Chapter 8
Morgan was almost home when she noticed Wyatt’s Locke Village Patrol car trailing behind her. He pulled into her driveway, and she waited for him to climb out. “I thought that was you following me home.”
“I clocked out for my break.” Wyatt gave her a quick kiss. “I ran into Grady earlier. He mentioned something about an unhappy customer and complaint at your grandmother’s gallery.”
“Unhappy might be an understatement.” Morgan briefly filled him in on what had transpired. “I think there’s a good chance this guy plans to try scamming money from my grandmother. After hearing about what he’d done to the gallery in Toronto, there’s no chance she’ll pay him to go away.”
“I don’t blame her. Although it sounds like she’ll run the risk of having her gallery’s reputation ruined if she doesn’t. Depending on how he decides to negotiate, he could be charged with blackmail.”
“I’m sure he’s smart enough to know he can’t just demand that she pay him cash to drop the claim.” Morgan told Wyatt he hadn’t come back, at least not yet. “His silence is worrisome.”
“Because you don’t know what he’s plotting.”
“Exactly.”
Wyatt’s radio went off. “Duty calls.”
“Always.”
“What are your plans for tonight?”
Morgan shrugged. “Stay home. Hang out with Chester. I would invite myself over to Easton Estate for dinner, but Gerard is still there. I don’t want to be third wheeling.”
“Third wheeling?” Wyatt grinned.
“You know, the third wheel.”
“Gotcha.” He blew her a kiss. “I’ll check in later.”
Morgan blew one back and returned inside, where she found Chester waiting for her at the door, his leash dangling between his teeth. “Good idea, buddy. A little fresh air is what we need.”
Thick clouds had gathered, and a brisk northerly wind blew across Lake Huron’s open waters. Morgan grabbed her sweatshirt, layered it with a windbreaker over the top, and followed her pup to their private beach across the street.
Halloween was long gone, and Thanksgiving was only a couple of weeks away. With all the attention being focused on the wedding, Morgan hadn’t heard a peep about turkey day, although it wasn’t celebrated on the Canadian side the same day as it was in the US.
Her mother had always made a point of roasting a turkey and fixing all the trimmings, even if it was just the two of them.
The year before her death, Morgan had insisted it was her turn. She’d fixed the perfect turkey. With a little help from Laura, she’d also whipped up a savory batch of stuffing, along with mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.
Little did Morgan know it would be the last holiday meal she celebrated with her mother. Not long after, Laura collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where she remained until her death.
The loss of her mother was bittersweet. Morgan’s heart still ached and she missed her mother terribly. In some ways, time had passed in the blink of an eye, yet there were days it moved at a much slower pace.
One thing was certain…nothing stayed the same. Laura’s death. Divorcing Jason. His incarceration. Meeting Wyatt. Brett and Quinn dating. And now Elizabeth’s upcoming marriage to Gerard.
Her internal clock occasionally reminded her she wasn’t getting any younger. But she and Wyatt were content with their relationship, or at least Morgan was.
Jason had put her through so much. If she was completely honest with herself, she was a little gun-shy about making a major commitment again. The bottom line was she didn’t trust her own judgment, at least as far as men were concerned.
Morgan had believed she and Jason would raise a family and live happily ever after.
In the quiet moments when she dug down deep, a small part of her was convinced there was no such thing as happily ever after. Maybe it was “content ever after.” Being content no matter who was in her life.
She hated to think that way, but again, Jason had taken something from Morgan, making her second guess her idea of what a marriage should be.
Wyatt had never hinted that a marriage proposal was imminent, although she knew he believed in it. His parents being the perfect example of a committed couple.
She pushed the thought aside and called Chester, who had scampered off to claim a piece of driftwood. He promptly carried it over and dropped it at her feet.
Morgan picked it up. “This one reminds me of an elf.” She turned it sideways. “I can see his pointy hat and pointy chin. Good job, buddy.”
They continued walking until reaching Easton Estate’s private beach area, where they turned around and backtracked home.
“C’mon, Chester.” Morgan called her pup, who had become preoccupied by a pile of leaves swirling around in the corner of the porch steps.
The sound of a car slowing caught her attention. It was Burnie with her grandmother behind the wheel.
“Watch out for Burnie.” Morgan scooped her pup up, keeping a tight grip on him as Elizabeth roared down the driveway and came to a screeching halt.
The door flew open, and her grandmother emerged. “Did you get my message?”
“Message?” Morgan plucked her phone from her pocket and noticed a new text. “No. Chester and I took a walk. Is everything okay?”
“I had an unusual visitor stop by the gallery a little while ago.”
