“Oh, well, I’m thinking that a baby wouldn’t really be needing to be up here for a few years. This is more for big fellas like you. It’ll be best for the baby to stay near the ground.”
“But he would like it up here.”
“I’m not thinking he would. And besides that, your aunt Jillian and your mother would probably freak out a little bit if somehow he was able to get up here.”
“And that wouldn’t be good. Okay, no babies allowed.”
“There you go. In a few years, he can come up. So, you ready to head out?”
“I am. Got everything ready.”
Trent smiled as they climbed out of the treehouse and headed into the house to grab the gear. They locked up, loaded the dogs into his truck and, with Kevin buckled into the backseat, headed to the beach. He glanced into the rearview mirror and smiled at the bright-eyed kid. Kevin chattered nonstop all the way to the resort.
Trent wanted kids of his own. The thought warmed inside him as he listened to his nephew’s happy chatter. Something inside Trent was coming back to life and he tried hard not to fight it. It was time. He knew it. Knew that life couldn’t stand still forever.
He pulled into the resort parking lot and drove to the far end near the back entrance to the beach area. Within moments, he had the crew unloaded, and they headed to the beach. Bypassing the pool area, they skirted the outer edge of the resort and made their way to the large beach. He dropped the towels on a cabana chair and took the Frisbee out for the dogs and laid the kite for Kevin on the chair with the towels.
“We better give the dogs some exercise first.” He laughed when they started prancing and jumping in an attempt to get the Frisbee from him.
“Yep, you better throw it or they’re going to tackle you.” Kevin laughed with excitement.
Trent threw it and the dogs took off after it. The pup was still clumsy; he was growing at such a fast rate that his motor skills couldn’t keep up with his body. He tumbled in the sand as he attempted to make a dive for the disk. Rosco, however, big but full grown, dove into the air and snatched the yellow disk out of the air.
Kevin whooped and jumped and raced to his dogs, sliding in the sand and rolling with them with the joy that only a kid his age could muster. Trent chuckled and watched with his hands on his hips. Satisfaction warmed him as the trio jumped up and raced back to him. And so their evening went. Trent tossed the Frisbee more times than he could count. He raced down the beach with the kite and then tossed the laughing Kevin over his shoulder and jogged up the beach toward the resort to give him the ice cream from the resort cabana that he’d promised him.
Kevin laughed all the way while the dogs jumped to try to reach him. Once they reached the edge of the beach, Trent set Kevin on his feet and told the dogs to stay. They sat and watched with wishful expressions.
“I’ll share with you,” Kevin told them and gave them each a rub on the head.
The beachside restaurant was not too far from the outdoor cabana bar. When he heard his name, Trent glanced over to see BJ, Olivia, and Lilly at a table at the edge of the deck. BJ had risen and was waving at him.
“Hey,” Trent called and looked down at Kevin. “Let’s go say hi to everyone.”
Kevin loved hanging around anyone in the Sinclair clan and once he saw BJ and Olivia, he took off toward them. Trent followed, his gaze automatically taking in Lilly. She was smiling and he was glad to see she’d finally met with her brother and Olivia.
They greeted everyone and Kevin got hugs from the group and an introduction to Lilly.
“You’re pretty,” he said without hesitation. “I like your hair. It’s as curly as the curly fries I like to eat when I’m here. I like it.”
“Well, thank you.” She winked at him. “It gets pretty wild at times but I like it too.”
Kevin reached out and touched a winding curl and grinned and then looked at Trent. “Hey, Uncle Trent, can I have some curly fries with my ice cream?”
BJ laughed and hitched a brow at Trent. “Y’all sit down. We’re finishing up but not in any rush.”
“Sure. Sounds good. I think I’ll have some of those fries too. After all the exercise the kid put me through out there, the peanut butter sandwich he fed me in his treehouse has worn off.”
That got a chuckle from everyone. There was only one extra chair at the table, so Trent grabbed one from the table behind him and when he turned around, Kevin had already sat down. Lilly was closest to him and scooted her chair over to make room for him at the table.
