Full Circle

by Jennifer Simpkins

  “I want to do the wedding photos, but they insist I don’t work that day,” Mia said, glancing from her father to Renee.

  Ellie listened to Mia and Mr. Roy work hard at trying to impress Heath with their life accomplishments. It sickened her, really. They shouldn’t have to beg for his attention. There he sat, his handsome, tanned face, perfectly sculpted cheekbones, and the most beautiful, intense eyes, all giving the impression he was too good for Seaside. Sex appeal rolled right off him and she hated herself for wanting things she couldn’t have.

  “How dare you.” Wait! Did she really just say that aloud?

  Renee touched Ellie’s shoulder. “What was that, dear?”

  Crap! She didn’t dare meet Heath’s eyes. It was one thing talking to the waitress, but just throwing random comments out there? She was losing it.

  A trickle of sweat rolled down her spine as she tried to recover. “I was, uh, just thinking it’s crazy that Mia would want to work on y’all’s big day.”

  Mia twisted in her chair, pretending to readjust her bag hanging on the back of her chair, and murmured close to Ellie’s ear. “You okay?”

  Ellie plastered on a fake smile. “Of course.”

  “We’ll talk later,” Mia said, obviously not buying the lie.

  Thankfully, the attention went from her mild outburst to Mr. Roy asking about Heath’s job, which Ellie herself was also curious about. She realized she didn’t know much about his life. Besides living in Chicago, she didn’t know how he spent his days. She did, however, know how he spent his nights now. And with that thought she drained her wine glass. Again. Ignoring Mia’s worrisome look out of the corner of her eye, she held up her glass, letting Abby know she was ready for a refill. While Abby was at the table she topped Heath’s glass off too.

  Heath gave little information about his job, as if he didn’t care to share that part of his life. She wondered if it was just his job he didn’t want to share details about. She had the feeling she wasn’t the only one who didn’t know him anymore.

  It was Melissa who went on to brag about how successful Heath had become since leaving Seaside, all about investments and financial consulting and stuff. Ellie detected Melissa didn’t appreciate their quaint town and thought it would’ve only held Heath back if he’d stayed.

  Melissa wasn’t the first person to regard Seaside as slow. Most viewed it as the perfect vacation spot. Lazy days, sailing, tours through the historic district by people dressed in pirate costumes, but to the residents it was home. They thought of it as a safe place to raise a family—a community.

  “I disagree.” That came from Renee. “I’ve lived with the hustle and bustle of a big city, and while it was good for me at the time, I would take Seaside any day of the week.”

  Melissa turned to Heath. “What was that town we went through, darling?”

  “Raleigh.”

  “That’s like the biggest city nearby,” Melissa said, as if she knew all about North Carolina and had seen bigger and better things.

  “No. Not Raleigh. I was born and raised in New York City.”

  “And you moved here? Were you a secretary, or something?” Melissa said around the rim of her wine glass, sounding not the least bit impressed.

  Turning toward Renee, Ellie caught sight of Mia as her eyes widened.

  Renee didn’t skip a beat. “Do you find something wrong with clerical work?”

  “Oh, no, I just think it’s easy and not as challenging as—”

  “Modeling,” Renee finished, her brow furrowed and voice tight.

  Not picking up on Renee’s annoyance, Melissa continued. “Modeling is one of the hardest professions. Not only do I have to keep a good figure, but sometimes the shoots are in the worst weather conditions.”

  “Mmm…” Renee said, putting an end to the conversation.

  “Renee was a pediatric surgeon,” Ellie said. “Now she volunteers her time between the library and elementary school.” Mia told her Renee had never married or had children. She was devoted to her career. Five years ago, she gave it up in hopes of living a more simple life. She then left New York and headed to the sleepy, coastal town of Seaside. Ellie thought it brave for a single woman to up and start her life over again. Ellie was glad she was here, though. It was as if love had been calling her name, the sea leading her to Mr. Roy. Their love gave Ellie hope for her future. That was until Heath showed his face and threw her for a loop. He reminded her of all the reasons she shouldn’t believe in love.

