Love in Catalina Cove

by Brenda Jackson

  He shook his head. “No, that’s not it. She’s from New York and was only in town for a few days visiting.”

  “So? There is such a thing as a long-distance love affair. There are flights out of New Orleans to New York practically every hour. Straight flights. Trust me I know. Nelson’s grandparents live in Harlem.”

  “A long-distance affair?” Sawyer asked, omitting saying “love affair” because love wouldn’t have anything to do with it. He was sexually attracted to Vashti and nothing more. He was convinced that love was not part of the equation.

  “Yes, and don’t make it sound so distasteful. While in the military Todd’s and my long-distance love affair lasted for two years before we decided to tie the knot. It was kind of fun. It was like a firestorm of passion every time we hooked up.”

  A firestorm of passion sounded nice, he thought. “I don’t want to get serious about a woman. Now or ever. That’s why it mystifies me that—”

  “She might be the one who could change your mind about that?”

  Sawyer stood and began pacing. After several moments he stopped and turned to Leesa. “I have responsibilities. Jade for one. She should be my main concern.”

  “She is your main concern and will always be. But didn’t you say earlier that Jade threw hints that you should be thinking about a girlfriend? Remember, pretty soon Jade will have a life of her own, Sawyer. In two years she will be a senior in high school and it won’t be long before she starts dating and hanging out with her friends more. It’s obvious that Jade cares about how you feel and what you think. You don’t want her to feel guilty when she decides to do those things and you don’t have a life. She would want you to be happy.”

  Sawyer didn’t say anything for a long moment while thinking. Hadn’t that been what Jade had said last night? She wanted him to be happy. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “In a way it doesn’t matter even if I wanted to pursue this woman for a long-distance anything. She’s leaving the cove to return to New York today.”

  “What time is her flight?”

  He shrugged. “Around six I think.”

  “Good. That will give you time.”

  He lifted a brow. “Time for what?”

  “To intercept her when she leaves Catalina Cove. If she’s like most people, she plans to arrive at the airport at least two hours ahead of time.” Leesa glanced at her watch. “That means she’ll probably leave the cove in about an hour. There is only one way out of the cove to New Orleans. You can intercept her.”

  Stunned at what Leesa was suggesting, he just stared at her. “Do you hear what you’re saying? We still have two more hours in this room.”

  She laughed. “Now, do you hear what you’re saying? Honestly, Sawyer, do you think I care about that after what you’ve told me? There hasn’t been any woman you’ve been even remotely interested in since Johanna. To me that’s more important than our occasional rounds of recreational sex. Put your shirt back on and leave. I bet you can head her off before she gets to the airport.”

  He stared at Leesa for a full minute before grabbing his shirt and putting it on. He moved to where she sat and extended his hand to pull her out of the chair and give her a fierce hug. “Thanks for everything, Leesa.”

  She leaned back and smiled up at him. “No, thank you, Sawyer. It’s been an enjoyable experience. Goodbye.”

  At that moment he knew she was really telling him goodbye. Not goodbye until next time, but goodbye because what they’d shared for the past year had run its course. If she believed that, then she had more confidence in his abilities to win a certain woman over than he did. “Goodbye, Leesa.” And then he crossed the room and was out the door.

  As he rushed out of the hotel he asked himself what he was thinking. For all he knew, Vashti might have changed her mind and gotten an earlier flight out. But still a part of him pushed his steps forward into a full run to his SUV.

  Since this was his official day off, he drove his personal vehicle. No way would he have his police cruiser parked outside a hotel for four hours on a Friday afternoon. That meant he couldn’t speed to get where he was going even if he wanted to. Otherwise, he would be giving himself a ticket.

  It seemed to take him longer than usual to get out of New Orleans traffic and hit the interstate. From there it was smooth sailing on the open road. Here he was racing back, at the speed limit, mind you, to hopefully say goodbye to a woman who might not even want to give him the time of day. Although he would have to admit she didn’t seem to mind him dominating her time last night. In fact, she seemed to enjoy his company as much as he’d enjoyed hers.

