by Jill Sanders
“Want to talk about it?” She handed the bottle to him and turned her back so he could smear the lotion into her skin.
“I think I’ve pretty much said it all,” he said, making sure he covered every inch of her skin. He didn’t want her to get burned.
“Except how you feel about all of this.” She glanced over her shoulder.
He thought about it, then said. “I’m hurt and pissed.” He shrugged. “That pretty much sums it up.”
“Hurt at what? And pissed at what?”
“Hurt that he didn’t want me and pissed that he didn’t own me.”
She laughed and turned towards him, taking his hands in her own. “Why is it men can’t talk about their feelings?”
“I’m talking about them.” He frowned out at the clear water, then glanced at her.
She was giving him a look that told him she wasn’t buying it. Then she shifted until they were facing each other and took his hands in hers.
“You know, after my father left us, I was mad. Madder than I’d ever been. He hurt my mother. He hurt Zoey and me. It felt as if he chose some stranger over us. Like we weren’t good enough anymore. Then Jenny sent me that picture and all of my hurt feelings were doubled. I decided right then and there that no man would break my heart. Just like I decided that Jenny would never get the upper hand on me again.”
“Is that why I got the hairspray can to my chest earlier?” he joked.
“Hey, it was the only thing handy.” She smiled. “But yes. I’m not going to let anyone push me around.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I won’t let anything like that happen ever again. She will never get close to you again.”
She sighed and held onto him. “Talk to me.” She pulled back.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of the day I would meet my father,” he began. “Hundreds of different scenarios played in my mind. None of them came close to what happened. I’m hurt that I mean so little to a man who six years earlier said in an interview that his greatest regret was not having children.” He looked down at their joined fingers. “And I’m pissed that I allowed a stranger’s opinion to hurt me so badly. Especially when I know that I was raised by the most wonderful woman, who sacrificed everything for me.” He smiled. “So, after further reflection, just like you, I’ve decided not to allow him to hurt me like that again. Next time I see him, I won’t let him get the better of me.”
She smiled. “I have a hairspray can that you can toss at him,” she suggested.
He laughed and wrapped his arms around her. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. How about we head into the water for a swim? I need to cool off.”
“Thank you,” she said after he kissed her. “For opening up to me.”
“Any time.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Scarlett never imagined that spending two days with Levi would be so wonderful. The man was more attentive than anyone else she’d ever been with.
From stopping at a local diner for dinner after a few hours at the beach to the flowers and breakfast in bed he’d delivered to her the following morning.
She’d never had a man treat her with such… love, before. She knew she had to keep her heart shielded, but the more he opened up to her, the more the shield she’d built up around her heart melted.
By the time they drove back to the camp, she was pretty sure she was fully in love with Levi. Of course, that meant she was in desperate need of counsel from her mother. So during her first break of the day, she rushed across campus to her mother’s cabin. Since her mother had started dating Reed, Scarlett no longer barged into the cabin unannounced.
“Scarlett.” Her mother straightened her shirt after answering the door. Instantly, Scarlett knew that Reed was somewhere in the house.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.” She started to back up.
“Honey, you’re never a bother.” Her mother pulled her into the house. Sure enough, Reed was standing in the kitchen, looking smug and horny.
“Mom, I can come back…”
“I was just heading out.” Reed smiled at her, then swooped down and kissed her mother. “I’ve got a tennis game that I’m late for.” He smiled at Scarlett. “We’ll be joining you for a sunset ride tonight. See you later.”
“Sure.” She waited until the man had left the cabin. “I’m so sorry. I should have texted you.” She groaned.
Her mother chuckled “It wouldn’t have mattered. I didn’t know he was stopping by. He swung by on his way to the courts.” She sighed. “He does that all the time.”
“What? Kiss you silly?” Scarlett joked.
“Yes, that too,” her mother said easily. “Want something to drink? Cookies?” She pulled out a plate full of chocolate chip cookies that were still warm.
“Did you just bake these?” she asked after taking a bite.
“Yes, Zoey is supposed to be—”
“Mom!” Zoey called out from the front of the cabin.
Without a word, their mother held up the plate as Zoey rushed in.
“Thank god. This kid loves his cookies,” her sister said, taking two of them from the plate. “What are you doing here?”
“I was here to talk,” Scarlett said, leaning against the counter.
“About?” Her sister leaned next to her as she shoved another cookie in her mouth.
“It’s nothing.” Scarlett shrugged and started walking towards the door.
“No.” Her mother took her by the shoulders and stopped her. “Talk,” she said, pushing her lightly into a chair.
Scarlett knew better than to try and get out of it at this point. There was no way she could escape her mother and Zoey at the same time.
“Fine.” She sighed. “But I need some chocolate milk first.”
Her sister sat beside her as their mother poured three glasses of chocolate milk and set them down in front of them.
“I think I’m in love,” she started.
Zoey almost spewed her milk out her nose as she laughed. “Duh,” she said after she swallowed the drink of milk. “We’ve all known that for, like, weeks.”
