Читать книгу Undercover With The Heiress - Nan Dixon - Страница 11

CHAPTER TWO

“ARE YOU SURE this is all you need?” Kaden arranged a picture of the grandmother he’d never met on his grandfather’s nursing home dresser.

“I just want my own PJs, robe, clothes and a picture of my wife,” Nigel sighed. “But I’d rather be home.”

“Not yet.” Kaden’s chest tightened. He’d just checked his granddad into a highly-rated, long-term rehabilitation center. Even though his grandfather had come through the surgery like a champ, he needed care and physical therapy. Now to get Granddad to accept that he needed to stay here. “How does that look?”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “This darn hip made me miss Bess and Daniel’s wedding. The Fitzgeralds throw the best parties.”

They’d talked about this thirty minutes ago. Granddad’s pain meds messed with his memory. Kaden said, “There will be other weddings.”

“I’d like to see my grandson married.”

“Not on the horizon.” Kaden avoided his grandfather’s eyes. “Bureau keeps me too busy.”

“I can’t have you hovering by my bedside for weeks.” Nigel shook his head. “Head back to Atlanta.”

“We’ve had this conversation.” Kaden patted his shoulder. Bones protruded that hadn’t been there before. “I’m taking a well-earned vacation.”

“That’s ridiculous. You’ll go crazy sitting around.”

“I picked up something to while away the hours between your torture sessions.” Kaden dug in the bag, grinning. “I mean your physical therapy sessions.”

He set a chessboard on a rolling table. Aligning the pieces, he took a white and black pawn and mixed them behind his back. He held out his closed hands. “Your choice.”

Granddad tapped one. White.

“You open.” Kaden set down the pawns. “How many hours do you think we’ve played chess?”

“At first you couldn’t sit for more than fifteen minutes. What a squirmy seven-year-old you were.” His grandfather advanced his pawn. “But hundreds of hours, I guess. Maybe thousands?”

Kaden answered by advancing his own pawn and the game was on. The only sound was the felt of the pieces on the cardboard and the muffled echoes of voices in the hallway.

“When you were young, you never looked ahead more than one move.” Granddad moved his knight, threatening Kaden’s bishop.

Kaden could sacrifice the piece for his longer strategy. He moved his queen.

A big smile broke over his grandfather’s face. He pointed a long elegant finger at Kaden’s side of the board. “You’re getting trickier.”

“I learned from the best.” Kaden swallowed back emotions bubbling up into his throat. He’d learned everything from this man. His grandfather had shown him how to live with honor. He’d never learned that from his worthless parents. “Why did my mother turn out so...bad?”

Granddad sank into the pillows, pushing back his thick white hair. “You’ve never asked me that question.”

“Because I was so relieved to be saved from that...life.” Kaden got out of the chair and walked to the window that overlooked a small garden. “I was afraid you would send me back to them.”

“Never.” Granddad’s voice was low. “When your grandmother died, I was...lost. Your mother was thirteen. She needed me and I wasn’t there.”

“She knew right from wrong. She knew drugs were bad.”

“I should have helped her.” His grandfather inhaled. “I didn’t push through my grief. By the time she was eighteen and pregnant with you, she wouldn’t listen to anything I said.”

“But you tried.” He remembered that much. Whenever Granddad called, his mother would throw the phone, or pots, or whatever was at hand.

“Too late. If I’d done more, maybe Kaleb would still be alive. I should have saved both of you.” Sadness filled his grandfather’s intense blue eyes. Eyes that had barely faded over the years.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Kaden choked out. He was responsible for his brother’s death, not Nigel.

“You were seven.” Granddad shook his head. “Thank God your mother called me, even though all she wanted was bail. At least I rescued you from that Florida hovel.”

“You made me the man I am today.” Kaden would have said more, but his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Checking the caller ID, he said, “It’s my boss.”

“Go ahead.” Granddad closed his eyes, looking twenty years older. “I need to rest.”

Kaden’s heart took another hit. Walking to the opposite corner of the room, he answered, “Farrell.”

“Heather Bole’s kid was dropped off in Savannah.” Roger’s words were clipped.

“She’s here?” He clenched the phone. “In Savannah?”

