Bayside Fantasies (Bayside Summers Book 6)

by Melissa Foster

  “Your car is going to be here soon,” she said.

  “I know. I think I have just enough time to say goodbye to everyone if we go now.”

  She breathed deeply and stepped out of his arms, wiping her eyes. With an admirable stiff upper lip that slayed him anew, she said, “Okay. I’m ready.”

  He carried their bags down to the lobby, where their friends were milling about, talking excitedly and wishing Gavin and Harper a great trip.

  “There you are!” Chloe exclaimed. “Did you lose your phone? I’ve been texting you.”

  “I turned it off last night, and we got up early to see the sunrise. I must have forgotten to turn it back on.” Tegan pulled her phone from her back pocket and turned it on.

  Chloe looked approvingly at Jett and said, “The sunrise? Who knew you were so romantic?”

  He sure as hell hadn’t. He didn’t know if Tegan had opened his eyes to who he was always supposed to be, or if he was becoming this person who thought about sunrises and bubble baths solely for her. But his guess was a little of both. He squeezed Tegan’s hand and said, “I’m going to say goodbye. I’ll be right back.” He didn’t want to get caught up in time-consuming goodbyes, so he made a beeline for Dean.

  “You taking off?” Dean asked.

  “Yeah. I’ll see you in two weeks.” He pulled his brother into an embrace, holding him a little longer than usual. He was going to miss him. It had always been easy to put people out of his mind when he said a cursory until next time the night before he took off and then spent hours working. This was anything but easy. “Love you, man.”

  Jett added this new pang of missing his brother to the long list of things Tegan had opened his eyes to, only he wasn’t sure how much he liked it.

  As he released Dean, his brother looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Love you, too. You okay?”

  “He’s probably hurting from that bruise you gave him,” Emery said as she wrapped her arms around Jett and hugged him. “Love you, Jett. That was really fun last night. I’m so happy for you and Tegan. See you in two weeks.”

  “See you then, spitfire.” He looked around at their friends, and that pang hit him again. He’d miss them all. He gave a cursory wave to the group and said, “See you next time.”

  Everyone waved and called out their goodbyes, but Jett was already on his way to Tegan, who was still talking with Chloe, and he was focused on only one thing—making sure she was okay.

  Chloe looked up with a woeful expression as he approached. Tegan looked over her shoulder, and the strong woman who’d captured his heart put on her best fake smile, gutting him anew.

  “See you in a couple weeks, Chloe,” Jett said.

  “I’ll take good care of Tegan for you.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Tegan said with enviable conviction.

  “I know you will.” Jett laced their hands together, holding on tight. “Walk me outside?”

  He grabbed his bag on the way out the door and gave it to the driver. Then he led Tegan a few feet away and embraced her. “I’ll FaceTime you tonight. Eight o’clock.”

  “Great,” she said too cheerily, staring at his chest.

  He slipped his finger under her chin and lifted it so he could see her face. He saw right through her strong facade to the sadness swimming just beneath the surface, but he’d never call her on it. “I’m going to miss waking up with you in my arms and seeing your beautiful face first thing in the morning. But those are the things that will carry me through while we’re apart. What can I do to make this goodbye easier for you?”

  “I’m fine,” she insisted. “I’m going to be swamped while you’re gone. I’m giving the website a final once-over when I get back home today, and that should be up and running by the middle of the week. I have ads that start Friday, and I’m sure there will be questions from customers once that gets going. I have to schedule meetings with the lighting and setup crews. I was telling Desiree and Rick about remodeling the house so I can use it as a playhouse. Did you know Rick is an architect? I’m meeting with him Tuesday; then I’ll call Rob Wicked for an estimate to do the work. I’ve got my big-girl panties on, and I’m ready to dive in feetfirst…”

  As she rambled on about work, Jett saw through that, too. He crushed her to him, silencing her with a long, slow kiss, waiting for that moment she melted against him. When he felt the tension leave her body and she sank into him, he continued kissing her, because two weeks was a long damn time.

