A Day in a Life

Chapter Twenty-Five

Elijah

“ I THOUGHT WE’D just spend the day sunbathing, going out into the water when we want to cool off, and…” Saige holds up a small cooler. “I packed a picnic lunch. I figured we’d just go to the beach outside my apartment, make life easy for your leg. Sound good?”

“That sounds perfect. You’re a sweetheart.”

Saige’s response to my words is surprise, verging on shock, as if no one has ever called her a sweetheart.

This girl is in need of love. Lots of it.

Her thoughtfulness last night as she covered my sunburned skin with aloe, took soup to Brook, and mailed a letter to Emma, all combined to impress me. From everything I’ve seen, she has a selfless nature.

I can’t believe I ever suspected her of foul play. She’s so thoughtful, she planned a day that wouldn’t be too taxing for my leg. Saige is taking up major real estate in my heart.

I don’t mention exercise is good for my leg.

It only takes us a few short minutes to get down to the beach and choose a spot.

Saige is wearing a tankini, a swimsuit that doesn’t show off every part of her body. The visible portions are toned and tanned, making it hard not to stare. I’m a respectful guy, but I’m not dead.

We spread out a blanket on the white sand and settle in. Saige also brought two bright pink pool noodles for later. We’ll look like kids, but who cares? I look forward to going out in the water without worrying about my leg.

With an apologetic shrug, Saige says, “Sorry, the selection was limited. Pink was my only choice.”

“I happen to love pink. It’s so manly.”

Saige compresses her lips to hide her smile. I wish she’d let her smiles free. I watch as she unpacks our picnic lunch. There are chicken salad sandwiches, containers of fruit salad, potato salad, and macaroni salad, and ice-cold bottles of water, with cookies for dessert.

As we begin to eat, she says, “I’m confused about your leg. You obviously work out.” Her eyes roam up and down, pausing on my abs.

I’ve been making good use of the hotel exercise room. “Religiously. Keeping the muscles strong helps support my leg. Otherwise, I might not be walking at all. Some days I’m positive I can go out without my cane, but I’ve never dared. I rely on it to keep weight off my leg, which helps to reduce the pain.”

“How painful is it?”

Her question takes me aback. Few people ask about the nitty-gritty details of a major injury, as though they’d rather pretend there’s no dark side to life. “Bad enough that I have an RX for pain pills, but I don’t like to take them. I can’t function. They numb my mind. I stick to the over-the-counter stuff to keep it under control.”

“Will it get any better?” Saige asks.

I look down at my plate. “No, it won’t. This is more than the doctors thought possible as it is.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I can function. I’m good.”

“I can tell you’re being brave, that it’s worse than you let on.” Saige holds out a grape and pops it into my mouth.

Hmm. I like that. I hold out a strawberry and she takes a bite. “You’re perceptive.”

“I’m not. I can see the pain in your expression sometimes. You’re good at hiding it most of the time.”

“I’ve been taught to hide my emotions. With you, though, epic fail. I can’t control them.”

And then it happens. Saige smiles at me. It’s the best thing in the entire world, better than anything I’ve ever seen. She’s gorgeous, even more striking than I imagined.

“You’re stunning when you smile.”

“You make me want to smile,” Saige says in her quiet voice, so quiet I barely hear it above the soft waves.

She looks down at her food, concentrating on scooping up a spoonful of potato salad, seemingly shy in that moment.

I notice movement to my right. A person slips behind a palm tree when I look their way, as if it completely hides them. The person, obviously a woman, is wearing sunglasses, an opaque scarf around her head to hide her hair, and a flowery wrap around her shoulders, I suspect to hide her body shape.

We’re being watched.

The flowery wrap doesn’t work. The body shape is tall and willowy, a dead giveaway. Maybe I’m not losing my investigative skills just because I’m obsessed with Sydni Greer.

I know who it is after one short glance.

Why is she here? What does she want? She’s going to ruin everything.

“Would you mind if I run up to your apartment for a moment? Nature’s calling.”

“Oh, of course.” Saige hands me the key. “Good thing we’re close. Do you need any help? I mean, with…never mind.”

I laugh so loudly I’m sure Mata Hari hiding in the palm trees hears me. “I’m good. I’ll be right back. Thanks for the lunch. It was…great.” Great doesn’t describe it. But I don’t know what else to say. Emersyn calls my lack of poetic words “guy skills.” Have to love a big sister who keeps me in check. She’ll be proud of the cheesy love song I haven’t written for Saige. It may not be on paper, but it wanders around my mind nonstop.

I wouldn’t share those feelings with Emersyn for anything. There’d never be an end to her razzing.

