Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [70]
Parker strode over to the valet, realizing he was never going to know what the dream of a lifetime was. He felt cheated.
“Did Miss Kaminsky return yet?”
“That’s her. The tall skinny lady. She just went into the lobby. They’re honeymooners,” he said, as if that explained everything. Parker groaned as he forked over another ten-dollar bill.
In the tacky-looking lobby there was no sign of the honeymooners. “Which way to the pool,” he asked the desk clerk.
“Go around the corner, down the hall, and the pool door is to the left.”
Parker took a seat at one of the beach tables to wait. Twenty minutes later the newlyweds, toting beach bags and towels, set up shop two tables away. He waited until they were settled before he sauntered over to their table.
“Are you Miss Kaminsky?”
“I’m Mrs. Kaminsky. This is my husband Joe. Hey, you’re the snail crawler I almost hit in the driveway. You need to learn how to drive, mister.”
Parker nodded. “I’m sorry. I was wondering if you could tell me where you took Miss Clark. The valet said you gave her a lift someplace.”
Stella inched closer to her husky husband, who was glaring at him. “Who wants to know?”
“I do,” Parker said patiently.
“Who is I? I need a name here. For all I know you could be a pervert.”
“I’ve been called many things in my life, but no one has ever called me a pervert,” Parker said tightly.
“I didn’t say you were one. I said you could be. Who are you and why do you want to know where I took Miss Clark?”
“My name is Parker Grayson. I own a coffee plantation here on the island. I’ve been trying to locate Miss Clark since yesterday with no success.” .
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be found. I need to have a little more to go on before I tell you anything. We were going swimming. We’re on our honeymoon,” Stella said pointedly.
“If you would just tell me what I need to know, I’ll leave. What kind of purse is that?” Parker asked, eyeing the Chanel bag dangling from Stella’s shoulder.
“You sure do ask a lot of questions. It’s a Chanel bag,” Stella said authoritatively. “Miss Clark gave it to me. Not that .it’s any of your business.”
“Look, we’re getting nowhere fast. I really need to find Annie. I love Annie Clark. We had ... things didn’t work out the way they were supposed to. It was my fault. I never had the guts to do anything about it. She’s here now, and I need the chance to make things right. I need your help to do that.”
“Then why didn’t you say that in the first place?” Stella said.
“Because I felt like a ... jerk.”
“Yeah, I understand that,” Stella said. “I took Annie to the airport. She’s going to Maui.”
“Maui? That’s where I live.”
“Yeah, I know,” Stella said, leering at him.
Parker reached for Stella and kissed her soundly on the cheek. “Thanks. Thanks a lot. I’ll send you free coffee for the rest of your life,” he said, pumping Joe’s hand vigorously.
The Kaminskys watched as Parker raced to the door. “There must be more to this coffee business than we thought,” Joe mused. “You ready for our swim, sweet cheeks?”
“Ready, Joe. Boy is Annie gonna be happy. We did good, Joe. Whoever would of thought me and you would play cupid. I hope they’re as happy as we are.”
“Nobody is as happy as we are. So there, Stella Kaminsky.”
“You’re right, Joe. You’re always right.”
Annie walked around the spacious condo she’d rented. It was so gorgeous, it took her breath away. It was all done in soft shades of green, yellow, and off-white. In her life, she’d never trampled such a luscious white carpet. She wiggled her toes and giggled as the carpeting tickled her toes and caressed her insteps.
As she walked around, touching this, staring at that, she came eyeball-to-eyeball with four watercolors