Aspen paused in the Colington rental house kitchen to stretch her lower back and pulled the paint-spattered kerchief off her head. She had more paint on her clothes and arms, and her muscles ached.
Still, as sore and tired as she was, the master bedroom over at the beach house was finally done, and the house was ready for furniture—since the property management company had sold everything off after his death—as soon as she found some she could afford that she liked. For now, a hot shower was calling her name.
Just as she was starting up the stairs, the doorbell rang. Suppressing a groan, she sagged for a second, then turned around and went to answer it, expecting a salesperson of some kind. She blinked in surprise to find the garage owner’s brother standing there instead. “Hey.”
“Hi.” He was incredibly good-looking anyway, but the smile he gave her transformed him to stunning. “We were outside getting dinner together and heard you drive by. Wanted to see if you were interested in eating with us.”
“Us?”
“Bowie, me and our sister. She just got into town a little while ago.”
She’d planned to have a long shower, cuddle up in her robe and enjoy a well-earned treat in front of the TV. And it seemed weird that he would invite her rather than his brother. “I’m not sure. Is your brother okay with me being invited?” He didn’t seem the type to want near strangers over for dinner.
He waved her concern away with a hand. “Don’t worry about Bowie, he’s all right. Just gotta get past his rough edges, that’s all. Have you already eaten?”
“No.”
He gave her another killer smile. “Good. So come on over.”
Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t had anything since lunch.
He grinned. “Sounds like it’s a yes from your stomach.”
She chuckled, she couldn’t help it. He was charming, and attractive, but not in the magnetic, rugged and mouthwatering way his older brother was. She glanced down at herself. “I’m a mess. I—”
“You look great, but you’ve got time to shower and change if you want. I’ll keep the burgers warm until you get there.” His hazel eyes were warm, the hint of a dimple appearing in one lean cheek beneath his golden brown stubble.
Aspen debated her answer. Since she planned to stay in the area indefinitely, even if it wasn’t in the beach house, it wasn’t a bad idea to make some new friends, or at least some friendly acquaintances. She’d been holding back and avoiding social gatherings for a long time. If she was going to make this her home, she needed to start making an effort to fit in. And the added chance to see Bowie again was enough to make her fatigue disappear and seal the deal.
“Okay, I will,” she said, proud of herself for accepting. “Thank you for the invitation.”
“Yeah, anytime. Second house down on the water. We’ll be out back on the dock.” He pointed across the street. “See you in a bit.”
She rushed back upstairs to shower and wash the paint from her skin, then put on a light turquoise swing dress and black peep-toe heels. With her eye makeup in place and her damp hair pulled back in a headband, she hurried to the kitchen and opened the fridge to peruse the contents. Her gaze landed on the fresh watermelon she’d picked up yesterday, along with the packet of fresh basil and goat cheese.
Perfect.
She chopped the watermelon into small chunks, chiffonaded the basil, then tossed them together with some crumbled goat cheese in a big bowl and added some plump blueberries to finish. At the door, she paused to put on some lip-gloss, then grabbed the salad and headed out into the balmy night air.
Anticipation bubbled inside her as she approached the house. She could smell the grilled burgers from the street, making her stomach rumble. At the edge of the lawn, she shifted her weight to the balls of her feet to avoid aerating Bowie’s grass with her heels, and started past the side of the house.
As soon as she passed the house she spotted the three siblings sitting near the end of the dock, and the boat moored to it. Her gaze immediately snagged on Bowie’s broad back and shoulders. Yum. When he turned his head and saw her, the impact of those incredible gray eyes almost knocked the breath from her lungs.
He jumped to his feet, a half-smile on his face. “Hey. Let me take that.” He crossed to her and took the bowl from her hands, and the crisp, masculine scent of his cologne was more delicious than the grilled burgers. He frowned down at the bowl. “What is it?”
“Watermelon and basil salad. It’s good,” she insisted, trying not to laugh at his dubious expression. “Really light and refreshing.”
He raised his eyes to hers, and something flipped low in her belly as she looked up at him. Lord, the man packed a punch, his quiet intensity drawing her. He had that mysterious, broody vibe she couldn’t resist, though she couldn’t help but wonder what had made him that way.
“Come meet Harper and sit down, give your feet a break.” He glanced down at her shoes.
“Why don’t you ever like my shoes?” she said with a laugh.
That gray stare lifted again, the unmistakable heat there momentarily stealing her breath. “I like ‘em just fine,” he said, then turned and walked to the dock.
Aspen exhaled and set a hand to her stomach for a second. Holy. By the end of the meal she might wind up in a puddle at Bowie’s feet.
The brunette rose from the deck chair and smiled at her. “You must be Aspen. I’m Harper,” she said, holding out a hand.
Aspen shook it. Harper was definitely younger than Bowie. They looked most alike compared to Chase, with similar coloring, though her eyes were a bright silver where Bowie’s were a smoky gray. “Nice to meet you. Where did you arrive from? I heard you just got into town.”