I slowly make my way up the stairs and climb onto the boardwalk. I can see Saige through the trees, putting away our lunch.

I can also see Penny Rockwell, master of disguise, hiding in the palm trees like she’s an ostrich with her head in the ground.

“Come out. I see you. Everyone can see you.”

I hear her sigh from where I’m standing. She marches toward me like she has a thing or two she’d like to say. But when she reaches me, she bursts into tears instead.

“How did you find me?” This question is of the utmost importance. I was careful while traveling here. My family would never reveal where I am. Neither would Ryan.

“I’m a journalist, you’re an investigator. They’re practically the same job when it comes to digging up information.”

Not really. But I get her gist. She’s good, I’ll give her that.

“She’s alive. I can’t believe she’s alive. Why didn’t you tell me?” Penny says through her tears.

“Keep it down,” I say, my eyes still on Saige as she continues to clean up our lunch. “No one knows, and I plan to keep it that way. Do you realize you’re putting her life in danger just by being here? If Cole figures it out, he loses eight hundred grand. What do you think he’ll do?”

“Cole wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute. People do out-of-the-ordinary things when it comes to money.”

“Do you really think he’d hurt her?” Penny scoffs.

“Yes. I think he’d silence her in a red-hot second.”

“Silence her? What does that mean? Speak in layman’s terms.”

“He’d do whatever needs to be done to keep her out of the picture so he can get his clammy hands on the money he feels is owed to him.”

“Keep her out of the picture?” Penny asks. “You’re still speaking in code.”

“You know what I mean. Desperate men do desperate things. I can’t say exactly what he’d do, but I can predict it. Sydni doesn’t know it, but she needs protection.”

“So now you’re her bodyguard?”

“If it’s needed, yes. I’m trying to learn the truth, find out what really happened. Go home, Penny. She can’t know you’re here. If she thinks she’s been discovered, she might run again.”

“I just want to hug her.” She wipes at her tears with her sleeve.

“You’ll have your chance soon enough. For now, go home, and don’t tell a single soul what you know. Swear it. I’m not kidding when I say her life is in danger.”

Saige is spread out on the blanket now, taking a cat nap.

“I knew you were going after her. It was obvious you thought she was still alive. It wasn’t hard to find you. If I can figure it out, so can anyone.”

Maybe. “Not everyone has a mind that thinks like yours. I don’t believe anyone else suspects a thing, but I can’t be certain. Please, if you love Sydni, go home right away. Don’t let her see you.”

“Promise me you’ll take good care of her. Don’t let anything happen to her. I can’t lose her again.” Penny starts to cry once more.

“You have my word. Now get out of here, and take off that ridiculous disguise. It calls attention to you instead of camouflaging you.”

“Really?”

“It does. Especially when you’re hiding behind trees and popping in and out of sight. I made you in two seconds flat.”

“No you didn’t. I’ve been watching you since last night.” Penny folds her arms across her chest. “I saw you two dancing all super close after dinner. You’re knocking her socks off. I could see it in her face. You’d better not hurt her, or you’ll have me to deal with.”

“I’m shaking in my boots. Now get out of here. Not a word, Penny. Not a single word.”

“Fine, but if anything happens to her…”

“I won’t let anyone hurt her.”

Penny whips off her glasses to reveal red, puffy eyes. She wipes at her tears again. “Thank you. She needs you. Take good care of her.”

With that she walks off, disappearing into the crowd. I hope she follows my instructions. Sydni’s life depends on it. I trust Cole as much as I trust a used car salesman.

Not at all.

When I approach our blanket, I find that Sydni has dozed off. She’s flat on her back, one arm on her stomach and one arm thrown above her head. She’s removed her ponytail. Her long hair fans out to one side, partially framing her face.

I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d protect Sydni. There’s a fierce type of rage burning inside me when I think of Cole Greer.

Saige has proven herself to be as honest as they come. Everything she’s told me about her life has been the truth. Not the whole truth, but that has more to do with privacy than honesty.

Everything I’ve thrown her way, she’s had an answer. Guilt has a way of making people do small actions known as tells. Like when they’re lying, they scratch their chin, or smooth their hair, or raise their voice an octave.

Saige exhibits not one single tell. I believe in her, and I haven’t even heard her side of the story yet.

I lie down beside her on the blanket. I don’t fall asleep. Instead, I watch her sleep. I study the flutter of her lashes, the rise and fall of her chest, the pulse beating at her neck, and her flawless skin. I’m falling for this girl. Hard.

When she wakes up, I want to use my favorite line from The Terminator . I’m worried it might not be too far off base.

“Come with me if you want to live.”

Emersyn is wrong. That’s the best meet-cute ever.