Saving Simon (Tarnished Saints Series Book 5) (18 page)

Chapter 15

Piper sat at the outdoor café table sipping an iced latte in front of the Three Billy Goat’s Diner, watching three goats walk around the grass roof of the restaurant as if it were nothing more than a mountain.

“I still can’t believe this town lets them have goats on the roof,” she said to Cat, adjusting her new sunglasses to get a better look. She’d had a great day of shopping in Benton Harbor with Cat which was more of a real town than Sweet Water. She was able to find a new pair of sunglasses and had even gotten a manicure with Cat before they’d had lunch at the Golden Sandbar Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel, and Piper had been tempted to make a reservation there for the rest of her stay, but if she had she knew she would see less of Simon, and that’s the last thing she wanted right now.

After lunch Cat had showed her Zeb’s law office where he worked with her brother Lorenzo, and then they’d even stopped by to visit her sister-in-law Maria and her two children at their elaborate condo that she found out used to be Zeb’s.

“You’re starting to sound like Mabel Durnsby complaining about the goats,” Cat said with a chuckle.

“Who’s that?” asked Piper, finishing off her iced latte and wiping her mouth in the napkin.

“She used to be the mayor of Sweet Water, but right now she holds the title of town gossip. Speaking of the devil, here she comes now.” Cat busied herself with drinking her iced coffee, and Piper didn’t understand why she was trying to avoid the woman – at first.

“Cat Taylor, I hear you’re entertaining another city girl like yourself in Sweet Water,” said the woman, eyeing up Piper.

“Mrs. Durnsby, this is Piper Westbrook,” Cat said, introducing them and then burying her nose back in her drink.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Durnsby,” said Piper, extending her hand for a shake. The woman didn’t pay back the courtesy, but instead crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose in the air.

“I hear you are here to put Beatrice Glover out of business. You know, she’s had a hard time since her husband Eugene died and also now that her sister Barbara is sick.”

“I’m not here to put anyone out of business,” said Piper, lowering her hand to her side.

“Well, I heard from Pearl Kramer who said she heard from her husband Gus who heard from a very reliable source, that you were with a firm that took advantage of small businesses and bought the property cheap and sold it for twice as much.”

“No, that’s not true, Mrs. Durnsby.”

“Rumor has it the marina will also be torn down.”

“It’s too soon to know anything, and these are just rumors,” Piper told her.

“Really. Then tell me what is it you are doing here in Sweet Water, Ms. Westbrook.”

“I’m just here to evaluate the marina. If it doesn’t look like it’ll be profitable enough for Mrs. Glover to make a living, then I will suggest she sell it.”

“So what’s your verdict?”

“I don’t know yet. She’s out of town and I’ve yet to see her books.”

“Well, we don’t need outsiders like you coming in. We have Cat who does the books for all the businesses in town.”

“You do?” asked Piper, surprised to hear this, as Cat hadn’t said a word about it. “I thought Simon said you were a blackjack dealer in Vegas, not an accountant.”

“I guess I’m a jack of all trades,” was all Cat said.

“Well, maybe you should have a look at the books with her,” said Mrs. Durnsby. “After all, we can trust Cat. She is part of the Taylor family now.”

“Mrs. Durnsby, I assure you that if Mrs. Glover decides to sell, another business will move in and Sweet Water won’t be at any kind of a loss.”

“I also heard that you’ve already got a buyer lined up and they are going to put in a big hotel. Don’t you realize that will put the Taylor family out of business?”

Piper had no idea who this woman had been talking to in order to know all this, but she knew now why Cat was staring down into her cup of coffee. This woman knew so much about everything that she half-expected her to know she kissed Simon in the orchard yesterday too. “What do you mean, it’ll put the Taylor family out of business?”

“Sweet Water doesn’t have a hotel,” the woman said.

“Well, then I would think that would be an asset to the town.”

“Not when the tourists all start staying at the hotel and no one rents cabins on the lake anymore.”

“I’m sure that would never happen, Mrs. Durnsby,” she said, never having thought of this.

“Really? And tell me, would you rather stay in one of those lake cabins, Ms. Westbrook, or a nice plush hotel room instead?”

“I see your point,” she said softly, never realizing until now how this would affect Simon and his family.

“Would this hotel have a restaurant in it too?” she asked with a sniff.

“I’m sure it would. Most hotels do.”

“Then this Billy Goat restaurant will be yesterday’s news. Do you know how many people will be out of work because of that?”

Piper felt very attacked, though the woman did make a good point.

“Nice seeing you, Mrs. Durnsby, but we have to go,” said Cat, getting out of the chair and grabbing her packages. Piper took the cue and got up as well.

“Those bags are from Waldomeier’s,” Mrs. Durnsby said as if she’d discovered a secret.

“Why, yes, there are,” admitted Piper. “Cat and I went to Benton Harbor today for a day of shopping.”

“What’s wrong with shopping right here in Sweet Water?” she asked.

“Well, I didn’t know Sweet Water had a department store or a salon,” she said, looking at Cat, but Cat was just shaking her head warning her to be quiet.

“We have Winston’s Mercantile where you can get just about anything you need,” Mabel told her. “And if you want your nails done, go see that Charolette Burnham because she’s always got her nails painted in colors from green to bright fuchsia.”

“Look, there’s Aunt Cappy, and she needs a ride home,” said Cat pulling Piper away from the woman, and for that, Piper was glad.

“What was all that about?” asked Piper, looking back at the ex-mayor as they made their way toward the antique shop loaded down with their purchases.

“They just don’t like outsiders,” Cat explained. “They didn’t like me either at first, but once they found out I was staying married to Zeb and also pregnant, they accepted me as part of their little family.”

