Sea Glass Castle (The Carolina Coast Series Book 3)

by T. I. Lowe

  August hopped out and hurried to help Doc climb into the backseat of his King Cab. “Don’t you know the saltwater fishing laws, sir?”

  “Only enough to be dangerous,” Doc fired back, sending the artist into a boisterous bout of laughter.

  Wes shook August’s hand. “Thanks for helping me out with them.”

  “No worries.” August grinned.

  “I think they have too much time on their hands. Is there anything they can help with at the camp to keep out of trouble for the rest of the day?”

  “We can hear you,” Seth commented, leaning out the open window.

  Wes shot him a glare, thinking his brother’s visit was wearing thin. He’d been here a little over a month now and didn’t show any signs of leaving soon. Seth was like garlic bread—an enjoyable treat when freshly presented, but the lingering presence on the palate afterward . . . not so much.

  “Your brother doesn’t have a job?” August asked, shoving his hands into his front jean pockets. Wes noticed he was splattered with mud instead of the usual paint.

  “It’s one of those jobs where all Seth needs is a computer and Internet access. He’s in the gaming and coding business.” Wes said it with an air of aloofness, but he was right proud of his brother. Seth was a genius with an IQ of 133 but disguised himself as a back roads country boy.

  August scratched the side of his neck and glanced at the two men in the back of the truck. “Since they’re already filthy and clearly know their way around explosives, I could use their help finishing the obstacle course and setting up the fireworks.”

  “That sounds perfect.” Wes looked for a fairly clean spot and clapped August on the shoulder. “Call me if they get unruly and I’ll send Sophia over to straighten them out.”

  “Send her on now. I like that feisty chick,” Seth smarted off.

  Linc reached over and sent the window whirring up, mumbling something about it being wise to shut up while he was ahead.

  They parted ways and Wes made it back to the office with only ten minutes to spare before the doors reopened after the lunch break. He made a beeline to Sophia’s office and found her right where he’d left her almost an hour ago, behind the desk with those vivid blue eyes glued to the computer monitor.

  He walked over and pulled her chair out until there was room for him to go to his knees and rest his head in her lap. “My brother is going to be the death of me,” he mumbled, blindly searching for her hand and placing it on his head. She easily took the hint and began combing her fingers through his hair.

  “How’d it go?”

  Wes’s eyes began rolling around as her nails scraped against his scalp. The massaging motion instantly dispersed the tension. “They’re free for now, as long as they can stay out of trouble.”

  He knew it was selfish to always seek Sophia out for her soothing touch, but Wes was too drawn to the little spitfire, who had more comforting warmth than a thick quilt by a crackling fire. In the past few weeks, she had somehow managed to settle a deep hurt within him, and a peace had overtaken some of the shadows lingering in his soul.

  “Did they get to keep the clams, at least?”

  “I gave them to Bruce as a thank-you,” he slurred, feeling sleepy all of a sudden.

  “You better wake up.” Her hand left his hair and popped him on the back. “I had to shuffle a few appointments from right before lunch to the afternoon.”

  Wes inhaled a deep whiff of her perfume as he rose to his feet. “You feel bad for me, right? Working all morning and then having to deal with that fiasco instead of eating lunch?”

  “Of course I do. Poor wittle Wes,” Sophia answered in a patronizing tone, making him want to tickle her.

  “Good. That means you’re running with me tonight.”

  Her teasing expression morphed into all seriousness. “Nah-uh.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “I can’t run three miles in the mud. That’s plain ridiculous.” She glared.

  “You run with me on the beach in the wet sand at least three days a week. It’s more or less the same thing. Plus, it’s for a worthy cause.” He straightened his tie and then shrugged out of his jacket, knowing it was time to prepare for the afternoon appointments. After draping the coat over his arm, Wes snatched a protein bar from the snack drawer and shoved it into the pocket of his dress shirt. Thankfully, Sophia stocked healthier selections than what Agnes used to keep on hand.

  “I’m not stupid. Mud runs are obstacle course runs where you have to wallow in the mud. Lincoln Cole designed the course, so I know it will be a whole heckuva lot different than wet sand.”

