Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
“If you’ve called the Coast Guard the cops will be on their heels.” Lucas offers me a hand and pulls me to my feet. “I’ll take Alani up to her room so she can change out of my band shirt. I figure it would look better if she’s wearing her own clothes when they arrive.”
“Why?” Mia looks from him to me and raises an eyebrow. “Have you got something to hide?”
“No!” Lucas glares at her. “Why do you blow everything out of proportion?” He turns to Linc. “By the way, has anyone seen Oliver? I haven’t seen him since he stepped foot on the yacht. No one seems worried about him.”
“He’s in his room, headphones on and playing games.” Mia rolls her eyes to the ceiling. “We came back to the house together. I don’t know why you insist he comes to the parties. He hates them. He just wants to be left alone in his own world.”
“I’m fully aware of what my son does, thank you very much.” Linc frowns at her. “He’s a grown man and can do whatever he likes. I never pressure any of you to follow my lifestyle.” He nods at Lucas. “Don’t be too long, I’ve ordered lunch.”
As I head up the stairs beside Lucas, he leans in close and drops his voice to just above a whisper.
“Don’t say anything to me about this morning in your room. Mum has a bad habit of watching her visitors and it’s probably bugged.” He laughs. “That was some party last night, wasn’t it?”
I nod and move up the stairs, placing one foot in front of the other, trying not to appear like I’m freaking out.
“Yeah, it was an experience. I’ll pick out some of the good bits and add them to a chapter.
Linc seems to like the bad boy image, so I’ll lean toward that, and what about you?
I saw those women drooling all over you.
” I smile at him. “You could charm the skin off a snake.”
“But not you.” A shadow crosses his eyes as if I’ve hurt his feelings.
I bump into him and sigh. “I see the real person, not the illusion you create on stage. I like you for you and your music is magical. I’m not surprised that women act like that in your presence. You certainly are your father’s son.”
“It’s refreshing having someone like you around.” He gives me a long look. “Can we still hang out when you’ve finished the book?”
If I’m not in prison for murder one. I swallow hard. “I live in New York but I guess it doesn’t matter where I live. My work takes me all over.”
“Then sell that place and move here.” He grins as we walk to my room.
“Maybe you can plan your away times with our tours then we could hang out when you’re home?
It would be neat. You’d keep me centered.
I sure need a friend, Alani—a true friend.
” He smiles. “You’d have Mia too and Oliver.
It would be like a second family. Everyone likes you. ”
I consider my parents’ guest house as a possibility and wonder about the dream of living in Florida and then Isabelle’s face falls into my mind like an ugly shadow.
I lower my voice. “What about your mom? There’s no way she’d allow me to visit—like an equal.
She considers me an employee and what about this morning?
If I did something stupid, I might be behind bars before long. ”
“That’s just not possible and I can deal with Mom.
” He rolls his eyes. “It’s not like we’re romantically involved but we’re good for each other.
I can feel it. You make me want to write songs and I’ll inspire your novel.
Maybe it’s time you wrote one yourself. You have an agent and all the connections. There’s no denying you have talent.”
I look at him, trying desperately to act normal. I clench my hands inside my pockets to hide the tremors. “It would be a dream come true but I have Isabelle’s story to write first and then I’ll decide.”
* * *
At lunch I have the terrible need to keep washing my hands.
I see blood on them all the time. I smell the metallic tang and can feel it trickling down my arm.
Nausea grips me as Lucas pours ketchup over his fries, and I see the pool of crimson around me, the bloody blade.
Sweat runs down between my breasts and my shirt sticks to me.
I look down, certain I’ll see myself covered with warm sticky gore.
Isabelle sits opposite me and I feel her gaze on me.
It’s as if she knows I’ve committed murder.
“You really need to drink a tall glass of Gatorade.” Isabelle indicates to a pitcher on the table filled with orange liquid.
“We all need it after a party. You look dehydrated and fainting is a symptom. Images of you fainting out there on the deck will be all over the news. I didn’t consider you to be irresponsible, Alani. It seems I was wrong.”
I lift my chin. I’m sick of her putting me down and I fill a glass. “I had two drinks and I spilled the second one. I’m not irresponsible, Isabelle. I’ve been alone since I left college and living in New York. I didn’t expect to be drugged by someone at your party.”
“Ouch!” Mia turns to her mom. “The kitten has claws. I can’t wait to read the book.” Her attention slides back to me. “You sure say it like it is, Alani.”
As I sip the drink, a plate of egg salad sandwiches slides toward me.
I look at Lucas and smile and although eating is the last thing I feel like doing, I add one to my empty plate.
To my surprise, he empties a small bag of chips onto my plate and smiles.
I nod. He believes eating will clear the drug from my system but it’s a myth; keeping hydrated will make me feel better and coffee will help with the sleepiness but that’s the least of my problems right now.
I eat slowly as conversations drift around me.
The tension between Isabelle and Linc is palpable among all this chaos.
Am I witnessing the final breakdown of their marriage?
I move my attention to Linc and wonder what it would be like to write his story. He must have so many secrets.