Page 6 of Tide and Seek
It was enlightening traveling with Maxwell.He was relaxed and self-assured while dealing with airport staff and hiring a car to take us to the beach house.I was used to watching him painfully flounder with the quirky people of Rainy Dale.But in this bustling, urban environment, Maxwell moved with confidence.He was poised, and I stood back and let him handle most everything.While it was strange to see that different side of Max, it was also a bit of a turn-on.Who didn’t like being taken care of by the man they loved?
Once we landed at LAX, we grabbed our luggage and headed out front, where there was a black town car waiting.Our flight had landed way past rush hour, so I’d expected we’d have missed the worst of the infamous LA traffic.I was dead wrong.It was stop-and-go all the way to Max’s beach house.What should have been an hour-long drive ended up taking two.
When we finally pulled up to the gate that kept the small beach colony of Ocean Whisper Estates private, I was more than ready to get out and stretch my legs.Max punched in the entrance code, and the big gates swung wide.Ocean Whisper Estates was a private community with only four homes.What the colony lacked in numbers, it made up for in opulence.All four of the homes appeared to be two-story, elegant, architecturally magnificent structures.
The alabaster disk of a moon dominated the night sky, hovering over the ocean.As I climbed from the town car, I inhaled the cool, briny air, taking in Maxwell’s beach home for the first time.Even though it was night, the size of his home made it clear this was no humble beach shack.
“Home sweet home.”Maxwell’s tone was self-deprecating.The driver helped drag the suitcases out of the trunk, and Max tipped him.
I let out a low whistle, taking in the contemporary elegance of Maxwell’s beach home.The full moon made it possible to see the structure, and I was able to see that Maxwell’s home was a harmonious blend of natural stone and floor-to-ceiling glass panels.The lines of the home were sleek, and when I walked around the side of the building to take a peek, I could make out an infinity pool and a fire pit area.
“Damn, Max,” I said.“This isn’t just a beach house.This is a work of art.”
“I had nothing to do with the design of the structure.I only bought it for investment purposes.”He seemed uncomfortable at my reaction to his beach home.
“Still, it’s nice.When was it built?”
“In the 1950s, but the home was fully renovated and modernized in the sixties by the previous owner before me.He’s the one who made the place what it is.”Again, there was a self-conscious note in his voice.
“It’s an amazing home no matter who built it.”I glanced around at the other three beach houses.Thanks to the full moon and the plentiful supply of landscape and exterior lighting, I was able to see they were different in style but equally nice.
While Max’s beach house had a modern vibe, the other homes had more of a Mediterranean charm, with terracotta roof tiles and whitewashed walls showcasing thick bougainvillea.All of them were unique, and all of them probably cost an obscene amount of money.
“Shall we go inside?”Max moved toward the front of the home as he spoke.His luggage rolled over the uneven ground effortlessly, while my economy suitcase’s cheap wheels seemed to get hung up on every small rock.
I dragged my suitcase behind me, admiring the full moon hovering just above the horizon of the ocean.The moon cast a pewter glow across the surface of the dark water.The homes sat slightly above the beach, so I couldn’t see the sand below, but I could hear the waves crashing on the shore.I’d actually never seen the Pacific Ocean up close and looked forward to seeing it in the daylight.
The emergency restoration company had replaced the lock on the front door, where the intruder had forced it.They’d then overnighted a set of four keys to Maxwell for the new lock.He fumbled a little with the lock but finally was able to open the door.The alarm started beeping, and Max stepped inside and quickly punched in his security code on the keypad by the door.
I followed him inside, and when Max flicked on the lights, I was met with an airy space that screamed minimalist elegance.The color palette seemed inspired by the sand and sea.There were soft, neutral tones of beige, gray, and white dominating the space, accented by the rich, warm hues of natural wood.Floor-to-ceiling windows offered what would be an unobstructed view of the ocean in the daylight.
The living room décor was sophisticated—probably a little too sophisticated for my tastes.I preferred dark woods and comfortable, homey suede furniture.Max’s aesthetic was very different, with low-profile, modular sofas upholstered in a soft, dove-gray fabric, and a large abstract painting in shades of blue and green.The only vaguely rustic touch was a sleek, built-in fireplace set into a feature wall of natural stone.
“This looks like a magazine.”I rubbed the back of my neck, giving a gruff laugh.“I’m almost afraid to walk all the way inside in case I mess up a photo shoot.”
“It is a bit much, isn’t it?”Max grimaced, arms crossed as he also studied the space.“I never really liked the décor.It cost me an arm and a leg, but it never felt like home.I hired a decorator who was the friend of a work colleague.I had no real sense of what I wanted, so I let her just do her thing.The result was I ended up with a home that looks like the lobby of the Marriott.”
“No.It’s very… stylish.”
He sighed.“How very tactful of you.The truth is, while it might look stylish, the couches are exceedingly uncomfortable.Maybe we should go furniture shopping while we’re here.”
“I think you have enough on your plate as it is.”
“True.Not to mention, what’s the point of refurnishing a beach home I rarely visit?”He flicked his gaze to mine.“Unless you want to make this trip to LA for the summer a tradition?”
I smiled weakly.“Maybe we should wait to see if this old country boy can even survive this trip.I’m not a city boy like you, Max.”
He wrinkled his brow.“I doubt I’d qualify as a city boy these days.”
“You’re certainly not a country boy yet.”
“No,” he murmured.“I’m certainly not that.”
I moved to a bookshelf, tugging out a leather-bound mystery novel.“Have you noticed anything missing or out of place yet?”
“Nothing that jumps out at me.”He glanced around and headed toward a built-in shelving area to the side of the room.
There were several items on the shelves I didn’t immediately recognize.Those were probably the medical equipment pieces he’d talked about.He pulled his handkerchief out of his suit pocket and picked up a polished brass instrument.The metal glowed with a warm, golden sheen as he turned it over in his hands.