“So, y’all’ve heard the plan?”
“Yes, I told them. They’re as excited as I am about my new treehouse,” Lilly said.
“I am,” Olivia said, laying a brief hand across the table to cup his arm as she smiled. “You are so good at that. And we are very excited Lilly is here.”
“Thanks. I’m thinking it’s going to be a cool project.”
“You’re getting a treehouse?” Shock widened Kevin’s eyes. “One of Uncle Trent’s big ones?”
“I am. It sounds like you have one too.” Lilly gave her full attention to Kevin, and Trent found himself enjoying watching her. He’d thought about her off and on all day and was eager to start the job tomorrow.
“I do. You’ll have to come over and see it. It’s not real big but it’ll do for now.”
They all laughed at that. The waitress came over and they ordered the fries and a bowl of chocolate ice cream too. Trent figured this was a guys’ night, so guys’ food was okay.
He stood and leaned out over the rail to call the two dogs to come over next to the deck so he could keep an eye on them. Lilly reached over the railing and gave them each a pat.
“They are pretty.”
Kevin proudly introduced them. “That’s Rosco—he was my dad’s dog. And when my dad went to heaven, Rosco became mine. And that’s Jaco. He’s my new dad’s puppy that I got him to get. They get along real good. Just like me and Levi. My mom says we’re all a match made from heaven.”
Lilly’s eyes widened just a touch and then she swallowed hard. “That’s wonderful. So, your first dad is in heaven? I’m sorry. Mine is too. And my mom.”
“Are you still sad?”
Trent saw the simple question from a little kid have the most profound effect on Lilly. He heard the slight intake of breath and saw a sadness sweep across her features like a rushing wind and then it was gone. If he hadn’t been watching her so close, he might have missed it.
“I am sometimes.”
Kevin studied her and then climbed out of his chair, walked around Trent to reach her and wrapped his arms around her. The action was so unexpected that Lilly’s face registered shock as her gaze met Trent’s. He saw them brighten with tears and his heart thundered and swelled.
“Hugs help. And it’s okay to be sad. It just means you loved them.” Kevin stepped back to look her in the eyes. “But it’s good to be happy too because it makes them happy watching you.”
Trent glanced at BJ and saw that he and Olivia had clasped hands on the table as he watched his sister.
“Thank you for that, Kevin,” Lilly said, her voice thick. “I’ll remember that.”
His work done, Kevin walked back to his chair and sat down just as his fries and ice cream came. Trent’s heart raced and he gave Lilly a small smile.
“Lilly told us she is a writer,” Olivia said, refocusing the conversation. “And it turns out I’m one of her biggest fans. I love her Chloe Beck’s books.”
“It’s my job for the next two months to give Lilly and her alter ego a fancy place in the trees to create.” He really liked the idea more and more. He could see her up there, kicked back on her deck in the trees and looking over the treetops at the ocean. It really felt right for her. It fit her.
Kevin stopped a spoonful of ice cream midway to his mouth, his face scrunching as he thought. “I think I’ll be a writer in my treehouse. But I’m gonna need to get better at writing first.”
Olivia hugged him, a wide
smile on her face. “Practicing your writing in your treehouse will help you get better. I think that’s a great idea.”
“Okay, but what is a pen name?”
“That’s a name you use instead of your real name,” Lilly explained.
“But why do you not want to use your real name?” Kevin asked.
BJ frowned. “Exactly what I’m wondering.”
“There are lots of reasons. My reason is I didn’t want any pressure from people around me knowing I was writing. Sometimes it’s just better that way.”
