With This Wish (Windswept Bay Book 9)

by Debra Clopton

  “He’ll be glad. He stays as busy as he wants to with his fishing tours, so you might not catch him until later in the day.”

  “Then, if that’s the case, I’m opening up the cabin, unhooking from the trailer and going to find me some furniture if there isn’t anything in there. They were supposed to have cleaned it but I never asked whether there was anything in it.”

  “So you haven’t even looked inside?” he asked in disbelief.

  “No, I meant to but then I got to writing and put it off.” She started toward the cabin and reached behind the outdoor light beside the door and pulled a key off the backside. “Exactly where the Realtor told me it would be.”

  “So the writing thing—do you put everything off for the writing?”

  She inserted the key into the lock and twisted as she answered him. “It’s what I love.” That was simple enough of an answer. There wasn’t anything else in her life that held the same pull to her.

  She pushed open the door and the lemon scent of furniture polish welcomed them. She breathed deeply. “I am absolutely going to get used to spreading out.”

  He chuckled and followed her inside. “It looks really clean. And you have furniture. At least something to start out with anyway.”

  She looked around at the small brown couch, the brown chair, and the brown wood table. “Yes, really brown furniture.” She laughed and caught his smiling eyes.

  “Yeah, I wasn’t going to point that out. But now that you mention it, I think they were very fond of brown.”

  “But other than that, compared to my trailer it is a palace,” she said lightly. “I’m unloading my truck then heading to town to get some things I’ll need. And hopefully see BJ. I really don’t want him to find out from anyone else. Maybe I’ll run by the resort and see if Olivia is at work.”

  “I’m sure she is. I’ve got a little time—let me help you unload your truck.” He moved back through the door and she followed him as he strode toward her truck.

  “It’s mostly outdoor stuff,” she said, though it was evident. “It won’t take me but a few minutes to get it out.”

  He tugged down the tailgate. “Even less time if I help. Then you can head to town sooner.”

  “You’re right. Thanks.” She did need to hurry. She wanted to find BJ and actually see him. It had been so long since they’d spent any time together. Within moments, they had the outdoor seating unloaded and arranged to the side of the cabin, along with the table and umbrella. He lifted her bike from the back and set it on the porch, out of the way of the door.

  Once that was done, he looked around and gave a nod of approval. “So, see? That didn’t take long. I’ll head out now.”

  “Thanks. For everything.”

  “It’ll be fun. I’m looking forward to it. But you are set up pretty good until we get the treehouse built. Oh, and just to warn you. I’m sure when Mom and Dad find out you’re in town, they’ll have a family gathering to welcome you to Windswept Bay.”

  Family gathering. “Oh, okay.”

  He studied her. “Everyone will be anxious to meet you and welcome you into the family.”

  “But I’m not family.”

  “You’re BJ’s sister, so that makes you part of the family. Mom is big on that. You’ll see.”

  She hid her dismay as she waved and watched him leave moments later. This was where holding back would be tricky. But, it wasn’t as if they were her real family. She’d lost them. Nothing would ever be like that. Hurt that much.

  So she really didn’t have that much to worry about. Right?

  Allowing herself to get close to BJ was the part that would really be hard on her heart.

  That was the part she still wasn’t completely sure about. But she had to try.

  Chapter Five

  Later, Lilly headed to town and went straight to the marina. She was in luck because as she stood there, she saw his boat come into the bay. Excitement filled her, seeing her brother’s familiar form at the wheel. There were about five others on the boat, a group he’d taken out to deep-sea fish. She was sure they’d caught a load because BJ was very good at what he did. He loved it. He’d gotten that love from their dad. Oh, how he’d loved being on the water.

  She placed her hands on her hips and watched as the boat drew closer. She wore cutoff jeans and a ball cap and had pulled her mass of curls into a thick ponytail. There was no way he would recognize her until he docked. And as he drew near, it was all she could do not to jump up and down and wave at him wildly. She hadn’t realized until now just how much she had missed him.