  “Run with me and I’ll owe you one.” Wes hurried to his office with Sophia following.

  “You’ll owe me at least two.”

  “Agreed.” Wes hung the jacket and shrugged on his lab coat. The sounds of a door opening and closing indicated that the staff was filtering back in from their lunch break.

  Sophia plucked the protein bar from his shirt pocket and unwrapped it before holding it up to his mouth. Wes leaned over and took a playfully big bite and winked. He couldn’t help but smile when she rolled her eyes.

  “Ugh. Put those darn dimples away and get to work,” Sophia sassed, handing the bar over and sashaying out of his office with enough prissy spunk to draw forth a toothy grin. Today she wore a pair of leggings with a flowy blue top that Wes thought looked more like a dress. Whatever she wanted to call it, he thought she was downright lovely in it.

  Wes tried to study the afternoon’s revised schedule but couldn’t rein in his thoughts about Sophia. Ever since she had snuck into his house back in October, she’d been sneaking into a special place in his heart. She’d been firmly by his side—whether it was working, running, church services, or an amicable date—and he liked her there. A lot.

  Only thing he didn’t like was that she was keeping Collin away from him. The little boy had claimed his own special spot in Wes’s heart, and he couldn’t help but miss him. Sunday visits just weren’t enough. Sure, he understood her hesitance after Seth’s big mouth got in her ear, but he wanted to prove to them he wasn’t delusional about their place in his life or his place in Collin’s life. He knew he wasn’t Collin’s father. That honor belonged to a big idiot who was missing out on so many blessings by putting himself before his son.

  “Your first patient is waiting in the coral reef room,” the nurse said as she knocked on his open door. “I’m pretty sure you’re looking at a sinus infection.”

  “Thanks, Krista. I’ll be there in a minute.” Wes grabbed his stethoscope and headed that way, leaving the worry of Sophia and Collin for later.

  •••

  The November night was cool and crisp. The mud was icy and mushy. Sophia was frigid and prickly. And Wes was over it all by the time they’d crossed the finish line and received their sand-dollar-design finisher’s medals. If he’d cut her like the deadweight she was, Wes was fairly certain he’d have finished in the top three.

  “Never again,” he muttered, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand, knowing good and well it didn’t help. They were both covered in mud from head to toe. Him, from maneuvering the obstacle course like they were supposed to. Her, from being shoved into the last mud puddle by Lincoln after he met up with them near the end, where he was standing guard.

  “You’ve shirked the whole dang thing, Miss Priss!” Lincoln had yelled before giving Sophia a swift shove. The “puddle” was closer to the size of a small pond.

  Sophia wrung the water out of her ponytail and huffed, bringing Wes’s attention back to the present. “Never again is right.” They were traipsing through the patch of woods that separated the obstacle course from the parking lot.

  “It wouldn’t have hurt you to do the obstacles.”

  Sophia stopped and hitched her hands onto her hips. “I ran the entire thing. No one said it was against the rules to go around the obstacles.”

  “You do realize you added at least two extra miles by doing tha
t?” Wes mirrored her pose, feeling right exhausted. He had run the course as directed and then kept backtracking to find Sophia so she wouldn’t get lost in the dark.

  “We survived it, didn’t we? Well, almost. That big oaf has it coming to him when he least expects it. I don’t know why you’d even think I’d be into something such as this. I could have just made a donation and sat up on the bleachers at the finish line, with Opal and Josie and the other sane people. I’m not a mud kinda girl. . . .”

  The full moon beamed through the tall trees, filtering ribbons of silver along her scowling face as she continued her rant. Even in such an angry state, Sophia was easily one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen.

  She reached out and jabbed him in the chest with a finger while fussing on and on about nonsense. Before she could retract her hand, he grabbed it and pulled her into his arms.

  Wes’s plan was to tell her to hush up already and release his hold on her, but when Sophia let out a gasp and melted into his embrace, that plan was all but forgotten. His lips pressed against hers, effectively ending her rant and his long pent-up need to kiss her.

