The Renegade (The Moorehouse Legacy #3)(50)

She shook her head sharply, her ponytail flopping over one of her shoulders.

“Just leave me alone.” Before he could say anything more, she cut him off. “If you don’t get out of the way, I will throw up on your shoes. You are, quite literally, making me sick. Leave. Now.”

Alex recoiled and dropped his hand from hers.

With a hoarse cough, she stumbled over to the Porta Potti.

*

Dizzy, still nauseated, Cass stepped out into the fresh air and breathed deeply. It didn’t help. The sickly-sweet smell of the john clung to the insides of her nostrils like a coat of paint, spurring on her stomach’s rebellion.

She went inside the house, turned on the propane heater and sat down on a board suspended between two sawhorses. She found that if she was motionless, the queasiness faded. Which was a good thing. The crew was due to arrive in about a half hour.

“Cass, baby?”

She winced and glanced over as Spike came through the plastic flap. He was smiling, but his eyes were razor sharp.

Great, she thought. Alex had sent reinforcements.

“Guess what?” the man said.

She took a deep breath. “What?”

“This is your lucky day.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. You’re going to let me take you back to Gray’s.”

“And that makes me lucky, how?”

“Because if you come with me, Alex won’t call an ambulance. I have five minutes to walk out of this house with you. Then he’s dialing.”

“Spike, no offense, but you’ve lied to me before.”

“Maybe. But I’m not lying now.”

She met his yellow eyes for a long moment.

“Come on, honey,” he said softly. “Let me take you home.”

Feeling like a fool, but not willing to run the risk of throwing up in front of her crew, she reached into her backpack and took out her cell phone. She dialed and when Ted answered, she asked him to ride hard on the plumbers. When she hung up, she didn’t look at Spike, but got to her feet.

“Let’s go,” she muttered.

*

Cass slept most of the day. She couldn’t stomach anything more adventurous than some of Libby’s chicken broth for lunch, but by the time five o’clock rolled around, she was able to force herself out of bed. A shower perked her up a little and she slipped into a black sheath of heavy silk. She put on some makeup and did her hair. Threw on a pair of earrings.

She felt like she had to gird herself for the party.

By the time she walked into the living room, everyone else was there. Nate and Frankie were by the fire, their dark heads together. Joy was pouring some Perrier for Spike and laughing. Gray and Alex were talking.

Where was—

“That is a fabulous dress,” Madeline said.

“Thank you.”

The other woman was dressed in black slacks and a black turtleneck and she looked drop-dead gorgeous. Worse, her smile was open, engaging, as if she was hoping to talk. To be friends.

Cass searched her mind for something to say. “So it’s very cold, don’t you think?”

The weather. How original.

Madeline nodded. “And, man, the snow is everywhere. I’ve forgotten how much they get up here. I was crazy to take the Viper, but I love that car. With so much of my time being spent on the ocean, I don’t get to drive it enough.”

Gray and Alex came over. Cass faded to the edges of the group, looking around the room until she’d memorized where every piece of furniture was. She felt Alex watching her, but couldn’t meet his eyes. She just didn’t want to deal with all the emotions she was feeling, and if that made her a coward, fine. Paint her yellow.

Abruptly he went over to Spike and said something to him. Spike left and came back with two large, thin presents that were wrapped with what looked like mathematical precision.

Alex raised his voice. “Since we’re all here, I have something I want to give Frankie and Joy. Spike, prop them up on the couch, okay?”

When the two gifts were against the sofa cushions, Alex checked the back of one and motioned his sisters forward.

“Frankie you’re on the left. Joy, the right.”

He stepped to the side.

“What is it?” Frankie asked, staring at hers.

“See, that’s the thing with presents. You have to open them.”

“Who goes first?”

“Together. I want you to do it together. Sorry there are no ribbons. I couldn’t find any I liked.”

Frankie and Joy ripped the things open. And then just stood, staring.

Cass leaned from side to side, trying to see what he’d given them.

Alex cleared his throat awkwardly. “All right, maybe it wasn’t a good idea. But see—Here, move out of the way.”

Cass gasped. The gifts were beautifully framed sets of sailboat drawings.

Their father must have done them, she thought, putting her hand to her throat.

“These are Dad’s,” Alex said. “I’ve gone through all of his plans and when I saw these two boats, I thought of you.” He eased himself down on the floor. “This one, Frankie, is a schooner, a three-master. She’ll take care of you. She’s the one you want when you have your crew with you and you’re in a storm. She’s stable, she’s responsive, she’s beautiful. She’ll never let you down. And her lines…just perfect.” He turned toward the other. “And, Joy, see this one, she’s the one you want when it’s just you and your woman and the two of you are going out at twilight. She’s a dream to captain because she’s maneuverable so she’ll let you enjoy the beauty of the ocean and share it with someone even if you’re at the helm. She’s a quiet ocean kind of girl, but she’s no dummy. You need to get home quick and she’ll take you as fast as the wind. She is totally reliable.”