Reunion By The Sea

Ginny finally spotted her. “I’m so glad she made it. She looks great, doesn’t she?”

“Like a big-shot lawyer. Oh, no...it’s Troy what’s-his-name behind her. He thinks we’re waving at him.” Harlow sank back in her chair, averting her face. “I hope he doesn’t do something stupid like stop by...”

“Isn’t he the guy who you—”

Harlow’s glare cut her off.

“Sorry.” Ginny hid a smile and turned back to tracking Cricket.

Ginny was anxious to see her, even though they’d connected twice when Cricket had come home to visit her dad, who still lived in a shack on the beach. Of the whole gang, Cricket probably knew her the best, but even though she and the rest of her friends knew about Tilda, they didn’t know the entire reason Ginny had left Julliard.

The server delivered the pitcher and glasses, and Harlow asked her to bring one more.

“Have you heard from Jade? Do you know what time she’s arriving?”

“Late, I think.” Harlow kept her head bowed as she poured. “Where’s Cricket? Getting close?”

“She has one person ahead of her.”

“Is Troy still looking over here?”

“Nope. He’s talking to someone.”

“Good.” Harlow slid the drink to her. “What about Meg? Have you heard from her?”

Ginny’s stomach lurched, even though she’d known the question would come up. “Not for a while. I seriously doubt she’ll be here.”

“I guess we could ask Andrea. She’s checking people in and passing out name badges.”

“Oh, Cricket is at the desk. I hope she doesn’t go straight to her room,” Ginny said, taking her first sip. The salty tartness woke up her taste buds. As for the alcohol, she’d have to watch herself. With the exception of an occasional glass of wine, she didn’t drink much at all.

“She won’t.” After a healthy sip of her margarita, Harlow sighed, then blinked at Ginny. “I can’t believe I forgot to ask... You have a daughter. She must be a teenager by now, right?”

“Oh, yes, she is.”

Harlow put out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “I know you have pictures.”

“You bet I do.” She queued her phone, then handed it over. “Millions of them, but you only have to look at the first hundred.”

Harlow’s grin turned wistful as she started the slide show. “You think you might have more kids?”

“I’d like to,” Ginny said slowly. She’d always wanted to have a family, a husband, at least two more kids. But the subject had the potential to raise questions she didn’t want to answer. “What about you?”

“Well, I’ve been saying someday for so long I’m not sure where I stand. Oh, cute.” Harlow held up the picture of Tilda in her first Halloween costume. “Are you in contact with her father?”

Ginny held in a sigh. “Nope,” she said, hoping her tone would end the topic. Harlow returned to the slide show, and Ginny looked back to check on Cricket’s progress.

Her gaze landed on a man. Tall, dark hair, muscular arms. She could only see his profile, but he looked out of place in faded jeans and a black T-shirt. He wasn’t one of the golfers, although why she felt certain of that she couldn’t say. And he sure hadn’t been one of her classmates.

He stood near the reception desk, but he wasn’t waiting in line. If he was looking for someone, he didn’t seem to be overly invested in finding them. He glanced almost negligently over the crowd, then donned a pair of aviator sunglasses.

Ginny’s heart rate picked up speed.

He reminded her of someone, although she couldn’t place him. This guy had a swimmer’s build—broad shoulders, slim waist and hips. Probably rode a motorcycle, wrestled grizzly bears for fun and opened cans with his teeth.

“Earth to Ginny.”

She jerked a look at Harlow. “What?”

“What are you doing? Did you see someone or—” Harlow gasped. “Is it Troy? Is he coming over to us?”

“No.” The mystery man was most definitely not Troy. She sneaked a peek his way again, but he was gone. She looked right then left. He’d disappeared. “Oh, here comes Cricket.”

She and Harlow stood at the same time and met her partway.

“I should’ve known I’d find you guys near the booze,” Cricket said as she reached them. She raised her brows at Ginny. “Look at you in that sexy little sundress.”

Sexy? Ginny rolled her eyes. “I’m so glad you made it,” she said, pulling Cricket into a hug. “I couldn’t believe it when I got your email yesterday.”

“Ditto for me. Now, quit hogging her.” Harlow threw her arms around both of them.

