13. Susannah

" D id she put jalape?os in that chili?" Rex pressed his chest after the server removed his half-eaten bowl, leaning back in his chair at the Riverfront Café. "Tori knows I can't handle them anymore."

Susannah looked over her iced tea, scrutinizing her husband's face. Was he pale? A little drawn? Did a jalape?o get him or was he getting sick again?

"It's fine." He reached over the table with a reassuring hand. "A little heartburn isn't going to ruin our day together."

Susannah smiled at him, not trusting herself to respond. The day—every day that passed and they had no answers, no solutions, and no plans for how to put a stop to Ivy Button—was ruined for her.

To protect herself, and Rex, she was careful with every word she said.

She'd promised herself today would be different. He had no commitments at Wingate Properties and wanted to spend the whole day with her, running errands in town, lunch at the café, and stopping at the inn to pick something up from a planner doing a wedding there this weekend.

"Let's drive to the pharmacy to get some Tums before we go to Wingate House," he said.

She nodded, feeling her brow furrow as she searched his face, always concerned for his health.

"Or maybe you should cancel that meeting," he said, his tone cool enough that she blinked in surprise.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it's too much," he said, letting go of her hand to prop his elbows on the table with a scowl. "And I did this. This is all my fault."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, genuinely perplexed.

"I pushed you to do…something. Months ago, when I was all better and I accused you of being a helicopter wife."

"And you were right," she said. "You encouraged me to find something else besides babysitting you, and I came up with the wedding venue. It's been amazing, Rex. Just check the bottom line."

"I don't care about the bottom line."

She lifted a dubious brow, knowing him better than that.

"I don't," he insisted. "We have enough money to last the years we have left, the business is in excellent hands with Chase and, I suspect, Blake, who's learning faster than even Raina did at his age."

"But you wanted me to find something to do with my time, and managing a small wedding venue has been such fun for me."

"Fun?" he scoffed. "You haven't said ten words at this lunch or at dinner last night or for the past week or more. Suze. Is it the girls' wedding or just the whole business? Because I feel like I've lost you."

She stared at him, aching to tell him the truth.

She had, in her imagination, a hundred times. And every one of those times, it broke him. Or worse.

Her gaze slipped down to his chest again where the heart she loved so much beat steadily. The risk of hurting him in any way was just too high to share the truth.

"Let's go get you some antacid," she said. "We don't have to drive anywhere. Dani keeps a stock of over-the-counter meds at Wingate Properties. Let's stop on the way."

He agreed, and after they paid and said goodbye to Tori, they stepped outside into the blistering sun, the town crowded with tourists, even mid-week. The ferry to Cumberland Island was pulling out with a noisy horn, and the open-air tour bus passed them with the guide cheerily pointing out the sights.

The familiarity of her home town and the man beside her gave Susannah a much-needed boost as she put her hand in his and started to walk. But she nearly tripped at the sight of a dark-haired woman across the street, staring at them.

Was that Ivy ?

She turned away as panic kicked her, and when she looked back, that tour bus was blocking the view.

"Welcome to the historic tour of Fernandina Beach…" The driver's voice droned on to explain the route, sounding in Susannah's head like he was underwater.

She slowed her step and forced herself to peer through the open bus windows to the other side of the street, inching left and right to see around someone's head and spot Ivy.

"After that, we'll swing past the Amelia Island Museum of History where…"

"You want to take that tour?" Rex asked with a laugh when she'd come to a complete stop.

"No, no. I was, uh, just curious where it went." She smiled up at him. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I guess I'm being selfish and demanding you be attentive to my needs when I want you to be, then leave me alone when I want that."

"It's fine, Rex," she said, distracted as she searched for Ivy.

"Nope, not fine," he said. "This is your day and we'll do whatever you want. But let's get that antacid."

The comment tore her attention back to him. "Still hurts?"

"Eh, its— Oh, look. There's Isaiah and Nikki Lou." He ushered her across the side street to reach Grace's bookstore, The Next Chapter. Their son-in-law, Isaiah, was outside with Grace's little girl, who came running toward the gate to greet her grandparents, waving a packet of flower seeds. Her dachshund, Slinky, was at her heels, as always.

