Tangled Up In You, page 16
"Why not?"
"I was raised by a single mom. She was usually working whenever I was having a game or a recital, and I didn't have any siblings."
"My mom was sick all the time. She wasn't around much. She felt bad about it. I'd go into her room and sit on the side of her bed after a game and tell her everything that happened. But it wasn't the same as her being there. Now, both she and Gina are gone."
"That sucks."
"Yeah." His lips tightened. "And my father sent me away to get my act together, even though he's sure that's not going to happen."
"Is that what you let him think?"
He gave her a sharp look. "What do you mean?"
"Adam and your dad seem to believe you're nothing but a partier, but that's not who you are. You're incredibly smart, and you're a genius with computers and math."
"I'm only a genius compared to you."
She smiled at that. "Good point. But you still have a very sharp mind, and you think ten steps ahead. I barely think about the step I'm on. If you didn't have your act together in school, then there's a reason that you haven't told anyone, because I know you can handle school."
"I just didn't see the point. Gina died before she could finish college. My mom died before I could graduate. What am I even doing at school?"
"Maybe that's why you needed a break, to find out what you really want to do. Because I know you're not going to lay around and smoke weed, drink beer all day and do nothing. You could be doing more of that here, but you're not. You're working for me."
"I told you—I had to get a job."
"I know. But I've seen how hard you work." She paused. "I was like you once, Drew. I first came to this store when I was fifteen. I was mad because my mom had moved me here from LA. I didn't want to start over again in a new high school. All the kids from Whisper Lake would have known each other forever. I wasn't going to fit in. And my mom was busy with the job she'd gotten, so she wasn't even around to complain to. That's when I saw the sign in this window and asked Phoebe if she could give me a job. She gave me a lot more than that. She made me feel like I had someone in my corner. She was kind of crazy, and some people thought she was a witch, but I saw a woman who was kind and very caring. Anyway, if you need someone in your corner, I'm available."
"Do you tell Adam what I tell you?" Drew asked, his sharp gaze raking her face.
"You haven't told me much, so, no."
"Are you dating Adam?"
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because he keeps coming around, and the way he looks at you."
She cleared her throat. "We're friends. We know a lot of the same people."
"But you like each other."
"Maybe, but we're not going to do anything about it."
"Why not?"
She had to think hard to come up with a reason, because she really thought they should do something about it. But there was one reason staring her in the face. "I don't know that Adam has ever gotten over losing your sister."
"That was a long time ago."
"I don't think time changes love. But there are other reasons, too. Anyway, you and I can have a friendship that doesn't include Adam. But I will say this. I know he's kind of gruff and serious, but I think he really cares about you."
"He took me in out of duty to my father."
"He did it for you, Drew. He wants to help you. Maybe you should try to talk to him. Open up a little. He might do the same. You're going to be here for a couple of months. Wouldn't it be more comfortable and fun if you got along better?"
"Adam doesn't trust me."
"Show him that he can."
"We'll see." He stood up. "I gotta go."
"Okay. Are you still on for tomorrow?"
"I'll be here all day."
"Great. Have fun with your friends."
After Drew left, she turned out the lights in the store and went up to her apartment. Kicking off her shoes, she flopped down on the couch and put her feet up on the coffee table. As she took her first big breath of the day, she heard the faint sound of music.
Getting back up, she walked over to the window to see the lights from the Ferris wheel that had been set up in the middle of Lakeside Park. She'd planned to go to the festival tomorrow night, after her sidewalk sale, but as she compared her quiet apartment to the dazzling lights just a few miles away, she changed her mind. She could use a little fun, too.
Molly changed into comfortable jeans, flats, and a lightweight sweater and then headed down to the festival. It seemed like half the town had the same idea, and she was carried along by a lively crowd of tourists and locals all headed in the same direction.
When she reached the park, she hit up the food booths first. It was after seven, and she hadn't had anything to eat since she'd snuck one of Chloe's cookies around lunchtime. She knew some of her friends were working at the bakery booth and the cakewalk, but she needed some real food.
As she checked out her options, she felt a part of the excitement but also a little isolated. She tried to shake off the feeling. She was used to being a loner in the middle of a crowd, but she was tired of being that person. If she stayed in Whisper Lake for a long time, she would become part of the fabric of the town. She'd have a crew of friends. She'd have her own business. It was everything she wanted. Wasn't it?
Her mother's words rang through her head. "Change is exciting, Molly. If you're not changing, you're not living."
Her mother had certainly lived by that philosophy. Did she want to do the same?
She pushed the question out of her head. She didn't have to decide anything now. And she wasn't good at planning for the future. She was better at living in the moment. At this moment all she really needed was food. Her gaze lit on a stand selling hot dogs on a stick which reminded her of her first time at the festival as a teenager. She smiled. Why not? She was starving.
She moved toward the stand, but as she got caught up between a family with two strollers and a dog, she made a quick move to the left, only to collide with a man coming in the other direction. Of course, it was Adam.
