Tides of Hope: It's Never Too Late For Second Chances (A Nantucket Island Romance Book 1)

by Dawn Tomasko

  The words a safe place to fall slid through her mind. The overused words sounded cliché, but to Sara, they meant everything. If she fell, he might catch her. Or, she could splinter, the pieces flying so far apart and far away, nothing and no one could ever bring them back together again.

  The lure, the promise, both teased and haunted her.

  "Can you let me hold you?"

  Inexorably drawn to him, Sara moved toward him. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around his waist. When he didn't push for more, she relaxed a little, her head nestled under his chin. With each slow, steady breath his chest rose and fell. Her cheek brushed the smooth fabric of his dress shirt. She drew his scent in deep. Warm, strong arms gently molded her to him, stroked her back and hair.

  "See? Not so bad, right?"

  Yes. Right now it was all she could offer and seemed to be a perfect balance.

  "Tomorrow, then,” his voice came low, husky. He seemed to understand her poise between acquiescence and flight. "No work, no phones. I'll pack us a lunch. We'll ride out to Great Point. Gary and I talked about the Island, the Point, and I'd love to see it. Why don't you show me? Spend the day with me."

  Sara turned her face up to his. He stared down at her, his gaze steady and compelling, aware of the battle she fought. Warm and sweet, his mouth settled on hers in a soft kiss, his hands cradled her face.

  Then he stepped back, held her hand for a moment, and then let go.

  The roar of the sea, heard but unseen in the distance and dark, soothed her. The security of the cottage anchored her. Sara stood in the open doorway long after his truck rumbled back down the rutted lane to Madaket Road.

  Chapter Ten

  Early next morning, Sara packed a canvas shoulder bag for their day at the Point. In went a towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, flip flops, and a cover up. Under her shirt and shorts, she wore a swimsuit. On impulse, she added a canvas bag in case she found shells, sea glass or other beach debris to decorate the house or yard.

  Before he arrived at the house, she took a pill to keep the nerves at a minimum. Although she seriously doubted it, if she chose to talk about her marriage, of Brianna, she would need to remain calm. In a wristlet, she put another pill wrapped in foil, some cash, her license, her cell phone and a house key.

  With her hair in a single plait down her back, she applied waterproof mascara and lip color. For clothes, she'd chosen a cinnamon colored tank top, green khaki shorts and brown sandals. For good measure, she painted her toenails a complimentary shade of cinnamon.

  By the time she opened the hatch on her SUV to load up, the sound of Gabriel's truck rumbled toward the house. He parked next to her car, climbed out and walked over.

  "Good morning. You look lovely.” He bent down to press a warm kiss to her cheek. "Do you want me to drive?"

  She slipped her sunglasses from her head to her nose to shield her eyes from the sun. "I have the Oversand permit, and didn't know if you have one."

  Gabriel reached up to rub his jaw. "Where can I get one?"

  "At Town hall."

  "Okay, you drive. I'll get down there soon. I have to apply for permits. Let me put what I brought back here, all right?” he lowered the gate on his pickup to pull out two sand chairs, a cooler, a soft blanket and a tote with clothes.

  Once behind the wheel, Sara buckled up and tossed her cell into the center console. "We said no phones, but I left it on vibrate in the case of emergency."

  "Me too,” he tossed his phone in beside hers. "It's a beautiful day. The sky is so blue, more than I’m used to seeing. Not even a fog to burn off this morning."

  "Perfect day for an excursion."

  As they drove along Madaket Road in silence, Sara realized she liked having him in her car, and the prospect of a day of adventure brightened her spirits. Because of his size, he took up a lot of space. Their arms brushed now and then. Gabriel wore board shorts. His long, muscular legs stretched out in front of him. A white shirt clung to his shoulders and torso, leaving little to the imagination. Sara's mouth went dry.

  Along the way, they passed gnarled pine trees and scrub brush, toughened by the elements. "I brought my camera,” Gabe offered. "This is my first adventure here, and I'm sure there'll be plenty of great scenery."

  "You may see seals at the Point, and other wildlife. Sandpipers are my favorite."

  "I’ve been whale watching in Maine, which was great,” he commented in a voice full of anticipation. “But to go exploring and find seals in their natural habitat? That would be amazing.”

  "Once we get close, we'll stop to let some air out of the tires. It will make it easier to drive on the sand."

  "Okay. Hey, I hope you'll let me do some of the driving.” The excitement in his eyes thrilled her.

  Laughter bubbled up in her throat. "You look like a little kid headed to the amusement park."

  "I feel like one. For the last fifteen years, I've spent most of my time behind a desk, at board meetings or social functions. Boring as hell.” The bright flash of his grin made her pulse quicken. "I didn't bring any gear, but how's the fishing out there?"

  "Excellent. You'll need a license when you fish with Gary. For residents it's inexpensive, but it's a hundred dollars if you can't prove residency."

  "I think I qualify, right? I have an address, I'm here to work, with no immediate plans to leave."

  “Really?” No plans to move. Lots of people came to the island for work, and plenty of them left, too. "You shouldn't have a problem, then."

  "How's the swimming?"

  "Heavy with strong undertow so I don't go in far. No lifeguards. Mostly I enjoy the lighthouse, the solitude, and the sun. Great Point's way out on a long stretch of sandbar. In some spots, it's pretty narrow."

  "Yeah, I did a bit of research last night on the internet.” His hair ruffled by the wind and she wanted to slide her hands through it.

  Sara glanced over briefly, her face heated at the reminder of how they’d left things. "How late did you stay up?"

