Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth (best ereader under 100 .TXT) 📗

her if she needed anything, she could call her. She darted toward the elevator and headed to Riley’s office. A lady stood behind the large console in the office suite. She was talking frantically on a cell phone.

“I’ve got it under control, Mother.” The lanky blonde’s voice reverberated through the lobby. Her blue eyes darted up and caught Tamyra’s. “I’ve got to go.” She shut the phone quickly. “Ms. Larsen?”

Tamyra tried to pull it together. “Yes? How do you know my name?”

“I’m sorry.” She laughed animatedly. “I’m Mia. I work with Riley. We make it our business to know all of our guests. Well, okay, that isn’t completely true.” Her lilting Australian accent lifted as she spoke. “We know as many as we can.”

Tamyra tried to calm the racing of her heart before she spoke. “Yes, you left a message.”

“I did. About the pool.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think I want to go to the pool today. I’d really just like to see Riley.” She scanned the office desperately. “Is she around?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. She’s out with Ms. Fulton this morning. I’d be more than glad to help you.”

“No . . . no. That’s okay. I just really needed to talk to her. Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“I honestly don’t. I’m not sure what all Ms. Fulton intended for their day. But I assure you, as soon as she comes in, I’ll let her know you wanted to see her.”

“Thanks,” Tamyra said, backing up toward the door. “I’d appreciate that.”

“No problem. And you’re sure there’s nothing I can do for you?”

“No. No. I’m good, thanks.” Tamyra headed back out into the corridor. Her fear followed right along with her.

* * *

Winnie checked herself in the mirror that hung over the long table outside the elevator. Not bad for her age. The red bathing suit was reminiscent of a sixties pinup model with its strapless cut and tiny halter string that wrapped around her neck to keep her girls remotely pointed northward. The red looked smart against her olive skin, and the skirt hid the cellulite on her legs. And the ruche . . . oh, she thanked God for the woman who had created ruche. It ran across the front of the suit and did its best to hide her midsection, the section of her body that was the celebration of both her womanhood and her nightly bowl of ice cream.

Her white sunglasses weren’t quite as stark stuck on top of her white hair. She licked her red-colored lips and smacked them together in front of the mirror. Marilyn Monroe had nothing on her. She may have slept with a president but, hey, Winnie had slept with Sam. Winnie heard the ding of the elevator’s arrival and turned; her monogrammed canvas bag full of books swung with her.

The elevator doors opened and the young woman from dinner last night ran smack-dab into her. She noticed a look of fright in those brooding dark eyes immediately. “Hey, hey . . . ,” she said, reaching out to take Tamyra’s arm as she came off the elevator.

Tamyra stood an entire head and shoulders above Winnie and looked down at her as she spoke. “Oh, hey, Winnie.”

“What’s wrong, baby? You look almost as white as me. And for you that’s not a good thing.”

She shook her head determinedly as if she were trying to shake something off. “Oh, nothing.”

“You shake your head any harder and you’re going to be in the hospital for shaken baby syndrome. Now, where are you going so frazzled?”

“I’m just going back to my room and—”

Winnie’s hand flew up. “Ehh.” The sound escaped her like the sound of a cicada. “No young woman as beautiful as you is going to be in a breathtaking place like this and live in your room. Go put your bathing suit on.” She swatted her hand in the air toward the hallway.

“Winnie, I don’t want to go to the—”

“I know you don’t. I can see you want to jump out of your skin. I know what that feels like. I felt it for a couple years after my Sam died. The only thing is, I don’t know why someone as young as you would want to do that. But you know what, I promise I won’t ask you why.”

She could see relief wash over the young woman’s face.

“That’s my promise. No questions. You can tell me only what you want me to know. But I’m good company and there’s a gorgeous pool down there. So you and I are going to go spend our day by it. Now go.”

Tamyra stood stoically in front of her.

“Go. I’ll wait right here,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her. She watched as Tamyra’s shoulders eased back down and she finally nodded her head.

“You sure?”

“I’m positive. I’ll sit and read and you can lie there and talk, pump music through your ear canals, or stare out into space. But I’ve learned sometimes it’s just nice to have a body next to you. Plus, we’ll order daiquiris,” she said, raising her eyebrows up and down.

Tamyra’s face relaxed, traces of a smile almost present. “You don’t drink.”

“Who knows. I’m on vacation. Maybe I’ll start.” Winnie gave her a wink. “Now go put that beautiful body in a bathing suit so I can hate myself for the rest of the day.”

“You’re sure.”

The girl was a slow one. “Go.”

Tamyra inched backward. “Want to walk with me to my room? I’ll just be a minute.”

Winnie knew what fear looked like. “Sure, baby girl. I’ll just sit on your sofa and wait for you. How’s that?”

Tamyra’s expression relaxed further. “That would be good.”

She watched Tamyra as they walked toward her room. Winnie had spent years pulling young people out from underneath their burdens. Apparently some things never took a vacation.

6

Sunday afternoon . . .

Riley stood in the bathroom of the Mosaic restaurant and leaned against the counter. She was getting too familiar with the bathrooms around here. She had brought Laine back to The Cove for the magnificent lunch