“Does it have anything to do with Mr. Ryze?”
“No. It was Prissy. She told me what happened, how you gave her a ride home.”
“We’ve been so busy, I forgot to mention it. How is she feeling?”
“Much better. She went on and on about how kind you were to her, even after all she’s done to torture our family,” Elizabeth joked.
“I could never turn my back on someone in need, even Prissy.”
“Because you were raised properly. For the first time in many years, she and I had a civil conversation. I believe she’s realizing I’m not the enemy and never have been.”
“Did she mention Naomi Renaud?”
“No.” Elizabeth waved dismissively. “I’m not sure that woman will ever change.”
Morgan wasn’t sure she would either. Elizabeth’s nemesis, a woman who had once dated Garrett, her grandfather, was also somewhat of a thorn in the Easton family’s side. She took great pleasure in antagonizing not only the senior Easton, but Morgan, as well.
“I thought you should know helping Prissy left a huge impression on her, one she won’t soon forget.” Elizabeth shifted her purse to her other arm.
“Would you like to come in? I was getting ready to fix a cup of tea.”
“I hate to impose. I’m sure you have better things to do.”
“Nothing’s better than spending time with my grandmother.” Morgan linked arms with Elizabeth, and they casually strolled to the front steps. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can. Soon, you’ll be jetting back and forth between here and Toronto. I’ll need to make an appointment to see you.”
“You’ll never need to make an appointment. Easton Estate is as much your home as it is mine. You know that, Morgan.”
“I do. However, I think it’s important for you and Gerard to figure out your routine and plan activities that don’t revolve around friends and family.”
“We aren’t getting any younger. The clock is ticking. Despite my getting up there in years, don’t forget I have no intention of leaving this earth until I hold at least one great grandbaby in my arms.”
“How could I forget?” Morgan grinned. “You remind me at least once a month.”
Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled. “I should have a chat with that handsome young Wyatt and ask him what the holdup is.”
Morgan made a choking sound. “Please don’t. I would be mortified.”
“I’m teasing.” Elizabeth cast her a sly side glance. “Call it intuition, but I believe he’s getting close to popping the question.”
Uncomfortable at the direction the conversation was taking, Morgan changed the subject. “I have black tea or green tea. Which would you prefer?”
“Green tea, if it isn’t too much trouble.” Elizabeth followed Morgan down the hall and into the kitchen. “What do you think about Quinn’s cozy cottage?”
“It suits her. Not too big. Not too small. She has a flair for decorating.” Morgan told her grandmother about the sleepover / housewarming party planned for Saturday night. “She invited Grace and Ariel Vanmeter too.”
“I’m sure you miss having her here.”
“It’s been a little lonely. Thankfully, I have Chester to keep me company.” Morgan finished fixing the tea and placed the cups on the table. “Speaking of Quinn, how’s it going since she came back?”
“She picked up right where she left off and is doing an excellent job. I have no qualms about her running the gallery in my absence.”
“She confided she has some regrets about missing out on the other job, but no regrets about coming back to Easton Island to live.”
“It’s in seasons of adversity we grasp what’s most important in life, what really matters.”
Morgan thought about her grandmother’s comment. “I agree. Even though at the time you’re going through the trials and tribulations, you’re so focused on the crisis, you don’t realize inner strength comes from difficult situations.”
“Precisely.” Elizabeth daintily stirred her tea and took a sip. “I’ve made a concerted effort to mind my own business and not ask how she and Brett are doing. I know they’re together often when he’s in town, but he doesn’t talk much about it.”
“I think both are trying to figure it out, taking it slow to see how it goes.” Morgan told her grandmother what Quinn had said, admitting she was falling too hard and too fast for Brett. “I think it made or makes her nervous and she’s being more cautious.”
“Maybe it makes him nervous, too.”
Morgan pressed her fingertips together. “I know you would never butt in and try to sway Brett’s decisions about his personal life.”
“Other than telling him what I thought about Jenna.”
“She was bad news. We all knew it. Thank God she’s gone.”
“Absolutely,” Elizabeth said. “You’re wondering what I think about the possibility of their relationship becoming much more serious.”
“You’ve made vague comments but never come right out and said one way or the other.”
Elizabeth hesitated. “There is a specific reason I stopped by.”
“Involving Brett?”
“He has a past that’s been kept under wraps. An incident which occurred several years ago. It will eventually surface if he and Quinn continue on their current path.”
“An incident?” Morgan echoed.
“If I tell you what it was, you must never mention it to anyone. This is a strictly confidential conversation.”
Their eyes met.
“I understand and won’t say a word.” Morgan made a zipping motion across her mouth. “My lips are sealed.”