Caleb’s scrutiny over the next few seconds made her feel exposed, like he could see under the shell she’d created for herself. “What changed?” he finally asked. “Why come back to explain it all to me?”
“You don’t like seafood.”
Surprised didn’t begin to describe Caleb’s reaction to her statement, and it was hilarious to watch his cool composure transform into an inability to stop laughing. “You already knew that about me,” he finally said.
“Yes, but no one else in town does. You tell them…”
“It’s not that I don’t like it—”
“…you’re allergic,” Bree finished.
Caleb’s grin didn’t diminish as he gave a small shake of his head. “You don’t know what it’s like for a kid to grow up here and not like fish. My mother said I had to always eat any food that was offered to me, either by her or others. It was the polite thing to do. The only way I could get out of it was to tell people I was allergic to seafood. Then I wasn’t being rude, it was out of my hands.” He sobered, placed a hand over his chest, and in a dramatic voice, said, “I’d tell them how it smelled delicious and how I wished I could partake, but alas, I was the unfortunate one.”
Bree laughed. “And then you had to stick with it, huh?”
“I suppose I didn’t have to. They would have forgiven a child, or a teenager, even.”
“But you didn’t tell anyone.”
“Nope, and now that I’m in my thirties, I figure it’s a bit too late.” He lowered his voice. “You aren’t going to tell anyone, are you?”
Bree placed a finger under her chin, as if she had to think about it. “I suppose not. But it’s not like people don’t already know.”
Caleb looked genuinely alarmed at the thought, and he straightened, taking a step toward her. “What do you mean?”
“How do you think I found out that was what people thought in the first place? Adeline told me.”
He released a low laugh tinged with relief. “Oh, she’s been on to me since we were kids. I kept it up, even around her, but we both knew she knew. And Adeline’s never told a soul.” Caleb paused, curiosity flashing behind his eyes. “You didn’t come back just to accuse me of leading the town on, did you.”
It was a statement, not a question. He knew there was more to her visit.
“No,” she admitted. “I have to explain why I ran away earlier. You must think I’m completely rude, or insane. Or both.”
“Neither crossed my mind.”
Bree was unsure how true that was, but at least he was being nice about it. “Anyway, I appreciate your job offer. It sounds perfect, and I would be crazy not to snap it up.”
“Except you didn’t,” he unhelpfully pointed out.
She groaned. “Just listen, would you?”
“Sorry.” Caleb pretended to zip up his mouth, lock it, and throw away the key.
“Thank you. As I was saying, managing your store would be the perfect fit.” She waited a beat. “If it wasn’t a dive shop.” She held up a hand, keeping Caleb’s interjecting comments at bay. “Because, the thing is, just like we don’t like seafood and Adeline has her weird fear of biscuit cans, everyone has their quirks. And mine…” She sucked in a long breath, hoping her voice would come out steady. Even just talking about her fear made her pulse quicken. “Mine is a fear of water.”
Caleb didn’t react, only nodded, like he thought she’d continue. But she didn’t. She didn’t know what else to say. Maybe Caleb didn’t either, which would explain why he was watching her silently. What do you say to a woman who has temporarily moved to a seaside community, and she has a fear of the very thing that sustains it?
He finally broke the silence, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration like he was trying to piece everything together. “I saw you sitting in the waves on the beach. The day you got that phone call.”
“I should clarify that I don’t panic until water actually goes over my head. I find it interferes with me being able to breathe.” She hoped the teasing lilt would help him to not think less of her.
He nodded again, then asked slowly, “So, how do you shower?”
Oh, bother. Bree was going to need to go into details. She hadn’t wanted to, but she couldn’t have Caleb thinking that she hadn’t bathed for the past couple of decades.
“I get in and turn on the water, just like anyone else,” she said with a laugh, hoping it was enough to hide her growing anxiety. “I’m fine if I’m in control of what is happening. But as soon as water goes over my head and I can’t touch the ground and it feels like I’m going to drown, even though I know how to swim…” Her breathing was ragged now, the flashbacks from when she was a teenager washing over her.