"Zayah's helping me plant daisies!" she announced.

As they chatted, Susannah glanced over her shoulder, scanning the groups of tourists and individuals, not sure if she should be disappointed or elated not to see any sign of Ivy. The further they got from Centre Street, the fewer people were about, but that didn't stop her from searching for her nemesis.

"Right, Grannie Suze? Right?" Nikki Lou tugged at her arm. "Should I?"

Susannah looked down at the precious face of her little granddaughter, her heart falling because she hadn't even listened to the question. And that was wrong. This angel battled autism, and every word out of her mouth was a treasure.

Isaiah stepped in with his gentle smile. "She wants to do an all-daisy garden, but I think there are lots of flowers we could plant in that bed."

Susannah gave him a grateful smile for the save, vaguely aware that Rex was staring at her, too.

"Whatever you do, it's going to be beautiful, Nikki," she said, bending over to scoop her up for a hug. "I know I'll love it." She gave her a kiss. "As much as I love you."

Nikki grinned and dropped her head on Susannah's shoulder, scooting her legs around her waist.

"Don't get dirt on Grannie Suze," Isaiah warned, lifting her sneaker.

"It's okay," Susannah said, stinging with guilt for not giving her granddaughter her undivided attention. "Nikki dirt is the best dirt!" She spun her in a half circle, getting rewarded with a giggle and—

A gasp. Her own, in fact, at the sight of Ivy Button not twenty feet away, taking it all in with a menacing stare.

Susannah darn near dropped Nikki Lou, but she pulled it together, gently lowering her to the ground.

"Did I hurt you, Grannie Suze?" the child asked, showing tremendous empathy, something Grace and Isaiah had been working on tirelessly with her.

Susannah's heart melted, but she was trembling when she bent over to assure Nikki Lou she hadn't hurt her at all.

When she found the nerve to straighten and look again, Ivy was gone.

"Let's go," she said to Rex, a little breathless. "We should get that medicine for you."

After a quick goodbye, they continued walking, pausing at the corner near Madeline's dressmaking shop to cross and go to the old bank building that housed Wingate Properties.

"Did Nikki upset you?" Rex asked, looking at her from behind sunglasses, but she could imagine how scrutinizing his gaze really was.

"Oh, no. It's hot and she's getting heavy for me to lift," she said, clutching his arm as they crossed after two cars passed. As they walked, she looked—everywhere.

Was Ivy following them? Why? What was her end goal?

Just as they reached the other side of the street, Susannah got a glimpse down the side alley along the brick walls of the Wingate Properties building. No one ever walked down there, though the alley connected with the next street, but someone was in the alley now. She saw a shadow move and could have sworn she heard a noise.

Susannah knew exactly who it was.

She had to put a stop to this. She had to.

"Why don't you go in and find Dani?" she suggested. "I just remembered something I needed to tell Madeline." She gestured behind her to Madeline Wingate Designs. "I'll just be a second."

"I'll come with—"

"No. No, it's…private. I want to talk to her about…the wedding."

He lowered his sunglasses and narrowed his dark eyes over the rims. "Susannah Wingate."

"What?" she said with a laugh, hoping it sounded genuine. "It's a surprise, okay? Something I want to surprise you with and I just saw her in the window of the shop, so I'll be back. Meet you inside." She gave him a nudge. "Go. Get your Tums and I'll be right in."

Thankfully, he accepted the explanation, pulled the door handle and disappeared inside. Blake would snag him instantly and Dani would take a minute to get the antacid, so she had time to give Ivy Button a piece of her mind.

Without giving it a moment's thought, she rounded the side of the building to the narrow alleyway, marching into the shadows.

"I know you're back here!" she called, summoning more courage than she actually believed she had.

Ivy stepped out from behind a Dumpster, which was fitting.

"Are you following me?" Susannah demanded at the sight of the awful woman.

