Meant to Be (31 page)

The older woman stopped next to a table of vases and turned around. “That’s something you’d have to ask her.” Lola closed her eyes and did what looked like yoga breathing. After three breaths, she opened her eyes. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“What are you so nervous about?” Beth asked, following Lola toward a beaded curtain. “You’re usually a pillar of calm. I can’t believe a man has you this worked up.”

Lola turned again, causing Beth to bump into her. “This isn’t just any man. This is the man I haven’t seen in thirty-five years who is as knicker-meltingly handsome as he ever was.” The breathing started again.

The truth of the matter seemed obvious, though Beth had trouble believing it. “You’re scared. Lola, if this man has half a brain in his head, he’s going to see you’re still the most beautiful, most vibrant woman he’s ever going to meet. And if he can’t see that, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Brown eyes went misty. “Good Lord, child. Don’t make me cry before I go in there. He’s already liable to think I’m a loon for running out of the room like I did.”

Beth giggled. “You ran out of the room?”

“I couldn’t help it,” she said, giving Beth a don’t-hassle-me look that felt more like the Lola she knew. “I walked away from him once. What if he can’t forgive me?”

“He’s here, isn’t he?” Beth asked, wiping a tear from Lola’s weathered cheek. “He tracked you down after all these years. You have a second chance. Go take it.”

At that moment, a tall black man with cropped white hair and bright hazel eyes strolled through the curtain. He had to bend slightly to duck under the doorway, and the hat dangling from his fingers looked as if it had been worried to death. The moment his eyes found Lola, a smile split his face and his shoulders relaxed.

Beth couldn’t remember ever seeing a man so smitten. One look at Lola told her the feeling was mutual. For several long moments, the two stared at one another as if they were alone in the world. Beth cleared her throat and Lola jumped.

“Oh,” she said, taking Beth’s hand. “This is my friend, Beth. The one I told you about. Beth, this is Marcus Granville.”

“Nice to meet you, Beth,” Marcus said, his deep, rich baritone vibrating over her skin. How had Lola ever let this man get away? “Lola has told me a lot about you. Says you’re practically a native of this island now.”

A native. The word didn’t apply to her and never would. Even if she wanted nothing more. “Not me, I’m just a tourist. I’ll be leaving in a few days.”

Leaving the island. Leaving Joe.

“B
eth, hon, are you okay?” Lola lifted her chin with a gentle touch. “You went pale all of a sudden.”

Ignoring the pain in her chest, she smiled, though she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine.” Lola’s eyes narrowed. “Really. I’ll be fine.” Turning to Marcus, Beth asked, “How long will you be on the island? Or are you looking to become a native yourself?”

Focusing on Lola’s love life felt less earth-shattering.

Marcus looked to Lola and smiled. “One of the joys of retirement is freedom. Which means I’m here as long as Lola will have me.”

Pink tinged Lola’s mocha skin. If the woman was smart, she’d grab this man with both hands and never let him leave.

“Excuse me,” said Will, walking up between Lola and Beth. “Mail arrived. Top one is from Wheeler Development. Think they’re upping the offers again?”

For a non–business owner, Will was well-informed on the Wheeler situation. But then, working at every business in town was probably a good way to stay in the loop.

Lola took the top envelope and let Will hold the rest. “They can offer me a fool’s ransom, and I’m still not selling.”

While Lola worked the envelope open, Will nudged Beth. “Karaoke at O’Hagan’s tonight. You were pretty good when you were tanked on tequila.”

Beth rubbed her arm. The woman had a mean left elbow. “That was a one-time performance, but thanks anyway.”

Will shrugged. “Suit yourself. Hundred dollars prize money is nothing to sneeze at.”

A gasp from Lola grabbed their attention.

“What is it?” Will asked.

“I don’t believe it.” She grinned. “They’ve rescinded all offers.”

“They’ve what?” Beth asked, certain she’d heard wrong.

“Look for yourself,” Lola said, passing the letter over. Beth scanned the page, finding the pertinent information.

Wheeler Development rescinds all offers for purchase of subject business and any and all accompanying properties. This letter supersedes all previous communications including any verbal agreements made to date.

“They’re giving up,” Beth whispered in awe. Something wasn’t right. “But why would they give up?”

“Who cares?” Lola said. “Wheeler ain’t getting our island, and that’s all that matters.”

It couldn’t be that simple. From everything she knew about Wheeler and his business dealings, he wasn’t the type to back down. Not because of a few, as he would see it, reluctant islanders. He’d barrel through them and take what he wanted.

Unless he’d never wanted the island to begin with. Cassandra’s determined glare flashed through Beth’s mind. Joe
had been right. Cassie had done all of this out of revenge. If she was giving up, there must be a reason. Getting Beth fired wouldn’t hurt Joe. So what would?

“Lola, I need to go.”

“But you just got here.” Dropping her voice, she added, “You can’t leave me now.”

Beth threw her arms around the slender woman and whispered in her ear, “He loves you, Lola. Don’t let him go.” Pulling back, she took the woman’s hands and nodded. “I need you to call around and confirm Wheeler has rescinded all the offers. We need to make sure this isn’t just a case of changed plans that put you outside the property lines.”

“I can make the calls,” Will said, drawing everyone’s attention. Beth looked her way and Will shrugged. “Lola has company. I know all the numbers anyway.”

