Harper woke to sun streaming in through the curtains. She pulled them back and gazed out at the morning. Amazing what a difference a few hours could make. The blue of the sky was broken up by a few big, puffy clouds. There were already families and joggers on the beach. Although the weather was lovely, waves still pummeled the shore.
She dressed in a T-shirt and shorts and slipped out the patio door before anybody saw her. Even though the weather was tranquil and the people cheerful, she couldn’t settle her thoughts. She wanted to regret coming on this trip, but she couldn’t quite get there. She was glad to have met Russell and Betts. Their marriage was so filled with peace. Like Red, they were content. But what was special about them was that they were happy together. At peace together.
Could she ever find that with a man?
The question was so foolish, she scoffed. She’d come on this trip to find out what Derrick was hiding. Well, now she knew.
Every man she’d ever trusted had let her down. Her first serious boyfriend had hired her for his show in Vegas and had fired her when she’d broken up with him. Her second boyfriend had landed her in prison. Derrick had kept his gambling addiction from her. Then there were all the other men she’d met along the way, the drunk, drooling, disgusting men who frequented the club where she had worked. Men like Constantine, who treated her like a shiny toy in a storefront, available for purchase for the right price.
She wanted the sea breeze to carry the next thought away, but there it was. Even her father had failed her. He’d raised her in the church, taught her right from wrong. He’d thrown around words like love and grace and mercy all her life. But when she’d chosen wrong and ended up in prison, he’d rejected her. Don’t call here again.
Men like Russell, men like Red… They might be out there, but they were taken or too old. Definitely too scarce. She’d never met a man like that who was her age, available, and attracted to her, and based on her track record—and her baggage—she never would.
Which left her with men like Derrick.
It wasn’t his addiction that bothered her. Yes, that was an issue. Living in Vegas, she’d seen the effects of a gambling addiction. Formerly successful people reduced to poverty and, often, homelessness. People whose blind hope that the next game would be the game that saved them from all their troubles. She’d seen panhandlers take their meager funds into casinos, certain this would be the day for their big score.
She’d also known and heard of plenty of people who’d overcome the addiction. If Derrick were willing, he could overcome it, too. But the fact that he’d lied about it said a lot about where he stood. So did the fact that he thought Harper could rescue him.
She knew better than to think she could pull him from the deep water. She was barely surviving herself. Derrick might just take them both down.
She was nearing the house, hoping Derrick was awake so they could head back to Red’s, when she heard people on the porch. With the bright sun beating down on her, she could barely make out who was there. When she heard Derrick’s voice, she paused.
“Look.” The pitch was too high, too eager. “I know it looked bad this weekend. I’ve just hit a rough patch. But that doesn’t affect—”
“I’m sorry.” Russell, so calm and steady. “Not forever. Just until you grow up a little, settle into your success.”
Harper stepped around the corner of the house and out of their line of sight. She shouldn’t eavesdrop. On the other hand, maybe this was her only opportunity to find out what was really going on.
Derrick said, “I’d never gamble with your money.”
“I believe that,” Russell said, “but when people dig themselves into holes, they do things they wouldn’t otherwise do. And from what I overheard last night, you’re in deep.”
Overheard? Had he heard the conversation between Derrick and her? No, probably not. So maybe he’d overheard the conversation between Derrick and Keith on the porch. Maybe he knew more than Harper did.
“None of that affects the kind of stockbroker I am. I’m good at what I do.”
“One of the best I’ve ever worked with,” Russell said. “But when I give someone access to my money, I need to know I can trust them. Unfortunately, after your behavior last night, I don’t trust you anymore.”
“It was just one game!”
A cloud drifted in front of the sun. Harper peeked around the corner and saw inside the screened-in porch. Derrick was seated on one of the chairs, his head rolled forward. Russell stood beside him, his hand on Derrick’s shoulder.
“Here’s the thing,” Russell said. “This is not the end for you. You need to get yourself together, keep working hard, and quit gambling. Go to Gamblers Anonymous and seek that higher power they talk about. In fact, do more than that. Seek God, the only real God. He can help you overcome this. If you ever have any questions about God, don’t hesitate to call me.”
Derrick might have said something, but she didn’t hear it.
Russell walked into the house and closed the slider behind him.
At that moment, Derrick looked up. His gaze locked with hers.
She took a few steps toward him but froze at the expression on his face. Despair mixed with pure fury.
After a deep breath, she stepped inside the porch and sat beside him.
“I guess you heard everything?”
“Just the end.”
“Not only did I not get Constantine as a client, I lost Russell’s business.”
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded slowly, staring beyond her. “I guess none of it matters to you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You cost me my shot with Constantine.”
She sighed. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. It never crossed my mind that Jenny would tell him I’d told her to leave. I didn’t. I just told her to stand up for herself.”
“Whether you meant it or not…” His voice trailed off. “And then last night, after you kicked me out, I went back downstairs.”
“And played poker,” she guessed.
He said nothing, which was as much of an admission as anything.
“And lost big,” she said.
He shrugged.
“And you blame me.”
His gaze snapped to hers. “If you’d let me stay—”
“You don’t get to blame me for your bad choices, Derrick. You could have gone to bed. You should have.”
“I was too keyed up.”
“You could have gone for a walk. You could’ve read a book. You could’ve gone back downstairs and not gambled. You could’ve done a lot of things besides play poker.”
“I know that.” He raked his hands through his hair. “Don’t you think I’ve gone over all the things I could have done differently? Don’t you think I regret it enough? Thanks for piling on.”
She didn’t like this Derrick one bit. She liked the sweet, generous man she’d met in Vegas. She liked the confident man who’d shown up at the house on Friday. She didn’t like this accusing, angry man. She didn’t like him, and she didn’t think she’d ever trust him again.