August Unknown (15 page)

“To me and my very large group of volunteers,” he interrupted
his sister before she embarrassed him to death. “The people who were actually
shoveling and planting deserve the most recognition.”

Another miserable wave of heat crawled over his face. How he
hated ceremonial foo-fa like this. He much preferred to wield his influence
from the anonymity of his office, and keep it that way: anonymous.

“I think it’s wonderful,” August said, tightening the link of
her arm around his. She eased closer, enveloping him in a wonderful essence of
roses and citrus. “It’s always so sad when nature gets destroyed, especially
from careless human error. People need to take more responsibility for this
planet.”

“I would have helped out, if I’da been here,” Derek mumbled.
He looked genuinely pouty. Geoffrey joined the others in ignoring him.

“Let’s go, shall we? The sooner we get there, the sooner we
leave.”

August laughed. “It sounds like you don’t want to do this.”

“What gave me away?” He guided her to the door.

“It’ll be fun.”

Already, with August at his side, it was starting to be.

* * *

“This is one of your hotels?” August asked him.

“The first one.” Geoffrey sounded as uneasy as she felt.

Nerves had started as tiny pin-pricks during the short ride to
town. Anxiety morphed into worry as they got out of the car and started toward
the Palisades’ entry. She had the strangest sensation she was being watched.

But the worry turned to full-fledged terror when they entered
the grand ballroom and found nearly a thousand people milling about. The buzz
of conversation was deafening, and as soon as they saw Geoffrey, the people
closest surrounded him, offering handshakes and congratulatory pats on the
back. It was obvious he was well-known and well-liked in Newport. Their voices
rang in her ears and August was overwhelmed by the sudden crush. She sidled
behind him, lost in a sea of tuxedo-clad men and elegantly dressed women.

“It’s about time. I was wondering when you’d get here.”

August hardly recognized Gran Millie. She’d shed her Mirthful
Mermaid’s t-shirt and apron for a glittering black gown. For the first time,
instead of her tight ponytail, August saw a perfectly coiffed page-boy hairdo.
She looked like a movie star. For all her sixty-seven years, she’d retained an
air of elegant beauty.

“Watch it, people, she’s got a broken arm. Come this way,
darling. We’re sitting up front at a reserved table.”

Suddenly all attention turned toward August, and she heard a
woman loudly ask, “Geoffrey, dear, who is your date?”

He kissed his grandmother on the cheek and took August under
his arm. “This is a friend of the family. August, uh, Smith. August, this is
Maxine Crawford, president of the ladies’ auxiliary.”

August shook her hand, and then allowed herself to be introduced
to several other people whose names she’d never remember. She felt as if
everyone in the room was staring at her, and even imagined she could hear their
whispers.

Someone bumped her arm. Bright agony zinged down her forearm,
followed by a surge of nausea. Suddenly everyone seemed threatening. Was one of
the people in this room the person who had hurt her?

She was glad when Gran Millie pulled her away. “You look so
pretty tonight, dear. I’m glad to see some color back in those cheeks.”

“It’s painted on.” She swallowed. “I think I need to sit
down.”

Millie guided her to the nearest chair. “Is your arm hurting?”

“Someone bumped it. I’ll be fine in a minute.”

“Clumsy clods. You can dress ’em up but you can’t take ’em
out.” Millie poured her a glass of ice water from the carafe on the table. “Did
you take a pain pill tonight?”

She desperately looked around for Geoffrey. “I flushed them.
We were afraid Derek would try to find them.”

“Oh, for God’s sake! Where is that grandson of mine?”

“I didn’t like them. They make my head foggy.” She forced a
smile. “I’m better now. It’s just a little overwhelming, all these people.”

Gran Millie gave her a narrowed glance. “Are you sure coming
tonight was a good idea?”

August nodded. “I have to stop living in fear of every person
I see.” She mustered a weak laugh. “The way I figure it, I need to give the
person who did this to me a big surprise.”

“We’re talking about a would-be murderer.” Millie frowned and
chuckled at the same time, shaking her head. “You’ve got moxie, I’ll give you
that, kiddo.”

