Starting Over (Treading Water Trilogy)

by Force, Marie

  “You do? Really?”

  Daphne nodded. “We even have a bag for you in the car. What a coincidence, huh?” she asked with an amused glance at Brandon.

  He shrugged with innocence.

  “Did you bring Brandon the Bear?” Mike asked.

  “Sure did,” Daphne said.

  Mike bit her fingernail, her eyes shifting from her mother to Brandon. “But what if, you know…”

  Brandon held out his arms to Mike and brought her close enough to whisper in her ear that Erin and Tommy knew everything and she would be safe with them. “I’d never let you be anywhere that wasn’t safe.”

  “Can I call you and Mom if I get scared?”

  “Of course, you can,” Brandon said. “I’ll write down my cell phone number for you, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  The solemn expression on her little face tugged at his heart. He nodded to encourage her.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Maloney,” she said to Erin. “I’d like to stay.”

  “We’ll have a great time,” Erin assured her. “But Mrs. Maloney is my mother-in-law. You have to call me Erin, deal?”

  Mike grinned when she achieved first-name status with yet another adult and shook Erin’s outstretched hand. “Deal.” She hugged and kissed Daphne and Brandon and took off to rejoin the kids.

  Brandon waited on the deck while Erin went with Daphne to get Mike’s bag.

  “You have a way with that child,” Colleen said.

  “She’s my buddy.”

  “You love her.”

  Brandon nodded.

  “Both of them.”

  “Right again.”

  Colleen studied him. “Good. That’s exactly what you need.”

  Brandon laughed. “Says who?”

  “Says your mother.” She squeezed his hand. “Cherish it, love. Be careful with it.”

  He leaned down to kiss her good-bye. “I will.”

  Daphne was quiet as they drove away from Erin’s.

  Brandon reached for her hand. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” She cradled his hand between hers.

  “Are you worried about Mike?”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine. She was so excited.”

  “Has she ever done anything like this before?”

  Daphne shook her head. “Another first.”

  Brandon stopped the car and turned to her. “Why don’t we go back and get her? She’s not ready. I shouldn’t have done this.”

  “She’ll have so much fun she won’t give us a thought.”

  “How about you?” He kissed the palm of her hand. “This’ll be the first night you’ve spent away from her, won’t it?”

  She nodded. “Do you know who was the first person to ever put her in a car and drive her away from me?”

  “No, who?”

  “You. The day you took her to play at Erin’s.”

  Brandon sighed. “You must’ve been freaking out the whole time we were gone.”

  “No, I wasn’t. I knew she’d be safe with you, just like I know she’ll be safe with Erin and Tommy. If I wasn’t sure of that, I wouldn’t have left her.”

  “I hope you don’t mind that I told them, but I knew you’d never go for it if they weren’t in the loop.”

  “You handled it perfectly. Thank you for arranging all of this and for sharing your wonderful family with us. This was the nicest day I’ve had in a long time.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was hoping they weren’t overwhelming you.”

  “They were lovely. It was so sweet of your mother to bring an Easter basket for Mike, too.”

  He shifted the car back into drive. “Let me tell you what—if she likes you, you’re home free with the O’Malleys, and you scored a grand slam with her.”

  “I take it that’s good?”

  “Clearly, we need to work on your baseball knowledge. Just don’t tell me you’ve never heard of the Red Sox. That could be a deal breaker.”

  “We’re still talking baseball, right?”

  “Oh, come on,” he groaned. “Tell me you’re kidding me!”

  “I’m kidding you.”

  He smiled. “Good thing. I’d hate to have to dump you off at home after all I did to get you alone.”

  “And where exactly are you taking me?” she asked as they left Chatham behind.

  “Away.”

  Thirty minutes later, Brandon pulled into a gravel parking lot at the end of Rock Harbor Road in Orleans, on Cape Cod’s north shore.

  “Where are we?” Daphne asked.

  “The Rock Harbor Inn. A friend from my high school swim team owns it.”

  Daphne’s eyes were shiny with tears.

  “What?” he asked, alarmed. “Do you not want to do this? We don’t have to—”

  She silenced him with a kiss that made him want to beg first for mercy and then for more.

  “Why the tears?” he whispered, brushing them away with his lips.

  “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble.”

  “It was no trouble. I told you I wanted our first night together to be special, and I didn’t want to be too far from Mike, just in case…”

  “It’s perfect.”

  “How about a walk in the rain? The beach is just down that path over there. Do you mind getting wet?”

  “Not at all.”

