Blue Heaven (Blue Lake)

  “She didn’t know that. And there’s enough proof there for any court of law.”

  “So during the party she went into my files,” Eva said. Daniel’s heart ached for her. She just didn’t know how crazy Jane could get when she went off her meds and started drinking. And really, he hadn’t, either. She’d pulled crap before that her father had explained away, but nothing this bad. Jane must have sensed how much he truly loved Eva. “I knew it was stupid to keep all my passwords in my top drawer.” Eva rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Didn’t Jane help you with the art on your website?”

  “Yeah, we were at that computer together plenty of times. She knew the way to my site, knew how my bookings are set up. It would be easy for her to locate the contact info of my guests. I feel like an idiot for ever trusting her.”

  “Try being me. I dated that woman for years.”

  “I guess you have a point.”

  Then the bell rang. Through the glass insert on the door, they could make out the faces of Paul and Jane Augustine standing on the porch.

  Chapter Thirty

  A sheriff’s car was outside, parked in front of the house. Daniel pulled out a copy of the video He’d sent a copy via email to the sheriff the minute he’d seen the thing his buddy had alerted him to on the video. At the time, they’d been drinking and neither of them had any idea what it meant.

  “I swear I didn’t ask them to come,” Daniel said.

  “No. I know. But I want to see her,” Eva said.

  Daniel let them in. Eva had never met Paul Augustine, but now he looked to her like a beaten old man. His face sagged with sorrow and his jowls vibrated with emotion.

  Eva had never seen Jane so messed up. Her hair was snarled, her wrist was bandaged, she stumbled when she walked. Maybe the doctor had given her a pain pill. She didn’t seem like the same person Eva thought she knew.

  Daniel sat back down next to Eva on the sofa and Jane plopped gracelessly into a chair opposite them. Paul Augustine stood behind Jane, one hand on her shoulder.

  Jane’s eyes were shot with red as if every blood vessel in her whites had popped. She looked like she had a major case of pink eye. And her nose was red as well. She looked more defeated than crazy, as if her acts of lunacy in the past few days were a grand experiment that had failed.

  “Thank you for seeing us, Eva.” Paul Augustine stood behind Jane’s chair with his hand on her shoulder. “Jane has something she’d like to say to you.”

  Jane pulled in a shaky breath. She had not so far met Eva’s eyes. She was instead looking down at her bare legs, tanned and toned, below her workout shorts. The irrelevant thought that spooled through Eva’s head was that it was too early in the season to be tan. Jane probably went to a spa in Port Huron to spray tan herself. Why hadn’t she noticed Jane’s self-absorption before? Her vanity? Her insanity?

  Eva didn’t know why she was focusing on such silly details. It could be that her heart hurt, still. She’d really believed that in Jane she’d found a friend for life. But it had all been a lie.

  Jane looked up, looked Eva right in the eye.

  “I did like you, you know,” she said.

  It wasn’t exactly an apology. When Daniel had told her what really happened, she’d felt things slot back into perfect place. But no. There was one piece missing here, one thing that would never be right again. Her friendship with Jane. Which had been a lie from the minute Jane had introduced herself in the bar. Paul Augustine’s hand squeezed his daughter’s shoulder with a bit more pressure.

  “I can’t, Daddy. I just can’t say I’m sorry for trying to win him back.”

  “You don’t have to say that, honey. What you need to apologize for is trying to ruin Ms. Delacroix’s business. You need to apologize for accessing her personal accounts and creating havoc in her life.”

  “I do apologize for that,” Jane said, woodenly, but again looking down and not at Eva. “I don’t want to go to jail,” she said.

  Eva felt torn. Nobody should be offered a get out of jail free card just because they were rich.

  “That’s not up to me.”

