Blind Love (26 page)

She hoped Mitzi was suffering.

<>

After breakfast the next morning, Tony stood in the workshop with the plans for the arbor and four women who looked like they’d never seen power tools. As always, the director and two camera guys stood off to the side, watching and filming the action.

Tony faced the women. “Have any of you ever used a saw?”

Nobody spoke up.

“Okay, do you know how to hammer a nail?”

“I can do that,” said Jenny.

“I can hang wallpaper,” said Catherine, “but I don’t think this thing is going to need wallpaper.”

“I’m willing to learn,” said DeeNae. “My father used to build things, but all I did was hand him tools.”

“Hey, that’s a start.” Tony assigned jobs. “Okay, DeeNae will hand me tools. Catherine, you can read the plan, and Fawn and Jenny can help put it together.”

Catherine had the plan upside down. He took it from her and turned it around. “It goes that way.”

She peered at the plan, eyebrows knit. “How can you tell?”

He shook his head slightly. “Are you always so difficult?”

“Who, me?”

Fawn let out a little snort. “She’s the most disagreeable person I’ve ever met.”

“Look who’s talking,” said Jenny. “At least she says what she thinks instead of lying about everything.”

Jenny and Fawn faced off. If looks could kill, they’d both be dead by now. Tony tried his best to ignore them, but it wasn’t easy. They reminded him of kids fighting over a toy, only the toy these women were fighting over was
him
.

DeeNae handed him the tools he needed, and Catherine held the plans where he could see them. He did all the measuring and sawing and hammering, and somehow, in spite of their help, he put the arbor together.

“Okay, now it’s your turn,” he said. “Clean up this mess, and after lunch we’ll stain it to match the gazebo.”

When he walked away, Jenny and Fawn were still arguing.

Catherine tried her best to ignore the others, but when Fawn pushed her, she pushed back. Fawn bumped the arbor, and it crashed to the floor.

“You bitch,” she said. “I broke a nail because of you.”

The others were more concerned about breaking the arbor. It didn’t appear to be damaged, but Fawn was out of action with a broken nail. Catherine picked up the little pieces of wood Tony had cut off and stacked them on the side while Jenny grabbed a broom. DeeNae brought a trash can and dust pan. While Fawn whined for the camera about how she’d been abused, the others had the workshop clean and the arbor upright and sitting on a plastic drop cloth, ready to stain.

Catherine knew the staining could be a messy job. Clothes could get ruined, more nails could get broken, and tempers could flare again.

As long as Fawn was still around, there was no doubt about it. Tempers
would
flare.

Catherine and DeeNae stained the arbor that afternoon while Tony supervised. Jenny stayed with Jessie, who had a tummy ache. And Fawn had a broken nail.

“You two deserve some down time,” said Tony. “How about we get cleaned up here and meet in the pool in an hour.”

“I’d like it better if we could swim alone,” said DeeNae, and Catherine knew this Southern belle had taken off her training bra and was ready to fight.

<>

While the others were in the workshop, Fawn slipped into another suite. It didn’t take her long to figure out it belonged to Cara Andrews and her husband. A baby’s crib sat in the corner of the bedroom, with a changing table beside it. She couldn’t believe they kept the baby with them instead of leaving the kid with a nanny.

She couldn’t find any jewelry, so she helped herself to a few things they probably wouldn’t miss—two silk blouses, makeup, and perfume. Cara must have her jewelry locked up in a safe, or maybe she had it with her in Gig Harbor.

The original paintings were in the museum, but there must be other valuable things in this house. But she didn’t know the first thing about art. She knew about jewelry and clothes, but not art. The furniture looked expensive, and it probably was, but it wasn’t as if she could put that in her suitcase.

After hiding her loot under the bottom panel of her suitcase, Fawn set about repairing her broken nail.

Chapter Fifteen

A
fter dinner, Tony invited the women to play pool with him.

Fawn said, “I’d love to play with you, Tony.”

DeeNae glared at Fawn. “Funny how your broken nail doesn’t keep you from doing fun things.”

“Bitch.”

Jenny rolled her eyes and went upstairs to give Jessie her bath and put her to bed.

Feeling the need to be alone, away from the bickering and back-stabbing she’d been forced to endure, Catherine went for a walk in the garden. A light fog had rolled in over the Pacific, wrapping everything in a soft blanket of mist. She sat on a bench under the halo of the garden lights and took several deep breaths.

Tempers flared more every day, and Catherine was sick to death of it. Nothing like four girls in a cat fight on national television. Henry wanted conflict, and he was getting plenty of it.

Jenny used her little girl to win Tony’s heart. It gave her an unfair advantage, and Catherine resented it. Fawn was so phony she couldn’t believe Tony had let her stay so long, and the sweet Southern belle was starting to sharpen her claws. Catherine felt like hiding under the bed and staying there until the end of the month.

Riley ran out and put his paw on her lap. “Hello, Riley. How are you tonight?”

“He’s bored.” Tony sat beside her on the stone bench. “Fawn and DeeNae are fighting. I don’t even think they noticed I left the room.”

No surprise there, thought Catherine. Nobody could get along with Fawn.

Tony tapped the phone in her hand. “Calling home?”

“No, I need a pep talk, but it’s too late to call.” She heard the tears in her voice and knew he heard them, too.

Riley put his big head on her lap, and she rubbed him behind the ears. She’d never had a dog of her own, but she really liked this one.

“I don’t know what they have planned for us next, Catherine, but it’s too late for either one of us to pull out now.”

“Tony.” She rubbed his hand. “If you have to choose someone else, I’ll understand. I’ll never forgive you, but I’ll understand. Just promise me one thing. Base your choice on what’s best for you, not what someone else needs.”

