by Ruth Langan
“Your new book. Everybody’s saying it pokes holes in my father’s handling of those murder cases all those years ago.”
“If you read the book, you’d know it was fiction.”
“Is that what you’re calling it?” Boyd’s chin jutted. “You might be some big important literary hero in that new life you made, with more money than you’ll ever need. But here in Devil’s Cove, we still remember what you really are. My father was right about you all those years ago. You’re nothing but the town drunk’s bastard.”
Jason saw the way heads turned at Boyd’s angry outburst. Though his face remained impassive, his voice barely a whisper, the blaze of white-hot fury in his eyes had the sheriff backing up a step. “If you’re thinking you can still arrest me for that, the way your father did, you’d better go home and study the law.”
“I’ll go home when I’m good and ready.”
“You might want to explain yourself to the manager who’s heading this way.”
As the chief spun away, Jason leaned close to whisper, “But you were right about one thing, Boyd. All that money I’m making can buy me some damned fine lawyers.”
He stood watching as the uniform was swallowed up in the crowd at the bar. When the waitress appeared with their food, Jason sat down quietly and studied Emily across the table.
Neither of them spoke, allowing the hum of voices in the background to fill the silence.
At last Jason took her hand in his and managed a thin smile. “Nice to know some things never change.”
“That was hateful. But then, Boyd Thompson was never known for his pleasant personality.”
“How did he manage to inherit the job of police chief after his father retired?”
“It’s been in their family a long time. Besides…” She shrugged. “As near as I can gather, nobody else wanted it.”
Jason looked down at his plate and squeezed her hand before releasing it. “No sense letting all this food go to waste.”
So many questions swirled around in Emily’s head, but she was reluctant to spoil another moment. And so she followed his lead and simply ate her meal in silence.
Later, as they took their leave of the restaurant, once more Jason caught Emily’s hand. This time he thought he’d prepared himself for the quick jolt, but it still managed to take him by surprise.
“Let’s stroll along the pier. I need to walk off all that food.”
“Good idea.” Emily absorbed the heat that raced along her arm. “I couldn’t even make a dent in the salad, the lake trout, the twice-baked potato. But then you had to tempt me by ordering the crème brûlée topped with fresh strawberries.”
He chuckled in the darkness. “I didn’t force you to eat it.”
“You didn’t have to. It’s a weakness of mine. When it comes to dessert, I have absolutely no willpower.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” He leaned close. “What are your other weaknesses, Dr. Brennan?”
She pressed a hand to his chest. “As if I’d tell you.”
Laughing, he turned to watch the play of harbor lights on the water. “This is one of mine.”
“Mine, too.” She didn’t even know she sighed. “I like it better in the fall, though, when the tourists are gone. Sometimes I’m the only one out here, and I find myself wondering where all the big boats are headed.”
He leaned a hip against the wooden rail. “That was my favorite game when I was a kid. I’d imagine myself sneaking aboard one of them, going to some exotic port in the South Pacific.”
“You always wanted to get away from Devil’s Cove. And now you’ve done it.”
“It wasn’t the town I wanted to leave. Or you, Emily.” His voice roughened. “Never you.”
“But you did. Without a word.”
“I know. I’m sorry about that. You’ll never know how…” His head came up sharply, glancing left, then right.
Emily touched a hand to his arm. “What is it?”
He shrugged. “Just a feeling. Like someone is watching us.”
Emily studied the half dozen couples strolling in the moonlight. Along the far rail an old man was fishing, his hamper beside him.
“I don’t see anyone who seems even vaguely interested in us.”
A breeze sent their hair dancing and whipped the waves to froth. Seeing Emily shiver, Jason drew an arm around her shoulders. “Come on. I’ll get you home.”
By the time they’d walked to his car, the shops were closing, the streets empty except for the few tourists still searching for a restaurant or bar.
They rode slowly through the town while Emily brought Jason up to date on her family.
“Courtney studied interior design in New York and Milan, then came back here to open a shop. She lives above it. Sid’s an artist now, living in a cottage near the old lighthouse. Hannah’s nursery and landscaping company is just starting to take off. And my mother’s real estate firm was just selected to represent the new golf course and harbor development.”
“Sounds like life is good for the Brennans.”
She nodded, then fell silent as she caught Jason checking the rearview mirror several times as they headed toward the historic district. When they came to The Willows, he turned the Porsche onto the tree-lined drive.
When they came to a stop he opened her door and kept her hand in his as they walked up the steps of the front porch.
“I never expected to be doing this.” He waited while she turned a key in the lock and shoved the door open. “How does it feel to be living here again?”
She turned to him. “Not as strange as I’d feared. I fought it at first. But once I was here, I realized it wasn’t like being a kid again. I’m here on my own terms. The house is big enough that we’re not tripping over each other. I can see my family if I choose to, or be by myself when the mood strikes.”
He closed a hand over her shoulder and leaned close. “You mean, if I were to spend the night in your room, nobody would notice?”
She laughed. “Sorry. The house isn’t that big.”
