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“IS YOUR ATTIRE even considered swimwear?” A shadow fell across Izzy, as darkening as the person blocking the warm beam she had been sunbathing beneath. “Or appropriate for a family resort?”
Izzy tore her eyes away from the man-candy stretched out for miles along the beach. Bronzed and muscular, mind-blowing male specimens. Man-candy lounging in chairs, man-candy hammering volleyballs, man-candy chucking horse shoes and man-candy strolling along the shoreline, water drenching and dripping down their exquisite six-pack abs.
This had been how she’d played her day out in her head, not being flung into a pool by a stranger and without shared lust or desire, or any promise of wild pool sex to follow.
She slid the sunglasses down her nose, glaring up at her brother’s prissy secretary. Melissa Carter looked less impressed about disturbing Izzy than Izzy felt having her satisfying afternoon of man-candy watching interrupted. Melissa rarely ventured outside of her cool and secluded office.
“Why don’t you grab a bikini and join me?” Izzy teased, knowing stuck-up Melissa would never wander the resort wearing her bikini or willingly interact with Izzy...which made her wonder why Melissa had scoped her out now in the first place. She’d find the answer out soon enough, right now she wanted to play. “There’s a good lineup of eye worthy males today.” Izzy wiggled her eyebrows and licked her lips.
Melissa remained stoic. Not a flinch, a glare, or even a twitch of her lip. Dead stoic.
“More than usual and I’m even thinking a couple of these hotties are single.” Not that Izzy would ever sleep with a guest. But what did looking, ogling, or drooling over these heart throbs hurt? Certainly not their egos. She’d had her fair share of flirting this afternoon, an improvement over arguing with the rude guest staying in her wing. For disliking Gunner with a passion, the repetition of him popping into her head and dragging her thoughts away from the available man-candy begging for her attention aggravated her.
Melissa’s eyes didn’t roam the premises with Izzy’s. Clasping her iPad in both hands against her navy, sleeveless, pencil-line dress, she grimly replied, “I’d rather permanently lose my eyesight than sit out here with you and pretend I like you, or can even stand you.”
Izzy sighed on the outside, but snickered on the inside, enjoying the banter.
She slipped her sunglasses back up her nose, stretched out on the lounger, and crossed her ankles, wiggling her recently painted turquoise toes. “Then what’s this visit all about? Simply to insult my bikini? Or did you miss me?” Izzy looked back at the bland woman, the excitement in her tone rising. “You missed me, didn’t you? Awe, that’s so sweet. I’m blushing. I know you can’t tell because I’m sun-kissed, but honestly, I’m blushing inside and out.”
“You’re burning. Bright red like an apple before it rots.”
“You missed all the fun we had on the cruise and you’re looking to re-spark those entertaining nights. The drinking and dancing...”
At the mention of their vacation, Melissa’s body stiffened. Her lips thinned into a line of impatience and her knuckles turned a shade lighter than her porcelain skin. It was the most reaction one would ever hope to receive from her. Izzy honestly couldn’t tell if she’d sincerely disliked the Cohen Cruise they’d taken with Izzy’s sister, Emma or if she simply couldn’t get past her snotty attitude to admit she’d had fun. Although, in general, Melissa’s fun often began after a few shots and finished with drinking like a sailor.
“What you refer to as ‘fun,’ I call insufferable.” Again, even though Izzy heard the words, they didn’t convince her one way or the other.
“Let loose, Melissa.” Izzy reached out and pinched her leg, getting an ungrateful swat. Izzy laughed. “Have fun. Smile, dance and live. I bet you haven’t lived like that in, well, like, forever.” Izzy gaped up at her. “We popped your fun-cherry, didn’t we? And now you’re desperate to get it back, but at the same time, it just felt so darn good.”
“Why are you even out here? You have a perfectly adequate private pool at your fingertips and yet, here you are, mingling with the tourists.” Melissa’s distaste amused Izzy almost as much as her change of topic.
“I would think it’s obvious.” She began pointing across the beach. “Blue board shorts there, and yellow shorts there, and you couldn’t have seen red shorts over there or you wouldn’t have asked such a stupid question. I don’t have these perks at the suite.”
But it wasn’t these men Izzy thought about, either. Only one man currently stuck in her head and she hadn’t even seen him in shorts. Not that it was necessary after feeling his hard torso when she’d failed at pushing him into the water.
