“I understand you and Brody talked to the people in my office yesterday.”
“We did.”
Bryce reappeared with a cup of coffee and a basket of blueberry muffins. “Thanks, Bryce.”
“You’re welcome, Kaegan.” She smiled at him before turning to walk off.
Ray chuckled. “That’s too much sweetness this time of morning.”
Kaegan rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He saw Bryce remove her apron as if she was about to leave. “Excuse me for a second. I need to talk to Bryce before she leaves.”
“Fine. Just so you know, you’re next on our list to interview, Kaegan. Will you be available around ten this morning?”
“Yes. Ten is fine.”
* * *
BRYCE SMILED AT the woman who was her first appointment for today. Although they’d never met officially, the woman, Victoria Madaris, was coanchor for the morning talk show Hello, New Orleans. Because there were no television stations in the cove, all their programming came from New Orleans, which meant Victoria Madaris’s face was seen by many living here. She’d always thought the woman was gorgeous on television and she seemed even prettier in person. She looked to be in her midtwenties and Bryce found her to be friendly and down-to-earth.
“I’m glad you’re thinking about moving to the cove,” Bryce said.
Victoria smiled. “I fell in love with the town when we did a segment on your Shrimp Festival last year. I was smitten. I grew up in a large city, and I found Catalina Cove so appealing. The town seems so quiet, quaint and peaceful.”
Bryce nodded. “What about the hour drive to and from New Orleans five days a week?” she asked.
The woman waved off her concern. “That won’t be a problem for me. Since my show starts at seven each morning, I’ll be on the road by five, when most people will still be sleeping. Besides, I’m used to Houston’s traffic. At least it will be a straight shot from here to New Orleans.”
That was true, Bryce thought. “You want to lease and not buy, right?”
“Yes. And I’d like a two-year lease if possible. That’s the length of time I have left with my contract at the television station, so that timing would be great. The lease I’m in now in New Orleans won’t end for another month.”
Bryce’s smile widened. “I might have just the place you need. It’s the size you want and everything. Currently, it’s occupied. The couple is having a new house built that should be ready for them to move into in another month. After that the house will be ready for occupancy. I think you’re going to like it. It backs up to an apple grove.”
Victoria’s smile widened. “An apple grove? That’s nice. Do you think I’ll be able to see it today?”
“Yes. The owners are friends of mine and they have no problem with me showing it today.”
“That’s great!”
A few hours later Bryce was back in her office. Victoria Madaris had loved Ray and Ashley’s home and had immediately signed a two-year lease. Now Ashley and Ray were glad their house wouldn’t have to sit vacant while she found someone to move in. The timing was perfect. They would move out, and in a month, Victoria would be moving in.
So far today had gotten off to a great start. She’d seen Kaegan first thing this morning. It felt strange getting back into a steady relationship with a guy. Especially one who was not just any guy, but the same guy she’d fallen in love with once but was terrified of loving again. She knew few people understood why she’d put such an impenetrable barrier around her heart. Unless they’d gone through the hurt and pain that she had, she didn’t expect them to understand. She honestly wasn’t sure Kaegan even understood. He wanted what they had before, but she wasn’t sure she was capable of giving him that. She’d stopped believing in forever-after years ago, and for her the burden of trying to believe in it again was something she wasn’t sure she wanted to take on.
How she could go from feeling she meant nothing to him to begin feeling she was his everything again was just something that was hard for her to believe right now. Like she’d tried explaining to him, it had taken her years to move on and rebuild her life, restore her self-esteem after his actions had torn it down. But she had. He wanted to regain her love and trust. At least he’d been duly forewarned that he had a difficult task ahead of him.
She would admit she’d liked how he’d been there this morning to walk her to her car when she’d left the café. It had reminded her of past years, when they were teens and he’d been there whenever she left the café to either walk her to school or home. And she’d liked the kiss he’d given her when she’d gotten behind the wheel of her car.
He had invited her out to dinner Friday night. To the Lighthouse. The cove’s lighthouse-turned-restaurant was a luxurious place to dine. Usually, you had to make reservations weeks, sometimes months, in advance. Kaegan must have used some mighty strong connections to get them a table for Friday night. She was feeling a little bubbly with excitement. This wasn’t the first time he’d taken her out to dinner. However, she knew it was the first time they’d dined together in public in Catalina Cove. This dinner would officially announce them as a couple. A part of her couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about it since most people living in the cove knew their history. But at the same time, she felt thrilled that Kaegan didn’t mind announcing to the cove that she was the one he wanted.
She almost jumped when the intercom on her desk buzzed. “Yes, Pia?”
“There’s a Mrs. Corsuti on the line. She wants to ask you about available warehouse property in town.”
Bryce smiled. Usually Wednesdays were her slow days, but so far things were hopping today. She couldn’t help but be overjoyed. “Please put her through.”
* * *
KAEGAN STARED ACROSS his desk at the two men. “Okay, what questions do you have for me?”
