Last Resort Love

by Holly Cortelyou

  Krissa dithered. Eli had really wanted her to go to the resort for the Independence Day celebrations, but she wasn’t sure if a Nick encounter was such a good idea. Fireworks, good eats, and friends. Hmmm.

  “I would hate to intrude on a family event,” Krissa said, “but it does sound fun.”

  “I sit poolside most of the time and let the kids run loose around the resort,” Dana said with a laugh. “It is so relaxing. Brett usually hangs out on the golf course, and Nick’s busy with keeping the day running smoothly, so I rarely see him for more than five minutes until the fireworks. I need a companion.”

  Krissa laughed and agreed to tag along. If Nick wasn’t going to be around, well, it would be safe for her to be at the resort. She told herself that she was going to have a good time and be happy, and she nodded resolutely.

  As she packed her oversized straw beach bag with sunscreen, towels, and a few magazines, Krissa’s phone rang again. It was David. Her heart plummeted to her toes. What now? She didn’t know if she had the energy to solve any more problems.

  “Krissy, I have something to tell you, but I don’t want you to be mad,” David began.

  Krissa flumped down on a chair and braced herself.

  * * * *

  With the sun blazing down, Krissa and Dana staked out lounge chairs and spread out their towels. Krissa gazed around the pool complex with its diving boards, slides, and waterfalls and felt like she was in paradise. She smiled at the sounds of kids splashing in the pool, of small, wet feet slapping against the concrete, and giggles and shouts echoing over the water.

  Dana must have noticed the smile on Krissa’s face because she said, “Best sounds ever?”

  “Every little noise shouts summertime and joy,” Krissa replied as she leaned forward and rubbed sunblock over her legs.

  “You sure look contented today,” Dana commented.

  “I got a funny call from my brother this morning,” Krissa said.

  “Not more trouble, I hope,” Dana said with concern in her voice.

  “Just the opposite. I think some things I’ve said over the last few months have finally sunk in and he’s taking charge of his life.”

  Dana raised her eyebrows in question.

  “He’s decided to get away from all of his old friends and join the military. He figured out that he didn’t want to end up in jail like half of his buddies, and so he just marched down to the recruiting office and went through their testing and got an offer to join the Air Force.”

  “Oh migosh, that’s wonderful news!”

  “He is so excited and his timing is perfect as boot camp starts in just a few weeks. With a little luck, I think he may have found the right thing to get him going in a positive direction. It’s kind of funny knowing that neither my brother nor my mother really need me anymore. My mom is married and trotting the globe and now David is heading off on his own adventure.”

  Dana smiled sympathetically. “You’ve always been the glue holding the family together and now they are off on their own. I know the feeling well!”

  “I’ve been liberated, but I don’t have a clue what to do next.” Krissa laughed.

  “Enjoy the moment,” Dana said. “Life has a funny way of presenting new challenges right when you need them the most.”

  Krissa nibbled on an apple and tried hard not to think about Nick.

  “Hey, have you heard the latest gossip?” Dana said with a twinkle in her eye.

  “I don’t think I’m in the loop yet,” Krissa said. “What’s going on?”

  “Would you believe that Angie Jarrett and Sam Sloane got married?” Dana asked.

  “What?”

  “You remember Sam, the football coach at Wescott High?” Dana said. “They actually got hitched in Vegas last weekend. The gossip has it that Sam’s the only child of some music mogul with an outlandish fortune. Pretty crazy, huh?”

  Krissa snapped her dropped jaw shut. Seriously? Both her mom and Angie eloped in Vegas? Two in one month? Her brain reeled and she stammered out, “I thought your brother and Angie might be some kind of item. I even saw them in an embrace the other day.”

  “Ugh, no way,” Dana grimaced. “Angie is way too manipulative and Nick can’t stand her.”

  “They looked very cozy the other day in the park,” Krissa said faintly. “They were pouring over notes and drawings it looked like.”

