Saving Simon (Tarnished Saints Series Book 5) (15 page)

“What will you let Simon know?” he asked, throwing his towel on the back of the chair and running his fingers through his hair instead.

“Simon, you slob, get that wet towel off the chair.” Zeb quickly scooped it up. “Don’t you know this is an antique from Laney’s shop? You’re going to ruin it with water spots.”

“I don’t see any water spots,” Simon said, not understanding what the big deal was. It was only a damned chair.

“We’d better make sure or Cat is going to kill me after all the work she’s done lately trying to fix up this place.” He looked up to the ceiling and Simon wondered what the hell he was doing. “Jeeva, lights on,” he said, and suddenly under-the-counter lighting lit up the kitchen, bringing a soft glow to the whole room. “All the lights, Jeeva,” Zeb grumbled and recessed lights in the ceiling turned on as well as the lamps in the living room. “Damn, I’m going to have to work on that. Jeeva is a little confused since we moved here from the condo.”

“How’d you do that?” asked Simon looking up to the ceiling, impressed. “You have a girl stashed away somewhere that Cat doesn’t know about or what?”

“I heard that,” said Cat with a giggle, coming out of the bedroom. “No, Simon, that is Zeb’s voice-activated butler – or maid I guess you could call it. He brought Jeeva over from his condo in Benton Harbor since my brother is renting the place now. We’re going to bring the hot tub over next week, and we have lots of renovations planned. We’re also adding on an additional two bedrooms, a den, and an extra bath, now that there is a baby on the way and we’ll need more room.” She rubbed her belly and looked at Zeb who reached out and rubbed her belly as well.

“A voice activated maid, huh? Nice,” said Simon with a satisfied nod of his head. “I’d love to get one of those on the sailboat I’m living on right now.”

“You’re living on a sailboat? How awful,” said Cat, taking the wet towel from her husband and heading toward the bathroom. “Honey, invite your brother to stay with us while he’s in town. No one should have to stay on a boat.”

Zeb looked over to Simon and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you heard her. You’re welcome to stay here if you want, but it’s a little cramped, and with the workers starting on the renovations tomorrow, it could get a little noisy.”

“You have them starting on a weekend?”

“Yep. It cost me more, but I figured it’s worth it if it’ll get the placed fixed up faster.”

“Zeb, it’s not like you to live in a . . . lake house. Is this what marriage does to a man?”

“I did it for Cat. She likes being around the family. Besides, we’re fixing the place up and adding on. I’ll have this dump turned into a mansion in no time.”

“I still can’t believe you gave up a luxury condo for this.”

“I had good motivation,” he told him, glancing over to Cat who was fixing her hair in the mirror in the bathroom. “I have to admit part of the reason was also that I wanted my inheritance from Ma and Pa. I didn’t think I cared about it, til I saw how happy Levi and Judas were living on the lake. You do know that in order to get your lake house and property you need to get married within one year of Ma’s death and stay married for a year, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I heard about that, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going back to the Caribbean in a few weeks anyway. My life is by the water.”

“What about the water at Thunder Lake?” asked Cat coming out of the bathroom, pulling her hair back and twisting it into a knot. “You can live at Thunder Lake and then get your inheritance as well.”

“This lake isn’t big enough to spit in,” Simon told her. “I need something bigger.”

“Well, Lake Michigan is close enough for you to go sailing any time you want,” said Zeb. “Thad told me you bought that old junker boat back from Mrs. Glover.”

“It’s not a junker. It’s a twenty-two foot South Coast that I put a lot of hard work into fixing it up before the Glovers rented it out and basically destroyed it. It may not be in the best shape right now, but I plan on renovating it, just like you’re doing to your house.”

“Good. Then you can stay here in Sweet Water where you belong.”

“Zeb, you know I can’t do that. I need a job on the water. It’s in my blood. I’m a sailor. Always have been and always will be.”

“Can’t you buy the marina from Mrs. Glover?” asked Cat. “I hear she may be selling it.”

