having none of that. “I think we all know your thoughts on Jessica’s decision to save a drowning man, Barbara. Now, why don’t we go downstairs and have a slice of Ashley’s German chocolate cake? I’m sure Jessica can manage to change clothes without us.”
“I don’t like German chocolate cake,” Granny said.
But Donna had a height and weight advantage and muscled Granny from the room.
When they were gone, Jessica turned toward Ashley. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Ashley laughed. “For what? Saving my cousin’s life? Honey, don’t let your grandmother get you down. Barbara is one of the sourest people I’ve ever met. I don’t think we’d ever be friends except that she was one of the original members of the Piece Makers, so…” She picked up the sweatpants and held them out. “There’s a bathroom down the hall.”
Jessica took the clothes and headed toward a small bathroom tucked under the eaves. She closed the door, shucked out of her wet clothes, and toweled off.
“So why were you here?” Ashley asked through the door. “I thought you presented your plans this morning.”
“You knew about that?”
“I saw you go into the cottage with a portfolio, and I know he’s hired you to design a house for him.”
As Jessica pulled on sweatpants, the reality of the situation tumbled down on her. No way she was escaping the gossip this time. She may have rescued him, but she had no illusions that she’d end up the hero of this story. Granny would tell everyone what a fool she’d been to jump in the water to save him. Granny would also make sure that the entire community knew that she’d personally warned Jessica not to help Topher build his house because he wasn’t able to live on his own. Lord help Jess if Ashley ever found out that her thoughtless comment the other day had pushed Topher out into the bay to swim.
A deep, familiar shame pooled inside her. She could see how all the blame would eventually end up on her shoulders. Because it always did.
“What I’d like to know is why you came back this afternoon,” Ashley said.
Jessica pulled the hoodie over her head and stared at her pale face in the bathroom mirror. Should she be honest?
What else could she be? She truly believed in the scripture verse about the truth setting you free.
“The truth is, we had a disagreement,” she said. “I came back to try to salvage the situation.”
“Oh, well, arguing with Topher isn’t surprising. He’s been an ogre recently. What did you disagree about?”
“My designs. I didn’t give him what he wanted.”
“Also not a surprise.”
Jessica opened the bathroom door. “Why do you say that?” Jessica asked.
Ashley was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her breasts. She looked worried. “Topher wants something he can’t have.”
“Oh?”
“He wants to go back to when everything was easy. Back when we were kids, my uncle John, Topher’s grandfather, had big plans for a house out there on the island where all of us kids could sail and play and have fun. Topher wants to go back to that time, and who the hell wouldn’t? But childhood has come and gone, you know?”
“Yeah,” Jessica said, even though she didn’t understand at all. Topher’s childhood sounded idyllic. Not at all like her own, where she’d been required to walk the straight and narrow, speak softly, and behave. But then she’d always known Topher was a spoiled brat.
“Look, I know you mean well,” Ashley said in a kind voice. “But even Uncle John never dreamed about living alone on Lookout Island, and after what happened today, surely you can see why it would be foolish for Topher to live out there alone.”
A wellspring of familiar guilt bubbled inside her. “Yes,” she said in a small voice.
“So I’m pleading with you. If you walk away from this, I might just be able to convince him to give up this ridiculous idea.”
It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Building out there would be difficult even if he knew what kind of house he wanted.
And it was even worse than that, wasn’t it? Topher knew his quest was crazy. Hadn’t he asked her that question last week when they’d sailed out to the island?
And she’d lied to him.
She could walk away, and Ashley Scott might praise her. It might be wise to get on Ashley’s good side because she was a powerful woman in the community.
But no. Acquiescing would be wrong.
If Topher wanted to build a house, he should be able