“Oh? Can I see a picture?”
Lindsey scrolled through her phone and showed Quinn the profile.
“Lindsey, you do realize this isn’t a real person, right?’ She studied the picture that looked like it came straight out of a nineties hair catalogue she used to flip through at the salon.
“No, he said that was him,” Lindsey said in defense. “He sent me another picture, it’s just not on his profile. Wait…” She scrolled through the long conversation between them and finally found the picture Marcellus had sent her. “This was taken on his vacation, in Barbados. He’s still there.”
“It’s a picture of his back. You can’t even see his face.” Marcellus was standing on a beach, facing the ocean. His body was ripped and tanned, and Quinn felt even more skeptical now.
“It’s him, okay?”
“Okay, whatever you say.” Quinn was convinced it was wishful thinking on Lindsey’s part, but she was pretty sure that deep down, Lindsey was aware of that too. “So, are you meeting the stud anytime soon?”
“When he comes back from his vacation, yes, we’re going to meet up. He just extended it for a week because he also had some business to take care of there. He’s a lawyer.”
“A lawyer?” Quinn suddenly felt protective of her friend. Lindsey was clearly being lied to. There was no way a handsome, single lawyer lived nearby without it being public knowledge; their community was too small for that. “Just be careful with him,” she said. “And let me know when you’re meeting him and where you’re going.”
37
RILEY
The days and nights were dragging by, and Riley was restless like never before. To take her mind off her upcoming date, she’d finished the living room and the office, and she’d started on the hallway. Working her way up seemed like the logical thing to do. As long as the main part of the house was livable, there was no particular rush to finish any of the bedrooms until her sister had confirmed when she and Mindy were visiting.
The hallway looked even more bare now that she’d removed the wallpaper and painted it white. She’d stripped the old-fashioned carpet from the grand staircase and sanded the steps, and although it was clean like she’d intended, it also reminded her of the entrance to a fancy clinic. It needed stuff—paintings, fixtures, rugs—anything to make it resemble a home and take away the echoes of her lonely footsteps.
Riley was planning on ordering furniture, but she had no idea where to start. Anything modern would look misplaced, and finding the right pieces took time. She’d wondered how the space would look filled with the furniture from the basement. It used to be here, after all, and they would probably suit the space very well. Did she have to ask Quinn for permission to do that? She didn’t think so. Whether she kept them in the basement or here made no difference; Quinn could pick them up anytime she wanted.
There was a knock on the door, and she opened it to find Gareth there. He’d been around twice a week since she’d hired him, and he’d done great work.
“Hey,” she said. “Do you need anything? A coffee? Water?”
“No, thank you, I’m good.” The young man smiled widely. “I just need to know what you want to do with the roses.”
“Roses? I didn’t know I had them,” Riley said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, they’re by the waterfront. They’re climbers, so they need something to hold on to. I suspect there used to be a fence there leading to the water. Climbing roses have sturdy roots and grow beautifully, so it would be a shame to remove them.”
“Okay, sure, I’ll come and have a look.” Riley followed him outside barefoot. She often didn’t bother with shoes anymore, as she was mostly on her own property, and she liked the feel of the thick grass underneath her feet. “Do you think I should get a fence with a trellis for the climbers?”
“No need for a fence if you don’t have kids. It would only obstruct your view, but you might want to consider getting a wooden pergola. A shaded space on the riverside would be nice, in my opinion.
Riley thought about that as Gareth pointed to the rose stems coming out of the lawn.
“Yeah, I like that idea,” she said. “Do you know where I can buy one?”
“If you give me the cash, I can pick one up on my way next time I come over. I pass by the plant nursery daily, so it’s no bother.” He ran a hand through his shoulder-length, blond hair and scratched the stubble on his chin.
“Thank you, that’s so kind of you.” Riley imagined herself sitting there under the roses, and in her new, romantic fantasies, Quinn was beside her. Realizing she was grinning, she looked away. “I’m happy to go along with whatever you suggest. What else do you think we should do?”
“I can probably get your fountains up and running today if you want me to,” Gareth said. “I know a thing or two about fountains.” He turned to the house. “And I could lead some climbers up the back of the house. They’re high in upkeep, but with this huge yard, you’ll need regular maintenance anyway, whether that’s with me or another company, so you might as well go the extra mile.”
“Perfect, let’s do that, then. I’d like to keep you on if you can find the time,” Riley said. “Do what you want, it’s your blank canvas. I know nothing about yard work, so I trust your opinion.”
Gareth seemed delighted by her comment. “Thank you, Miss Moore. I’ll gladly take you up on that.”
“Riley. Please call me Riley.” She rubbed his shoulder. “Do you happen to know a strong guy who could help me move some stuff up from the basement this week? I’d like to bring some furniture up, but it’s a two-person job, and I can’t do it on my own.”
Gareth shrugged. “I could help you with that. I’ve got enough to get on with today, but I could come back tomorrow if that suits you.”
