by Marie Force
“Stop! Do not do that!”
“So it is someone I know.”
“Linda!”
Linda reached across the table for Carolina’s hand. “Was it good?”
“It was…stupendous.”
“And do you like this man?”
Miserably, she nodded. She sooooo didn’t want to like him.
“And does he like you?”
“He likes me too much. He won’t listen to me when I tell him he needs to find someone his own age and get married and have babies. What in the world does he want with an old cougar like me? It’s so wrong!”
Linda choked on her champagne. “What the hell is a cougar?”
“Oh, come on! You know.”
Linda shook her head. “I’ve been living on this island for nearly forty years. I’m not exactly up on the hip lingo.”
“A cougar is an older woman who preys on a younger man.”
“And did you prey on this younger man?”
“I was certainly willing, if that’s what you mean. I wasn’t ashamed until this morning when Joe called to tell me the news while I was naked in bed with…him.” God, she’d almost said naked in Joe’s guest room, which would’ve told Linda exactly who her too-young lover was.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Caro. As long as there were two consenting adults in that bed, it doesn’t matter that you’re older than him.”
“It would matter to Joe.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. If you ask me, he’d want you to be happy. Pete’s been gone such a long time.”
“Thirty years this summer,” Carolina said. Sometimes it still felt like yesterday; other times, it was like she’d dreamed him, and he’d never really existed. She had only the son who was the image of his father to remind her that Pete had indeed existed, and she’d once loved him more than life.
“In all that time, there hasn’t been anyone else. Isn’t it time?”
“Not with someone who has his whole life in front of him, who should have a family of his own.”
“What if that’s not what he wants?”
“He says he wants me and doesn’t care about having kids.”
“You should listen to him, Caro. A man of thirty-eight certainly knows what he wants out of life—and what he doesn’t.”
Carolina shook her head. “I can’t get involved with him. It wouldn’t be right.”
Linda touched a finger to the razor burn on Carolina’s cheek. “Seems to me you’re already involved.”
“It was a one-time thing.” A beautiful, unforgettable one-time thing.
“I’m sorry to hear you say that. I hope you’ll think some more about it before you decide anything for certain. In the meantime, you’re going out tonight.”
Startled, Carolina said, “Where am I going?”
“To a party Luke and Syd are having for the new lighthouse keeper, Jenny Wilks. She lost her fiancé in the World Trade Center on nine-eleven.”
“Oh my. That poor girl.”
“She’s had a hard time jumpstarting her life after her loss. I think you ought to meet her. The two of you have a lot in common.”
“I’m not in any mood for a party, and besides, I wasn’t invited.”
“I’m inviting you. For goodness sakes, you know we don’t stand on formality around here. Put some makeup on that ‘rash.’ Mac and I will pick you up at seven.” She stood and planted a kiss on Carolina’s cheek. “I have to get home and have sex with my husband before the party.”
Carolina put her hands over her ears. “Too much information.”
“I may try this cougar thing on him.”
“It won’t work because he’s older than you, but go get ’em, tiger.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
“Linda?” Carolina stopped her friend at the door. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”
“Of course not, honey. But I’m going to badger you about keeping your options open.”
“Cougars and tigers and badgers, oh my.”
Laughing, Linda walked out the door. “See you at seven, Granny.”
Owen left a trail of kisses on Laura’s back, hoping to rouse her out of a deep sleep. “Time to wake up, Princess.” He felt sort of guilty for wearing her out so thoroughly that she’d slept for hours after the second time they made love. The sex had been so damned good, better than anything he’d ever imagined possible between two people. Apparently, love made all the difference. Who knew?
Keeping up the kisses until she finally stirred, Owen told himself he should let her sleep, but after a couple of hours without her, he missed her. What a fool she’d made of him.
“Mmm,” she said, making him smile.
He added more kisses to her lower back. “Laura, are you in there?” Only when he gave a light pinch to her bottom did she open her eyes.
“Ow.”
“Sorry, but I’ve been trying to wake you up for ten minutes.”
“You’re not sorry.”
“No, I’m not. I got to play with your awesome bum. Did I ever tell you your bum is awesome?” As if to prove his point, he cupped a cheek and squeezed. “It’s a really, really good bum.”
“I should hope so after all the years I’ve spent in yoga class.”
Owen’s brows lifted straight up to his hairline. “Yoga?”
She bit her lip as if trying to hold back a laugh and nodded. “I’m super flexible.”
He swallowed hard. “I may need a demonstration of said flexibility. Very, very soon.”
As if he were a naughty schoolboy, she patted his face. “If you behave.”
“Behaving is no fun,” he said, kissing her neck and then her lips. With one arm around her, he snuggled her in close and was rewarded with a nudge to the belly from the baby. “I think he likes me.”
“Do you think you’ll like him?” she asked, looking up at him with bottomless blue eyes.
“I know I will. He’s part of you, and I love every part of you.”
“It might be prudent to wait and see on this one, Owen. It’s a big deal, and I wouldn’t blame you—”
He stopped her with a deep kiss full of all the love and longing he’d spent so many weeks trying to hide from her.
