Reaper's Salvation: A Last Riders Trilogy by Jamie Begley (reading e books .txt) 📕

dinner jacket, Emerson stalked back toward her. “Zoey’s father is Haden St. Clair?”

“Yes. Most people have heard of him. He just won a two-billion dollar lawsuit from a corporation that tried to take a farmer’s land away from him when the crops he planted cross-pollinated with another crop near his land. The corporation lost, and so have the other corporations. But don’t let me stop you. You could be the one who breaks St. Clair’s winning streak.” Giving Emerson fake encouragement and growing bored at antagonizing Allerton and his cronies, Ginny was ready for the small party to be over.

As far as she was concerned, the whole thing had been a bust; definitely unworthy of getting dressed twice. She wondered if it was too soon for Gavin and her to make their excuses and leave.

“Excuse me; my husband was hungry before we left the bungalow.” Taking Gavin’s hand, she led him toward the small silver trays of food.

“I’m starving. How about you?” Ginny gave Gavin a crystal plate before taking one for herself.

“Better fill your stomach, because if Allerton didn’t want to poison us before, he does now.”

Ginny gave him a mischievous glance. “You want to reconsider your role as my taste tester?” she teased.

“Where is Greer Porter when I need him?” Gavin ruefully joked, then proceeded to load his plate with the fancy appetizers that Ginny had no palate for and hoped she never would.

Ginny noticed while Gavin was eating, he had looked around the room to see if anyone recognized him. Ginny couldn’t understand why he would care if anyone recognized him or not.

Thinking she was imagining his concern, she chose a few things to put on her plate. She wasn’t hungry, finally settling on a few grapes, crackers, and a chocolate petit fours. Then she stepped to the side, popping one of the grapes in her mouth as Gavin placed a stack of honey-mint lamb skewers on his plate next to a mound of shrimp tartlets.

Swallowing the grape in her mouth, Ginny picked up the tiny, pretty chocolate cake, putting the whole thing in her mouth. As she bit down, the taste exploded, hitting her gag reflex. She wildly looked around, hoping no one was watching so she could spit it out.

“Just swallow it,” Gavin advised humorously. “The longer you hold it in your mouth, the worse you make it.”

As badly as she didn’t want to take his advice, she was left with no choice, other than making a fool of herself.

“What did I just eat?” she managed to croak out.

“I have no idea.” Gavin shrugged, going back to the table and taking one of the petite fours. He bravely put it in his mouth as he came back and waited until he swallowed to tell her what she’d eaten. “Chocolate-covered goat cheese.”

“Whoever made that has no taste buds.”

“It was pretty good. I’m going to grab a couple more when I finish this plate.”

“You thought that was good?” Amazed that Gavin liked the appetizer and wanted more had her reconsidering everything she perceived about his likes and dislikes toward food. Not only that, maybe her taste buds were off. To her, it had tasted hideous.

“You want to try one of the lamb skewers to get the taste out of your mouth?” Gavin offered.

“I’ll pass. I’ve lost my appetite.”

“Not very adventuresome where food is concerned, are you?” he teased.

“Not when it comes to chocolate-covered goat cheese,” she said stiffly, still tasting the cheese.

Why couldn’t she get rid of the aftertaste? She had been raised on goat’s milk, none of the goat cheese she’d ate before had that flavor. “Why did it taste like a flower?”

“There was a hint of lavender.” Gavin gave her a approving glance.

Ginny made a face at him. “A hint? What I ate was a flat-out assault.”

Remaining where she was when Gavin went back to get seconds, Ginny was debating whether she was brave enough to try a slice of cheesecake when she saw Allerton and Soleil making their way toward her.

“Your mother just came up with a brilliant suggestion.” Allerton maneuvered himself and Soleil closer, blocking her view of Gavin, just as Desmond Beck initiated a conversation with him at the buffet table. That certainly screamed setup.

“I wouldn’t call it brilliant.”

Ginny nearly gagged as Soleil practically preened under Allerton’s regard.

“But I believe it may solve the problem between you and Gabriel. I want all of us to get along. I want you to feel free to come visit your father and me any time, to make this island your second home.”

Gavin came up behind Soleil and Allerton, going around them to show he was near.

Soleil gave her a superficial smile, attempting to reach out for her hand. Again, Ginny took a step back, unable to stop herself.

“Sorry, it’s become a habit for being cautious. In the States, we’re terrified of getting the virus.” The thought of letting Soleil touch her made her skin crawl. The only thing worse would be if Allerton made the attempt.

“I would like for us to get along, too,” Ginny lied, continuing smoothly. “What was your suggestion?”

“You and I could go alone to Clindale Island and walk around. Maybe that would jog your memory.”

“That is brilliant, but I’m sorry, I can’t go along with your suggestion.”

“Why on earth not?” Soleil wasn’t ready to take no for an answer. “We could spend the day together. Those years when we lived on the island were some of the happiest moments of my life.”

Ginny had thought so, and sadly she was coming to the realization many of those memories had been centered on the islanders and few were of times she spent with her parents.

Was Soleil putting on an act in front of Allerton like she was? If it was just her life at stake, Ginny might have chanced lowering her guard, but she wouldn’t with Gavin’s.

“They may have been for me, also, but I’ll never know, because I was too young to remember.” Ginny gave a frustrated sigh. “I appreciate how difficult