  “Oh, Angie buffaloed Nick into donating a playground for the school. He mentioned that she insisted on meeting and reviewing the plans in person. I saw them in the park too.” Dana shrugged with a lack of concern. “Nick’s not too fond of her, but her stepfather is the chairman of the group that is buying the resort, so he has to be nice to her.”

  Krissa felt flattened. There was a lot going on that she knew nothing about. She fished for a little more information and asked, “I’d heard they were engaged once.”

  “They broke up a long time ago,” Dana said. “Nick tries to avoid her like the plague, but you know how it is. We’re such a small community that he runs into her everywhere and has to be nice to her.”

  “You don’t sound like a big fan of hers,” Krissa said.

  Dana looked a little shamefaced.

  “I know I shouldn’t run people down, but she has always been such a show off and a busybody.” Dana laughed. “I’ve been butting heads with her since she started chasing after Nick in high school. I know I shouldn’t gossip, but she’s always been a thorn in my side.”

  Krissa leaned closer and hoped that Dana would elaborate.

  “She only chased boys with money even back in high school. I felt sorry for her when her mom abandoned her in her senior year to marry Phil Marindon, but I sure didn’t want her for a sister-in-law. It was such a relief when Nick discovered her true colors and broke up with her.”

  Krissa felt almost dizzy while Dana rattled on.

  “I wonder how she caught her man at last. I think I remember them dancing at the Mid-Summer’s Ball, and it was hot and heavy. That was pretty quick.” Dana laughed and said, “Nick’s going to be relieved since she’s been trying to win him back. I don’t know if you remember, but she was all over him at that barbecue we had a few weeks ago.”

  Krissa tried to laugh but choked. Dana cocked her head and then gave it a thoughtful, little shake.

  “No wonder you’ve been thinking they might be an item. What with Angie fawning all over him at the barbecue and then in the park,” Dana said. She was on a roll now. “When did you say they were hugging?”

  “Um, two days ago.”

  “She’d just gotten back from Vegas. She must have told Nick that she’d gotten married. I bet he was thrilled that he was finally rid of her.” Dana paused for a moment. “You do like Nick, don’t you?”

  How could she explain it all to Dana when it seemed so complicated to her? She could hardly figure out why she was so afraid of Nick. Her mind reeled at the notion of Angie eloping with the football coach and Nick overjoyed about it. Was that the explanation? Had Nick just been congratulating Angie?

  Krissa was spared a response. Eli Anderson bounded to their sides with his mop of golden curls dancing.

  “Krissa, come with me,” Eli commanded. “It’s time to drive the golf ball picker. It’s awesome. Come on.”

  Krissa almost cried with relief to escape. “Of course, I’ll join you. What fun! You’ll have to tell me how it all works and what you have to do.”

  Dana waved goodbye to them, but Krissa could see that Dana wasn’t done quizzing her.

  Chapter 23

  “EVERYTHING going fine here?” Nick asked his golf shop manager. It was his last stop before he headed over to the fireworks set-up area to check on their progress and make sure he wasn’t needed for any last minute problem solving.

  He hadn’t missed a July 4th celebration since Uncle Ross had put him in charge of it in his senior year of high school. The resort was as full as he’d ever seen it for the holiday, and he beamed with pride.

  “It’
s been smooth sailing all day,” the manager replied. “I think we’re on track for our best sales ever.” He shared a few details about what items were moving quickly out of the store and that the whole afternoon was fully booked on the golf course.

  “Eli is following in your footsteps,” the manager chortled. “He’s already showing a pretty little redhead how to drive the picker. I remember you chasing after all the teenage girls when you were just a little older than him. This one, though, she’s a bit old for him. She’s more your style, boss man.” The manager winked and laughed again as he turned to help a customer with trying out a new putter.

  Nick rubbed his neck and frowned a little. It sounded like Eli was with Krissa. He was sorely tempted to check out what they were doing. Would she even talk to him? Was this the right time? With a short shake of his head, Nick turned away from the driving range.

  “Uncle Nick!” a young voice called.

