‘Something funny, rich boy?’
‘Ray,’ Moira exclaimed. ‘Don’t be so rude.’
‘It’s not rude if it’s a fact,’ Ray said. ‘His family is richer than the Kennedys.’
‘I don’t think that’s true,’ I told him.
‘As good as. Beats me why you work out on the water. I would have thought you’d never have to work a day in your life thanks to your father’s money.’
I forced a smile, refusing to show him that he’d got to me. ‘I prefer to make my own way in life,’ I told him. ‘Now if you don’t mind, Mae and I have plans for the day, so if you could get to the point of why you called for a nurse, I’d appreciate it.’
He frowned and mumbled something.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,’ Mae told him.
‘No one did,’ Taylor remarked, plonking herself down on the couch. ‘And I know exactly why. It’ll be something ridiculous. It always is.’
He glared at her. ‘Do you have to be here?’
‘I live here.’
‘You live in the cabin. Go be annoying there.’
‘I’m not leaving,’ Taylor said. ‘So, you may as well just say it.’
‘Fine,’ he snapped. ‘My nose keeps running.’
I bit my lower lip to stop from laughing again.
Taylor rolled her eyes. ‘I told you it’d be something ridiculous.’
‘It’s not ridiculous,’ he protested. ‘It’s persistent. Something’s wrong – I know it.’
‘All that’swrong, is that it’s winter,’ Taylor replied. ‘Everyone gets a runny nose in the winter. We don’t all call the doctor about it though, because we’re not stupid.’
‘It’s not the cold.’
‘Then what is it?’
‘That’s why she’s here,’ he said, pointing a gnarled, arthritic finger at Mae. ‘Obviously. To figure that out.’
‘You’re a hundred years old,’ Taylor said. ‘If a runny nose is the worst thing you have to worry about, I think you can relax.’
‘The worst thing I have to worry about is you living next door and coming in here to steal my food.’ His face darkened. ‘I know you stole my cookies.’
‘Prove it.’
‘Do you see what I have to put up with?’ Ray said to Mae. ‘It’s a miracle my blood pressure isn’t through the roof. It probably is, come to think of it. I feel a little faint.’
Mae smiled patiently at him. ‘How about we do a few checks and talk about it some more.’
‘See?’ He smiled at Taylor triumphantly. ‘At leastshe’staking it seriously.’
‘She has to, it’s her job. Although I’m willing to bet she’s not paid nearly enough to have to deal with your dramatics.’
He drew himself up as straight as he could in his armchair. ‘Who are you calling dramatic?’
I pushed myself off the doorway and interjected. The faster Mae could run her checks, the faster we could get out of here and back to the day I’d planned. ‘Actually, Mrs. Calderwood, I think I will have a hot drink if you don’t mind. And Taylor, you own that art studio above the restaurant, don’t you?’