He laughed as he steadied her. "We have to stop meeting like this."
"I don't think we can. I was trying to make a quick pass," she added, as the group in question moved past them.
"Why are you in a hurry?"
"I'm hungry, and that giant hot dog is calling my name."
He looked at the sign and then back at her, shaking his head. "You can do better than a hot dog on a stick."
"Dipped in mustard? I don't think so. I remember them as being yummy."
"How old were you then?"
"Sixteen."
"That explains why you liked the hot dog. You should check out the Falafel Hut. It's great."
"Is that what you're getting?"
"I was thinking about it."
"Well, how about I get two hot dogs, you get two falafel wraps, and we grab one of those picnic tables and see who made the better choice? Unless you're afraid of a hot dog?"
"I think I can handle it."
They split up by the two booths. She was happy to see no line at her booth and put in her order with the long-haired guy at the window. As she waited for her hot dogs, she couldn't help sneaking another look at Adam.
He wore jeans and a short-sleeve navy-blue polo shirt that showed off his broad chest and long legs. Even with the ever-present boot on his foot, he looked fit and athletic. As the cashier set down her hot dogs, she dragged her gaze away from Adam and reminded herself once more that she really needed to get over her attraction to the man. But that didn't seem like it would happen any time soon.
After getting small plastic containers of spicy mustard, she made her way to a table. Adam joined her a couple minutes later.
"What should we eat first?" he asked as he sat down across from her.
"I think we should start with the hot dogs. They should be eaten hot." She handed him a hot dog on a stick. As he took it, she added, "You need to dip it in the spicy mustard. That's the best part."
"Got it, but you go first."
She swirled her hot dog around in the mustard and took a big bite. At first, she thought it was pretty good, but as she chewed, there was an odd aftertaste, and she had to force herself not to show the distaste on her face.
Adam started laughing before she'd even swallowed. "You can spit it out."
She grimaced as she swallowed, the pepper in the sauce making her eyes water. "Oh, my God, that is literally the worst thing I've ever put in my mouth." She grabbed the soda she'd also purchased and took a long swig.
"Told you," Adam said with a smug gleam in his eyes.
Her gaze narrowed. "What did you know that I didn't?"
"Well…the hot dogs used to be made by Benjamin Halter, but he turned it over to his son Ricky last year, and let's just say that Ricky doesn't make the same mustard sauce."
"That's why there was no line."
"Everyone learned their lesson last year."
"How does the town let him sell something so disgusting?"
"It's the sauce, not the hot dog."
"You're right. It's the mustard sauce. What's in it besides pepper?"
"I think that's the main ingredient. But some people still seem to like it."
As she saw a group of teenage boys at the booth, she had a feeling she knew who those people were.
"So, falafel time?" he asked, handing her a falafel wrap. "I think this is going to be the easiest bet I ever won."
"Too bad there weren't any stakes." She bit into the falafel and immediately the delicious taste replaced the peppery mustard sauce. "You made a huge mistake, Adam."
"You don't like it?" he asked in surprise.
"Are you kidding? It's fantastic. You should have bet me something. You would have won easily."
"I couldn't do that in good conscience. I had insider information."
She took another bite and smiled. "You're very ethical, aren't you?"
"I try to be."
"Even when it comes to a silly bet?"
He shrugged. "It's just who I am."
"I really wish the hot dog had been as good as I remembered. But I guess nothing is ever like that. Our memories are better than reality."
He gave her a thoughtful glance. "Is that what you think?"
"I don't know. I just thought of it," she said with a laugh. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't always think before I speak. But upon reflection, that is what I believe…that our memories make things better than they were."
He nodded, his gaze suddenly far away. She realized she'd just sent him back into his own past—his tragic love story.
"I could be wrong," she said hastily. "I am often wrong."
"I don't know that you're wrong," he said slowly. "In fact, you might be right. When people say time heals all wounds, I wonder if they don't just mean time dims the memories of those wounds."
"You don't think healing is possible?"
He sighed. "I don't know. Let's get back to talking about hot dogs."
"We've already covered that subject."
"Then tell me how opening day went."
"Amazingly well. Thank you again for the flowers, for the encouragement. It was unexpected, and I was really touched that you thought of me."
"I want you to be successful, Molly."
"Why? Why do you care? You don't even like what I sell."
"I care because it matters to you."
She wanted him to say that she mattered to him, but he left it at that.
As if sensing things were getting too personal, Adam cleared his throat, and said, "I'm glad I ran into you, because I need to fill you in on what I learned today. I spoke to Kim Collins, Caroline's stepsister. Caroline left her and her brother twenty-five thousand dollars each."
"That's a nice chunk of money."
"Kim also had a conversation with Caroline shortly before she died. So, she was in Caroline's house."
"Are you implying that she had access to the diamond?"
"Just relating what I know. I also spoke to Caroline's attorney. Caroline was going to give Charles the diamond and had told him about the gift, but then they had a fight and split up and she wanted to keep it. The ownership of the diamond was in dispute at the time of her death."