  "Not too long, but I couldn't sleep. I went to dinner with a beautiful woman and for some reason, I couldn’t sleep.” He wagged his eyebrows at her and laughed when her cheeks flushed. Then he rolled his window the rest of the way down, leaned his tanned arm on the door. "Where are we now?"

  "Close. We're on Polpis Road, and soon we'll reach Wauwinet. Then we'll lower the tires and move out onto the sand."

  Once there, she pulled over and deflated the driver's side tires. Gabriel watched, then moved to do the other side. Then they pulled out onto the sand. With less air, the tires moved more easily. To give him the maximum experience, she gunned the gas, and they bounced crazily along the uneven surface of the beach.

  Gabriel howled his delight. "Good thing we're wearing seatbelts, or we'd have concussions,” his voice boomed. Pure enjoyment showed on his face, and he laughed loudly and often. His joy infectious, Sara laughed right along with him. She loved this part of the island, and his excitement pleased her more than she could imagine. When was the last time she’d been this carefree?

  Finally, they reached their destination. Sara killed the engine, turned to him.

  "Here we are."

  "Even if I have to wrestle you for the keys, there's no way I'm not driving back!"

  She threw her head back, laughed with sheer lightness of heart and all because of Gabriel. "You can drive."

  "What a blast. The ride out alone was worth the trip."

  "You haven't seen anything yet, but I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Great Point Light House,” she pointed through the windshield. "Over sixty feet tall, built in the 1700s. A storm brought it down in 1984, and she was rebuilt by 1986."

  "She's a big one and a beauty. Let's do it!” he jumped out of the car, slammed the door.

  Sara stood in the sand by the car. "Don't you want to get our gear?"

  His dark head shook enthusiastically. "Let's check it out first, but I want to grab my camera."

  After he snagged the camera, he snatched her
hand and took off at a run toward the lighthouse. Sara worked to keep up with his long-legged stride. Once, she nearly fell, and his hand came up to steady her waist. Laughing, they kept running until they stood at the base, the warm wind whipped up around them.

  "Unbelievable,” Gabriel murmured appreciatively, staring up at the graceful white column.

  "In the past, she had a Fresnel lens, but now there's a solar powered light."

  "We’re so far out, it's remote. Raw and beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes took in the details of the lighthouse and surrounding area. "Thank you, Sara, this is a gift."

  His words suffused her with pleasure, the heat flooding her cheeks embarrassed her. "You're welcome."

  For over an hour, they explored the grounds near the lighthouse, read up on its history. Gabe snapped photos of Sara, the lighthouse, and the water and sky views. "Here,” he said, and snagged her up tight against him and shot a selfie with his phone.

  "We're not teenagers! What are you going to do with the picture?” she wondered.

  After a light shrug, he reached up to twine a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe make it my phone wallpaper. Do you want me to send it to you, too?"

  "Um, sure,” she replied, not sure how she felt about it. What if he put it up on Facebook and Bree or David saw it? "Please don't post it on social media."

  His smile dimmed, and he frowned down at her for a moment. "I wasn't going to, certainly not without asking. Are you embarrassed to be with me?"

  "No!” she said, a bit forcefully. "No. It's just that Bree doesn't know I'm spending time with a man other than her father."

  "Are you going to tell her?"

  "Yes."

  “When?”

  If she focused on her role of tour guide, things could get less personal. "Most of the Point is protected because of the piping plovers. They're on the endangered species list.” With the intention of bringing his thoughts to wildlife, she started to walk.

  "Nice deflection.” Before she could respond, he said, "Are you worried about your ex?”

  She stopped, turned to look back at him. As usual, he saw too much. "Ready to get our gear, set up on the beach?"

  He shifted his feet and put his hands on his lean hips. "I’ll do whatever the hell you want after you answer my question."

  "Yes, I am worried, okay?” She stalked off, headed toward the rear of her car to open the hatch. He followed and helped unload their things. Would he push her more? Once they took everything out, he closed the hatch and dropped a kiss onto her forehead.

  "Why are you worried? I mean, not about your daughter. Is it your ex?"

  “Yes it is, so please let it go,” she replied and headed toward the water. They picked a spot not far from the water's edge, settled their chairs on the soft sand, the beach grass billowing at their backs, and unpacked lunch.

  Gabriel knelt in the sand while he dug in the cooler. "I’ll let it go, for now, Sara.”

  “Thank you.”

  They settled into the chairs. “These beaches are better than any I've seen at home. A person could get spoiled for this place.” He handed her a sandwich.

  "It's why I come. There isn't a better place in the world. When I'm here, I try to pack as much into the time as I can. Now the idea that I don't have to rush, and there's more time, as much as I want…it feels good.” Sara sat in her sand chair and started to eat. "This is delicious. I see you visited Nantucket Bake Shop for Portuguese bread."

  "Sure did. How about some wine?"

  "That would be good.” Gabriel pulled a plastic wine glass from his cooler, poured from a small four-pack he'd brought.

  "You remembered I like Pinot."

  "Of course, I remember. I'm a detail kind of guy.” He took an enormous bite of his sandwich, washed it down with beer, and leaned back in the chair. "What more does anyone need?"

  Sara looked over at him, with his richly tanned skin and wind tossed hair. Gabriel looked like he belonged here. "You like Nantucket."

  "It's incredible. The sun, the beaches, the moors. Beautiful, a quieter lifestyle. Not a single traffic light.” He smiled, "It's as far from Manhattan as I could hope to be.” