The Vision by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online Page B

as if really seeing her for the first time. “You’re
    soaked. And there’s seaweed in your hair. What the hell…?”
    Genevieve looked meaningfully at her friend, her back to Thor Thompson. “You know
    me. I woke up early and just couldn’t resist the lure of the water.”
    “By the dock?” Bethany said incredulously.
    Genevieve made her stare fiercer. “On the beach side,” she snapped. “I can’t resist the water sometimes, and you know it.”
    “Oh. Um. Right,” Bethany murmured.
    “Do you want coffee?” Genevieve asked quickly, changing the subject.
    “Sure, thanks.”
    Bethany plopped down on the futon, where Thor joined her. “You still on for tonight?”
    she asked.
    Genevieve nearly spilled the coffee.
    “Yeah, why not?” he asked.
    “Barhopping,” Bethany told Genevieve. “We’re all going.”
    “Should we be barhopping?” Genevieve asked.
    “We don’t have to drink at every bar. But Thor, Lizzie and Zach haven’t spent much time
    here. We’re going to show them the must-do tourist places and then our own favorites.
    Hey, we’re always in by four o’clock. We can shower, eat somewhere cool, show them a
    few spots and be back by eleven-thirty. Marshall’s coming, and Thor’s the boss of his
    team, so…” She shrugged. “It’ll be great.”
    “I’m not so sure,” Genevieve murmured.
    “When did you suddenly turn into such a stick?” Bethany demanded.
    “Here. Take your coffee. Entertain yourselves. I’m going to shower,” Genevieve said.
    “You’re going to shower—to go diving?” Bethany asked.
    “Yeah. I want fresh seaweed in my hair,” she said, and left the two of them together on
    her futon. She walked into the bathroom and closed and locked the door. She stared at her
    reflection in the mirror again. She realized she was deeply irritated and didn’t know why.
    She also didn’t want them to leave.
    Determined not to dwell on the situation, she hopped into the shower, washed her hair,
    then hopped out. Her suit from the day before was on the rack, and she slipped back into
    it, then found shorts and a denim shirt, and slipped them on over the suit. When she
    emerged, the two were still talking.
    “It was weird. I thought it was coming from here, too,” Bethany was saying.
    “What are you talking about?” Genevieve asked sharply.
    “Weird noises.” Bethany laughed. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d have said you were
    cooking!”
    “You heard noises, too?” Genevieve demanded.
    “Yeah, a real racket. I don’t usually get up way before I need to—especially when I’m hoping to have some energy left at night,” Bethany told her. “What were you doing?”
    “Nothing. I was swimming, remember?” Genevieve said curtly. It was enough to make
    her nuts. She saw a body, no one else did. Thor heard noises, so did everyone else.
    She felt a disturbing, creeping sensation along her spine. How much did that matter when
    she had awakened wet with seawater? And she didn’t remember a thing about leaving her
    cottage.
    “They’ve probably got the tiki bar open by now. I’m hungry,” she said.
    Thor and Bethany rose at her obvious suggestion that they all leave. He headed off to the
    cottage next door, waving a hand behind him. “See you in a few minutes.”
    Bethany stared after him. “Cool,” she murmured.
    “Yeah, he’s just great.”
    Bethany looked at her in surprise. “What’s the matter? He’s got a great reputation.” She
    giggled. “And damned good buns, too. And pecs. And biceps. And those eyes…”
    “Bethany…”
    “What?”
    “Go for it.”
    “Oh, no. I’m not flirting with him or anything. He never fools around on a job.”
    “Who the hell told you that?”
    “I read it. There was a magazine article on him not long ago. He’s the kind who’s married
    to his work. He grew up on the wrong side of town. Father walked out on his mother, she
    wound up dying of a heart attack at forty, trying to raise the kids on her own.