Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [15]
Tyler put a self-conscious hand to his head, aware that he hadn't even looked at his hair since walking four blocks to the restaurant in the wind and rain.
"I can see I was wrong about that," Caroline said.
Tyler smiled. "Listen, I probably should have introduced myself, but you were busy, and your sister gave me the cold shoulder earlier, so I thought it might be better if we had a chance to speak in private. I did give my name to the receptionist at the salon. I didn't realize you weren't aware who I was." Actually, he had realized early on in their conversation but had decided to see how far he could take it.
Caroline appeared somewhat mollified, but she still had her arms crossed defiantly in front of her. "Fine. What is it you want to know?"
"I'd like to write a follow-up story about your family and the race, what happened then, what's happening now. I'd put the photograph of the three of you holding the Winston trophy right next to a photograph of the three of you today. Show where you are in your lives now, how the race may have changed you, that kind of thing. Where-are-they-now pieces are quite popular these days."
"I'm sure Kate told you we weren't interested."
"I thought you might have a different opinion. And I didn't think you'd want your older sister to speak for you."
Caroline sat up straighter in her seat. Tyler could see he'd hit a nerve with that one. Caroline was not about to let Kate speak for her, that was quite clear. He had a feeling this sister was his way into the family.
"I speak for myself," she replied. "But, that said, I can't imagine what you'd write about us that would be at all interesting. We're not exactly living a wild and crazy life here on Castleton Island."
"True, but I'd like to know how hard or how easy it was to go from sailboat racer to hair stylist."
Caroline gave him a wide, toothy grin that made her look young, fresh, full of life. "That sounds like a headline that will sell about ten copies. Tell me something. Are you even a good reporter?"
"I've done all right," he said, biting back a smile. "And the value of the article would, of course, depend on how forthcoming you and your sisters are with the interesting details that people want to know."
"I barely remember the details now. Our journey was well documented in the logs we showed to the press at the end of the race."
"I've seen them--a page-turning discussion of the fish world, a little about your struggles with a geometry correspondence class, Ashley's reluctance to put a worm on a fishhook, and Kate's fascination with the brightness of the stars and planets as seen from each of the different hemispheres. Incredibly juicy stuff.
"Hey, I told you we were boring. Even when we were racing, there were a lot of days at sea where nothing happened. You've heard the expression -- in the doldrums? We got stuck in them for days. Just lying there waiting and praying for a wisp of wind to get us on our way. Sometimes I wanted to scream or pull out a paddle and start rowing. Once Kate and I did that just to be funny. Dad wasn't amused. Thought we were breaking the rule about not using anything other than our sails."
"You and Kate, huh? Are you two the closest?"
"We're sisters."
"That's not what I asked." He paused. "I haven't met Ashley yet. What's she like?"
"Quiet, pretty, sensitive. But I didn't come down here to tell you that."
"Why did you come?"
"Because I said I would. And because I didn't want you to think I was an idiot. I'm not. I was just distracted earlier. Otherwise, I would have seen right through you." Caroline lifted her chin in the air, the gesture filled with bravado.
Tyler nodded approvingly. "I understand, and I like your style." But he thought her words had an edge of desperation to them, as if she wanted to make sure he understood that she was smart and capable. He had a feeling Caroline had been trying to prove herself for some time.