“He won’t,” Conor said. “He may be green, but he’s loyal.” He put the car into gear and drove up the winding drive, past a group of seniors playing bocci ball and around a crowded putting green. The complex was huge, with four-unit condos set amidst tidy landscaping. They found the address, in a building set back from the road, and parked. But Conor waited before getting out.
“We need a story,” he said.
“Like one with fairies and gnomes?” Olivia asked.
“No, a cover story. Something to tell people if they ask.”
“We could say that we’re renting the condo while Danny tries to sell it. Helping to make his grandmother a little extra pocket money.”
“That’s good,” Conor said. “It makes us sympathetic.” He paused. “And I think we should tell them we’re married.”
Olivia gasped. “What?”
“It only makes sense,” Conor said. “There are bound to be people here who frown on premarital…well, you know…relations. An unmarried couple cohabitating. I just don’t want to give them an excuse to gossip.”
“All right,” Olivia said, seeing the sense in his explanation. Besides, what harm could it do? Just because they said they were married didn’t mean they had to continue the roles behind closed doors. “We’ll tell them we’re newlyweds. That we eloped last week.”
“Eloped?”
She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. “No rings.”
“That’s good,” he said. “You’re really getting the hang of this.”
Olivia felt a small measure of pride at his compliment. At least she’d contributed a little something to the team. “I have a good teacher. Now how are we going to explain the lack of luggage?”
“We’re having our things sent…from Seattle,” he said. He reached in the back seat for their shopping bags. “That should take some time. And later we can tell them the moving van was in an accident and all our things were destroyed.”
Olivia nodded. In truth, she was relieved they’d be sleeping in a decent place tonight. She imagined a long bath and a warm bed. She’d had precious little sleep over the past few days and, right now, all she wanted to do was crawl beneath a cozy blanket and drift off for a day or two. But as she contemplated the pleasures of hot water and a soft mattress, her mind spun a fantasy of both that included Conor.
Every time she thought of them alone, she thought of them together-in the shower, in the bedroom, even on the kitchen counter. She couldn’t help but wonder what the night might bring. A shiver of anticipation skittered up her spine.
Neither she nor Conor had mentioned the events of the night before. It was as if avoiding the subject might just turn it into a dream. Olivia had searched his eyes every chance she got, hoping to see some trace of the raw emotion that had swept them away. But the Conor she’d made love to was gone. In his place was the Conor that had only one purpose in mind-keeping her alive to testify.
An odd sensation gripped her stomach. Was that what last night was about? She’d been upset over the shooting. Had he made love to her because he cared, or because he wanted to make sure her worries were soothed? Disturbed by her doubts, she hopped out of the car before Conor could open the door for her. The condo was located on the upper level of the building and they climbed the outside stairs, then found the key where Danny Wright had hidden it.
As the door swung open, Olivia stepped inside, curious to see where they’d be spending the next nine days. The apartment was tiny but very tidy. A small living room was sparsely furnished with a sofa, an easy chair and a television set. In the center of the living room, a pair of plastic garbage bags sat on the rug. Olivia crossed the room and looked inside the first one, then smiled. “Our things from the beach house.” She made a mental note to give Danny Wright a big hug.
To the left of the front door was a small dining area and a galley kitchen, stocked with utensils and pots and pans, enough for them to cook at home. And down a short hallway were a bedroom and a tiny bath.
“It’s very nice,” Olivia said as she wandered into the bedroom. She bounced on the edge of the bed. It didn’t squeak. “Better than the Happy Patriot.”
Conor turned away from the door, as if the sight of her and the bed made him uneasy. “We’ll be safe here,” he mumbled, “and that’s all that counts.”
They walked back to the kitchen just in time to hear a knock at the open door. An elderly woman took a step inside. “Hello,” she said, eyeing them both warily.
“Hello,” Conor replied.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to check on Lila’s apartment. This is where Lila Wright lives. Are you friends of Lila’s? We all like to watch out for each other and Lila moved to Florida to live with her sister and-”
“I’m a friend of Lila’s grandson,” he explained. “Danny Wright? He’s renting us the place until he sells it-you know, to help Lila out. My name is Conor. Conor Smith and this is Olivia Far-Olivia Smith. My wife.” He glanced at Olivia. “She’s my wife.”
“We just got married,” Olivia said brightly, stepping to Conor’s side and looping her arm through his.
Conor quickly put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer. “We’re very happily married,” he said.
He felt Olivia’s elbow in his ribs and he was glad she wasn’t standing on the other side of him. “I think we’ll be very happy here,” she said, glancing around the condo.
The elderly woman sent them both a dubious look. “You do understand that this is a seniors’ complex,” she said. “There’s not much excitement around here, unless you count that fist fight that broke out at last week’s pinochle tournament. Bert Blevins accused Harvey Denton of cheating and Harvey punched Bert in the nose and-”
“Well,” Conor interrupted. “I’ve always been very mature for my age and so has Olivia. Besides, we really wanted someplace quiet. No loud music, no parties. We’re very private people.”
The woman glanced back and forth between the two of them, then finally nodded. “I live just across the stairway. My name is Sadie Lewis.” She held out her hand and Olivia quickly reached for it. “Congratulations, my dear.”
“Congratulations?” Olivia asked.
“On your marriage,” she said. “You two look very happy.”
“Oh, we are,” Conor said. “Very happy.” He gave Olivia another hug. “We are newlyweds, after all,” he said, this time with more meaning.
Sadie got the message, then nodded knowingly. “I think I’ll just leave you two alone. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m right there.” She pointed to the front door of her apartment, just twelve feet away from theirs.
“We won’t,” Conor said as he closed the door behind her. “Bye now.”
As soon as the door was closed, Olivia hauled off and punched him in the shoulder. “Gee, why beat around the bush? Why not just say, me and the missus want to have sex now so we’d appreciate it if you’d leave?”
“I thought it was the quickest way to get rid of her. She seemed nosy and nosy people will hang around as long as you let them.” Conor glanced down at her. “What? Are you embarrassed? We’re just pretending.”
Olivia turned away from him. But they weren’t just pretending. They’d made love last night, or had he forgotten so soon? “No. I just don’t want her thinking-”
“Thinking we’re hot for each other?” Conor chuckled, as if the notion was preposterous.
Why was he trying so hard to forget what they’d shared? She bit her bottom lip, trying to keep from blurting out her feelings. She already knew that Conor wasn’t the type to reveal his innermost thoughts. It would probably take major surgery to find out what was inside his heart.
“I need to change this bandage,” he finally said, grabbing one of the bags from the discount store. “Why don’t you make a grocery list and I’ll go out and get some things for dinner?” With that, he strode down the hall, leaving Olivia to wonder whether she really had imagined their night together.
After a quick survey of the kitchen, she sat down at the dining table and began a grocery list on a scrap of paper from her purse. But by the time she’d finished with nine days’ worth of provisions, Conor still hadn’t emerged from the bathroom. Hesitantly, she pushed up from the table and walked down the hall. “Conor?” she said, rapping softly on the door. “Are you all right?”