  They walked arm in arm across the inn’s expansive front lawn. At the top of the stairs, Brandon stopped her. “Do you smell that?” He tilted his face into the light rain and took a deep breath.

  “What?”

  “That earthy smell that comes with the rain. I used to love that smell when I was a kid. I can’t remember the last time I noticed it.”

  “I love the smell of the beach.”

  “Did you grow up near one?” he asked, helping her down the small flight of stairs to the beach. They kicked off their shoes at the foot of the stairs.

  “Stinson. North of San Francisco.”

  “I’ve been to San Fran but not Stinson. Is that where you lived?”

  “No, we lived in Sausalito, just over the Golden Gate from San Fran. My parents owned an art gallery in town. They carried Randy’s work. That’s how I met him.”

  “Where are they now? Your parents?”

  “Still living in Sausalito, but they’re retired. They sold the gallery a few years ago. They’re both painters, and I picture them whiling away their days in front of their easels.”

  “Did you get any of their artistic ability?”

  “No, but Mike did. I can already see it in her painting. I got all the left-brain stuff—math and logic—and none of the creative genes the rest of my family has.”

  Brandon walked her to a lifeguard chair and helped her up the ladder. He climbed up behind her and drew her onto his lap.

  “What was your name then? Before you were married?”

  “Flemming.”

  “Daphne Flemming,” he said, trying it on for size. “When was the last time you saw your parents?”

  “Two days before Randy died. Their house was the first place Monroe’s thugs went after we left.”

  “Oh, Daph.” Brandon hugged her to him. “You must miss them so much.”

  “I do. I have two brothers and a sister, and nieces and nephews I’ve never met. Being with your family today made me sad for what Mike and I are missing with mine.”

  “Do you have any contact with them?”

  “I get word to them once or twice a year, so they know we’re safe, but that’s it. I have no idea how far the Monroes would go to find us, so the less my family knows, the better.”

  “Alan will find a way out of this for us.” Brandon prayed it was true. “This week, we’ll figure something out.”

  She brushed away the raindrops that had gathered on his face. “I hope you know how much I appreciate your help, but if all I ever had was you and Mike, that would be enough for me. I could hide out with you forever.”

  He kissed her then the way he’d been
longing to all day. Finally, no one was watching, no one needed them for anything, no one would interrupt. He could take his time to savor every feeling and satisfy every desire. “Do you know what I’ve never done?” He kissed her cheeks, the end of her nose, and her forehead.

  “What?” she asked, breathless.

  “I’ve never in my life made love.”

  Confused, she said, “But, surely you’ve, you know…”

  “I’ve had plenty of sex, but never with someone I loved. Will you come with me and show me what I’ve been missing?”

  She got up from his lap and offered her hand.

  They climbed down from the lifeguard chair, and when Daphne surprised him by dashing for the stairs, Brandon laughed and raced after her.

  Chapter 26, Day 74

  Colin got home from Erin’s house and changed into jeans and a T-shirt. He’d tried to talk Aidan into going out for a beer, but his brother declined, saying he had a headache and was going to bed. Colin suspected Declan’s engagement and Brandon’s obvious love for Daphne had pushed Aidan into an even deeper depression over losing Clare. Colin could sympathize. Watching his brothers enter into relationships that had “forever” stamped all over them made him feel more alone than ever, too.

  He sat down to watch Sports Center but couldn’t bring himself to care about the latest scores or controversies. The restlessness that had plagued him since his last time with Meredith had gotten worse after seeing her in church. If only I could’ve talked to her. Even for just a minute.

  Sitting alone in the dark, quiet house was suddenly unbearable. He grabbed a jacket, went out to the garage, and pulled the cover off his motorcycle. When the Harley roared to life, Colin secured the helmet, rode the bike out of the garage, and closed the door. He took a month’s worth of impotent frustration out on the bike when he hit a straightaway on Route 28 and opened it up. With the tourist season about to begin, there wouldn’t be many more opportunities to let the big bike loose on the Cape’s crowded highways. On that Easter evening, he had the four-lane highway to himself and took full advantage of the solitude to push the bike past eighty-five miles per hour for the first time ever.

  Colin knew he was being reckless and that his parents would have a joint heart attack if they could see him right then, but he was so sick and tired of being cautious, of doing the right thing, and of being the guy everyone could count on. What the hell good has it done me? I’m thirty-six years old, and I’m alone. Right then he could see why people turned to alcohol the way Brandon had. It must be nice to have something to make it all go away.