Her mother took her hand. “Sweetie, that’s wonderful. Does Levi know?”
“No,” she answered her mother as she glared at her sister. “I’m not sure. I guess I’ve locked myself away for so long, I’m not really positive how it feels.”
“How do you feel?” her mother asked.
“Sick,” she answered after a while.
“Yup, that’s love,” Zoey said with a smile. “The truth sucks.” She shrugged when their mother glanced at her quickly.
“Love isn’t easy,” her mother added. “It’s complicated and messy and sometimes makes you feel sick.” She smiled. “But it’s also the most wonderful feeling in the world.” She hugged her. “And when you’re in love, you won’t question if you are. You’ll know it instantly.” She kissed her cheek.
“Are you in love with Reed?” Scarlett asked her and her mother’s smile grew.
“Yes,” she answered immediately. “Now, if I could just convince him that he’s not just in lust with me.” She chuckled. “Time. Sometimes it takes a little more time for one partner than the other to come to terms with how they feel.”
Scarlett thought about her mother’s words for the next few days. It was basically the only thing she thought about, except for the whole Jenny situation and the business with Levi’s dad.
Security had been tightened around the campgrounds again since they had officially confirmed that Jenny was living just a few miles from there. They had learned their lesson with Ryan about how to deal with crazy.
Dinner parties continued to pack the house, which meant extra security. Levi normally had a few evenings off each week, but since he’d moved in with her, he’d ended up helping out each night.
She knew it was because he hadn’t wanted to leave her vulnerable again.
Actually, everyone was watching out for her more than normal. She couldn’t eve
n go on an evening ride with a group of guests without someone tagging along.
Tonight, it was her sister that rode Lady next to her. Scarlett loved all the horses they’d adopted from the local shelter, Alaqua Refuge. Carter, one of the vets that worked at the refuge, had picked ten of the best animals for them and was constantly keeping an eye out for more that would fit at the camp.
Scarlett was riding Butter, one of their newest adoptions, since the horse was still a little skittish. But Scarlett knew that Butter would come around once she knew she was safe and in a permanent home.
“Did you hear anything more from Levi’s dad?” Zoey asked as they made their way up the trail towards the small bonfire area where the group would stop to watch the sunset for s’mores and drinks.
“No,” she said as she made sure the small group of riders were all okay. “We’re not even sure he’s still in town. He could have gone back to Miami.”
“Is that where he’s from?” Zoey asked.
“That’s where he and his wife currently live. I guess his wife was best friends with Levi’s mother in high school.”
“And she knew about Levi?” she asked.
“She had to have.” Scarlett shifted in the saddle. “I mean, his mother was just sixteen when she had him. She went on to graduate with the woman. From what I understand, Leslie—that’s her name—left shortly after Levi’s mother’s death.”
Zoey was silent for a while. “Do you really think she committed suicide?”
Scarlett sighed. “I don’t know. Levi’s grandmother seems to think she didn’t. When he asked her, she said she knew about the rumors that had been going around for years but didn’t believe any of them.”
“Rumors? As in plural? What else was going around?” Zoey asked.
Scarlett remembered what Levi had found out from his grandmother.
“That Levi’s dad was someone with power and he’d had her murdered. Then there was one rumor that she’d been raped and beaten, and Levi’s father was in prison and had escaped and killed her.”
Scarlett shivered. “Like Elle’s dad?”
“Yeah.” Scarlett frowned. “I think that’s where that one came from. A mix of the two stories.” She shrugged.
“What does Levi think?” Zoey asked as they entered the small clearing where employees were waiting with the treats and drinks.
“He doesn’t know.” She nodded. “Later.”
Her sister stopped her horse beside her.
“We’ll dismount here for some treats and drinks so we can all enjoy the sunset,” she told the guests. “There are restrooms…” She motioned towards the small hut that had recently been finished with bathroom stalls. “Feel free to roam about. We’ll head back to the stable in an hour. If you need help dismounting… let one of us know.”
For the next few minutes, they helped guests get settled and secured the animals to the posts. They handed out the fixings for s’mores and poured drinks as everyone gathered around the fire pit.
The pathway back to the barn was lit, so the horses wouldn’t stumble in the darkness, and guests wouldn’t lose their way. She would have never thought that nighttime rides could be so fulfilling.
“This was a fantastic addition.” Zoey sighed, sipping her own mug of hot chocolate. She turned to Scarlett. “Great idea.”
“Thanks,” Scarlett laughed. “I got hungry during a ride and thought, hey, why not add food to the fun?” She sat in the chair next to her sister. She skipped out on the treat tonight, since she’d had a large dinner earlier with Levi.
“We’ve come a long way,” Zoey said, tucking her feet up to her chest. “The wedding is just over a month away. I’m having a baby. The camp.” Her sister’s voice rose slightly with excitement. “Everything that has happened in the past few years. Three of us are engaged.”
“To brothers no less,” Scarlett added with a chuckle.
