“No, and he hasn’t asked,” Toby said, trying to keep her voice light but not succeeding. “He’s not interested in me that way.”
“I don’t believe that,” Lexie said. “Why would he go to all the trouble of staying with you if he weren’t dying to get into bed with you?”
“Friendship,” Toby said. “We’re great friends. And besides, he’s about to become engaged. Really, Lexie, could we talk about something else?”
“You haven’t fallen in love with him, have you?”
“No,” Toby said. “He’s a friend but nothing more. When he leaves, we’ll wave goodb
ye and that’ll be it. What about you?”
“Bored,” Lexie said. “When I met this kid before, I liked her, but now she’s a dud. I can’t even get her to go on a driving trip to see some of the countryside. She says she’s seen it all.”
“Too bad,” Toby said. “The poor child has probably been dragged around everywhere in her short life, while you want to see the world. If you get too lonely, you should come home.”
“But only after Saturday,” Lexie said. “After he leaves, right? Will you drive him to the airport or will a limo pick him up?”
“He’s not a limo sort of guy,” Toby said. “Sometimes it’s hard to remember that he’s a prince.”
“Especially since he spends his days helping you with Victoria’s wedding.”
Toby knew Lexie was trying to make her feel better with her insinuation that maybe Graydon didn’t like any females. But she’d seen him smile at pretty waitresses, seen his eyes widen at some girl in a nearly nonexistent bikini. He seemed to like every woman on earth except her.
She and Lexie promised to keep each other informed and hung up.
“I think I’m going to have to admit defeat,” Toby said to Graydon. They were looking at the pile of sketches, and so far, they hadn’t come up with any new ideas that they thought would intrigue Victoria.
Graydon leaned back in his chair. “I wish I could say that we can do this, but I’m beginning to agree with you.”
She looked back at the drawings. They’d come up with everything from having the pastor skydive in, to drawing the wedding Toby always envisioned for herself. They’d set up the table with the watercolors and she’d done most of the painting.
“I’m beginning to think that the wedding has to be personal to Victoria,” Graydon said. “Unless we know more about her personally, all we can do is guess at what will please her.”
As soon as he said it, they both knew. They looked at each other, their eyes locking, their minds in complete harmony.
“Where?” Graydon asked.
She knew what he meant. The person on island who knew the most about Victoria was the man she was going to marry, Dr. Caleb Huntley, and Graydon was asking where he could be found.
“He’s the director of the NHS, the historical society.” She looked at her watch. “He’s probably at work now.” She looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. “I’ll change,” she said as she headed up the stairs.
Graydon was right behind her. “Should I wear a tie?”
“Heavens, no! You’ll look like an off-islander. Put on that light blue denim shirt and the dark brown trousers.” She went into her bedroom and stripped down to her underwear. “And put on those shoes that lace up,” she called through the open doors.
“Brown or black?” he called back.
“Brown,” she said as she stood there looking in her closet. It was less than a third the size of Lexie’s big walk-in, so all her clothes were jammed together. Where was her pink and white dress?
“Which shoes?” Graydon said from the doorway. He had on trousers and an open shirt, and he was barefoot and holding two pairs of shoes. “Oh, sorry,” he said when he saw her in her underwear. He turned around but he didn’t leave the room, just held the shoes out behind his back.
“The ones on my left, your right.” She pulled the dress out and held it in front of her. Graydon was still standing inside her bedroom, his back to her. “Do you mind?”
“No, go ahead and get dressed.” He didn’t move.
That wasn’t what she meant. She stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door half open.
Graydon sat down on the end of the bed and put on his socks. “So what do we ask this man?”