  Paul Augustine nodded. Jane stared blankly at her manicure. Man-eating red, Eva noticed. To match her eyes. Which was when Eva realized something. Jane might be rich. She might be privileged. But she suffered too. She might even have legitimate mental problems, Eva didn’t know about that, but she did know about suffering, and about wanting something, or someone, so bad that you’d do almost anything to make it happen. Hadn’t she done that with Blue Heaven? Of course, she’d used legal means. But still. This entire incident would be a minor blip on the screen of her life—if she could believe that Jane would never do anything like this again. She never wanted to see Jane again. She didn’t want to live in the same town as her.

  “I don’t want to live here, seeing the two of them all the time, holding hands. It would make me sick.” Jane found a hangnail and tore it off so violently that her finger beaded with blood. She wiped it on her bare leg. Mr. Augustine pretended not to notice.

  “There are places for people like my daughter,” Paul said to Daniel and Eva, “secure facilities where she will get the help she needs.”

  Eva realized he was talking about a mental hospital. Probably a really nice one where Jane would be comfortable and sheltered, but also get the help she so obviously needed.

  Jane seemed to have no sense of what she’d done wrong. There was no remorse. Maybe she was drugged, or maybe she was a sociopath. Eva didn’t know.

  “It’s not up to us. Jane’s fate is out of our hands,” Daniel said.

  “See,” Jane said, looking up again into Eva’s eyes. She stuck her bloody finger where the wound had beaded up in her mouth and sucked. Then she took it out, inspected it, smiled, maybe pleased that it was clean. “He still worries about me. He cares about me, and there’s not a thing you can do about that. He only loves you because you have the prime Bryman property…”

  Jane would have gone on, but her father said “Jane!” in the sternest tone he’d used yet. “Enough!” Paul yanked Jane’s arm and she stood. “I think we’ve said enough for today.”

  Deputy Montcalm was on the porch. Paul walked Jane to the sheriff’s vehicle. He kissed her and then let the deputy drive her away.

  “She’ll be out on bail by morning.” Eva was so tired. She just wanted life to go back to normal.

  “They may realize she’s a flight risk and deny bail.” Daniel hugged her tight and she let him.

  ****

  For the rest of the day that started so badly and ended so well, Daniel took care of Eva. He drove her home to check on the cats. The police tape was gone, so was her laptop. Daniel made her dinner at his place. He gave her a cup of tea and a stack of shelter magazines he’d bought at the bookstore in Port Huron. Then he sat with his laptop, figuring out, he said, the logistics of her second, overbooked week. She just couldn’t handle one more detail, so she’d been happy to let him have a go at solving the overbooking problem. She had no idea what he’d say to her customers or how he’d work it out, but he vowed everyone would be satisfied.

  Eva felt as if she were being taken care of. She felt safe, and loved. She looked at the photos in the magazines, not bothering to read the articles. It reminded her.

  “The magazine photographer and writer will be here Monday.”

  Daniel looked up from his laptop. In all the Jane craziness, Eva knew he’d forgotten that, too. She could see the wheels turning. Daniel had looked forward to the magazine people seeing a full house, but Blue Heaven would be empty.

  “I’m just finishing up,” he said. “I don’t think it will be a problem. After all, they’re doing the piece on the entire town.”

  She nodded and went back to flipping through American Bungalow. After an hour or so, Daniel logged off. She put down her magazine when he got up from the desk and came to sit with her on the couch.

  Since she was sitting with her feet stretched across the sofa, he
picked them up and put them on his lap, absently giving her a delicious foot rub in the process.

  “Here’s my idea. Three couples took the Sugarbush week and signed on for next week at Blue Heaven as well. That means nine reservations and six cottages.”

  Eva nodded.

  “So, we move the three couples who are at Sugarbush this week into the bungalow.”

  “Where will I sleep?” Eva didn’t like it, but she had to admit it was a good solution. She’d have never thought of it, because it meant she’d lose privacy and have to sleep on her sofa. Not her idea of a workable solution, but hell, she’d make it work, even if she had to sleep in the gazebo.

  “That’s my other idea. You sleep here. With me and Bob. Bring Mama and the kittens if that makes you feel better.”

