Page 5 of Persuaded

* * *

The next afternoon he had a shift at Dee’s coffee shop. In the summer, in tourist season, he worked there most days, but in the fall there weren’t so many visitors and his hours were fewer. It suited him fine; his rent was cheap and the extra free time was welcome, although he had to work at not becoming a recluse. He found he lacked the energy to put himself out there anymore. People were tiring, conversations were tiring, and he felt so much happier alone with his mediocre piano. He still found solace in music, of course, for which he was profoundly grateful. The day that changed would be the day he really started to worry.

Dee’s two daughters—Lexa and Ali—had just graduated from college and were both considering their futures. He doubted they’d stay in New Milton for long; the bright lights of New York City were too hard to resist for smart and ambitious young women like them. But right now they were home, drinking coffee in a corner of the coffee shop, talking in hushed tonesover a laptop while Joshua worked behind the counter. The only customer was Don Brennan from up at the Majestic, New Milton’s only hotel, so Joshua didn’t mind the girls taking it easy.

“Saw your old rust bucket out front,” Don said as Joshua pressed the plastic lid onto his coffee. “Looks like a darn death trap. Your front right tire’s as bald as me.”

“It still gets good mileage,” Joshua said with a raised eyebrow. Don enjoyed tinkering with engines, and Joshua’s total lack of interest in cars had become something of a running joke between them. “And it’s not like I use it all that much. It’ll do for now.”

Don huffed and pulled out his wallet. “Bring it up to the Majestic sometime, and I’ll look it over for you. Make sure it lasts the winter.”

Joshua narrowed his eyes at his uncharacteristic generosity. “What’s going on?”

“Huh?” Don failed to look innocent, and capitulated without a fight. “Oh, fine. I heard about the house. Just trying to, you know... Be neighborly.”

“By insulting my car?”

“By offering to—Ah darn it. You know what I mean.”

Joshua smiled, relenting. “I do. And thank you. That’s—I guess everyone knows about the house, then?”

“Pretty much.” Don dropped his change into the tip jar. “Can’t keep anything secret around here, boy, you know that.”

He did, in a way. But it also wasn’t strictly true; he guarded a secret that no one would ever guess.

As if on cue, Don said, “I heard there’s some TV actor buying the place?”

Joshua had to swallow hard, but made himself answer. He’d have to get used to talking about Finn as though they were strangers. “The actor’s his brother,” he said, grabbing a cloth andwiping down the spotless counter. “Sean Callaghan is the man buying the house—he’s a lawyer.”

Don snorted, decidedly unimpressed. “Don’t know what’s worse. Just hope he takes care of the place. Say what you will about your father, he always took care of Hanworth Hall.”

“Shame he didn’t take care of his business,” Joshua said and regretted it immediately. That was nobody’s problem but his. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t—”

“Nah. It’s your family, your right. What the heck do I know about any of it?” Don picked up his coffee. “Guess I’m glad it’s not the actor. Don’t want those Hollywood types up here.”

“Speak for yourself,” Lexa piped up from the corner. “Finn Callaghan is hot as f—” She checked herself and grinned at Don. “Heck. Hot as heck.” She swiveled her laptop toward him. “Check it out.”

Don scowled at the image but Joshua didn’t dare look, afraid of what he might reveal.

“Hmph,” Don said. “Looks like your usual Hollywood type.”

Ali and Lexa exclaimed in protest.

“Newt, what do you think?” Ali called. “Come and look.”

“I, uh—I have to clean the—”

“C’mon, Newt, you can spare two minutes,” Lexa said. “What do you think? Not bad for our new neighbor?”

He didn’t want to risk protesting too much, so, heart thumping stupidly—he’d seen recent pictures of Finn, after all—he slipped out from behind the counter and peered at the laptop from as far back as he thought he could get away with. And there he was, looking right into the camera: Finn Callaghan, the man Joshua had loved more than he’d ever loved anyone. The man he’d given up.

“So?” Ali prompted. “Hot, right?”

The picture looked like it had been altered—Finn’s eyes had never been that green, nor his teeth so straight and white,nor his lips quite so pink—but basically Finn was just as he remembered.

“He’s very attractive,” he said and retreated back behind the counter. “I think he’s had his teeth capped, though.”

Ali waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, they all do that. It’s, like, literally part of the job.”

---