"I haven't heard from Raina," she said in her gravelly voice. "I was about to go see her when I caught you and Rex strolling along like you didn't have a care in the world."

"I didn't, until you showed up."

Ivy took a few steps closer, brushing back her dark hair, narrowing her gaze. "Look, you can't dangle me forever. Hand over the keys and the deed and we can make up some story about winning the lottery and buying it from you. No one the wiser. Wouldn't you prefer that to…destroying your family?"

"I'd prefer you disappeared the same way you came."

"You can't put me off forever." She was less than five feet away now, close enough for Susannah to see smoker's lines around her lips and a small blue tattoo on her forearm.

"Raina told you she needed time."

"Whatever Raina thinks she can do, she's wrong," Ivy fired back. "I have proof positive of what happened, letters in my aunt's own handwriting that spell out what Rex did to her, and a contract that says that inn belongs to my family, not yours. What else do you need?"

Susannah closed the rest of the space, happy that she was taller than this woman and could look down at her, literally and figuratively.

"I'll tell you what I need," she growled. "I need you to leave my family alone. If and when we have anything to say to you, we will. Until then, stay away from all of us. And if you say one word to the media or anyone that slanders my husband, we will make your life—"

"What is going on here?"

They both whipped around to see Rex coming closer, easily able to have heard the conversation.

Susannah's heart plummeted as she moved to somehow separate him from Ivy, not wanting him to be fouled by even the sight of her.

"So you haven't told him?" she said, absolutely unfazed by his arrival.

"Told me what?" Rex scowled at the stranger. "Who are you?"

Susannah took a slow and shuddering breath, not even sure how or where to begin, and terrified what this would do to him. His heart would burn, all right, and it wouldn't be due to jalape?os.

Ivy took a tiny step backwards, no doubt intimidated by Rex, even though he wasn't the formidable man he was before his stroke.

"Tell him," she said to Susannah without taking her eyes off Rex. "Tell him we know what he did and he's going to pay for it."

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

She crossed her arms, took a deep breath, and Susannah held hers. How would he react? What would this do to him?

"As if you don't know, Sexy Rexy ."

He shook his head like he was stunned by the words, then gave a dry, scoffing laugh. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack ." She dragged out the words and uncrossed her arms, taking a few more steps backwards to the other side of the alley.

"Who are you?"

She looked like she might answer him, then she pivoted on her sneaker and took off at full speed, disappearing at the end of the alley, into the other side street.

He turned to Susannah, nothing but confusion in his eyes. "What the hell was that about?"

She reached for his hand, the words "heart attack" still echoing. "Let's go up to your office where it's private."

"Who was that woman?" he asked, refusing to move.

She shook her head. "Inside. Sitting down."

"She looked…familiar."

"You know her?" Susannah asked on a gasp.

"I've…maybe seen her around? I didn't get a good look."

"Come on," she said, jutting her chin toward Wingate Way. "I'll tell you everything."

He grunted as if he knew something was very wrong, wrapping an arm around her as they walked.

"Sexy Rexy?" He snorted under his breath. "Haven't been called that since my fraternity days in college."

Susannah just closed her eyes and braced for whatever was going to happen next.

For a long time after Susannah told him the story from the beginning to the last few horrible moments in the alley, Rex didn't say a word.

He didn't explode in fury or shock, weep in disbelief or sorrow, or even laugh at the ridiculous accusations.

He merely stared at Susannah, his expression unreadable, his great mind at work without revealing a single thing that was going on in it.

Maybe he was thinking back nearly sixty years, trying to remember details. Maybe he was turning over the possibility that his father had signed away Wingate House to someone outside of the family. Maybe he was cursing the day Doreen Parrish showed up at the inn looking for a part-time job.

Finally, he pressed his palms together and closed his eyes. "Do the girls know?"

Or maybe he was thinking about the impact on his family. Of course, that would be top of mind for Rex Wingate.

"Only Raina knows."

