Chapter 9
It had taken everything I had not to jump his bones in the kitchen and yell at him to take me right there on the breakfast table. Not yet, but soon.
His mother smiled from across the restaurant and rose as we neared. The lines around her lips were a mixture of strain and delight. Happy that Max visited and yet still leery about me. It mirrored a smile similar to the ones I gave my sisters’ new boyfriends. Cordial but not afraid to let them know there were sharp teeth beneath the surface. I liked her already.
Max kissed her cheek. “Mom, you look lovely.”
“Thank you, dear,” Martha said as her gaze landed on me. “This week is just full of interestingsurprises.”
Max pulled out my chair, and I slid into the seat.
“I told you I might have time to visit the island. I wasn’t certain I could make it happen until Gwen agreed to come with me.”
“I guess it’s you I should thank.” Martha gave me a tight-lipped smile.
Playing nice with the locals would get me closer to my goal. “Mrs. Pierce, the island is beautiful, and Max was gracious to invite me.”
“I would hope he doesn’t monopolize all your time,” an easy, familiar voice said as he approached from behind.
“Carter.” Max’s voice turned strained. “What are you doing here?”
“Funny, Max, I was going to ask you the same thing. Especially when Mom called last night to inquire about your new girlfriend. Gwen Bennett.” Carter raised his brow. Obvious these two lacked communication skills.
“Yes, well,I’ll do whatever it takes to make things happen.”
“I see you worked your charm.” As if Carter could read between the lines, he slid into the seat on my right, while Max settled on the left.
Silence lingered as they glared at each other. I let out a lengthy sigh as Martha stared at me. “I’m sorry, this is awkward. Carter tried to hire me to do a job, and I turned him down. He doesn’t take too kindly to rejection,so he sent Max to reel me in.”
“Did he?” Martha asked.
“Max changed my mind. I originally hadn’t any intention of saying yes to either of them, until I realized Max had access to something I needed, and well, here we all are. Each of us is getting what we want,but don’t worry, I don’t plan to stay. As a matter of fact, I have work to finish. The quicker I’m done here, the faster I can go find your daughter’s stalker and take care of him.” I’d vomited the entire reason for our visit in one breath before rising from my seat. “Now thatwe got that out of the way, please excuse me.”
“One of you betterstartexplaining,” Martha growled as I walked off.
I wouldn’t normally be so rude. Okay, well, that was a lie, but I would have at least had the decency to sneak off to do my work. But when I spotted Fillpot in the high-priced hotel store, with no way to throttle him, trying to remain in my role was more challenging than I could handle.
I stood outside the store pretending to window-shop while watching Fillpot inside. He was a decent-looking man. I didn’t know why I’d expected someone short and stout, but I’d been wrong. This guy didn’t have a greasy comb-over, no beady eyes. Nothing to suggest he couldn’t be trusted. He oozed charm. Something drew people to him, judging by the waythe three counter clerks chatted him up and the vacationers smiled in passing. I could see how my Grams might have fallen for his lies if his words were as charming as his demeanor.Finding out his dirty secrets was going to take more than a trip to the spa and small talk, I was going to have to find out the hard way and break into his room.
I stepped inside the store and thumbed through some island bathing suit cover-ups on display. Fillpot glanced up at me before dismissing me. Maybe I’d given him too much credit because he didn’t feel the threat nearby. I was a threat, one he would have to deal with, one way or another. I inched closer, leaving the rack behind, and made my way to the counter. The sales clerkhad pulled out a display of Rolexes for him to try on. He never even looked up as I neared. I squatted in front of a jewelry case filled with diamond rings and necklaces. Each was more beautiful than the one next to it; and probably just as costly.
“Can I help you?” a male clerkasked from above. He had on a designersuit with apink button-up shirt. He oozed more femininity with his hipjutted to the side and his flawless eyeliner. The glimmer in his eyes promised that we could be future besties.
“I’m just looking,” I answered. “These rings and necklaces are beautiful.”
“We surround each impeccable diamond with a one-of-a-kind hand-crafted design.”
That explained their lack of price tags. Martha appeared by my side and took me by the arm, pulling me to a stand. If she made a scene, she’d blow my cover. “Gregory, this is Gwen, Maxwell’s betrothed.”
My eyes widened just as big as Gregory’s, and Fillpot turned to stare at us. “Anything in the store she desires is hers.” Martha smiled. “But these diamonds won’t compare to the ones in the vault. You must wear one of those. They’ve been in the family longer than I’ve been a Pierce.”
I thought me pretending to be a girlfriend would send this woman over the edge. I’d been wrong. She wanted me to play a part I’d never played before.
“Of course, I’d love to,” I said.
Fillpot inched closer to us and gestured to another set of watches in the case.
“Maxwell must really learn that the women in this family deserve the best. When I offered to plan and host the rehearsal dinner and party, he should have warned you that New York’s elite and oldest families would attend. We must have you looking your best.”
“Oh, you know Max,” I teased and let my voice turn all girly. “He loves to surprise me.”
“Yes, dear. He’s just full of surprises. So why don’t we go into my office where I’ve kept all the party information, and I can update you while we order breakfast.”
I wrapped my arm around Martha’s and gestured to the door. “Absolutely.”