“All right, then. Let’s get started,” Brody said, taking out a writing pad. “Any enemies, Kaegan?”
Kaegan knew the question was a routine one to ask under the circumstances, but it still gave him pause. “Not that I know of.”
“Any unusual occurrences lately? Anything you noticed odd? Either here or at home?” Brody asked.
Kaegan rubbed a hand down his face. “Nothing I can think of.” Then he remembered something. “A few weeks ago someone slashed my tire, but I mentioned that to you, Sawyer.”
Sawyer nodded. “You thought it was bored teens with nothing to do on a Friday night.”
Brody lifted a brow. “Bored teens with nothing to do on a Friday night?” he asked, chuckling. “When the Livewire is feeding them free pizza? That’s one of the first things I was told about when I returned to town. My team have to make sure the place is never over capacity.”
Brody shifted in his chair and then asked, “What did you do with the tire after you changed it?”
Kaegan worked his shoulders to get out the kinks. He had to remember that in Brody’s profession as an investigator, he thought like a cop, too. “Since it couldn’t be repaired, I bought a new one from Lester’s Auto Repair Shop. Lester kept the old one.”
Sawyer nodded. “I’ll swing by there to see if Lester still has it.”
“Why?”
“You have an SUV. Slashing a tire for that vehicle isn’t easy. I want to see the tire to determine what type of instrument was used—knife, blade, box cutter or whatever.”
“I see.”
“What about jealous girlfriends, or the boyfriends of ex-girlfriends?” Brody asked.
“None.”
Brody raised his brow. “None?”
“None.”
“Are you saying you haven’t dated women?” Brody inquired.
“Not your typical definition of dating.”
Sawyer chuckled. “In other words, Brody, Kaegan and the women had an understanding of just how deep their commitment level went.”
“I’ll
still need their names.”
“Only one woman living in Lafayette named Jodie Metcalf, but we haven’t been together for a while now,” Kaegan said. “More than over a year.”
“And since then?” Brody asked.
“No one, although I would admit a woman named Sasha Johnson was making a nuisance of herself by calling me. I blocked her number and then told her brother about how she got my number since it’s private.”
“Her brother?”
“Yes. Farley Johnson. He works for me as team lead on one of my boats. It seems Sasha got my number off his phone. He raked her over the coals about it, and I understand she got mad and left.”
“Left?”
“Yes. She moved back to where she came from.”
“Which was?”
“Some place in Texas.”
“Are you seeing anybody now, Kaegan?”
He nodded. “Yes. Bryce Witherspoon. She and I started seeing each other again on a serious level a week or so ago,” Kaegan said, making sure Brody understood the relationship he had with Bryce was different from the one he’d shared with Jodie. Bryce was different. In his mind she was his forever girl. He thought about the engagement ring he’d intended to give her ten years ago. A ring he still had.
“What about jealous ex-boyfriends of Bryce’s?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“We’ll find out when we talk to Bryce,” Sawyer said.
Kaegan didn’t particularly like the sound of that. “Is that necessary?”
“Yes,” Sawyer said. “I don’t plan to leave any stone unturned.”
“Anything else you can think of that might have happened recently?” Brody asked.
Kaegan rubbed his chin and said, “No. There is nothing that I can think of.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
BRYCE LOOKED AT the man walking by her side up the steps to her home. “I really enjoyed tonight, Kaegan. Everything was wonderful. Dinner, the music, the service—now I see why people come from miles around to the Lighthouse. It was truly a great experience.”
They reached her door. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
She didn’t say anything while she pulled her door key from her purse. She looked back up at him and asked, “Would you like to come in for coffee? Mom made blueberry pies and sent me one. I don’t mind sharing a slice or two with you.”
He chuckled. “Or maybe three? You know how much I love your mom’s blueberry anything.”
“Yes, I know,” she said, chuckling while opening the door to her home.
He followed her inside, and the minute the door closed behind them, he pulled her into his arms and his mouth swooped down on hers. The thought of pushing him away never entered her mind. She’d been anticipating this kiss all night.
Although she didn’t fully understand it, she needed this. She hadn’t seen him since Wednesday morning, when he’d walked her to her car. He hadn’t come to the café yesterday morning or today. He had called Wednesday night to let her know he needed to go out on one of his ships to do inspections with his insurance company for two days. Although the fire inspector had ruled the fire was caused by arson, the insurance company had wanted to make sure for themselves that all his ships were in tip-top condition.
They had talked each night. He’d asked her how her day had gone and she’d asked about his. However, he would end the call telling her he loved her and how much he wanted her in his life. And he would tell her what he intended to do the next time he saw her and at that moment he was making good on his words.
His kisses were always long, deep and totally enriching. They had the ability to send a maddening amount of lust through her and his masculinity drew her to him like a magnet. Kaegan had always had an air of charisma that fascinated her. Made her desire him even when she didn’t want to.