  When he had the boat maneuvered into its spot, he cut the engine and one of the men tied it to the pier. Everyone was chattering and laughing and happy as they poured off the boat and she watched as the familiar ritual began of them unloading the day’s catch. BJ looked great. Seeing him smiling and happy jerked on her heartstrings and suddenly she was wondering why she’d stayed away from him for so long.

  Unable to hold back any longer, she moved forward as soon as he’d shaken hands with the men and assured them that he would take care of cleaning their fish and having them shipped back to their homes.

  “BJ,” she called and he turned. His expression of surprise told her he’d recognized her voice even before he saw her.

  “Lilly.” He rushed to her, grabbing her and swinging her into his arms. “I have missed you, little sister.”

  His hug was warm and strong and sent waves of love crashing through her. “It’s so good to see you, BJ.” She held onto him. She laughed and tears dampened her eyes.

  “I didn’t know you were coming,” he said.

  “I know. I didn’t want to tell you until I was here. You know me.”

  “Yes, I do. But you should have told me. I need to call Olivia. She’ll be so excited. How are you?” He set her away from him but held onto her arms as he studied her. Concern etched his face.

  “I’m good. I have a surprise for you.”

  He grinned. “Oh yeah, what? You’re moving to Windswept Bay?” He laughed.

  “I am. Or I have.”

  He went quiet. “You have? Already?”

  She nodded. “I wanted to surprise you. So I bought a piece of property with a small cabin on it and I drove into town yesterday.”

  “Yesterday—and you didn’t call? You bought a place?”

  She laughed. “Don’t look so shocked. That’s what I did. Just because I’m here now doesn’t mean I’m letting go of control of my life,” she warned him. “I have everything already figured out. I’ve moved here to be near you. To commit to rebuilding our relationship. I know my leaving after Dad and Mom died was hard on you but it’s what I had to do. Now, I’m willing to be here and work through my issues. But on my terms.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, strain evident in his features. “I know their deaths were hard on you, Lilly. I can’t even imagine what you went through, trapped in that car, knowing they were dead and you not being able to do anything about it. I know. And I’ve forced myself to let you go. But I’m your big brother and you need to see how it is from my side. I lost them too. And I lost you that same night. I want you back. I want you in my life again, in my family’s lives as I build one with Olivia.”

  They’d needed to say these things. She’d known it. Known she’d hurt him but known she’d had to do what she’d done. Part of her had died that night in that accident. A door had slammed shut and she had been physically incapable of feeling normal emotions. “I’m here to try,” she said, softly. “But I’ll still need my space. And I have a confession to make. I haven’t been working for the park services for about a year.”

  “You haven’t?”

  She shook her head and told him about her writing. He was startled, as she’d expected, and then he smiled.

  “It fits. I’m glad for you. I remember how you used to get lost in stories when we were growing up. And you could tell some really good stories.”

  She smiled at the memory. “I coul
d spin some tall tales, that was the truth.”

  “So you’re successful?”

  “I actually am. And I love what I do. Everything about it. But I’ll warn you that I get lost in my stories and I need time alone. So just because I’m here, don’t think I’ll be hanging out with you all the time or become your deckhand.”

  He laughed at that. Their dad had always teased her about being a really good deckhand when they’d spend their weeks at Bahia Honda State Park.

  “Hey, I know you’re very skilled at cleaning a boat deck after a day of fishing. Maybe you could help sometimes?”

  It was her turn to laugh. “Nope. Sorry, boat cleaning days are behind me. But it’s good memories.” Her words trailed off and she thought of them as a family and the good times they’d had camping on that beautiful strip of heaven at the end of the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys.

  “Yeah, good times. The best times were had there on the island.” He pulled her back into his arms. “I am so glad you are here.”