After a few seconds, Cricket made an odd gurgling noise. “Okay, you have to let me breathe,” she said. “Seriously.”

Ginny laughed and backed off first. “We better grab our seats.”

After pouring Cricket a drink, Harlow said something Ginny didn’t catch. She tried to stay with the conversation, she really did. But she was hopelessly obsessed with finding the man in the jeans and black T-shirt. It was as if he’d disappeared into thin air.

Cricket was staring at her, and so was Harlow.

Ginny blinked. “What?”

The server saved her from further humiliation when she stopped to see if Cricket wanted something besides the margarita.

No sooner had the woman moved on than Cricket asked, “What’s going on with you? Everything okay?”

“Sure.” Ginny smiled. “Other than Harlow trying to get me drunk, everything’s fine.”

“You holding out on us, Gin?” With a mischievous little smile, Harlow swept a gaze across the lobby. “You see something you like?”

Ginny almost spit out her sip of margarita. This was the last thing she needed. It didn’t matter that Harlow was only teasing. “Oh, please,” she said and looked at Cricket. “How did you manage to get a room here at the last minute? I thought they were booked.”

“They had a suite left.”

Harlow snorted. “You must be making big bucks.”

“I’m doing okay,” Cricket said, shrugging. “Not that I’m thrilled about paying that much for a suite.”

“Hey, you were always the smartest person in the class, so good for you,” Harlow said, raising her glass. “You deserve your success.”

Ginny raised her glass as well, and while Harlow cajoled Cricket into participating, Ginny stole a look at the bar.

There he was, standing at the end of the sleekly polished mahogany bar, drinking a beer. It seemed he might be looking back at her, but she couldn’t tell for sure. Not when he was still wearing those darn sunglasses.

One thing for certain, he wasn’t lacking for attention. A woman sitting on a barstool next to him was about to make her move when a blonde squeezed in between them.

He stepped aside, giving her a tight smile, along with plenty of space.

Ginny didn’t know why that made her so happy.

Her elation evaporated the second she finally realized why the mystery man seemed familiar. If she had any sense at all, she’d be running in the other direction.

* * *

PARKER WATCHED HER from behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses, wondering if she’d recognized him. It wasn’t so much the fifteen years that had passed. He simply wasn’t the same clean-cut, idealistic college student who’d wanted to fight for justice. To work in concert with his dad—his idol—and others like him, to rid the world of evil.

Good plan, until Parker had discovered it was all a load of crap.

She looked the same, had barely aged. Her dark blond hair was a few inches shorter and now skimmed her shoulders.

And that smile of hers. No woman had a better smile than Ginny Landry. Assuming that was still her last name. He didn’t see a ring on her finger, but that meant nothing these days. And with her level of talent, it was likely she was more focused on her career than a husband. Parker didn’t recognize either of the two women sitting with her. They could be friends of Meg’s as well, but he’d only met Ginny. Although it wasn’t until after his sister had disappeared that he’d gotten to know her.

“Excuse me.”

He turned to the blonde, who’d crowded him. She was the same woman he’d passed earlier, although he didn’t remember the excessive perfume that was beginning to make his eyes burn.

“I practically ran you over,” she said. “Let me at least buy you a drink.”

“No thanks.”

“Oh, come on.” She tilted her head, a seductive smile lifting her too-pink lips. “Just one?”

Parker shook his head. What was it with these prep school women? Curious to take a walk on the wild side? He tipped the beer bottle to his mouth, then went back to studying Ginny. She was looking right at him. Before he could give her a nod, she turned away.

He suppressed a smile, wondering if she’d covered up the faint sprinkling of freckles across her nose. She’d never bothered to before, even though he knew she hated them. It was kind of crazy how much he’d learned about her in those few days after Meg had gone missing. He remembered thinking how odd it was that the two had become friends. Talk about opposites.

Meg was always looking for action and, yeah, a fair amount of trouble...an obvious cry for attention, he’d realized much later. His sister had idolized their dad every bit as much as Parker had, misguided as that had proved to be. It had been his first real lesson about trust and its dangers. Hadn’t been his last.