She pulled back and held him at arm’s length. “Don’t try to change the subject.”
With frustration rippling off him in great waves, he sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. “I know it’s a big deal, Laura. I get it. Trust me on that.”
“It’s a lot to ask anyone to take on. Everything between us is so new, and who knows how you’ll feel in a couple of months when it all becomes very real?”
He stared at her, incredulous. “You still think I’m going to bolt, don’t you? After all we’ve already been through together, you’re waiting for me to cut and run.”
Gripping his arm, she stopped him when he would’ve left the bed. “I don’t think you’re going to bolt. Honestly, I don’t. But it’s really important to me that you know if the day comes when it becomes too much for you, all you have to do is say so.”
How could she say that? Especially after what had just transpired between them. “Duly noted.”
“You’re mad.”
Scrubbing his hands over his face, he took a deep breath and forced himself to look at her. “Not mad. Frustrated, I guess.” Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips. “When I say I love you, I mean it. I really do.”
“I know you do. You’ve shown me that every day for months.”
“I’ve gone out of my way to avoid words like ‘love’ and ‘forever’ because I wasn’t willing to make the commitment that goes with them. Now I am.”
Her eyes went soft and misty, which made him want her all over again. “And I love you for that. More than you could possibly know. All I’m saying is it’s one thing to make a commitment to me. It’s another thing altogether to commit to a baby who isn’t yours.”
He bit back a flash of anger. “When is your next doctor’s appointment?�
��
She seemed surprised by the question and his unusually sharp tone. “Um, I’m seeing Victoria, the midwife, on Monday for an exam and ultrasound. Why?”
“Can I come?”
Her eyes got very big, and she started to say something but stopped herself.
“Well, can I?”
“Y-yes, I suppose, if you really want to.”
“I really want to. What about the classes? The ones they show in the movies with all the huffing and puffing.”
Biting back a laugh at his description, she said, “Childbirth preparation?”
“Yeah. Who’s going to that with you?”
“I was going to ask Grace—”
“I’ll do it.”
“Oh.” She seemed momentarily speechless. “You know that means you also have to be in the delivery room as my labor coach, right?”
“Duh.” He knew he sounded like a bratty ten-year-old, but damn it, she’d pissed him off by questioning his commitment. And as fast as he’d worked up the head of steam it dissipated. He supposed it was only natural that she’d be concerned about whether he would be as committed to her child as he was to her. “Sorry. That was uncalled for.”
Laura held out her arms to him. “Come here.”
Under no circumstances could he resist her when she looked at him that way. Even though he was still annoyed and agitated, he slid into her warm embrace. Being in her arms was like coming home, only better. As a military brat, he’d never been truly at home anywhere, except for the summers he’d spent at the Surf with his grandparents. How ironic—and fitting—that the hotel should serve as the backdrop for this new chapter in his life.
“I’m sorry.” She kissed his cheek and ran a soothing hand over his back. “I didn’t mean to question your commitment. That’s not fair after everything you’ve done for me.”
“It’s not about what I’ve done for you. I only do exactly what I want to—nothing more, nothing less. Being with you, doing things for you, it’s the most natural thing in the world to me.”
She tightened her hold on him. “Owen…”
“What, honey?”
“Do you really want to be my labor coach?”
“Hell, yes. I want to be there when the little guy takes his first breath. I want to be there for his first steps. I want to be there for everything.” When his gaze met hers, he was surprised to find her eyes swimming with tears. “What?”
“You’re amazing. I have to be the luckiest girl on the face of the earth.”
Touched by her words and the emotion he heard behind them, he said, “Just because he isn’t mine doesn’t mean I won’t love him, Princess. As much as I love his mother.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. “Thank you. For that and a million other things. I love you so much. So, so much.”
With his face buried in soft, fragrant hair, his hands full of soft, fragrant skin, and his heart full of her soft, sincere words, Owen had never been happier or more content. If only the nagging worry about what Justin might do or not do wasn’t hanging over them, everything in his world would be perfect. “We need to get going to Luke and Syd’s.”
“In a minute.” Her mouth found his in a kiss that said more than words alone ever could about the deep bond they’d formed.
“Keep that up, and we’re going to need more than a few minutes.”
“I don’t mind being late,” she said with a saucy grin that got his motor running all over again. “Do you?”
He slid his leg between hers and tugged her closer to him. “I don’t mind at all.”
Chapter 18
Sydney had asked Jenny to come early so she could meet Luke and get settled before the masses arrived. As the day of the party had drawn closer, Sydney had become nervous about how many people they’d invited.
“So you know how I mentioned this would be a small gathering?” Sydney said as she handed Jenny a glass of chardonnay and shooed Buddy away before he got dog hair all over Jenny’s dark jeans.
Jenny’s eyes sparked with amusement. “Did it mushroom?”
“Since there’s not much to do around here this time of year, word gets out about a party, and next thing you know…”
“It’s not a small party anymore. Just like high school.”
“Exactly! Does that freak you out?”
“A year or two ago, it would have, but I’m doing better now. Like I said the other day, it’s time to get unstuck. I may as well meet everyone at once.”