  Melissa’s red painted lips turned into a perfectly shaped O. “Oh.”

  Heath eyed Ellie over the brim of his wine glass. Was he really mad at her for putting Melissa in her place, for taking up for Renee? In return, she shot him her own “go screw yourself” look.

  A tick started in his jaw, his frustration clear as day.

  Ellie sipped her wine, desperately waiting for Abby to come take their food orders when Melissa said, “So, you’re Saint Ellie?” There was no ignoring the distaste in the other woman’s tone.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, honey, I mean that as a compliment.”

  Ellie knew Melissa’s true intentions with her so-called “compliment”. Ellie had embarrassed her, and she didn’t like it.

  Mia flagged Abby down as she was dropping off a tray of appetizers one table over. The waitress smiled and signaled she’d be over in a minute. A minute couldn’t come fast enough for Ellie. She was dying and barely holding her tongue as Melissa went on about how she’d heard how special and loved Ellie was, but at the same time making it clear Heath was hers. Was she that insecure? She and Heath had done nothing more than shake hands. And that’s all Ellie planned to do with him.

  “Melissa, that’s enough,” Heath said between tight lips.

  Ellie smirked, not caring that Heath had noticed. If that’s who he cared to spend his time with, then childish behavior was what he got.

  They all ordered full course meals, except for Melissa. She went with a garden salad, minus the croutons and cheese, with fat-free ranch dressing. Without having to ask her, Abby refilled Ellie’s wine glass for the third time. Ellie guessed it wasn’t just her who could sense the tension around the table. Ellie mouthed “thank you” to the waitress as she handed her menu back to her, not caring who noticed.

  From there onward the conversation was light. In fact, the only thing everyone seemed to worry about was their wine glasses. Ellie started to pace herself—only because she feared what would come out of her mouth next, but she noticed Heath had more than his fair share. Probably to get through the constant pulling and groping from Melissa. The woman held on to him like they were on a ship that was about to be pulled under.

  Halfway through her salad, Melissa excused herself from the table, and Ellie wondered if she was going to heave up her food. It was sad to think, but she seemed like the type.

  “Mia didn’t tell me you were going to be here,” Heath surprised her by saying. He kept his voice low, as if not wanting to be heard by the rest of the table.

  Mia was going over her day with Mr. Roy and Renee, and they seemed to be immersed in Mia’s story of a screaming infant and how she was reconsidering ever having children.

  “Well, she didn’t tell me you were coming either.” In a way she was thankful to break the awkwardness that stood between them.

  “To dinner?”

  “To Seaside. I only found out you were coming back last night.”

  “Disappointed?” One corner of his mouth turned up into a smile. Apparently his mood had changed—probably due to the wine—and he was no longer shooting darts at her with his eyes.

  She chose to ignore the loaded question. And honestly, she didn’t know how to respond. Was she disappointed he was back? If she was thinking of his family, of Mia, she had to say no. She was pissing mad at him for avoiding them for so many years. But for selfish reasons, like how he caused a sense of warmth to spread through her entire body and an ache in her chest, she’d wished he’d sta
yed away.

  “Why are you here?” She knew Mia’s side of the story, but she’d yet to hear Heath say one thing all night about being happy at seeing his family. She’d swear he regretted crossing Seaside city limits. And that just pissed her off.

  “Tonight?” he asked, giving her a smartass grin.

  If any other man looked at her like that she would’ve tipped a wine glass down the front of his pants, but it actually helped her remember why she disliked him so much. He wasn’t a small town guy anymore. The Heath who painted his neighbor’s house every summer just because it was the right thing to do was long gone. And that made her sad for him. That was the man she’d fallen in love with. At one time he’d been a respectable part of the community and had values.

  She met his gaze evenly. “Don’t be an ass. You know what I meant.”

  “I came for Mia.”

  He didn’t hint at wanting to see her again, nor did she expect him to. What disappointed her and made her a little angry was he seemed not to care about his father. Parents weren’t perfect, but Mr. Roy had been nothing but kind to her, and while she didn’t know all the ins and outs of his and Heath’s relationship, she felt he didn’t deserve to be shut out.

