The Summer Retreat

by Sheila Roberts

  “That’s some kingdom. So your life’s gone to shit?”

  She suddenly found it difficult to hold her lips up in a smile. Did he know? “You could say that.”

  He sobered. “It really has, huh?”

  Okay, he hadn’t known, and she was paranoid. And looked like a loser. “Let’s just say I needed a change of scenery for the summer.” It had been easy enough to arrange. She’d sublet her apartment for the summer to a new hire at school who’d moved up from Oregon. She was staying at the Driftwood free. She would come out ahead financially.

  “Can’t find a better place to forget your troubles. See you around.”

  She stood for a moment, watching him walk away. With that dark hair, swarthy skin and gorgeous muscled bod, he was a walking work of art. Why was Seth Waters here, in Moonlight Harbor? Alone, no less. Why wasn’t he married and making house payments? She’d asked her sister on more than one occasion, but Jenna was evasive.

  Seth Waters was a mystery. What woman would let him out of her sight?

  Speaking of double lives, what was Emerson doing right now?

  Who knew? Who cared? She hoped he’d gotten demoted and was giving out parking tickets. Even that was too good for him.

  He’d taught her a valuable lesson, though. From now on, she was going to guard her heart like Fort Knox. No more sexy alpha males. No more jumping into anything.

  When Jenna and Aunt Edie’s friends came over for their usual Friday-night gathering, she was reminded that she wasn’t the only woman ever to have man problems. Annie Albright, who was a waitress at Sandy’s, one of the town’s favorite restaurants, was on the verge of leaving her alcoholic husband.

  “I hate to do it,” she told the others, “but he’s out of control and I don’t think it’s good for Emma.”

  “I’m glad you’re finally realizing that,” said Courtney Moore, who was her best friend. “He’s a mean drunk.”

  “He hasn’t hit me,” Annie said, defending her husband.

  “Yet,” Courtney said. “I’ve heard him yelling at you. It’s only a matter of time.”

  “You don’t want your daughter exposed to that,” put in Nora Singleton, who had brought dessert from her ice cream parlor for everyone. “And if you move out, maybe it’ll be a wake-up call for him.”

  “Sometimes we all need a wake-up call,” said Taylor Marsh. She’d gotten one when she stayed at the Driftwood in December, and now she and her family were living in Moonlight Harbor and she was working for Brody, selling houses.

  Annie wiped at the corners of her eyes where the tears were gathering. “I hope so. I still love him.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” Tyrella Lamb gave her a hug. Tyrella owned Beach Hardware. She’d had her share of trouble, her husband dying only a few years earlier. “We’re just going to have to pray that boy out of his alcohol addiction.”

  “Good luck with that,” said Courtney, the cynic. “Men,” she added in disgust.

  Celeste’s feelings exactly.

  “Not all men are evil,” Tyrella lectured. “And what’s with this attitude when you’ve found someone online?”

  “Found him and lost him ASAP,” Courtney said with a frown. “You know how he said he had such a great job, VP in charge of marketing? Well, that great job actually vanished six months ago. The guy’s out trolling for a sugar mama.”

  Patricia Whitehead, who owned the Oyster Inn, shook her head sadly. “What is wrong with men these days?”

  “There’ve always been no-good ones,” Aunt Edie said as she passed around a plate of cookies. “Don’t give up,” she said to Courtney. “I didn’t start out well, either, but then I wound up with Ralph and he was worth the wait. I think if you’re patient, a good man eventually comes along.”

  Patience. Was that all there was to it? Celeste sighed and spooned the last of the ice cream from her bowl.

  * * *

  Patience was certainly paying off for Jenna. Brody was crazy about her, and it was nice to see a man showing her the appreciation her ex had deprived her of. She was keeping him in the friends corner, but it was obvious he was determined to turn their relationship into something more serious.

  Celeste could see her sister being happy with either him or Seth, she thought as he escorted the sisters into the Porthole for dinner on Saturday night. It was the town’s nicest restaurant, and it offered a killer view. He’d secured a window seat so they could watch the waves curling onto the beach in a lacy froth.