Later, after they’d all headed in their different directions and Levi and Jessica had come home and he was driving to his place, he had Lilly on his mind. She was a mixture of details, a puzzle that seemed to move around. He couldn’t get over the way she’d looked when Kevin had hugged her. Or the way Olivia and BJ had looked. He was pretty sure he’d figured out that part of her puzzle went deep and stemmed from the loss of her parents. Losing them had affected her deeply and it might have been that part that drew him to her. He’d been affected irrevocably by losing Erica. He felt for Lilly and wondered whether she were here, trying to move forward. Because something about what had happened tonight told him that she hadn’t yet, at least not prior to arriving here.
Chapter Seven
Lilly was thrilled when her new furniture arrived. She watched the two men carry out the brown couch and chairs and then replace them with the bright, colorful ones she’d chosen the day before. She clasped her hands together and rested her chin on her fist as she smiled at the way they looked.
“I have furniture. Real furniture.” She sighed and then as the truck drove away, she did a little twirl and dropped down onto the couch. It was amazing. She kicked off her flip-flops and stretched out on the couch to stare up at the ceiling. She had a couch. And it was the most comfortable, beautiful thing she’d ever seen. She sighed with contentment. It was really hard to believe how easily she was taking to having her own space. It was clear that the timing had been right. Her heart was healing.
She blinked as she thought of that sweet child’s simple and touching explanation of how he coped with losing his dad. He’d been so young. Looking at the ceiling, she blinked back tears once again. Yesterday when he’d hugged her, she had very nearly cried. It had shocked her at first, the feel of dampness there in her eyes. She’d felt the burn before but no tears had come.
Yesterday, as with now, she felt moisture. Was that a sign her heart was coming back to life?
There was another rumble of a vehicle and she sprang up from the couch and went to look out the window. Trent was here.
She had noticed him on the beach playing with Kevin as she and BJ and Olivia had been eating. It had been hard not to watch them romping and having fun. BJ had told him that Trent was turning out to be a great uncle. That he was normally quiet but that Kevin had been helping bring his quiet brother in law out some. It was obvious that he and the boy loved each other. And after she’d met Kevin, it was easy to see that it would be very hard not to love the child.
She wondered about Trent. Why was he so quiet?
As he drove past, getting the truck closer to the work site, she opted for her boots that were next to the door. Pulling them on, she hurried to go see what all he’d brought. Today was the day he started building her new home.
Her furniture was going to look even better up there in it when he finished.
He was loosening the tie-down straps from the sawhorses and boards and smiled as she walked up.
“Good morning,” she called, clomping toward him.
“Good morning.” He gave her a once-over with his eyes that twinkled and made her all too aware of the man. “Cute outfit.”
She looked down at her normal writing attire: T-shirt, shorts, and boots. “Rule is never to tromp around the woods without boots.”
“I totally agree. I brought you something,” he said.
“Really, what?”
He let go of the strap and moved to his truck. Reaching through the open window, he pulled back and held out a paper coffee cup. “Wasn’t sure if you’d want it but thought I’d bring it just in case. I was picking up a cup for myself and thought you might like it. The Gotta Have It Coffee Shop makes a great cup of coffee. Creamer and sugar are in the cup holder if you want some.”
Lilly eyed the paper cup and then the man in awe. “You brought me coffee.” She sighed and reached for the cup.
He grinned as their fingers brushed in the transfer of the cup.
That same spark shivered in her stomach at his touch.
“Yeah, I took a chance—”
Lilly ignored it and focused on the coffee. “You were right. Oh, how I’ve missed you,” she cooed and took a sip. “It is delicious. I could kiss you for this.”
He smiled sexily. “If you must. It’s been awhile since a pretty lady kissed me.”
She laughed. “I was teasing and I doubt very seriously it’s been awhile.”
He cocked his head to the side, those twinkling eyes challenging. “It’s been awhile.”
Lilly nearly got lost in the look in his eyes. “S-so, how about that treehouse,” she managed and took a swig of coffee.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist teasing you. I’m setting up my work area. Is this okay with you? Out of your way enough? I’ll come here to do my cutting. I’ll be setting posts first.”
She tried to get her thoughts off Trent. He had been teasing. “Anywhere is good with me. I’ll be in there writing. Which I need to get back to. If you need anything, just knock.”