  Wes had come to understand a lot about Sophia—and the life she had endured—as they’d grown closer during the past four months. It had been a loud life that seemed to be too aggressive and cumbersome. Many of their late-night talks involved her sharing the trials she’d withstood with Ty. She often expressed how exhausted it had left her. Wes was determined to be the opposite in their friendship, their working relationship, and in this kiss.

  He presented it with no force, simply placing his lips against hers and holding the caress in a gentle manner. When Sophia didn’t push him away or bite him, he brushed his lips from one corner of her mouth to the other and back again. Featherlight and slower than cool molasses.

  The boisterous sounds of music and celebration beyond the trees seemed to fall away as his heart began pounding in his ears. It was scary yet invigorating. With shaking, gentle hands, Wes cupped her muddy face and deepened the kiss by a fraction. They were surrounded by a thick blanket of earthiness, yet her sweet floral scent was there, reminding him of how solid Sophia’s support had become.

  Wes thought the room had tilted the night he first heard the beautiful melody of Sophia’s laughter, but that didn’t come close to what he felt as she parted her lips to invite him closer. The entire forest tilted and spun until it turned his life completely upside down.

  Dazed, they broke apart when a voice boomed over the camp’s loudspeakers about something Wes was too boggled to catch. He stared at Sophia, trying to gauge her response to what he’d done. She looked as surprised as he was. Sure, it was something he’d pictured happening a time or two, but he never thought it would actually happen.

  Whether to revel in the kiss or to feel guilty about it pushed and pulled against him as his eyes unfastened from her and looked around the shadowed space. He raked a hand through his damp hair and gathered several deep breaths.

  “Sophia, I’m—”

  “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry for kissing me.” Sophia jabbed a finger right over his heart in the very same spot that felt both good and bad for what he had just done.

  The feeling reminded him of a runner’s high—exhilarating even though it took enduring a fair amount of pain to achieve it. He had spent the better part of the past month sorting through his feelings. Wes knew Sophia wasn’t Claire. Not once had he tried to find his wife in the feisty brunette. But he’d be lying if he said he didn’t sometimes catch himself picturing Luke through Collin, especially after Seth expressed his concerns about it.

  As Wes watched Sophia ramble out another tirade with her arms flailing around, he knew in his heart that the concerns didn’t hold a light to the visceral need to have them both in his life. This time when he pulled her back into his arms, the kiss was planned. Slow and tender, the caress was meant to convey just how enamored he’d become with her.

  He knew he loved Sophia and Collin for who they were, not for what they could never be. He hadn’t come to Sunset Cove with any hope of finding what he’d found. But here she was, standing before him in muddy clothes and enough sass to keep anyone on their toes. Wes knew—

  A crackling sound whizzed through the air, followed by a loud boom, and the sky came to life in bursts of color. The unexpectedness of the fireworks seemed to give him a little push.

  Wes released Sophia from the kiss and blurted, “I didn’t move here for this.” He took a step back as the forest lit in hues of blue and red. “I didn’t even like you when we first met.” He shook his head, feeling overwhelmed and knowing his perfectly prepared speech was coming out all wrong.

  Sophia looked as confused as she had every right to be. “Okay.”

  “No, it’s not okay. I didn’t want to want you, but—”

  “Seriously?” Sophia growled and stormed off before he could finish.

  “Wait! I’m saying it all wrong!” He hurried after her just as she set out into a sprint.

  By the time he reached the parking lot, Sophia’s SUV was pulling out. He ran to his car to follow her. The garbage bag he’d brought along to protect his seat from the mud crinkled underneath him as he got in and yanked the seat belt on, huffing and growling the entire time.

  Colleagues and family members alike had always complimented Wes on how eloquent he was. Always clear and to the point. Surely he’d just debunked that in one fell swoop. He had to hold himself back from slapping a palm to his forehead. “Idiot!” he muttered, focusing on Sophia’s SUV taillights.

  As soon as she parked in front of her condo, she darted to her door, but he managed to catch her before she disappeared inside. He gently wrapped a hand around her upper arm.