  “How much did Jenna pay you to bring me along?” Celeste asked, only half teasing.

  “Since when does someone have to pay me to take out two beautiful women?” he replied. Oh, yeah. Brody Green was a charmer. And as good to look at as the view out the window.

  Drool-worthy, charming, well-off. Yeah, not a bad choice. “Could we clone you?”

  Jenna groaned. “One of him is enough.”

  “More than enough,” he said, winking at her.

  “Well, it’s very inconsiderate of you not to have a younger brother,” Celeste told him.

  “I don’t think you need any help from me,” he said. “The men are going to be lining up from here to Moclips.”

  “I’m not holding my breath.”

  “Just because one man blew it?” Brody looked suddenly self-conscious and Celeste realized her sister had been talking about her. Who else knew she was a love loser? She gave Jenna a scowl that promised an inquisition when they got home.

  He cleared his throat. “So what would you ladies like to drink? I’m guessing white wine?”

  “Poison for my sister,” Celeste muttered.

  “Check out that view,” Jenna said. “What a gorgeous night.”

  The rest of the evening went smoothly with talk of how things were going at the Driftwood, the listing Brody had just gotten—“Let me know when you’re ready to buy a house, Celeste. I’ll find you a deal”—some Chamber of Commerce gossip. And of course, Brody asked Celeste how it felt to be back in Moonlight Harbor.

  “Guess you two spent time here when you were kids,” he said.

  “We always loved coming down,” she told him. “I’m glad Jenna’s settled here.”

  “I’d love it if Celeste and Mom would move down, too, and we’d all be together,” said Jenna.

  “If my mom and sister moved here, I’d relocate,” Brody said. “That would be two interfering women too many.”

  * * *

  Jenna was not going to interfere in her sister’s life. It wasn’t interfering to help her find her feet socially and introduce her to some of the decent men in town. Starting with Pastor Paul Welch. A minister could be exactly what Celeste needed, and this one was good-looking, sweet, had his act together. Oh, yes. Celeste could do a lot worse. Victor King would be a good choice, too. He was tough on crime but soft on women, so easily embarrassed it was adorable. Celeste had options, and there was nothing wrong with introducing her to them.

  Okay, she shouldn’t have told Brody why Celeste had come to town for the summer. That had been...

  “None of his business,” Celeste said later, as soon as Brody had dropped them off. “I suppose the whole Friday-night group knows about me, too.”

  Only Nora and Tyrella, and thank God they hadn’t opened their big mouths and stuck in their feet like Brody had. “I’m sorry. It sort of came out when he asked me to dinner.”

  Celeste glared at her. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. You said, ‘I’m not going out with you unless you take my sister, too.’”

  “Something like that.”

  “I’m a big girl. I can treat my wounds on my own.”

  Jenna cocked an eyebrow. “And that’s why you came down here, to treat your wounds on your own?”

  “I needed a change of scenery and some sister time. So sue me.” Celeste plopped on the bed and kicked off her shoes. “What I don’t
need is everyone in Moonlight Harbor knowing every frickin’ detail of my life.”

  Jenna sat down next to her. “I’m sorry. Really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have blabbed. But remember, everybody has breakups.”

  “And you had to explain why you wanted to bring your sister along on a date.”

  “That wasn’t how it went.”

  “Close enough.”

  “I didn’t want to abandon you the minute you got here,” Jenna said in her own defense.

  Celeste sighed. “I hate being a love loser.”

  “You know that old saying—you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince.”

  Celeste had done a lot of frog-kissing. She hoped her prince was waiting for her in Moonlight Harbor. If he was, Jenna was determined to find him.

  Chapter Three

  Celeste had never been an early riser and on weekends made a habit of sleeping in. Which she was doing Sunday morning, splayed out on her stomach, one pedicured foot sticking out from under the covers, when Jenna shook her by the shoulder and announced it was time for breakfast.

