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“I’ll show you to the cottage, and then Alice will get you checked in,” I told him. I unhooked a jacket from a hanger behind the door and put it on, then I gestured for Ezra to precede me into the yard. “Along there.” I motioned for him to walk the path beside the garden. He stopped in front of the first cottage—the one Kennedy had been abducted from. I stepped past him and waved at the other one. “You can stay here.”
Desdemona had supposedly cleared the negative energy out of Kennedy’s cottage, but I still preferred to put guests in the other one whenever possible. It wasn’t that I was particularly superstitious, but it seemed polite to invite paying guests to enjoy the cottage that didn’t have a history that included kidnapping unless there was no alternative. I took a key from my pocket and unlocked the door. The interior smelled faintly of lemon from the cleaner I’d used after the last tenant left.
“This is the living area,” I said, waiting while he looked around. “There are two bedrooms through the doors over there and a bathroom and a laundry off the hall.”
He pushed his hands into his pockets, gazing around as though he wasn’t quite sure how he’d ended up here. “It’s nice.”
“Thank you. There is tea and coffee in the pantry, and I can get you some milk for the fridge. We serve breakfast in the house in the morning if you’d like to join us. Otherwise, there’s a fully equipped kitchen you can use.”
“Breakfast would be great.” He pivoted to face me and beamed. “Will it just be the two of us?”
“Unless my assistant or aunt are here. Sometimes they come for breakfast.”
His eyes widened. “Your aunt?”
“Yes, she runs a shop in town.”
“You’ll have to tell me which, and I’ll check it out.”
“Sure…” Again, that sense of wrongness prickled at the back of my scalp. I felt a tickle of premonition. He was a little too eager. Something was going on here beyond him simply visiting Destiny Falls for a break. Was he another obsessed fan who’d gotten it into his head that I was the love of his life? He didn’t look crazy, but then the most dangerous men rarely did.
“Will I see you often?” he asked. “Perhaps you could show me around town.”
“I work from home,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “My assistant and I share an office in the house, so you’ll probably see us most days,” I added, subtly letting him know I wouldn’t be alone. “I’m pretty busy at the moment, so I probably won’t have time to show you around, but if you need anything else, knock at the main door, and one of us will make sure you’re taken care of.”
“Got it.” He offered a smile that was too tender considering we’d just met. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to staying here.”
“I hope you’ll enjoy it.” I edged out without turning my back on him. Perhaps he was nothing more than he claimed to be, but I had a bad feeling about his presence here. This time, I’d listen to my intuition and tread with caution.
16
NATE
I metMax at Drunken Destiny after work on Friday. I needed his advice, so I’d asked him to come earlier than the others. I asked Bailey for two pints of beer and took them to the table in the rear corner of the bar, as far from the other patrons as possible. I didn’t want to risk anyone overhearing our conversation.
“What’s up?” Max asked as I sat opposite him.
I wrapped my hands around one of the glasses and gazed into the foam rather than meeting his eyes, knowing he’d see too much. Despite the fact that we shared identical DNA, Max had always been the smart one. He’d been at the top of our year in school and gone on to become a doctor. He was perceptive and quick-witted, whereas I was hot-tempered and about as subtle as a battering ram, no matter how hard I tried to tone it down.
“I’ve been having some thoughts,” I said.
His lips twitched ever so slightly. “I’m glad to hear it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up. What I meant is that I’ve been having some thoughts about Grace.” I swallowed, knowing I was about to cross a line I couldn’t uncross. If I gave voice to my fantasies, they wouldn’t be a secret anymore. They’d be out there in the world even if I trusted Max not to share them. “Romantic thoughts,” I added, in case I’d been unclear.
Max’s eyebrows flew up, and he leaned forward, resting his weight on his elbows. “Do you have feelings for her?”
I huffed. “It’s not that simple.” I fought to find the words, frustrated with my inability to express everything that was going on inside my head. “I’ve never thought of her… that way… before, but ever since her ex turned up in town and I realized I didn’t know her as well as I thought, it’s like I can’t get her out of my mind.” I gave him a meaningful look. “It’s never been like that with her.Never. I don’t know what to do about it.”
Max sat back, watching me thoughtfully. He raised his beer and drank. When he set it down, he finally spoke. “It’s not surprising you’d find Grace attractive.”
I glanced around to make sure nobody had heard him, but they all seemed to be minding their own business.
“She’s a stunning woman,” he continued.
Hot jealousy flared in my gut and I battled to ignore it. Talk about inappropriate reactions. I had no cause to be jealous. Of course Max knew that Grace was gorgeous. He had eyes.
“Inside and out,” he added. “In fact, she might be one of the most attractive women I’ve ever met.”