“She was. Back in May.” Papers shifted on Roger’s side of the conversation. “The father is filing for full custody and wants to find Bole. He contacted the Savannah police a couple of weeks ago.”

“Is this guy involved with one of the gangs?”

“Nothing we can find,” Roger said. “The detective said this Forester guy was suspected of dealing in high school, but either he’s kept a low profile or he’s out of the life. Savannah cop thinks he’s clean, but I’d rather you make your own assessment.”

Kaden straightened. “This might be the break we need.”

“I know you’re helping your grandfather, but could you talk to the dad? I want the interview to come from my team. From you.”

And Kaden knew why. Roger’s ex-wife ran the FBI office in Savannah, Roger the Atlanta office. The Bureau was hard on marriages. Kaden had never had any problems with Margaret, Roger’s ex, but Roger carried a grudge.

He glanced at his sleeping grandfather. He could take an hour to talk to this man. “Sure.”

Roger rattled off the Savannah detective’s contact information. Kaden moved into the hall. When the man answered, he explained why he was calling.

“The father’s name is Nathan Forester.” Detective Gillespie gave Kaden a quick recap and Forester’s phone number.

Kaden peeked into his grandfather’s room, but he hadn’t moved. One more call.

“Forester,” the man answered. A saw squealed in the background.

Kaden introduced himself. “I’d like to talk to you about Heather Bole.”

“Do you know where she is?” The background noise faded.

“No. But we’re looking for her, too. I’d like to ask you a few questions. When would be convenient?”

They set up a time to meet and Forester gave him an address. “I’m in the carriage house in the back. Second floor. If you have trouble finding the apartment, just call or text.”

After hanging up, Kaden stared at the address. Why was it so familiar?

He searched the location and jerked when it came up. Couldn’t be. He was heading to Fitzgerald House.

* * *

“COURTNEY?” GRAY BLOCKED the doorway, not letting her inside. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise!” Courtney faked a smile. “I’m here to visit you.”

“What?” Gray crossed his arms. “You never wanted to before.”

Why wasn’t he inviting her into his house? She forced a smile. “I’m here now.”

“Here? Staying at Fitzgerald House?” Gray’s words were as much a barricade as his body.

“I was hoping I could stay with you. With my family.” Courtney didn’t want to beg.

He hesitated, finally pulling her into a hug. His shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was damp. “No one told me you were coming to Savannah.”

“That’s why it’s called a surprise.” She poked him in the belly. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“I was in Boston two weeks ago.” Gray frowned. “You were too busy to have dinner with me.”

“I’m making up for it now.” She went for perky, but her voice wobbled.

What if Gray wouldn’t let her stay in his carriage house? Last night, she’d splurged on a nice Charleston hotel. She wouldn’t have enough money on her credit card to pay for another hotel. Being short of money sucked.

“You want to stay here?” Cynicism filled his voice. “With Abby and I?”

“I want to spend time with you.” She wrapped an arm around her brother’s waist, hoping she didn’t sound desperate. She hated the panic that had crept into her voice over the last few days. “I thought it would be...fun.”

“Here? You want to stay here?” Gray stepped out of the doorway and led her inside—finally.

Abby, his wife, came down the central stairs, also looking like she’d just hopped out of the shower. Her strawberry-blond hair was wet and pulled back in a high ponytail. Did she not know that style was so nineties? Her green eyes glowed. “Courtney?”

Oh. Oh. She swallowed. Gray and Abby had been...oh.

Courtney hurried over and gave her sister-in-law air kisses. “Hi, Abby.”

Gray crossed his arms. “She’s here for a surprise visit.”

“That’s wonderful.” Abby gave her a hug. “It’s been months since you were in Savannah. Let me get our guest room ready.”

Abby headed down the main floor hallway.

Courtney tipped her head at her brother. “At least your wife is more welcoming than my own brother.”

“What do you want?” Gray asked.

“To visit.” She wouldn’t let terror fill her voice.

“Why?” He stared like he could peer into her brain and dig out her reason.

“Boston got...boring.” She wasn’t discussing her problems. Gray would be sanctimonious about her issues with Father. Holding out her keys, she asked, “Could you get my luggage?”

His blue gaze locked on hers.

She knew better than to look away. Instead, she smiled.

