Nineteen #2
“She could think you or you and Yvette are trying to take advantage of Roger,” said Nico, knowing these were more plausible but less palatable alternatives. “That would explain the letter she wants you to sign.”
“I think she believes you and just wants to make sure you don’t shame the Badgerton name with some long-hidden scandal.
She’s also very protective of her kids, which explains the letter.
” Roger hovered his hand over a piece, then took it back.
“I didn’t touch it,” he said, preempting Valerie’s anticipated accusation.
“You always try to pawn me off with that excuse.”
“It was a rookie mistake.”
They high-fived over the table.
Alice knocked and poked her head in. “Penny says we’re going,” she said. “Movies on the marina time.”
Valerie followed Nico out behind Alice and tugged on his sleeve. “What’s this again?”
“Once a month, the village sets up a projector and people sit in their boats to watch a movie.” She was going to love the lights on the water. He had nothing to do with it, and attending wasn’t his idea, but he felt as if by being the one to explain it, he was offering it to her as a gift.
“It’s fun,” said Alice. “They only show old movies, like Katharine Hepburn. She’s Mark’s favorite actor, and I’ve seen all her films now.” She looked down at a pile of blankets. “We need some pillows.”
They clambered into the runabout and rode through the growing twilight to the marina on the far side of the lake.
Valerie, who had taken the seat next to Nico, was looking out the back of the boat.
“The stars! It’s not even full night. It’s been ages since I’ve seen stars in the city. I forgot how dense they are.”
Dense wasn’t how Nico would have described them, but he understood what she meant. Penny glanced over with a frown. “Valerie, I’m worried you’ll be cold.”
“I’m okay,” Valerie assured her.
“Here, take this.” Penny passed over her jacket.
“What about you?” Valerie asked.
“Don’t worry about me.” Penny gestured to the pile of blankets. “I’ll be fine.”
Valerie stroked the jacket reverently, then pulled it on. “Thank you.”
“Keep it,” urged Penny. “It suits you and is warmer than that old jean jacket you usually wear.”
Nico watched this exchange suspiciously. Penny always had an agent resell her clothes. There had to be a reason she was being so generous.
Valerie turned to him when Penny was deep in conversation with Roger, and lowered her voice to a whisper.
“Nico, what if we were wrong about her? What if she really does want to invite my parents to get to know them, and not out of any wicked scheme? I’ll bet she was upset when Roger told her no.
She made me crumpets, and she’s been incredible about the clothes.
” She snuggled her face into the collar of her new jacket.
Nico disagreed. Valerie needed to keep some perspective, but he’d seen how much she appreciated attention from both Penny and Roger. Although he wasn’t much of an armchair psychologist, from the little he’d heard, he was willing to bet it came from her two indifferent parents.
“Yes, but she’s not your mom,” he said, pitching his voice so only Valerie could hear it over the sound of the motor.
Valerie reacted as if he’d slapped her. “Excuse me? I know that.”
Nico sensed he was blundering into something deeper than he’d anticipated, but was it better to keep going or try to rein it in? His rational mind told him to say what he needed to, but Valerie’s furrowed brow and trembling lips made it difficult.
Difficult, but not impossible. “She’s trying to be agreeable so you let your guard down,” he said. “She’s monitoring you.”
“Wanting to get to know someone is not monitoring.”
“She’s never offered me crumpets.”
“She thinks I’m her niece,” Valerie whispered fiercely. “Of course she’s going to treat us differently.”
The insinuation that Valerie was family and Nico was not hit hard. “I was only trying to help,” he said stiffly.
“I know this is fake,” she said, staring at the white churn left in the wake of the boat’s motor.
“I know I was hired for a summer to pretend to be someone I’m not, okay?
I know if my nose had been bigger, or if I’d been a few inches taller, or Mom was white, none of this would have happened.
It’s all pretend, but I can also make the most of my time here.
Trust me, I’m well aware my belonging is only temporary. ”
“Good,” he said. They were silent and Nico felt uncomfortable. This was the assurance he wanted, so why did he feel like a dick, and worse when Valerie rubbed at her eyes with her hand, muttering about the spray in her face.
“Are you upset?” he said finally.
“I’m not upset.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
He wasn’t convinced, but didn’t know what to do besides asking again, which would be useless as she’d already answered.
This bothered him until they reached the marina and Roger maneuvered the boat so they could see the screen set up on the boardwalk.
It was already filling up. Someone came by in a canoe filled with brown paper bags of popcorn with the oil seeping through in dark splotches.
Nico thought Valerie would love this, but when he offered her the bag, she refused.
“There’s the Jefferies’ boat,” said Penny. Nico glanced over at Valerie, who was looking straight ahead. “No Tracey—she must be at home. At least her husband is supporting the community. It’s vital for people like us to be seen at these local events.”
When the movie started, Valerie moved beside Alice to see better, and Nico stared at the back of her head, arguing with himself instead of watching Audrey Hepburn charm her way across Paris.
He’d done the right thing by warning her, and she’d said what he wanted to hear, that she knew it was a facade.
Perhaps she really did want to see the screen better, but why did it seem as if she’d moved to get away from him?
No, she’d said it was fine, and they’d agreed at Dalia’s party to say what they thought. It was all good.
When they arrived home after the movie, Nico helped Roger tie up the boat, then checked his phone.
“What’s up?” Valerie asked from the door to the boathouse, where she’d been running a hand along the shiny mahogany of Roger’s custom racer. “Is this boat from the 1920s or something?”
“The private investigator found out more about the lead he mentioned.”
Roger turned so quickly he nearly fell into the water. “What lead?”
Nico skimmed the rest of the email. “A woman named Yvette Tsui is living in Goderich. He couldn’t find mention of a daughter, though. That’s only four hours away.”
“More like five with traffic,” said Roger, but his hopeful expression belied his dry tone.
“When do you want to leave?” Nico asked Roger. “Or would you prefer to go alone?”
The sound of lapping water filled the boathouse. “I have some big meetings tomorrow,” Roger said, staring at his hands. “They’ll be hard to rebook.”
What? Roger didn’t have any important meetings. Nico was about to correct him when Valerie spoke up. “What if Nico and I go first?” she suggested. “To see if it’s her.”
“That might be a good idea,” said Roger with relief. “Thanks.”
He left and Nico turned to Valerie. “What was that about? Doesn’t he want to see for himself?” He thought Roger would already be in the car.
“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe he’s scared.”
“Roger?” He frowned. “Roger doesn’t get scared.”
“Everyone gets scared.” She said it so confidently that he didn’t argue. “Looks like we’re going on a road trip.”
She sounded less excited than he thought she’d be. He wondered if she was worried that she’d have to go away when they found Yvette and her daughter.
“Road trip,” he agreed, leaving it at that.
Things would be better after a good night’s sleep.