Tangerine Morning: Jezzica's Story (Serenity Cove Series) (21 page)

The doors slid open and there she stood in a revealing gown. At one time, it would have enticed him. He moved past her without giving her the greeting she obviously expected.

She lounged on the sofa and patted the seat next to her. “Come sit—let’s get reacquainted.”

“We need to talk.” Zack sat on the chair across from her.

A confused look shadowed her face. “You think we need to clear up our little misunderstanding? It really isn’t necessary.”

“There are a couple of issues we need to get straight. I have a message for your father.”

Susan sat up straight and glared at him. “What does my father have to do with us?”

Was she kidding? She didn’t make a move without her daddy’s approval. She enjoyed her accustomed lifestyle too much. “Here’s what I want you to do. You go tell your daddy, for me, that I might never wear my badge again. I might end up cleaning toilets for a living.”

“Oh, Zacky. Don’t be silly.”

“Susan, listen carefully. I may take the fall for these trumped-up charges, but I’ll take him down with me. His political career will be ended, along with his aspirations of being much more than a senator.”

“Don’t threaten Daddy. Do you know how powerful he is?”

“People will refuse to back a man who is funding the lawsuit in defense of the likes of Vincent Faraday.” Zack stood.

“You’d need more than what I told you. I’m not stupid about how these things work.” Black streaks streamed down her face.

“Make no mistake about it. I have sources available you can’t begin to understand. Louis Barclay will be ruined.” Zack pushed the button for the elevator.

“You’re nothing, Zack Johnston.” As the doors slid closed, she crushed the box of orchids against the back wall of the elevator.

He sat in his truck and waited. Within five minutes Susan’s red Carrera roared out of the underground garage. He followed her until she turned in to the driveway of the Barclay mansion.
Mission accomplished
. He stopped for coffee and headed home. It would be a matter of days, maybe only hours, before he would know the outcome of his bluff. Barclay wouldn’t risk his reputation or career—and that’s what Zack was counting on.

Chapter Thirty-four
 

Jezzica smiled at the intensity with which Lauren and Tasha were putting the final touches on the festive hats for the garden tea, later that afternoon. “This one’s yours.” Tasha held up a white straw hat with pink tulle and matching velvet roses attached to the floppy brim. “Try it on.” She gently tossed it onto her aunt’s head.

While Jezzica liked to think of herself as in touch with her femininity, she’d never considered herself a girly-girl. She found a mirror and for the first time ever decided pink wasn’t so bad. She might even possibly like it. The color went well with her dark brown hair. Might even call for rosy blush.
A whole new me.
“I love it.” She smiled, giving the hat back for a few pearls Lauren wanted to add, and went in search of Catylen. They had some shopping to do.

Jezzica peered over Catylen’s shoulder, reading the tentative art class schedule for the inn. “You plan to be busy.”

“We’ll start out with only a few, but I planned for growth.” She shut down the program and closed her computer. “I’m eager to get started. I’ve always enjoyed teaching.”

“And as my big sister, I happen to think you’re a great teacher.” Jezzica scanned the view out the window and then turned back to her sister. “You game for a trip to the new boutique?”

“Of course.” Catylen brushed nonexistent lint from her jeans, and picked up her sunglasses from the kitchen counter.

They returned almost two hours later, each with an arm full of bags from the Seaside Boutique, around the corner from Serenity Blooms.

“The four of us are going to look smashing.” Although not totally comfortable with her latest fashion finds, the new look intrigued Jezzica.

Catylen beamed a smile at her sister. “We don’t have much time.” They separated at the top of the stairs, going opposite directions to their rooms.

When Jezzica finally strolled down the stairs, her sister and nieces were waiting. At the bottom of the steps she modeled her new outfit—a soft opaque, lacy top with tiny rosebuds stitched around the neckline and seed pearls scattered across the front. Rusty rubbed his head on the leg of her white jeans, Jezzica picked him up, cuddling him and rubbing his ears.

“Oh, Jezz. It’s dazzling on you.” Catylen inspected her sister from the front and back. “We really are going to be late if we don’t rush.”

Lauren and Tasha followed them out the door. Before the four were even down the sidewalk, a wolf whistle rang out.

Zack stood in his driveway with a towel in his hand, pausing from drying his truck. He walked to Jezzica’s cottage. “Wow, wow, wow, and wow.” He placed his hand on his chest. “Are the four of you trying to give me a heart attack? Or maybe I’ve already died and this is heaven.”

“When did you become the sweet talker?” Jezzica laughed and opened the driver’s door. “See you later, Romeo.” If the way Zack had given her the once-over was any indication, her new look was a success.

At the inn, Jezzica maneuvered into the valet parking lane. The skirt of Catylen’s new maxi dress swirled around her ankles as she led the group through the entrance. She’d only taken a few steps when she suddenly froze, with the others almost running into her.

Jezzica followed the direction of her sister’s flabbergasted glower. Mike sat at one of the tables in the bistro area with a cup of coffee in his hand and two empty plates shoved back on the table.

Lauren placed a protective arm on her mother’s shoulder. “What’s Dad doing here?”

“Did he just show up, without even calling?” Tasha pressed her lips together and glared at her father.

