melodrama.”
“I’m making a point using a seashell, just like you did.”
“Are you giving this to me?” Jocelyn asked.
“Yeah. I am.”
She leaned in and gave Tessa a kiss on the cheek. “Then I won’t throw it away. And, Tess? For a gardener, you’re not a bad life coach.”
She laughed. “Speaking of gardens, you want to walk up there with me?”
Jocelyn shook her head. “I think I’ll stay down here until the sun rises and then get to my list.”
“’Kay. Thanks for the advice.”
“Same here.”
They gave a quick hug and Tessa took off, but Jocelyn stood for a long time looking at the Gulf, holding her shell and thinking.
She wanted Will. She wanted him in every imaginable way.
What was stopping her? Looking down at her hand, she studied the shell. Damn it, she was so sick of shells. Especially the one around her heart.
Chapter Twenty-five
The garage was done and the sun was up.
Amazing.
Will stepped out into the morning light of the driveway, surveying his work, satisfied with the results of six hours of hard labor. The attic was cleaned out. The garage was empty except for some boxes and a half dozen bags of trash. And Guy hadn’t even gotten up yet.
At the sound of an engine slowing he turned, surprised to see the Lee County sheriff’s car pulling into Guy’s driveway with Deputy Slade Garrison at the wheel.
“Morning, Will,” Slade said as he rolled down the window.
“Slade. What’s up?”
“Just checking in, making sure you haven’t had any problem with the media.”
“Why? Have they been around again?” Not that he needed any more reason to accelerate his plan, but those guys would certainly give him one.
“Charity said they stopped in again, and I heard a couple of guys were in the Toasted Pelican last night asking about Jocelyn.”
“Shit,” he mumbled, putting a hand on the car roof to block the sun from Slade’s face. “Anyone say anything?”
“Very few people know she’s here.”
“Charity does.” And that would normally be like putting it on the front page of the Mimosa Gazette.
“Well, she’s keeping this secret,” Slade said. “For whatever reason.”
Will knew the reason. Charity had been the one to pick up the pieces when Will had let them all fall apart. Guilt kicked him, as sure and strong as it had all night while he’d packed up Guy’s house.
“How is the old guy?” Slade asked, his gaze following Will’s to the garage.
“Moving into assisted living very soon.”
Slade nodded. “Guess it’s true, then, what I heard.”
Will gave him a questioning look.
“So many rumors why ‘Big Guy’ left the force so young, even before his pension kicked in,” Slade explained, air-quoting the former sheriff’s nickname.
Will didn’t react; now he knew why “Big Guy” had left the force: Charity’s blackmail pictures. “Some of the older guys said he had trouble and started mentally slipping on the job,” Slade continued.
“Must have,” Will said, not interested in sharing the truth with the young man. “I really appreciate you keeping an eye out on things, Slade.”
“Not a problem. Plus, it seems to make Charity happy and I’m trying to get in good with that whole family.”
“Looks to me like you’re in good with her niece.”
Slade grinned. “Workin’ on it, buddy. How about you and Jocelyn?”
Was it that obvious? “Workin’ on it, buddy.”
“Even though she had an affair with that movie star?”
Irritation rocked him. “She didn’t. It’s all a lie.”
Slade’s brows lifted. “Sure going to a lot of trouble to hide from the media if that actress is lying. And the guy? Miles? He’s kind of letting on that it’s true.”
His fists balled like he was going to give a good punch to his catcher’s mitt. “He is?”
“Don’t you read these rags you’re so busy hiding from?” Slade turned to the passenger seat and grabbed a paper, shoving it at Will. “You ought to.”
“Thought Charity wasn’t selling these.”
“Gloria gave it to me.”
Will took the tabloid but didn’t look at it. “I’ll use this to wrap Guy’s dishes,” he said. “ ’Cause I don’t have a dog who could shit on it.”
Laughing, Slade put the car in Reverse. “Do whatever you want with it, Will. But you should know things are only getting worse for her. I’ll watch this street as long as I can, but those guys…” He nodded toward the paper. “They’re going to be relentless until she makes some kind of statement. Maybe you could convince her to do that.”
Maybe he’d be playing in the World Series next year, too. “I’ll try,” he said, backing away just as another