  He had driven for twenty minutes when he saw her car, that red Corvette. And when she passed him she had the top down with her hair blowing in the wind. Making sure it was safe to do so, he quickly made a U-turn on the highway and headed after her.

  Reaching under his seat he pulled out his portable flashing red-and-blue light and placed it on the dashboard of his car. He used it only in extreme cases when his personal vehicle needed to be used for official business. At the moment this was his very own official business and it was definitely, in his book, an extreme case.

  * * *

  VASHTI DROVE WHILE rocking to the sound of Bruno Mars. She hated admitting that although she wasn’t returning to New York ten million dollars richer, she felt good about her visit back to Catalina Cove. More than she thought she ever would. It had been good seeing Bryce’s family and Ms. Gertie, even though on both days she’d gone to see her Ms. Gertie hadn’t known who she was.

  Her visit to Shelby by the Sea had brought out pleasant memories and very unpleasant ones as well. It was hard to believe Aunt Shelby was no longer there with her hugs like in the good old days. Seeing Kaegan had been a plus and she’d had so much fun at the gathering at his place last night. Like she’d told Bryce, she would not make any promises she would be back. Chances were, she wouldn’t.

  Then there was Sheriff Sawyer Grisham. The man who...

  Vashti glanced back in her rearview mirror and saw the flashing red-and-blue light behind her. What was going on? She knew for certain she wasn’t speeding because she had adjusted the cruise control on the Corvette to three miles under the speed limit.

  She pulled to the side of the road, incensed that she would be pulled over when she was not speeding. She was getting her license out of her purse when she felt a presence beside the car. “You weren’t speeding, Vashti. I don’t need to see your driver’s license.”

  Her head jerked up and she looked into a pair of dark brown eyes. She drew in a deep breath and was about to give him her sexiest smile, when she got a whiff of his scent. Instead she gave him a stony glare. “Then why was I stopped?”

  She tried not to notice how good he looked. Today must be his day off because he was wearing a pair of jeans and a nice black collared shirt. But she knew that scent that was all over him, and it could mean only one thing.

  “I just wanted to say goodbye and I hope you have a safe trip. I was off today and spent some time in New Orleans. I rushed back, hoping to see you before you left.”

  Hadn’t Bryce mentioned he was seeing some woman living in New Orleans? Evidently today had been their hookup day. “Why were you hoping to see me before I left, Sheriff?”

  He leaned down in the open window and she wished he hadn’t done that. The scent was even more potent. “I wanted to ask if perhaps I could fly to New York to see you in a couple of weeks,” he said.

  Vashti pushed her hair back and removed the sunglasses from her eyes to make sure they had direct eye contact. “Let me get this straight. You pulled me over to say goodbye and to ask if you can come see me in New York?”

  “Yes.”

  She became furiously offended. “You have the nerve to ask me that after just getting out of some woman’s bed?”

  The look that appeared on his face immediat
ely spelled guilty. He straightened to his full height and his jaw tightened. “And what makes you think I just got out of a woman’s bed?”

  He hadn’t denied it probably because he couldn’t, she thought. “Because her scent is all over you. Unless you’ve decided to make Loveswept your personal perfume now.”

  He didn’t say anything. He just stood there and stared at her for a long moment. She could tell from his expression that he hadn’t liked what she’d said, but she didn’t care a royal flip. Then he said, “If I was in a woman’s bed, yet I got out of it to come say goodbye to you, Vashti, and to let you know I want to see you again, what does that tell you?”

  Without waiting for her to answer, he walked back to his SUV, got in and drove off.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “CALM DOWN, VASH.”

  “I don’t want to calm down, Bryce. Can you believe what he did yesterday? I’m still mad about it.”

  “Obviously.”

