But what she discovered was emptiness.
Then she heard him say “Hey,” and she quickly sat up. He was already dressed, just slipping into his shoes.
“I have to get going.” He walked back to the bed, leaned down and kissed her. He looked as good as ever by morning light. Damn good. Better than damn good. She felt elated after the night she’d shared with him and knew she should have been content with that, but she wasn’t. She wanted more. It was as if she still hadn’t learned enough about him, as if she hadn’t touched him enough, melted deeply enough into his being.
She told herself that she was desperate and pathetic, and her inner voice warned her to act like a rational human being.
He had showered, and she couldn’t believe the sound of the running water hadn’t awakened her. His hair was damp, and he smelled clean, like soap and shampoo, and there was just a hint of five o’clock shadow on his face. She hoped she wasn’t staring at him with too much hunger.
“Okay,” she said, trying not to reveal how let down she felt.
He winced. “I have to go see Floby, and then some kids who were at that party on the beach when Winona Hart disappeared,” he explained.
“Oh,” she said, her tone changing to one of understanding. He wasn’t trying to get away from her, he just had obligations he couldn’t ignore.
“Be careful,” he told her.
“I’m not a blonde,” she pointed out.
“Neither was the woman I found yesterday. Anyway, I’ll keep in touch during the day. Will I see you at Hunky Harry’s tonight?” he asked.
“I’ll head over when they kick me out of the library. And I’ll wait for you. I mean, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“It’s exactly what I’m thinking. Just keep your door locked and don’t go anywhere alone—please. Especially after dark.”
“Don’t worry—I’ll hang with the whole crew,” she promised him.
“See you later,” he said, but didn’t make a move to leave, just stood there smiling at her.
“Okay.” She looked at him curiously when he still didn’t leave.
“You have to lock the door behind me,” he reminded her.
“Oh, of course.” She jumped up, feeling suddenly shy and dragging the covers along with her, and walked to the door with him. As he opened it, she was startled to hear a car coming up the driveway, wheels crunching on the stones. “Who is it?” she asked him.
“Nice-looking guy around our age—in a van with ladders on the side,” he said. “Looks like the construction guy who found the bones,” Caleb replied.
“Oh, good. They must have cleared him to start working again,” she said, pleased. “Tell him I’ll be right out.”
“All right.”
He was studying her in the bright sun that poured in through the open door. She prayed that she didn’t look like the complete mess she felt like, but she was certain that she did.
“You don’t care if he sees me coming out?” he asked politely.
She shook her head, smiling.
He nodded, lowered his head, then looked at her again. “Lock the door.”
He left, and she closed and locked the door. She knew now that no one had broken in the other night, but this wasn’t the time to be taking any chances.
She spun around, still feeling ridiculously happy, as if she were walking on air, and headed for the shower. She was as quick as she could be, only towel-drying her hair before slipping into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She was anxious to see Gary.
But when she emerged, his van was already gone. Frowning, she pulled out her cell phone and called him.
“Hey, you,” he said, answering after the first ring. “I was going to call you, but I wasn’t sure you were up yet.”
If there was any insinuation in his words, it certainly wasn’t evident.
“No, no, I was awake. I was hoping you were working again.”
“Nope, sorry. I just went in to pick up a few tools I’d left the other night. I’m assuming you’ll know before I do when it’s okay to start working on the house again.”
“I’ll get through to Tim sometime today and see what I can find out,” she promised. “Thanks, Gary. Oh, we’ve all been hanging out at Hunky Harry’s lately. Come by if you’re at loose ends.”
“Sure. Thanks,” he said, and hung up.
It was still early, too early for the library to be open. She decided to take her book around the corner to one of the cafés on the plaza and combine coffee, a decadent pastry and some research.
Along the way, she picked up the newspaper.
Body Found on Anastasia Island, the headline read.