by Amy Saunders
Bennett gave him another look. That was a twist he wouldn’t have predicted. “That really doesn’t sound like her. What did she have to say?”
“I haven’t called her back. Honestly, I really don’t want to.”
“Because of Ardith?”
“That and because I just don’t want to deal with this again. It ended badly, it’s over, I’ve let it go. I’d like things to stay the way they are.”
Bennett finished with his hair, wondering if he should dress up more. It was a cookout, and Belinda had told him it was informal and not to worry about it. He figured that meant jeans were okay.
“You look fine,” Jonas broke in. “Though I understand you have every reason to be stressed out tonight.”
“Thanks.”
Jonas shrugged. “I’m just sayin’. It really can’t be any worse then, let’s say, having dinner with both your current and ex-girlfriend at the same time.”
He had a point. Bennett had recently survived dinner with Belinda and Alexa Dupuis and her fiancé. If he could get through that, he could survive a night with Belinda’s parents. Even if her dad was some sort of kooky grill master.
Jonas grinned. “That was Belinda’s revenge all the way. Brilliantly played, too. I really don’t think she could’ve chosen a better way to get back at you.”
“No kidding.” Nothing had scared him more than when Belinda and Alexa had gone to the ladies’ room together and come back talking and laughing like old friends. Granted, they were former classmates, but never friends. In his opinion, now was not a good time to change that. “And she enjoyed every minute of it. She was all smiles the whole night.”
“Could you blame her?”
“Not in that dress she had on.” Just thinking about it made him salivate.
Jonas had a far off look in his eyes. “She did that on purpose, too.”
“Don’t I know it.” With her curves and those legs shown off to perfection, he knew Belinda knew he wouldn’t say a word or argue or be mad at her. It was somewhat infuriating, but it still worked. He’d sucked it up just to stare at her in that dress all night.
“Is she still insisting on pet names?”
“Yep.”
“Has she worn that dress while insisting on pet names?”
“Not yet.”
“Give it time. She’ll realize what she has to do to get her way eventually.”
“All I ask is that you don’t encourage her.” Bennett shut the medicine cabinet, thinking he was probably as ready as he’d ever be.
“Well, you’re done.” Jonas checked his watch. “It takes you an hour and ten minutes to get ready, and you’re on the dot.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s just funny how some things don’t change. It took you the same amount of time when we roomed together.”
“I’m not sure if I like that you know how long it takes me to get ready to leave the house.”
“You shouldn’t’ve roomed with a future homicide detective.”
Bennett grunted. Fair enough.
“You look perfectly non-criminal like.” Jonas and Tempest followed Bennett single file into the kitchen. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“I haven’t lied about scuba diving, so I suppose you’re right.”
“I didn’t lie about scuba diving. I just didn’t tell her I couldn’t.”
Bennett smirked. At least that problem wasn’t on his list.
~ * ~
Belinda made it home from the auction in time to straighten up and get dressed and race over to her family home before Bennett showed up. Her parents had temporarily moved into the carriage house where she and Kyle had lived for a short time. The main house–a gray shingled home with a gambrel roof and a backyard that dropped off into the sea–was still experiencing a top to bottom internal renovation, including a new breakfast nook off the kitchen. Except for that, the rest of the renovation was basically cosmetic. So far, Belinda liked the dark wood floors and black granite countertops in the kitchen. It was much more modern and sophisticated.
She and her mother sat at the round outdoor table under the umbrella by the pool, nestled between the carriage house, which also sported a gambrel roof, and the main house. When she first arrived, she thought everything was normal. Her dad looked normal; he talked normal. Just when Belinda thought her father would not be taken over by grilling mania, he stepped out of the carriage house in a white chef’s coat with his name, Spencer, embroidered on the lapel.
Kyle swaggered into the yard hugging a paper bag. “Looks like I’m just in time with the booze.”
“Darling, you’re scaring the children,” Rosalind said to their father, pulling out a hard lemonade from Kyle’s bag. “Why don’t you take the jacket off for tonight, okay?”