Being in that simulated wave pool at the water park. The way the waves kept coming, and there were so many people, she couldn’t figure out how to get out. The laughter of others enjoying themselves, completely oblivious to what was happening next to them. If it hadn’t been for that lifeguard—her breaths wouldn’t come, and when they did, each pulled in water. She couldn’t get air…
“Hey, it’s okay.” Caleb’s voice was a soft pull, bringing her back to the present. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
Bree started when she realized she was now wrapped in Caleb’s arms. He held her tight, like he could protect her from the memories.
It must have been bad this time.
She knew she should pull away, but she didn’t want to. Caleb’s arms were a comfort she hadn’t known for a long time. It must be getting awkward for him, though, so she stepped away, his arms immediately falling to his sides.
“Thank you,” she said. That wasn’t really what she wanted to say. But how could she express what his kindness meant to her? Instead, Bree gave him a wry smile. “And that’s why I can’t accept the position. I thought you deserved to know.”
12
Caleb missed the feel of Bree in his arms. More than he should. He’d only done what any decent person would do. The poor woman had been shaking, barely able to stay on her feet. In that moment, she’d seemed so vulnerable, unlike the woman he’d thought he’d started to get to know. She still stood directly in front of him, close enough that she had to tilt her head to look up at him.
“You don’t have to learn to scuba dive to have the job,” he told her. “You never need to step one foot in the ocean.” He wished he’d known. The thought that he’d caused the anxiety he’d seen—that he’d been the cause of Bree’s flight from his store—it made his stomach churn.
Bree placed one hand on his arm, her eyes questioning. “Are you sure? I won’t be as effective as someone else who has diving experience. The tourists will ask questions I won’t be able to answer.”
It wouldn’t have mattered at this point if Bree had never even donned a swimsuit; he would have still hired her. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know. The first part of certifying in scuba diving is a written exam anyway, so maybe we could start there. And then I’ll train you how to use the equipment.”
Bree brightened. “Really? It’s not too much trouble?”
Caleb laughed and placed his hand over hers. “It will be fun.”
To his relief, she didn’t remove her hand, but instead smiled up at him, her grin as wide and genuine as he’d ever seen. “I can’t wait to start.”
The front door opened and Isaac entered, his wetsuit slung over one shoulder. He paused just inside the doorway. “Looks…like I’m interrupting something. I’ll just—” He glanced around, like he was trying to figure out the best escape route.
Bree practically jumped away, her cheeks flushed. “No, I was just leaving.” She grabbed a piece of paper that sat on the counter and scribbled something down. “Text me if you need anything before Monday.” With a small wave toward Isaac, she hurried from the store.
Caleb stared after her as she crossed in front of the store’s display window. Bree may be afraid of the ocean and what it could do, but she had a lot more in common
with it than she realized, as she reminded him of a wave that crashes into the shore, only to disappear just as quickly.
“So…does Adeline know?” Isaac asked with a smile. He tossed his wetsuit onto the counter.
“That I just hired Bree to run the store for the summer? Yeah, I’m pretty sure she knows.” Caleb knew that wasn’t what Isaac had meant, but he’d play dumb as long as Isaac would let him get away with it.
Isaac’s gaze snapped up so quickly, he seemed dizzy. “You what?”
Caleb gave what he hoped appeared as a nonchalant shrug. “She’s not certified as an instructor, and I’m out of time. If she manages things here, that frees me up to run the diving school.”
Isaac whistled. “I thought you were having a little fling with her, but this takes things to a whole new level.”
“Making her my employee?” Caleb picked up Isaac’s wetsuit. “And we’re not having a fling.”
The lifeguard pointed to a rip in the seam of the suit as he said, “I’m sure that’s what you’re telling yourself. You haven’t dated anyone in…how many years?”
