Page 40 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

The buzzer on Saint’s desk sounded. “Yes, Mrs. Dorsett?”

“Saint, your three o’clock appointment has arrived.”

“Please send them in.”

After ending the connection, Saint stood and reached for his jacket to slide it on. This appointment was one he was handling in Vaughn’s absence. He was meeting with Jaye’s brother, Franklin Colfax, whose construction company Reid had chosen for his housing project; and with Colfax’s planning manager, a man by the name of Keith Vickers.

Mrs. Dorsett escorted both men into his office. Although Saint hadn’t met Keith Vickers before, he immediately recognized him as the guy who’d tried dominating Zara’s time on the dance floor Saturday night.

He came from around his desk to shake Franklin’s hand and then Keith’s after introductions were made. Saint knew the moment when Keith recognized him as the man who’d replaced him with Zara for all of the slow songs. That meant, more than likely, he’d seen the way they danced and their kiss. Hopefully, this guy would assume Zara was taken.

Saint gestured the two men to the chairs in front of his desk. After they were seated, Saint’s suspicions were proved correct when Keith said, “I believe I met your girlfriend at Jaye and Velvet’s engagement party Saturday night.”

If the man expected him to say Zara wasn’t his girlfriend, then he would be disappointed. While they were playacting their affair she was off-limits. “Yes, Zara loves dancing. I saw you managed to keep up with her, which isn’t always an easy thing to do on the dance floor,” he said, grinning.

There...he had let Keith know he’d been aware of him dancing with Zara, and that he didn’t have a problem with it. What if he’d left the party like he’d almost done? Would Zara have danced those slow songs with Keith?

Saint leaned back in his chair. The thought that she might have bothered him. But who she danced with shouldn’t have been any of his business. Yet, that was before. The reason he could make it his business now was because of their fake affair. So far, it was working. When he’d arrived at the Witherspoon Café this morning, Debbie Witherspoon had commented on how good he and Zara had looked dancing together and she thought they made a lovely couple.

“I understand your entire work crew will arrive in town in a week,” Saint was saying.

Franklin smiled. “Yes. Keith and I are ready to get things started.”

Saint knew all about Reid’s vision. It would be a luxurious gated community of grandiose homes. Although each property owner could build the house of their dreams, all the houses had to be energy efficient and have smart home features. Also, the architectural design had to blend in with Catalina Cove’s French, Spanish, Creole and American style.

A number of celebrities had made purchases. A few had inquired but hadn’t liked the restrictions on the style and design of house they could build. Reid had no problem telling them, in that case, Catalina Cove wasn’t for them. His intent was to retain the grace, beauty and classiness of the cove. Reid and his wife, Gloria, had purchased the largest oceanfront lot for themselves. Like Vaughn, the older man would be listing his mansion with the Historical Society sometime within the next two years.

Less than an hour later the meeting ended. It had gone well. He liked Franklin and soon discovered that he liked Keith as well. There was no reason not to. After the men left, he wondered how things were going for Zara with packing. He picked up his cell phone to find out, appreciating that he had her number and could now call her whenever he liked.

“Saint?”

She must have added him to her phone contacts already or had assigned him a special ring. Why did the thought of that please him?

“Yes, Zara. I was wondering how the packing is going?”

“Great. I decided to start on my parents’ room first. A part of me wished I’d done so long ago, but after packing up their home in Paris, Vaughn and I put off going through any of their belongings here. I’ve packed up a lot of stuff. I will be donating some of the boxes to Goodwill.”

“It sounds like you’ve been busy. I planned to leave work in a couple of hours and wondered if you were hungry. I can grab takeout for you.”

“That’s kind and thoughtful of you, Saint, and that would be wonderful. I finished all the packing that I intend to do today and will be heading to the cottage in an hour. That will give me time to shower and change before you arrive.”

At the mention of a shower, he vividly recalled the times they’d showered together and felt a heated rush at those memories. “Do you have a taste for any particular thing?”

“Yes, crab cakes, fries and coleslaw from LaFitte’s Seafood House.”

He chuckled. “Sounds good. Next time you have a taste for crab cakes, I have my grandmother’s recipe and will be happy to prepare them for you.”

“So, you’re good in the kitchen?”

“Not to sound boastful, but haven’t you realized by now that I’m good at a number of things, Zara?”

She was quiet for a moment and then she said, “Trust me. I have realized it, Saint.”

It pleased him that she had. “I’ll see you in a few, sweetheart.”

“Okay. I’ll be at the cottage waiting.”

When he ended the call, he noted that he’d used a term of endearment for the second time that day. The thought that he’d done so didn’t bother him. Besides, for the time being while engaged in this fake affair, she was his sweetheart.

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