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

Winnie darted her eyes upward and over to the side of the pool. “That’s what happened.”

Tamyra turned. “What?”

“That. Him. The old man in the lime green bathing trunks.”

“You know him?”

Winnie swung her bag across her shoulder and slipped her feet into her shoes. “He is my neighbor and he has the hots for me. I know it. He lost his wife a couple of years ago, and every time he goes to the mailbox or sees me sitting on my front porch, he smiles at me.”

Tamyra covered her mouth.

“Go ahead; laugh. But I tell you he would have me hosting his dinner parties, given half a chance.”

“And you’ve gathered this because he smiles at you.”

Winnie furrowed her brow. “It’s the way. It’s always in the way, Tamyra. Their entire face smiles. Not just their lips. Their entire face. I’m seventy-two years old. Trust me, I know when a man has a thing for me.” She turned and started toward the walkway leading back to The Cove.

She heard Tamyra behind her in a few moments.

“Sorry, baby girl. I just . . . well, I’m just very angry right now. My kids are little master manipulators. And I’m going to kick me some Harris booty when I get home.”

“I’m sorry this has upset you so much, Winnie.”

She turned to look at Tamyra. This morning the poor girl was a fright and now she was the one trying to give comfort. She reached for her arm. “It’s okay, baby girl. I know I’m a lot of woman. I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me. I’ll just have to be very careful this week to avoid Mr. Albert Wilson. Because he is not touching this,” she said as her hand displayed her body like Vanna displays a new puzzle.

“Would you like to have dinner?” Tamyra asked.

“I’ll call you, baby girl. Let me pull myself together. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next.” And she wasn’t. What did you do with fear?

7

Sunday evening . . .

Riley collapsed into her office chair and turned on the sound machine that sat on the edge of her desk. She kept it on “waves.” It fit the setting. She leaned her elbows on the edge of her desk and dropped her head down, letting her hands knead the knots in the back of her neck. What a day. Between Laine and the phone call from Max, she’d had to fight against old fears and old haunts harder than she had in a while.

“You okay?” Mia’s voice came from the doorway.

Riley looked up. “Yeah. Long day.”

“Sorry to hear that. Did you get the contract taken care of?”

“Yes, I got it over to legal.”

“Anything I can do for you?”

“Um, yes, actually there is. Could you make reservations for me and Ms. Fulton for six at . . . the Bahamian Club. Yeah, let’s do the Bahamian Club.” She rubbed her temples. “Sorry. I’m so brain-dead, I can’t even think.”

“Sure. Anything else?”

“Yeah, could you ask them to move a little quicker between courses? I’d love to catch at least a little of Gabby’s recital.”

“Sure. I’d be glad to. Again, I’m so sorry about the misunderstanding today.”

Riley shook her head. “No, it’s okay. It was my fault. I didn’t give myself enough time.”

“Well, we’re a team, remember, and it’s my responsibility to help, not hinder.”

Riley gave her a smile. “Thank you, Mia. I really need a friend out here.”

Mia’s smile broadened across her face. “Me too. So no worries. We’ll have each other’s back.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll make that reservation now.”

“Sounds good. I’m going to make sure our other guests are doing okay and then sneak away and see Gabby before I have to meet Laine for dinner.”

“Well, your other two priorities actually made it out to the pool today.”

“They did?”

“Yes, together. But Winnie didn’t make it to her dolphins excursion.”

Riley leaned back in her chair and chuckled. “I didn’t think she would. But at least they were together. That’s a good thing. For both of them, I’m sure.”

“Also, Tamyra was looking for you this morning.”

“Really? She okay?”

“Looked slightly distraught, but I knew you were meeting Laine, and I probably didn’t need to interrupt you.”

“Sure. Yeah, you’re right. I left to go get the contract to legal and you would have thought I had left her for half the day.” She stood up from her desk. “I’ll go make sure Tamyra is okay. Sounds like if Winnie had her, she was well taken care of.”

“Well, try to enjoy yourself tonight,” Mia offered as she walked out the door.

“I’m thinking a trip to the gynecologist for a yearly would be more pleasant,” she whispered to herself, and with that she threw her head back onto the desk.

* * *

Riley knocked on Tamyra’s door but there was no answer. She walked back down the hall and pushed the Down button for the elevator. As the doors opened, Tamyra stepped off. “Hey, just the woman I was looking for.”

Tamyra’s eyes widened. “Yeah?”

Riley watched the doors close behind her. “Yeah, Mia said you came by this morning and seemed kind of upset. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah . . . everything’s fine.”

Riley studied her, noting the hesitation. “You’re sure? I’m willing to help with anything.”

Tamyra shook her head adamantly. “No, everything’s fine. She must have misunderstood. I was just coming to see if you knew how I could reach Winnie.”

“Oh, well, good. Mia said you found her and y’all spent time at the pool.”

Tamyra smiled. “We did. Had a nice afternoon.”

Riley patted her arm. “I’m glad. I was hoping you could enjoy it.”

“We really did. Thank you for thinking of me.”

“Well, enjoy your evening.”

Tamyra walked past her. “Yeah, you too.”

Riley watched her walk away and pushed the Down button again. Even though she knew not one word of what Tamyra had just said was true.

* * *

Tamyra turned the handle and walked into her room. She didn’t know why she had lied. There was nothing about Riley that made her feel defensive. She was just as sure now as she