Izzy pointed at black board shorts by the bar. “He’s a mysterious package that could help you relax—” The woman next to him leaned in for a kiss. “Nope, taken, but isn’t that the way you like them?”
Melissa bent down, and gripped Izzy’s upper arm. “I don’t have time for this,” she snarled. “Let’s go. Marc wants to talk to you and, quite frankly, I’ve had enough talking to you.” She yanked on her. “I don’t like Violet, but I agree with her, you’re in dire need of a filter.”
“Why?”
“You ask too many questions and talk too freely.”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “Why does Marc want to see me?” Her anger hadn’t cooled down with him yet.
“I didn’t care enough to inquire.”
Izzy stood, freeing her arm and smirking.
“Next time carry your cell phone with you.” Melissa said through gritted teeth but in such a way her appearance remained classy. She turned on her heel back in the direction of the resort.
Izzy grabbed her white cover up and followed behind. Now all of a sudden Marc wanted her? Why? He never wanted her.
They weaved their way passed private cabanas and masses of open lounge chairs, over bridges crossing above winding pools—there wasn’t an available seat in sight with even the bars located at each pool littering a lineup—and then across the marble floors of the resort.
Melissa’s quick steps guided them straight to the Caliendo wing and into the family’s personal library.
“You want to read me an afternoon story?” Izzy asked.
“Somewhere deep down inside, you know that wasn’t clever,” Melissa said.
“Somewhere deep down inside, you know your condescending doesn’t bother me. If anything, it only triggers me.”
Melissa held the door open for her. “Marc is inside and he would like to speak with you.”
Izzy glanced through the opening. The spectacularly designed space held an encasement of floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled with books. A metal track ran along the upper edge of the bookcases connected to a ten-foot-tall wood ladder which traveled the perimeter, allowing its conductor access to the many new and old titles available. Leather wing-back chairs sat clustered together on thick oriental rugs beside tables lit by brass reading lamps, offering a wonderful sitting area to read your selection.
A reader’s paradise.
Izzy Caliendo had been in the library a total of two times, and today accounted for one of those times. Today she wasn’t alone. “Looks like he’s not the only one.”
Melissa’s humourless gaze looked inside the full room. Izzy could feel the heated annoyance radiating from Marc’s assistant at the sight of Izzy’s three sisters and sister-in-law all crammed curiously together in what appeared to be another secret entrance in the Caliendo wing.
Izzy caught Melissa’s mouth slightly drop at the sight. A secret door should be shocking. A secret door was shocking and yet it didn’t faze Izzy.
Robert, the man who’d raised Izzy as his daughter while her mom had been having an affair with Izzy’s real father, had built secret entrances and tunnels throughout and under the wing of their living space. The secret spaces had only been discovered by the family after Robert died. Across the hall in what had once been his office, they’d found a secret office behind a wall, and now, in the library, a bookcase had been pulled open to reveal another entry. Izzy couldn’t see past her sister’s to what lay beyond.
“It’s called a secret door,” Izzy said, stepping up beside Melissa. “Didn’t you know about them?” Melissa made it a point to know everything—her ears were everywhere, her knowledge abundant.
Melissa’s head whipped to face her. “Them?”
“You really didn’t know?”
Melissa stared at her, offering no reply.
“I bet your dad has a few of these around his house.” Following in his father’s footsteps, and his grandfather’s before him, Melissa’s dad had stepped straight into position as the mayor of Willow Valley as if it belonged to the Carters. They’d been in position for as long as this town could remember. Year after year, the town voted for the running Carter...or so the ballots said. Izzy, and likely more than half the town, suspected those votes had been bought. Most people didn’t like the mayor or what he represented, but few would admit it. The same had gone for Robert. No one liked him, but everyone owed him enough to fake pleasant association.
Melissa leaned closer, her designer perfume clouding Izzy’s space. “Not all men in high places are as shady and corrupt as your father—sorry, your uncle—was.”
“It’s not an insult since Carl’s a better father than Robert ever was.”
A patronizing smile lifted the corners of Melissa’s lips. “And still, your relationship with Carl has never been rockier.”