  When their lips finally parted, he kept it light to avoid causing more tears, and said, “I look forward to seeing you strip off those big-girl panties on FaceTime tonight.”

  A genuine smile lifted her lips, and she nodded.

  He gave her one last kiss and said, “Until tonight, sunshine.”

  He climbed into the car, looking out the window just as Dean appeared beside Tegan. Tears spilled from her eyes. Every muscle in Jett’s body went rigid. He’d never before had to see the heartache he’d left behind. He thought he was done relying on Dean to pick up his slack, but as the driver pulled away from the curb and Tegan buried her face in his brother’s chest, he wondered if it would ever really end.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  TEGAN PILED HER laptop and notebooks into her bag Monday morning, shoved her feet into her favorite pair of fuzzy boots, threw on her jacket, and headed up to the big house. Jett had called half an hour early last night. He’d said he couldn’t wait another second to hear her voice and see her face. He’d told her about his trip and had given her a tour of his hotel suite, telling her how much he wished she were there. But she’d decided after he left yesterday that she was not going to act sad or do anything else that might make him feel bad for taking care of business, and she was proud of herself for sticking to her guns. Rather than telling him that she missed him so much it had taken her all day to review the website and get her notes over to Evan, she’d said it was a good thing they had the time apart, because if he were there, she’d probably be doing him instead of the work that needed her attention.

  It was hell.

  Flying through the front door, she shouted, “Jock?” She hung up her jacket and hollered upstairs, “Are you up?”

  “In the kitchen,” he called out.

  She went into the kitchen and found him leaning against the counter, a coffee mug in one hand, his phone in the other. On the counter behind him was a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast.

  “Hi.” She dropped her bag on the table and took the mug from his hands, sipping his coffee. “I’ve got everything organized and ready to go. I hope you’re ready to work.” She handed him back his mug and snagged a piece of bacon. “I figured we’d start with contacting the production managers, then the lighting and setup crews.” She took a bite of bacon, and as she circled back to the table, she said, “I think we should make flyers to put out at places like the Sundial Café. I know the ads start Friday, but customers can take flyers, and lots of people who are on vacation probably don’t look at newspapers or local news online.”

  Jock turned his phone, showing her the local news he was reading.

  “You’re not on vacation, and I think it’s a good idea. We should do it.” She pulled her laptop, notebooks, and sticky notes from her bag and bent over the table, spreading them out as she said, “Then I thought we’d brainstorm about where twenty-five to forty-year-olds are hanging out, because when I talked with my parents yesterday, my mom came up with a great idea. We were talking about the book club I’m in, and she said she would assume that women who read romance are more likely to want to see live romantic comedies. I think she hit the nail on the head. We should connect with book clubs, bookstores, and maybe even talk to the local grocery stores about featuring a sign for the theater near their books and magazines.”

  Jock set down his mug and walked over to her. He put his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes.

  “What are you doing? Do I have something on my face?” She swiped at her cheeks.

&nbs
p; “Looking for signs of drugs.”

  “What? I would never!”

  “If you’re not on uppers, then what’s going on? Did you get any sleep last night?”

  “Not really, but I’ve had plenty of coffee. Is there more bacon? You know what? I can make it.” She headed for the stove.

  Jock grabbed her hand and led her back to the table, shoving her into a chair. “Don’t move.” He retrieved the plate and his coffee and set the plate in front of her. “You really miss Jett, don’t you?”

  Waving her hand, she said, “I’ll see him in two weeks. It’s not a big deal.” Then she shoved a piece of bacon in her mouth.

  He arched a brow in disbelief.

  “What?” she asked, mouth full.

  “Do you remember what you did right after Harvey died?”

  She finished eating and said, “I cried, and I called you.”

  “And you spent more than an hour doing exactly what you’re doing now, rattling on about nonsense that was going on in your hometown.”

  “I did not.” She shifted her eyes away.

  “Tegan,” he said sternly.

  She could feel his disbelieving eyes on her, and she threw her hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine. I miss him. But it’s not a big deal. I’m going to keep myself busy and these two weeks will fly by.”