  She nodded. “You certainly have enough bedrooms.”

  “I was sort of hoping you’d share my room.”

  “What about corrupting a minor?”

  “Bob knows we’re in love.”

  There was that word. The one that made her heart melt. And it had to be true. He had to love her to go to so much trouble for her. Every action he’d taken today, really almost since the day he’d met her, showed how much he cared.

  But things had not really been resolved between them. He was still going to Georgia, and she’d still be here without him. Sure, he’d promised to return, but she didn’t want a long-distance relationship. Of course, she was going to take it, like it or not, because the other option, breaking up, was just not acceptable.

  “I do love you,” she said. “If I didn’t know before, today sealed the deal. You’re amazing.”

  “You used to say I was bossy.”

  “Sometimes it’s nice to know your lover’s got your back.”

  “Good, because there’s more.”

  Geez. What else? She was still thinking about strangers taking over her bungalow. That was weird. She couldn’t quite get comfortable with the idea. Maybe she’d sleep at Daniel’s but remain in the kitchen and living room of her place every day from breakfast until midnight.

  “Remember how we talked about getting Luke’s mom and her friend to help you clean and take care of things around here?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, they’re starting tomorrow. And next week, one of them will be on the premises at all times, from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. or whenever the last guest goes to bed.”

  “I can deal with that.” Eva was so grateful she wanted to fling herself into Daniel’s arms. But then again, the foot rub felt good, too.

  “Your cash flow problems are over, so I offered them the going rate for service help.”

  “Let me guess. Cash.”

  He laughed. “No, but I added enough to their base pay to cover taxes. Everybody wins.”

  “You’ve thought of everything.”

  Daniel smiled. “Wanda is going to make coffee and do a continental breakfast for everyone upstairs. There will be fresh cookies for the kids and cocktails for the grownups in the gazebo at six, board games and soft drinks on the porch, and a van to drive anyone who wants transportation into town for a day of shopping, lunch, or dinner and back to Blue Heaven whenever they’re ready to return.”

  Eva sat up, her feet and body totally relaxed from Daniel’s ministrations. He’d incorporated every single idea they’d talked about through the weeks. Even the ones that seemed too much to hope for, like a van and extra help.

  “You did all that in an hour?”

  “Technically, it was two, but who’s counting?”

  “So, this van, will it be giving tours of the town that Bryman built?”

  “How’d you guess?”

  “And I bet Bob’s driving.”

  He nodded. “I’ll do the talking, he’ll do the driving. At least next week. I plan to hire someone to give the tour after that.”

  “What about your friend that did the videos? Didn’t you say he only works part time?”

  Daniel nodded. “We make a great team,” he said.

  She hugged him and he gave her a long and lingering kiss.

  “Thank you,” she said. He truly was her Superman.

  “Don’t mention it,” he said, kissing her again.

  She felt his kisses down to her toes, made her want to be somewhere horizontal with him, preferably in a place that Bob couldn’t pop into at any moment.

  “In the interest of testing out your plan, I think I’d like to see your bed now. You know, to try out the mattress, see if I can sleep in it through the night.”

  “We can do that,” Daniel said.

  ****

  Daniel’s bedroom made her sad. The furniture was clearly his parents’, except for the new king-sized bed. She’d been on that bed before. She remembered what they’d said. She put it out of her mind by stripping naked as quickly as possible and diving onto the inviting bed. She watched him undress, just a bit behind her. He laughed as he joined her naked on the bed. Their bodies entwined, she laughed too. They’d been through hell today and made it all the way to heaven.

  They kissed and Daniel moved his hands all over her skin, exploring every inch of her, stopping to take her breasts into his mouth. She moaned and let all the pent up energy of the day take her. She moved one leg and in a smooth rhythm she was on top of him. She lifted herself and guided him inside, then moved herself up and down, rubbing herself against him, making them both wild.

  They made love like the lake in a storm, churning, crashing, returning when he watched her come and let himself go. They locked eyes. She could feel him spurting into her. Oh. Her eyes widened. He just smiled. They hadn’t used a condom.

  Exhaustion finally hit her. She was spent, physically, emotionally, sexually. But Daniel’s bed was an oasis of peace. Her head fell into soft pillows.

  “That didn’t happen on purpose,” she said.

  “I know.” He turned to her and smoothed her hair. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter.”

  She wanted to talk more, but it also felt good just to close her eyes and drift in his embrace.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  They lingered in bed long after they should have been up and eating the dinner he cooked. She told him about the first day at the bank, how his glasses reminded her of Clark Kent, and how she’d hoped in some tiny corner of her heart that he was there to rescue Blue Heaven. “And you did,” she said.

  “I'm not Superman,” he said. “Just a builder. And, don’t forget, Lois Lane, we did it together.”

  Desire showed in the way he moved his leg to hook it over hers, bringing her closer. It showed in the way he inclined his whole body toward her, and kissed her, and made love to her again. Still no condom.

  “Something’s different about you,” Eva said, after they both woke up from the nap neither meant to take. It was dark outside. The house was quiet. Not even the sound of the lake in the background.

  “Maybe it’s that I finally found you,” Daniel said.

  “You’re so sweet.” But what she was thinking was You will be in Georgia and I will be here for six months alone and that doesn’t seem to bother you at all.

  Eva’s mother always said worry about tomorrow, tomorrow and today right now. Right now, she was hungry. They'd been in bed for hours and food had been the furthest thing from their minds. Now it was all she wanted to think about. Nothing beyond the next meal.

  ****

  Eva had resigned herself to a week without Blue Heaven guests when a woman, man, and teenager showed up Monday morning.

  “We hear you have cottages to rent,” the woman said, a wide smile on her face.

  “I do,” Eva said. She'd flipped on the vacancy sign out by the highway. Maybe they'd seen it driving by. There was something familiar about the woman, who was shaking her head, still smiling, but Eva couldn’t put her finger on it. Then a station wagon pulled in behind the new guests’ car and out piled another family. Two younger children and matching parents. Then a third car arrowed in behind them, and a fourth.
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br />   The first woman had just finished signing the registration book and handed Eva her card. The last name was not familiar but the first one rang a big bell.

  “Marcie?”

  “We wondered when you’d figure it out,” her cousin Marcie said. They all had big smiles pasted on their faces as her cousins introduced their children. She’d played dolls with Marcie’s little sisters, and now here they were with little ones of their own. Marcie’s teenager had already gone upstairs.

  “Cool,” he said, coming back down. “But where’s the TV? And I hope you have cable.”

  These were not ordinary guests. She opened her pocket doors and showed Marcie’s son through. Who was he, her second cousin? Or first cousin once removed? She always got that mixed up.

  “In here.” She pointed out the television in her living room.

  “You need to get a Wii for upstairs,” he said, clicking the remote and settling in on her couch.

  Marcie had followed him into Eva’s quarters.

  “My God, what you’ve done with this place!”

  “I know. Well, it wasn’t me. It was a whole bunch of people.”

  “But you made it happen.”

  Eva still couldn’t get over the fact that her cousins were all here. “I sent those pamphlets to your last known address, but wasn’t sure they’d find you.”

  “Oh, they did. We saw the video, went to your website, tried to call, but by the time we all got a date together, you were booked. Then your friend Daniel called us and told us that you had unexpected openings, but it had to be now. So we all just said ‘we’re doin’ it.’”

  Eva was overwhelmed. It felt good to have people in the house again, but these weren’t just people. These folks were her family. Eva took Marcie and the girls through the house, while their husbands checked out the exteriors. She was just about to take them upstairs when Georgie, her only male cousin, went right behind the registration counter and took the cottage keys and handed them around while the guys started unpacking cars. She smiled. That’s the way they’d always done it in the past. The fathers handed out the keys. It was a tradition Georgie clearly felt entitled to carry on. Eva didn’t mind.