Ginny had been like a beacon of light, trying to keep Meg from taking that final step into the darkness. In the end, it hadn’t worked. The thing about Ginny, she might look like the carefree girl next door, but she’d never had the perfect family life either. With no mother in the picture, Ginny had been raised by a nanny. Her workaholic father had been largely absent throughout her childhood. At least Parker and Meg had had their mom to rely on. She’d been there for them through a lot of rough patches. Fielding their endless questions, for which she either had no answers or wasn’t at liberty to divulge her knowledge.

Now, knowing what he did, Parker was confident his mother had been kept in the dark about her husband’s whereabouts, and what he’d been doing for most of their marriage. And to be fair, the secrecy had been for their own protection.

Dammit, Meg shouldn’t have punished her by running away. To some degree their mom had been a victim too. She wasn’t a stupid or naive person. Parker guessed that she’d fully understood the man she’d married, but no one could’ve predicted his other life would end up consuming him.

Parker set his empty bottle down, then dug out some money and laid it on the bar. By the time he looked back, Ginny was gone.

CHAPTER THREE

GINNY SLIPPED INTO the ladies’ room and splashed cold water on her face, trying to bring herself out of shock.

What was Parker doing here? Now—after all these years without a word, not knowing if he was dead or alive or living on the moon—he just shows up? She knew it must have to do with Meg. If the family had lost contact with her, just as Ginny had, Parker was probably hoping his sister would be at the reunion. Ginny knew his being here had nothing to do with her. And why that should hurt in the slightest was absurd. She wasn’t a starry-eyed kid anymore.

After Meg had gone missing, they’d found comfort in each other’s arms. That first time, Parker hadn’t even known Ginny was a virgin. He’d felt terrible, had come right out and told her that giving herself should have been something special...with someone she cared about and who cared for her.

Oh, how those words, spoken with heartfelt concern, had cut deep into her soul. Thankfully, she’d had the good sense not to admit that she’d fallen for him months before the night they’d made love. At eighteen, she’d known woefully little about the world beyond her narrow life, and even less about men.

Sadly, at thirty-two, she wasn’t much more enlightened. Being a young single mom who worked at home, Ginny had barely made it around the block. Tilda had kept her—

Tilda.

Ginny gripped the counter for support.

Parker couldn’t know about her. Even if he’d somehow stumbled onto Ginny’s Facebook page, he wouldn’t have seen anything incriminating. She’d been so careful about the meager information she’d posted over the years, including any pictures that would pinpoint Tilda’s age.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Ginny sighed. Luckily her mascara hadn’t smudged, but she looked pale. Before the girls started wondering if something was wrong, she reapplied some gloss, swept back her hair and left the restroom.

And ran straight into Parker.

Almost. He took a step back, saving them from a collision.

“Ginny...” He’d removed his sunglasses, his tanned face bringing out the striking blue of his eyes.

“Parker?”

His slow smile sent her heart into a tailspin. “I wasn’t sure you’d remember me.”

Gee, why would she? “You do look different,” she said, and went for the preemptive strike. “Is Meg with you? Is she here?” Ginny asked, forcing excitement into her voice and making a show of glancing around.

His expression barely changed. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“Oh. Well, now you know the answer to that.”

“My mom thought she might show up. I didn’t expect her to be here.”

That wasn’t completely true. Ginny could see in his eyes that he’d held on to some hope. She felt a twinge of guilt for using the ploy. “Did you check at the registration desk?” she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear for the again. So annoying. She’d quit that nervous habit ages ago. “You know, for the reunion, not the hotel’s.”

“I figured if anyone knew whether she was coming, it would be you.” He paused, studying her closely, clearly looking for something, but she didn’t know what. He had no reason to think she was lying. “When was the last time you saw her?”

Ginny shook her head, the sadness resting so heavily, her shoulders drooped. “Not since she disappeared.”

“Fifteen years ago.”

She nodded, without hesitation, aware that the truth was more complicated than a simple yes or no. “What about you?” she asked because he would expect her to. But she already knew the answer.

“The same.” His phone rang. Without so much as a glance he shut it off. “Meg must’ve contacted you at some point.”

“She did.”

“How?”

