Chapter 15 #2
Maybe. He had serious questions about how her ex had hurt her, but pushing her for information felt all wrong. Especially when he hoped to make this evening a fun date with a little recon. So he’d settle for the vague crumbs she offered.
“Ever been married?” she queried, lifting the binoculars again. “Or close?”
He was happy to play this game. “No and no.” She made a small humming sound he took as approval. “Are you expecting to see your ex on the site?”
“No.” She sighed, giving up on her long-distance snooping.
“Jackson schemes. Honest labor—the potential of working up a sweat—is not his thing. If he’s over there,” her tone dropped to a grumble, “it’s only to bluster about investors and resale values and get in the way.
” She leaned back, tipping her face to the sky.
“His loose connection to the developers frustrates me. I know what he’s capable of.
I need to let it go. I’ve only seen him here once. ”
“One time too many?” he asked, scanning the shoreline in search of Royer’s kayak.
“Exactly.” She pushed to her feet. “Want a drink?”
“Sure. I’ll take a Coke, please.”
She returned with two cans of soda. He lowered the binoculars, frustrated that he had yet to find a likely spot for Royer to be hiding. Could be the man was out, working on his next step in either escaping or causing more trouble. “Thanks,” he said, taking the Coke.
Natalie stood there, her balance perfect on the gently rolling deck, holding a Cheerwine. “Who told you?”
“About?”
She pointed at the can. “My secret devotion to Cheerwine. I didn’t think it was public knowledge.”
He grinned. “I knew it.” She scowled. “Before you accuse me of stalking or something, it was the pelican sculpture. All the fish were made of Cheerwine cans.”
“You really have been watching that bird.”
He set his Coke into the nearest holder and took her hand, drawing her down to sit on his lap. “Guilty as charged. Can you blame me? I enjoy the artwork almost as much as I enjoy the artist.”
Her cheeks went pink. “You keep saying stuff like that.”
“Because it’s true.” And he suspected that despite all her success, she needed to hear it. He kissed her, sinking into the sweetness and forgetting about Royer for a moment. “Why don’t we cruise a bit to find a good spot for our picnic?”
She smiled, her lips rosy. “Will you let me drive?”
“Fine by me. Is there a way to go all the way around Brookwell?”
One eyebrow arched. “Yes,” she replied, dragging out the word. “Island is right there in the name.”
He felt his cheeks flame even as he chuckled. “Well, sure. But is the full circuit something people do?”
“Probably. Though I wouldn’t trust myself to navigate the marshes in a rental at dusk. I can get you a three-quarter view.” She pointed. “From here out to the bridge. We’d have an excellent view of Charleston for our picnic.”
“Works for me. Just call me your favorite passenger.”
She gave him a saucy smile and salute, taking her place in the cockpit. With an expert touch, she brought them up to a perfectly gentle cruising speed. It felt like a Sunday drive through back roads, but on open water.
Natalie chatted as she drove and he was able to keep up his end of the conversation while searching for any signs of an impromptu camp.
Out here it was easy to see why the Hideaway property was so valuable.
Theirs was the last stretch of golden sand before Brookwell turned a rugged shoulder to the ocean.
There were places where a skilled captain could pull in, or where a kayaker could tuck away, but it would be hard going.
As they cruised around, he noticed an industrial dock he’d forgotten all about since his initial survey.
“What’s that?” The place looked as if it had been abandoned decades ago.
“Old warehousing,” Nat replied. “A bit rough around the edges too. These days, the town council uses it for storage ahead of the summer music festival. There’s been talk about repurposing the area, but so far no firm agreements.
When they commissioned me for the sculptures, they offered me the space, but I didn’t feel inspired or connected when I looked around. ”
The music festival was still two months away, making it a logical place for Royer to hide. He sent a quick text to Jess. She’d probably already had someone check it out, but he wanted to confirm.
Natalie continued driving until she was satisfied with a perfect view of the harbor.
The stunning Ravenel bridge glowed under the warm evening light, spanning the Cooper River from Charleston to Mount Pleasant.
Sunlight danced across the water in all directions and several other boats were gliding through the harbor, taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and steady breeze.