  “What’s wrong? You thought I came back for you?” Heath asked, clearly mistaking her silence for something else entirely. He rested his elbows on the table and narrowed his eyes. When leaning forward his leg brushed against hers. His touch caused a tingling sensation that ran all the way up her thigh. She swallowed hard, not sure if she enjoyed the feeling at the moment. “You did, didn’t you, Ellie? You’ve missed me.”

  And was it her, or was his leg moving against hers? As if reading her thoughts, Heath cast a wolfish grin as his knee came close to touching the inside of her thigh. Things were getting real. She could no longer hear anything except the pounding of her heart in her chest. Oh, God this wasn’t happening. But it was. And she hated him for making her feel this way, for distracting her. Conflicted, she craved more, forgetting they were in a public place with his family all around them, but knowing it was wrong. He would only break her heart again. A piece of it had already died earlier in the night, the moment she saw Melissa at his side.

  She‘d actually been close to forgetting why she hated him, but then like all those years ago, he reminded her just how big of a jackass he really could be. As if they were back in that place, her seventeen and in love, and him twenty, taking whatever he wanted with little regard to her feelings. His touch vanished, and she was left wondering if it was ever there to begin with. It was the same feeling as she had back then—why? Why did he enjoy toying with her emotions? Why did he come so close to giving her everything she wanted only to pull away? And why in the hell was he putting her through this for a second time?

  She was so relieved to see Melissa strolling to the table, eyes cold and posture stiff. “Heath,” she snapped. “I’m ready to go.”

  That got the attention of everyone at the table.

  Mr. Roy seemed to be the only one who gave a crap. “Are you sick? Did the salad not sit well?”

  “Something like that,” Melissa said through pursed lips.

  Heath slowly turned in his date’s direction, and with a sharp tone that got even Ellie’s attention, said, “We’re all still eating, darling.”

  “Oh, no, we’re finished.” Ellie pushed the last bit of fish onto her fork and shoveled it into her mouth. She then drained her wine glass. “You should get her home, Heath. She doesn’t look well.” It seemed everyone but Melissa knew Ellie was mocking her. And for a moment Ellie regretted her comment, because she wasn’t the vindictive type, nor did she let other women get under her skin. But she then decided Melissa deserved it after the little Saint Ellie jab. Now they were even. Almost.

  Heath eyed Ellie. Now his frustration seemed to be aimed at her. She could see another tick in his jaw, and was oddly surprised she’d unsettled him twice in one night. That made her feel a little better. He deserved as much after his little leg-to-leg incident. She was still reeling from it.

  With a smile that seemed forced, he pushed to his feet. He walked around the table and kissed Mia on the cheek. The simple contact caused Mia to beam. He told Mr. Roy and Renee goodbye and insisted on paying for dinner. Reluctantly, Mr. Roy agreed, but only if he could leave a tip. Ellie tried not to be offended he didn’t acknowledge her. Melissa did though. A smile as fake as Santa Claus was directed at her. Ellie could play this game too. She gave the little twit her best “screw you, bitch” look and felt very satisfied with herself. Especially when Melissa turned on her expensive high heels and followed behind Heath. What a couple. It was so noticeable he didn’t care for her. What did he see in her? And then an unpleasant thought crept into her thoughts. Sex. Well, if that wasn’t unsettling… It was probably going to be the cause of her sleepless night.

  Chapter Four

  Heath cursed under his breath as he handed Melissa into the rental car. She had her bitch face on and he anticipated a quiet drive back to his father’s. Which was okay, because he had yet to come to terms with that bizarre dinner. He still couldn’t believe he’d acted out against Ellie, but for a moment all the years had melted away and he was once again in her space, scenting her and falling back into the time when they thought the sun rose and set on the other. Until he collected himself and yanked his thoughts back into the present, effectively breaking the thread of need binding him and Ellie together.

