Seaside Surprises: A Sweet Romance (The Seaside Hunters)

by Claflin, Stacy

  "Lobster sounds good—if that's okay. Or are we going dutch? I didn't even think to ask." She squirmed some more. "Sorry." A pained expression covered her face.

  "I invited you, so it's my treat. Don't even look at the prices, okay?"

  She looked confused, and then relieved. "Okay. I…I'm not really used to ordering for myself."

  Jake wanted to ask why, but thought she would have a nervous breakdown if he did. Pretending to look at his menu, he studied her as she scanned the pages. Elena was adorable when flustered, but at the same time, she appeared defeated. He felt bad for her. Why would ordering dinner be so hard?

  It was then he realized just how little he actually knew about her. Clearly, if he wanted her to let him in, he was going to have to be gentle. She had obviously been through something difficult if simple things like receiving flowers, taking pictures, and choosing food caused her such grief. Jake's heart ached, thinking about what—or probably who—could have done that to her.

  Back at the shop, she had been so confident and happy. It was like she had been a completely different person. Jake thought the way she acted earlier must have been her letting go of whatever bothered her now.

  Jake wanted to be the one to help her break free of her past—whatever it was.

  Elena set down the menu, and then looked out the window at the water.

  "Did you decide?" asked Jake.

  "Yeah. Are you sure I can order anything?"

  "Anything." He smiled, hoping to reassure her. "Thanks for all your help with the shop today. You were a lifesaver—and the counter looks great. I can't remember the last time everything was so nice."

  Sixteen

  Tiffany pushed the dish away. She'd eaten too much, but didn't care. The food had been delicious, and she'd actually been allowed to order her own meal for a change. Not only that, but Jake seemed genuinely interested in her, paying her compliments.

  "Are you in the mood for dessert?" he asked.

  She grasped her stomach and shook her head. "I don't have any room."

  "Me, neither, but somehow I can always make room for ice cream." He raised his eyebrows, looking adorable, and obviously trying to change her mind.

  "Go for it. I'll watch you eat." She smiled, feeling more at ease than she had before the meal.

  He pouted. "That's no fun."

  She laughed. "You're pretty convincing, but I would explode right here. You don't want to see that."

  Jake pretended to think about it. "You're right. It would make a huge mess. The staff might make me stay to clean it up."

  Tiffany shook her head, holding back a laugh. "See? I couldn't do that to you."

  "Well, since you don't want dessert, are you up for a walk by the water? There's a path behind the building that goes down there." He pointed out the window.

  She looked down at the empty beach. "That would be fun. I need to walk off this dinner, anyway." She groaned. Why had she eaten so much on a date? And why had she said that? "I mean, I'd love to walk down there with you. Sorry, I'm not used to this dating thing."

  "Do I make you nervous?" His eyes showed concern.

  "No. You're sweet and funny." And charming…and handsome.

  "What is it, then?" He rested his chin on his palm, looking into her eyes.

  Butterflies danced in her stomach. "I just haven't been on a date in a long time."

  "Well, I'm honored you said yes. Truth be told, I haven't been on one in ages, either."

  "You haven't?" Tiffany couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice. As attractive as he was, she would've thought he'd take a new girl out every week as the tourists rotated in and out of town.

  The waiter arrived with the check, and Jake handed him a credit card. He turned back to Tiffany. "I haven't. You walked into the shop at the most unexpected time. The last thing I was thinking about was going on a date, but spending time with you is exactly what I needed."

  "Really?" Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

  He nodded.

  "You kind of had the same effect on me," Tiffany whispered, her nerves calming. He looked so reassuring. They stared into each other's eyes. She realized she didn't feel nervous anymore. As Tiffany stared into his deep brown eyes, she felt she was with someone trustworthy.

  That was huge.

  Before she knew it, they were walking down a dirt path behind the restaurant, hand in hand. She was hyper-aware of his hand, and couldn't help focusing on each movement. She didn't want to hold too tight or too loose, and she didn't want to squeeze or sweat. There was so much to think about, and it was just a simple thing.

  They got down to the water's edge, and the beach was just as empty as it had been when they looked out from the restaurant.

  "It's beautiful down here. I can't believe it's not crowded."

  "It's one of the places tourists don't know about. The locals are usually busy working all summer, but you should see it when school starts."

  "Why?"

  "Everyone gathers for bonfires. The beach is filled with Frisbee and volleyball. It's a lot of fun—a great time to unwind after a busy summer."

  "Sounds like a good time, but I'm glad we're here now. It's nice to have it to ourselves." Tiffany squeezed his hand, and then after realizing that she had, she held her breath.

  He squeezed back, still looking out at the water. He took Tiffany's other hand and rubbed his thumb over her palm. Her skin tingled along the path he followed. She watched his thumb until he stopped, and then she looked up to his face.

  They made eye contact. Tiffany opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Her mind raced, and a rush of feelings ran through her. She wanted to kiss him, or rather for him to kiss her. But at the same time, she feared it. Everything was happening so fast. She wanted to give in, but she also feared what would happen after that?

  Would she fall in love? Or would she only set herself up for more heartache?

