Page 90 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
Then there was his father. What kind of man must Mr. O’Connor be?
“Lily!”
Robbie calling her name had her turning her head around. He was frantically pointing at something to her left on the beach. Whipping back in that direction, she noticed a solitary man jogging her way.
A ripple of shock rolled over her as she realized it was Scotty Flanagan.
Why had Tara’s soon-to-be ex-husband decided to show up? They’d discussed the possibility that he might show up in the Outer Banks after Tara’s posts went out, but everyone had agreed the probability was super low. Why would he show up when he had to know the Kellys were coming?
Scanning the beach, she didn’t see anyone else coming from the small parking area where he’d emerged from.
Dialing down her speed, she thought the situation through. He’d obviously seen Tara’s social media posts and discovered their location. Of course, they had purposely planted clues in the videos, with the curve of the beach they were running as one of them.
She studied the suspected money launderer. He was wearing a navy track suit with red stripes at the hems. His lady friend was nowhere in sight.
“It’s Tara’s husband,” Robbie said, finally running her down.
“I know,” she whispered, a plan forming quickly in her mind. “So I’m still Summer Sunshine, okay? And you’ve been taking care of Tara and the girls. Of course, she’s been acting a little wild. But you’re working on that.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” He put his hand to her back protectively. “I’ll lure him away by saying Tara is back at the house. You take the street back and alert Johnson and Mather. Okay, he’s almost here. Let me do the talking.”
They slowed to a walk, Scotty now striding rapidly to intercept them. He was clearly out of shape despite a reasonably thin body. As they grew closer, Lily studied his round, passably handsome face. He looked well rested despite the anger flushing his cheeks, and while she didn’t find him attractive, she could see how others might. His brown hair curled around his forehead, making him look roguish, a little like an Irish sailor of old. He had a tan, not a sallow complexion from hiding out in a windowless room or dark circles under the eyes from trouble sleeping. God, was he stupid? The Kellys almost certainly wanted to kill him.
“I knew there was no way Tara wasn’t with you,” he spat the moment they reached each other. “She’d never leave the girls unprotected.”
“Of courseshewouldn’t!” Robbie shot back, grabbing Scotty by the top of his track suit. “She’d die protecting her girls, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t gone a little crazy over everything.”
His lip curled, transforming him from roguish to downright mean. “Buying that fucking McLaren and screwing that pretty boy.”
“You know Tara.” Robbie shoved him backward. “It just so happens your own screwing really messed her up in the head. Along with the money—”
“Get rid of the girl.” Scotty jerked his head toward Lily. “I’m not talking in front of someone who’s not family.”
“You’re not my family, and she’s just someone I’ve met on this ‘fabulous’ vacation we’re on.” He slid her a tight smile. “Sorry about this. Give me a moment, sweetheart, will you?”
“Sure thing, Robbie.”
She walked away a few yards on the pretext of giving them privacy. With her back to them, she turned her gaze toward the sea, keeping her ears cocked. If only she’d brought her phone so she could text her partner about their visitor. Sheila would be as surprised as she was.
“Scotty, what in the hell were you thinking?” Robbie ground out.
“I was thinking we could have more, that’s what!” Scotty’s raised voice sounded across the beach. “It was good business and didn’t hurt anyone.”
“Except now it has or will. Do you have any idea the trouble Tara is in because of you, you piece of shit?”
“Of course I know! And since you’re down here babysitting her with Billie and Tim, who mysteriously disappeared on the same day you did, instead of trying to resolve it as a cop, I figure you haven’t figured out how to prove she didn’t know what was going on.”
Lily bit her lip, thinking it was interesting Scotty still referred to the nail salon as partially his.
“You’re right.” Robbie’s tone was sharp with reproach. “I’ve been hoping you’d come out of hiding—”
“I am not going down for this!” Scotty cried. “I told Tara all this when she kicked me out, and I’ll tell you. There’s no other way to handle this other than to keep doing what I agreed to with Branigan Kelly. Tara can take me back, and everything will go back to normal. That’s the only way we’ll all stay out of jail and stay alive.”
Lily’s brows flew to her forehead, much like she imagined Robbie’s had. He wanted Tara to take him back? And continue the crime? Where was Janice Brewster?
Robbie started laughing. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”
“Look, she doesn’t have to take me back as her husband—only in name. I can do my thing with Janice, and she can do her thing. Clearly, she’s already started.”
