Starfish Island (2 page)

“Katrina Lewis lacks subtlety. Our days of being a couple are long over, but she doesn’t like the word no.”

Nicole made no comment, thinking the same thing could be said about him. She looked in the side mirror and saw the truck Jake was driving disappear in the opposite direction. The Mercedes made a U-turn, following the truck down the road.

Michael smiled at her warmly. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from Caroline that I feel like I already know you. We got all the large branches cleared and recruited some neighbors from Plumeria Island, who’ll be here tomorrow to clean all the smaller debris off the roadway. The roads can get real dangerous, especially after a hurricane. We don’t want any accidents.” Without looking away from the road, he reached over and squeezed her hand. “That’s a perk to living in a cluster of small islands—we all get to know one another and help out when called.”

“It’s so beautiful. I love the peace and quiet.”

“The best part about Starfish Island is that we have a slice of both small town living and the big city, since Miami is just a few miles back over the causeway.” He turned to look at her before continuing. “You’re finally getting color back in your cheeks. Your face turned as white as a sheet when you narrowly missed the truck.”

“I’m actually enjoying being the passenger; it lets me take in the view of the water and the last of the sailboats coming back to dock.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m excited and can’t wait to see my new home.” She was aware of the intensity of his stare. Talk about instant chemistry! She fought with herself, trying not to imagine herself naked in his arms. She chuckled...too much late-night reading.

“Nicole, you’re not planning on living in that big house by yourself, I hope?”

“I am—and why shouldn’t I?” she asked crossly, jerking her hand from his. “None of your business,” sat on the tip of her tongue. Of all the irritating… she fumed. She saw no reason to tell him that the reason she’d arrived alone was that she had no family. Years ago, her father had died in a car accident, and it hadn’t taken long for her mother to say “I do” to an abusive, controlling man. One night, her mother “accidentally” overdosed on depression medication. Now Nicole only had a stepfather, who she never saw and rarely spoke to. She didn’t have a single fond memory of him. Thankfully, the bruises he’d inflicted over the years had gone away, except for the scar that ran along her shoulder blade. It had faded, but was still a reminder never to voice an opinion in opposition to his.

“Because,” Michael said bluntly, “there’s no security system in that large house. Have you spoken with Ellis Sadler?”

“I’ve only spoken to Mr. Sadler a few times on the phone. How did you know he was my lawyer? You seem to know a great deal about me, and I know nothing about you.” He’d soon find out how much she hated following orders. She seldom listened and, if really annoyed, would deliberately do the opposite of what was demanded of her.

“I’m the executor of the will. He handles the details, but every piece of paperwork requires my signature.”

That surprised her. Mr. Sadler had led her to believe that he made the decisions. She had requested a copy of the will, but he’d put her off with one excuse or another and never sent one.

“You’re big news around here, ever since your grandmother died and it was discovered she had a granddaughter. Before you, the hot topic was Old Man Russell, who died in his mistress’s bed over on Conch Island. Get used to people wanting to know your business. Caroline chose to have Ellis, her attorney, handle all estate affairs, even after her death, rather than relying on an attorney who specialized in wills and probate.” His eyes quietly assessed her. “Did Ellis tell you that someone broke into the house the day after your grandmother’s death?”

She looked at him in surprise. “No, he didn’t say a word.”

Michael looked back at her, a protective expression on his face. “As far as we can tell, nothing was stolen, but the place was pretty well ransacked. Friends of Caroline’s are waiting anxiously to meet the young woman the eccentric left her fortune and house to. Some are also curious because you’re the daughter of her son Edgar, who, as rumor has it, she hadn’t spoken to for years before he died.”

“One thing Mr. Sadler did mention was that Grandmother had made another will, but that it couldn’t be found and the court had accepted the will in my favor. Do you know anything about it?”

“What does it matter?” he asked, dodging the question. “You’re here, and I think Caroline Alexander made a good choice.”

“Tell me then, why do I get the gut feeling you’re being terribly evasive? What is it you’re not telling me?”

