“Just burning off some energy. Isn’t it time for you and Pike to go?”
“Talk to me,” she repeated.
“Nothing to say.” Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.
Now one stylish mule was tapping impatiently. “You’re barefoot, doing push-ups and Irene is walking around like a cat on a quail farm. Spill it, or I get the jumper cables and torture it out of you.”
He stopped doing push-ups and rolled over onto his back, staring up at her. He’d never been able to hide things from Rosa. She had this weird twin sixth-sense thing going on, and truth be told, he was a terrible liar. He took a deep breath and let it all out. “In a nutshell, I flooded my stateroom and caused somewhere in the neighborhood of sixteen thousand dollars in damage and lost revenue. She’s within her rights to demand restitution. I didn’t read the contract carefully enough before I signed it. I was in a hurry.”
Rosa closed her eyes.
He went on. “Carson Spooley is a celebrity concierge. I had to look up exactly what that means, but basically he’s like a glorified personal assistant, checking out this tug as a possible wedding location for somebody named Dizz. I have no idea who Dizz is, but apparently he’s somebody famous and Irene is desperate for him to love this boat and book his wedding here.”
She opened her eyes in surprise. “Dizz is a talent scout. He hosts the reality show Acting Up. He discovers actors and makes them into stars. The winners of his show land themselves an agent and a role on a network TV show. He’s engaged to Tiffany, an actress he discovered in season two.”
Cy shook his head. “Dizz and Tiffany? Don’t any of these people have last names?”
“To the point, brother.”
“I’m to redesign and decorate the reception room and dining area in the space of three weeks on a sixteen-thousand-dollar budget. If it passes muster and Spooley convinces this Dizz person to book the wedding here, I’m off the hook.”
“Three weeks? That’s insane, even for twice the budget.”
He sighed. “Yeah. The only good news is that business has been terrible and she doesn’t have many overnight guests at the moment. They can use the smaller room for dining.”
“And if Dizz doesn’t book the boat for the wedding?”
“I owe her sixteen thousand dollars per the contract I signed. Don’t worry. It’s coming out of my pocket. I messed up and I’m not going to take Dollars and Sense funds to fix it.”
“That’s irrelevant because Dollars and Sense doesn’t have any funds anyway, not until we get a few jobs booked.” Rosa sank down cross-legged on the floor. “There’s got to be a way out of this. Do you want me to see if Pike can find a loophole?”
He shook his head. “Thanks, anyway.”
“But you’re in this mess because of me. I’d give you the money if I could, but...”
“You don’t have it.”
“No, and Pike sold off everything to buy Pelican Inn. The honeymoon is a gift from his uncle or we wouldn’t have been able to afford it.”
He sat up. “No worries. This old boat needs my magic touch anyway. The history this place is steeped in...you wouldn’t believe it.”
“Then why the worry crease on your forehead?”
“That’s a character line, not a worry crease.”
She looked at him, with those brown eyes so different from his blue ones. She favored their mother, the woman who had drunk herself into an early grave. He had their father’s coloring and easygoing mind-set. For the most part, anyway.
Rosa’s brown eyes continued to drill into him with sisterly affection. “Cy, why don’t you tell me why you left the water running?”
He sighed. It would do no good to lie. “I thought I saw Piper.”
Rosa put her palm on Cy’s cheek. “Oh, honey. I love you, but if you really did see Piper, then you know what you need to do.”
“Run?”
“In the opposite direction. As far and as fast as you can.”
He closed his eyes. “I have. I am. But she’s still there.”
He could still feel the rain from that night three years before, pattering down, drilling tiny holes in the sand on a perfect Southern California beach. Not to be daunted by a little thing like weather, he’d erected an enormous umbrella over the picnic blanket, sheltering the bouquet of purple peonies. Roses were for ordinary women, not a one-of-a-kind, breathtaking creature like Piper. The storm came, and with it, high tide.
Piper did not.
Soggy flowers. Sputtering candle. A single text. I can’t. I’m sorry. It’s over.
He understood the finality in the text, the truth she had been trying to communicate for weeks and he had steadfastly refused to hear. That night, mixed with the shush of the storm and the pounding of the waves, he’d finally heard. He’d handed over his heart to a woman who didn’t love him. Not enough, anyway.
He’d stayed until the tide had come to claim the sodden bouquet. He’d let the ocean have the ring, too, hurling it out across the sea until the band of gold lost itself in the moonlit sparkle of the waves.
Rosa’s expression was searching. “The hurt is still there. The love isn’t.” She paused. “Is it?”
He searched his heart. “No, it’s not.” His love for Piper had died a slow and painful death that night on the beach and during the insane week that followed. “I’m over it. When I thought I saw her...it surprised me. That’s all.”
“Okay.” She kissed his cheek and stood, checking her phone. “Pike’s texting me. I’ve got to go.”
“Is Baggy okay?”
She laughed. “Yes, Cy. The strange, dog-like creature to whom you refer is being picked up by Aunt Bitsy from the babysitter’s as we speak. I’m sure he’ll be fine staying with Bitsy and Dad at their place while you work on this project.”
“Are you sure? Baggy’ll be confused to be away from the Pelican. He’s sensitive. He’s got issues.” Well-deserved issues for a wildly unattractive canine abandoned in a paper bag before Cy’s timely rescue.
“Yes, I’m sure. When we get back he’s going to be eating steak and lobster every night.”
“Lobster is too rich. It will upset his stomach. And as for steak, I think Baggy might be turning into a vegetarian, like me.”
“I don’t think so.” She laughed as she headed for the door. “And I was kidding about the lobster. Besides, we’re all on a bread-and-water diet until our business is more established.” She paused. “Call me, you know, if anything comes up with Dad?”
“Nothing will come up. He’s better. Hasn’t lost his train of thought once.” Cy sat
