Tide Will Tell (Islands of Intrigue: San Juans) (6 page)

“Really?” She perked up, delighted by the
normal
turn in the conversation. “Me too.”

“You play chess?”

“No. I mean I love movies. I never could get into chess.”

“I could have guessed the movie part.” He nodded at her shirt. “That’s a classic.”

She glanced down at her sweatshirt, realizing with a start that she was dressed like a total slob. “I just threw this on because…”

“Because you wanted to be comfortable?” He smiled that nice smile. “Are you a fan of the film?”

She studied his face. The fact that he called it a ‘film’ gave her a clue that he wasn’t making fun of her. “I’ve seen it a few times. I got the shirt at a film festival I worked at in Sacramento a million years ago.” Her heart filled with that odd sense of security at the reminder that she’d been wearing her two most cherished clothing items—this shirt and her favorite pair of jeans—that day she’d had to flee. Thank goodness Joe was okay with her wearing casual attire under her lab coat, or she would have lost those too.

“Very cool.” Josh nodded.

She started to feel a little less self-conscious about her appearance. “Have you seen it? The movie, I mean.”

“Seen it? I own it. I love those fifties sci-fi flicks. That’s my all-time favorite genre.”

“For real? Mine too.” She scooted forward. “Have you seen
The Ugly Swamp Thing That Ate the World?
”

He nodded, laughing. “I tracked it down on video. I paid way too much for it, but you know how brutal eBay can be.” He held up a defensive hand. “Yes, I admit to still owning a VCR. Some of those masterpieces aren’t out on Blu-ray, even if I could afford to keep up with technology.”

She laughed, not wanting to confess that she hadn’t ever watched a movie on Blu-ray. They were lucky at the condo in San Diego to have access to Joe’s old VCR that he had ‘forgotten’ to return to a video store years before. It was on its last leg, but it still worked. Hearing that Josh actually owned one intentionally made that seem less pitiful.

“You’ll appreciate this.” She picked up her phone and clicked into the settings. She held it up as a warbly, synthesized tune played. “Who would have thought the theme from
The Ugly Swamp Thing
would be made into a ringtone.”

“You know,” he shook his head. “I think you’re the first girl I’ve talked to who’s ever even heard of that film.”

“Are you kidding?” She put her phone away. “I could watch those movies all the time.”

“Good to know. I always have to go alone or drag along one of my friends who’d rather see something first run.”

“Really? I’d go in a heartbeat. Where do you live?”

“Seattle. U district.” He straightened, allowing his hands to still.

“Well, if you see an old sci-fi flick playing, you should call me. I’m just a boat ride away. We could grab some burgers and make a night of it.” The thought eased her into a new level of comfort. This could turn into something resembling a normal life, with friends and everything.

He looked pleased, then his expression dropped. “That’s probably not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

He returned his focus to the stove. “Because you’ll be married.”

She frowned, her stomach tightening. “Just because I’m getting married doesn’t mean I can’t have friends.”

“Sure, but not single guy friends.”

“Why not?”

“Trust me.” He glanced up at her without lifting his head. “It’s just not a good idea.”

Her heart sank. Chase always talked about wanting to take her to the opera and the symphony. She’d never even consider asking him to go to an old sci-fi flick. She really didn’t see the harm in two friends sharing a mutual interest.

“Done.” He put the cover back on the stove. “If you want, I can see about getting someone out here to look at the wiring.” He leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Just between you and me.”

“I’d appreciate that.” She smiled, relaxing some. “I’d rather not let Chase in on how stupid I can be.”

“It wasn’t stupid.” Looking up, he cocked a reassuring eyebrow. “And it wasn’t even your fault.” He returned the smile, in a way that made her want to melt like the insulation on that wire.

As they started for the door, she tried to keep her bewildering and somewhat intrusive response to his presence out of her voice. “So, you’re really into movies, huh?”

“I’ll be going to film school next fall, if I can swing it financially. I’m counting on putting away as much as I can this summer working for my uncle.”

“Film school? That’s great. You want to make movies?”

“Documentaries. That pretty much ensures I’ll be broke my whole life, but money isn’t everything.”

Her lips pursed.
Money
might not be everything, but the food, shelter, and safety it could provide sure were. “Maybe you should find a wealthy benefactor.”