“They’re all so nice and truly looking forward to meeting you.”
“I’m sure they’re nice if they’re your friends. I appreciate that you reached out to me, Syd. I was thinking after you left the other day that it took some gumption, knowing what we had in common.”
Syd sat on the sofa and let Buddy rub up against her. She’d long ago given up on the dog-hair battle. “When I first came back here earlier in the summer, I was stuck, too, so I know what you mean. Everything that’s happened since then has been nothing short of miraculous.”
As if on cue, her own personal miracle came into the room wearing faded jeans and a navy-blue sweater. His hair was still damp from the shower, and his handsome face was freshly shaven. He was positively gorgeous and all hers. “Luke, honey, come meet Jenny.”
“Hi, there.” He extended a hand to Jenny. “It’s great to finally meet you. We’ve been wondering about our mysterious new lighthouse keeper.”
She shook his hand. “After Sydney’s visit, I figured it was time to come out of hiding before y’all started making up stories about me,” Jenny said, a hint of North Carolina in her voice.
“So the crazy cat lady rumor isn’t true?” Luke asked, making Jenny laugh.
Syd smiled at him, appreciating his effort to be sociable when his usual tendency was to hang back and take it all in.
“No cats,” Jenny said with a good-natured grin. “Yet.”
That earned a smile from Luke. “You want a glass of wine, babe?” he asked Sydney.
She’d been running around all day making preparations and was more than ready for a drink. “Don’t mind if I do.”
“Stay there. I’ll get it.”
As he left the room, Jenny fanned her face. “H-o-t,” she whispered. “Good for you, girl.”
Laughing, Syd was pleased to realize that Jenny would fit right in with their group.
A short time later, the house was filled to overflowing. The new arrivals were friendly and accepting of Jenny and full of congratulations for their newly engaged hosts. Several bottles of champagne were presented to Luke and Sydney. Everyone brought appetizers, bottles of wine and six-packs of beer. The guys had gravitated to the kitchen, and the women gathered in the living room.
“I love what you did with this room, Syd,” Linda McCarthy said. Along with her famous artichoke dip, she’d brought Joe’s mom Carolina, who was back on the island for the winter.
“Thank you,” Syd said. “I was happy with how it came together.”
“I need you to do something fabulous with my living room,” Maddie said. “It’s sort of blah.”
“It’s not blah,” Syd said. “It’s functional, which is what you need with young kids underfoot.”
“Functional,” Maddie said, making a distasteful face. “There’s a stylish word.”
A young woman Sydney didn’t recognize poked her head in the door.
“Come in!” Syd called to her as she walked over to welcome the newcomer. “Hi there, I’m Syd.”
“Kara Ballard. Mac and Luke mentioned that I should stop by tonight and meet some people.”
“Oh yes! You’re their new business partner. Luke told me about your launch service. I think it’s a great idea.”
“I’m glad you think so. They’ve been great about helping me figure out the logistics. So you’re Luke’s fiancée?”
The word still brought a thrill several days after he put the ring on her finger. “That’d be me.”
“He was r
eally excited telling me how he got engaged,” Kara said with a hint of wistfulness that caught Syd’s attention. “Could I see your ring?”
“Oh, of course! I love showing it off.”
Kara took a close look at the ring. “It’s gorgeous. Congratulations.”
An aura of sadness clung to the pretty young woman that made Syd curious. She slipped an arm around Kara and escorted her into the kitchen where Big Mac, Luke and Mac greeted her warmly.
“What can we get you to drink?” Big Mac asked.
“A light beer would be great.”
“Are you old enough to drink?” Big Mac teased.
“Very funny,” Kara said with a laugh. “I’m older than I look.”
“One beer coming right up,” Luke said.
Mac introduced Kara to his brothers, Grant and Evan, as well as Ned, Seamus O’Grady, Blaine Taylor and Dan Torrington, who’d tagged along with Grant.
“Nice to meet you all,” Kara said, thanking Luke when he handed her an open bottle of beer.
“I can’t leave you in here alone with them,” Syd said, tugging Kara along with her. “Too much testosterone.”
The comment earned her groans and wads of balled-up napkins aimed at her head.
Kara seemed more than grateful to leave the men for the safer gathering of women. Syd introduced her to Maddie, Tiffany, Francine, Linda, Carolina, Grace and Stephanie.
“Where’re Laura and Owen?” Grace asked.
“I don’t know,” Syd said. “She told me they’d be here.”
“Did they make it back from the mainland?” Stephanie asked.
“I haven’t heard,” Grace replied. “Evan tried to call him a couple of times this afternoon, but the calls went straight to voice mail.”
“I hope everything is okay,” Stephanie said. “Laura was anxious about the meeting with her ex.”
For the sake of Jenny and Kara, Syd said, “Laura is Mac, Evan and Grant’s cousin. She’s been hired to oversee the renovations and redecoration of the Sand & Surf Hotel in town and to manage the place when it reopens in the spring.”
“Oh, I love that old place,” Jenny said. “Every time I drive by, I imagine the stories it has to tell.”