“Well, Mr. Westbrook already has his claws in that.”

“Mr. Westbrook?” asked Zeb, going to the fridge and pulling out a cold bottle of water. He grabbed two, and handed one to Simon. “Piper’s father wants to buy it?”

“Yes. He sent her in to review the books and talk Mrs. Glover into selling the place cheap so he could snatch it up for dirt money and make a huge profit.”

“Really?” asked Zeb, unscrewing the bottle top and taking a swig. “What’s he plan on doing with it?”

“I’m not sure, but I know whatever it is, it won’t be good for the town. Men like him only care about themselves and not about the little people he stomps on along the way.”

“Is Piper like that too?” asked Cat.

“I don’t know yet, but I’m sure we’re going to find out.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” said Zeb, putting his bottle on the table and leaning his hands on the back of the chair. “James said he had to cancel.”

“Why?” asked Simon.

“I don’t know. Mr. MacAllister ate too many peaches and has a stomach ache or something, so I guess the old man just wants to stay home tonight. James is going to stay there and keep him company since it’s his birthday. He said you and Piper should just go to dinner without him.”

“Why don’t
we
go with them instead?” asked Cat.

Zeb seemed to consider it, then nodded. “I suppose we could. I wouldn’t mind spending some time with you Simon. What do you say? We’ll make it a double date out of it at the diner.”

“Sure, why not?” said Simon, having hoped to have some time alone with Piper, but if they were going to be at the diner he knew they’d have no privacy anyway. Everyone in town would most likely be stopping by his table to talk to him.

“I’ll go and get changed,” said Cat, hurrying to the bedroom. “I can’t wait to chit chat with Piper. She seems so nice.”

“How nice is she?” asked Zeb with a raised brow once Cat had left the room.

“I wish I knew,” Simon said with a shake of the head. “Every time I start to find out, someone interrupts us.”

“Well, there’s a simple answer to that. Just take her somewhere where you know no one will be able to bother you.”

“It’s not like I have a high-rise condo like you had to do it in,” he said. “Hell, the only place I feel at peace where I can even get a minute to myself is out in the middle of the lake.”

“Well, you have a boat don’t you?” asked Zeb, heading to the bedroom to change as well.

“I do,” said Simon, knowing a perfect way to get Piper alone. But first he would have to figure out a way to trick her into actually going out into the middle of the lake on a sailboat. It was something he knew she would never do voluntarily unless there was a really good reason. So he would think of a really good reason if it was the last thing he ever did.

Chapter 13

Piper enjoyed dinner at the Three Billy Goat’s Diner, and visiting with Zeb and Cat. Cat was a lot like her and understood her way of living. This was a godsend, and she wanted to continue her friendship with her while she was in Sweet Water. No more of this traipsing around orchards in her bare feet or crawling around on the floor of dirty sailboats. She and Cat had plans tomorrow to go shopping in Benton Harbor and then get their nails done, followed by an iced latte afterwards.

“Well, I hope you enjoyed the dinner,” said Candace, Levi’s wife, walking out of the kitchen and coming over to greet them.

Before they could answer, the voice of a man berating his wife from the next table took their attention.

“Why can’t you cook like this?” the man asked his wife. “Your food tastes like shit. You should take some lessons in cooking and while you’re at it, maybe do something about that hair of yours too. It’s getting too gray and I’m embarrassed.”

“What the hell,” she heard Simon say under his breath, and noticed him clenching his jaw as well as his fists. “Someone needs to teach that bastard how to treat a woman.” He was out of his chair instantly, and Piper was sure he was going to go over and strangle the guy, but Zeb got out of his chair as well and blocked the way.

“Sit down, Simon,” Zeb said in a low voice. “Now’s not the time, nor is this the place for one of your little episodes.”

“What’s going on?” Piper asked curiously, but no one said a word. Thankfully, the man and his wife got up and left and after Zeb sat back down, Simon finally followed suit.

“Candace, this was a great meal,” said Zeb, acting like nothing just almost happened.

