The Summer of Sunshine and Margot Read online

  She’d walked the whole area and kept coming back to the stone wall on the north end of the building. There was just something about it. Something intriguing. Several of the stones didn’t have grout around them and she would swear she felt a breeze blowing between them.

  When she’d told Alec about the wall and her hopes that there was a secret door, he’d joked that she was still hoping for old bones. Margot didn’t mind what was there, as long as it was something exciting.

  She looked for a lever but didn’t see one anywhere. She pushed at random stones. A few of them moved, but only a quarter of an inch or so. It wasn’t enough to work a mechanism.

  Rather than get frustrated, she turned away from the wall and closed her eyes. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she thought about how much she’d enjoyed helping at Connor’s birthday party the previous day. He’d had so much fun and his friends seemed to, as well. Sunshine had done a great job planning everything. Every bit of the party had been filled with thoughtful touches—from the way the food had been styled to the decorations to the goodie bags.

  Her sister was like that, she thought, smiling. All about the details. It was a part of who she was. She loved children and being a part of a family. She always gave of herself—maybe too much. Margot hoped Sunshine’s new plan—to not fall for the wrong guy—worked. She thought she’d sensed a little attraction between Sunshine and Declan, but she wasn’t sure. Sunshine couldn’t help connecting with the children she cared about. She always had because it was part of who she was. People were defined by what they believed and hoped and dreamed.

  Monks were men of God, she thought, turning back to the wall. Their lives were about devotion.

  She studied the stones again. Widthwise there was an odd number of stones. She found the middle row and pressed the top one, then one maybe two feet down. Neither stone moved even a little. The key had to be the sign of the cross, she thought. So where was the top?

  She pressed each of the stones, starting at the top, and just below the middle, one moved back a little.

  She stared at the stones, trying to make sense of it. If she was right, how could that be the top of the cross? Yes, she was tall, certainly for a woman in the eighteenth century, but if that stone was the top of the cross, the monks would have to have been—

  “Kneeling,” she breathed. “They’d been kneeling!”

  She dropped to the stone floor and began pushing the stones in line with the one that had moved. She found the second one easily. It only took a few minutes to figure out the other two. She was so excited to have solved the puzzle that she nearly forgot her purpose. It was only when the stone door swung open that she realized she’d found, well, whatever it was!

  She turned on the flashlight and moved it to illuminate the darkness. From what she could tell, she’d found a huge storage area. There were the usual stacked tables and baskets, a few chests, along with bolts of what she would guess was very old fabric. But what most caught her attention were the statues lined up on several shelves. They were between one and three feet tall, all of saints, and all made of gold and encrusted with large jewels.

  Margot jumped to her feet and raced back the way she’d come. She bolted up the stairs and ran into Alec’s office. He looked up from his desk and grinned.

  “Old bones?” he asked, his voice teasing. “You promised you wouldn’t.”

  “Better. Come see.”

  He followed her downstairs and through the root cellar.

  “Watch your head,” she told him. “The ceiling gets lower.”

  She led the way to the back of the underground area before pressing herself against the wall so he could go ahead of her. She handed him the flashlight.

  He glanced at her. “Now I’m intrigued.”

  “Good. You should be.”

  They began walking again, turning the last corner with him in the lead. She couldn’t see past him but knew the exact second he saw the open secret door.

  “Damn, you did find something,” he said, his tone respectful. “I should never have doubted you.”

  “While that’s true, let’s talk about it later. Go look.”

  He pushed the door open and shone the light inside.

  “Do you see them?” she asked eagerly. “The statues on the shelf? Aren’t they amazing? I’m not sure we should touch them. I don’t think anyone’s seen them in what? Two hundred years? Obviously whoever was running the church hadn’t been told about them. They never would have left them behind. Not only are they valuable on their own, but they probably have religious significance. I told you there was something.”

  Alec swore under his breath.

  “What?” she asked. “Are you mad?”

  “Of course not. It’s an exciting find. It’s just...” He looked at her. “Now they have to be dealt with.”

  She gazed into his eyes and realized what he was thinking. “Oh no. You’re right. Legally they came with the property, so they’re yours and you could simply leave them where they are or display them, but you won’t do that, will you? You’re going to call whoever is in charge of the Catholic church in this area and let them come claim their property. Which means everything will have to be documented and photographed before it’s removed. What a mess. I found bones, huh?”

  “Better than bones. It won’t take them but a few days.”

  “Still. You didn’t want an invasion. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” He put his arm around her and kissed her. “It’ll pass. This is a very significant discovery. You said there was something down here and you were right. Good for you.”

  She smiled. “You should keep one of the statues. Just a little one. Come on, they are so cool and you’d appreciate their historical significance more than most.”

  One corner of his mouth turned up. “I’ll do some research and keep the least valuable of the lot.” He led her back toward the stairs. “Any other areas you have a burning need to explore?”