He flinched. "Does she…"

Susannah's brows shot up when he didn't finish the question. "Believe the accusations?" she asked with a laugh of disbelief. "Not for a moment. Neither do I. Good grief, Rex, you don't think we give one second of credence to that woman's claims, do you? We know you!"

His once-broad shoulders softened on a sigh of relief.

"Rex!" Susannah leaned closer from the other swivel chair in his office, putting her hand on his arm. "That is the last thing you have to worry about."

"How can I not?" he asked. "It's he-said, she-said and she's dead. And these alleged letters? Where are they?"

"Raina has them. Blake's seen them, too."

"Blake?" He choked his grandson's name. "You said only Raina knows."

"Because she's a problem-solver and she needed help finding a handwriting sample, and Blake stepped in."

He groaned. "Him, too? And we're talking about his biological grandmother."

"And a stranger named Ivy Button who doesn't have an ounce of credibility," Susannah reminded him, pushing up, fury electrifying her and making her want to pace the office and stare out the window at Wingate Way.

"Well, she has letters that match Doreen's handwriting," Rex said, reminding her of that detail she'd shared.

"I don't care," Susannah said. "I agree with Raina that she's a scam artist and we are not giving her Wingate House and we're not letting her lay one dirty fingernail on your stellar reputation."

He didn't respond to that as she watched some people cross the street, and a family walk into Sadie's chocolate shop. A couple left Rose's flower shop carrying a large bouquet, and what looked like a mother and daughter laughed as they headed into Madeline's bridal salon.

Their life was so good, she mused. Solid, steady, successful, united, with so much to lose. Still, whatever happened, the Wingates could weather—

"Thank you."

She startled as Rex's hands landed on her shoulders, not even aware he'd gotten up.

"For what?"

"Your trust." He turned her around to face him. "Your unwavering belief in me when you could very easily question if there was a shred of truth to what she's claiming."

She held his gaze, secure in everything about this man, as she'd been since the day she waited on Rex at the Riverfront Café more than forty years ago.

"Never," she whispered. "Not a chance in the world. I couldn't and wouldn't doubt you, because I know you and love—"

He quieted her with a kiss, hard on her lips, his hands gripping her. When he pulled back, the first tears were in his eyes, threatening to spill.

"I love you," she finished, placing her palm on his face. "Nothing will change that. We will get through this, unscathed and with Wingate House firmly and forever in our family. I believe that just as I believe in you."

He blinked and a tear rolled. "What did I do to deserve you?" he asked gruffly. "You and this family and your faith in me."

"You earned the faith, you created the family, and you loved me like no man has ever loved a woman."

With a whimper, he kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her and folding her closer so she could feel his heartbeat. His dear, loving heart that did not deserve to break under the accusations of one—

"Whoa."

They broke apart and turned to see Raina in the doorway, looking surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Susannah asked.

"Whatever it is, it's not as much fun as you two are having," she cracked. "Blake called me and asked if I could meet him here to discuss…" She shook her head. "Just something. Kenzie is babysitting, so I have a little time. But I don't see Blake at his desk."

"I asked him to get us coffee," Susannah said, "because I wanted to tell Dad everything and wanted complete privacy."

"Oh." Raina pressed her fingers to her lips, looking at Rex. "We weren't going to…"

"We had a run-in with Ivy Button," Susannah explained. "She was following me on the street and I…" She slid her arm around Rex. "I'm actually relieved to have it all out in the open."

"Don't worry, Dad," Raina said instantly. "We'll fix this."

"I'm not worried," he said, planting a kiss on Susannah's head. "Because I'm married to the most spectacular woman in the world, and once a man knows that, everything else will fall into place."

Raina sighed at that, walking closer with her arms outstretched to both of them.

"We're going to fix it, Dad," she repeated, bringing them in for a group hug. "In fact, Blake said he had info. I hope it's good, 'cause I just got back from hitting a dead end at the county clerk's office." She eased all the way back. "Let's figure this out."

As they hugged again, Susannah felt the weight lift from her shoulders. It would be okay. She didn't know how, but she trusted her family.