He was one of those men that women would pause and then drool over whenever he walked into a room. She had been so comfortable and confident in their relationship that she hadn’t been prepared for how it had ended. Pushing thoughts of the past from her mind, she concentrated on this long, deep, drugging kiss and how he was making her feel. How it was making her keenly aware just how skilled he was in using his mouth and his hands.
And how at that moment she was powerless to resist him.
He suddenly broke off the kiss and he stared down at her with his dark, penetrating gaze. The one that could easily make her panties wet. Then he was lowering his mouth and kissing her again. Her purse dropped to the floor and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He was using his tongue and lips in ways that had her moaning, and then she began shattering in his arms as her body sprinted into one powerful climax. Only Kaegan had the ability to do this to her. Make her come from a kiss.
And then he was kissing her even deeper than before and she was absorbing all the satisfaction she felt in every part of her body. She felt the way his hands were cupping her backside as if it belonged to him and she clung to him, fearful if she let go she would slide to the floor.
Her hands moved from around his neck to stroke a pair of powerful shoulders. There was so much masculinity in this man. When she was able to get her breathing back under control, she looked up at him. “You could have waited until I invited you to my bedroom.”
“And were you going to invite me to your bed, Bryce?”
She knew the answer to that. “Yes.” Her body had begun throbbing for him the moment he’d shown up to take her to dinner. She figured the only reason he hadn’t kissed her then was because Duke had been there replacing the knob on her dishwasher.
“Then do it, Bryce. Invite me to your bed.”
She had a feeling for her to issue an invitation was important to him. What if he wanted to stay overnight? His truck was parked in her driveway for all to see. Should she care? Inwardly, she knew that she wouldn’t care. She was thirty-two, a few months shy of thirty-three, and was too old to care what people thought and what they would say.
“Would you join me in my bed, Kaegan?”
He smiled down before sweeping her into his arms and then heading toward her bedroom.
* * *
“YOUR MOM DOES wonders with blueberries,” Kaegan said, as he and Bryce sat at her kitchen table sharing a slice of blueberry pie with cups of coffee.
It was crazy. They’d made love so many times during the past four hours, yet his body was hard, ready for a repeat performance. She was sitting across from him wearing his shirt. Unbuttoned and nothing else. Did she not know what a sexy image she presented? How hard it was to resist her?
“I’ll give Mom the compliment,” she said, intruding into his thoughts. “By the way, Sawyer came to see me today on official police business. He questioned me about any jealous ex-boyfriends.”
He looked over at her. “Do you have any jealous ex-boyfriends?”
She chuckled. “None that I know of, but he still wanted names of anyone I’ve dated in the past year.”
“Well, I happen to know one jealous boyfriend of yours.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Who?”
“Me.”
She looked shocked. “You?”
“Yes. Even when I was supposed to dislike you, I was jealous of any guy who paid any attention to you. I remember seeing you out on a date a few times and it took everything I had not to break some man’s jaw.”
She frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. You didn’t even like me then.”
“I’m thinking that maybe I did, but was refusing to admit it to myself. Even when I wanted to believe the worst about you, I still couldn’t let you go. I used to drive Ray and Sawyer crazy.”
And because somebody said that confession was good for the soul, he added, “I even warned Isaac, Vaughn and Brody to stay away from you when they moved back to town, in case they got any ideas.”
She stared at him and he w
ondered how long it would take for her anger to boil over. He figured she wouldn’t like what he’d said, mainly because he’d had no right to do that. But he preferred telling her now than letting her find out later and use it as a wedge between them.
When she didn’t say anything, but just sat there staring at him, he asked, “You don’t have anything to say about it?”
She just finished off the slice of her pie while sipping her coffee. Then she finally said, “I thought I was the only one who felt that way. The only one bothered by the thought of someone else in your bed. I would tell myself you weren’t worth the pain you had caused me, yet when I heard you were messing around with Jodie, although not publicly, it bothered me nonetheless.”
Maybe confession time was a good thing, he thought. If nothing else, this discussion would get her to think about a few things. They had the bedroom thing down pat, but needed more work on the Kaegan-and-Bryce thing. They had issues, he knew that, but he was willing to work beyond them and wanted her to be willing to do so, as well.
“Why do you think it bothered you?” he asked her.
She shrugged her beautiful shoulders before pushing aside her plate and coffee and then lifting that pretty yet stubborn chin. “Because in my mind, you were mine and had always been mine. I believed that we had fit perfectly, and no other woman would fit to you as I did.”
She leaned in closer and added, “I believed every part of you belonged to me. And the thought of another woman touching you, and you touching her, caused me so much pain. It hurt me something awful and made me mad. So, I guess you weren’t the only jealous one, Kaegan.”
He knew it must have taken a lot for her to admit that to him. Causing her pain would always be something he promised never to do again. Now all he wanted to do was be the cause of her happiness, if she gave him a chance. If only she would trust him with her heart again.
“Don’t you find it rather strange, Bryce, that even when we weren’t supposed to like each other, we still felt possessive toward one another? Why was that?”
Finding Home Again (Catalina Cove) Page 25