Maybe pretending was better than hearing her say that she wasn’t interested. Or that she could never forgive him for repeating stupid stories about her.
But maybe he could make amends in his own way. He could certainly exact revenge on the guy most likely to have started that rumor. He had that much within his power.
And best of all, she would never have to know that he’d been the instrument of Caleb Tate’s downfall.
Chapter Sixteen
The weather on Monday afternoon had turned soggy. So Ashley found herself sitting inside the small seating area of Bread, Butter and Beans across the table from Peggy Fiedler, the executive director of the Moonlight Bay Conservation Society, who looked nothing like Ashley expected.
Peggy wore her gray hair pulled back into a low bun and gazed at Ashley above the rims of a pair of half-moon reading glasses tethered to her neck with a beaded chain.
Her cheeks were round and pink and her eyes, a sharp, lively blue as they inspected Ashley. “So you want me to stop this project,” Peggy said in a froggy voice, suggesting that she’d been a lifelong smoker.
“I do. Don’t you have concerns? Harry Bauman told me you were opposed to most development,” Ashley said.
Peggy laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Did he say that?”
“He said you were a force to be reckoned with.” Although Peggy didn’t look like anything of the kind. She looked like a sweet grandmother.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“So? Can you help me?”
“I get the feeling you’re not exactly interested in conservation.”
“I care about rising sea levels as much as anyone. I also have other reasons for stopping this project.” Ashley leaned forward. “For one thing, the house he wants to build is going to be a monstrosity. I found the architectural renderings in the cottage. I took some photos of them.” She pulled out her cell phone and handed it to the activist.
Ashley had taken the photos yesterday when she’d sneaked into the cottage after church, while Topher had been playing catch with Jackie on the lawn. Guilt wormed through her.
She’d given up trying to keep Topher and Jackie apart. For one thing, their growing relationship seemed to be good for both of them, their mutual interest in Captain William Teal notwithstanding.
Her guilt intensified while Peggy studied the images on her phone. “This looks like the castle at Disney World.”
Ashley nodded and warmed her suddenly cold hands around her coffee cup.
“Why didn’t you start with the fact that he wants to build a theme park castle out there?” A note of outrage filled Peggy’s voice.
“I know. He’s a bit misguided.”
“Misguided? It’s insane.”
Ashley put down her coffee cup. “Look, I don’t want him to become a laughingstock for building a silly castle out there. The truth is, I care a great deal about Topher. I’m hoping it won’t take much opposition to dissuade him.”
Peggy gave her another sharp look. “Well, it won’t take much to convince people to oppose a project like this. Can you send me the photos?”
“Sure.” Ashley picked up her phone and emailed the photos to Peggy, who finished her cappuccino in one big swallow, leaving a milk mustache on her upper lip.
“I’ll be in touch,” Peggy said, wiping her mouth and reaching for her purse.
“Uh, it might be best if we weren’t in touch. You know?” Ashley said.
The woman stood up, slinging her big leather bag over her shoulder. Her twinkly eyes turned icy. “I do know, but you have to realize that your cousin is going to figure out how we got these photos. You can’t really avoid being involved.”
Ashley’s heart squeezed. “I guess.”
Peggy gave her a long, hard look, the grandmother vibe vanishing. Ashley wouldn’t want to get into a fight with this woman. “Well, the die is cast,” Peggy said before she turned and headed through the door, leaving Ashley alone.
She stared into her almost-empty cup for a moment, lost in guilty memories of a time, long ago, when she and Timothy, her oldest cousin, had been mean to Topher. She remembered Grandmother scolding her about how kindness was a virtue.
Was she being unkind? No. Her motives were pure, even if her methods were a little off the straight and narrow. This gambit would work.
It would be just what Topher needed to realize how futile it was to run away from the world. And once he gave up on this idea of building on Lookout Island, maybe she could suggest that he buy a house in town.