“I just don’t like the idea of you being out here by yourself, the nearest neighbor a half-mile away,” he said as he pulled into a cut-out on the side of the road and let the engine die. “This is the very edge of your property. From this vantage point, you can see the ocean and, if you listen closely, hear the crash of the waves pounding against the rocks.”

The day waned as the sun sank slowly in the sky. The little alcove had tall palm trees with long branches lining the way down to the sand. The palms were interspersed with a variety of flowering tropical plants. Beyond, the turquoise water of the ocean glistened, the air clear, everything kissed clean by the torrential rains that had rolled through earlier. The two-story Craftsman-style home looked as though it was a natural part of the land.

Michael caressed the back of Nicole’s neck, and she wanted to lean into his hand and sigh. She sat motionless for a moment, listening to the sound of the waves off in the distance and watching as a cruise ship passed through Biscayne Bay on its way to the open ocean. She wondered why she was so attracted to this man.

“Don’t let the size of this place intimidate you, Nicole. It will be my pleasure to keep an eye on you.”

“I’m just a bit confused. I’m surprised Grandmother left everything to me, especially since we didn’t have a relationship, and I’m surprised there were no other relatives. There’s nothing like a death in the family to bring out all the relatives you never knew you had.”

“Ellis diligently tracked down each of your family members, not wanting any unpleasant surprises. Naturally, he wants to get the estate settled,” Michael added drily. “That way, he can collect his big fee and the small bequest Caroline left to him.”

Nicole glanced at Michael from under her lashes. It was clear that he didn’t care for Ellis Sadler, and she’d like to know why. “Has Mr. Sadler done something to you?” she asked.

He stared at her for a long moment. “I don’t trust the man. He and my brother, both lawyers, went head to head in the courtroom. His tactics were underhanded and barely legal, designed to bury the competition, truth be damned.”

Isn’t that what lawyers do? Ramp
up their testosterone to show that theirs is bigger by any means necessary?
Nicole kept her thoughts to herself, knowing they would come out as rude no matter how she framed her words.

“Suffice it to say, we’ll never be friends. In fairness, he loved and respected your grandmother, and the feeling was mutual. He’s not what he seems on the surface; just be careful until you figure out if you’re friend or foe. I hope you’ll like living here and won’t find it too lonely.” He ran his fingers up her bare arm, eliciting a small shiver in the warm night.

Thinking about how she’d almost run this man over made her smile. “I can’t wait to see the home where my father spent part of his childhood. Besides, I needed a change of scenery,” she said, color surging into her cheeks. Memories of the cheating boyfriend she’d ditched before coming to Starfish Island, along with the guilt she felt for letting her painting slide, rushed to the surface.

Michael started the engine and put the Beemer in gear. He ran his knuckles over her cheek and then cupped his hand behind her neck, pulling her forward. “I see,” he whispered, looking at her lips. “If you need anything, you call me.”

“I, uh…”

He leaned in closer, brushing Nicole’s hair behind her ear. “Answer me,” he growled.

“Yes, yes, I’ll call you first,” she said, her voice growing hot with need. She was disappointed when he released her and pulled back onto the street, and resisted the urge to touch her cheeks, which suddenly felt on fire. “If you’d been notified that you were left a lovely oceanfront house, wouldn’t you investigate?”

“I certainly would.” He laughed. “I probably would have flown in and not taken my time driving.” He drove slowly past the white-picket fence and into the U-shaped driveway.

“I heard the house was large, but this is incredible. Seeing it and knowing that it’s mine brings butterflies to my stomach.”

The white house loomed large, surrounded by a wraparound veranda on both stories. The front garden was awash in a variety of flowers, and a rose garden flanked the walkway from the driveway to the house. Beyond, Nicole caught a glimpse of a small private beach. Palms and banana trees waved in the breeze as if saying, “Welcome.”

“Don’t let those two get to you.” He pointed to a tall, formidable-looking couple coming down the front steps.

“Who are they?” Nicole asked tentatively. “They look like the farm couple in the American Gothic painting.”

