Page 57 of Saltwater Memories
Chapter 20
It took a moment for Amanda to realize where she was and how to weave through the overgrown brush to get back to her car. This stupid estate was way too big.
Once she got to her car, she slammed the door with a huff and started the engine.
At least now she knew that Will was happy to do business with the mob – and probably other criminals.
She bounced down the long driveway, annoyed by the fountain and the lion statues near the exit. This place could’ve been used in a movie – it looked like a criminal’s lair. How could Will not see that? How could he not question these things?
When Amanda got home, she was surprised to see that she had a message on her phone.
Her heart leapt. Was it Will, apologizing? She fumbled putting her password in.
But no, it was Rupert. “How about we play hooky tomorrow and I come up to visit the island?”
She smiled. “Play hooky? I don’t know, I have a lot going on at work.”
“Come on. We all do. When was the last time that you called off sick? It’ll be fun.”
Amanda hadnevercalled off sick. There was even a time when she spent the night in the emergency room, so ill with a stomach bug that she’d gotten severely dehydrated. They gave her an IV of fluids and some medication so she would stop throwing up, and the doctor told her that she should rest or she’d end up admitted to the hospital.
But the entire time, Erica was angrily texting her, telling her that she shouldn’t let her team down and that they had an important meeting the next day. Amanda attended virtually, looking as put together on camera as she could, while stealthily turning her camera off when she had to be sick.
If she hadn’t called offthatday, then she wasn’t going to pretend to be sick for no reason at all!
But on the other hand…this was the first time that Rupert actuallywantedto come to San Juan Island. If she said no, then he’d accuse her of not being spontaneous – a criticism that was often true. She could always catch up on work later…
“Okay,” she finally wrote back. “It’s on.”
She spent the rest of the day cleaning up around the house and planning for Rupert’s visit. It was a good distraction for her – she only thought about Will a mere two dozen times or so.
That was better than expected. Amanda was a world-class brooder. She could dwell on something for weeks before saying a word about it. There were things she brooded on for years, even!
The more that she replayed their conversation in her head, though, the worse that she felt. Obviously she couldn’t tell Will that the mob client was Lenny, and that she’d been forced to assault him once. But how could he think that she was just making it up as an excuse to push him away? That was ridiculous.
If she wanted to push him away, she’d just…do that! She was an expert at pushing people away! She didn’t need excuses.
Maybe he would think about it and realize that she was right. Or maybe he wouldn’t, because his livelihood depended on him keeping his eyes and mouth shut.
She’d promised him those landscaper recommendations, though, so despite feeling awkward about it, she solicited a few names and texted them to him at the end of the night. She ended the message with, “I’m sorry about our argument. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
He wrote back, “Don’t mention it. And thanks for the recommendations.”
Drats. Clearly he hadn’t gotten over it yet, or changed his mind.
Oh well. At least she’d told him the truth. If he didn’t want to hear it, that wasn’t her problem. She wasn’t going to waste any more time thinking about it. At least now she could stop feeling guilty and move on with her life.
Rupert arrived the next morning on the early ferry. Amanda was giddy with excitement – she’d texted him a list of restaurants ahead of time, and he picked one for lunch and a different one for dinner. What if he loved the island? If things went well, she could surely bring up their status as a couple – maybe ask him what he envisioned for the future?
Initially, she thought that she might be able to make dinner for him, but he’d never liked her cooking, and she didn’t want to spoil the day.
They got lunch at a place on the west side of the island that was known for their excellent seafood.
Rupert, however, wasn’t terribly impressed. “You’d think that the food would be fresher being so close to the ocean.”
“I mean, you did pick the lobster. We’re not known for our lobster.”
“You’re not? Oh – is that another part of the States?
