Sea Glass Castle (The Carolina Coast Series Book 3)

by T. I. Lowe

  “Now that I have a few months off, I’ll take it from here.” Ty hobbled over to the door and opened it.

  Wes remained where he was standing and glanced down the hall, knowing Sophia had no intention of reemerging any time soon. “Sophia is your ex-wife, so she’s no longer your concern.” He gave Ty a measured look.

  Ty grinned like he thought what Wes said was cute. “I plan on winning my wife back.” He made a lazy ushering motion at the open doorway.

  Wes glanced down the hall again. He had the overwhelming desire to snatch Sophia and Collin and take them as far away from the wretched man as possible.

  When Wes made no move to leave, Ty took a step over to him and whispered, “I’m good at getting what I want, and those two are all I want. I’m here to see that happen.” He loomed over Wes, obviously going for intimidation. “They’re mine.”

  Wes stood taller and bowed out his chest. “You better not hurt them again, because I can promise you one thing . . . you won’t get away with it unscathed this time.”

  Ty’s smirk fell away, revealing a severe glower. “Who do you think you are?” The words came out in a hushed snarl and a manner that would have had most people backing away.

  Wes didn’t back down, even going so far as taking a step closer. “I’m a real man who knows it’s never appropriate to hit a woman. A real man who knows how to stay faithful to his marriage vows and understands what a precious gift his wife and child are. One that would never put himself first instead of his family.” His temper was about to get the best of him, so Wes leisurely walked out the door as if he didn’t have a formidably fuming blockhead at his back.

  Halfway down the outdoor steps, he turned around and glared at Ty. “If Sophia chooses to give you a second chance, I won’t stand in the way. But you better think twice before mistreating her or Collin in any way. You won’t get away with it again,” he reiterated, leaving the threat to linger heavily in the air between them.

  The only thing Wes could do at the moment was leave well enough alone and plead with God to protect Sophia and Collin. But despite praying all the way home, nothing about the night sat well with him.

  By the time he stormed through the door at the beach house, Wes was close to coming undone. Seth walked out of his room in sweats, drying his hair with a towel.

  “Get packed. Time to go home,” Wes said, moving toward the stairs.

  “Man, I told you I’m sorry about getting arrested again. Don’t kick me out,” Seth whined close behind him.

  Wes shook his head as his hand gripped the iron banister. It felt icy compared to his sweaty palm. He halted his ascent and turned to face his brother. “It has nothing to do with that. . . . We’re both leaving. Sophia’s ex is in town. It looks long-term.”

  “So? You just gonna run away? That’s stupid.” Seth slapped the towel against his thigh. “We both know you’re in love with her. You gotta fight for what’s yours.”

  Since Seth arrived last month, Wes had done a lot of talking and Seth had done a lot of listening.

  “I’m not so sure I have any right to claim her.” Wes held his hands out to show Seth how they were quivering with rage. “I need time to cool off. If I don’t, you’ll be bailing me out of jail for a change.”

  “You’re right. You do need to calm down.” Seth suddenly looked worried. Not a look he wore much.

  Wes shoved his hands through his mud-crusted hair and paced in a tight circle. “It’s taking every bit of my willpower not to grab the baseball bat and storm back over there to give that hotshot Ty Prescott a taste of his own medicine.” Before Wes realized what he was doing, he was beating a path toward the closet where the bat was tucked, but Seth reached out and stopped him.

  “Take a breath, man.” Seth locked eyes with him through several stuttered breaths. “I think a weekend trip might do you good, but we’re both coming back here Sunday to deal with this like men.”

  “I need to shower first. Be ready to drive.” Wes shrugged off Seth’s hand and took the stairs two at a time, hoping the six-hour drive to Alabama would give him enough time to cool off and give Sophia enough space to decide what course she wanted to take—without his interference.

  15

  As soon as she heard the front door closing, Sophia stepped out of Collin’s bedroom to face whatever obstacle Ty planned to throw at her this round. She was stronger than she once was, but he was just as intimidating as ever.

  “What are you doing here, Ty?” she asked while he locked the front door. When he turned and limped back to the couch, she noticed his cheeks were tinged red and a deep grimace shadowed his face.

  Ty wiped the anger away with precision and resurrected an easy smile—the facade she knew all too well. “I figured with this free time on my hands while I recuperate, we could work on us.”

  Her heart squeezed before thudding harder in her chest. “There is no us anymore.”

  “Babe.” Ty pointed to the cushion beside him, but she remained standing. “Please . . .” He tried his persuasive tone and followed it by tilting his head to the side and blinking with an innocence he executed flawlessly. There was no denying that the man knew how to glow with enough charm to light up a room.

  Knowing better, Sophia held her ground. “I’ll allow you to stay in the guest room just for tonight, but tomorrow you need to find another place to stay.”

  “Seriously?” He actually looked hurt.

  “Yes. Ty . . .” She shook her head, feeling the mud drying along her neck. “I’m in desperate need of a shower.”

  Ty stood. “Now you’re talking, baby. I’ll wash your back.” He winked with a salacious grin.

  “That wasn’t an invitation.” She shook her head again. “I’m exhausted. I can’t do this tonight.” She hurried to her bedroom and walked straight into the adjoining bathroom, being mindful to lock the door behind her.

  Good thing she did, because not even a minute into her shower the door handle jiggled. Back in the day, Ty would sneak in and try to make her forget how nasty a person he truly was. She was naive back then and would quickly give in. But now, after several rounds of bruises and embarrassing headlines—not to mention signed divorce papers—she wouldn’t be taken for a fool ever again.

  She couldn’t contain the smug grin when Ty let out a huff of frustration and finally gave up on the door opening at his whim like it used to. Not again, she told herself while scrubbing the mud out of her hair. Never again.

  After the shower, Sophia texted her mom. You leaving Collin with Ty. Not. Cool. She powered the phone down to leave the rest of the argument for tomorrow and snuck into the hallway. All the lights were off and the guest room door was open. A faint glow indicated he was in there on his phone. She tiptoed into her son’s room, gathered him up, and brought him back to her bed. Once she had the little sleeping bundle situated, she locked her bedroom door and climbed in beside him.

  In the dark, Sophia listened to the comforting sounds of Collin snoring. She smiled, thinking he was an old man trapped in a toddler’s body. As he let out a grunt and turned over, her thoughts drifted to the other important man in her life, and it sure wasn’t that unwelcome guy down the hall.

  Wes had floored her tonight with that kiss. It was so tender and pure. An intimate gift that didn’t demand anything in return. It was everything a kiss should be, yet it was the first of its kind Sophia had ever experienced.

  The doorknob jiggled, pulling her from the sweet idea of what could be. Even though the room was pitch-black, her eyes looked around. She pulled Collin closer and listened as either Ty’s forehead or fist tapped against the door.

  “I love you, babe . . . I love you.” His words were muffled through the door before his limping gait moved away, allowing Sophia to release the breath trapped in her lungs.

  Ty Prescott was a man of smooth words, but she had learned the hard way that they eventually came up empty. No actions backed them up to prove he loved her. The only thing proven had come from his fists, and at
a hefty price.

  Swallowing the threatening tears, she willed herself to keep the facts front and center. Ty was too charismatic for his own good. Paired with his handsome looks, it was a recipe for danger. If he planned to be around, it would be crucial for her to keep a level head, firmly rooted in reality, and ignore the fantasy he was a pro at presenting on a silver platter. It would be too easy to fall back into the old habit of listening to his pretty words and not paying attention to his actions.

  With the weight of the situation pressing against her, Sophia didn’t find sleep until hours later. She finally drifted off while trying to come up with a plan for handling both the situation with Ty and the unfinished conversation with Wes but woke up having found no answer to either one. The only thing to be found was the savory scent of bacon wafting around the room.

  After taking care of bathroom duties for both herself and Collin, Sophia settled Collin on her hip and tried steadying herself to go meet whatever the Saturday held. Walking into the kitchen, she found Ty standing at the stove in only a pair of low-slung track pants while frying eggs in a skillet. Except for the boot on his left foot, he was flawless.

  Ty glanced over his broad shoulder, looking all rumpled and dreamy with his thick, brown hair disheveled in perfect disarray. “Good morning, my family.” He grinned, squinting his brown eyes.

  This isn’t real. His sweetness is not real. He’s no longer yours, Sophia reminded herself.

  “Daddy!” Collin squealed, obviously not expecting to find him still here. He squirmed out of Sophia’s arms and launched himself into Ty’s.

  Sophia took Ty’s place at the stove while he tossed Collin in the air a few times before placing the giggling toddler on a chair and sitting next to him. She brought the eggs over and set them next to a plate of bacon and glasses of juice. She studied Ty with concern, knowing he was at his best but also knowing it wouldn’t last. What stung about that the most was that her smiling boy would be the one hurt again when Ty’s facade morphed into a darker form before he disappeared altogether.

  With no appetite, Sophia pushed the eggs around her plate while watching Ty and Collin eat their breakfast with gusto, neither one of them noticing her. She watched as Collin fed his daddy a bite of egg and then Ty did the same to him in return. It was cute. It was what every breakfast should look like. But Sophia could count on one hand how many times it had actually occurred.

  “What’s our plan for the day?” Ty asked, reaching over to run the back of his hand along Sophia’s cheek.

  For Collin’s sake, she didn’t flinch from his touch but moved out of reach while feigning the excuse of needing to wipe up some spilled juice from the table. “Collin and I are going to go pay Papa and Grandma a visit. You need to spend the day finding yourself a place to stay.”

  Ty’s shoulders slumped as he turned his puppy-dog eyes on her. “Babe, I understand you need some time. I’ll get my assistant on finding me a place, but you have to promise to give me a fair chance to prove myself.” He reached over and combed his fingers through Collin’s messy curls. “For the sake of our son.”

  It was his go-to guilt-trip line, and in the past Sophia was quick to bend for the sake of their son, but Ty was always the only one to benefit from it. What Ty seemed not to understand was that she wouldn’t be bending in his favor ever again.

  Sophia chose not to comment, letting him think he’d won the argument, and began gathering the dishes. While she cleaned the kitchen, Ty disappeared into the guest room and didn’t reemerge until she’d finished loading the dishwasher.

  She sensed his formidable presence behind her just before his lips touched the shell of her ear. “No one’s perfect, Sophia. We all fall sometimes. Please give me a chance to stand tall again.”

  Sophia knew she didn’t owe Ty that nor should she become so emotional over his words, but tears clogged her throat all the same. “I want you to stand tall for Collin,” she whispered, taking a side step to get away from him. He had added a T-shirt to go with the track pants and a shoe on his good foot, so she figured it was best to push him on out the door while he was standing. Blinking several times, she offered a smile in Collin’s direction where he was sorting through a pile of toy cars on the living room rug. “Okay, bub, it’s time to get dressed.”

  Collin gathered a car into each of his fists and scurried down the hall.

  Sophia turned to Ty. “Hurry up before he comes back out.”

  “Why?” Ty scratched the dark-auburn scruff on his cheek.

  “It’s easier this way.” She picked up a few toys and tossed them into the basket.

  “On who?”

  “You, clearly, because no matter what, that little boy will fall apart as soon as you’re gone.”

  Ty huffed. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

  Sophia added a toy tractor to the lot before facing Ty. “Oh? So you’ll never leave him again for training camp or games? Or ad campaigns in California?” The last part of her remark had him wincing. Good, it was a painful memory for her as well.

  Ty went to retrieve his duffel back from the guest room without another word, then gathered his wallet and keys from the coffee table, admitting defeat this round. “I’d like to see you tonight. Maybe take you out to dinner.”

  “We already have plans for tonight.” Sophia and Collin normally spent their Saturdays at Opal’s house, and at some point in the evening she would sneak over and spend some time with Wes.

  “What kind of plans?”