"What happens now—if we find the diamond? Who gets it?"
"Charles. Which doesn't give him a lot of motive to try to steal it back from Phoebe. He has the law on his side, which is why he sent his lawyer to your door."
"That sounds logical. The person who hired Mercer, and I'm assuming we think he was hired, can't have any right to the diamond. But remember what Mercer told Nina—that he wanted to get something back for the family. Which brings us back to the family."
"Yes. Caroline's step-siblings, Weatherly's two sons, her former husbands and their children."
"Can we narrow it down?"
"That's the next step. There is one other suspect—Rebecca Pierce."
"Who's that?"
"Caroline's housekeeper who worked for her for twenty years and packed the boxes that were going to Phoebe. She also received a cash inheritance from Caroline. I don’t know the amount, but I suspect it was similar to what Ray and Kim got. But here's the thing—her phone number doesn't work anymore. And I can't find her. I know she got on a plane to LA a few days after Caroline died, but after that, the trail ends. She lived with Caroline, so she had no other residence, but she hasn't shown up at any of Caroline's properties."
"What about the money? Can't you track her through her bank?"
"I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm also looking into some locals who worked at Caroline's house part-time. The attorney sent over contact information for a cleaner and a gardener. I left messages for both of them to call me back."
"You were busy today, Adam. You're really getting into this."
"It's a puzzle that needs to be solved."
"Maybe it doesn't. Maybe this is all over. Nothing has happened in the last six days. Whoever hired Mercer might have given up."
"That's an optimistic point of view," he said with a small smile.
"I'd rather be thinking of the glass half full than half empty. It makes life better."
"You can stay positive, but you also need to stay alert."
"I will."
"How did Drew do today?"
"He was amazing. He worked nonstop for eight hours. He barely took time for lunch. He's really a good kid, Adam. We talked a little after we closed. He said he was going to be at the festival tonight with Cassie, meeting some of her friends."
"I saw him before I came over here. He managed to get a couple of sentences out when I tried to talk to him."
"What did he say?" she asked curiously.
"Not much. But he did mention that he liked working for you and that he was coming to the festival."
"It's a start." She paused. "So, dessert?"
"Why don't we take a ride first?"
She looked at him in surprise. "You want to go on one of the rides? Really?"
"Yes."
"Like a pirate ship that goes almost upside down?" A grimace crossed his face, and she laughed. "No? But there's nothing better than turning your world upside down. It gives you a different perspective."
"Nothing better, huh? How about the Ferris wheel?"
"It's kind of slow, but I can live with that."
"Good. I don't really trust rides at pop-up parks like these. But I don't think there's much risk riding the Ferris wheel."
"Well, let's see what happens when we get stuck at the top," she teased.
Silver lights suddenly lit up his blue eyes. "What do you think is going to happen?"
"You never know, Adam. Not everything in life can be planned."
"Then why do I think you have a plan?" he countered.
She shrugged as she got to her feet. "I guess we'll have to see." She smiled to herself as they walked across the park. It was fun flirting with Adam, even if nothing would ever come of it.
And she did have a plan, if she had the nerve to carry it out.
Chapter Eighteen
Adam had never felt more excited to get on a Ferris wheel in his life. As they waited in line to board, he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Molly, and he had to fight the urge to grab her hand and wrap his fingers around hers. He didn't know why it was so difficult not to touch this woman. He had plenty of female friends. He didn't have trouble keeping his hands off them, but every time he saw Molly, he wanted to run his fingers through her hair, wrap his arms around all her sweet curves, and kiss her hot mouth.
He had no idea what would happen when they got to the top of the Ferris wheel, but he was dying to find out.
Molly looked up at him, a knowing gleam in her eyes. "I can almost hear you thinking."
"I hope that's not true," he said dryly.
She smiled and then stepped up to the platform. The wheel stopped to let a couple disembark, and then they got on. He slid as close to her as he could. The attendant snapped a metal bar down in front of them, and then they were off. But they didn't go far, only a few feet in the air. Apparently, another couple needed to get off.
"Does this count as the top of the Ferris Wheel?" he asked.
"No. And if we don't stop at the top, then…maybe nothing will happen."
"That would be disappointing."
"Would it? I thought you didn't want anything to happen between us."
"Let's just say I'm not thinking beyond this Ferris Wheel ride at the moment."
"Adam Cole, living in the moment," she teased. "I like it."
"Well, you should. You're responsible."
"Chelsea told me that there was a time in your life when you were all about the fun."
"Considering I'm several years older than her, and we didn't hang out together, I don't think she knows what she's talking about."
"You weren't fun in high school?"
"I didn't say that. I had a lot less to worry about back then."
"Where did you fit in at school? Were you a sports guy, musician, nerdy kid, or in the parking lot crowd?"
"I was into sports. I played baseball and basketball."
"And academically? Straight As, always did the extra credit, or kind of walked your way through?"
