It was cold in the room. She glanced down to see she stood naked and barefoot on the hard wooden floorboards. Alexia puzzled for a minute. She was sure she’d thrown on a long nightgown before bed in case she needed to rise and comfort her grandmother.
She turned to where her suitcase rested in the corner of the room, and spotted the gown. It hung from the wardrobe, the shimmery material draped over a hanger.
A trace of memory flitted past. She reached and touched the fabric. It was damp to her fingers, and when she sniffed, the scent of salt water was strong. A trace of strawberries lingered as well.
Alexia turned back to the bed and took a slow careful look over the whole room. There was a faint trail of sand and water leading from the French doors to her bed. She had gone to the shore tonight, hadn’t she?
She couldn’t remember.
She pulled a dry gown from her suitcase, dressing quickly before crawling back under the covers and snuggling deep beneath the quilt. The familiar sound of the storm was reassuring in spite of feeling there was something she needed to do.
The last thing she remembered seeing was the glow of St. Elmo’s fire dancing on the railing outside the house.
It made her smile.
Chapter Three
“I don’t want to sell, you know.”
Alexia nodded. Again. Gram had started at the breakfast table, insisting that even though she wanted to move out, there was no reason Alexia couldn’t simply take over the house.
“I don’t need to sell, either. I can afford to give you the house.”
Alexia rubbed her fingers along her forehead and pulled into the nearest available parking spot. “Yes, you’ve told me that. But I don’t have a job here, and even if you did give me the house, I would need a way to support myself.”
“Tosh. You could arrange to do massage therapy at the clinic in Jaffrey’s Cove, or you can sell the things Unca stashed all over the place. There’s more than enough for any girl to live on for a good long time.” Gram was out of the car awfully fast for an old-timer and Alexia raced to catch up.
“But they’re your things, Gram, and if we sell anything, it goes to paying your expenses. Where are you hauling me? And what’s the hurry?”
Gram dodged through another group of tourists, pulling Alexia by the hand at breakneck speed. It obviously wasn’t because she’d grown too frail that grandmother wanted to abandon the house. Alexia was led up a short set of stairs and dragged through a beautiful metal lattice gate into a refined business-like setting.
“We have an appointment with Mr. Marley to complete some estate forms that are due. Tell him Victoria and Alexia Colten are here. We’ll wait in the parlor.” Alexia goggled to hear her soft-spoken Gram issue a statement with such command. The old woman seated herself comfortably and thumbed through a magazine as she waited, and Alexia looked her over with a critical eye. This didn’t seem like the same frail, broken woman who called in a tizzy crying for help with settling into a new home. Not even the same woman as the one who had shuffled around the house the previous evening and gone to bed early.
“What are you up to?” Alexia asked, sitting in the plush chair facing her.
Her grandmother peeked around the edge of the magazine, her gray eyes twinkling. “Hmmm? What’s that, love? Oh, I meant to ask you before we left. Are you wearing the necklace I gave you?”
Alexia pulled it from under her blouse and Gram gave a satisfied nod. “Very good.” When Alexia started to put it away she got a hurried response. “Just leave it out, dear, I like seeing it on you.”
Okay. Maybe this was why Gram needed to move. She was acting far stranger than Alexia could ever remember.
“Mrs. Colten? Miss Colten? Mr. Marley will see you now.”
Alexia rose and turned to help her grandmother to her feet but found Gram’s nose still buried in her magazine. “Gram, the lawyer is ready for us.”
Gram lifted her head and glanced around the room. “I don’t see him.”
Alexia shook her head. “No, we have to go to his office. He’s waiting for us there.”
Gram snorted. “Whippersnapper. He can come here and be polite enough to greet us properly.” She turned back to her reading, muttering something about young people and manners, and Alexia exchanged helpless looks with the receptionist.
“Victoria?” The rich sound of a dark-chocolate voice brushed Alexia’s skin and she shivered.
Gram rose on the arm of a rather dashing man in an exquisite three-piece suit. “Michael. Good to see you. Do you remember my granddaughter, Alexia?”
Michael turned and his eyes lit up. Alexia remembered him. He was one of the Golden Boys of Summer on whom she’d had a mad, insane crush year after year.
“I certainly do. Alexia, welcome. It’s good to see you again.”
“Thank you.” She took his extended hand and shook it briefly, the warmth of his fingers rushing up her arm. He raised an eyebrow at her and Alexia realized she’d been staring. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I didn’t realize you were a lawyer. I was expecting your father or uncle.”
Michael gestured for her to lead down the hallway as he escorted Gram on his arm. “No problem. I can imagine it was a surprise. You haven’t spent a summer at home for almost four years now.”
Alexia held her tongue but wondered at his wording. While she’d always felt like the beach house was her home, it was only feelings. Her real home was hundreds of miles away in the middle of the prairies.
Finally settled in the office, Michael pulled out various forms for Gram to sign. He simplified all the legal jargon, handling everything with such competence Alexia relaxed and her mind wandered. She found herself staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the beautiful view of the ocean across the beach.
“Invigorating, isn’t it?” Michael asked.
Alexia shook her head and tried to remember where she was. For a minute she’d been daydreaming about dolphins and riding the waves far from the shore. She turned to give him her full attention, and there was a flash as sunlight hit the medallion around her neck.
Michael froze, his skin flushing. His gaze flickered between her and her grandmother before a huge smile broke across his face. He bowed his head slightly to Alexia before facing Gram.
“Victoria, I had no idea you planned on this so soon.” Although he spoke to Gram, his gaze kept returning to the medallion and Alexia herself.
Gram made an imperial hand motion. “It was time and you know it.”
“When do you think—?”
“It’ll happen when she’s ready. Now hush, and finish with the silly papers you said I needed to sign.”
Alexia sat back in her chair, narrowing her eyes at her grandmother who was noticeably avoiding her gaze. By the time they were finished, Alexia was ready to shake someone. Anyone.
Except when Michael took her hand in farewell and kissed her knuckles, a flash of desire shot through her that removed the need to find answers.
She simply needed.
“It’s been good to see you again.” He squeezed her fingers smoothly before letting them go, his deep blue eyes staring into hers. “I would be honored if you would join me for a drink. A chance to catch up?”
Alexia stuttered like the blushing teenager she’d been all those summers ago. “I’d like that, but…”
“I’ll pick you up at eight and we’ll go to the Beachshore Inn. There’s live music tonight.”
Alexia was ready to decline. She was here to care for Gram, not gallivant around the neighborhood—
“I think it’s a wonderful idea, Michael. I planned on visiting with your mother tonight. I’ll stay over and then Alexia won’t have to fuss with me for the evening.” Gram used her bossy tone of voice and Michael snapped up straight.