"What's going on Rhea?" Otto asked, sitting in the same chair that Eli had earlier.
"Well, right now I'm working on balancing the impossible situation that is my parents bank account." She knew it wasn't what he meant but she hoped to distract him.
His stare was hard. "That's not what I meant Rhea, and you know it."
"Then why don't you tell me specifically what you meant?"
"Why was Elias Emory here?"
"That's none of your business Otto," she countered as she leaned back in her chair, sipping at the glass of tea that she had next to her in attempt to look relaxed.
His face grew serious. "Did you, or are you having an affair with Mason Stevens?" His abrupt question caught her off guard and she started coughing on the tea that was in her mouth. She had expected him to question her about Eli not Mason.
"Why would you think that?" she asked, truly perplexed.
"The other morning in the kitchen, he said it was like old times, implying that you two knew each other, and last night you two looked awful cozy while his wife and Eli were singing."
"Cozy?" she was mystified that he would think such a thing.
"He had his arm around your shoulders and you were leaning against him. You don't do that with someone you've only just met."
Rhea was silent, she had misjudged Otto's observation skills and she shouldn't have. If he thought it...
"Who else thinks this?" She jumped up from her chair and started to pace. She had been so determined to keep everyone from suspecting her feelings for Eli that she hadn't been paying attention to how friendly she was with Mason. If she had to admit to knowing one she would have to admit to knowing both; unless she could play it off as no big deal.
"Phoebe, and your mother have noticed it, and I might have mentioned it to Lola." He shrugged.
As if she had been waiting for her cue, Lola breezed into the office without knocking.
"Hey guys!" She closed the door behind her and flung herself on the couch behind Otto, completely unaware of the undercurrent of tension just as Otto had been earlier, but now Rhea knew better, he had picked up on the tension between her and Eli and she would have to be more careful.
"Rhea, I thought I would come stay at your place for a few days," Lola announced.
Rhea couldn't help but think that it was to get closer to Eli. "Sorry Lola, Mr. Emory has rented the entire house. I can't give you a room."
She frowned but after a moment it turned into a smile. "I'll ask Eli, he'll agree." She sounded so sure of herself, Rhea wished she was that sure. The man had told her he loved her and she still doubted it.
Otto was still looking at Rhea waiting for an answer and Lola was finally picking up on the undercurrent running through the room.
"What am I missing?" she asked, leaning forward, looking from one to the other.
"I was asking Rhea what was going on between her and Mason Stevens." Otto informed her.
"Are you still on that?" Lola sounded exasperated as she leaned back on the sofa. "There is no way that Rhea is having an affair with Mason, that would be as ridiculous as saying she was having an affair with Eli."
"Maybe I am having an affair with Eli!" Rhea suggested.
Lola laughed. "Rhea, you would never have an affair with a married man, which rules Mason out, and Eli, well, Eli would scare you."
Lola was right on the mark about her as usual. Except for the fact that she was having, or had had, an affair with Eli, despite the fact that she was scared to death of him for so many reasons. But her need for him far outweighed the fear.
"But Eli doesn't scare you?" Rhea asked.
"No." She grinned again as she pulled out her phone and looked at something.
"You can calm yourself on both counts Otto, Lola knows me well and she is right about both men."
"What about that year you spent in L.A.? Mason said that it was like old times at breakfast the other morning. I heard him loud and clear."
Lola's ears perked up at that.
"Mason Stevens is a strange man, he was probably talking to Mr. Emory while trying to flirt with me and it came across as if he was talking to me." He had been talking to her and she was clutching at straws in an attempt to throw Otto off the scent.
"He does seem to be an outrageous flirt, he was all over you last night while his wife was singing and he was whispering to you, what was he whispering?" Lola asked joining Otto in the third degree.
"He was saying that he liked the song that Eli was singing." It wasn't an exact lie, he had said that Eli had sung the song for her."
They both looked at her with total disbelief.
"Fine! Eli and I had a mad passionate affair, and Mason is trying to help Eliget back in my good graces because I decided it wouldn't work between us. The reason Eli was here this evening was to tell me that he loves me and he wants us to be together." It felt good to say. She felt relief at finally being honest about the entire thing. It was as if a weight had been lifted of her shoulders.
Until Lola started laughing and Otto stared at her in anger.
"Fine Rhea! I was only concerned for you, you don't have to lay the sarcasm on quite so thick!" He stood up and headed for the door to the office. "I'm going to go get the boat ready, I'll take you home if your ready, since Eli is ready to leave already."
"Eil is going back on the boat?" Lola jumped up from the couch. "I'll come with you, it'll give me a chance to ask him if I can stay for a few days."
And that was that. Rhea couldn't hold back the tears that trickled down her cheeks. If her own best friends thought the idea of her and Eli together was joke, what would the rest of the world think?" She let herself have a good cry for a few minutes then she dried her eyes and packed her stuff as she headed for the door. She was glad it was cold because she could wear the hood of her jacket up and over her face, that coupled with the dark should keep everyone from noticing that she had been crying.
The walk to the pier was abnormally short and when she got there she saw Lola and Eli sitting on one of the bench seats talking and Otto was stowing some gear in the back of the boat.
"Here she is, finally. It was getting cold Rhea!" Lola said happily. "Eli said its fine that I stay for as long as I want, isn't he a sweetie."
Rhea nodded, not looking at either one as she moved to the opposite end of the boat, passing Otto on the way. He gave her the cold shoulder as she passed and it upset her even more.
The boat fired up and Rhea automatically reached for the mooring rope, pushing the boat away from the pier. She and Otto had done it so many times it was second nature to them and they didn't need to discuss anything.
After they were underway Rhea sat facing into the wind, thankful for the cold breeze that made her face and mind numb.
"What's wrong Rhea?" Eli asked as he joined her.
"Nothing," she denied.
"Something is, you and Otto had a fight? Was it about me?"
"Yes." She admitted. She should say more, she was going to until she looked up at his face and saw the coldness there.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you and Otto were in a relationship. You should have told me." Eli said accusingly.
"I...you..."
"Irresistible, I remember. Too hard to resist even if you are spoken for, I didn't expect that of you Rhea."
Rhea should stop him, she should tell him the truth, but she knew it wouldn't be enough to make him stop pressing the issue and she wanted him so badly that she wouldn't be able to hold out for long. At least this way, with him believing the worst about her, that she was dating Otto and accepting a date with him as well, he would leave her alone.
She watched him as he rejoined Lola and she laughed at something he said. All she could think of was that he had said that he loved her.