“I got it specially made.”
“You can wear it later.”
Spencer frowned. “Alright, alright. I’ll take off the coat.” He reappeared in the yard a minute later in just his plain clothes. Belinda mouthed ‘thank you’ to her mom, jumping up and throwing her arms around her father’s waist. “Thank you for grilling, papa.”
Spencer grunted and kissed her forehead. “Anything for my Honeybee, eh? Kyle.”
“Sir?”
“Grab the chops from the kitchen. It’s time to give Belinda’s boyfriend a proper Kittridge welcome.”
Belinda left the two of them to the fire breathing stainless steel beast settled on the pool patio. She joined her mom at the table again, debating about having a hard lemonade, and compulsively feeling her hair to make sure her flaxen waves were still pinned down and hadn’t been blown out entirely.
Pork chops hissed and sizzled on the flames as Belinda heard the sound of wheels turning into the driveway. She leaped up from the table, shaking it as her knee caught on the edge, and ran out front to meet him. Bennett climbed out from the front seat of his grandmother’s car just in time to catch her.
“Run,” she said. “They’re all crazy and it’s my obligation to warn you to get out while you still can.”
“I’m pretty sure they know I’m here.” Rosalind waved from the table.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll tell them you’re sick and have to leave.”
Bennett sniffed the air. “Smells good.”
“It’s a trap, I’m telling you. They’re like the Sirens in Greek mythology. They lure you in with the scent of Spencer-sauce pork chops and when it’s too late–”
“You crash into the rocks and drown?”
Belinda gripped his jacket collar, vaguely aware she’d never seen it before. “Is this new?”
Bennett brushed the front side of the fitted jacket Belinda described as an urban windbreaker, shrugging it off. “I needed a new one.”
As she stood away from him a little, taking in the whole picture, Belinda realized she didn’t recognize a single piece of clothing on his body. Her lunatic family forgotten for the moment, Belinda’s eyes began to twinkle. “You bought new clothes for this.”
Bennett cleared his throat, the color rising up his neck. “They’re nothing special.”
Belinda swallowed, feeling her eyes grow misty. All the things people had said about him, and here he stood in brand spanking new clothes he’d bought just to have dinner with her parents when he had to borrow his grandma’s car.
Belinda took his hand. “We have pork chops and pasta salad and about ten other sides along with dessert.” She laughed. “They’re excited to have you.”
They joined Belinda’s family by the pool, Rosalind giving Bennett a quick hug, which seemed to throw him off-balance. Belinda expected her father to corral him by the grill, but her mother monopolized his time at their table instead while Kyle and Spencer finished grilling the pork chops. She could hear them saying something about sailing and smiled. Kyle was saving and preparing to go to Australia in the winter as a part of Mr. Nichols’ sailing yacht crew. Belinda had been helping him, making lists of what he would need and researching what he could do
once he actually got to his destination.
Once the pork chops cooked, everyone gathered at the table with their plates piled to the max. Belinda thought her mom might have overdone it a bit with the number of side options.
“Belinda has been telling me about your career,” Bennett said to Rosalind.
“Oh, no.” Rosalind laughed. “Does she hate me for waking her up singing scales every morning?”
“Or pieces of arias,” Kyle said, pointing a fork at his mother.
“I was kind of bragging on you, actually,” Belinda said. “It’s not everyone who can say they have a distinguished opera singer for a mother.”
“I wouldn’t say distinguished, but the career had its perks.” Rosalind leaned over to Bennett conspiratorially. “I met Spencer at the after-party of one of my shows.”
“Is that my cue to say how I saw this marvelous creature by the appetizers whom I just had to meet?”
Rosalind flipped her hair out. “Well, I don’t know about marvelous, but I had my moments. And anyway, it was tough to resist a man who had exotic lilies sent to my hotel room.”
“An idea I sadly cannot take credit for,” Spencer added. “My brother suggested it.”
