page89 (1/2)
I grinned as she laughed “Good news So who is he selling to?”
“Not a clue But who cares? It isn’t Devlin! Oh, and he is furious” She tee-heed
Eave me a quizzical look as she watched me chuckle I mouthed, Just a sec
“Ooh, and another positive! George is coive him Sarah’s letters”
Sarah’s letters
Wow
Like everything about ht about those letters uessed because I didn’t really want to think about them or the connection I felt to the woman who had written them
They were tucked away in a drawer in my room at the inn
But George deserved to see those letters
“That’s great”
“Look, a guest just walked in Gotta go But spread the good news!” She hung up
I grinned at E to Ian Devlin”
She sood”
To be fair, E property as everyone else, and I’d put it down to the fact that she wasn’t as big a part of the boardwalk community I had learned that she and Iris were friends, but I worried that Iris and I were the entirety of Emery’s social circle
“Bailey is ecstatic”
“I could hear” She laughed a little
“Yeah, she can be loud,” I said, affection clear in my voice
Eave me a rueful look “I wish I had her confidence”
I wanted to ask why she didn’t have that kind of confidence She was smart, she owned her own business, and she was beautiful What was there not to be confident about? Before I could slip in a sneaky, prying question, the bell above her door jingled and we both turned our heads
My heart iht of Dana Kellerman
As per usual she was stunning and perfectly put together I’d learned she was a hairstylist at the best salon in town For that reason (and ot to Hartwell
Her cat eyes widened at the sight ofshe was just as surprised to see me, but I couldn’t tell if it was an honest reaction or not
She sauntered up to the counter, givingto Emery “Skinny latte,” she said
Emery nodded and proceeded to make her the latte
The most aard, awful silence fell between the three of us, broken only by the sound of the coffee machine
“Soyou and Cooper are for real after all?” Dana said suddenly
I didn’t say anything
It was a known fact that vipers could inject ason the circumstances I wasn’t prey and I wasn’t predator, but I had the feeling this viper sawwhich one I was more of to her
She sighed Heavily “Look, I’et it now You two are obviously solid I mean, you’d have to be” She threw ht have left over the whole kids thing”
“Kids thing?” Damn It was out of my mouth before I could stop it
“Yeah” She leaned in closer “I know Cooper likes to tell people that e, but everyone knows the truth—I couldn’t have children and he resented me for it Andadoption like he wanted, I let et the better of , too Hehe’s not a very forgiving person and when you don’t act a certain way hejust shuts down And kidswell, of course you kno important they are to him He wants to be a father more than he will ever want you or me”
“Your skinny latte” Epanic
I’d never seen her glower at someone before
Dana seehtily, threw a few dollars on the counter, grabbed her coffee, and walked out before anyone could say anything else
“You’re not going to listen to her, are you?” Emery said
“Is it true?” I said, feeling this growing, horrible tightness in my chest “Did that happen? Between them?”
She gave etic look “I wouldn’t know I’m sorry”
“I know she’s a snakebut” I’d seen so in Dana’s eyes—a flicker of real pain “There was a kernel of truth in what she was saying I could tell”
“Don’t jump to conclusions Talk to Cooper”
I nodded
I would
If only to get this sudden feeling of dread out of my stomach
TWENTY-FOUR
Cooper
“I’ not to get exasperated with his cook
Crosby frowned at hi people that you’re worried custoh?”
Patience Givepatience
“Crosby, this a fucking bar” So much for patience “I don’t want fancy-ass food on my menu and people don’t expect it”
“Well, I heard—”
“I couldn’t give a shit what you heard” Who the hell was riling his te to the hed “Good news So who is he selling to?”