“Great idea.” He took the couple of steps up to the small entryway and turned to face her. “Know anyone with money to burn?”

“Why not Chase? He’d back you.”

“Right.” He nodded, rolling in his lips as he reached for the doorknob. “I think I’d need you to convince him of that.”

“I’m sure Jessica will put in a good word for you.”

“Uh huh.” He seemed slightly amused by the suggestion as he opened the door and stepped out.

“Why not?” She leaned on the doorframe. “Isn’t she your girlfriend?”

He sputtered a little laugh. “Where did you get that idea? We ran in the same crowd at school, but we really don’t have all that much in common.”

“Oh…” Lifting her hand in a wave, she watched as he walked back up the path toward the house.

So, he wasn’t Jessica’s boyfriend.
Secret relief.
Must be because Josh deserved someone nice, and from what she’d seen so far of Jessica, that wouldn’t be her. Still, if he was a boyfriend, he’d be around a lot, and that might be…comforting. It was good to have someone she could relate to.

She leaned against the doorframe and smiled. And maybe talk into going to a movie sometime.

Chapter 8

“You’re so lucky to be getting married.” Kim chirped from the window end of the dinner table. All the girls nodded agreement.

Josh winced. ‘Lucky’ wasn’t exactly the word he would choose. Not under these peculiar circumstances.

Next to Josh, Kate leaned forward and smiled a response to Kim. She’d barely uttered a word throughout the meal, but had appeared to relax a little after Mr. Cole had excused himself to take a call. It was funny. She seemed like such a different person when he wasn’t around.

“Do you have your dress yet?”

Unsure which of the girls had fired off that question, Josh flaked off a piece of Ahi tuna steak and put it in his mouth. His patience with talk about the wedding had worn about as thin as the wasabi butter sauce the fish had been served in.

“I ordered it from a designer in San Francisco.” Kate allowed her fork to hover over her barely-touched food. “They shipped it to the Friday Harbor Bridal Salon. I’m picking it up tomorrow.” She sounded self-conscious, like she’d prefer not to be the focus of everyone’s attention.

The fish went down Josh’s throat like a lump. He really didn’t blame her.

He’d made a new plan to leave after dinner. Jessica, Stuart, and their friends were too much for him, and the situation with Mr. Cole being engaged to this young girl was beyond strange. He had known before coming here that it might feel awkward being in the home of a man who had been suspected of orchestrating his wife’s disappearance, among his other notorieties, but having Kate here had really thrown him for a loop.

He glanced across the table at Jessica. She laughed and tipped back her head, swilling the last bit of wine from her glass. At school, he had thought she was fun to be around, but after witnessing her treatment of Kate this afternoon, his attitude toward her had shifted.

“Where are you having the wedding?” Another perky female voice sounded from the far end of the table.

“Here at the house.” A strained politeness tinged Kate’s speech. “We want it to be small without the press interfering.”

“Maybe you’ll have helicopters hovering overhead.” Kim’s eyes widened like the idea thrilled her. “It’ll be so celeb-du-jour.”

Josh swallowed his disgust. One thing was for sure, he wouldn’t be hanging out with this crowd now that he had graduated. He wouldn’t be accepting any more invitations out to Shaw Island either. Unless…. He stopped himself. Why was he intrigued by the idea of coming back?

He had to admit that under different circumstances, he would really like Kate. Not the future-Mrs.-Cole Kate, but the fun Kate he’d originally met standing on this very table.

Of course, she was obviously not a woman of faith. That had been the reason he’d avoided getting involved with any of the girls at school too. Having that in common was a nonnegotiable point. So why did he feel drawn to her in a way he hadn’t experienced before? It was a draw that went beyond physical attraction and their shared love of old movies.

He took in a breath. What kind of guy was he to have these thoughts about another man’s fiancée? That was the real reason he needed to just remove himself from this situation.

“Do you have a lot of people coming to the wedding?” Staci’s enthusiasm, though sincere, was a bit more refined than Kim’s.

“Oh, no.” The words came out on a nervous quiver. “Just a few of Chase’s friends.”

“Dad’s friends?” Stuart cocked an eyebrow. “And what about
your
friends?” His emphasis on the word ‘your’ implied a hope for a fresh batch of female eye candy.

