Rainshadow Road (Friday Harbor #2)(33)

“I … what did he tell you? What did he want?”

“He said he’s marrying your sister. He also said your parents aren’t going to cough up any money for the wedding until Alice works things out with you.”

“I hadn’t heard about that last part. Alice must be freaking out. My parents have been giving her money for years.”

Pushing away from her, Sam went to a tall stool and sat negligently. “Apparently Kevin and Alice think the solution is to set you up with someone. They want some guy to romance you until you’re so full of endorphins, you won’t have a problem with them getting married anymore.”

“And you’re supposed to be that guy?” she asked incredulously. “Mr. Endorphins?”

“Speaking.”

A suffocating blanket of outrage settled over her. “What am I supposed to do now?”

Sam responded with a lazy shrug. “Do what you want to do.”

“Even if I wanted to, there’s no way I would go out with you now. They would laugh at me behind my back and talk about how gullible I was.”

“But you’d be laughing at them,” Sam pointed out.

“I don’t care. I’d rather avoid the whole thing.”

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll tell them you wouldn’t go for it, that I’m not your type. But don’t be surprised if they try to set you up with someone else.”

Lucy couldn’t hold back a disbelieving laugh. “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever … Why can’t they just leave me alone?”

“Apparently,” Sam said, “your parents will only approve of Alice’s wedding—and start giving her money again—when one condition has been met.”

“What condition is that?”

“Your happiness.”

“My God,” Lucy exclaimed in exasperation, “my family is so bizarre.”

“Believe me, they have nothing on the Nolans.”

She barely heard him. “Now they care about my happiness?” she demanded. “A thousand times in the past they could have taken my side but didn’t, and now all of a sudden, they want me to be happy? Screw them! And screw you too.”

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Lucy said, glaring at him. “You’re not the problem, you’re the solution. You’re my one-stop shop for endorphins. Well, I’m ready. Give it to me.”

Sam blinked. “Give what to you?”

“Endorphins. If everyone wants me to be happy, I’m all for it. So give me a shot of your best, grade-A, mood-enhancing endorphins.”

He gave her a dubious glance. “Maybe we should have lunch first.”

“No,” Lucy said, fuming, “let’s get it over with. Where’s the bedroom?”

Sam looked torn between amusement and concern. “If it’s revenge sex you’re after, I’d be perfectly happy to help out. But first would you mind telling me exactly who you’re mad at?”

“Everyone. Including myself.”

“Well, sleeping with me is not going to solve anyone’s problems.” Sam paused. “Except maybe mine. But that’s beside the point.” Approaching her, he took her by the shoulders and gave her a little coaxing shake. “Deep breath. Come on. Let it out.”

Lucy obeyed. She took another breath, and another, until the red haze faded from before her eyes. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Let’s go to lunch,” Sam said. “We’ll open a bottle of wine and talk. If you still want endorphins after that, I’ll see what I can do about it.”

Ten

They left the condo, crossed Front Street, and went to Downrigger’s, a popular seafood restaurant. On a warm summer day, there was no better place in Friday Harbor to have lunch than the outside deck facing Shaw Island. Sam ordered a bottle of white wine and an appetizer of Alaskan sea scallops wrapped in bacon, charbroiled, and served on corn relish. The melting sweetness of the scallops was perfectly balanced by the salty bacon and the smoky-sweet corn.

Sipping from a glass of chilled Chardonnay, soothed by Sam’s easy charm, Lucy felt herself begin to relax. She told Sam about Alice’s childhood meningitis and its aftereffects, about how off balance the family dynamic had been afterward.

“I was always jealous of Alice,” Lucy said. “But eventually I realized there was no reason for me to feel that way. Because she grew up expecting everything to be given to her, and that’s a terrible way to go through life. She never finishes anything she starts. I think my mom is beginning to regret having spoiled her so much, but it’s too late. Alice’s never going to change.”

“It’s never too late to change.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d met Alice. It goes down to the bone. I honestly can’t figure out what Kevin sees in her.”

Sam’s eyes were obscured by a pair of aviator sunglasses. “What did you see in Kevin?”

Lucy chewed slowly on her lower lip. “He was really thoughtful in the beginning,” she eventually said. “Affectionate. Dependable.”

“What about the sex?”

Lucy flushed and darted a glance at their surroundings to see if anyone had overheard. “What does that have to do with anything?”