had increased
when she listened to the phone message that awaited her when she
returned. Bart had called and said he found a potential buyer for
the island. His idea to simplify things was to bring the buyer to
the island. She could show them around and sign the papers at the
same time. He’d not returned any of her calls since then and now it
was too late to stop him. They would be here in just twenty-four
short hours.
“ Hello, Miss
Sara.”
Sara looked up and saw Elias coming
down the path. “Elias, it’s good to see you. Did you have a good
trip? Got your business all taken care of?” It was good to see a
friendly face.
“ The trip was okay.” He
walked up the steps and sat down in the rocker next to her. “I
didn’t accomplish what I set out to do though.” He raked his gaze
from her head down to her toes and back. “Are you doing
okay?”
“ Sure, I’m fine.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry you
didn’t enjoy spending time with Mel.”
Sara glanced over, but
couldn’t read anything from his expression. She wondered if Mel had
told him what happened. “No, it wasn’t that.” Liar Liar. “I just needed some time
alone to think some things through.” She hoped he didn’t realize
she’d enjoyed her time with Mel a little too much.
Elias grimaced and looked away. “Yeah,
I can understand that.”
Sara frowned and studied him closer.
“What’s wrong, Elias?”
He sighed heavily. “Your fiancé had
that attorney Aames fellow contact me a few days ago.” He cut his
eyes over to Sara. “I’ve been instructed to pick up Mr. Everett and
two other people tomorrow at the Henderson Airport and bring them
here.” He peered at her through narrowed eyes. “Did you know he was
coming back?”
Sara sighed. “Yes, he left a message on
the machine day before yesterday to let me know.” She barked out a
mirthless laugh. “He planned his visit carefully, Elias. They won’t
let you bring them here until after five o’clock.”
“ What are you talking about,
Sara?” he asked, his voice puzzled.
“ Five o’clock tomorrow
evening, the island officially becomes mine. I will have fulfilled
the terms of Grandmother’s will.”
Elias leaned closer. “What’s he coming
here for, Sara?”
She blinked furiously to hold back the
tears and then looked into his concerned, green eyes. “He’s found a
buyer for the island.”
Elias blew out a heavy breath and
leaned back in his chair. For several minutes, the only sounds
heard were squawking birds and the steady thump of the chairs
rockers against the wooden porch. “Is that what you want?” he asked
quietly.
Sara didn’t answer right way. She kept
her eyes focused on the distant ocean. The thought of never seeing
this beautiful place again had her biting back a sob. The tears
she’d been able to control earlier now drifted silently down her
face.
“ The future’s not set until
you set it yourself.” He reached over and took her hand in his. “If
you don’t want them here, I won’t bring them.”
A vision of Bart stranded at the
Henderson International Airport flashed in her mind and Sara
couldn’t stop the short bark of laughter that escaped. It was a
full minute before she could trust herself to speak. She shook her
head, grinning the entire time. “That wouldn’t be very nice,
Elias.”
“ Humph! I’ve been accused of
being a lot of things, but nice was never one of them.” He shook
his finger at her. “I’m being serious, girl. One word from you and
I’ll make sure no one’s willing to bring him out here.”
“ You can’t do that,
Elias.”
“ Sure I can. There’s nobody
to stop me.” He crossed his arms and stretched out his feet. “You
think Elizabeth would be happy to know you’re thinking of selling
her home?”
Sara bit into her quivering lip and
stared down at her feet. “Probably not, but she’s gone and I’m the
one that has to find a way to make it work with Bart.” She got up
and walked to
when she listened to the phone message that awaited her when she
returned. Bart had called and said he found a potential buyer for
the island. His idea to simplify things was to bring the buyer to
the island. She could show them around and sign the papers at the
same time. He’d not returned any of her calls since then and now it
was too late to stop him. They would be here in just twenty-four
short hours.
“ Hello, Miss
Sara.”
Sara looked up and saw Elias coming
down the path. “Elias, it’s good to see you. Did you have a good
trip? Got your business all taken care of?” It was good to see a
friendly face.
“ The trip was okay.” He
walked up the steps and sat down in the rocker next to her. “I
didn’t accomplish what I set out to do though.” He raked his gaze
from her head down to her toes and back. “Are you doing
okay?”
“ Sure, I’m fine.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry you
didn’t enjoy spending time with Mel.”
Sara glanced over, but
couldn’t read anything from his expression. She wondered if Mel had
told him what happened. “No, it wasn’t that.” Liar Liar. “I just needed some time
alone to think some things through.” She hoped he didn’t realize
she’d enjoyed her time with Mel a little too much.
Elias grimaced and looked away. “Yeah,
I can understand that.”
Sara frowned and studied him closer.
“What’s wrong, Elias?”
He sighed heavily. “Your fiancé had
that attorney Aames fellow contact me a few days ago.” He cut his
eyes over to Sara. “I’ve been instructed to pick up Mr. Everett and
two other people tomorrow at the Henderson Airport and bring them
here.” He peered at her through narrowed eyes. “Did you know he was
coming back?”
Sara sighed. “Yes, he left a message on
the machine day before yesterday to let me know.” She barked out a
mirthless laugh. “He planned his visit carefully, Elias. They won’t
let you bring them here until after five o’clock.”
“ What are you talking about,
Sara?” he asked, his voice puzzled.
“ Five o’clock tomorrow
evening, the island officially becomes mine. I will have fulfilled
the terms of Grandmother’s will.”
Elias leaned closer. “What’s he coming
here for, Sara?”
She blinked furiously to hold back the
tears and then looked into his concerned, green eyes. “He’s found a
buyer for the island.”
Elias blew out a heavy breath and
leaned back in his chair. For several minutes, the only sounds
heard were squawking birds and the steady thump of the chairs
rockers against the wooden porch. “Is that what you want?” he asked
quietly.
Sara didn’t answer right way. She kept
her eyes focused on the distant ocean. The thought of never seeing
this beautiful place again had her biting back a sob. The tears
she’d been able to control earlier now drifted silently down her
face.
“ The future’s not set until
you set it yourself.” He reached over and took her hand in his. “If
you don’t want them here, I won’t bring them.”
A vision of Bart stranded at the
Henderson International Airport flashed in her mind and Sara
couldn’t stop the short bark of laughter that escaped. It was a
full minute before she could trust herself to speak. She shook her
head, grinning the entire time. “That wouldn’t be very nice,
Elias.”
“ Humph! I’ve been accused of
being a lot of things, but nice was never one of them.” He shook
his finger at her. “I’m being serious, girl. One word from you and
I’ll make sure no one’s willing to bring him out here.”
“ You can’t do that,
Elias.”
“ Sure I can. There’s nobody
to stop me.” He crossed his arms and stretched out his feet. “You
think Elizabeth would be happy to know you’re thinking of selling
her home?”
Sara bit into her quivering lip and
stared down at her feet. “Probably not, but she’s gone and I’m the
one that has to find a way to make it work with Bart.” She got up
and walked to
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