  Vashti was incensed as she paced her living room. The only reason she hadn’t called Bryce when she’d gotten in last night was because by the time she’d gotten home from the airport it was late. She would have called from the airport, but her battery had died.

  “Sounds like the sheriff ruffled a few of your feathers.”

  “He most certainly did. I feel sorry for the woman whose bed he was in. If he would treat one woman so shabbily then what does that say for me?”

  “Whoa, don’t you think you’re going overboard? Why don’t you do what he suggested and figure out why he did it? If he really did do what you’re accusing him of. Sounds like he didn’t really admit to anything.”

  “He did it. Guilt was all over his face and her scent was all over him. Men can be such asses.”

  “Umm, wasn’t it just the other night that you said you thought he was nice?”

  “I was wrong.”

  “He is nice and if you want my honest opinion, I don’t think things are all that serious between him and this woman. Like I told you, he’s never brought her to any social functions in town.”

  “Although he might not think things are serious, the woman might think otherwise. There might be another reason he doesn’t bring her around. What if she’s married?”

  “Honestly, Vashti. Not all men are like Scott. Sheriff Grisham has never come across as a man who wouldn’t honor marriage vows. His or anyone else’s. And I believe he knows how to treat a woman because I’ve seen how he operates. He opens doors for all the ladies, young and old. He stands when one enters a room and always shows respect. He has a daughter, so I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  Bryce paused a minute then asked, “So will you let him come see you in New York?”

  “Why would I?”

  “So you can hear his side of things.”

  Vashti rolled her eyes. “What is there to hear? He chased after me after being in bed with another woman. Her perfume was all over him.”

  “What if it was? Did he betray you by sleeping with the woman?”

  Vashti thought about the kiss they’d shared. The one that had caused her knees to buckle. The one she still couldn’t get out of her mind. “No.”

  “Are you jealous that he was sleeping with someone?”

  Yes, she was jealous at the thought he was kissing other women the way he’d kissed her. But she wouldn’t admit it. “Of course I’m not jealous.”

  “Then don’t act like you are. If anything, let him visit you in New York and ask why he would leave another woman and chase you down. Only he can answer that.”

  “I don’t want to know, Bryce.”

  “If you say so. Oh, and by the way, someone called me yesterday looking for you.”

  “Who?”

  “Reid Lacroix. He didn’t know you were leaving so soon. He thought you would be staying awhile.”

  Vashti eased down in her kitchen chair. “Why would Mr. Lacroix call looking for me?”

  “He said he needed to talk to you, but didn’t say what it was about. I told him I couldn’t give out your number without your permission. So, do you want him to have it?”

  Vashti nibbled on her bottom lip. “He knows.”

  “You don’t know that for certain, Vash.”

  “What other reason would he want to talk to me for, Bryce?”

  “I don’t know. I suggest you give me permission to give him your phone number and find out.”

  Vashti didn’t know how she felt about the possibility Reid Lacroix knew her deepest secret, but she found herself saying, “Okay, fine. Give Mr. Lacroix my phone number.” When she hung up the phone after talking with Bryce, Vashti hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.

  * * *

  “HOW ARE THINGS GOING?” Kaegan asked Sawyer as he slid in the booth seat across from him.

  “Not bad for a Saturday morning. Quiet, and that’s good. Did you take the day off yesterday?”

  “Nope. But I did give everyone a half day and told them not to come in until noon. Of course Ray was there like it was a regular work day. His work ethics are astounding.”

  Sawyer nodded. “Still no sign of his memory returning?” He and Kaegan were the only people in town who knew that Ray Sullivan, who had moved to Catalina Cove a year ago, had retrograde amnesia.

  “So far, no. I can’t imagine living for the present and not knowing what life you might have lived in the past.”

  At that moment the waitress brought over Kaegan’s food. He had ordered the same thing Sawyer was eating: a juicy hamburger and fries. There were plenty of other things on the menu, but Sawyer was convinced Witherspoon Café hamburgers were the best anywhere.