Rage pulsed fire through Izzy’s veins. Melissa could talk a lot of shit about Izzy, but her father was off limits. She leaned in until their noses almost touched, her coconut scented lotion slapping Melissa’s perfume away. “Speaking of rocky, how have you been getting along with your boss’s wife? You know, after attempting to rip them apart for your own selfish wants...or needs. Needs that have never been addressed. Needs that make me wonder how many covert rooms you have and exactly what secrets you hide in them? You’re playing two sides of a dangerous game, deary.”
“You haven’t seen dangerous. Once I pop your pampered, spoiled bubble—”
“You couldn’t have worked cherry in there?” Izzy straightened, bored with the threatening fight. “It would have lightened the mood. I popped your fun-cherry and you pop my spoiled, cherry—”
“Prime example of what I’m referring to and why Marc called you here. All fun and games for Izzy, until you understand exactly what secret doors like that mean.”
A throat cleared beside them. “What exactly do secret doors like that mean?” Kate, Marc’s wife and Melissa’s rival, stood with arms folded over her floral dress, lips pursed, and her brown eyes as darkened as her mood, waiting for an answer.
Menacing Melissa turned all her attention to her enemy. Silently, a heated war engaged between the two women. Hostile stares, intimidating posture...Izzy would bet if she stuck her hand between them her flesh would char from the high heat emanating between them.
Melissa’s haughty tone didn’t help and neither did her next sentence. “They mean paternity tests are revealed.”
Kate’s eyes flew open at the mention of her private file. It had contained all the missing information Kate needed to find her and Marc’s lovechild—a child Marc had known nothing about and Kate had been forced to give up. With a big heart, Izzy had always considered Kate family and Melissa’s words stung Izzy as much as they probably did her sister-in-law. The battle between these two women was long overdue and Melissa deserved a punch or two. Izzy wished she had a bag of popcorn and soda to watch this fight.
She stepped aside, giving them space to hash out their differences, but her sister, Emma stepped between the two ladies, dowsing the fire.
Emma and Melissa were best friends. Why? Who knew? They were polar opposites. Melissa was stuck up, whereas Emma was sweet like the cute little mint-green colored, polka-dot dress she wore gathered in the middle with a large bow-shaped belt. Together...a match made to perfection.
Emma pointed at her best friend and shook her head. “Melissa, not appropriate and not at all nice.” She turned to her sister-in-law. “Kate, your past is a fact and no longer a secret. The entire town is aware of Rosemary. Both of you—” her head looked between them. “—get over it and move on.”
Kate rolled her eyes.
Melissa pursed her lips.
Emma shook her head. “Or at least pretend to get over it.”
“Or I could just leave and avoid this awkward confrontation altogether and continue to ignore Kate.”
“Perfect,” Kate said. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
“Kate!” Emma scolded.
“Remember, you’re picking Rosemary up from her hockey camp at three and you have her for the night because Marc is booked up.” Melissa sent her rival a smug smile.
“I know my daughter’s schedule.”
“And your in-laws are gone so you’re on your own for the night—”
“Out!” Emma grabbed Melissa’s shoulder, swinging her around. “Seriously, can’t you just be nice,” she hissed, pushing her through the door and shutting it behind her.
“I still don’t like her,” Kate said. “I try—”
All the women laughed.
“What? I do!”
“Sure you do,” Izzy said, patting her shoulder. “Can we get back to what you four are doing and maybe tell me when you learned about this secret room. A week ago? Three weeks ago? As long as you’ve all known that we have company staying in our wing but didn’t bother mentioning it to me?”
“You weren’t at breakfast when we discussed it,” her eldest sister, Violet said. Her sister could make her worst enemy turn shades of purple if rubbed the wrong way. She’d been occasionally referred to as the ice queen because Violet never lost her cool.
“You have these little gadgets called cell phones. If you dial them, they phone out and if you write little messages, you can text them.”
Anya, her last sister, giggled. “How would you get the message?” Emma elbowed Anya’s side, causing her grin to drop, briefly.
“Ha ha,” Izzy said.
“I heard you tried to push Gunner in the pool,” Anya continued. “And failed.” She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “And then you threw a beach ball at him.”
All the women laughed except Izzy, but even she couldn’t keep a straight face. “Shut up.” She slapped her closest sisters. “And that’s not all I tried to do.” Her sisters groaned, catching her sexual hint. “Did you see him? He’s one massive body of man muscles that I wouldn’t mind roaming my hands over every crevice...and my tongue.”
