Luanne Rice by Summer's Child

Author:Summer's Child [Child, Summer's]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Maeve wasn’t feeling very well. The heat had closed in on Hubbard’s Point, making everything—including the roses and her—wilt. She was standing in the backyard, filling the yellow watering can from the hose, when she heard a car door close. It was probably Clara’s son stopping by with his kids to take a swim, she thought. She leaned against the weathered shingle house, splashing her feet with the hose.

The spigot was attached to a corner of the house, right next to a small cement circle. Mara had always loved to create pictures out of odd materials: she would sew little quilts, make small pillows, embroider wall hangings, needlepoint bookmarks. But this was really her pride and joy: Maeve had helped her mix up cement, they had poured it into a one-foot-diameter circle, and Mara had pressed shells, sea glass, and a large sand dollar into the wet concrete. It was still beautiful.

“Hello, Maeve,” came the low, familiar voice that she had heard only on the phone these last many years.

Maeve jumped. It was Edward—holding a small glossy blue bag. She saw that he was still tall, broad-shouldered, confident. He wore a white shirt over pressed khakis. No belt, no socks. Polished brown loafers. Rolex watch—the same one Mara had bought him with some of her inheritance. The sight of that watch made her stomach turn, and she had to literally hold on to the side of the house. She raised her eyes to his—they were the same, cold black fire. Icy yet scorching at the same time—the damnedest eyes she’d ever seen. And dark hair combed back, and a tan—a golf tan, or maybe this year it was a tennis tan, or maybe he’d bought a yacht and now it was a yachting tan.

“Edward. What brings you here?” she asked with enough coolness to keep him from kissing her cheek.

“I was in the neighborhood on business,” he said.

“Really. Hubbard’s Point?” She glanced around—beach, rocks, salt water, roses, wishing well. “Not much business here.”

“Not Hubbard’s Point, exactly. Black Hall, Silver Bay, and Hawthorne. I have clients in all three towns.”

“Aren’t you successful. Three of the most affluent towns on the Connecticut shoreline. You’ve always known where to find new prospects.” She felt the words burning on her tongue. During the investigation, she had been quoted as saying he was a predator and Mara had been nothing more than a mark to him.

“Yes, I am successful,” he said, staring at her, unable to keep himself from taking her on. Everything to Edward was a challenge. Maeve knew that she could push his buttons and have him slobbering with rage in ten seconds flat. Instead, she counted to ten and smiled.

“Your mother must be very proud,” she said. “That you made something of yourself.”

His jaw rippled. My, but he was transparent. Maeve could almost see the wheels turning. Should he put her through the plate glass window, or just continue his Ivy League act? Maeve would refrain from pointing out that it was, in fact, an act.

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