Geoffrey slipped out of the crowd. “Hey, you two, I turned
around and you were gone.”

August breathed a sigh of relief. He was so handsome in his
tux, she could drink him in for hours. With his short-trimmed, rusty-blond
beard and wavy golden hair against the black tuxedo, he looked as though he’d
stepped out of a James Bond movie.

“You’re not keeping a close enough eye on her, what with a
killer running around,” his grandmother snapped. “And what’s this I hear about
you making her dump her pain pills?”

At that moment, the microphone shrieked. The announcer took
the podium and asked everyone to take their seats.

“Thank you, everyone. We know you’re all hungry and eager for
this to begin, so we’re going to serve you dinner as our keynote speaker, James
McTierney, begins with some announcements. Then we’ll move on to our very
special awards.”

Millie carried August’s water glass as they made their way to
their reserved table at the front. She took a seat facing the stage so that her
back was to the rest of the room. One glance over her shoulder at the immense
ballroom was enough to send her stomach jumping all over again.

“Here, take this with your food,” Millie said, passing her a
pill. “It’s Tylenol with a low level of codeine.”

August was thankful dinner was easy-to-eat: ravioli with green
salad and sliced baguettes. The keynote speaker stuttered and stumbled over his
speech, and a mischievous part of August was glad someone else was more nervous
than she. Fortunately, the man was spared by the sounds of dozens of servers
putting out hundreds of meals, and the wind-chime like music of the guests’
forks and knives tinkling against their plates.

They were finishing a bland dessert of frozen-strawberry
topped cheesecake as the poor man stammered over his conclusion.

Millie shook her fork at Geoffrey. “This tastes like paste. You
need to speak to the operations manager about changing caterers for these
events,” she teased. She leaned over and whispered in August’s ear. “You’ve got
to try my triple chocolate layer cake; it’s decadent.”

All her discomfort vanished as Geoffrey was introduced. He
rose amid thundering applause, climbed the stairs and moved across the stage
elegantly, a striking vision in black and white. He accepted his award with a charming
smile. August held her breath, wondering what kind of speaker he would be.

“He is such a handsome man.”

“He certainly is,” Millie agreed.

August hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud. She shot a look
at Millie, afraid she’d made a huge blunder.

“It’s about time a decent woman recognized that. I can’t tell
you how many worthless gold-diggers have come sniffing around my grandsons.”

Geoffrey began his speech humbly, as she knew he would.

“This is a great privilege I am honored to receive. I’m happy
to say that as of September first, the burned acreage was completely
re-seeded.”

A second boom of applause shook the ballroom. Geoffrey smiled
proudly from the podium, waiting for the ruckus to die down.

Millie leaned closer. “All his life he’s trailed in his
brothers’ footsteps without realizing what a great catch he is.”

August smiled. She could see how that was possible. Even
Derek, with his grunge-rocker good looks, made a pretty picture. She’d only
seen photos of Geoffrey’s other two brothers, but their handsome looks were
extraordinary.

Justin, kneeling on a football field with his padded shoulders
and flawless smile, was an all-star golden boy. David, regally posed with a
beautiful date at a high school prom, fit the image of a confident ladies man.
They made a picture-perfect family, but if anyone searching for a more
meaningful relationship looked deeper, they would see that Geoffrey, with his
earthy charm, gentle manner, and generous nature, was the premier catch in the
family.

She believed Millie’s complaint that superficial women had
pursued them for the family’s money. She pushed away an uneasy suspicion about
herself—had she come from a wealthy family? If she learned that she hadn’t,
would she still be able to yearn for a future with Geoffrey with a clear
conscience?

Am I yearning for a future with him?

She watched the gorgeous man at the podium, admiring his poise
and debonair style.

Yes
, she realized with a tremor in her belly.
I’m
falling in love with him
.

Chapter Eleven

The introductory speaker resumed the podium and concluded the
ceremony before Geoffrey had reached his seat.

“Wow. I’m glad that’s over. Did I embarrass myself?”

Millie swatted at him with her napkin.