Gray snapped up the keys and headed to the door.

Okay, maybe her relationship with her brother hadn’t been exactly cordial since he’d broken up with Gwen. And maybe her bringing Gwen to Savannah and trying to get them back together hadn’t been well thought-out. But he was her brother.

Gray had gotten her into this mess. She shook back her hair and headed to the great room, sliding into a comfy leather chair. She would hide in Savannah until Father reinstated her cash flow.

Her call with Mother last night hadn’t given her any new hope. Courtney spun her gold bracelet around her wrist. She liked the way it made her hand look so petite.

How much could she sell it for?

“Little help here?” Gray called from the doorway.

She waited for Abby to come out of the guest bedroom. Nothing.

“Courtney, grab your bags,” he grumbled.

She pushed off the sofa. “You need a Marcus.”

“No, we don’t. Get used to it. And there’s no maids to make beds or clean the house.” He shoved her makeup case into her hands. “You have luggage for a month. What’s going on?”

“I—I didn’t know what kind of weather to expect.”

“It’s summer in Savannah.” Gray drew together his black eyebrows. “Hot and hotter.”

“You’ll get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that.” She felt her own ridges forming on her forehead. Shoot.

While Gray went back to her car, she grabbed a suitcase and tugged it to the bedroom.

Abby smoothed out a pale yellow comforter. Better Abby than her. The Fitzgerald family had been making beds and running their B and B most of their lives.

“This is nice.” Gray and Abby’s home had that old carriage-house feel with aged wood floors and beams, but the guestroom was light and bright. Unlike in the bed-and-breakfast, antiques wouldn’t surround her here. “It doesn’t feel two hundred years old.”

Abby fluffed the green and pink throw pillows. “As much as I love Fitzgerald House, I wanted something different in my home.”

“Thank you for letting me stay.” Courtney needed Abby on her side if she was going to hide out in Savannah. “I probably should have called, but it sounded like fun to surprise Gray.”

“Well, you’re here now.” Abby straightened. “We’ll eat dinner in the main house around seven. You can tidy up or rest until then. I have to prep for the wine tasting.”

Gray pulled two more suitcases into the bedroom. Abby’s eyes flared open and she stared at Courtney for a long moment. With a shake of her head, Abby brushed a kiss on Gray’s cheek. “I’ll see you at Fitzgerald House.”

“Thank you, big brother.” God, she needed Gray and Abby to stop looking at her like she had two heads. “I’d better call Mother. The drive down here was fun, but you know how she worries.” She kept her voice super cheery. “Any message you want to pass on to Mother or Father?”

“Just say hello.” Gray followed his wife out the door.

Excellent. Maybe Gray wouldn’t talk to the parental units for a couple of days. She needed time for this problem to blow over.

Mother answered.

“I’m in Savannah.” Courtney settled back against the pillows on the bed. “Gray and Abby say hello.”

“I’m so relieved. That was a long drive by yourself.”

“It was...fun.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been alone for three days. If she’d had full access to money, it might have been even better. Unfortunately, each time she used her credit card she’d worried she’d run out of credit. Who could live that way? Mother had tucked cash in her purse, but Courtney might need that later. “Have you softened Daddy up?”

“I’m trying, honey. But he’s intractable.” Her mother sighed. “Maybe by taking a job with Gray, it’ll show your father that you’re changing.”

“Sure. Right.” Her chest ached. Was she losing her mother’s support? “Please keep working on him.”

“I will, dear.”

They talked for a few minutes, but Courtney’s brain wasn’t functioning. Mother had to succeed. She didn’t want to stay in Savannah. She wanted to go home.

* * *

KADEN PARKED BEHIND the B and B. Two carriage houses existed on the combined property. One was under construction, while the other looked like a home.

He found Forester’s number in his call log and texted him. I’m in the Fitzgerald House parking lot, where should we meet?

The reply came back: Coming down.

Kaden leaned against a shed near the parking lot, giving him a view of the entire courtyard. It stretched a full block from Fitzgerald to Carleton House. When the sisters had added the second mansion to the B and B, Granddad had been mighty proud.

After Nigel had turned sixty, he’d sold his construction business. Then he’d gotten bored with retirement. Now he worked as handyman and sometimes chauffeur for the sisters. Maybe after he recovered, he should actually retire.

