private investigator he’d hired. His heart rate kicked up a notch as he put the phone to his ear.
“I’ve got good news,” Tibbetts said.
“I could use some good news.”
“I found your mom.”
Everything else seemed to fade from around him for a minute. “And?”
“And . . . she’s working as a cosmetologist in Georgia. She divorced her third husband about five years ago. No other children. Lives in an apartment by herself.”
“Is that right?” Austin searched for the right words, the right reaction. He wasn’t sure what those things were, though.
“Do you want me to approach her? See if she wants to meet with you or talk to you on the phone?”
He stared out the window another moment. This was it. The moment he’d been waiting for. A reckoning of sorts, and a chance to make things right.
So why did he hesitate? Why did the thought of talk
ing to her again cause him to pause?
So much history stretched between them. He knew it was time to put that history to rest. Despite that, he found himself saying, “Give me a day to think about it. I want to be certain of my decision.”
“Okay. I’ll wait to hear from you.”
After a mostly strained conversation during lunch, everyone finally finished eating. The tension across Skye’s shoulders grew with every second that passed.
Maybe she shouldn’t have come.
But she wasn’t going to leave here knowing only what she had when she’d arrived. No, she couldn’t waste this opportunity. She had to time it just right.
When Atticus stepped onto the deck for some fresh air, Skye saw the chance. She excused herself and followed him. It was now or never.
“Thank you again for joining us, Skye,” he said, looking out over the ocean. “There’s something about this area that brings a lot of peace.”
“I think so too. Thank you for inviting me.” Skye stood beside him, also staring at the water in the distance. “Mr. Winthrop, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Is Briar my son?” The question hung out there, filled with electricity as it hovered in the air a moment, threatening to strike anyone at any minute.
Finally, Atticus chuckled. “You’ve got guts. I’ll give you that. Why in the world would you think Briar is your child?”
“He’s the right age. The right look. The right circumstance.”
Atticus turned toward her, pity in his gaze. “Skye, I’m sorry if you’ve gotten your hopes up, but Briar isn’t yours. Besides, you had a closed adoption. In order to find him, you need to hire a lawyer. Maybe—just maybe—you can find him that way.”
Skye wasn’t going to fall for his story. She was no longer the naïve girl who’d been desperate to belong. “I think Emma adopted my baby. That your family planned all of it from the moment I found out I was pregnant.”
Atticus turned to her, something unreadable in his gaze. “I know what this is about.”
Skye’s back straightened as she prepared for whatever he had to say. “And what’s that?”
“You want more money.”
“More money?” The breath left her lungs.
“My wife told me you extorted money from her and left town.”
Skye gaped at the lies that were being spewed. “That’s not what happened.”
“I can’t give you more money, Skye I want to start this election with clean hands.”
“I did not extort money.” Her words came out through clenched teeth, and every ounce of her self-control had to kick into gear before she lost it. “Your wife paid me off. On her own. I had nothing to do with it.”
Atticus’s gaze darkened, and the friendly man present only moments ago disappeared. “Now you’re insulting my family?”
“I’m telling the truth.”
He turned toward her and looked her dead in the eye. “Let’s just be straight with each other, Skye. You’re a nice girl. But you’re never going to make anything of yourself. You couldn’t even afford to pay for a child. You know it’s true. We both do.”
Tears rushed to her eyes. He’d known how to hit her where it hurt. “I could have made it work.”
“Skye, your child is better off without you.” His words held authority. Definite authority.
She wiped the moisture beneath her cheeks as the words battered her.
“That’s not true.” Skye’s voice trembled, giving away the doubt she wanted to conceal.
“This conversation is over, Skye. I’m sorry. I thought we could have a pleasant dialogue here, but I can see that’s not the case. I’ll let you walk yourself out. And if you come near Briar again, I’ll file a restraining order against you.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Tears masked Skye’s vision as she hurried back inside, grabbed her purse, and rushed toward the front door. Before she could exit, someone called her name.
“Thanks for coming, Ms. Skye.”
She froze before wiping her eyes and slowly turning. Briar stood there.
Her heart felt like it might burst inside her—with both love and anxiety.
Skye felt even surer than ever that this child was hers. But she’d never be able to battle such a powerful family. They’d stop her at every turn. Make her look like the bad guy. In fact, Skye would probably end up in prison or destitute if she continued to push that.
Yet how could she walk away from her child? She knew the answer.
She couldn’t.
Skye leaned toward Briar, pulling herself together. “Thank you for having me today. It was really fun. And you’re a really great boy.”