  “I think I’ve seen it all.”

  “Good.”

  She laughed. “I promise not to find any more treasure.”

  “Thank you, but even so, I do have one favor to ask.”

  “I can guess what it is.”

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t tell your mother.”

  “That would be it.”

  She leaned against him. “You have my word.”

  “That’s all I need.”

  * * *

  Alec found himself pulled forward a couple of hundred centuries by the sound of voices in the hallway. Normally he would have tuned them out but when he recognized they belonged to Margot and his mother, he moved quickly to open the door so he could listen better and decide if he had to intervene.

  “This isn’t right,” Margot said, her tone firm.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He would guess they were standing on the stairs. The sharpness of Margot’s tone surprised him. As far as he knew, she and his mother were getting along well and the lessons were progressing to the point that Margot wouldn’t be needed much longer—something he didn’t want to think about. Once she left, well, he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. He liked having her in his house and in his bed.

  “Alec would want this,” his mother insisted, getting his attention. “I believe I’m a better judge of that than you are.”

  “Under most circumstances, I’m sure you’re right, but not this time.”

  “His house is beautiful and now with the treasure,” Bianca said. “Shouldn’t the world get to admire it?”

  The treasure? How had his mother found out?

  “No, the world shouldn’t,” Margot insisted. “This is his home, his refuge. He isn’t the kind of person who wants to have pictures of it plastered in some magazine.”

  “It’s not some magazine!
It’s a prestigious publication and being asked to be part of a photo shoot is an honor.”

  “For you,” Margot told her. “But not for him.”

  “We’ll just see about that!”

  His mother started down the stairs, while Margot stayed where she was. Alec debated racing back to his desk so he could pretend he hadn’t been listening, but decided there was no point. He pushed open the door wider and waited. Seconds later, Bianca swept in, a glossy magazine in her hand.

  She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. “You heard?”

  “I did.”

  She waved the magazine. “Being invited to be a featured home is a huge honor. I can’t imagine what Margot was thinking to say you wouldn’t be interested.” Her gaze was pointed.

  “I’m sorry,” he began.

  “No!” His mother glared at him. “Alec, you will not refuse them. How can you not want recognition for your beautiful house? And the treasure should be seen by all. Not that I would have known about it from you or Margot. I had to hear about it when I ran into that Cardinal who visited and he only told me because I asked what he was doing here.”

  Alec grimaced. “When you say you ‘ran into him’ you mean—”

  “Oh for heaven’s sake. I parked next to him. I didn’t actually hit him. You are more annoying than usual today. You have a beautiful house and you found some fabulous artifacts that you are returning to the Catholic church and you won’t let one measly little writer in here to talk about it and take some pictures?”

  “Mother, this is my home and it’s private.”

  “So you’re taking her side over mine? I am so disappointed in you.”

  “I’m not taking anyone’s side. I’m telling you what I want, and you shouldn’t be surprised. You know how I value my privacy.”

  She sniffed. “I thought I could count on you. I thought we were a team. I should have known that one a day a woman would rip us apart, leaving us with nothing.”

  Later he would mull over the fact that Margot knew him as well as she did, and that she had stood up for him, but right now he had a very angry, possibly hurt woman standing in front of him. He thought of a dozen responses, casting each of them aside. There was no way to convince Bianca he hadn’t deliberately set out to disappoint her. And saying that her reaction to his refusal was over-the-top wouldn’t help, either. Since when were they a—

  He replayed the words in his mind, then hid a smile.

  “‘I should have known that one day a woman would rip us apart, leaving us with nothing’?” he asked. “What movie is that line from? It’s familiar, but I can’t place it.”

  She turned away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Gardens of Snow. That’s it, isn’t it?”

  Bianca’s choices in movie roles had never been conventional or expected. She’d played a lesbian in Gardens of Snow decades ago, long before that lifestyle had gained much acceptance.

  “It’s what you said to your partner when you found out she was cheating on you.”

  The glare returned. “Your excellent memory is annoying and inconvenient.”

  “Too bad.” He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “I love you, but there will be no photo shoot.”

  “You never let me have any fun.”

  “By now you should be used to that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Sunshine finished getting ready for her girls’ night out with Phoebe. Despite liking the idea of having more friends in her life, she would really have preferred to stay home. Her tutoring sessions with Ann were starting to make a big difference and she wanted to go over her homework again. There was also the fact that she still had to wear a large bandage on her hand. But she’d promised to be there when Phoebe had texted to confirm and remind Sunshine “to wear something pretty so they could both feel special.”

  Right on time, Sunshine walked into the Italian bistro in downtown Pasadena. Phoebe had said she would be waiting in the bar. Sunshine looked around, spotted Phoebe, then froze when she saw the other woman sitting at a table with two guys.