  He waited until the waitress had served Kaegan his food and he’d said grace before saying, “And speaking of a past, what you can tell me about Vashti Alcindor’s?”

  Kaegan looked at him as if he was trying to decide just how much to reveal. “You mean you didn’t interrogate her at the party? You seemed to have held her captive most of the evening. It looked like the two of you talked a lot. And I happened to notice that you and Vashti got lost after the tour.”

  Sawyer heard the edge in Kaegan’s voice. He was surprised Kaegan had noticed how much time he’d spent with Vashti. His gaze had been on Bryce Witherspoon most of the night, so Sawyer knew it wasn’t a jealous edge he heard in Kaegan’s voice. It was a protective edge. “Do you think you have to protect her from me, Kaegan?”

  Silence hung suspended between them for a few seconds and then Kaegan shook his head. “No. It’s just that she’s been through a lot.”

  “In the past?”

  “That, too, but closer to the present as well. She and her husband divorced a month ago, although they’ve been separated for over a year. I heard he was a real bastard. Cheated on her with another woman.”

  Sawyer nodded. No wonder she was so accusing. Had she smelled another woman’s scent on her ex-husband like she’d done on him? If that was true then he could see why she’d gotten upset. Now he wished he had known her history. But still, it wasn’t like he and Vashti were an item, although they had kissed. Did she think that one kiss gave her territorial rights? “She told you about her husband?”

  “Yes. That night of the zoning board meeting when I walked her to her car. I’d heard she’d gotten married but noticed she wasn’t wearing a ring. I asked her about it and she told me why.” Kaegan’s eyes narrowed. “Is your interest in her for real?”

  Sawyer met his gaze. “Depends on what you mean by for real. I don’t ever intend to marry again, Kaegan, if that’s what you want to know. My prime goal is to get Jade through school and into college. After that then I’ll even consider retirement as a sheriff.”

  Kaegan smiled. “You want to play the role of granddaddy full-time then?”

  “Let’s not rush things with Jade please. It’s a chore getting her through high school
. I don’t want to think beyond college, especially to marriage.”

  “It’s going to happen one day, so you better be prepared, Sawyer. You’re going to need a life. Would you want to be alone?”

  Sawyer decided not to answer that because it was pretty much what Leesa had said. Whenever he thought of the future his daughter was a key element. “Would you want to be alone? I don’t see you dating anyone around here seriously.”

  At that moment Bryce came from out back. Evidently she was helping her parents out today with the lunch hour weekend crowd. He watched as Kaegan looked at her with the same intensity in his gaze as the night of the party. And before Bryce could detect she was being watched, Kaegan glanced back over at Sawyer and said, “No, I don’t date anyone around here seriously. At least not anymore.”

  * * *

  ON SATURDAY EVENING Vashti had come home from the gym and was about to take a shower when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but she knew the area code. The call was coming from Catalina Cove.

  She clicked on. “Hello?”

  “Ms. Alcindor, this is Reid Lacroix. Thanks for taking my call.”

  Vashti sat down at her kitchen table. “Yes, Mr. Lacroix? Is there a reason you wanted to talk to me?”

  No need to beat around the bush. And of course, there was a reason. Otherwise, why would he be calling? Did Julius tell his parents about them before he died?

  “Yes, there is. I plan to be in New York in two weeks on business. Is it possible for us to meet for lunch? I’d rather not discuss anything over the phone.” He sounded unsure of himself, and that was unlike Reid Lacroix.

  And she’d rather not discuss anything at all. If he had to say what she thought he had to say, then it was better left unsaid. What happened between her and his son was sixteen years ago. Julius had shown her that although it had been love on her part, it hadn’t been on his.

  “Ms. Alcindor?”

  When he said her name she realized she hadn’t responded to him. She wanted to say no, that she preferred if they didn’t meet for lunch or for any other meal. That she saw no reason why they should. However, she knew if she went that way, there would never be closure. She would always wonder why he’d wanted to meet with her. What he had to say.