“Izzy!”
She laughed, walking passed them to peek inside the open doors of the secret bookcase. She hadn’t expected to find more secret rooms in their living quarters, but, at the same time, she wasn’t surprised. “What are we doing here?” Beyond the doors, she saw a metal landing connected to a winding staircase leading to a dark and dingy basement. There were no windows, a cement floor, and brick walls with the corners swathed in cobwebs. A basement designed in which to film a horror flick. The illumination from the extended hanging light fixture stopped feet above a table in the middle of the room illuminating piles of papers and tubs of what she assumed were files stacked beside it. She cringed at the sight of Gunner sitting at the table, concentrating on an open file. She also cringed at the instant heat traveling south at only the sight of him.
“Kate.” Izzy waved her over, needing a distraction. “You used to spend a lot of time in this library with Marc when you were younger...”
“Yes. And...?”
Izzy tried to keep a straight face, even though she faced none of them. “Just think about how many times Robert likely walked up this staircase and peeked through the hidden bookcase, catching you making out, dry humping...or actually tapping...”
All the women groaned in response, shaking heads and rolling their eyes. Someone slapped her shoulder and she winced when another sister elbowed her side.
Success.
Sort of.
Izzy couldn’t help examining Gunner now that he wasn’t directly in her face, judging her, shouting at her, and pushing her into a pool. His good looks made him easy on the eyes. More than easy. He was a sweet and spicy treat she wanted to unwrap. His striking, chiseled face looked like it’d seen a world of trouble, more than she’d ever managed to get herself into.
Melissa’s accusing words about her lack of understanding danger dug their evil fingers into her conscience. She pushed them aside to concentrate on how the sides of Gunner’s hair were trimmed shorter and the top a thick mane of beauty. She instantly imagined running her fingers through his locks. A heated moment of passion ran through Izzy as her eyes continued their journey to the colorful ink displayed under his rolled up sleeves, stretching across his bulging biceps.
“The older one, Anton, is Dad and Uncle Carl’s cousin,” Violet said, cutting into Izzy’s flashes of heat. “According to Marc, Carl had arranged for Anton’s arrival almost a year ago. Anton knows how to de-code the older files.”
The files.
Every corner of their lives for the last year had revolved around the contents of these files. The constant reminder of Robert’s extracurricular activity exhausted the mind, and consumed too much valuable time. Robert’s malicious behavior entranced her family in a way Izzy couldn’t relate to. Not when everything they learned in the files hadn’t been as good as finding Rosemary. They’d discovered Robert hadn’t been Izzy and Marc’s biological father. Their DNA had matched their “Uncle” Carl, making them half siblings with the rest of their kin.
Izzy didn’t want to take part in any more life changing details. Dwelling on the past brought unnecessary heartache she’d prefer to evade.
“Apparently, the coding is a family cryptogram dating back years,” Violet said.
“If that’s the case, why doesn’t Uncle Carl just figure it out?” Anya asked. She’d always been quick to put a person in their place, but loyal to the family.
“He doesn’t understand it,” Violet said. “Both Uncle Carl and Dad were born here, and whatever Dad learned was from his communication with family back home.”
“What’s up with Gunner?” Izzy asked, caring less about their history and more about the present.
“His name is Gunner Mann,” Emma answered. “He’s Anton’s assistant or something. Anton brought him along to help sort the files. I don’t think he can de-code them. I’m not exactly sure though. Maybe... Marc’s been so hush-hush about the whole thing.”
“Gunner’s silently observant and acutely aware,” Izzy said. “I know for a fact he’s sensed us here this entire time and not once has he looked up at us.”
“That’s not awkward,” Anya said.
“He does that thing with his head, like Marc. You know what I’m talking about?” Izzy demonstrated what she meant for her sisters. “The head-pause and slight eye drop, but with absolute alertness?”
The women made low murmurs of understanding.
“I bet he does the look, too.” Izzy had been watching Gunner for a good five minutes now and she would bet money he had “the look.” “You know Marc’s ‘look’? That one he gives when he busts you doing something you shouldn’t and it’s a mix of disappointment and disgust?”
They barely got out their comprehending sounds when Marc snuck up behind him and cleared his throat. They all jumped at the sound, whipping around to face the man of topic. Arms knocked, elbows dug into sides and feet were trampled. It was practically a human stampede.