  She felt the beat of his heart against her ear and let her arms go around her brother. She closed her eyes and hugged him as a lump formed in her throat. “Me too,” she whispered, blinking heated eyes. She didn’t cry, hadn’t cried since that night in that car when she’d cried the tears of a thousand people. Still, her eyes burned and her throat hurt. She pushed out of his arms.

  “So, where did you buy?”

  “I bought a great spot. A really great spot. Do you know where Trent lives?”

  He looked confused. “Trent? Olivia’s brother?”

  She nodded.

  “Yeah, sure I do.”

  “I bought the lot at the top of that hill and hired him to build me a treehouse.”

  His eyes widened, just as everyone else’s had. “Seriously?”

  “Yes. I’m going to write in my treehouse from the top of my hill.”

  He laughed. “That’s amazing. You are doing well?”

  “I am. I love what I do, BJ. I can disappear into my books and create characters and take them on journeys to entertain my readers. I started writing on a whim one cold night on a snowy mountain and just wasn’t able to stop. It has given me something I needed.”

  “Good. I’m glad. Now, I need to get this fish cleaned up and packed and then we can go have dinner with Olivia. She’s going to be as excited to see you as I am. I hate to make you wait but the catch needs to be tended to.”

  “I know. I actually have some errands to run. I can meet you later, if that works.”

  “Yeah, I’ll call her, and then give you directions to the house.”

  A few minutes later, she parked her truck on the main drag of the cute beach town and went into one of the shops with colorful things. Bright colors drew her in and she found a pair of chairs and a couch that she knew would work in the cabin. She hadn’t planned to get furniture—the brown would do—but once she saw the yellow and red toned plaid chairs, she hadn’t been able to resist them. And then there was the red and white poppy covered couch…yes, it had to come too. She’d lived in that tiny space for so long, no room for anything and by her own choice. But now, she was expanding and bringing some color into her world, outside of the pages of her fiction. As she paid the man and set up the delivery for the next morning, she smiled as she headed back out onto the sidewalk. She saw a coffee shop and couldn’t resist going inside to reward herself with a cup of coffee and a delicious scoop of coconut ice cream. She resisted the urge to buy a container of coffee for the house and headed back out onto the sidewalk, enjoying her treats.

  Windswept Bay, with its pretty shops, beautiful backdrop of blue ocean, and laid-back tourist atmosphere was something she thought she could easily get used to. She needed to head to the grocery store and grab a few things but she found herself drawn to a seating area that overlooked the ocean. She sat down and savored her coffee and dessert. Her thoughts went to the book she was working on and she plotted out a few more scenes. When her phone rang, she jumped. It was BJ.

  “How about us meeting Olivia for dinner at the resort? She’s in the middle of a big project there.”

  “I’d like that. I’ve heard so much about the murals Grant Ellington painted at the resort. I can’t wait to see them. I’ll just meet you there.”

  “Sounds good. They’re amazing. I’m on my way.”

  She walked to her truck feeling happy. There was just something about being here that felt right. She pulled into traffic and drove the three blocks to the beautiful resort that had been in BJ’s wife’s family since her grandparents had opened it. They had roots here that went deep and though she had no ties to the place except BJ, she was surprised by how much she was drawn to Windswept Bay.

  Chapter Six

  Trent spent the afternoon at the remodel, going over his list of things to double-check before the owner came and gave his okay on the job. Already his mind was on the next job but he found it was more on Lilly than the actual project.

  She had been totally unaware of him this morning when he’d knocked on her door. She’d been lost in her work. He understood that to an extent because when he’d started working on the treehouse design, he got lost in the creative part of that. He was glad she’d liked what he’d come up with so much.

  He still could not fathom living in that matchbox-size trailer for years. He was climbing into his truck to leave when his twin brother Levi called.

  “Hey, police chief,” he teased when he took the call. “You ready for your hot date with that beautiful wife of yours?”

  He had agreed to hang out with his new six-year-old nephew, Kevin, while Levi and Jessica went to a teacher appreciation dinner.

  “Kevin is excited about you coming over. He wants to know if you will take him and the dogs to the beach.”