  “Uh-huh.” He sat back, casually sipping his coffee. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No, I don’t want to talk about it. I want to work. Do I have a sign on my head that says I’m weak and spineless and need support? Geez. Chloe called last night offering to come over and watch movies, and Emery texted asking if I wanted to have breakfast with the girls at Summer House this morning.”

  “Sounds fun. You should have gone.”

  She’d been afraid that if she went, they would have gotten the truth out of her, and then she’d be a weepy mess. “I really wanted to get started on this list.”

  The doorbell chimed and she said, “Are you expecting someone?”

  “No. I’ll be right back. You eat.”

  As she plucked another piece of bacon from the pile on his plate, she heard a female voice and thunderous footsteps heading down the hall. Tegan pushed to her feet as Chloe, Emery, Daphne, and Serena flew into the kitchen carrying bags and boxes.

  “Absentee Boyfriend Damage Control at your service!” Chloe said as she held out a box and lifted the lid, revealing a dozen delicious-looking doughnuts.

  Absentee…?

  Emery dumped a grocery bag full of various types of chips on the table. Daphne tossed two gigantic bags of M&M’s beside them and said, “Sweet and salty, which is what every woman needs when she’s sad.”

  A wave of gratitude pushed through Tegan, but she was afraid to embrace it. Once she opened those floodgates, there was no telling what would come out.

  “We’ve got you covered, Tegan.” Serena set two laptops on the counter and said, “You don’t have to go through this alone.”

  “I’m fine.” Tegan plucked a chocolate doughnut from the box and bit into it. “Seriously. I’m not the type of girl who needs to have my hand held just because my boyfriend is out of town. Jett’s working. He’s not abandoning me. I’m totally fine.” She took another bite, filling her cheeks like a chipmunk.

  The girls exchanged worried glances.

  “She’s worse off than we thought.” Emery frowned. “She’s in denial.”

  Serena touched Tegan’s hand and said, “I’ve been there, girlfriend, and let me tell you, it’s not a good place to be.”

  “I’m not in denial,” Tegan mumbled. They were looking at her like it was a load of crap, and guilt ate away at her. “Okay, fine. I miss him like crazy, but I can handle it. So what if I printed out the picture of us that Daphne texted to me from the wedding and put it up next to my bed?”

  “You did?” Daphne asked. “Wasn’t it so special? The way he was looking at you was like he was mesmerized.”

  “I love it,” Tegan admitted. She glanced at Chloe and the others and said, “But when we were painting, I got the impression that some of you thought it wasn’t such a good idea for me to get serious with Jett. Why are you guys doing this?”

  Chloe set the box of doughnuts on the counter and said, “That was before we saw you two together as a couple. Now we’ve seen how Jett looks at you, how he holds you and dances with you.”

  “And watches you across the room like you’re his everything,” Serena added.

  Chloe stepped closer and said, “He made you a frigging love nest just to watch the sunrise. We were wrong, Teg.”

  The girls nodded in agreement.

  “I was wrong,” Chloe clarified. “I’m sorry for being overprotective. I assumed the worst. I should have trusted your instincts.”

  “You think what she said to you was tough?” Serena rolled her eyes and said, “Try being her younger sister. But she only does it because she loves us.”

  Tegan’s throat thickened with emotions, but she didn’t want to cry, not in front of her friends and Jock. “I get it, and I appreciate it. But I’m really doing okay. I mean, sure, we talked until two in the morning, and it was as wonderful as it was torturous to see him and not be able to touch him. But that’s what long-distance relationships are. I know what I signed up for and I’m fine with it.”

  “Maybe you are, but I know how it feels to be miles apart from your boyfriend. I moved to Boston right when Drake and I got together,” Serena explained. “I know Boston is a lot closer than where Jett is right now, but how it feels to miss them is the same.”

  Chloe touched a laptop and said, “And you’re building a business while you’re missing him, which has got to be hard.”