“Sand soccer?”
She frowned. “I wish I could, but I have to go.”
“Maybe another time?”
“Maybe.” But Skye’s heart ached again because she knew there would be a lot of obstacles before there was a next time.
Someone stepped from behind her and took her arm. “I’m here to escort you out.”
She turned and saw a member of the family’s security team.
“I don’t need to be escorted.” Skye jerked out of the man’s grasp, but he reached for her again.
“The family says otherwise.”
“You’re squeezing my arm too hard and hurting me.” She tried to get away but couldn’t.
“I’ll let go—as soon as you’re outside.”
“Don’t hurt her!” Briar’s face morphed with outrage. “Let her go!”
The security guard ignored him.
Everything seemed to blur around Skye as the guard pulled her to the door, as Briar protested, as more tears tried to fall.
“Hey!” a new voice said. “Get your hands off her.”
Ian rushed toward them, grabbed the security guard, and jerked him back. “You’re taking things too far.”
The guard let go and raised his hands in the air. “I’m just doing what I was told to do.”
“I’ll take it from here. Briar, give me a minute, okay?”
The little boy looked at them with wide, orb-like eyes but finally nodded. “Bye, Ms. Skye.”
“Bye, Briar.” Part of Skye felt like she was saying goodbye forever. But she would fight to make sure that wasn’t the case.
“Are you okay?” Ian asked once everyone else cleared the space.
Skye nodded, even though no part of her felt okay. “I guess so.”
“I know my family is rough.” His voice dipped with compassion. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t fit in here. I never did.” She wasn’t disappointed at the realization. No, she just needed Ian to understand that and to get that look out of his eyes—the look that seemed to want more than friendship.
“You know I don’t care what my family thinks.”
“You never did, did you?” No, Ian was his own person. But it wasn’t because he wanted to be an individual. No, it was because he was rebellious.
After a moment of silence, Ian nodded toward the door. “You want me to drive you home, Skye?”
She shook her head. “No, I have a friend picking me up.”
Some of the light disappeared from Ian’s gaze. “Your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” As Austin’s face flashed in her mind, the hollowness in her gut grew. Skye wished he could be her boyfriend. She wished those moments of bliss they’d had together could last forever. But reality could be a stronger, more formidable force than all of her wishes and dreams combined.
“Yeah, well, I’m not sure he knows that.”
She turned away, her emotions bubbling to the surface too easily. “I should go. By the way, thanks for leaving that money at my produce stand.”
Ian stared at her.
“The two one-hundred-dollar bills,” she reminded him.
Finally he nodded. “Oh, that. You’re welcome. No big deal.”
“It’s a big deal to me.” Maybe he had changed.
“
I hope to see you again while we’re here, Skye. I don’t care what my family says.”
“It’s probably not a good idea.” Why did her soul feel like it was being ripped in two?
Ian touched her waist. “I’ve always thought we were a good idea, Skye.”
Before his voice could roll over her anymore, she pulled the door open and stepped outside.
She had to get herself together . . . and then figure out the next step.
Austin stepped out of his truck as he saw Skye exit the house. He squinted. She didn’t look happy. What exactly had happened in there?
She barely stopped long enough to look at him. No, she hurried past and climbed into his truck.
He clambered back in also and glanced at her.
She’d obviously been crying. Her cheeks and eyes were red and moist. Her actions seemed hollow and empty.
“Skye . . . ?”
She squeezed the skin between her eyes. “I need to get out of here, Austin.”
“I can do that. Where do you want to go?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t care. How about your place?”
Austin put the truck into drive and quietly started down the road. He wanted to demand answers. But he knew pushing that hard wasn’t the way to go with Skye. She’d open up in her own time.
But his heart felt as if it was breaking a little as he watched her suffer in silence beside him.
“I’m here if you want to talk,” he finally said.
“I know. Thank you.” Skye still didn’t make eye contact with him. No, her head was lowered, her body tense, and her face wet.
Anger burned inside him. What had they done to her? He knew going into their house was a bad idea.
His phone buzzed. As he pulled up to a stop sign, he glanced down at it. It was that stupid security system again, letting him know that his door had opened. He had to uninstall the alarm, but he hadn’t had time to yet.
He pulled up to his place five minutes later and held Skye’s arm as they walked up the steps.
Just as he thought, his front door was closed and locked. With Skye waiting on the porch, he checked out the rest of the place. It was clear.
Tides of Deception (Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense Book 1) Page 11