Caleb grunted and eyed Isaac with a look that said he didn’t want to talk about it.
“Not since I was a teenager, anyway,” Isaac continued, apparently not caring. “You’ve wrapped yourself up too tightly in this place.”
Caleb examined the tear. It would be easy enough to fix with the special sewing machine he had in the back. Maybe that was another thing he could train Bree to do. “It’s a lot of work to run your own business.”
“Yes, I know. But that hasn’t stopped half the women in town from giving up on ever capturing your attention.”
Caleb smirked. “Oh, some have finally given up?”
Isaac shook his head, like he didn’t know what he was going to do with his friend, then pointed at his wetsuit. “What’s the prognosis, doc?”
“I can fix the tear easily enough, but I’m sure you’ve already noticed that the neoprene is breaking down.” Caleb fingered the material. It seemed a lot more stretched out than when Isaac had last brought it in. “How many seasons have you had this one?”
“A couple.” Isaac’s gaze roamed the store, which meant he was lying. “Fine, I think I’m going on four.”
“You need a new one,” Caleb told him, even though he wasn’t telling Isaac something he didn’t already know. He was pretty sure Isaac had been born wearing a wetsuit.
“I’m just waiting on my next paycheck,” Isaac assured him. “Then I’ll be back in. But if you could just fix the tear for now, that will get me through the next week or so.”
Caleb picked up the wetsuit. It really was bad. “How about this? You put part of the money down now, I’ll let you take a new one, and you pay me the rest next week.”
Isaac fiddled with the bottom of his T-shirt. “Yeah, that would be great. I appreciate it.” He paused. “But you see, I don’t have much right now…”
With a sigh, Caleb gave Isaac a long stare. Isaac had almost no living expenses and saved most of his money for new surfboards or wetsuits. His heart fell a little as he realized what this meant. “Please tell me you haven’t been playing that video game again.”
“Video game?” Isaac asked with mock innocence.
“You know, the one where you spent an entire paycheck last year buying virtual items for your avatar…”
“Oh, you mean my massively multiplayer online role-playing game.” Isaac rubbed the back of his neck, still refusing eye contact. “It’s hard, you know, being in this small town with the same people all the time. Tourist season is different, but off-season…” He lifted one shoulder. “An open world game is a good way to meet other people.”
Yeah, Caleb knew that the small-town life could be difficult. “That doesn’t mean you have to try to impress them with your fancy digital clothes or the latest fake weapons.” When Isaac didn’t respond, Caleb said, “I know you. You would choose sunshine and surfing over your computer any day.”
“Of course I would.”
Except at night. When Isaac was alone. The sun was down, and there weren’t many options for nightlife. “I know things have been hard since—”
Isaac held up a hand. “We’re not talking about that. She’s gone. I’ve accepted it.”
Caleb didn’t argue, though the pain was still etched in every one of Isaac’s features. He was just really good at hiding it. Most of the time. “I’ll tell you what,” Caleb said. “If you delete your profile, I’ll buy the wetsuit for you. As a gift.”
If anything was going to help Isaac figure things out, it would be surfing. He needed this wetsuit. And a friend. Which Caleb hadn’t been very good at lately. Maybe this was his way to make up for not being there as much as he should. He knew Isaac was suffering. Caleb should have invited his friend over to hang out at night, throw darts, have pizza…something.
Isaac’s gaze met Caleb’s, and his eyes held wonderment. He said slowly, “Your wetsuits cost hundreds of dollars.”
“Which shows you how important this is. You can’t ever get on that game again. You need the waves—and your friends—more than you need virtual armor.”
Caleb could tell it would be difficult for Isaac. He could practically see Isaac’s mind running through how many items he’d lose—how much money will have been wasted—if he took Caleb up on his offer. “Can I think about it?”
“Sure,” Caleb said. “But I’m not fixing your tear.”