  Nick turned back and felt his chest constrict. Eli and Krissa approached him, but he only had eyes for Krissa. She looked so good with her red-gold hair pulled up in a loose ponytail with small tendrils tickling at her neck and forehead, and her filmy bathing suit cover-up did little to hide her shapely curves or her white and purple polka dot bikini.

  Nick ached to pull her close into his arms, but Krissa folded her arms across her chest and a stiff, thin smile creased her lips. Nick’s emotions sank.

  “What have you been up to, buddy?” Nick asked.

  Eli started a rambling tale of his morning helping sort pails of golf balls and taking Krissa for a ride in the picker.

  “It was great, wasn’t it?” Eli asked Krissa.

  She smiled at Eli. “It was terrific, although you should have warned me just how loud it is when one of the golf balls smacks the roof. I swear some of those folks at the driving range were aiming for us!”

  “Of course they were,” Eli agreed. “Uncle Nick can hit one at two hundred yards,” he added with a giggle. “I’ve seen him do it lots.”

  Krissa glanced at Nick and he could tell she was trying not to laugh. He held up his hands in protest and swore his innocence.

  “I would never do anything like that,” Nick said to Eli with a broad wink.

  Eli threw back his head and laughed some more, and Nick watched a smile reach Krissa’s amber eyes.

  “Break time is over, Master Eli,” the old golf shop manager interrupted. “I’ve got more pails for you to sort and stack.”

  Eli gave a jaunty wave of his hand and sauntered off to his chores. Nick watched indecision flicker over Krissa’s face and then she made a move to walk away.

  “Wait,” Nick said, and he reached out to touch her hand.

  Sparks seemed to fill the air, and a world of yearning filled him up as Krissa stopped and stared at him. He could see desire flare in her eyes, and her fingers trembled in his hand.

  With the slightest of head shakes, Krissa bent her head and pulled her hand back. Nick felt a chill descend upon him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly and then she slipped away.

  * * * *

  Krissa’s afternoon dragged on. She planted a happy grin on her face as she ate treats and played water polo with the Anderson kids, but her heart was aching. She’d run away from Nick again and knew it was over with him.

  As Dana and Brett speculated about what it would be like without Nick running the resort when the investment group bought him out, Krissa felt only numbness. He really was going to leave, so there was no point in even thinking about him. She had her job here in Wescott and he would likely only stop by for family visits. The world was his office. No, she and Nick didn’t have a chance. She stifled a sigh and then challenged Isabella to a handstand contest in the pool.

  Finally, the sun dipped low in the cloudless sky and the revelers prepped for the fireworks. Krissa joined the Andersons and the rest of the resort guests down by the lakeshore. They spread out blankets and low chairs and prepped for the extravaganza of lights and explosions.

  Dana and Brett settled Logan and Tanner between them and Eli lolled in a low beach chair next to his father. Krissa spread out her towel and patted the ground for Isabella to join her; she watched the girl fiddle with her camera.

  “Oh! I left my camera up by the pool,” Krissa exclaimed. “Do you think I have enough time to go back and get it?”

  Brett looked at his watch. “About ten more minutes. I think. Let me go get it for you.”

  “No, no,” Krissa said. “I don’t remember if I left it by the pool lounge chairs or if it’s near where we ate. I’ll need to hunt for it.”

  “Be careful, and don’t trip in the dark,” Dana added.

  “She should be fine. The pathways are lit nicely,” Brett said.

  Krissa zipped up the pathway with its little lights leading the way. She took two low steps up, turned a corner, and bumped into something hard and solid.

  Oomph. The air whooshed out of her and she felt warm, strong arms envelop her.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, are you okay?”

  Her heart pounded. It was Nick.

  “I’m f-fi-fine,” she stuttered.

  “Krissa,” Nick said. It was like a velvety whisper. It was as if he called to her spirit and to the depths of her identity. Krissa relaxed into his arms.

  He bent his head and his lips hovered against hers. She stiffened and pulled away.

  “I can’t.”

  Nick let her go. “Dammit, Krissa. Give us a chance!” His voice was almost angry.