“Who would have thought.” Zoey smiled. “We’re going to be real family soon. I can’t wait to help Elle and Hannah plan their spring and summer weddings after we’re done focusing on mine and Dylan’s.” Zoey leaned her head back and looked up at the sky.
Scarlett did the same and enjoyed watching the colors change as the sky darkened.
Scarlett had to admit to herself that she was a little jealous of that fact, even though technically, they would be part of her family too. She liked the Costa men, all of them, including their father Leo, who stopped by the camp more often now that his sons were so involved in it. The man had even rekindled the relationship with Elle, his goddaughter.
“Then it will be baby showers,” Scarlett said with a sigh. “Yours and god knows who else is going to be popping out a tiny Costa soon.” She glanced over at her sister. “Or are you keeping the Rowlett name?”
Zoey laughed. “Nope. Would you?”
Scarlett thought about the last time she’d seen her father and instantly shook her head. “Hell no.”
“I think the only one who would want to keep her name between all of us is Elle, and it’s not even her birth name. She got rid of her father’s name long before we all met.”
Scarlett remembered when her friend had told them that she’d changed her last name after her father had killed her mother. When she’d moved to live with her grandfather, the change had been suggested to protect the young girl from all the town’s gossip. After all, murder didn’t happen very often in Pelican Point.
“Yeah. Giving up that last hold on Grandpa Joe will be hard.”
“He was a great man. Probably the only father figure any of us had growing up,” Zoey added.
“Agreed.” She thought about the older man who had shown them nothing but kindness and love when they’d been five scrappy girls full of hormones and distrust.
“I need to…” Scarlett stood suddenly as she nodded towards the bathrooms.
“Sure.” Zoey stood as well. “I’m going to snag another s’more before we head back.”
Scarlett laughed. “You know, when they have to roll you into the delivery room, I’ll remind you that it was the extra s’more that did it.”
Zoey laughed as she moved away. Instead of stepping into the bathroom, Scarlett pulled out her phone and called Levi.
He had taken a group of guests out for an evening hike and should have been back by then, since the hike ended on the beach with champagne at sunset.
“Hey,” he answered on the second ring.
“Hi.” She smiled and hugged the phone to her ear.
“Are you almost done?” he asked her.
“No, another hour. We’re about to head back after s’mores.” She glanced around at the group. “You?”
“Yeah, I just finished up. I’m heading back now.” She could hear him walking. “Want me to meet you at the barn?”
“No.” She thought of the long day she’d had and knew that he’d started an hour before her. “Go get some rest. I’ll meet you back in our room.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “Zoey is here with me. I have to go pry the box of candy bars from her fingers before she stuffs them in her saddle bag.”
Levi laughed. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay,” she said and hung up.
She couldn’t deny it from herself much longer. She was completely in love with the man. He’d changed everything about her. How she thought of not only him, but even herself.
For the past two years, she’d looked forward to each day, because she loved her job and wanted their business to succeed. Now, that wasn’t the only reason she was happy to wake up each day. Having Levi sleep next to her, being there when she opened her eyes and when she fell asleep, had changed everything.
She couldn’t imagine life without him now. He’d ruined her. Spoiled her. Loved her. And it was about time she let him know just how she felt.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Levi hung up his phone and tucked it in his back pocket as he continued down the path. The small group he’d led ou
t on the evening hike had decided to stay at the beach.
When his phone rang again, he frowned down at the number. Normally, he wouldn’t have answered the call from an unknown number, but he figured he had time to discourage whatever salesperson was calling him this late.
“Hello?” He stopped under one of the lights and listened.
“Levi?” The man’s voice was instantly familiar.
“Yeah.” Levi glanced around, unsure what to say to his father. He hadn’t expected the man to call him. How had he even gotten Levi’s number?
“This is Michael Stiles. Your… father,” the man said uncomfortably.
“Yeah.” Levi sat on one of the benches along the path, instantly enjoying getting off his feet, since he’d been on them for hours. “I surmised. What can I do for you?”
“I… wanted to see if we could meet sometime?” Michael asked.
Levi realized the man was nervous, which shocked him a little. The last time they’d talked, the guy had made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with Levi. Actually, he’d acted pissed that Levi was even around.
“Why?” Levi asked, needing to know before he agreed to seeing him again.
His father was quiet for a moment, and Levi thought for a second that they’d been disconnected.
“I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I was a little in shock myself the other night. I had no clue you even existed. Until you were there. Standing in front of me. If possible, I’d like a chance to get to know you.”
Bullshit, Levi thought, but kept his mouth shut.
“I’m still in town. We could meet tomorrow somewhere for lunch?” he suggested. “Please?” he added. Levi slumped slightly in the bench.
“There’s a burger diner in town,” Levi started.
“Sunset Café?” his father asked, surprising him.
“Yeah.” Levi frowned. “Noon.” Before he could change his mind, he hung up.
He must have sat there thinking for fifteen minutes before his phone rang again in his hands. Without looking, he answered.