Catylen moved forward and the girls flanked her on both sides. Catylen slowed as she approached Mike.

Mike stood in a nonchalant fashion. “Hello, Cat.” Jezzica had often heard him use the shortened version of Catylen, thinking it sounded endearing—not this time. Almost as an afterthought, he acknowledged his daughters.

Catylen’s determined expression revealed a new strength. “You should’ve called first.”

“I need permission to visit my family?” Mike looked from Tasha to Lauren. “I miss my daughters.”

“I don’t want to see you.” Lauren gave her father a hard stare. “How could you have cheated on Mom?”

“Dad, we need space right now.” Tasha’s eyes watered as she chewed on her bottom lip.

Catylen turned to Jezzica. “Take the girls and join the others. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.” Then she gave Mike a pointed stare. “Sit. We need to talk.”

As Jezzica reluctantly motioned for the girls, she noticed a woman standing to the side, leaning against a lobby wall observing Catylen and Mike.

Lauren grabbed Jezzica’s arm and pointed to the woman. “Aunt Jezz, that’s the woman. How could he?” Tears unleashed as Lauren ran back to her mother. “Mom—he brought her here.” She nodded toward the woman, who was now dabbing tears from her cheek.

Catylen rose with a legal file in her hands and put an arm across Lauren’s shoulder. “It’s okay, sweetie. Dad and I are finished.” Emphasizing the word
finished
. “And he’s leaving.”

“Now you’re turning my daughters against me.”

Catylen’s laugh held a dash of sarcasm. “You did that all by yourself. Honesty would have helped. And it’s on your shoulders to mend the chasm you’ve dug between you and our daughters.” Catylen walked to her sister. She looked at her daughters, who once again stood on each side of her. “Let’s go to a garden tea.”

The four presented a unity of strength as they marched forward without a backward glance. They strolled under the arbor and entered an enchanted garden that both lifted the spirit and calmed the soul. Fragrant wisteria flowed from woven seagrass baskets. Roses added sweetness and color, and graced the jasmine-draped walls. Pots of botanicals surround the tables. Gina, from Serenity Blooms, placed a fresh floral arrangement on the serving table. Lauren and Tasha had helped Gina put together small vases of flowers for the center of each table on the large patio.

Maggie greeted them. “Put your things down and come mingle. Samantha should be here soon.”

The waves drew Jezzica’s attention to the revitalizing magic of the sea. Rachel Hernandez, the wife of the new fire chief, leaned against the railing of the steps leading down to the shore, chatting with Thelma. She smiled at Jezzica. “How’s the bookshop coming along?”

“We’ve had a few glitches, but we’re set to open the beginning of July.” Jezzica turned toward the sound of the waves—not quite believing the shop was almost ready to open.

“Will you be open in time for the Founder’s Day parade?” Thelma sipped tea from the cup cradled in her palm.

“That’s a great idea.” Jezzica squinted, already formulating a new plan.

Catylen looked at her sister. “The girls and I will help.”

“With a little strategizing, we might be able to pull it off.” Jezzica’s eyes roamed the area. It was a relief to find her nieces laughing and talking with Brenda and Peggy, daughter and wife of Alec, a cop with the SCPD.

The noise level increased as Samantha came through the arbor with an awesome look of surprise. Maggie’s face beamed. It couldn’t have been easy to keep the garden tea a secret in Serenity Cove.

Samantha waved to Maggie and went to greet her grandmother. The way she bent down giving Elizabeth a hug had Jezzica wiping the corner of her eyes. She knew the story of how Samantha’s grandparents had struggled with accepting her. Now the affection between the two was obvious. Betsy lived with Samantha’s grandparents and helped out since the grandmother’s stroke. Samantha fondly touched Betsy’s shoulder. “Thank you for bringing my grandmother today.”

The empty sandwich trays were removed. Jezzica smiled at the way Julia fussed over the array of bite-size cakes and sweets, along with almond macaroon cookies, cream puffs, and truffles.

Jezzica looked around and noticed Catylen heading down the pathway leading to the shore. “Wait up, Caty.” She turned and leaned against the wooden rail until Jezzica reached her.

Shoes dangling from their hands the sisters barefooted through the sand. “Want to talk?” Jezzica hated the pain in her sister’s eyes.

“We’d agreed to protect the girls, and now he does this. The hurt on their faces broke my heart.” Catylen took a visible deep breath. “Mike gave me divorce papers. He didn’t even have the decency to allow me to make that move.” She swiped at the wetness on her cheeks. “He’s the one who cheated, so shouldn’t I have been the one to start proceedings against him?”

This selfish, uncaring attitude wasn’t a side of Mike that Jezzica had ever seen before. “Mike always adored you and the girls.”

They walked a little more. “And why did he need to insult me even more by bringing that woman with him, as though they were on a holiday instead of delivering divorce papers to his wife?”

Does life ever make sense? Geoff’s gone and Mike betrayed Catylen in the worse possible way
. Jezzica grasped her sister’s hand. “We’ll get through this. We’re strong women, and together we’re even stronger.”

Chapter Thirty-five
 

Zack pushed through the side door of the police station, the first time he’d set foot in the building since his suspension.
Why had Logan summoned him?
With a deep breath, he knocked on the frame of the chief’s office door and went on in.