Page 13 of Easton Island: A Wedding to Remember
“That would be my guess.” Gerard touched Elizabeth’s arm. “His next step will be to contact you, to get a refund for the artworkandtack on a hefty settlement to keep quiet.”
“I refuse.” Elizabeth squared her shoulders. “Settling would be admitting guilt, and I stand by my gallery’s integrity.”
“Good for you,” Morgan said. “Unfortunately, based on how he acted the other day when he was in here, I don’t think he’s going to give up and go away.”
“He hasn’t faced an Easton yet. If he’s trying to pull a fast one, Mr. Ryze will quickly learn he’s messing with the wrong person.” Elizabeth motioned to Quinn. “Why don’t you take your lunch break? Gerard and I will cover for you.”
Quinn nudged her friend. “I have some leftovers at home from last night’s party, more than I can eat.”
“I had one of Mrs. Arnsby’s delicious sandwiches already, but I suppose I can wash it down with a few leftovers. I haven’t beenby your new place since you finished decorating. I can’t wait to see what you’ve done.”
“We’ll be back within the hour,” Quinn promised.
“Take your time.”
Morgan waited until they’d exited the gallery. “What do you think will happen with this Ryze guy?”
“My gut tells me Gerard is right. He’s hoping to cash in.”
“You heard Grandmother. She won’t back down or give in to his demands, regardless of what they are. It’s too bad the cops can’t get a warrant to search his place,” Morgan joked.
“That’s a great idea. I’m sure Elizabeth has connections inside the RCMP. Depending on what happens, I would definitely put it on the table.”
The women reached the cozy cottage, only steps away from Wyatt’s place. Although she’d rented the house furnished, it was bare bones as far as décor, meaning Quinn was free to add her own personal touches.
She unlocked the front door and led Morgan into the charming, tastefully decorated living room. “Well…what do you think?”
“It looks much homier now that you’ve added your creative touch.” Morgan ran a light hand over the sage green plush throw draped across the back of a cream-colored sofa. “I love the soft colors.”
“I was aiming for something with a little more pop around the fireplace mantle.”
Morgan meandered over, admiring the eclectic mix of photos and frames lining the white pine mantle. One picture in particular caught her eye. She leaned in for a closer look andburst out laughing. “You framed the photo of us when we got stranded.”
The friends, taking a selfie snapshot, stood posing on Bird Island’s shoreline. Morgan and Quinn had kayaked to the island. For whatever reason, they left without telling anyone where they were going. While exploring, their kayak floated out into Lake Huron. Stranded, their first thought was to call for help. There was only one problem, and it was a biggie.
“Remember when we found out the kayak was gone, and we didn’t have cell phone service to call for help?” Quinn asked. “Thank God Denver spotted us.”
“And you came up with a clever idea to make an SOS sign out of rocks,” Morgan reminded her. “It taught us a valuable lesson.”
“That we aren’t cut out to be wilderness women,” Quinn joked.
“It was an adventure.” Morgan set the framed photo back on the mantle and reached for another one—a recent photo of Quinn and her parents posing in front of their new condominium in South Florida. “This is a great picture of you and your parents.”
“Thanks.”
She finished admiring the photos and noticed a fluffy pink blanket neatly folded and sitting on the arm of a nearby chair. “This is a beautiful blanket.”
“Brett gave it to me the other day,” Quinn said. “It’s a weighted blanket.”
Morgan pressed down on the soft fabric. “That was thoughtful of him.”
“I happened to mention I sometimes feel lonely here by myself,” Quinn said. “When I wrap it around me, it reminds me of Chester. You know how he likes to cuddle on our laps.”
“It makes me sad to think you’re lonely.” Morgan pressed her hand to her chest. “You know you don’t have to live alone. You can always move back to Looking Glass Cottage.”
“Thank you for the offer. I’ve rented apartments before but never been in a single family home by myself. I guess it feels a little…” Quinn’s voice trailed off.
“Isolated?” Morgan prompted.