  Tiffany looked into his eyes, wanting to know his thoughts. Did he want to kiss her? Was he waiting for her to give a sign of approval?

  He let go of her hand, and pulled some hair behind her ear, his finger lingering against it.

  "Want to follow the path?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  She nodded.

  "Down a ways, there's an eagle's nest, and this time of year sometimes you can see them in it. It's almost magical."

  He took her hand again, and they walked along the water's edge, light waves coming only inches from Jake's shoes since he was closer to the water.

  Tiffany relaxed, taking in the sights. The sounds of the waves soothed her, and the chattering chipmunks running back and forth entertained her. It was nice that she could walk with Jake in comfortable silence. She didn't know what he was thinking, but at least she didn't have to worry about him yelling at her. He would never do that.

  "There it is. Do you see it?" Jake stopped walking, looking up at a cluster of trees.

  Tiffany squinted, trying to find the nest. Finally, she saw it nested in a tall tree. "Oh, wow. It's huge."

  He squeezed her hand, smiling. "They're not small birds. If we're still enough, they might even come out." He moved closer to her and put his arm around her.

  Her heart raced. It was so loud she couldn't hear anything above it. She could smell Jake's woodsy cologne. She pushed herself closer, trying to smell more. He was warm, and even more important, she felt safe. She wanted to stay in his arms, and never leave.

  "Do you see that?" he whispered.

  Tiffany could feel his warm breath on her ear. She shivered. "What?"

  "The top of an eagle head."

  The only thing she could focus on was his cologne and the tingling sensation his breath caused.

  After a few moments of silence, she was able to focus and she saw the top of the eagle head sticking out of the nest. She could even see part of the beak. "Is that a baby or a grownup?"

  "It's an adult." He moved some of her away from her face. "If we stay still, we might get to see
it fly." Chills ran down her back with his soft, warm words against her neck.

  Jake took her hand with his free one and laced his fingers through hers. They watched as the bird raised its head little by little until they could see the neck. Jake's fingers ran down her bare arm, and then up to her shoulder again. She held her breath, taken in by the beauty of nature and his warm kindness.

  He pulled her even closer, nestling his nose against her head. She could feel his breath on her scalp as if he was taking in her scent.

  The eagle climbed to the top of the nest, looked around, and then jumped into the air, spreading its wings. The flapping noise even reached Tiffany's ears. She gasped, taken in by it.

  Jake moved back to her ear. "It's majestic, isn't it?" he whispered.

  Tiffany nodded, still not finding her voice. They watched in silence as the bird became smaller, until it finally disappeared from sight.

  "I've never been so close to an eagle before," Tiffany whispered, finally finding her voice.

  Jake nodded, moving her hair along with his face. "Sometimes when I'm stressed, I like to come out here. It feels like I'm having complete conversations with some of them, just staring at them as they sit in the nest."

  "I believe it. There's something magical about it." Or maybe it was just being with him.

  He squeezed her shoulder. "I've always wanted to bring someone here, and I'm glad it's you."

  Jake had never taken anyone there before? He'd chosen her? "Me, too."

  He rested his head against hers again. Tiffany watched the waves bounce as she felt his soft breaths against her ear and neck. Seagulls flew around chasing each other, and little critters darted around near their feet.

  Jake's breath on her neck matched the rhythm of the waves. She closed her eyes, taking in the sounds around her. His heart beat against her back. If only this could last forever.

  Seventeen

  Jake didn't want to let go of Elena's hand, but they couldn't stay in the hotel lobby forever. His parents would expect him back at the hospital soon—and he did want to see his dad. He just didn't want the date with Elena to end.

  Her hair was a little messy from the wind at the beach. She looked perfect regardless, although he figured she would prefer her hair to be smoothed down.

  She let go of his hand and took the flowers to the desk, asking the clerk to put them in a vase and send them to her room. Then she returned to Jake, and he held both of her soft hands in his. "Thank you for going out with me tonight. I had a wonderful time." He stared into her beautiful green eyes. They seemed to grow prettier the more he looked into them.

  Her mouth curled into a smile. "So did I. Seeing the eagle was…I don't know. Words fail."

  "That they do." He brought her hand to his face and kissed it. "If you're free tomorrow night—"

  "I am." Her eyes held the same eagerness he felt.

  "You are? What about your car?"

  "It'll probably be sitting at Bobby's. But even if it's not…" She looked to the side, as if contemplating what to say. Then she turned back to him and shrugged.

  She was so beautiful. Jake stared into her eyes until he realized she was waiting for him to say something. "Well, I'd love to show you another place that tourists don't know about."

  Her cheeks flushed. "I'd love that. And if you need help at the shop tomorrow, let me know."

  "I really should pay you."

  "You can take me out to dinner again." She tilted her head, looking even sweeter.

  Jake pretended to think about it. "Hmm….Well, I suppose I could do that. If you insist."

  She poked him playfully, and then her face turned serious. "Are you going to visit your dad tonight?"

  "Yeah, but I'm having a hard time leaving the present company."

  "If you need me to work while you sleep in the morning, I will. I'm serious about helping out."

