*
“Thank you all for coming!” Lazlo said, as if this had all been his idea. Bulahdeen, back from disposing of the sign, looked furious that he was calling attention to what she’d been trying so hard to hide. “As you know, Eby has decided to sell Lost Lake.”
The crowd made noises of disappointment, and Lazlo nodded, like he understood their feelings, even shared them. Kate found Wes easily. He was taller than most, and his russet hair glinted in the sun. He was watching Lazlo dispassionately. He didn’t look like someone pleased to be going into business with this man. Not that she blamed him. But still, he was.
“I know, I know,” Lazlo continued. He was sweating profusely, and he dabbed at his face with a paper napkin. “But let’s look at this as a step forward!”
Kate came to a stop beside Wes. He seemed aware of her presence before he even turned, like her closeness caused a change in the atmosphere surrounding him. He turned his head and smiled at her.
She stared straight ahead. “Is he really your uncle?”
His smile faded. He didn’t ask how she’d found out. He turned back to watch Lazlo. “Yes.”
Lazlo was saying, “Eby has been an upstanding businesswoman, a community activist, and a damn fine friend to all of us over the years. But she’s ready for a little fun now. I’m told she’s planning to travel. I hope you’ll send us all postcards, Eby!”
The crowd chuckled.
Kate’s voice was low and tight as she said, “Two days ago, I said I wanted to give Eby money to save this place. You didn’t say a word.”
Wes shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t know what to say.”
“How about, ‘My uncle’s buying this place and I’m investing in it.’ What part of that tripped you up? I feel so foolish.”
“Don’t, Kate.” He reached out to touch her, but she jerked away.
Lazlo continued, “Lost Lake will live on. I will make sure of it. This place will soon be a thriving community! I’ve decided to call it Lost Lake Commons. Lots will start at very affordable prices, with lakeside condos going at a premium. There will be a billboard with contact information on the highway soon, so I look forward to hearing from you. Tell your friends!”
“What were you doing out here all this time?” Kate asked. “You obviously don’t give a damn about what happens here. You’re just going to tear it all down.”
“Let’s lift our glasses to Eby. Have a wonderful retirement!” Lazlo said. “Maestro, music! Let’s dance!”
Billy Larkworthy’s Bustin’ Bluegrass Band started playing again.
“Come on,” Wes said, taking her hand.
She tried pulling her hand out of his, but his grip was like a Chinese finger trap. The harder you fought, the more entangled you became. The only way out of it was to relax into it. “What are you doing?” she whispered loudly as he led her onto the dance floor, where several other couples and a few enthusiastic toddlers were dancing.
“You heard the man,” Wes said, putting an arm around her. “Let’s dance.”
He began to move. She tried stepping on his toes. It didn’t work. “I don’t want to dance.”
“So you just want to stand here and discuss this in front of everyone?”
She set her jaw. “What’s there to discuss?”
He spun her around, smiling at another couple, calling out a greeting. “You had two weeks here when you were twelve,” he said in a subdued voice. “Then you come back, out of the blue, and say you’re going to save everything, that you’re going to make it how it used to be. Forgive me if I had my doubts. Because, even if you did manage to save the lake, you still said you were leaving, which meant leaving the rest of us to deal with the reality of living here. Just like last time.”
Left them here? Is that what he thought? That she’d simply gone off and left them behind, like a glove or a toothbrush, something that was easily replaced?
“There’s no reason for me to hold on to my land if Eby sells. But I only agreed to invest my land after Eby sold hers. Not a moment before. This has been her decision entirely.” He navigated her around the dance floor easily, finding space near the edge. “I’m not blind. These past few days, I’ve seen what you’ve seen. Eby doesn’t want to give up this place. And neither do I. After we found the Alligator Box yesterday, I told my uncle that our deal was off. It’s one of many reasons Lazlo is ignoring me today.”
She wanted to stay angry. Anger was a great motivator. She’d spent the past year feeling nothing but grief, so anger felt good. But she couldn’t hang on to it. He didn’t deserve it.
“I’m sorry,” she finally said, not meeting his eyes.
His chest jumped as he laughed. “That sounded painful. Did it hurt?”
“Yes,” she said, then added, “Will you tell Eby? Will you tell her you’re not selling?”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Right now?”
“In a minute.”
He didn’t want to let go of her, she realized. He wanted to dance on this floor like he’d seen people do when he was younger. She was sure any number of women here would be more than happy to dance with him, like Brittany, the girl from the Fresh Mart, who was frowning at them from a table. But he wanted her. A slow awareness came over her as they moved. She wished she was still angry, because then she could concentrate on that, and not this. She never thought she’d feel this way again. It frightened her. She didn’t want to fall for anyone. She didn’t want her life to suddenly go back to the way it was when she was with Matt. She didn’t think she had the strength to prop up another person for so long again.
Was that selfish? Was it different if you knew that the man you desired wanted just as much for you to be happy? Maybe that was the most frightening thing of all: Wes was that man. She’d known that when she was twelve, and she knew that now.
“Kate?” Wes said, when he felt her press her forehead against his chest, felt her hand squeeze his, conflicted.
It was too soon. She still dreamed of Matt sometimes. Of being on top of him, of looking down at him through a tunnel of her long hair. The smell of him sometimes met her around corners, stopping her in her tracks. But those were just needs, weren’t they? Not specific to Matt, if she could feel this way again with Wes.
Oh, God. She couldn’t do this again.
And yet she didn’t step away. For several long, glorious moments, she just let Wes hold her, hold her up and feel her weight grow lighter. Beads of sweat trickled down her chest, between her breasts. The electric fans the band brought only managed to move the hot air around, not cool things off.
She finally looked up at him, searching his face for some answer. His eyes went to her mouth, like that day on the dock. He slowly leaned forward.
And that’s when she saw the car.
As people came and left, cars had circled the lawn all day, so the blue BMW approaching didn’t appear out of place to anyone except Kate.
There was nowhere to park, so the BMW simply stopped in the middle of the driveway near the main house.
And Cricket emerged.
She was wearing dark jeans and a loose white blouse, and her dark hair formed a perfect helmet around her head that the humidity could not touch. She was just so cool and measured. Nothing about being here, about stepping into this foreign situation, seemed to bother her.