“I see. Cat, I never really thought about how many people would be affected if the marina sold and a hotel came in.”

“Don’t worry about it, Piper. You’re just doing your job. And if things work out with you and Simon and you end up getting married, they’ll accept you just like they did me. Eventually.”

“Married? Where is that coming from? We’ve only kissed twice now.”

“Really?” asked Cat, stopping in the middle of the street, holding onto her bags. “He kissed you? How exciting.”

“Well, the first two times were, but last night when he brought me back to the cabin and said goodnight, things were different. His goodnight kiss was so fast I swear he only kissed air, so I’m not counting that as a kiss at all. Then he was halfway to his car – my car that is, before I even had the chance to ask him to come in.”

“So did he come back to the cabin then?”

“No, because I never asked. I felt like he was in a hurry to leave and not interested in me any more.”

“Piper, I’m sure that’s not true. He really, really likes you. I saw the way he looked at you at dinner the other night.”

“Do you really think so, Cat? Because I’m no longer sure.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you two will be in bed together before you know it. The Taylor men are known for their ways with women.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” she said, then jumped when a car’s horn reminded them they were still in the middle of the street. They hurried to the curb and continued on toward the antique shop.

“You’re worried about making love to Simon? Piper, you sound as if you’re inexperienced or something.”

“I am.”

Cat stopped once again and cocked her head. “How inexperienced?”

“Very.”

“Like, you haven’t had sex in three months inexperienced, or it’s been well over a full year?”

“Try never.”

“Never? What does that mean?”

“It means I’m probably the only twenty-five year old virgin to walk the face of the earth.”

“Oh my God, Piper, Aunt Cappy was right!”

“What was I right about?” asked Aunt Cappy, coming out of the antique shop and overhearing them.

“Aunt Cappy, you really do have your work cut out for you this time,” said Cat. “Because you’re trying to match up an experienced seaman who’s probably had a different girl waiting for him on every port with a twenty-five year old virgin who hates water!”

* * *

Simon had the pontoon boat loaded down with Thomas’s six boys, and was behind the wheel while Thad stood on the pier ready to cast off when he saw Cat’s little red convertible pull up with Piper in it, as well as Aunt Cappy.

“Hold up, Thad!” he said with a raised hand and made his way to the side of the boat as the girls walked down the pier to join them. “Thad, man the boat for a second and watch the boys, will you?”

“Sure, Simon,” said Thad, hopping back onto the boat while Simon got off and stepped onto the pier just as the girls approached.

“I was just taking the boys fishing,” he called out. “Want to come with?”

“Not me. I’m feeling tired after being out shopping all day,” said Cat rubbing her pregnant belly.

“I can’t either, Simon, I told Thomas and Angel I’d help them make peach preserves tonight,” announced Aunt Cappy.

“How about you, Pippa?” He noticed the way she glanced at the boat and the water and a look of dread washed over her face. He knew she was going to turn him down as well.

“I don’t think so,” she said, flashing a quick smile.

“We’re having a fishing competition and I have the worms,” said Eli from the boat, holding up a long worm in his fingers to show Piper.

Simon wished the little boy wouldn’t have done that, as he saw the grimace on Piper’s face and knew he’d never be able to talk her into joining them now.

“The winner gets to wear the boat’s man whistle,” shouted Josh.

“Bosun’s Whistle,” he said over his shoulder, correcting his nephew.

“Are they talking about that whistle you always wear?” she asked.

“Yes. You remember it. I showed it to you on the cruise ship. He pulled it out from under his shirt.

“That’s right. So what does it do again?”

“There are different sounds I can make from a warbling noise to a high pitched trill, and a series of short and longer blasts that mean different things to my crew.” He picked it up and blew it to demonstrate what he was saying.

“Oh, kind of like the captain in the Sound of Music,” she said.

“I guess.”

“Do you have a different whistle tone to call each of the kids?”

“Pippa, it doesn’t work that way,” he said softly just shaking his head. “Now will you please come with us?”

“I don’t fish,” she answered quickly.

“You don’t have to. Just come for the ride.”

Just when he knew she was about to object again, good ol’ Aunt Cappy spoke up for her.

“Of course she’d like to go with. She has nothing else planned.” She grabbed Piper’s hand and put it on Simon’s arm. “Now you just have a good time, dear, and Cat and I will drop your bags off at your cabin for you. Have fun.” She turned around quickly, and took Cat with her and that left him standing there with Piper holding on to him.

“My aunt tends to be a bit of a matchmaker and irritating at times,” Simon said in apology. “You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to.”

She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. She glanced back down the pier and he saw Cat waving her hand instructing Piper to go along.

“Let’s go, Uncle Simon,” yelled out Zeke. “It’s going to be getting dark and I’m already hungry and we have to catch our dinner yet.”

“Pippa, I wanted to spend some time with you today, but I had already promised the boys I’d take them fishing. They’d be so disappointed if I backed out now.”

“You wanted to spend time with me?” Piper was surprised as well as pleased that Simon had said this. After last night’s breeze of a kiss she wasn’t at all sure he had any interest in her at all anymore. “No, you can’t let the kids down,” she said.

“I can’t let you down either. Now will you please come with us?”

He’d said please twice now, and she didn’t think he’d ask again if she turned him down once more. Cat and Aunt Cappy were already speeding away in the convertible and the marina was locked up for the night and she had nowhere else to go. Of course, her car was there and she could have just taken it back to the cabin, but she really wanted to spend time with Simon too. If she turned him away, he might not continue to come after her, and she didn’t want that to happen.