A door on the second floor of the nearest carriage house banged open and a small boy dashed out.

The kid ran down the stairs, his shoelaces flapping. He could take a header and crack his skull open.

Kaden’s heart rate picked up and he hurried to the steps. Could he catch the kid if he fell?

“Josh!” a deep voice called from the top of the steps. “Slow down.”

“Miss Abby’s saving a treat for me,” the kid yelled.

“You won’t be eating anything if we end up at the ER.” A man came down the steps with a little girl on his shoulders.

When the boy was safely on the stone walkway, Kaden released the breath he’d been holding.

The man hadn’t noticed him yet. But the girl stared holes in him. She had fluffy blond hair. Heather’s kid? She looked younger than he thought a four-year-old should be, but what did he know?

When the man and child reached the bottom of the steps, Kaden stepped closer. “Forester?”

“Agent Farrell?”

Kaden nodded. He glanced around. Luckily, the courtyard was empty. “Just Kaden, please.”

Forester swung the little girl off his shoulders. “Issy, go join Josh in the kitchen.”

Issy. Short for Isabella. Heather’s kid.

The little girl bit her lip, staring at Kaden.

Did she guess she wasn’t safe around him? Somehow kids saw right through him. He forced a smile. She backed closer to her dad and clung to his leg.

“Hang on. Let me take Issy inside.” Forester pointed to the door the boy had run through.

Kaden moved to a small ironwork table next to a fountain. If guests tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, the splashing water would muffle their voices.

Forester didn’t take long. He returned and held out a hand. “I’m Nathan.”

Kaden had reviewed Nathan Forester’s profile. He was part owner in a family construction company. That explained the sound of the saw in the background when Kaden had called this afternoon.

Nathan took a seat and stretched out his legs. He didn’t say anything, just waited. The guy’s eyes were clear. He didn’t look like he was a user, but the smartest dealers didn’t use their own product.

Kaden opened his phone to a picture of Bole. “Do you know this woman?”

“It’s Heather. Heather Bole. I met her when I worked in Atlanta. We dated about five years ago. Not for long. Then she took off with some guy.” He glanced over at the kitchen door. “Just before summer, she walked into my work site and dropped off Issy. Isabella. Said she’s my daughter. Which I didn’t doubt for a minute.”

“This was May?” Kaden leaned forward. The timing fit.

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t know about your daughter before?” Kaden asked.

“Her mother never told me.” Nathan ran his fingers through his hair, his lips forming a straight line. “After Heather dropped her off, Issy barely spoke.”

Didn’t speak? “Did Heather say where she was heading?”

“She said she’d gotten a DUI and was ordered into treatment, but I couldn’t find her anywhere.”

“Was Heather with anyone?” Kaden pulled up a picture of Hector Salvez. “Maybe this guy?”

“There wasn’t anyone with her or in the truck when I chased her down the street.” He closed his eyes. “What mother doesn’t tell the father of her child about their daughter and then dumps her with a birth certificate and barely any clothes?”

Kaden’s nostrils flared. One just like his own mother. “Did she say where she’d been? What she’d been doing?”

“No.” Nathan opened his phone and scrolled to a photo, tipping it so Kaden could see the screen. “Issy keeps drawing this picture. Do you know anything about that?”

The paper had stick figures on it. A small yellow-haired person was squashed under a bigger stick figure with black hair and a beard. Red slashes covered the bigger stick figure.

Kaden swore. “She was there. Poor kid.”

“You know what this is? Where this is?” Nathan’s fists pressed against the table.

“Border of Georgia and Florida,” Kaden said. “It’s a drug house. There was a shooting. Three dead.”

Nathan pushed away from the table and paced to the fountain and back. Leaning his fists on the table, he growled, “And Issy was there? In a house filled with drugs and guns?”

Kaden took in the fire in the man’s eyes. The tension in his body.

“Based on the blood smears, we suspect someone about the size of your daughter was at the scene.”

“Oh, God.” Nathan collapsed into the chair, clasping at his neck. “I... Could you talk to her therapist? Maybe this new information will help. I want Issy to feel safe. Be safe.”

“Sure.” Kaden wasn’t sure what more he could tell a therapist, but Nathan was suffering. He was so upset it made him think the guy was clean. “Do you have any idea where Heather might be?”

“I’ve racked my brain for months, trying to recall everything she ever said.” Nathan blew out a big breath. “I think she grew up in Alabama.”

“Mobile.”

“If Heather’s involved in drugs I will never let her touch Issy again. I want full custody.”

“I understand.” Kaden stared the man in the eye. “But you have a track record with drugs and dealing, don’t you?”

“In high school, small-time. I was a screwup.” Nathan gripped the table. “But I’m not anymore. Haven’t been for a decade. Run me.”

“Already did. We haven’t found anything to indicate you’re still involved.”

Forester backed off, his shoulders easing. “You won’t find anything. I have a daughter. My fiancée has a son. I’m not screwing up anything with her or the kids. They’re everything to me.”

Kaden was starting to like the guy. He handed him a business card. “If you hear from Heather, let me know.”

“I will.”

The kitchen door creaked open and Abby walked over to the table. “Nathan, we’re ready to eat.”

“Are we done?” Nathan asked him.

“Yes.”

“Kaden?” Abby asked. “I didn’t know you and Nathan knew each other.”

“Hi, Abby.” Kaden stood. “We just met.”

Nathan’s eyebrows shot up. Then he gave a short nod.

“Is Nigel settled at the rehab center?” she asked.

“Yes.” Kaden grimaced. “He already wants to go home.”

She patted his shoulder. “He’s right where he needs to be.”

Nathan stood, too. “You know Nigel?”

“He’s my grandfather.” Pride filled Kaden’s voice.

“Wonderful man,” Nathan said. “Sorry he fell.”

“Thanks.”

“Kaden?” Abby asked. “Have you had dinner?”

He didn’t remember having lunch. “No.”

“Then join us,” Abby said.

“I...” Kaden couldn’t think of the last time he’d sat down to a meal that hadn’t been with his granddad or other agents. Usually he ate takeout or a nuked dinner alone. “That would be nice.”

“I’ll hold dinner for you then.” Abby pointed at a door. “Come into the kitchen when you’re ready.”

Once Abby left, Kaden touched Nathan’s arm. “I need to keep the fact that I’m with the FBI between us. I’m only in Savannah because of my grandfather.”

Nathan raised his eyebrows. “Are you undercover?”

“My...cover is on a need-to-know basis.” Like all task force members.

“Sure.” Nathan nodded.

“Thanks,” Kaden said.

It wasn’t only the task force policy of secrecy. His job was on the line. Roger had fired a loose-lipped co-worker two months ago.

And if Roger’s ex-wife got wind he was talking to people in her jurisdiction, it would add fuel to their personal war. He’d hate to be caught in their crossfire. Secrecy was the best policy.

* * *

COURTNEY KICKED A suitcase out of the way. She missed having maids to clean and iron her clothes. Sure, she packed and unpacked her own bag when traveling, but for this trip, she’d taken more clothes than normal. Help would be nice.

If she complained, Gray would roll his eyes. Why had she painted herself in this corner? She needed her brother’s help, but Gray was suspicious of everything she did.

If she could hide for a week or two, Father would calm down. Mother promised. But waiting meant getting through tonight’s dinner and being around Gray and the love of his life. Gag much?

Her brother tapped on the door. “You ready to walk over for dinner?”

She pushed off the bed. “I guess.”

He peered at her luggage spread through the room. “You didn’t unpack.”

“I...freshened up after the drive.” She brushed a curl off her cheek. She’d been reading and lost track of time. “I’ll work on it tonight.”

“How long are you staying?” he asked as they headed into the courtyard.

She clenched her hands into fists so she didn’t gnaw on her thumbnail. “A couple of weeks?”

“Weeks? Did your clique dethrone you as queen?” He slapped a hand on his chest. “How will they know who to snub and what club is hot? How will they decide what party to attend without your...wisdom?”

She shivered. Gwen would take over. Her friend would love that. “You don’t have a high opinion of my life.”

“Nope.” He was so...blunt.

They passed a stone sculpture of the three Fitzgerald sisters set into a crumbling wall surrounded by flowers. “I suppose you think I should be more like the Fitzgeralds. Setting my hooks into men who can finance their B and B.”