“It put you into the good graces of my mother, so I’m not complaining.”
Spencer leaned back, his eyes twinkling. “And I’m not complaining that the old dame is off bugging your sister right now.”
Rosalind looked at him askance. “You knew what she was like when you married me.”
“Yes, I did, and it was going to take a lot more than that to keep me away from you.”
Belinda smiled, wrapping her fingers around Bennett’s. This time around, the situation was reversed, but Belinda echoed her father’s sentiments. It would take more than Madame Russo to keep her away from Bennett.
They finished dinner, and wrapped up dessert as the sun blazed orange and pink across the horizon. The parents got up to move to the back porch of the main house, taking their coffee with them.
“You just want to get out of helping us with the dishes,” Kyle said.
Rosalind pointed a finger at him. “I washed enough of your dishes, sir, to deserve one night off.”
“We washed a lot of other things too,” Spencer said. Belinda and Kyle scrunched their noses at the same moment. Their parents laughed.
“It’s moments like these that I remember you were in there at the same time.” Rosalind kissed their cheeks and gave Bennett a parting hug. “You rest up. I have big plans for you.”
Belinda looked at Bennett inquisitively as her parents left and the three of them trudged inside the carriage house to clean up. Belinda put leftover food away while Kyle and Bennett filled the dishwasher. They would have microwavable dinners for a week. “Why do you need to rest up?” Belinda said to Bennett, wrapping up the pork chops in a plastic bag.
“I’m playing tennis with your mom later.”
All work ceased as Belinda and Kyle turned their matching golden eyes on Bennett. “I told you it wasn’t safe to leave him alone with her,” Kyle said, waving a spatula at Belinda. Bennett had been alone with her mom while Belinda and Kyle dished out dessert.
“You agreed to play tennis with our mother?” Belinda said. “Are you sure?”
Bennett glanced from Kyle to Belinda. “Yes, I’m sure. What do you think I agreed to do?”
Belinda wrapped up the top of the trifle bowl and slid it onto the top shelf of the fridge. “You’re too busy to play,” she said, setting her hands on the counter, her eyes on Kyle, who nodded vigorously. “You’re way too busy and you may be coming down with something and you don’t have time to get sick right now.” Belinda nodded in affirmation. “Then that’s an end to it. You can’t play.” Kyle nodded his agreement. “I’ll call and tell her tomorrow, no big deal.”
Bennett stood away from the sink, shifting his eyes from one to the other. “Sometimes I swear the two of you have your own secret language. What are you babbling about, Belinda?”
She huffed. “I’m not babbling! I’m planning your escape. You can’t play tennis with her. I simply won’t allow it.”
“Why not?” Bennett went back to doing dishes. “I’m not a tennis genius, but I can play decently. And she’s your mother. I’m trying to be gracious so they like me for your sake.”
Belinda smiled at him as if she was about to explain something to a child. “She picked you because you’re ignorant. No one will play tennis with her, including our father.”
“Is she competitive?” Bennett said. “Because I don’t have a problem with that.”
Kyle and Belinda exchanged glances. “It’s competitiveness of a sort,” Belinda said. “She makes up her own rules and changes them as she sees fit to her advantage. It drives Kyle and my father nuts.”
Bennett waited for more. “Is that it?”
“Bennett, you got mad at me last week when we played Uno and I kept forgetting and making illegal plays. By accident. Believe me when I say that my mother’s tennis playing is much worse than that and she does it on purpose.”
Bennett shrugged. “It’s your mother. I’ll let it slide.”
Belinda set her hands on the island, leaning forward and gazing at him upward. “Will you, Bennett? Will you let it slide?”
Kyle smirked. “You do get pretty competitive.”
“It’s one game. I’ll live.”
Belinda sighed. “Alright, it’s your afternoon. But you’ve been warned, so you can’t get mad at me or anyone else when you’re ready to rip your hair out because she just decided she doesn’t like the rule she invented in the last set because it’s no longer allowing her to win.”