Izzy smiled at the sight of Marc giving them the exact look they had been discussing.
Priceless.
Standing stiffly in front of them, hands tucked into the pockets of his pressed slacks, Marc narrowed his eyes on each of them. Always conservative and classy, but lately he’d let his hair grow out a little longer, and he’d quit always wearing a tie. Easing up on his stuck-up appearance...a bit.
“There it is,” Izzy whispered, the smirk often responsible for getting her into trouble sneaking over her face.
Marc’s attention landed on Kate first. “I’m rather surprised to find you here, associating with what I can only assume is an inappropriate evaluation of a serious situation.”
Assume? Had he heard their conversation at all? There was no assumption about it. They were definitely doing some seriously inappropriate evaluation and Izzy had been having a visually good time.
Kate sent him a guilty smile. “I love you,” she said, batting her long lashes at him for dramatic effect.
Gross.
“For better or worse...” Kate continued. “...until death do us part...”
Marc’s lips did not even budge in amusement when he asked, “Did you initiate this social gathering, sweetheart?”
Kate and her siblings were known for being outgoing and meddlesome. It was one of the reasons Izzy got along so well with Kate’s sister, Abby.
Marc’s wife turned only half serious, facing her husband’s accusing question. “I feel like I need a lawyer present.”
“What kind of example are you setting for our daughter?” he questioned.
“And a family counsellor,” Kate added.
Marc zoomed his attention onto his next victim. “And, Violet?”
Violet straightened her already poised and composed self. “Don’t you ‘And, Violet’ me,” she said. “If you were less secretive about this situation, I wouldn’t have been forced to resort to...” She sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh, “Snooping.”
Marc only shook his head, which threw Violet into defense mode.
“They just show up here and it all seems awfully convenient.”
“Convenient for what?” Marc asked.
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m inquiring.”
“You mean snooping.”
“Naturally, I have to question how legit they are.” Violet crossed her arms over her chest, raising her eyebrows and sending her iceycold glare at Marc. But even Izzy saw through Violet’s meager attempt not to look guilty of partaking in snooping, inquiring, spying...whatever they wanted to name it. If shovels had been involved, Violet would be halfway in the hole.
“You know where Anton fits into the family tree,” Marc said. “This isn’t just some random person off the streets.” He turned to Emma. “Don’t you have a limo to catch with Grayson?” Emma was leaving on another cruise with Grayson and his family.
Emma checked the time on her cell phone. “He’s right. I don’t want to be late. Sorry, ladies, I’m out.”
“Kate,” Marc said, once again stealing the spotlight. “You have a store to go open and then you’re picking Rosemary up from camp.”
His wife frowned. “I know when to pick up our daughter. I don’t need a secretary to dictate my schedule.”
Marc’s face softened as he planted a kiss on her mouth. Kate shook her head at Marc. “You can’t win me with kisses.”
“I know differently.” Marc finally let go of a smirk.
“You two are making me want to hurl,” Izzy said.
Marc sent his wife on her way and looked back at Violet.
“Wipe that look off your face,” she said. “I don’t appreciate it. Yes, Ryder’s taking me and the kids up to the lake on his boat for a couple weeks. I get it. Goodbye.” Violet looked at Izzy. “What are you doing now that Mom and Carl took off?”
“Maybe some tapping.” Izzy nodded in the direction of the library basement and Mr Muscles.
“I married the queen of tapping,” Marc said.
Izzy made a face. “Gross.”
“And if you’re referring to our guests down there.” Marc pointed. “You will be doing no such thing.”
Her brother thought he could control everything. He was maddening.
“Could you please avoid getting into trouble?” Violet pleaded with Izzy as she started toward the exit.
“Yes, Momma Hen.”
Izzy could see Marc was weeding his sisters away one-by-one so she wasn’t surprised when he brought up Anya heading to Oakston to visit her boyfriend’s family.
“I feel bad leaving now with everyone gone,” Anya said. “It will only be you and...” she glanced at Izzy. “...it will only be you.”
“I’m fine,” Marc reassured her. “Go.”
He glanced at the exit and Anya exited without another peep.
Izzy planted her hands on her hips, silently telling him she wasn’t going anywhere.
“Tell me to leave, Marc. I dare you.”