Gray grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. “What?”

“Ouch.” She tugged and he released her. “Abby set her hooks in you and you bought her a mansion. Bess just married a contractor. You don’t think she has to pay full cost for the work they do at the B and B, do you? And what about Dolley? She made a play for that photographer. Now her photos are published.”

“How can you think that? The Fitzgeralds are the hardest-working family I know,” Gray spat out. “I admire what they’ve done. You should emulate, not scorn, them. None of the trust-fund babies you run with could survive what they’ve survived.”

“But—but Abby married you and you bought her all this.” She waved her arms around the B and B.

“Because I love her.” Gray raised his hands. “I want to help her make her dreams come true. But she’s the one with the ideas and work ethic.”

“But...” The Fitzgeralds couldn’t be so...so virtuous.

“I’ll warn you once.” Gray’s blue gaze froze her in place. “If you’re nasty or mean to Abby, or her sisters, or their husbands or fiancés, hell, to any B and B staff, you’re gone.”

Her stomach flopped. Gone? Where could she go? She couldn’t afford anything. “You’d choose them over me? Your own sister?”

“Absolutely.” He crossed his arms, his face as hard as the driveway pillars at home. “Are we clear?”

“Yes.” Her voice shook. Why was this happening? Why couldn’t her life go back to normal? “But...”

“No. No buts.” He exhaled. “Sometimes I wish we’d grown up poor. Then maybe you would have used the brain I know you have.”

He was as relentless as a boxer in the ring, but she wouldn’t let him see how much he’d hurt her. She’d had plenty of practice with their father. “I’m glad we aren’t poor.”

He set his hand on her back and directed her toward Fitzgerald House. “I want you to do something with your life.”

“That’s easy for you to say, you went to Yale.” Bitterness bled through her words.

“Your education was good.” He squeezed her shoulders. “There had to be a reason you chose literature as your major.”

“I love literature.” In addition, she could run her sorority without worrying she would fail a course. Would sorority president look good on a résumé?

“I endured English classes,” he said. “Too much reading.”

“That was the best part of my degree program.” She loved escaping into someone else’s life. It was more fun than her own. Changing the subject, she asked, “Do you always eat at the B and B?”

Gray shrugged. “On the nights Abby runs the wine tastings.”

“But there are all those...strangers at the B and B.”

“You mean like when you eat in a restaurant?”

“Oh.”

Courtney followed him through the garden’s winding paths. Lush green plants cascaded over rocks. Palm trees of all sizes shadowed beds filled with red, yellow and pink flowers. She barely recognized any of the plants. She was as out of place here as a palm tree would be on the banks of the Charles.

She wanted to go home. Wanted to have someone else deal with money and cars and let her deal with managing her friends.

Gray held the screen door. The scents as they walked into the large kitchen were amazing. Lemon, basil, licorice? And fish.

Gray hurried to his wife like he hadn’t seen her in weeks. A mob of people filled the room.

She straightened. She’d thought it would only be Abby, Gray and herself. Instead, Abby’s family was here. The three sisters were connected at the hips. Now it wouldn’t be a quick meal. She’d have to chat with people who thought she was a bitch.

She shook back her curls. What did it matter? She’d be back in Boston and away from here soon enough.

Dolley, the youngest sister, said something and Liam, the documentary maker she’d latched on to, laughed along with the rest of the adults. Everyone but her.

What would it be like to laugh freely and not care if the laugh lines became permanently engraved on your face?

They were talking about Bess and Daniel’s honeymoon. Courtney hesitated next to the kitchen sitting area.

The boy who’d been in Abby’s wedding sat next to a little girl. What was his name? “Jason?”

He looked up from scribbling in a sketch book. “I’m Joshua. Josh.”

“Hi, Joshua Josh.” She sat across from the kids. “What are you coloring?”

He raised his eyebrows. “I’m drawing.”

She could see ears and the body of a dog forming under the pencil strokes. “Is that your dog?”

“It’s Carly, my uncle’s dog. But Papa says we get a dog as soon as our house is ready.”

“You’re very talented.” She looked over at the tiny blond-haired girl. “What are you working on?”