“Too bad.” In the moonlight her dark hair seemed dusted with diamonds. He had a desperate urge to touch it. “It might have been fun.”
“I doubt I’d risk it for fun. Memorable, maybe. Spectacular, possibly.” She shook her head and there was a teasing light of laughter in her eyes, eyes that glinted brighter than the stars overhead. “As a writer I’d have expected you to come up with something much more descriptive than fun.”
“You’re right. What was I thinking?” He thrust both hands into her hair and nearly sighed from the pleasure. It was as soft as he remembered. And her mouth was absolutely made for kissing. “I give you my solemn promise. If you invite me up to your room we’ll spend a night of a thousand pleasures, all of them beyond the description of mere mortals.”
She was laughing as he lowered his mouth to hers. It was the merest brush of mouth to mouth, but the laughter died in her throat. Her lashes fluttered, then closed as he took the kiss deeper and she lost herself in it.
The ground beneath her feet seemed to shift and she reached out blindly, clutching his waist to keep from falling.
“Did that change your mind?” He kept his mouth on hers, whispering the words against her lips. And though he strove for lightness, there was the slightest edge to his voice.
Her only response was a hum of pleasure as her lips softened, opened, inviting more.
He needed no other invitation. His arms came around her, molding her to the length of him while he kissed her long and slow and deep until their hearts were thundering and they were both gasping for air.
He looked down at her hands fisted in the front of his shirt. “Is that a yes?”
She was surprised at how difficult it was to laugh over the dryness in her throat. “Sorry. I’m still planning on sleeping alone.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” He brushed a last kiss over her lips and drew away. “Sweet dreams.”
“You, too.”
She stood
in the doorway and watched as he returned to the car and put it in gear. As the headlights moved down the driveway, she stood very still, waiting for her heartbeat to return to normal.
What was it about Jason Cooper? With nothing more than a kiss, he still had the ability to make her feel like a lovestruck teen.
Whatever it was, she thought as she headed toward the stairs, it was even more powerful now than when they’d been high-school sweethearts.
Chapter 6
In front of the Harbor House, Jason stepped from the car and handed the keys to the valet. As he made his way up the walkway he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. But the few people standing on the porch seemed to take no interest in him as he passed, and by the time he reached the front door he was chiding himself on his wild imagination. The curse of a mystery writer, he supposed.
The moment he stepped inside the lobby the night clerk snatched up a book from under the counter and hurried over. The young man glanced around nervously before holding out the book.
“We were warned not to bother you, Mr. Cooper, but I was wondering if you’d mind signing this.”
Jason grinned. “I don’t mind a bit.” He accepted a pen and flipped open the book. “What’s your name?”
“Mark Sobiesky. But Mark will do.”
Jason scrawled his name. “You go to school, Mark?”
The boy nodded. “Michigan State. I’ll be a junior in the fall.”
“What’s your major?”
“Journalism.”
“You hoping to write?”
“Yeah. I’d love to do what you do. I’ve read all your books.” The young clerk accepted the pen and book almost reverently. As he turned away he called, “You rock.”
“Thanks.” Jason was still grinning as he turned away and caught sight of Robeson’s head in the bar.
He approached the booth and found his old friend enjoying a drink with Prentice Osborn.
“Hey.” Robeson looked up and slid over to make room. “Join us, Jase. What’ll you have?”
Jason nodded toward the mug in his friend’s hand. “Not what you’re having, I’m afraid. Coffee, I guess.”
“Coffee,” Robeson called to the bartender.
Minutes later Jason touched his cup to their glasses and took a moment to drink.
“Out catching up with old friends?” Robeson dipped a hand in the bowl of chips.
“Yeah. How about you?”
Prentice didn’t give Robeson time to answer. “He was just telling me he stopped by the Daisy Diner.”
“For old times’ sake,” Robeson was quick to add.
“Was Carrie working tonight?”
Robeson gave a slight nod before ducking his head.
Across the table, Prentice was shaking his head. “You’re the only man I know who, after being interviewed by CNN, passes up a gourmet dinner at the Harbor House to eat at the local diner.”
“Why not?” Jason gave a friendly nudge of his elbow. “I hear they have great grilled cheese sandwiches.”
“And the waitress happens to be an old friend.” Robeson was determined to defend himself against the inevitable taunts.
“Who happens to look sexy in that uniform and apron.” Jason’s eyes danced with unconcealed humor. “You always had a thing for uniforms, didn’t you? I remember that girl in ROTC. What was her name?”
“Justine Gack.” Robeson shook his head. “I saw her yesterday, with her husband and two sons. Nature hasn’t been kind to Justine.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“I bet her husband’s even sorrier.”
That had the three men laughing easily together.
“Speaking of uniforms. Our local police chief paid a nasty visit to my table in the Pier to warn me that I was on his hit list.”
Robeson’s smile was quickly wiped away. “Don’t tell me our football hero has become the same kind of pain in the ass his father used to be.”
“Looks that way. He seemed to be itching for a fight. He went away disappointed. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.”
