Free Beach Rental by Grace Greene Page B

porch.
    Not even a hello? She bristled. “He’s at his doctor’s appointment.”
    “By himself?” After a long stare, Luke turned toward the beach and put his hands on the porch railing. His three-quarter profile was classic with a strong forehead and chin, and high cheekbones. Handsome. In a hard way.
    The innate artist in her admired his bone structure and polished appearance. The worker in her scorned his long-fingered, uncalloused hands. His gray dress slacks and shiny shoes looked out of place in this world of sand and sea oats.
    She asked, “What’s your problem?”
    He shrugged as if shaking off something unwelcome.
    “Don’t pretend. Spit it out.”
    “I wasn’t going to pretend. I don’t mind speaking the truth. Can you say the same?”
    “What does that mean?”
    He faced her, his demeanor proclaiming cool as he leaned back against the railing and let his hands hang from his pockets. He even slouched elegantly, but he couldn’t hide the tension that started in his clenched jaws and seemed to run the length of his body.
    He glanced past her to the sketchbook. She flipped the book over to a blank page.
    “My concern is Ben. He met you two weeks ago and here you are. I don’t know how you managed it, but I won’t let you take advantage of him. He’s vulnerable.”
    “He’s a grown man and can make his own decisions.”
    “A grown man who found out barely a month ago he’s terminally ill.”
    Ben hadn’t actually told her when he’d found out. Had he married her on the rebound? Instead of a bad love affair, he was rebounding from dreadful news? Yes.
    “I can tell you I have no ulterior motives and this is a business arrangement—of Ben’s design, not mine—but you won’t believe me. It’s me you have a problem with.” She waited, but he didn’t speak. “I’m not one of you. I’m a waitress. A cashier. A night-stocker. I never even graduated high school. But guess what? Ben likes me and wants to spend his last months with me.”
    “You think it’s about pedigree? Well, I’ve got news for you. We aren’t blue bloods either. But we’re also not thieves.”
    Heat rushed up her chest, her neck, and flooded her face. “You need to explain that.” She clenched her fists.
    “Do I?” He pushed away from the railing and moved closer. “Maybe I should explain to the police instead. Items were taken from the coatroom. I saw you with your friend going through the jackets and coats.”
    She remembered Frankie being in the coatroom when she was about to leave. Other than that she had no idea what he was talking about. Had the act of getting her backpack looked suspicious to him? What an arrogant jerk.
    “I don’t owe you explanations. This arrangement is between Ben and me. When Ben is gone, you’ll never see me again. In fact, you don’t have to see me now. You can turn around and go. Leave me alone.”
    “Remember what I said. I won’t let you hurt Ben—not without consequences.”
    Luke left. She went to the divider and squinted through a crack in the boards. No one there to overhear, thank goodness.
    Did Frankie steal something from the country club? He’d looked uncomfortable when she entered the coatroom. Not just uncomfortable, sneaky. She didn’t know if he’d stolen anything, but wouldn't be surprised if he had.
    Ben came home. He smiled, but his eyes were sad.
    “You look tired,” Juli said.
    “I am. I’m going up to take a nap.”
    “What did the doctor say?” Did she want to know? No, but she should ask.
    He hung his keys on the wooden hanger by the door. “No change. He’s happy with how I’m doing, considering. He says you’re good medicine for me.”
    She responded with a polite laugh. Her presence wasn’t some fast-acting miracle cure. Ben was hearing what he wanted to hear.
    Should she mention Luke? It might seem odd to Ben if she didn’t and Luke did. “Luke dropped by while you were gone. He didn’t stay.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yeah.” She’d told him