  The road narrowed, and Colin downshifted to slow the bike. All at once, he felt like an idiot for behaving so foolishly. He was in charge of a business that provided a living for more than forty people. His responsibilities to them and their families kept him from throttling back up on the next stretch of flat, empty road. This wasn’t helping anyway. The only thing that would help was the one thing he couldn’t have.

  At the next opportunity, Colin made a U-turn to head back to Chatham. Since he had the cover of his helmet and facemask to hide behind, he decided to drive by Meredith’s house when he got back to town. He took a slow turn on to Stepping Stones Road and kept the bike in second gear as he crept along the quiet street. His stomach fluttered with nerves as he approached her house—this definitely felt like stalking, but he’d gone beyond caring about that earlier in the day when he’d been unable to talk to her. The porch light was on, and Colin almost fell off his bike when he saw her sitting on the front stairs. Crying. Even with just the faintest of lights shining on her, there was no doubt about it. She was crying.

  He drove past the house and the cemetery across the street to a stop sign at the end of the block. The bike idled loudly while he tried to decide what to do. If you go back, she’ll know you were cruising by her house like a lovesick teenager. Aw, screw it. Who cares? He turned the bike around.

  When he slowed to a stop in front of her house, Meredith stood up and reached for the handle to the storm door. What the hell?

  “Hey, it’s only me.” He propped his helmet on the seat. “What’s the matter?”

  “Oh, Colin,” she said, her hand over her heart. “You scared me.”

  “Who did you think I was?” he asked, sitting next to her on the top step.

  “Um, no one. But you’re about the last person I’d expect to see on a motorcycle.”

  “Am I that much of a nerd?”

  She laughed, a delicate sound that reminded him of crystal glasses and champagne toasts. “That’s not what I meant. Although I am wondering how your motorcycle found its way to my street.”

  “Why are you crying on Easter?”

  “I asked first.”

  “I missed you.” He turned so he could see her big brown eyes. “Your turn.”

  “I missed you,” she confessed, her cheeks blushing to that fetching shade of pink he’d first fallen in love with. Any doubt that he was in love with her had vanished the moment he saw her crying.

  He took her hand and kissed it. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  She shrugged. “I thought you wouldn’t want to hear from me after the last time.”

  “You thought wrong.” He held her hand against his lips. “I’ve been a grumpy, cranky, pain in the ass. My employees have had it with me, and it’s all your fault.”

  “How’s it my fault?” she asked, amused.

  “Because all I could think about for the last month was the girl I couldn’t have.” He used their joined hands to tug her closer and kissed her ever so softly. When he pulled back, he said, “Want to go for a ride?”

  Her eyes widened. “On that?”

  He nodded, breathless with longing.

  She studied the bike for a moment. “Yes. Take me for a ride, Colin.”

  His heart soared with hope. “Grab a jacket.”

  “I need to get changed,” she said, gesturing to her skirt. “Give me five minutes?”

  “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

  After she went inside, Colin turned his face into the light rain that had begun a few minutes earlier. He said a silent prayer of thanks to whatever god might’ve put her on the front porch at the same time he was riding by. Maybe this time…

  “Ready?” she asked when she came back wearing form-fitting jeans and a denim jacket.

  Colin whistled as he stood up. “You’re one hot biker chick.”

  “Yeah, right,” she snorted. “That’s me. A real biker chick.”

  She followed him to the curb.

  He put his helmet on her, secured it under her chin, and helped her onto the back of the bike.

  “What about a helmet for you?”

  “We’ll swing by my house to get another one.” He got on in front of her and reached back for her hands. “Feel free to hold on as tight as you can.”

  She giggled. “This is all a ploy, isn’t it?”

  “Hey, whatever works.” As he started the bike, the pressure of her thighs clutching his backside made him rock hard. When her full breasts pressed against his back, he was thankful that the roar of the bike drowned out his groan.

  “Ready?”

  He felt her nod and gave the bike some gas.

  She held on tight for the short ride to his house, where he grabbed a second helmet from the garage.

  “Now that you know where I live, you can drive down my street anytime you want,” he said.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  When he got back on the bike, she resumed the position. Having her wrapped around him was the closest thing to heaven he’d ever known, and Colin wondered how long he could reasonably keep her there. He went back out to Route 28, but this time he stayed under fifty miles per hour in deference to the rain and his precious cargo. At the Brewster town line, he turned around and went back to Chatham. They cruised down Main Street to Shore Road. Colin parked at Chatham Light and turned off the bike, removed his helmet, and helped Meredith with hers.
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  “That was great.” She used her fingers to straighten her hair. “I loved it.”

  He sat facing her on the small seat, and ran his hands over her denim-clad thighs. “You’re all wet from the rain.”