“I won’t need anything. You do what you need to. I’m fine.”
She backed up with her coffee held tightly between both hands. “Great. Okay, got to go get my gal out of a burning house.”
“Really?”
“Yep, left her about to jump out of a window over an hour ago. I got interrupted when my furniture arrived. You’ll have to see it. It is so pretty. But anyway, I’ll let you work and I’ll go put a fire under my hero so he gets to my heroine in time.” She swung around and tromped toward the cabin. What was wrong with her? The problem—now she wasn’t thinking about her story hero at all. She was thinking about Trent and how good he looked standing there in that soft morning light. Whew.
“Hey,” he called lightly.
She turned.
“Kevin enjoyed meeting you last night.”
A warm fuzzy feeling went through her. “I liked meeting him. He’s sweet. And you two were sweet out there on the sand playing.”
“He’s a fun kid. Been through a lot but doing good now.”
“Yeah, I gathered that.”
He stepped away from the truck and his expression was more serious. “I got the feeling, well, that he got to you a little bit. Were you okay?”
She swallowed hard. He’d noticed. She’d thought he had but wasn’t sure. There was that moment when Kevin had hugged her and all her defenses had just dropped away and her gaze had met Trent’s. He had noticed, saw her pain exposed. “I-I’m fine. But thanks for asking. Okay, see you later.” She spun and didn’t stop until she was inside.
The last thing she wanted was for Trent, or anyone, to see past her defenses. She’d work hard to keep them up. Kevin had just taken her by complete surprise. A kid—a little pint-sized boy—was the last person she’d expected to crack the shell around her heart.
But she’d be ready next time. Today, she had to focus, wipe out distractions, and get her writing done…
Trent worked all day, digging holes and setting the poles that would help support the walkway up to the treehouse. The lumberyard brought the lumber and stacked it for him and he signed the paperwork and watched them leave. It was nearly five when he called it a day, glancing at the cabin that had been closed up and quiet all afternoon. He thought about knocking on the door and letting Lilly know he was done for the day. But there really wasn’t any reason to do that…other than to see her.
And that was not what he was here for.
> Climbing into his truck, he backed around and then headed home. Only problem was he had Lilly on his mind.
When he arrived home, he took a shower and then took a ride on his motorcycle. He hoped the ride would clear his head but it didn’t. At sunset, he pulled over on a shoulder overlooking the ocean and got off the Knucklehead. And he just stood there, looking out over the ocean as the waves rolled in below him. He breathed in the salt air and rubbed his brow as he thought about Erica. He’d loved her. And that day, when her team had gone out on patrol on a routine surveillance mission, they hadn’t expected the sniper. Erica hadn’t hesitated as she dove in front of the other members of her team. She took a chest full of bullets, giving them time to fire and take out the sniper.
Erica was dead before she hit the ground.
Even thinking about it all this time later, he nearly threw up. He’d loved her and she’d laid her life down for her team and if he’d been there she would have done it for him too. Or he would have done it for her. But he hadn’t been there and it killed him. He closed his eyes, planted his hands on his hips and hung his head. Nothing he could do could turn back the clock and bring her back. Nothing he did could stop wishing it had been him and not her.
He couldn’t talk about it. Didn’t want to think about it. But she deserved to be thought about and remembered every day. And loved.
He needed to move forward with his life. Needed to find a way to let go but the guilt he felt for not being able to protect her wouldn’t let him go.
And it felt wrong to want to let go.
Felt wrong to have Lilly on his mind like he had all day.
Restless, he watched the sun turn the sky an amazing artwork of blue molded with splashes of orange and fading into a gentle pink….seeming to fight to hang onto the last threads of day, it finally dipped past the water. He stood there until the last of the light had ebbed from the sky and then he walked back to his bike and drove into the night. Nothing had been solved. What was there to solve? He couldn’t let go.
With This Wish (Windswept Bay Book 9) Page 5