“I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”
Kyle laughed. “I’m sure we are. Right, Bels?”
Belinda walked around the island and smoothed out Bennett’s shirt. “I’m trying to shield you from the weirdness and you’re thwarting all of my attempts.”
“And I’m trying to make your parents happy and you’re trying to stop me.”
Belinda pinched the tip of his chin. “Thank you for being a good sport.”
“If the two of you are going to get all kissy-face on me,” Kyle said, “I’m going outside.”
“Not until we’ve finished cleaning.” She gave Bennett a quick peck and went back to food preserving. “It’ll be okay. I’ll stand in as referee so she can’t get completely out of control. And it’s you and not me playing with her, so I’m sure she’ll exercise restraint.” She caught the wary look in Kyle’s eyes and snapped on another lid. “I’m sure.”
But, just to be more sure, Belinda would say something to her mother before they played. It couldn’t hurt. And that way, Belinda had covered all of her bases, and no one could blame her for a rough afternoon later on.
Chapter 14
Belinda waited in the foyer of the Lachappelles’ Marsh Mansion, as she’d dubbed the house, taking a moment to pay more attention to Shelby’s paintings decorating the walls. They could have been Simone’s work on some level, though honestly Simone’s landscapes were never that literal. The painting signed by Dinah, a small oil on canvas hanging above a half-moon table, was similar in style to Shelby’s pieces. Maybe Angie was right and Shelby was painting what Dinah wanted.
Dinah burst in through the side door Belinda had used during the grad party, shouldering a cardboard box with a number written in black marker across the side. Belinda recognized the number as belonging to the vase she’d missed out on.
“Belinda,” Dinah said, out of breath, “I completely forgot about your check.” She glanced at the box in her arms. “Let me just go put this out of the way. I’ll be down in one moment.”
Dinah scurried up the curved staircase. Curious, Belinda tiptoed up the stairs behind Dinah, watching her disappear into the last room at the end of the hallway. From the brief glimpse, she assumed it was the master bedroom. Belinda frowned. What was the big deal about moving the vase? She could’ve set it down somewhere else.
>
Hearing life downstairs, Belinda hurried back to the foyer before someone saw her. Shelby appeared from another door that looked like it led to the basement. She was covered in paint splatters and smudges.
“See,” Dinah said from the stairs, scuttling back down, “I can’t keep her clean.” Shelby looked annoyed, but didn’t respond.
“Is that your studio in the basement?” Belinda hoped to avoid a teenage girl meltdown.
“It’s not very exciting,” Shelby said.
“Well, I don’t think the location is as important as what you do in it. Besides, you’ll be in a really exciting location soon. Europe!”
Shelby half smiled, nodding. Not as much enthusiasm for Europe as Belinda would’ve expected from an artist. Unless Shelby was only going because of her mother, or now regretted leaving because of her secret boyfriend.
Dinah handed Belinda her check. “Thank you very much, Belinda. You really saved the day catering for us so short notice.”
“Yeah,” Shelby said. “I’ll miss your cupcakes.”
“Who knows?” Belinda slipped the check into her purse, relieved she had something to put into the business account. “Maybe an anonymous cupcake donation will find its way to your dorm.”
Shelby smiled, really smiled, at that. “That would be awesome!”
Belinda made a mental note to express mail cupcakes to Shelby in college. Shelby gave her a hug, and then looked horrified when she realized she got paint on Belinda’s clothes.
“I’m so sorry!” Shelby went to wipe it off, then realized she had dried paint on her hands, too.
Belinda laughed, thinking maybe she should waltz into the yacht club with paint smears all over her just for fun to see if she could start a new trend. “I’ll live. Ciao!”
She left the Lachappelle house with Dinah shaking her head and shrugging apologetically. After a quick detour home to change, she pulled into Victoria’s pebble U-shaped driveway, just in time. Victoria stood by her car trunk, waving.
“Good timing,” Victoria said, putting her hands on her hips. “Did you get your money?”