face in her hands, then shuddered away her self-pity and looked up. "It's not a case of simply being lonely. I know that. I haven't exactly been sitting at home feeling sorry for myself all this time."
"So I've noticed." Sydney had so wanted to talk to Lauren about whatever was going on between her and Nolan and could've kissed her friend for the opening.
Lauren grimaced. "I love your father to death, Sydney . But as wonderful a man as he is, he's never been more than a friend."
Relief washed over Sydney like a breath of fresh air she hadn't realized she desperately needed to breathe. "That's good to know. Because as much as I adore you, and I do adore you, you know that…" She refused to go on until Lauren nodded. "Good. Because, as much as I adore you, you are not the woman my father needs in his life."
Sydney waited, thinking Lauren might object or complain that she'd been insulted. Instead, Lauren seemed to need time to think. She sat with her mouth pressed in a tight line, returning Poe's wave from where the other woman had slowed her Jet Ski in front of Anton and Ray.
"Want to know something?" Lauren finally asked, glancing at Sydney . "Your father needs someone like Poe."
"Poe?" Annabel Lee and her father? Sydney was totally taken aback. "You've got to be kidding."
"Nope." Lauren shook her head. "You see your father as a father, Sydney. Trust me. I don't see him as a father at all, if you want to get down and dirty about it. And I really could see him and Poe hitting it off. She's older, well, older than we are, anyway, by, what? Five years, I guess? Anyway, she has a really unique sophistication that I think would fit with your father's way of life."
Sydney couldn't disagree with Lauren's assessment of Poe's attitude and outlook, especially with all she'd recently learned while considering Poe's promotion. But she wasn't going to admit that Poe, as a woman, would make a good partner for Nolan Ford.
"I don't know. I can't see her chasing my father on a Jet Ski. Or challenging him to a game of truth or dare."
"Maybe that's because you don't want to see it," Lauren observed wisely.
"Now, that is a very real possibility." Time to change the subject. "The only possibility even more real is the one where I want to see you and Anton back together."
Lauren sighed, shrugged, sighed again, as if whatever was going to happen was beyond her control. "We have a lot more talking to do. Last night he was angry … at himself, I think, more than at me. Neither one of us said everything that needs to be said, but he held me. And that said a lot."
Sydney couldn't think of anything more to add. She stared out at the water and especially at the two men now straddling their surfboards. The surf had long since died.
Much as she sat talking with Lauren, Anton sat talking with Ray, legs dangling in the water, hands gripping the edges of the boards. Both men wore sunglasses secured with a rubber lanyard and knee-length board shorts. Their shoulders and their backs both gleamed with a healthy tan, perspiration and sunscreen.
The air, in fact, carried the distinct aroma of coconut oil, in addition to the wonderfully salty scent of the sea. Sydney took a deep breath, braced her hands on the pier behind her and leaned back, enjoying the breathtaking view of the waves and the spectacular scenery Ray Coffey offered.
He'd already left the kitchen by the time she'd finally made it downstairs this morning. In fact, Lauren and Auralie had been the only two still around. After a quick cup of coffee, Sydney and Lauren had let Auralie shoo them out of the kitchen. The efficient, sturdily built woman had refused to let them help prepare the rest of the day's meals.
Sydney had headed back to the bedroom she shared with Poe, showered and decided on a copper-colored maillot. The suit plunged low in the front, even lower in the back and was certain to snag Ray's attention. After last night, she refused to be caught looking any way but her
"So I've noticed." Sydney had so wanted to talk to Lauren about whatever was going on between her and Nolan and could've kissed her friend for the opening.
Lauren grimaced. "I love your father to death, Sydney . But as wonderful a man as he is, he's never been more than a friend."
Relief washed over Sydney like a breath of fresh air she hadn't realized she desperately needed to breathe. "That's good to know. Because as much as I adore you, and I do adore you, you know that…" She refused to go on until Lauren nodded. "Good. Because, as much as I adore you, you are not the woman my father needs in his life."
Sydney waited, thinking Lauren might object or complain that she'd been insulted. Instead, Lauren seemed to need time to think. She sat with her mouth pressed in a tight line, returning Poe's wave from where the other woman had slowed her Jet Ski in front of Anton and Ray.
"Want to know something?" Lauren finally asked, glancing at Sydney . "Your father needs someone like Poe."
"Poe?" Annabel Lee and her father? Sydney was totally taken aback. "You've got to be kidding."
"Nope." Lauren shook her head. "You see your father as a father, Sydney. Trust me. I don't see him as a father at all, if you want to get down and dirty about it. And I really could see him and Poe hitting it off. She's older, well, older than we are, anyway, by, what? Five years, I guess? Anyway, she has a really unique sophistication that I think would fit with your father's way of life."
Sydney couldn't disagree with Lauren's assessment of Poe's attitude and outlook, especially with all she'd recently learned while considering Poe's promotion. But she wasn't going to admit that Poe, as a woman, would make a good partner for Nolan Ford.
"I don't know. I can't see her chasing my father on a Jet Ski. Or challenging him to a game of truth or dare."
"Maybe that's because you don't want to see it," Lauren observed wisely.
"Now, that is a very real possibility." Time to change the subject. "The only possibility even more real is the one where I want to see you and Anton back together."
Lauren sighed, shrugged, sighed again, as if whatever was going to happen was beyond her control. "We have a lot more talking to do. Last night he was angry … at himself, I think, more than at me. Neither one of us said everything that needs to be said, but he held me. And that said a lot."
Sydney couldn't think of anything more to add. She stared out at the water and especially at the two men now straddling their surfboards. The surf had long since died.
Much as she sat talking with Lauren, Anton sat talking with Ray, legs dangling in the water, hands gripping the edges of the boards. Both men wore sunglasses secured with a rubber lanyard and knee-length board shorts. Their shoulders and their backs both gleamed with a healthy tan, perspiration and sunscreen.
The air, in fact, carried the distinct aroma of coconut oil, in addition to the wonderfully salty scent of the sea. Sydney took a deep breath, braced her hands on the pier behind her and leaned back, enjoying the breathtaking view of the waves and the spectacular scenery Ray Coffey offered.
He'd already left the kitchen by the time she'd finally made it downstairs this morning. In fact, Lauren and Auralie had been the only two still around. After a quick cup of coffee, Sydney and Lauren had let Auralie shoo them out of the kitchen. The efficient, sturdily built woman had refused to let them help prepare the rest of the day's meals.
Sydney had headed back to the bedroom she shared with Poe, showered and decided on a copper-colored maillot. The suit plunged low in the front, even lower in the back and was certain to snag Ray's attention. After last night, she refused to be caught looking any way but her
Similar Books
Vortex
Robert Charles Wilson
Fearless: Mob Boss Book Two (Volume 2)
Michelle St. James
City of Lies
Lian Tanner
Lawless Trail
Ralph Cotton
The Summer Soldier
Nicholas Guild
Angie
Candy J Starr
Undying Hunger
Jessica Lee
The Awakening
Emma Jones
Annie's Rainbow
Fern Michaels
Risky Business
Melissa Cutler