“Boston. You?”
Ah. That explained the diminished accent compared with her brothers. “Sacramento.”
“What can I get you to drink?” Bowie asked, setting her salad on the wooden circular table placed in the center of the dock. A sleek boat was moored at the end of it. “Beer? Wine?”
“Do you have anything softer?”
“I do. Soda?”
“Club soda?”
“Sure. How do you want it?”
Oh, so many dirty thoughts rushed through her mind at his words. Arousal swept through her at the thought of that mouth on hers, those strong hands moving over her naked skin while she explored that tall, powerful body. “With lemon and lime, if you have any.” It wasn’t nearly as good as a gin and tonic with lime, but swearing off alcohol guaranteed she would never hurt anyone else by repeating her past mistake.
“You got it. Be right back.” He started for the house.
She suppressed the urge to follow him as Chase spoke from over at the grill. “Sit and make yourself comfortable.”
“Can I help at all?”
“Nope. Just relax and take a load off.”
“Yes, sit,” Harper insisted, taking her by the hand and tugging her toward the deck chair Bowie had vacated. “Love your dress, by the way.”
“Thanks.” She sat, tucking the folds of it around her before crossing her legs, and telling herself not to be nervous. Just because she had reinvented herself didn’t mean she’d lost all of her old self. The extroverted, people-loving and fun one. She still remembered how to be social and do small talk.
“So, Aspen. What brings you to the Outer Banks?” Harper asked, taking a sip of her beer.
“It was time for a change of scenery,” she said, keeping things light because she wasn’t about to reveal her real reasons when they barely knew her.
“You and me both,” she said with a roll of her pretty eyes. “Chase said you haven’t been here long. You seen much of the Outer Banks yet?”
“Not as much as I’d like, but hoping to start exploring more when I have some time.”
“Okay, well let me give you a rundown of the places you have to visit.” She launched into a list, ticking them off on her fingers.
Aspen liked her immediately and felt more at ease, but as the conversation continued she decided there was something…off about her. Like maybe Harper was trying too hard to be perky, in direct contrast to the story the circles under her eyes told.
Aspen recognized the shadows there, and her heart went out to her. Whatever had happened to her, Harper was no stranger to pain and secrets.
A few minutes later, she glanced over when the back door opened, her insides stirring when Bowie stepped out carrying a platter of burger fixings, and a tall glass that looked like heaven to her suddenly parched throat.
“Club soda with lime,” he said, handing it to her.
“Thanks.” Their fingers brushed, sending an electric jolt up her arm. She took a sip, humming low in her throat in approval. “I needed this.” When she looked up, she found Bowie watching her from next to the grill in a way that made her pulse accelerate.
“Burgers are ready to go,” Chase announced. “Come get ‘em.” He offered her a plate and a big smile. “Guests first.”
Aspen took it with a smile, glad she’d come. Things were already starting to turn around for her.
****
Still no sign of Aspen, and no update from the P.I. Where the hell could she be? The thought of her jet setting around the world on his grandfather’s money was enough to make Steven’s head explode. He was hot, tired, and starving. Hopefully Gina had left him something in the fridge before she’d gone to her hot yoga class at a friend’s place.
He pulled up to the front of the house and started to drive toward the double garage, but stopped when he saw something posted on the glossy black front doors. The blood drained from his face.
“No, no, no,” he breathed, shutting off the car and rushing up the front steps. But God dammit, it was exactly what he’d feared.
A fucking eviction notice.
He ripped it off the door and crumpled it in his hands, anger building like a fire inside him. The bank foreclosing was humiliating enough. This was too much.
He stalked inside and shoved the crumpled paper into a drawer in his desk, already jammed with legal papers. He didn’t want Gina to see it.
He’d have to tell her eventually, but he was holding off until the last moment. Partly because he still hoped to turn all this around. But mostly because he was terrified she’d walk out on him.
He had no illusions that she would stick around if he didn’t fix this. It would break his heart to lose her, but on some level he would understand. He’d promised her a certain lifestyle when they’d gotten together.
She’d had nothing growing up. Had scraped together everything she’d ever had by working two and three jobs at a time since she was fourteen years old. She’d told him again and again that one of the biggest reasons she’d fallen in love with him was because of the sense of security he gave her. The money. The lifestyle. This house.
Now it was all slipping away right in front of him.
Dropping into the chair behind the desk, he let his head fall back. He was about to lose fucking everything and it was all Aspen’s fault. He wanted justice. He wanted to see her reduced back to what she truly was—nothing. A no one.
If his plan didn’t work, if she refused to give him what he wanted, he knew people who could make her disappear without it ever being traced back to him—for the right price.
Most of all, he wanted to see her suffer like he was. And before this was all over, he’d make sure she did.