  “I’ll get something later,” she mumbled and turned her head away.

  Oh, no. Nice try. “There is no later. We have to get out the door to church in forty minutes.”

  Celeste turned back and gaped at her. “Church?”

  “Yeah, you know, that place Mom always took us to when we were growing up.”

  “I’m done growing up.” Celeste settled back onto the pillow.

  Jenna pulled it out from under her.

  “Hey!” she protested.

  “Now that you’re here for the summer, you have to come with us and set an example for Sabrina.”

  “Is Aunt Edie going?”

  “No, she’s old and she doesn’t like the loud music.”

  Celeste grabbed her pillow back. “Tell Sabrina I felt it was my duty to stay home and keep Aunt Edie company.”

  “Come on, don’t give me grief. It’s only an hour out of your day.”

  “An hour of lost sleep.”

  “Come on,” Jenna repeated. “Please?”

  “Oh, all right. But I’ll probably sleep through the sermon.”

  Not once she saw Pastor Paul she wouldn’t.

  Forty minutes later they were walking into the church foyer. Sabrina’s two best friends, Jennifer and Hudson, had been waiting for her and instantly swept her off to hang with the other kids, the three of them talking and giggling.

  What a difference from when they’d first come to town and Sabrina had resented not only being at church but also being in Moonlight Harbor. Jenna had been relieved when she’d finally found some friends.

  She’d also found a boyfriend. Tristan was a nice kid, but four years older than Sabrina. Due to their age difference, and rampaging hormones, Jenna had limited boyfriend time to parties and hanging out at the house. He’d just graduated from high school and would be going off to college in the fall, and she suspected her daughter’s year-long romance would come to a painful end once he met some cute college girl.

  Sometimes it seemed that all the women in her family were love-challenged. Sabrina had fallen for a senior when she was only a freshman. Celeste fell for users and losers. Their mom had never found another man to take their father’s place. And there was Jenna herself. After her disastrous marriage she was standing at the edge of the love pool with just one toe in the water, even though Brody was ready to catch her and urging her to jump in. Would she jump if Seth was in the pool? In spite of the chemistry between them, he wasn’t holding out open arms.

  She’d figure that all out once she helped Celeste get her love life right.

  Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard, considering the way Celeste was looking at Pastor Paul, who was approaching them. She could almost see the thoughts swirling in her sister’s head. Prince or frog?

  “Yes, he’s single,” Jenna said.

  “Just because he’s in a church doesn’t mean he’s got it together,” Celeste whispered.

  “This man does,” Jenna assured her. “Hi, Paul,” she greeted him. “I don’t think you’ve met my sister yet. Celeste, this is Paul Welch, our pastor.”

  Celeste’s eyes got big. “P-pastor?” she stuttered.

  Paul Welch was the polar opposite of balding, pot-bellied Pastor Munsen, the minister at the church they’d attended growing up.

  “Welcome to Moonlight Harbor,” he said to Celeste.

  “Thanks. You’re a pastor?”

  He raised his eyebrows curiously. “Is that a bad thing?”

  “No, it’s just that you don’t look like a pastor.”

  “What does a pastor look like?” he asked, an easy smile on his face.

  “Old. I mean...not like you.”

  “Give me time, I’ll get there,” he said. “I hope you enjoy your visit with us today.”

  “I will if you’re not boring,” Celeste teased, recovering from her shock.

  “I’ll try not to be,” he said, still smiling. Someone called to him and he moved on, but not before saying, “I’m glad you could join us today, Celeste.”

  Jenna elbowed her. “See what you missed when you didn’t come to church with me last summer?”

  “Old.” Celeste rolled her eyes. “You could’ve warned me.”

  “About what? That I have a cute pastor?”

  “And an ulterior motive for getting me here.”

  “You needed to get to church,” Jenna said as her friend Tyrella walked in. She waved and Tyrella joined them.