“They’re Chester and Rena Grey, the butler and housekeeper, respectively. The two are fixtures here and part of your inheritance, unless you decide to get rid of them. Beware: Chester has a bad temper. When you see the vein in his left temple throb, look out. The middle-aged, silver-haired man leading the procession is your lawyer, Ellis Sadler himself. You’ll find he likes to run the show.” He turned Nicole’s face to his. “If you have any problems with those three, I’d better be the first to know. I do not want to find out from someone else, is that clear?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re bossy?” She almost smiled at him, but nodded instead. In her mind, it didn’t commit to her anything. “I feel as though I should make some sort of grand entrance, but once today is enough.” She looked into his eyes with a sudden twinkle and laughed. “Ready?”
 

Chapter Two

THE INSIDE OF the fifty-year-old house had been completely renovated, and everything was surprisingly modern. Nicole sat opposite Ellis in the dining room. To her surprise, she’d found the attorney waiting for her when she came back downstairs. She had indulged in a long shower and traded her wrinkled dress for a much more comfortable pair of fitted mid-calf black pants, a cashmere sweatshirt, and black ballerina flats.

Across the room, crimson flames flickered in the fireplace and the logs made crackling noises. She wondered why someone had lit a fire, as Florida never got particularly cold—and tonight was no exception. The fire threw patterns on the walls, sending shadows sprawling into the corners. Her imagination had gone into overdrive; she must be more tired than she’d realized.

Ellis had apparently assumed he would be invited to dinner, because he’d extended his arm and escorted her into the dining room as soon they were done exchanging pleasantries. He seemed quite comfortable sitting at the head of the table and had the look of a man who planned to stay a while. They were served salmon salads with fresh asparagus spears. The French doors leading out onto the patio were open, and from Nicole’s vantage point, it seemed possible to reach up and pick a few stars from the sky. Her thoughts drifted to Michael and his talk about her being all alone, which made her a bit anxious. The fact that the Greys were there ought to have made her feel better, but their sour expressions when she was introduced to them hardly made her feel at home.

Michael had left abruptly after seeing her in, explaining that he needed to make some business calls; he’d insisted that he’d be back later and reminded her in a rather gruff tone of her promise to call if she needed anything at all. He kissed her cheek before leaving and murmured, “I’m going to enjoy having you as a neighbor. Plan on seeing quite a lot of me.”

Nicole glanced at the man in the somber black suit who sat across the table. Overdressed-for-the-beach was what came to mind. He was a good-looking man, but there wasn’t a speck of warmth in his face or personality; cold and detached, in his early fifties perhaps, he was not the sort of person she’d turn to if she needed a shoulder to lean on or someone to confide in. Not like Michael Edwards. She had felt an instant attraction to him, and the nice part was that it felt mutual. She wished he’d stayed and that Ellis had not invited himself to dinner.

She caught her reflection in the mirror that hung on one side of the room and, for the hundredth time, marveled,
Can this really be happening?

“I’m beginning to wonder if I’m ever going to capture your complete attention,” Ellis said, his intense brown eyes meeting hers. He looked more than a little annoyed that she hadn’t hung on his every word.

“I’m just trying to take it all in. I feel the need to pinch myself.”

“I can understand. There’s still work to be done on the house. Caroline had completed the remodel but didn’t get the chance to finish all of her redecoration plans, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. This is one of my favorite rooms. What do you think?”

“I like this room,” she said, looking around the dining room. “I love that the French doors open out onto the terrace.” Her favorite room was the library. She liked the beachy feel, the comfortable, oversized, slipcovered furniture. She could see herself spending a lot of time in there with her feet kicked up. She’d already decided on a favorite chair—down-filled—and would position it in a corner with a water view. She also liked that she had a view of the small beach below and could hear the waves lapping the sand. “In fact,” she said, “I love the whole house. You’ll have to excuse my inattention, but as I said, I’m still trying to absorb all this.”

“Would you care for some more wine?” Ellis asked as Chester came into the room with a bottle in hand.

“No, thank you. I’ve had enough.” The food was excellent, but no one had asked about her preferences. What if she hated salmon?