  Krissa turned her back on Nick and slowly walked up the path. With each step, her heart sunk further and further. How could she trust him? How could she give him a chance? It always ended in tears. She felt hot, bitter tears spring to her eyes. Was this any better, she demanded of herself?

  She stopped and turned back to Nick. He was motionless, watching her walk away. Could she simply leave him here and not try? Could she take the risk?

  Nick took two steps closer to her and hope flared in his stormy blue eyes.

  The hope arrowed straight to her soul. It was so clear…and she knew. Heaven help her, she loved him. Could she do this?

  “Just give us a chance,” Nick repeated.

  “I don’t think I can,” Krissa replied. “You’re leaving, just like all the other men in my life have.”

  “It’s not true,” Nick said. “I’m not like the other men in your life. I know what I want.”

  Krissa stared at him and felt hope tremble in her heart. Nick reached across the distance between them and caressed a strand of her hair that drooped across her cheek.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’m staying in Wescott.”

  “What?” Her eyes flew up and met his. “You’re not selling the resort?”

  “No, I can’t do it. It’s home. Uncle Ross built this place from the ground up, and I’ve poured my heart and soul into it. There’s no way I can sell it. I love it here.”

  Krissa’s fears faded. “What about your partnership? That’s all you’ve dreamed of for the last ten years.”

  Nick shook his head. “I’ve done a lot of soul searching this week and I’ve figured out that I can’t let this place go. It is part of what grounds me and keeps me sane. It is a link to family…and to love.”

  His voice deepened on the last word, and a quiver shook Krissa. Nick bent down and her mouth melted into his. Warm. Enveloping. He kissed her until she felt the world was spinning. Nick stopped and pulled back a step.

  “I want to stay here and build a life with you,” Nick said. “I love you, Krissa. It seems very simple from where I’m standing, but you’re driving me crazy and making me doubt myself. What do you want?”

  Krissa could see the warmth in his eyes even as his tone was firm and demanding. He backed up a step and folded his arms in front of his chest.

  Krissa’s defenses crumbled. “I’ve been an idiot,” she blurted out.

  Nick’s eyebrows popped up in mock surprise.

  “I�
�ve had a lot of time to think too these last few days,” she said. Her breath caught for a moment and then she slowly exhaled. Strength flew into her. “I’ve been so worried that you would leave me or hurt me that I’ve pushed you away. I was so sure you would leave me behind or that you were going to run off with Angie.”

  Krissa hesitated and tried to read Nick’s expression but he remained silent and only nodded for her to continue.

  “I can’t even hide behind my mother or brother now. With David joining the military and my mother happily married, I don’t have anywhere to hide. I can’t pretend that they need me so much that I cannot have a life.”

  Nick’s arms uncrossed.

  “Keep talking,” he encouraged.

  With a skip of her heart, she edged closer to Nick’s solid frame.

  “I know you’re nothing like my deadbeat father or Tim. I’m sorry that you’ve had to put up with my fears. I can’t believe how hard I tried to make you go away when you’re so good for me and so good to me.”

  Krissa stopped talking and lightly placed her hand over his. She wished he would say something.

  “Please tell me it isn’t too late,” Krissa said softly. “You’re right, Nick. It is simple. I love you with all of my heart and nothing else matters.”

  She held her breath and a bubble of tightness closed up her throat. She loved this man and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She’d done the best she knew how to win him back. Now she would just have to wait.

  Clasping her hand in both of his, Nick surveyed her with a stern expression. His broad shoulders were squared and he stood very straight.

  “You have been almost impossible,” Nick began.

  Krissa’s lip quivered and she fought off tears.

  “You have me coming and going and not knowing which way is up. I chased you and got nowhere. I’ve been hiding at the resort and I’ve been miserable. I’ve tried to bury myself in the business, but I can’t get you out of my brain. I even miss Shasta.”

  Slowly he pulled her toward him. She trembled as his arms clasped her closer. His eyes were dark and passionate.