Isaac frowned. “That’s blackmail.”
“No, that’s a concerned friend.” Caleb held Isaac’s gaze. “I’ll be by tonight with your new wetsuit. And if you’d like, I can be the one to pull the virtual plug on your account.” He knew he’d upset Isaac, but it was for the guy’s own good.
“Fine,” Isaac finally said, folding his arms across his chest, giving him the look of a defiant child. “But I’d like to add one more condition.”
Caleb raised an eyebrow. “A brand-new wetsuit isn’t enough for you?”
“I’ll delete my account, and you can be there, watching, to make sure I do it. But you have to ask Bree out on a date.”
Caleb’s heart dropped, and he suddenly felt queasy. “I don’t know what Bree has to do with anything.”
“We’ve both had people leave us, we’ve both dealt with it in different ways. You want me to get a life? Well, you need one too.”
“I just hired her as my employee. It wouldn’t be proper.”
Isaac looked pleased at seeing Caleb all flustered. “Yeah, like how close you two were when I walked in. That looked totally proper.”
Caleb knew Isaac had a point, and he couldn’t deny that he was drawn to Bree. But he didn’t want to be. And it scared him.
He grunted. “I think the wetsuit is enough.”
But Isaac had Caleb on the end of a hook, and unfortunately, he knew it. “Ask her out, or no deal.”
“Even if it means you don’t get to surf?” Caleb knew Isaac wouldn’t risk giving that up, and he currently didn’t have a usable wetsuit.
Isaac hesitated, but then gave a determined nod. “You act like you’re all noble and everything. But you’re just as miserable as I am. Instead of surfing by day and video games by night, though, you hide out in your store or dive under the ocean, where no one can find you.”
“I don’t—”
Isaac held up a hand. “You come up for air once in a while, but I’ve watched you ever since your mom, and then Kayla, left.”
It felt like a boulder had dropped into Caleb’s stomach, and he couldn’t breathe.
Isaac’s firm expression softened. “You need to find someone from outside your universe. I know I’ve made mistakes, but that’s what my online game has been for me. Finding people—real people—that didn’t grow up here.”
Anger simmered just below the surface, but Caleb shoved it down, keeping it at bay. He didn’t want to be upset anymore. Of course, ignoring it wasn’t exactly helpful, but it was easier than having to deal with all of it.
Caleb sucked in a deep breath. He could do it. For Isaac. Besides, it wouldn’t mean anything. “She might say no.”
“Then you’d be off the hook.”
This was far more painful than dropping a couple of hundred dollars for a wetsuit. But he supposed his pain ought to match what he was requiring of Isaac. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
“Before you come to my place tonight.”
Since when had the tables turned? Caleb was supposed to be the one making demands. “All right,” he agreed.
“Glad we had this little chat,” Isaac said with a grin. It seemed like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. One that must have been there for a long time, but Caleb hadn’t taken the time to notice. He wondered how often he did that—overlooked the small things that made all the difference. Maybe Isaac had been right. Maybe Caleb preferred hiding with the fish rather than dealing with the world.
He and Isaac were no different.
Caleb watched as Isaac left the store. He fiddled with the torn suit. His father would have told him he wasn’t a very good businessman, giving away an expensive wetsuit when he needed the money.
But Caleb wasn’t his father. And despite what Isaac had said, Caleb valued his friends.
And they apparently valued him.
Which was why he now needed to figure out how to ask Bree out on a date.
13
“I did it,” Bree said, bursting into Adeline’s store. She’d been back to the house for lunch, her nerves afire. A sandwich and a few of Jessie’s tarts had done the trick. “I told him. And he still wanted me to take the job.”
Adeline was behind the counter, helping a customer, and Bree came to an abrupt stop. Adeline’s lips twitched up into a half-smile, but her attention didn’t waver as she helped box up the woman’s purchases. Embarrassed, Bree stepped to the side by a display and waited for Adeline to finish.
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