“Exactly the opposite,” August assured him. “You were incredible.”

The lights dimmed and soft music tinkled across the ballroom.
Immediately the murmur of the crowd rose. While a few people made their way to
the small dance floor in front of the stage, most of them milled about,
socializing.

Geoffrey took a single bite of cheesecake, and then put his
fork down and looked at his grandmother. “You’re right. That’s terrible.”

“Isn’t mine, that’s for sure.”

He glanced at August. “Ready to go?”

She did want to leave, but it would be selfish of her to go
now.
This is Geoffrey’s night. He deserves to enjoy it
. She was feeling
comfortable enough; so far no attackers had sprung out of the crowd.

“The night is just beginning. Dance with me?” She rose to her
feet and reached for his hand before he could protest.

“I don’t dance very well,” he warned her.

“Perfect. Neither do I.”

They walked to the small dance floor and he took her gingerly
around the waist. August slipped her hand around his neck and pulled him close,
placing her broken arm between them.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked as they slowly started moving.

She shook her head. “Gran Millie gave me a painkiller.”

He laughed. “That would explain the dreamy look in your eyes.
She’s always got something good in that big bag of tricks of hers.”

“She’s a wonderful woman, your grandmother. I wonder if I have
a grandmother.”

“We’ll find out. Soon.”

August wasn’t so sure she wanted to anymore. She pulled on his
shoulder and instinctively Geoffrey drew her closer. She was dancing on air,
safe and adored in Geoffrey’s strong embrace.

“Tomorrow we’ll drive down the coast. Mike gave me the
addresses of the four burger joints still standing that match your
description.”

She sighed. “All right.”

“You don’t have to worry. You’ll have all your answers soon. I
won’t stop until you do.”

“I know.” She turned her head and rested her cheek on his
shoulder, not wanting to talk about it anymore. She wanted this dance, and this
wonderful night, to go on forever.

Would finding the answers mean the end to their time together?
August almost didn’t want to find them. The whole idea scared the daylights out
of her. Maybe it was cowardly, but she didn’t want to know anymore. She wanted
to go forward, not back.

“August?”

“Hmmm?”

“The music has stopped.”

She kept her arm around his neck and Geoffrey didn’t let go.
Before she could wonder if another slow song would play, bouncy modern rock
began thumping through the speakers and people began dancing faster. Geoffrey
stepped back and his arms slipped away from her waist.

They wove their way through the dwindling crowd and back to
their table.

For the next few hours, Geoffrey and Millie visited with
friends who stopped by their table. While most congratulated Geoffrey and
talked about the wonderful accomplishments the volunteers had made, many of
them chatted about other subjects, and August could see the Barthlow family had
put down solid roots in Newport. The people were nice, and made a genuine
effort to include her in their conversations, but after a while she got tired
of answering the same questions about her arm, over and over again.

A waiter made a final pass at their table. “Are you finished,
ma’am?” he asked of Gran Millie’s dessert plate.

“Oh yeah,” she said emphatically.

“I’m finished, too,” August said.

Gran Millie collected her purse. “I know it’s almost midnight,
but if you’re up for dessert you can actually eat, I’ve got a triple layer
chocolate cake back at the Mermaid. It’ll put this to shame, if I do say so
myself.”

Geoffrey glanced at August. “How about it?”

“I’d love some.” Like him, she’d taken a single bite of the
cheesecake before putting down her fork.

They drove the four blocks to the Mirthful Mermaid in separate
cars. As he drove, August picked up the plaque they’d awarded Geoffrey and ran
her fingers over the inscription.
Geoffrey Barthlow
. Reading his name in
bronze sent a warm, comfortable feeling rippling through her.

I
am
in love with this man, she thought. The idea both
terrified her, and brought intense joy.
I don’t know what lies in my past,
but I’m certain I have never felt this way about anyone before
.

Admitting as much lifted a great weight from her shoulders.
What a wonderful feeling to finally be sure about something.

He parked the car next to his grandmother’s in a mostly empty
parking lot. Gran Millie unlocked the door and led them inside the dark
restaurant.