Chapter 48: Seeds of Doubt

"How do you like having Paul back home?" Heather sat while crossing her legs and staring intently at Iris with a nasty little smile Iris couldn't stomach - all smug.

God bless clueless Laurel. She thought she was doing good as she spun the stylist chair so that Iris was facing Heather directly. If only her hair wasn't being meticulously cut right now, Iris would have tapped her feet around until she gave Heather her back.

"It's just fine," Iris said through tight lips not wanting to lure her into conversation; the bright red cape that tented her body hid as her nails dug into the cushioned armrest. She never much liked Heather- ever since they were kids. She especially held resentment towards her after she broke her brother's heart to date Jamie Harrison. Jonah's deceased son.

Jamie had a car and Daddy's money to buy her jewels and designer clothes.

All Paul had was his set of hands that carried her books and a desire to love and be loved unconditionally.

Heather sighed leaning back against the plush red seat. "I went to the inn for breakfast and one of the servers told me your brother and Serena left together bright and early looking very cozy. Apparently, she spent the night there too, which was shocking considering her relationship with that handsome cowboy from Rozier Valley."

"What do you know about Serena's love life, Heather?" Iris snipped immediately. She hated the way Heather's smile grew wider as if she had her prey just where she wanted it.

"Small world that it is, I asked Jonah to buy me a horse because I want to take up riding and well...," she said as she leaned forward. "I'm sure you can guess whom we were buying the horse from by now," she paused, turning to the stylist. "Laurel, honey, do you think you can make me a cup of coffee, please?"

Laurel's nimble fingers halted, "Now?!" She asked incredulously looking at Iris's hair. "Beth will be here in ten minutes, can you wait?"

Heather shook her head. "Now, pretty please," she confirmed in a sickly sweet tone. "I'm afraid I'm terribly tired from all that horse riding I did yesterday. I fear I'll fall forward from fatigue when you're cutting my hair. You know how relaxing it is to have your hair played with."

With a sigh that bordered between dejected and annoyed, Laurel placed the shears on the workstation counter and walked to the back of the salon.

Iris stared at Heather without saying a word. It damn well wasn't Heather's business that Serena was no longer with Wes and if she found comfort in her brother's arms, well it was about time.

"Anyway," Heather continued, "when my darling Jonah and I went to settle business matters in his office wouldn't you know, there was a picture of our Serena right there on his desk!" Heather leaned back in the seat, "Naturally I asked how he knew her and he mentioned they began dating nearly a year ago, which naturally begs the question, did she tell Wes not to go to Maui with her because she was going to meet up with Paul there?"

Iris scoffed. "You're reaching for ridiculous imaginary conclusions. Serena and Paul were not even in Maui together."

"Oh?" Heather raised an eyebrow and she pushed a strand of bleached blonde hair behind her ear. "Funny- that's not what Connie tells me." She narrowed her gaze on Iris. "All this time you and your mother had no idea where Paul was, worried sick about him, yet Serena knew how to find him and didn't care to tell you."

Iris scoffed. "Pea-green-envy isn't your color, Heather. Why don't you focus on your ex-boyfriend's father and let everyone else live their life without concerning yourself with their business."

Heather chuckled. "In a small town like this, darling? Why, you know gossip is practically our very own national pastime."

Laurel returned with a steaming white mug in her hands. Without a word, she held it in front of Heather.

"On second thought," Heather slowly pushed the cup away from her. "Being that I am early and you're nowhere near done with little Iris here, I think I'll grab a cup from that tea shop across from the inn." Heather stood and walked to the door, pausing and turning back to look at Iris.

This very act sent a shiver down her spine.

"Makes you think if Serena has always been your friend with ulterior motives, doesn't it?" Heather walked out of the shop with a satisfied smirk on her face.

It wasn't until Iris got home that she remembered the pictures Serena sent her from Maui. As she scrolled through them she noticed something she had never noticed before - her brother was definitely in one of the pictures.