  The temperature in the vehicle dropped steadily as they drove along, nothing that adjusting the temperature controls would change. He focused on the road and thought about Ellie. She wasn’t that girl he remembered any longer, having matured into a full-bodied, beautiful woman, not that he was seeing her with anything other than objective eyes. She was still feisty and easily equipped to deal with Melissa, something that surprised him. Although he supposed their interaction over dinner had smacked of high school. Or maybe grade five. It felt as though he was losing his grip on his usual reality, sucked back into small town living, complete with all the typical intrigue he remembered. This was a place where everyone knew everyone else’s business, as was being continually rubbed in his face. He assured himself he wasn’t interested in getting up in Ellie’s business, though he hadn’t missed her attentiveness to his, so helpfully shared by Melissa. Why was it he felt vaguely uncomfortable to have his faithful pursuit of the almighty dollar aired so publicly? The flash of pity in Ellie’s eyes certainly had no impact on him.

  “She’s quite the paragon.” Melissa’s cold tone was like ice water.

  Heath didn’t bother to play dumb. “Ellie? Apparently she is.” And more a member of my family than I am.

  “How well did you know her?”

  He was unable to read anything from her studied, neutral tone, and that in itself didn’t bode well. He pulled up in front of the house and parked before replying, throwing open his door. Speaking as he climbed out of the car, he said, “She was a couple of grades behind me in high school. She and Mia have been best friends since elementary school. Maybe before.”

  Melissa was already exiting the vehicle by the time he went around to open it for her. One of those million dollar smiles she gave the camera graced her full lips before she opened her mouth to spoil it. “All small towns need those kind of women, I suppose. Do-gooders who always rush to aid others. Probably has a dozen cats to keep her company.”

  “You’re the cat, Melissa.” He took her elbow and escorted her to the house, a firm squeeze of warning cutting off whatever else she had to say. Not that he needed—or cared—to defend Ellie. “And why are we talking about Ellie as if she’s of importance to you?”

  “But she is to you.” Melissa tugged free of his grasp and shifted impatiently while he used the key his father had provided.

  “Can you find your way to your room? I’m going to have a drink and check my emails.” Heath ignored her suggestive last comment. It didn’t matter what Melissa thought she knew. He was fully aware of the tru
th, and the ship carrying whatever he and Ellie had once shared had long since sailed on the deep, uncharted waters of betrayal and pain.

  “I’ll have a drink with you,” she said, looking somewhat disconcerted at his offhand response.

  “If you like.”

  “I thought we might … take advantage of the time alone, Heath.” She stepped into him and pressed her body against his, drifting a manicured hand up his bicep to toy with his collar. He felt absolutely nothing and couldn’t imagine spending a minute of his time in bed with her. Ever again. Quite unlike the interest his cock had taken the instant he’d laid eyes on Ellie again. And the feel of her leg pressed against his—

  “No.” He moved away and headed to the bar.

  The room echoed with silence, other than the grating of the bottle across the bar’s surface and the clink of the glass he set down beside it. “Do you want one?” he asked, over his shoulder.

  “I think I’ll retire early. I suspect tomorrow will be an … interesting day.” There was a wealth of portent in Melissa’s tone and a flicker of warning cooled the back of Heath’s neck. He regretted bringing her along when there were other, far more accommodating females on his list. The fact she’d reacted so badly to Ellie told him something, something about astuteness, but he shoved it away. Melissa hadn’t seen anything to give her indication that he felt something for Ellie, because he didn’t, other than curiosity and distaste.

  He’d hoped she would demand to return to Chicago, but it appeared she planned to stay awhile, despite his clear lack of interest. He could feel her oppressive presence already, spoiling the wedding, making people miserable. Renee didn’t deserve that. Heath turned and fixed her with a look he usually reserved for individuals attempting to thwart his business efforts. “Mind your manners, Melissa. I won’t tolerate any more behavior like you displayed at dinner. You’re usually far better controlled.”

  Her eyes flashed with malice before she smiled again. “I’ll comport myself with care, darling. I know how important this visit is for you. And your family and friends.”