Full Bloom (5 page)

“Please say grace, Erdle,” Annie said, not because he was particularly good at it but because she thought it might put him on the path of the straight and narrow. So far it hadn’t worked.

He bowed his head. “Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub.”

Theenie pursed her lips. “I wish you’d learn a new prayer. That is not at all proper. One of these days the ground is going to split right open and swallow you whole.”

He shrugged and looked at Annie. “I picked up all the branches, raked the leaves, and trimmed the weeds,” he said proudly as they passed the food around. “We’ve got some leftover pine straw in the carriage house, so I’ll put it out tomorrow.”

Annie knew Erdle was just sucking up so she wouldn’t evict him. “You’ll have to stay on top of it so it stays nice. In the meantime you can start tilling that patch of ground behind the carriage house.”

Erdle shifted in his chair. “That tiller is pretty old, been sitting around for years. I’m pretty sure it don’t work.”

“It works. I’ve already checked.”

Erdle paused and fixed a weary gaze on her. “Tell me again why you want that land tilled?”

“I’ve already told you I want to plant a vegetable garden back there. It’s more than large enough.” Annie hoped by planting her own vegetables she would save on the grocery bills. “I need to get started right away, with the weather being so warm.”

“You can’t grow nothing back there. Not enough sun.”

“You’re wrong. It gets the morning sun.”

“You’re just not up early enough to notice,” Theenie said.

Erdle didn’t respond. Instead, he concentrated on his food.

Annie kept her gaze fixed on him. The man would stall as long as he could to keep from doing any work. “Erdle?”

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll get on it.”

Annie was about to pin him down as to
when
he would get on it, but a sound from the bathroom startled her. She jumped from the table and hurried in that direction with Destiny and Theenie right behind. Wes was still lying in the tub, his eyes open. “Oh, thank goodness!” Annie said. “You’re awake.”

He didn’t look happy to see her. “Would you care to explain why in the hell I’m lying naked in this eff-in’ bathtub?”

CHAPTER THREE

Annie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Theenie peered around her. “How nice to see you awake. You’re just in time for dinner.”

Wes ignored her, his gaze fixed on Annie. “I asked you a question.”

“Okay, but you’re not going to like the answer.”

“Somehow I managed to figure that much out for myself.”

“It’s not Annie’s fault,” Theenie said, beginning to fidget with her hands. “As hard as it must be for you to believe, she’s had nothing but your best interests at heart since she accidentally hit you, uh, twice.”

“The medication Doc gave you was stronger than we thought,” Annie said, deliberately being vague. She didn’t want Doc listed in Wes’s lawsuit.

He stared back at her for a full minute. Finally, he sat up and rubbed the back of his head, wincing when he touched the knot. “How long have I been out?”

“All day,” Annie said.

“What the hell did the man give me, a horse tranquilizer?”

Annie and Theenie exchanged looks. “It was an accident,” Annie said.

Wes scowled. “
Another
accident? There seems to be a lot of that going around.” His gaze narrowed on Annie. “Are you the one who undressed me?”

“I did that,” Theenie cut in quickly. “I’m accustomed to seeing naked men. It used to be part of my job.”

Wes seemed to ponder that before turning back to Annie. “I want my clothes, and I want them now.”

Annie pointed. “They’re hanging on the back of the door here. While you get dressed, I’ll prepare you a plate. We’re having meat loaf.” She and Theenie hurried from the room.

The group was silent when Wes entered the kitchen a few minutes later, fully dressed, with the exception of his denim jacket, hooked over one finger. He leaned close to Annie. “Mind telling me what happened to my boxer shorts?”

“Oh, I left them on top of the dryer,” Theenie said. She stood and hurried into the laundry room, but when she reappeared she looked confused. “They’re gone.” She looked at Destiny.

“What? You think I took them?”

“Well, they didn’t just walk away.”

The three women looked at one another, then at Erdle.

He shook his head. “I don’t wear boxer shorts with hearts on them.”

All eyes landed on Wes. “I got behind on my laundry, and they were my last pair. Besides, I didn’t know they would be on display in a house full of strangers.”

“I’m sure they’ll turn up,” Annie said. “Won’t you join us for dinner? I know you have to be hungry.”

Wes hesitated. Finally, he draped his jacket over the back of the chair and sat as everyone began passing food to him. Annie had prepared him a glass of iced tea and set it beside his plate. He stared at it for a moment.

“I didn’t poison it,” she said.

He took a tentative sip.

They ate in silence. Destiny finally broke it when she asked how Max and Jamie’s wedding plans were going.

Theenie gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth. “We’re not supposed to mention names,” came her muffled reply. She cut her eyes to Erdle.

“What do I care who’s getting married here?” he said with a shrug.