He twisted around on the bench to face her. “Are you talking about Jenny?”

“Jenny needs a father for her little girl, and I know you’d be a good one. I need you, too, but don’t let that sway your decision. I don’t want you to have regrets down the road.”

He sat quietly for several seconds before saying, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

She stood, kissed him, and walked into the house.

And into a snake pit.

<>

Catherine woke on the sofa in the sitting room the next morning. The bickering between Jenny and Fawn was so bad last night, she had to escape. DeeNae was still curled up on the big leather chair and ottoman. The cameraman stood beside the door, filming them while they slept. Catherine cleared her throat. “If you don’t get that damn thing out of here right this minute, you’ll lose an important part of your anatomy.” She threw her shoe at him, and he backed out the door.

It was quiet in the other room. Too quiet. They were either still asleep or gone.

DeeNae moaned. “I got a kink in my neck.”

“We should have made them sleep out here. What time is it?”

“I have no idea. If I missed breakfast because of Fawn, I’ll eliminate the bitch myself.”

Jenny and Fawn were both gone. Fawn was no doubt in the gym or pool with Tony. Jenny was probably with her daughter. “You want the first shower, DeeNae?”

“Go ahead. I’ll start the coffee.”

“Bless you.”

<>

Tony worked out in the gym and then headed for the pool. Fawn was already in the water, and he recognized the too-small swimsuit as the one Rachel had worn the other day. Seeing her wearing it raised all kinds of red flags. Why would she wear Rachel’s clothes?

“Tony,” she called. “Come on in.” She untied the top and let it float away.

She had beautiful breasts, but he didn’t want anything to do with this scenario. “Put it back on.”

Swimming toward him, she asked, “Why? Don’t you want me?”

Hell no, he didn’t want her. Taking Rachel’s things when she was in the hospital was a dirty thing to do. And if Fawn was taking Rachel’s clothes, what else did she have her sticky fingers into? Cara had generously allowed Henry and his crew to use her estate for this show, and they were supposed to have a handle on what was going on. Did they know she was wearing Rachel’s clothes?

Fawn walked up the ladder toward Tony and lifted her breasts. “Like them?”

“Hell no.”

She draped herself on him and he pushed her back into the pool. As he walked away, he heard her swearing.

What had he ever seen in her, except the obvious? Like Melissa, the package was beautiful. The contents weren’t.

<>

Fawn was in the shower when Catherine opened her makeup kit. Her mascara was missing. Jenny was getting ready to go down for breakfast, and DeeNae was reading the morning newspaper in the other room.

“Jenny, is there anything missing in your makeup kit?”

“No, why?”

“Someone took my mascara.”

“I have a spare.”

“Thanks, but I should have one in my purse.” If not, she’d scout up another one. Cara must have some in her suite, but she couldn’t let the other girls see her going in there.

The one in her purse was nearly empty, but it would have to do. Fawn glanced at the bag and smiled a little, and Catherine knew who had taken it.

She wanted the stupid bimbo gone.

Now!

Morgan had breakfast with them that morning. After they’d all eaten, he said, “We have a special treat in store for you today. You’re going into San Francisco to ride the cable cars and shop.”

“With what?” asked DeeNae. “I didn’t bring any money with me.”

“Catherine will cover it,” said Fawn. “She has enough to spare. Right, Catherine?”

DeeNae stared at Catherine and then at Fawn. “Somebody want to tell me what’s going on?”

Fawn waved her hand and nearly hit Catherine in the face. “This is Catherine Timmons, of the Timmons Hotels family.”

Catherine felt every eye in the room on her, but she held her head high and gave it back to Fawn. “This empty-headed bimbo caused my father to fall down the stairs. And she took my mascara. Watch your backs, girls. She’ll be after you next.” Catherine stood and threw down her napkin. “Excuse me.”

Angry voices came from the dining room as Catherine ran up the stairs. Tony caught up to her before she reached the second floor. “Hey, what’s going on?”

She pulled her arm away. “If you don’t get rid of Fawn, you’d better get rid of me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Maybe I will. I don’t like ultimatums.”

Biting down the scream inside her, Catherine ran up the stairs and into their suite. Fawn had been rifling through Rachel’s clothes, and she’d been in Catherine’s makeup bag again, because the second wand of mascara was gone, too.

She packed her things and locked them in her suitcase and dress bag. The only thing she left out was her costume, which she never intended to wear again.

Jenny and a cameraman stood in the doorway. At this point, Catherine no longer cared what the camera caught. Henry could edit out whatever he wanted.

“What’s going on?” asked Jenny.

“I threw Fawn out of my father’s house a few weeks ago, after I found out she’d given him a prescription drug that caused him to fall down the stairs. He spent a week in the hospital, had major surgery on his hip, and his leg will never be the same. I hate her. If I’d known she was going to be on the show, I wouldn’t be here.”

Jenny hugged her. “You’re not giving up now, are you?”

“And leave Tony to her? Not on your life. I’m not giving that bitch a chance to steal anything else of mine. She’s already taken most of Rachel’s clothes.”

A minute later, Tony, Morgan, Fawn, and DeeNae were in the room, with the cameraman she wanted to kill for filming her while she slept. They sat in the sitting room, Tony on the sofa beside Catherine, holding her hand while he spoke. “Catherine, I don’t care what your name is or what your family does for a living. I’m not here to find a rich wife. I’m here to find a woman to love.” He looked from face to face as the silence grew.

Catherine glared at Fawn, and Fawn looked away.

“I’ll buy mascara in San Francisco today,” Catherine said, ending the controversy. They had a show to finish, and the sooner it was over, the sooner she could get away from Fawn.