“Wow. Trust the artist to find the best view. Thanks.” He used his phone to take more pictures, including a few of her against a backdrop of the city and more of just the two of them together, happy and close.
This time with her mattered and he didn’t question the urge to document it.
When life handed out a gift like Natalie, it was best to appreciate it.
Bringing the picnic supplies to the bow of the boat, they sat across from each other to tuck into sandwiches, chips, and the fresh fruit she’d packed.
“Have you ever walked the bridge?” he asked.
“Yes.” She bobbed her head. “Highly recommend. Great design and the views are spectacular.”
“Can’t be better than this,” he said, staring straight at her.
She shied away from his perusal. “There are folks who wouldn’t encourage you to stroke my ego.”
He mentally added that group to the long list of people he wanted to meet so he could put them in their place. “Did you always want to be an artist?”
“I think so.” She nibbled on a chip. “I was always creative, a little wild. When I realized there were exciting outlets for the ideas in my head, I jumped straight into the deep end.” She took a drink and then pinned him with a stern look.
“What about you? If you could do anything, would it be security consulting?”
“I like the work,” he said. No, it wasn’t exactly his passion, but each day was a little different and that variety fueled him.
“Dare I point out, that doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement?”
Of course she’d call him on it. Didn’t mean he wanted to go down this road. Gathering up the trash, he stuffed it back into the cooler. “Didn’t you say something about dessert?”
“I did.” She reached into the basket behind her, pulling out a small square box. When she opened the lid, the aroma of cinnamon and apples went off like a flavor bomb.
“Whoa. That smells amazing. You made this?”
“Yes. It’s a super easy recipe. Which is exactly where I shine.” Grinning, she held the box just out of his reach. “You can have a piece of this amazing, delicious apple pie spice cake when you tell me the truth.”
A chill brushed the back of his neck. He didn’t have too many deep dark secrets, but that was a loaded question. “About?”
“The career you’d have if you weren’t a security consultant.” She lifted a square and took a big bite, moaning over it. “Mm. So good.”
Relieved that she wasn’t asking a tougher question, his focus locked onto a sudden desire for something more than cake: her.
He pulled himself together. For her and her cake, he’d share his true dream.
“I’ve always wanted to open a camp for kids.
Somewhere in the mountains, I think. When I was a kid, I loved chasing fireflies and hiking through shady paths to find waterfalls. ”
The words flowed out so easily. Because Natalie had a kind of magic that brought out the best in the people around her. He hadn’t actually discussed this with anyone, not even his family.
“It’s a someday goal,” he added. “Once in a while I poke around online, looking at potential properties, or researching the latest programming and marketing trends.”
She moved closer, placed a square of cake in his hand, and kissed him on the cheek. “When you get that camp going, let me know. I’ll come in and do some art sessions.”
He stared. “You’re serious.”
“I am. And don’t give me a song and dance about timelines, dreams, or hypotheticals.
” She licked cake crumbs from her fingers, distracting him once more.
“You’re with the Guardian Agency, so even if it’s years from now, you’ll know how to find me.
Though I intend to stay right here and bloom where I’m planted. ”
“Noted.” He bit into the cake and sighed.
It tasted even better than it smelled. “This is incredible, Natalie. Holy cow. Thank you.” For all her stress over breakfast, she should be confident with her baking skills.
He polished off the first piece and asked for seconds, noticing the way her eyes sparkled with his sincere praise.
They talked more about growing up and little things while the boat rocked gently. He periodically scanned the shorelines for any sign of Royer. Natalie stretched out, her sunglasses over her eyes and legs crossed at the ankles. She was so quiet, he was sure she’d fallen asleep.
Taking the opportunity, he texted both Jess and Connor, wishing he’d brought the drone along.
A kayak was just too small a target at this distance.
Jess responded to his queries about the warehouse space, letting him know the police had been checking that ever since they suspected Royer had come ashore on Brookwell.
Knowing the warehouse was monitored made Trent smile.
Right now, anything that made it harder on Royer gave him a boost.
Connor, tasked with monitoring Corey’s behavior, hadn’t spotted any worrisome reactions or calls after Trent’s earlier visit with him.