“Please don’t discuss it with anyone,” Annie told him. As she gave Destiny an update she could feel Wes’s eyes on her. She looked at him, and their gazes locked for several seconds before she looked away.

A clatter from above made them pause and stare at the ceiling.

Wes glanced around the table at the anxious faces. “Are there other guests here?”

“It’s just the wind rattling the windowpanes,” Annie said.

“Yeah, right,” Destiny muttered.

Theenie looked at Wes. “You know, our Annie puts on the most beautiful weddings,” she blurted, obviously trying to change the subject. “Her clientele is growing by leaps and bounds.”

“Is that so?”

“Her parties are just grand.”

“I don’t think Wes is interested in all that,” Annie said, her face growing warm.

Theenie went on. “Annie usually does all the cooking, but Lovelle and I help. We’re full-time tenants. Lovelle is away at the moment. We used to have another tenant named Dora, but she died.”

Wes arched one brow and turned to Annie.

“It wasn’t my fault. She was elderly and died of natural causes.”

“How long have you had this place?” he asked.

Annie was surprised he was being civil to her. “The house has been in my family for generations, but I only opened the bed-and-breakfast a few years ago. This is my slow season.”

He sat back in his chair and regarded her. “I might be interested in renting a room.”

Everybody gaped. Erdle, in the process of swallowing, almost choked. “You’d actually rent a room from her after what happened? Man, you must be desperate.”

“I only need a place for a week or two, and I hate motel rooms.”

“Well, I . . .” Annie tried to pull her thoughts together. She glanced at Theenie, whose face seemed to have drained of color. Destiny looked amused.

“I can provide references,” he said. “Except for that short stint in prison.”

Theenie dropped her fork, and it clattered in her plate.

“Just kidding,” Wes said.

“You should rent him the master bedroom,” Erdle said. He looked at Wes. “It’s huge. Has cable TV, a fireplace, one of those claw-foot tubs in the bathroom, and a big mirror on the ceiling.”

“Wow, that sounds like my kind of room,” Destiny said.

Annie managed a tight smile. “I don’t normally rent it out. Only if I’m booked and have no other choice.”

“Why aren’t you using it?” Wes asked.

Erdle answered for her. “She moved out of it when her husband ran off with another woman.”

“Thank you for sharing, Erdle,” Annie said.

Wes seemed to be doing his best to swallow a smile. “How long has your husband been gone?”

Annie avoided eye contact. “Three years.”

“Does he live around here?” Wes asked.

“If I knew where he lived I would serve him with divorce papers.” She gave a dismissive wave. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“I’d like to see the room after dinner if that’s okay.”

“I have other rooms.”

“Yes, but I’m willing to pay twice what you would normally charge for the master.”

“Why on earth would you do that?” she asked.

“Because it offers a lot more than a motel room and because the food is good here.” He almost smiled. “And I have a thing for overhead mirrors.”

“Amen to that,” Destiny said, drawing a frown from Theenie.

“I’d jump on that, Miss Annie,” Erdle said, “seeing as how you could use the money.”

Annie finally shrugged, trying to appear indifferent. “Sure.” She would show Wes the room, but that didn’t mean she was going to rent it to him. Annie didn’t have to look at Theenie to know the woman was probably gnawing her bottom lip ninety-to-nothing.

Thirty minutes later, Annie led Wes to the second floor and into the master suite. The bronze and gilt furniture had been hand-carved along the lines of French provincial, only fancier—or ostentatious, as her mother had often remarked—adorned with hearts, curlicues, and rosettes. As in the dining room, the red walls and red velvet draperies were in keeping with the original decor. Annie had left the nineteen-inch color TV that her husband Charles had purchased for the room.

“What a shame,” Wes said, looking at it.

Annie gave him a puzzled look.

He shrugged. “I don’t think television sets belong in a husband and wife’s bedroom, but that’s just me.” His gaze wandered to an overstuffed chair and ottoman near the fireplace.

“I converted all the fireplaces to gas,” Annie said. “It’s really nice falling asleep with a fire burning.”

He turned to her. “Oh yeah?”

The look he gave her made her think of snuggling between crisp sheets and thick blankets on a cold night, hair-roughened legs entwined with smooth ones, a warm fire painting shadows on the walls. Annie crossed her arms. It felt weird standing alone with Wes in the bedroom she’d shared with her husband for two years. “The bathroom is through that door,” she said, nodding toward it.

Wes turned his attention to the lavishly carved mirror over the bed. “Nice,” he said. “Did you decorate this room?”

“Oh no,” she said quickly. “It was done by an ancestor. The family insisted on keeping the house as close to the original design and decor as they could. With the exception of the kitchen,” she added. “The original kitchen was detached from the house, as kitchens were in most homes of that era. It burned.”

“Your ancestors had unusual tastes.”

“Yes.”

“Where do you sleep?”