  He shook his head. "I can't ask you to work while I sleep again. I should be there."

  "You're not asking. Besides, it gives me something to do."

  "Something to do? This town is full of nothing other than things to do."

  "It's not really my scene." Elena bit her lip. Jake thought it was adorable. "I'm more comfortable in your shop. It's quaint. I really like it."

  "You do? Well, if you want to hang out at the shop, I won't stop you." He stared into her eyes again, not wanting to let her go. Being with her was like a drug—a wonderful escape from reality he wanted more of. "But I should let you get some rest. Speaking of the shop, you worked there for quite a while today."

  Elena stared back into his eyes. Could she feel the same way about him? "I probably should go back to my room. I think we're annoying the staff." She looked over to the side.

  Jake followed her gaze. A couple of the hotel employees watched them. "They're just jealous." He kissed her hand again. "Goodnight, beautiful lady."

  She stared into his eyes, looking embarrassed. Jake should have known she would respond that way to a compliment, even a much deserved one like that. He couldn't get over the intensity of her green eyes. He fought to let go of her hand.

  "Goodnight," she finally said. Elena turned around and walked toward the elevators.

  Jake couldn't take his eyes off her. When she was out of sight, he finally looked away and walked back to the car, lost in thought. He couldn't feel the ground beneath him. That beautiful and sweet woman actually liked him. Him.

  He opened the door, remembering all the times he had liked a girl who ended up choosing one of his brothers. It was the story of his life. He wasn't smart like Brayden, or the alluring bad boy like Cruz. Most girls went for one of them. If not them, than one of his other brothers. Zachary, the mysterious writer. Rafael, the talented fashion designer.

  Jake was always the good son, dependable and hardworking. If someone was needed to help out with something, he was the first to step up and get the job done. That made him uninteresting and overlooked. In other words, dull. If someone looked up boring in the dictionary, they would find a picture of Jake.

  Except for Elena—somehow she actually saw something in him. Jake would have to keep her away from his brothers, especially since they were all likely to come back to town to visit their dad in the hospital.

  Did it even matter? She was only passing through. What were the chances of her staying in Kittle Falls? She might not even be in town long enough for him to worry about meeting the other Hunter brothers.

  The more time he spent with Elena, the more he wanted. He would almost consider paying Bobby to keep the car longer, but that wouldn't be right. He couldn't do that to her.

  Was there any way they could make it work? Would she even consider staying in Kittle Falls? Jake shook his head, laughing bitterly. It wasn't a place people wanted to live. That's why he was the last sibling there. Except for Sophia, who had also never left, but she had been as much a Daddy's girl as Jake was a good son.

  What if he went with Elena wherever she was going? He didn't even care where that was, as long as she was there. He could use an adventure, anyway. That would solve his problem of working too many hours with no appreciation and little pay. With all his brothers back in town, they could fight over who was going to run the shop.

  He started the car and pulled out of the spot. The days of relying on Jake for everything were over. He was going to step out and have an adventure of his own. It was about time. Someone else could step up and take care of things. Then maybe someone would actually appreciate everything he'd done for the family all those years.

  Jake turned on the AC and as it pushed the air around, he got a whiff of Elena's perfume. He took a deep breath, holding onto the scent and imagining her beautiful eyes.

  Yes, he needed to make a bold move. Sure, his family needed him, but that was the problem. It was time for him to live his life. He pulled into the driveway and stared at the house. It had been his home for his entire life—more than two decades. That was long enough.

  He stopped the ignition
and got out, slamming the door. The first thing he was going to do was add himself to the payroll and get a car. Then he would get his own place to live—preferably, wherever Elena would be. No more working ridiculously long hours in exchange for just room and board.

  When he got inside, he noticed the answering machine blinking the number eight. Eight new messages? He checked his cell phone. No missed calls. They couldn't be an emergency. Or could they? His parents refused to get with the times, so they never called his cell. They had the cell phones Brayden paid for, but almost never used them, relying on landlines.

  He pressed play, and found that four of the messages were his mom. Each one more irritated than the last at him for not answering her calls.

  Jake slammed his keys on the counter. It wasn't enough that he kept their shop going—he was the one paying all their bills—but now she was mad at him for also not being there at her beck and call.

  It wasn't like he was avoiding the hospital. He had every intention of going there after his date. It also wasn't like he didn't care about his dad. He was the one who had given up his life to help them out. And he was worried about his dad's health.

  Was it so wrong to go out to dinner with a beautiful girl who liked him, and who had helped with their shop that day? They weren't paying her, and she had brought more business to them. Customers bought more things from the front counter than before. When he added up the till at closing, it was their highest grossing day in years.

  The phone rang. It was probably his mom again, but he didn't know since they didn't even have caller ID. Jake took a deep breath before picking up the receiver. "Hello?"

  "Where have you been?" his mom demanded.

  "I had some dinner after closing the shop. Is Dad doing better?"

  "Are you going to come to the hospital and see?"

  "Yes. I just stopped here first to change my clothes. I heard he's doing a lot better. That's great news."

  "Everyone else is here. He's asking about you, Jake."