"I hate to leave you, but Declan has an early shift today, and we're heading to grab an early movie.I'd love it if you came with us, but I feel you want to go find Shelley."
At this, Cici stood up with a warm smile."Don't let her egg you on, and see if you can get her to admit she has the tapes.You never know, miracles can happen."She gave Gray a playful wink before walking out to the staff parking.
Gray sighed as he watched her go, feeling like he'd been sighing all day.Oh, Riley.I hope you're having a better day thanI am.With that thought, he headed to the harbour first.Maybe he'd get lucky, and Shelley would still be there.
"Hello, Gray!You're back early!Short day today?"Greta greeted him with a bright smile, but Gray's expression remained solemn, and she knew something was wrong.
"Hey, Greta.Did Shelley come back here?"Gray asked, glancing around the picnic tables where tourists waited for their boat trips.
"Oh yes!She was here for a while.Leroy and Shaun brought her back on the big boat, but they took her giant luggage somewhere else.I don't know where?Their shift ended for the day, so I can't radio and ask them."Greta's brow furrowed as she watched Gray's reaction."How come, hun?"
"Shit."Gray inhaled a deep breath, steadying himself.His mind raced; she couldn't have gone far.Could she?She'd only been at his place last night.
"Thanks, Greta.I'll see if I can find her.How far could she get with all that luggage!"Gray forced a weak smile before wandering off.Greta watched him go, a pit forming in her stomach.This is bad.She thought as he slumped off to his home.
As Gray walked towards his place, a heavy feeling settled in his chest.The past two days had been a whirlwind, and he couldn't shake the bad feeling that things were about to get worse.
When Gray arrived home, he saw a familiar, unwelcome sight.Shelley's giant bags from the day before were still there, and she had added the even larger bags, which she said contained gear.How long does she plan on staying?
Might as well look through everything.Maybe Cici is right, and she somehow took my tapes.
Gray meticulously went through each bag, placing items back carefully.By the time he reached the last one, he felt defeated.So far, it had been nothing but clothes and dive gear.As he finished unpacking the fourth bag, he sat down, realizing he wouldn't find anything.
He did, however, find the extra videotapes Shelley said she'd brought still wrapped in cellophane.Not his.
Trying to return everything as it was, Gray hoped Shelley wouldn't notice he'd opened her bags.To him, they were exactly as she had left them.Satisfied enough, he zipped everything up.
Realizing his best course of action to avoid Shelley was to leave, Gray left.He'd packed a small bag with essentials and headed to Daniel's place.Riley was supposed to return tonight, but knowing her, it would be late.He wanted to keep her in the dark for as long as possible.Tomorrow would come soon enough for her to know.
Locking the door behind him, Gray took a last look at his place.Everything was exactly as Shelley had left it.Good enough, he thought.With a heavy heart, he began walking toward Daniel's place.
Chapter 82
Deceived
"C'mon,Bear!Youdon'tneed to sniff every stinky thing!"Riley laughed as she tried to coax her dog along.
Their trip had been a total success.After puttering around the canals, they'd headed west and found a fever of eagle rays.She loved the term a fever of rays.Bear, in his usual chaotic fashion, seemed to have caught the same fever, chasing after them in vain.
As they sped across the water in the skiff, the rays gathered around the boat, leaping into the air like they were putting on a private show.The way they glided through the water, spotted wings breaking the surface, took her breath away.She wanted to stop and get some pictures but knew if she slowed down, the rays would scatter.So, she kept up the pace, the salty spray hitting her and Bear.He barked wildly, as if his noise made the rays jump.
She couldn't wait to tell Gray, realizing she'd missed him.As she thought about it, she felt silly for taking off without saying anything.There must be a reasonable explanation for Shelley being here, probably some university thing.Shelley and Gray had worked together for years, so maybe Riley shouldn't feel jealous.
But more than anything, she trusted how Gray looked at her, how he held her, and oh how he kissed her.She was his person.She knew it.
Shelley went back to Gray's place, and it didn't surprise her that he was gone.But something had her spidey senses tingling.She noticed that the couch was misaligned.Yesterday, she'd stored the empty bags behind the couch, making sure the carpet marks were lined up with the couch legs.But now they were askew.
Well then,Gray, looks like you've been snooping!
She didn't dwell on it; she knew he had found nothing.She patted the dry bag, smiling.Then, she realized that she desperately needed a shower.
Might as well cleanup.I have a feeling he's not coming back tonight.
After cleaning up at home, Riley fed Bear and quickly got ready to head to Gray's.It wasn't too late; maybe they could head to the Dive Bar for a drink and talk about her wild day.She wanted to make plans for him to come out and see the rays.Were the eagle rays mating?Migrating?She'd need to look it up later.
As she pulled up to Gray's house, she checked herself in the mirror, smoothing back that one stray lock of hair.The lights were on; he was home.Her heart skipped a beat.It felt so strange but wonderful to look forward to seeing someone like this.She hadn't felt this way in years.Gray was breaking down walls she hadn't even realized were still up.
Inside the house, Shelley had seen the jeep pull up.When the interior light flicked on, illuminating the face behind the wheel, disappointment flashed across her features.It was that trainer Riley.Where the hell was Gray?