  “Really, Ty?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

  “You’re right. Sorry. I’ll see you soon.” He left with the least amount of theatrics ever.

  It gave Sophia a sliver of confidence that perhaps she could stand strong this time and not give in to the intimidating man. She made her way into the bedroom to turn her phone back on, cringing when she found several missed calls from her mother. She tapped on the missed call notification to return the call.

  Her mother answered right away and rushed into an apology. “Honey, your granddaddy fell at the nursing home and we needed to go to him last night. That’s the only reason why I left Collin with Ty. You know I wouldn’t leave him if I didn’t think he was safe. It was close to ten, so I knew you would be home soon. I tried to call you as soon as I could—”

  “It’s okay. Is Granddaddy okay?” Ugh. Now Sophia felt like a heel for sending that terse text. The old man was entering his eighty-sixth year, and it had pained Sophia’s parents to place him in a home two years ago when Alzheimer’s overtook his mind and body.

  “He’s bruised up, but luckily no broken bones.” Her mother sighed heavily. “Please forgive me for leaving Collin. Ty was going on and on about the counseling sessions, and he sounded so genuine about making changes—”

  “I understand, Momma. I’m sorry I got upset.” Sophia sat on the edge of the bed as Collin wandered in wearing a pair of track pants that resembled Ty’s along with one of his daddy’s team-logo shirts. It made her chest burn, knowing he was going to be crushed to find Ty gone. “Are you still at the nursing home?” she asked her mother.

  “Yes. I don’t want to leave him.” She sniffled.

  “Collin and I are bringing y’all breakfast. Tell Granddaddy donuts are on the way.”

  Her mother let out a watery laugh as Collin bounced up and down and sang out, “I love donuts!”

  •••

  Sunday morning showed up right along with a beaming Ty. He offered to drive them to church, and when Collin answered yes for the both of them, Sophia had no choice but to go along with her son’s decision. They looked picture-perfect walking into church together, but Sophia knew it was only a front. Her insides pinched with unease. Wes should have been sitting beside her during worship services instead of Ty with his arm wrapped around her possessively.

  As the pastor spoke, the Sunday of Collin’s birthday with Wes by her side in this same pew flickered through her thoughts. She had pictured herself falling out of the pew and letting out
all her distress in one momentous fit with limbs flailing and rage spewing from her mouth until someone showed up with a straitjacket. Sophia still wanted to have a conniption, but now she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that the man sitting beside her wasn’t the right one! That Weston Sawyer was, wherever he might be!

  Sophia continuously gazed around the congregation, expecting Wes to magically appear. He never did, and by the end of the service, she wondered if he had really ever been there in the first place.

  Sunday dinner at her parents’ house was everything a Sunday dinner should be. A Southern spread consisting of country-fried steak and gravy, mashed potatoes, and butter beans, with peach cobbler served for dessert. The only thing wrong was Ty sitting in Wes’s place at the table. It was the first Sunday in a long time that was spent without his quiet strength by her side and that didn’t feel right. Ty in his place was even more wrong.

  Monday morning, Sophia was relieved when she spotted Wes’s sports car parked in the back lot at work. But her relief was short-lived. In the office, she found him closed off and more aloof than ever.

  She stood by his desk, trying to capture his distracted attention. “We missed you at church yesterday. Momma even made your favorite for Sunday dinner. Lucky for you, I made you a plate for today’s lunch.” She held up the plastic wrap–covered dish, but Wes kept his eyes focused on his computer screen. His glasses caught the glare of it, making it impossible for Sophia to get a read on him.

  “Seth and I spent the weekend in Alabama,” he mumbled, still refusing to look at her.

  “Why? Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. I was just homesick.” His answer was terse to the point that it had Sophia’s palms sweating.

  She placed the plate on his desk and wiped her hands against the front of her pencil skirt. The weekend had stolen her assurance, so she’d chosen to dress smartly to gather some courage. Clearly it hadn’t worked. Without further comment, she left Wes to sulk. About what, exactly, she wasn’t sure.