  What on earth? Why would Phoebe be with two guys? Sunshine had assumed the evening out was a ruse so Phoebe could find out what was going on with Declan. She’d expected to be grilled and possibly to have to deal with tears.

  Phoebe saw her, stood and hurried to greet her.

  “Don’t be mad,” she said by way of greeting. “I know I said girls’ night out, but a double date will be more fun. It’s not like you’re seeing anyone.”

  “Didn’t Declan tell you I was in a relationship?” She’d told him to mention that on his date with Phoebe.

  “Maybe. I don’t remember. You just didn’t seem like you were.”

  “But I thought you wanted to hang out so you could ask me about Declan.”

  Phoebe dismissed that thought with a wave. “We had a night, it was great and then I moved on. What’s the big deal?” She turned back to the table. “The guy on the right is Marcus. Isn’t he yummy? He’s with me. You’re with Steven. He’s divorced, a movie producer maybe and super nice.” She linked arms with Sunshine. “Come on. Let’s go say hi.”

  Sunshine resisted moving. “So you’re not interested in Declan?”

  “No. Does he think I am? It’s always so hard when guys are needy. Oh well. Tonight is going to be fun. It’s two guys, a couple of drinks and a good time. What’s not to like?”

  Sunshine looked back at the table. Marcus was a big guy—broad shoulders with plenty of muscle. He had dark skin and gorgeous eyes. Steven had an olive complexion and short, dark hair. Sunshine had no idea what to do. Leaving made the most sense but felt so dramatic.

  “One drink,” she said.

  “Perfect.”

  Phoebe dragged her to the table. Both men stood as they approached.

  “Marcus, Steven, this is my friend Sunshine.”

  They all sat down.

  The server came over and took their drink orders. Sunshine ordered a glass of white wine that she wouldn’t drink and promised herself on her way home she was so going by Taco Bell. After Phoebe’s setup, she deserved some comfort food.

  Sunshine pushed away thoughts of tacos and burritos and smiled at Steven. “So, Phoebe mentioned you’re in the movie business. What do you do?”

  Steven gave her a self-satisfied smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “Um, yes. That’s why I asked.”

  His expression turned serious. “I don’t like to talk about it.”

  “Okay. So are you from around here?”

  “You mean Pasadena? No. Of course not.”

  “Then Los Angeles?”

  “I moved here a while back.”

  “From where?”

  He frowned. “What’s with all the questions?”

  Sunshine held up both hands. “Sorry. Just making polite conversation. I’ll be quiet and let you talk.”

  “Traffic was terrible getting here. I usually don’t like to go east of I5 if I can help it. There’s nothing out here.”

  “Not counting entire communities,” she murmured.

  “What? You mean people live out here? Sure, but who are they? What’s important to them?” He leaned toward her. “One thing I like about making movies is telling a story. That’s the secret to success, you know. Telling a story.”

  “Good to know.”

  The server returned with her wine. At some point while Sunshine had been having her scintillating conversation with Steven, Phoebe and Marcus had started making out. Seriously making out, with tongue and everything. The table wasn’t big to begin with so there wasn’t much space between her and the going-for-it couple. It was kind of like “porn in the round” and to be honest, it was a little off-putting.

  She turned back to Steven, then found she couldn’t thi
nk of anything to say. Thank goodness he was observant.

  “What happened to your hand?” he asked.

  “I cut myself.”

  “How long have you been an actress?”

  “I’m not an actress.”

  Steven frowned. “You should be. You’re the right age, you have the body. I could probably make something happen, if you’re interested.”

  She frowned. “You’re willing to help me get a job as an actress, but you won’t talk about being in the business?”

  “I like to be mysterious.”

  Phoebe and Marcus broke apart. Phoebe grabbed her handbag. “We’re leaving. Thank goodness my ex has Elijah tonight, but only until eight, so we have to hurry. See ya.”

  With that, they were gone, leaving Sunshine alone with Steven.

  “Did they just—” She stopped herself, realizing there was no good way to ask “Did they just leave to go have sex?”

  “So,” Steven said, leaning uncomfortably close to her and smiling. “Want to do the same?”

  “The same?”

  “Come back to my place. We can talk about your career.”

  She knew there would be no career talk, no anything but him getting a piece of ass. Not that she wanted to be an actress, which was perfect because she would guess Steven was a whole lot less connected than he wanted her to believe.

  Exhaustion flooded her. The man-woman thing had never been a problem before, but lately it was just one disaster after another. She looked at him and knew she didn’t have it in her to fight him. From her perspective, there was only one surefire way to get him to back off.

  She offered a regretful smile and lightly touched his arm. “I would love to, only things are a little contagious...” She waved her fingers toward her crotch. “Down there, if you get my meaning. It’s not horrible but the rash can really burn.”