Ginny’s stomach lurched. She’d be honest with him, for as long as she could, but the questions were bound to get more difficult. “Through Facebook, mostly. Sometimes she called.”

“That’s more than my mom got,” he said with a snort of derision.

“Did Meg even know how to find any of you?”

Parker’s eyes narrowed. He had the audacity to look confused.

Ginny held her breath. Why on earth had she said that? And with that snarky tone of voice? Yes, he’d taken off without a word to her. Yes, it had hurt at the time. Fifteen years ago. She didn’t care anymore. But that’s not how it had just sounded.

She shot a look toward the bar, seeking an escape route, when she saw the exact moment he realized what she’d meant. Regret replaced confusion, which was so much worse.

“I’m here with friends and I need to get back.” Refusing to look up, she tried sidestepping him.

“Ginny.” He touched her arm. “Wait. Please.”

“Nice seeing you, by the way.” She drew her arm back and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. A group of inattentive golfers jabbering on about their scores had hemmed her in. “Excuse me, please,” she said to no avail.

“This way.” Parker took her by the arm and guided her around the oblivious foursome.

“Thanks,” she murmured, hoping he didn’t think that had earned him any points. “I’m sure you understand this is a busy weekend for me.”

“I do,” he said, “but I’m not going anywhere. If you find that you have some time to spare, how about we have a drink tomorrow?”

She stared blankly at him. What did he mean he wasn’t going anywhere? “How long will you be staying?”

“I haven’t decided yet. What about you?”

“Me?”

Parker smiled. “When do you leave?”

“Oh, no. I’m not—I live here.” She wanted to take the words back. He looked shocked, but of course he wouldn’t know anything about the unexpected twist her life had taken. If she’d stopped to think for two seconds, she would’ve left his misconception blessedly intact.

Questions swirled in his eyes. “You did go on to Juilliard, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” At least she didn’t have to lie about that. She spotted Connor Foley, the pompous boor most of her classmates, including she, tried to avoid. “Connor?” She waved, catching his attention. “I’m sorry, would you excuse me for a moment,” she said to Parker.

She’d taken only a few steps before Connor thwarted her escape by approaching at a fast clip.

“Ginny,” Connor said, his arms open. “Ginny Landry. How wonderful to see you.”

Ordering herself not to gag, she let him wrap her in a big hug. He smelled awful. Undoubtedly his cologne was expensive; everything he owned was top-of-the-line. His family was loaded. But Connor had always been short on class and good sense. She gave him a discreet hint that it was time to release her, and when he didn’t, she wiggled away from him.

When Connor caught her by her upper arms, she thought she saw Parker step closer. She didn’t resist, pretended everything was just fine. Maybe she was wrong and Parker wouldn’t have intervened, but she couldn’t risk him causing a fuss.

Connor leaned back and swept a gaze over her. “You look fantastic. I heard Alexandra and the rest of her gang are green with envy that you haven’t aged.” He frowned slightly. “Perhaps some Botox wouldn’t hurt. Just a touch between your brows. But that’s all.”

Ginny blinked, then burst out laughing.

Connor’s puzzled expression didn’t help, but at least he’d released her.

“Thanks for the advice,” she said, doing her absolute best to control herself. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Well, it was nice seeing you.”

“Wait.” Connor stepped forward, trying to regain the distance she was putting between them. “Are you here with anyone?”

She backed right into Parker.

This time it was his hands closing around her upper arms, drawing her closer. Her back met his hard chest. “Careful, sweetheart,” he said, his voice pitched low and intimate. But not so low Connor wouldn’t hear. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

For a second she couldn’t make her mouth work. The heat coming from Parker’s body seemed to envelop her, lull her into a relaxed state. His work-roughened palms slid down her bare arms. It was entirely possible the late-afternoon sun flooding the lobby was making her feel flushed, but she didn’t think so.

Just as Ginny was about to make the introductions, she realized Connor had walked away. Good grief, how long had she spaced out for?

She didn’t exactly push Parker away but she definitely made a point as she jerked back and turned to him. “Why did you say that?”

“Say what?”

“That I’m here with you.”

His eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t.”

“You implied it.”

“Sorry.” He shrugged. “I didn’t realize you liked him pawing you.”