Annie tried not to let herself gaze too long into those liquid brown eyes. “Next door. And Theenie is just across the hall,” she added, and then wondered why she’d felt it necessary to let him know they wouldn’t be the only ones sleeping on that floor. “There are five bedrooms on the third floor, although some are small. My grandmother had an elevator installed once she began having trouble getting around, but it’s slow and cantankerous.” She couldn’t help noticing the odd way he looked at her. Was he sizing her up? Trying to decide if she was really as crazy as he thought? She probably
was
crazy to even think of renting to him.

“I can’t believe you moved out of here. Bad memories?”

He asked a lot of questions. “It just felt too big for one person.”

He cocked his head to one side, studied her lazily. “Your husband obviously wasn’t a smart man. I can’t imagine why he would cheat on you.”

“It’s quite possible he was a jerk,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Well, you’re still young. You’ll meet your prince charming one day.”

“I like my life just fine the way it is.”

“Is that why you wear those big shirts? So guys won’t notice you?”

He suddenly smiled, and Annie felt her toes curl. Jeez! “Yeah. I’m one of those women who have to dress down in order to keep the men at bay.”

“You still look pretty damn good.”

“I might have to resort to sackcloth.”

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “You’ll probably want references so the blue-haired lady doesn’t jump ship the minute I move in.” He fished through several business cards, handed one to Annie. “This guy will vouch for me.”

“Was he your warden?”

“My banker.” He gave her another card. “And this is my lawyer. I just pay him a flat fee to keep me out of the big house.”

“That’s always helpful. What kind of business are you in?”

“I’m a professional photographer.”

She couldn’t hide her surprise. It sounded so tame, and the man before her looked anything but. “How interesting. Maybe you’ll show me some of your work.”

“I don’t think you’d approve.”

Both brows arched high on her head. “Oh yeah? What kind of pictures do you take?”

“Mostly women.”

“Um.” She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “Are they, uh, you know?”

“Some of them wear clothes.”

Annie gulped.

“You’d make a perfect model.” He reached for a stray lock of hair and twirled it around his finger. “The rich texture of your hair, slightly mussed, as though you just climbed from your bed after making love. The rosy flush I just brought to your cheeks by mentioning it.”

Her scalp tingled at his touch, sending tiny ripples of pleasure down her back. Theenie was probably wondering what was taking them so long. “I don’t think so,” Annie said, thinking how much she sounded like Theenie. She stepped back and tucked her hair behind her ears.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve branched out. I like traveling to different parts of the country taking pictures of quaint little towns. ’Course, it’s not as much fun as what I used to do, and it doesn’t offer the fringe benefits.” He winked.

Annie stared dumbly. “Do you have any questions about the room?”

“How soon can I move in?”

It was not yet nine o’clock the next morning when Annie called a meeting of sorts with Theenie and Destiny. “I’ve decided to go ahead and rent a room to Wes Bridges.”

Destiny shrugged. “Hey, it’s your house.”

“Oh my,” Theenie said. “Are you sure?”

“I know he looks, well—”

“He looks like one of those biker dudes,” Theenie said.

“Just because he rides a Harley doesn’t make him a biker,” Annie said. “He’s a photographer, and he has excellent references.”

Destiny took a sip of her coffee. “A photographer, huh?”

Annie nodded. “He wants to take pictures of Beaumont. Because of its historic value,” she added.

“What does he plan to do with the pictures?” Theenie asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe he sells to travel magazines.”

Annie noticed Destiny frowning. “What?”

“Something doesn’t feel right.”

Annie and Theenie exchanged glances.

“You think he might be lying?” Theenie said, gripping her coffee cup. “Do you sense we’re in danger?”

Annie rolled her eyes. “Of course we’re not in danger,” she said, wishing Destiny would keep her concerns to herself instead of giving Theenie something else to worry about. “I wouldn’t have rented to him unless I felt he was safe.”

“He’s not likely to kill us in our sleep or anything like that,” Destiny said as though trying to reassure Theenie, which only caused the woman to start her lip-nibbling routine.

Annie felt the beginnings of a headache. “I’ve already told him he could have the room.” She’d barely gotten the words out of her mouth when a door slammed upstairs. Annie and Theenie jumped.

“What in blazes was that?” Theenie said.

“It’s just the wind,” Annie said dismissively, refusing to meet Destiny’s gaze.

“How can it be the wind when all the windows are closed?” Theenie asked. “I’m telling you, something isn’t right in this house, and it seems to be getting worse. And now we’ve got a man moving in who could be a cold-blooded killer for all we know.”

“He is
not
a killer,” Annie said.

Theenie didn’t look convinced. “You don’t know that. You don’t know that his references are valid. He could have paid somebody to lie for him. Killers do that sort of thing for each other. And remember, he even mentioned he was in prison. What if he wasn’t joking? What if—”