She held up a coloring book.

“Issy doesn’t talk much. ’Cuz of stuff,” Josh said. “She always colors princesses.”

“I see that.” Pink exploded over the page. “Very pretty.”

Issy pointed to the page she wasn’t coloring.

“You want me to color with you?” Courtney asked.

Issy’s brown eyes brightened.

“Thank you.” She knelt on the opposite side of the coffee table and picked a purple crayon from the pack. “Do you know your colors?”

The little girl nodded.

Courtney held up the crayon in her hand.

“Purple,” the little girl sang.

“Right.” Two princesses were on the page. “Which dress should be purple?”

Issy tapped one.

As they worked, Courtney asked her to name the colors each time she changed crayons.

A blond woman came to the sitting area. “Hi, Courtney, can I get you something to drink?”

Courtney looked up. Everyone in the kitchen had wine or beer. “Umm, a glass of wine? Whatever everyone is drinking.”

“We’re having prosecco.” The woman smiled. “I’m Cheryl.”

“Cheryl. Thanks.” She pushed the crayons back to Issy.

Gray would expect her to socialize with the adults, people who despised her. She’d rather play with the kids, but she stood. “Thanks for letting me color.”

The kitchen door opened again. This time it was a stranger. The man’s dark brown hair was short. She’d never been enamored with the clipped look, but it made his steel-blue eyes stand out.

She arranged her hair so it draped over her shoulder.

“Am I in the right place?” the stranger asked.

“You are. Kaden, come in.” Abby took his hand and pulled him into the center of the kitchen. “I was afraid you’d changed your mind about dinner.”

The hottie shook his head. “No, just my clothes.”

He wasn’t dressed in jeans or shorts like the other men. He wore nice Dockers and a polo. Not the best quality, but not the worst, either.

Cheryl handed Courtney her prosecco. Turning to the stranger—Kaden—Cheryl asked, “How is Nigel doing?”

Nigel. The name rang a bell. Was that the old guy who worked for the B and B?

“Complaining he wants to go home.”

“Oh, dear.” Cheryl bit her lip. “He can’t. He needs physical therapy, right?”

Kaden nodded.

Courtney wished she’d worn one of the sundresses still packed in her bags, but her white top and coral capri pants were dressier than any other woman’s outfit in the room. She moved toward the cluster of people standing near the table, swaying her hips a little.

“Hi, Courtney.” Dolley nodded in her direction, no smile on her face.

“Courtney,” Bess said. “I didn’t know you were here.”

The two Fitzgerald sisters looked at her, waiting for an explanation. Courtney wouldn’t let her teeth grind. “I surprised Gray.”

“Oh.” Bess shoved her long red ponytail over her shoulder. Didn’t the Fitzgeralds realize men preferred women’s hair to be cascading around their breasts? It fueled their imaginations.

Liam wrapped his arm around Dolley’s waist. One of the twin brothers set a hand on Bess’s shoulder.

“Daniel, you remember Gray’s sister?” Bess asked.

He nodded, drinking his beer.

“Good to see you again, Daniel,” Courtney lied. Twin One identified.

Everyone stared at her. Were they waiting for her to speak? Or was it her clothes? Could she help it if she was beautiful? Sure, the Fitzgerald women had their...charm. But she’d been taught to highlight her assets.

“People, meet Kaden.” Abby introduced him to everyone, even Cheryl—an employee—and Nathan, Twin Two, who was apparently engaged to Cheryl and father of Issy.

When Abby introduced her, Courtney set her hand in Kaden’s, letting her fingers linger. “Lovely to meet you.”

His eyebrows arched a fraction. “Nice to meet you.”

Oh, my. Her belly did a lovely slow roll. He was a good-looking man.

Kaden turned and said something to Daniel.

She let her hand slip to her side. Her breath hitched on a bubble of panic. Men didn’t turn away from her.

Everyone talked in groups, excluding her. They talked in shorthand. She couldn’t keep up. Courtney rolled her shoulders. Who cared? These people weren’t part of her world.

“Let’s eat,” Abby said.

Cheryl and Abby laughed and talked as they brought platters and bowls to the table. Everyone was part of a conversation. Everyone but her. Even Kaden slipped into the flow.