She could still feel his warmth slipping down her spine, as if she hadn’t broken contact. Her skin tingled from the roughness of his palms. Hugging herself, she rubbed her arms, trying to erase the feel of him.

“We haven’t seen each other for a long time, and we were awfully young, so I can understand why you might make such a ridiculous comment,” she said, irritated by the smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. “However, let me assure you, I can take care of myself just fine.”

“Don’t doubt it for a second,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.

Why did he have to have so many muscles? More important, why was she reacting to them...to him? A man’s intellect was of far greater interest to her. Not that she didn’t appreciate a good-looking man.

She realized she was staring. “I really do have to go.”

“Let me give you my number.”

“Your— Why?”

“In case you have time for a drink. Unless you prefer to give me yours.”

Ginny shook her head, perhaps a bit too quickly. No, let him think she was brushing him off. Maybe then he wouldn’t stick around. But to be safe, she would make a point of getting Cricket alone to ask her about potential parental rights. She rifled through her handbag. The pen wasn’t in its usual place.

“I can put it in your phone, if you like.”

Looking up, she met his eyes. Something glinting from them sent a little shiver through her body. Her fingers brushed the pen. She pulled it out along with a credit card receipt that was blank on the back. “I’m ready,” she said, the pen poised to write.

He recited the number.

She repeated it to him and then stuck the receipt in an inside pocket. Feeling a bit more in control, she shook her hair back just as something troubling occurred to her. “Are you staying here at the resort?”

“Nope. They’re booked.”

“Right.” She tried to hide her relief. “Well, again, it was nice seeing you, Parker. Good luck finding Meg.”

His penetrating gaze made her feel completely transparent. Naked. Too vulnerable. “You have no intention of calling me, do you?”

“Would you blame me if I didn’t?” She tried to bite back the words but it was too late.

Regret flickered in his eyes. Not that Ginny cared. He knew exactly what she meant. A week after Meg’s disappearance, he and his mom had pulled their own vanishing act. Overnight their home had been stripped of everything personal. The whole community had been stunned. Rumors had spread like wildfire. That they were in witness protection had been the most popular.

All Ginny knew for certain was that her heart had shattered into too many pieces to count.

CHAPTER FOUR

STILL IN HER ratty old robe, Ginny left her makeup spread out across her bathroom counter and went to the kitchen to pour herself a third cup of coffee. She hoped the extra caffeine wouldn’t make her jittery, but without another dose she’d be nodding off by lunchtime.

Ha. She should be so lucky.

It had been a mistake talking to Cricket. Ginny felt awful for wasting her friend’s time. Not only had she jumped the gun, but she’d been unwilling to give Cricket all the facts. Ginny’s only excuse was that she had panicked the moment she’d seen Parker. And now, after a poor night’s sleep, she wasn’t any more ready to face the day. Just knowing he could show up at the resort at any minute wreaked havoc with her nervous system.

This was supposed to have been a fun weekend, a time to catch up and relax with her friends. Social media was great in so many ways, but nothing beat seeing everyone in person. And being able to show them more pictures of Tilda.

She’d been looking forward to the reunion for weeks.

She’d actually made peace with the fact that Meg wouldn’t be making an appearance. Once Meg had hooked up with Danny all those years ago, her fate had been sealed. So Ginny had been prepared for her absence. Parker, though...nothing could’ve prepared Ginny for him.

Her heart had actually raced with excitement, just like it had when she was eighteen. Then, as the ramifications of him finding out about Tilda had begun to sink in, panic and nerves had taken over. Now, even without adequate sleep, she realized she’d overreacted. Even if he were to meet Tilda, which she didn’t see happening, it didn’t mean he’d make the leap that he and Tilda were related.

After filling her cup and adding sugar, she leaned against the counter, staring out the window. Jade had arrived late last night. When it came to causing trouble she’d always led the pack. Ginny smiled. Her mind wouldn’t have time to wander with Jade around.

The doorbell rang.

Sighing, Ginny took another sip before going to answer it. She knew it was Rodney from next door. Practically every Saturday he conveniently hit a ball over her fence and needed to enter the property. She had no idea what was so interesting about her side of the—