“Yes. It was wonderful,” said Piper, having been surprised to be eating broiled lobster tail with brown butter sauce over pearl couscous with steamed carrots and snow peas at a diner in the middle of nowhere. They’d even had a bottle of imported white wine which delighted her, making her feel more at ease. This meal reminded her of one of her favorite restaurants back home. “Pay our compliments to the chef,” she said, keeping an eye on Simon who took a drink of water and seemed to be better now.

“Levi’s back in the kitchen but would love to hear that you enjoyed one of his creations. Why don’t you come tell him yourself?” suggested Candace. “That way, you can see what it’s like in the kitchen too, Piper.”

“I don’t know,” she said, looking at the rest of the people at the table, feeling a little apprehensive since she really didn’t know them that well.

“Go ahead,” said Cat. “We’ve already seen the kitchen as well as told Levi so many times that he is a wonderful chef that his head is probably going to explode. We’ll just wait here.”

“Come on, Piper,” said Candace. “I’d really like to show you the rest of our restaurant.”

“All right,” she finally agreed, and when she went to stand, Simon jumped up and pulled her chair out for her.

“I think I’ll make a quick stop in the lady’s room to freshen up before dessert,” said Cat pushing her chair back and giving her husband a dirty look and clearing her throat.

“For God’s sake, Simon, go back to the Caribbean already or Cat’s going to expect this every time she plops her ass down in a chair,” grumbled Zeb, putting down his wine glass and getting up and helping Cat to her feet.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Cat said, giving her husband a quick kiss on the mouth.

Simon cleared his throat and leaned forward and Piper realized he was waiting for a kiss as well.

“Thank you,” she said, blowing him a kiss and running off to the kitchen before everyone tried to make her kiss him on the mouth in front of the entire restaurant.

“You seem a little shy around Simon,” said Candace as they made their way toward the kitchen. Candace’s shoulder-length auburn hair was pulled up under a chef’s cap, and she wore purple rimmed glasses. “Don’t you like him?”

“Yes,” she admitted, “I do like him. I just don’t feel comfortable kissing him in public.”

“You
have
kissed him already tho, haven’t you?”

Piper felt her face redden just remembering the kiss in the orchard as well as the one on the cruise ship. “Of course I did. Twice now, actually.”

“Twice? Really? That’s it?” she asked with her mouth hanging open. “I’d have figured that you and Simon had gone to bed already. After all, the Taylor men aren’t known for being slow with women.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “Are you saying that you and Levi . . . made love when you first started dating?”

“Piper, we made love after only knowing each other for a day. It was very exciting as we both found creative uses for food, being that I was a food reviewer and he owned a restaurant before he went to prison.”

“After a day?” This kind of news shocked her more than the fact Levi had gone to prison. She didn’t ask what he was in for because she decided she’d rather not know. But all of a sudden she was feeling like maybe she was going to ruin her chances with Simon because she was so inexperienced and so slow. Good looking men like Simon weren’t going to wait around forever she knew. Maybe she’d have to at least give him another kiss sometime soon.

“Levi, I have a guest with me,” said Candace walking through the swinging door and heading toward the back of the kitchen where Levi stood in front of a long stove with a chef’s apron on, a white cap on his head, and with long tongs in his hand. There was a steak sizzling on the grill and it smelled delicious even though she’d just got done eating.

Servers bustled around them, and a dishwasher walked by with a big plastic pan of dirty dishes in it and she quickly stepped out of his way. There was another cook behind the counter in a white apron who looked Hispanic and a woman on the phone in an adjoining office that she could see through the open door.

“Piper, this is our sous chef, Enrique, and the woman on the phone is half-owner of the restaurant with us, her name is Margery,” Candace explained.

“Hi,” she said, feeling like she was back in Chicago with the hustle and bustle all around her. She waved to the woman in the office, and the sous chef just nodded at her and smiled. “So, Levi, you are chef here and also mayor of the town?” she asked in amazement. “How do you do it?”