“Don’t be a jerk, Stu.” Jessica tossed him a look. “Maybe she doesn’t
have
any friends.”

Josh gave her a heated glare. Why was she acting this way?

Kate answered slowly. “I…
have
friends. They’re just not in a position to come up here.”

Jessica scowled. “When I get married, I want to fly everyone I know to Italy for the wedding. And I know they’ll all be there.”

“Of course they’ll
be
there.” Stuart slurred. “Who’s going to turn down a free trip to Italy?”

Mr. Cole entered the room, giving Kate a warm look as he retook his seat at the head of the table. “Well. What have I missed?”

Jessica smiled with fake sweetness. “We were just discussing why your next wife has no friends.”

Josh tossed a scowl across the table. Was she enjoying this?

Kate looked at Mr. Cole and shook her head as if she was trying to no-big-deal Jessica’s impudence. “She’s talking about our guest list for the wedding.”

Mr. Cole smiled lightly. “Jessica, I’m sure Kate has friends. They’re just down in California and won’t be able to make it up here.”

Jessica twisted her mouth and held her wine glass up to a server who hastened over to refill it. “Then, who’s going to be your maid of honor?”

“Oh.” Kate rolled a small red potato around her plate with her fork. “I hadn’t really thought about that.”

“Now that’s just sad.” Jessica made a show of swirling the red liquid in her glass. “A wedding without a maid of honor. No one to go with you to pick up that wedding dress tomorrow.”

“Oh, but…” Kate stammered. “I won’t have to go alone. Your dad is going too.” She turned a pleading gaze on Mr. Cole. “Right, Chase?”

He chewed and swallowed. “Not tomorrow. I’ll be in meetings all day with Sam. We’re close to finishing the proposal for the new drug we’re submitting to the FDA.”

“But…” Kate’s voice trembled. “I can’t go into town by myself. What about the press?”

“Hmm.” Mr. Cole seemed to consider. “I have a simple solution for that.” Using the commanding tone of a man who was used to directing business subordinates, Mr. Cole spoke as he sliced into a broccoli floweret. “You’ll have Jessica. She can accompany you in her capacity as your new maid of honor.”

Kate and Jessica fired each other a similar look of horror, which floated over the center of the table like a storm cloud.

After a moment, Kate sputtered. “Oh, I…don’t think she’d want—”

“I’m sure she’d be happy to do it.” Cutting into his tuna, Mr. Cole glanced up at Jessica. “Wouldn’t you, dear?”

Chewing slowly, Josh watched Jessica attempt to form an answer that would get her off the hook without blatantly defying her meal ticket father.

Realizing the hopelessness of that, she attempted a compliant smile. “Sure.” She turned an ireful eye on Kate. “
Happy
to.”

“Good, then that’s settled. You’ll go together tomorrow to pick up Kate’s dress and to choose one for Jessica.” Mr. Cole’s gaze turned toward the wall of windows. “It’s a lovely evening. I’ve asked for dessert to be served out on the deck.”

Noisily, everyone scraped their chairs back and headed outside. Josh pushed to his feet, but didn’t step away from the table.

“You coming, Josh?” Kim asked as she retrieved her half-f wine glass from her place at the table.

“In a minute.” He glanced down at Kate, who had remained seated.

Kim flicked a look at Kate, then smiled at Josh before following the others out to the deck.

As Mr. Cole stood, he touched Kate’s chair as if he intended to pull it back for her. Her gaze fell on her plate, which she’d barely touched. “I…I’ll just be a minute.”

“Of course, dear.” A muffled tone sounded and Mr. Cole pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. “You don’t mind, do you? I’m expecting another call from Sam.” Without waiting for a response, he put the phone to his ear and headed toward the foyer.

Jessica came around the end of the table and fairly hissed at Kate. “If you think I’m going to wear a hideous pink taffeta dress and stand next to you with a smile plastered on my face, think again.”

Kate’s eyes grew wide. “I…I’m not a fan of pink either.”

“Good.” With a departing fiery glare, Jessica stormed off.

Kate looked pale, like she’d just been doused with cold water.

Josh retook his seat next to her, mentally calculating when he’d have to leave to catch the last ferry. “You didn’t eat much.”

Brow furrowing, she started to pick at her food. “I guess I’m just not very hungry.”