  “Sure. I’m leaving the Halberts’ place and will swing by the house and change and be there within the hour. Tell him to get his kite ready.”

  “Already waiting by the front door for you.” Levi laughed. “The kid thinks of everything.”

  “He’s a cool kid.”

  “We think so. I’ll let him know you’re coming and going with his plan. Talk to you soon.”

  Trent clicked the call off and tossed the phone in the cup holder. Kevin had become part of the family when Levi and Jessica had married. The little boy was something, and an undeniable force when it came to getting under a person’s skin. Everyone in the family was crazy about him and his mom, Jessica, since they had come into Levi’s life. Trent was happy for his twin and despite guarding his heart, he’d let the kid wiggle past his barriers. He knew it was good for him. Knew that he couldn’t hide his heart out forever. Where Kevin was concerned, the kid gave you no choice but to open up to him.

  Kevin would be excited about the treehouse. He and Levi had built Kevin a small one in the tree behind their house and when he arrived less than an hour later, that was where he found him—looking down out of the window, waving a make-believe sword.

  “He’s been waiting up there for you,” Jessica told him as she and Levi led him out onto the deck. “Get ready to squeeze your six-foot-tall body up there because he has drinks and a snack up there waiting on you.”

  Levi laughed. “Have fun. We should be home before ten.”

  “He’ll need to be in bed by say, nine,” Jessica added, giving Trent a hug. “That gives him a little bit of a late curfew for the two of you. He’ll like that. Thanks so much.”

  “Anytime. He’s a great kid.”

  She laughed. “Yes, he is. But he’s got a mind of his own.”

  “Maybe he’ll decide to set you up with someone.” Levi winked. “It worked for me and this pretty lady.” He pulled Jessica close and gave her a kiss.

  Trent watched them and felt a tug at his heart. He was happy they’d found each other.

  “You coming up here, Uncle Trent?” Kevin’s impatient voice called and they all laughed.

  “Your adoring fan calls,” Jessica said. “Bye, honey. Have fun and
be good for your uncle Trent.”

  The boy had his head stuck out the window opening. “I’ll be good. We’re going to eat our snack and then we’re going to get going to take the dogs for a run on the beach. Right, Uncle Trent?”

  “Right. See you two later. I’ve got business to tend to.” Trent headed across the yard to where the two large dogs sat, looking wistfully up at the entrance to the treehouse. “Hey, boys. No pups allowed but give us a few and we’ll head out.” He scratched Rosco, Kevin’s huge dog, behind the ears and then gave Levi’s huge puppy a good rub too.

  “Come on up,” Kevin called, looking down at him with bright eyes.

  Trent laughed, gave the dogs one more rub and then climbed the ladder. Both dogs whined as he left them behind.

  “Don’t worry, boys,” Kevin told them. “Y’all get to go with us in a minute.”

  Trent stuck his head through the opening and looked around. “Hey, you’ve got a good setup in here.” There was a fold-up chair in one corner and a small side table that came from Jessica’s patio. It was big enough for two paper plates.

  Kevin dropped into his small blue chair and grinned at him. The little boy was a small six-year-old who would turn seven in a couple of months.

  “I made you a peanut butter sandwich,” he said proudly. “I figured if we went ahead and ate dinner here, then we could go by and grab some ice cream when we got to the beach.”

  “You’ve got it all figured out. Ice cream sounds like a winner.” Trent moved from the ladder to sit cross-legged on the wooden floor. He and Levi hadn’t made the treehouse tall enough for them to stand up in, opting to keep the place more Kevin’s size. He picked up the half a sandwich and took a bite while Kevin did the same.

  “I was thinking we could build a baby bed in that corner. What do you think? I asked Mama if Aunt Jillian and Uncle Ryan’s baby would be able to come up here in the treehouse after it’s born but she said no, because it would be too little and had to have a baby bed. So I figure if we build it a baby bed then he can come up here. What do you think?”