Beth recognized a kindred soul when she saw one. Will, too, was looking for a place to belong. Another regret of leaving the island. They might be friends if she stayed. “Thank you.”

“But where are you going?” Lola asked.

Whatever had happened between Joe and Cassie wasn’t anyone else’s business, so Beth kept her explanation vague. “I have something to check on. Better to be safe and make sure this really is over.” Not giving Lola time to respond, she turned to Marcus. “It was nice to meet you, and I hope we get to visit more before I leave. We share a special friend here.”

“That we do.”

With a quick kiss on Lola’s cheek, Beth headed toward the door. Cassandra Wheeler would never give up without
something else tucked up her Kate Spade sleeve. She had to warn Joe before that something else hit the fan.

Ribbons of red and orange decorated the horizon, but Beth was too busy pacing to appreciate the sunset. Will had called two hours before to say what Beth had already guessed. Every business on the island that had had any contact with Wheeler Development received the same letter as Lola. The threat of the island being developed into a Vegas-style playground for the rich and famous was gone.

And so was Cassandra Wheeler, according to Will’s contact at the property rental office. If the information was correct, Cassie had been gone twenty-four hours by the time the letters arrived, and all letters were dated for Tuesday. Odd, since the barracuda had made it clear Monday night that the island would eventually belong to the Wheelers.

If she knew they were pulling the offers, why didn’t she just say so? Then again, Cassie wasn’t used to losing. Beth wondered if the spoiled woman had ever not gotten something she wanted. Other than Joe.

There had to have been a clue in that meeting at the marina. Phil Mohler was there, so maybe he was the connection. Could he have given Cassie a way to hurt Joe?

Beth heard a bark behind her and turned to see Joe’s Jeep rolling into the drive. Running down the steps, she was at Joe’s door before he cut the engine. “We need to talk.”

“We probably do, but I don’t have the energy to deal with this right now.” Grabbing a backpack from the passenger
floor, he climbed out and waited for Dozer to do the same. “Right now I want a beer and my couch.”

She grabbed the door as he tried to close it. “This isn’t about us. It’s about the island. Wheeler rescinded all the offers. The fight is over.”

Joe dropped the pack on his seat. “Are you serious?”

“I was there when Lola got her letter. Will called around and everyone else got one, too.”

“Will?”

“The bartender from O’Hagan’s. And the coffee shop. And Lola’s place.”

“That hippie chick that works everywhere? How do you know her?”

“She served us the night Sid and I went out, but that’s not the point.” Beth smacked the door in frustration. “Wheeler took all the offers off the table and Cassandra left the island.”

“Then we won. That’s a good thing.”

With narrowed eyes, she asked, “Why would they suddenly give up?”

Joe looked away, removing the sunglasses from the collar of his black T-shirt and sliding them onto his visor. “I don’t know and I don’t care.”

“Bull,” she said, waiting for him to meet her eyes again. “You and I both know the real reason Cassie came after this island.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. I saw it on your face that night at the Merchants meeting. She came here for revenge on you. What happened to end your engagement?”

Joe crossed his arms. “That’s none of your business.”

“The hell it isn’t. I put my job on the line to help you. What happened?”

With a sigh of resignation, Joe threw the backpack on his shoulder and ran a hand through his dark hair. “If I’m going to do this, I want that beer.” Closing the Jeep door, he headed for his house.

After dropping his pack on the couch, Joe led Beth through the house, stopping to grab a soda and a beer on the way to the back deck. He took a long draw before setting the bottle on the floor and staring out at the last strips of orange over the sound.

“I met Cassie when she was on the island for a summer internship. I had no idea she came from money until a month or so in, but I didn’t care either way. I wanted her, bought a ring, and popped the question by month three.”

He glanced to Beth for her reaction. If she thought him reckless and stupid, which he was, the fact didn’t show on her face.

“Her internship ended and she went home. I thought she was only going to tell her daddy and then come back. A month went by with one excuse after another for why she wasn’t back yet.”

“So you went after her,” Beth said. “That part Patty told me.”

“Right.” Joe took another swig from his bottle, then picked at the label. “When I got there and saw where she lived, I knew the chances for us weren’t good.”

“I’ve never been to the Wheeler estate, but heard enough to know it’s impressive.”

“‘Impressive’ is one way to put it.” He’d never seen a house with actual wings before. That monstrosity could never be called a home. It was more like an oversized mausoleum. “During our brief chat in what the butler called the parlor, Cassie let me know she’d never live on Anchor and if I was going to marry her I had to move up there. Needless to say, that didn’t work for me.”

Beth rocked in the chair beside him. “She gave you an ultimatum. Rookie mistake.”

Joe snorted. “I told her it was a package deal. Me, the dog, and the island. You’ve seen how Dozer feels about her, and she’d already stated she wouldn’t live on the island, so I’m sure you can guess how that went over.”

They sat in silence for several seconds. Joe had never told anyone what happened when he’d gone to Richmond. Not even Randy, who’d found him in a drunken stupor every night for a month afterward.

“Did you really think a girl like that would live here?” she asked.

“I don’t know what I thought. To me, this place is perfect. Why would anyone want to leave?” He turned his head to meet her eyes. “That’s the divide between me and Lucas. To him, the world is a thing to be conquered. Out there. To me, the whole world is right here to enjoy.”

Beth looked away, setting the rocker in motion with the toe of her sandal. “Do you think Lucas holds it against you that you don’t chase life the same way he does?”