Page 64 of Grand Escape

“Here you go,” the bartender said, placing our pitcher in front of us with a couple of glasses.

“Thanks,” Teddi said.

The bartender looked at Scott. “Something for you?”

“Scotch, neat.”

Suddenly, our girls’ night was looking like it wasn’t going to be a thing.

“Ladies, this is Bradley. We stole him from the cruise ships. Disney, specifically. Bradley, meet Rylan and Teddi from the Grand. They look nice, but don’t let them fool you. They will steal your tips.”

“Oh, stop. Nice to meet you,” Teddi said.

“Bradley,” I said. “Don’t let this guy lie to you. We coexist very peacefully. In fact, our guests love to have dinner here, and your guests love to come over to our place.”

He winked at me. “I got you, Rylan.”

It felt like a come-on, but I wasn’t interested.

Bradley poured Scott his Scotch and disappeared to the other side.

Scott tried for small talk, asking Teddi about some scuba adventure she’d gone on. When that conversation fizzled, he busied himself with greeting a person who was presumably a high roller.

Teddi leaned closer to me, lowering her voice. “Shell was in the other night, came by with Sam on delivery. Something’s up with her.”

Agreeing, I nodded. “I need to see her. Sam was skittish, kept pushing the glasses up on the bridge of his nose when I asked about her the other day.”

“She needs a friend, and so do you.”

“I am her friend, Teddi. What’s with all this matchmaking you have going on?”

She laughed and took a sip of her sangria before topping off both of our glasses. “You know, Scott’s right. You try to act like such a badass, but you’re a softie. And you are the heartbeat of the Grand. No one is untouched by you.”

“Stop.” I picked up my glass and clinked it to hers. “We’re here to have fun, not film a soap opera.”

Teddi grinned. “Okay, okay. To fun it is.”

We toasted and pretended to have fun the rest of the night. But we both knew my heart and thoughts were focused on a certain someone in the States, and not dwelling on my parents and their latest stunt.

Rylan

Slowing to a jog, I rounded the driveway and took a quick look at my watch. Seven and a half miles, all done before eight in the morning. Not bad for working the night before.

Sleep seemed to elude me lately, so I took advantage and ran earlier than usual, which gave me more time to linger with my coffee. As I walked toward where I’d stashed my water, I caught a glimpse of Tony from the corner of my eye.

He’d been scarce lately. He thought it was a well-kept secret, but I knew why.

He didn’t think Shell and I talked as much as we did, but Sam had let it slip, and now Shell was a semi-open book about what was really going down.

Her husband, Ricky, split on her one day, with no warning and no forwarding address, which was no secret to the whole island. I didn’t know what the heck was wrong with Ricky—Shell was the type of girl you put down forever roots with. So, Shell, being the stubborn woman she was, held her head high and carried on as if it were nothing, reacting like any strong woman would.

One day, she’d run into Tony at the grocery store, and I had it on good authority that he asked her out right then and there. Who wouldn’t? She was beautiful and full of life, and Tony had always had a soft spot for natural beauty and broken souls. Shell refused Tony’s offer, claiming it was too soon for her to get involved, and that she had to think of her daughter, Weezie.

Anyway, I pretended to be none the wiser, but did wonder what he was up to lately, other than playing with his puppy, working out in the gym, and making sweet tea.

“Morning,” I called to him as I approached.

Tony looked up and cleared his throat, staring at me like I had two heads.

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