She waited until someone told her where to sit, then glided into the chair next to Josh. Since she sat directly across from Kaden, maybe she could figure out why he hadn’t flirted with her.

She waited through grace, then passed dishes, asking Josh, “Can I serve you?”

He nodded and pointed to a large piece of fish on the platter. “I caught a big fish on the Fourth of July.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. A red fish. My mom cooked it.” He added quinoa salad to his plate and passed the bowl to her. “It was the biggest fish of the day.”

“That must have been fun,” she said. “I’ve never fished before.”

His brown eyes went big and his mouth dropped open. “Mr. Gray, why hasn’t your sister ever fished?”

Gray glanced over. “My sister doesn’t fish.”

“That’s just wrong,” Josh insisted.

Gray winked at him. “She might mess up her hair or clothes.”

Everyone laughed. At her.

Heat spread across Courtney’s face. “Father never took me fishing,” she explained.

There’d been so many boundaries in her life. Fishing was something only Gray and dear old Dad had done. It was not one of the restrictions she’d wanted to breach.

“I can teach you.” The kid looked from under his long blond eyelashes up at Daniel. “If we can take Uncle Daniel’s boat out.”

“Josh,” Cheryl admonished.

“I guess we could fish from shore somewhere.” The boy shot an innocent look at Courtney. “Do you wanna go tomorrow?”

This time she laughed with everyone. “I don’t think so.”

She joked with Josh and ate a fabulous dinner because, of course, her brother had married someone who was not only a businesswoman, but also an incredible chef. What sister wouldn’t be miffed that her sister-in-law overshadowed her in everything? Except beauty.

She glanced across the table. Kaden wasn’t even trying to attract her attention. Her stomach churned around the small bites of food she’d been able to swallow. She couldn’t take his indifference any longer. “Did you grow up in Savannah?”

Kaden looked up from his plate. “What?”

“Did you grow up here?”

“I spent most of my childhood down on Tybee.”

Josh leaned over the table. “I bet you fished down there.”

“My grandfather and I fished.” A smile broke across Kaden’s face, a dimple appearing on his cheek. My, my. He was handsome. “We’d take his boat into the intercoastal waters.”

“I don’t know what that is, but can you take me fishing?” Josh asked Kaden.

“As much fun as that sounds, I’m here to take care of my grandfather.”

“What happened to Nigel?” Courtney could almost pull up an image of a dapper older man with thick white hair.

Kaden’s smile slipped away. “He broke his hip.”

“Oh.” That didn’t sound good. “Is he okay?”

“He came through surgery well.” Kaden shook his head. “Now he needs physical therapy and time to heal.”

She nodded, not really understanding what healing from a broken hip entailed. “How is he handling being hospitalized?”

“He’s not in the hospital anymore. He’s in a rehabilitation center.”

“Oh.” She was so out of her depth.

“I like Nigel.” Josh bounced a little in his chair. “He let me help paint the walls.”

“Yeah. He’s a good guy.” Kaden’s face softened.

“I know Nigel told us you live in Atlanta, but what do you do there?” Gray asked.

Kaden blinked. “I followed his example.”

“Construction?” Gray waved his hand around the table. “We’ll have to talk.”

“So how long are you staying?” Dolley called down the table.

Courtney waited for Kaden to answer.

“Courtney?” Dolley asked.

“Oh, me?” She shook her head. “I’m not sure. A couple of weeks?”

“You’re not sure? Oh, right. You don’t have a job to go back to,” Dolley said snippily.

“No, I don’t. I miss my brother. I saw him a lot more when he lived in Boston.” Courtney hoped she sounded convincing. “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammad...”

The three Fitzgerald sisters’ reddish-blond eyebrows went up at the same time. Dolley said under her breath, “Well, bless your heart.”

“We’re glad you’re here,” Abby choked out, glancing at Dolley.

“Thank you.” She knew what Dolley meant. The bitch. They didn’t want her here. Well, news flash, she didn’t want to be here, either.

Everyone returned to their conversations, excluding her again. She didn’t care about remodeling or houses or Abby’s restaurant. Even Josh focused on Kaden and fishing.

Would dinner never end? Please, Mother; I want to come home. Convince Father to let me out of purgatory.