  “You look too cute,” she said, giving Celeste a hug. “I swear, God overblessed you two when it came to looks,” she continued, hugging Jenna, also. “Have you been introducing her around?” she asked Jenna.

  “Only to Pastor Paul so far.”

  “I bet he’ll have trouble concentrating on his sermon now,” Tyrella joked. She waved at Hyacinth Brown, who was standing nearby, talking to two other women while simultaneously assessing Celeste. “Hyacinth, come on over and meet Jenna’s sister.”

  Jenna didn’t know Hyacinth very well. She was a skinny little thing with big brown eyes who dressed in drab colors. She’d pretty much kept her distance since Jenna had been attending the church. Jenna had put it down to her being shy.

  But now she felt the chill as Hyacinth said a polite hello to Celeste. Okay, so Hyacinth wasn’t simply shy. She was also insecure and not open to welcoming single women into the church family, especially curvy ones with platinum hair, green eyes and plenty of personality. Considering who their pastor was, that shouldn’t have been surprising. Half the women in church crushed on Pastor Paul, and Jenna supposed Hyacinth was a member of his fan club. Maybe all that volunteer work she did around church had a hidden agenda.

  “Is this your first time here at Moonlight Harbor Evangelical?” she asked Celeste.

  Celeste nodded. “I came with my sister.”

  “Oh.” Hyacinth took a moment to digest that. “Are you visiting?”

  “I’m here for the summer. I’m going to help out at the Driftwood Inn. How about you? Have you been in Moonlight Harbor long?”

  “Two years,” Hyacinth said, and didn’t volunteer any more information about herself. There will be no effort made to become friends.

  “She owns the fabric store,” said Tyrella. “And you’re offering quilting classes right now, aren’t you?”

  Hyacinth nodded but didn’t share any information about her classes, either.

  “She made all the banners in the sanctuary,” Tyrella went on, “and she and Susan Frank are on the decorating committee. Actually, they are the decorating committee. They do the flowers for church every week.”

  “That’s appropriate,” Celeste quipped.

  Hyacinth managed a wilted smile. “So you’re here with your...husband?”

 
Talk about the third degree. Was it because she’d seen Paul talking with Celeste?

  Celeste’s smile suddenly looked a little wilted, too. “No husband. Not even a boyfriend.”

  “Oh.” Hyacinth sounded surprised.

  “I’m in between men,” Celeste said lightly, hiding her heartbreak.

  Apparently, Hyacinth didn’t approve of being in between men. “I hope you enjoy your visit,” she said briskly, then excused herself and went back to the group of people she’d been talking with before Tyrella called her over.

  “Yeah, I’ll bet you do,” Celeste said.

  “A pretty woman in between men, just what the other single women want to see,” Tyrella cracked. “Come on, let’s go get a seat.”

  Jenna enjoyed the service. She didn’t play an instrument and could never manage to sing in the same key as everyone else, but she loved music and she loved the morning’s selection of songs, which were all positive and encouraging.

  Pastor Paul’s sermon was encouraging, too, although a couple of times he seemed to lose his place. Funny how those times coincided with when he happened to glance over at Celeste. “I know some of you have been going through hard times,” he said.

  That was for sure. One of their members was battling melanoma. An older man had recently lost his wife. Annie, who’d slipped in late, was struggling with her alcoholic husband, and Jenna saw she was dabbing her eyes. And then, suddenly, right next to her, her sister was taking a shaky breath.

  Pastor Paul looked Celeste’s way at that moment, and Jenna could have sworn that if he hadn’t been in the middle of a sermon, he’d have hurried over to offer comfort. “But,” he began. “Uh. But...” He cleared his throat and stared at his notes. “We can’t lose hope.”

  Celeste sniffed, and Jenna took her hand and squeezed it.

  “Let’s remember to embrace those difficult times in our lives,” he concluded, “knowing that they’re building perseverance and helping us mature in our faith. All things work together for good for those who love God.”

  “Even those who haven’t been in church for a while,” Jenna whispered to her sister.