  “How dare you kiss me like that and then tell me you don’t want to like me,” she muttered through clenched teeth, snatching her arm out of his grip.

  Wes placed his hand over hers where she was jamming the key into the lock. “Sophia, I don’t like—”

  “Momma needs to get home. Whatever you want to say can hold.” She swatted his hand away and shoved the door open, but before she could slam it, Wes shouldered his way inside.

  “No. This won’t hold. I don’t like you; I—” Before he could tell her he loved her, they both came to a halt in the dim living room.

  Stretched out on the couch, watching TV while holding his son and looking right at home, was none other than Ty Prescott. He flashed them a megawatt smile before placing a finger to his lips in a hushing manner, giving the illusion of a perfect daddy. The little guy was snoring with his tiny arms latched around his dad’s neck, as if even in sleep, he worried Ty would disappear again.

  The image twisted Wes’s gut. He hoped Sophia’s stiffened shoulders indicated she was no more thrilled about Ty’s presence than he was.

  “What are you doing here? Where’s Momma?” Sophia whispered.

  “Hey, babe.” Ty grinned again and winked at her. Wes had never wanted to punch someone so badly in all his life. “I sent her home.”

  “But what are you doing here?” Sophia moved closer and pointed at the boot on Ty’s foot. “And what happened to your leg?”

  “You didn’t watch last night’s game?” When she shook her head, Ty explained while rubbing Collin’s back. “Made the game-winning touchdown only to be tackled at the back of the end zone. We got twisted up and I injured my Achilles tendon. I’m out for the rest of the season.”

  Wes wanted to tell Mr. Football to go recover somewhere else. That Ty wasn’t welcome in their home, but he stopped himself when he realized this wasn’t his home, nor was it his place to say anything.

  “Who’s this?” Ty asked, jerking his chin in Wes’s direction with an attitude he had no right having.

  “Oh, this is my boss, Dr. Weston Sawyer. I’ve told you about him.” Sophia shifted her weight from one foot and back to the other. “We participated in a charity run tonight.”

  It bothered Wes that she didn’t include the fact that
he was her friend or her fake-yet-real boyfriend with whom she held hands on a fairly regular basis. Nor did she add that he was an amazing kisser. But Wes figured he deserved her omitting all of that after he’d just flubbed probably one of the most important moments of his life.

  “Yeah, Lucy told me about it.” Ty slowly sat up. “Babe, you want to put our son down?” He cradled the toddler close while placing a kiss against his messy curls.

  It was the very same spot Wes had placed numerous kisses. Nauseated, he knew the deadbeat dad had more right to do it than he did, and there was nothing fair about that.

  “Umm . . . let me change out of my muddy clothes first.” Sophia hurried down the hall. As her bedroom door shut, the men’s eyes locked.

  “Thanks, man, for giving my wife a job while my lawyers work out our mess.”

  Wes caught Ty’s use of the word wife but chose not to point out what they both already knew. He wouldn’t say anything out of line while Collin was in Ty’s arms.

  Sophia was back in a flash, wearing black yoga pants and a long-sleeved black shirt. “Good night, Wes,” she said dismissively before bending to pick up Collin and march toward his bedroom without one glimpse back.

  Ty stood and stretched, giving Wes a chance to size him up. The guy had at least six more inches in height than Wes and was broader through the shoulders. Lincoln Cole could take him, Wes thought, but I’m not so sure I could. The notion caught him by surprise because he’d never been a violent person. But something about Ty standing before him had his protective instincts on high alert. Perhaps some pride was mixed in there, too.

  “Lucy filled me in on all you’ve been doing for my family. Heard you potty trained my boy and got him to stay at the preschool. Aren’t you handy to have around?” Ty picked up the remote from the couch cushion and turned the TV off.

  “Among other things,” Wes replied dryly, knowing the docile conversation was heading toward a spitting contest and that just wasn’t his style. Even though he was seething, he held on to an air of aloofness, determined not to give Ty the satisfaction of getting under his skin.