  “And you lost Berta,” Daphne added. “We know how much you loved her.”

  Tegan’s chest constricted. She missed Berta, but she’d thought everyone would think she was silly if she told them.

  “We should have been there for you after you got that news,” Chloe said. “We were caught up in the damage from the storm, and then work, and the excitement of Harper’s wedding. We never slowed down enough to properly welcome you into our sisterhood. But we’re here now. And if you’ll let us, we want to help you in every way we can. With the business, personally, whatever you need or want.”

  “Even if it’s just watching movies and eating junk food,” Emery said. “You’re one of us, and from now on you can count on us to bother you every chance we get.”

  “Don’t you have to go to your real jobs today?”

  “Sisterhood, sweetheart,” Chloe said. “Today you are our real jobs.”

  Tears burned Tegan’s eyes, and she stuffed the last piece of the doughnut into her mouth, hoping to keep them at bay. But when the girls converged on her for a group hug, the tears broke free, tumbling down her cheeks.

  “Looks like I’d better make more breakfast. Who likes bacon and eggs?” Jock asked.

  All the girls cheered, giving Tegan a chance to try to pull herself together.

  “Bacon goes straight to my hips,” Daphne said sheepishly. “I think I’d better skip it.”

  “With a figure like yours, I wouldn’t worry about it,” Jock said as he went to the stove.

  Daphne’s cheeks pinked up, and Tegan had never seen her look so happy.

  Emery clapped her hands and said, “Okay, Damage-Control Girls, coats off. We have work to do!”

  Chatter and laughter filled the kitchen as the girls stripped off their coats, bringing Uncle Harvey’s house back to life. Jock made a joke about not making this a habit because he liked to ease into his days, and Chloe declared, “Once-a-week breakfasts it is!”

  Tegan stood back, basking in her new reality, knowing that with friends like these, she’d never be lonely again.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  JETT SAT IN the conference room of EBC Enterprises Wednesday evening trying to concentrate on the discussion at hand, but it was seven thirty and they’d been at it for twelve hours. Normally that w
ouldn’t be a problem, but while he was mentally ticking off boxes, evaluating the progress EBC had made, he was also strategizing and making plans for the Hyannis projects, wondering if he should bring Jonas in to handle them while he was in London. And then there was Tegan…

  He looked at his watch for the hundredth time, counting down the minutes until their call. He knew that once he heard her voice and saw her beautiful face, the chaos in his head would calm, but it wouldn’t quell the emptiness leaving her had left behind. He hated that she was so far away, plowing through her projects without him there to lend support or to hold her at the end of the day. He was glad that Jock and the girls had stepped in to help, but that had also added to his guilt.

  “I think that wraps it up for tonight.” Ken Wallace, a senior director, looked across the table at Jett and said, “Unless there’s something else you’d like to cover?”

  “No, thank you. I think we’ve covered enough for now. I’m impressed with the progress you’ve made in your department, and I look forward to seeing next month’s reports. I think the implementation of the procedures we spoke of will go a long way now that the waves of the takeover have calmed.”

  As Ken and the others gathered their things, Ken said, “Thank you for putting your trust in my team. Your guidance has been priceless.”

  “My guidance is only as good as the team that carries it out.” Jett shook his hand and said, “Keep up the good work.”

  After they left the conference room, Jett began putting away his things and called Tia. “Hi. I need you to set up a teleconference with Jonas while I’m in LA.”

  “Finally realizing you’re spreading yourself too thin? That it’s time to let him do those types of reviews?”

  “No,” he said, even though he no longer enjoyed the review meetings the way he once had. He spent enough time with the key players with the companies he acquired and restructured during the due diligence and acquisition processes to know how they’d manage. If he wasn’t certain of their success, they would not be in key positions. Maybe the information he gained in these review meetings could be handled by Jonas or one of his other team members. But this review would be over in twenty-four hours and then he’d be on a plane to LA and on to the next project. The next review meeting wasn’t for another three months. He’d worry about that sixty days from now. He had more pressing issues at hand.