Robeson sipped his beer. “Don’t mess with him, Jase. He might be a jerk, but remember, he’s got the law on his side.”
“I’ll remember.” Jason looked over at Prentice. “What did you do tonight?”
“This and that.” He gave a negligent shrug of his shoulders. “Like you, old friends to catch up with.”
“I hear you’re selling off some of the family property.”
“A developer made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Jason studied him over the rim of his cup. “You don’t mind that your family estate keeps shrinking more each year?”
“Not as long as it makes me a millionaire in the process.”
Robeson gave a snort. “I thought your grandfather did that before you were born.”
Prentice nodded. “My grandfather was a smart man. He said only a fool would put his money in stocks when he could put it in land. But my father wasn’t listening. By the time he died the estate was nearly bankrupt.”
Prentice drained his drink. When he looked up his smile was back. “I’d better run. Carrie’s mom is with Will. She’ll want to be getting home.”
Robeson arched a brow at Prentice’s mention of his handicapped brother. “You can’t leave Will alone?”
“I do when I have to. But I prefer to have someone there with him. He gets…agitated when he’s alone.”
“Agitated? Has he ever done damage?”
“Only to himself. He’s clumsy. He’s fallen down the stairs a couple of times. And slipped in the bathroom.” Prentice slid from the booth and offered a handshake. “I guess I’ll be seeing you two around in the next couple of days.”
They called their good-nights, and Jason took the seat vacated by Prentice.
“It’s got to be hard taking care of a brother like Will.” Robeson nursed his beer. “I have to give Prentice credit for that. He could have had Will put away in some expensive institution and nobody would have faulted him for it.” Robeson studied his friend. “I don’t think you’re even listening to me. What’s bothering you?”
Jason grinned. “Maybe it’s coming back here and remembering why I was so eager to get away. That run-in with Boyd Thompson didn’t help.” He drained his coffee and got to his feet. “I think I’ll turn in now.”
As he started away Robeson called, “Have you had a visit with Mrs. B?”
“I’m seeing her in the morning.” With a wave of his hand he walked away.
After stepping into the ancient elevator he punched the button. Despite some creaking, it moved smoothly and came to a halt at the third floor, where he stepped out and crossed the hall to his room. As he let himself in, he was thinking about Emily in her room at The Willows.
Hours later, when he finally shut down his computer and turned in for the night, he was still thinking about Emily. There was no denying that the years they’d been apart hadn’t dimmed the magic between them. If anything, it was stronger than ever.
“Jason.” Before he’d even stepped from his car Bert was standing on the front porch to greet him.
“Mrs. B.” He kissed her cheek and kept her hands in his as she stepped back to study him.
“You look so good, Jason. You’ve made a good life for yourself?”
He nodded. “Thanks to you.”
“Nonsense. You’d have found your way regardless.”
“Maybe.” His smile was quick and warm. “But it didn’t hurt to know I had a champion on my side.”
“Come in.” She turned and led him through the pretty foyer. Instead of taking him to the parlor, she veered toward the kitchen. “As soon as Trudy heard you were coming, she got busy making all your favorites.”
“I didn’t want any fuss.”
She paused and laughed. “Tell that to Trudy.”
“Tell me what?” The housekeeper was just walking in from the patio, wiping her hands on her apron.
Jason breathed in the
wonderful aroma of citrus and spice that filled the air. “I didn’t want you to fuss, Trudy.”
“I’m not fussing.” She waved a hand at the two of them. “Go out and enjoy the sunshine. I made iced tea.”
Jason followed his old teacher to the patio and glanced around. “Where’s the judge?”
“Puttering in his workroom. He’ll be along soon. Unless he forgets to eat, which often happens when he’s lost in a project.”
“Still inventing?”
Bert nodded as she took a seat on a glider and invited Jason to sit beside her. “It keeps him from missing the courtroom.”
“What’ll you do to keep from missing a classroom full of students?”
She laid a hand over his. “Maybe I’ll take up the piano.”
That had them both chuckling.
She sighed. “I’m sure I’ll feel a pang or two when September rolls around. But it’ll be nice to know I can come and go as I please. It was time to walk away, before they had to carry me off.”
“Will you be shopping for a retirement home in some warmer climate?”
She crossed her arms and stared out at the water, dotted with boats. “I don’t think I could ever leave here. I’d miss all this too much.”
“You could always come back in the summer.” He followed the direction of her gaze. “The town’s growing.”
“It is, but not so much that it’s jarring.”
“Would you ever sell The Willows?”
“Why do you ask? Are you thinking of buying it?”
He merely grinned.
She shook her head. “I hope I can live out my life here. But if I can’t…” She shrugged. “I’d like to think one of my family would remain here. Speaking of family, were you surprised to see Emily living and working here?”
“Yeah.” He gave a short laugh. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw her named as chairman of the tribute committee.”
She gave him a sideways look. “And that’s when you decided to attend the reunion.”
“You always knew me too well.”
“It took a while. You were very good at keeping secrets. I guess that’s why I decided to look beyond the face you showed the world.”
“I’m glad you did.”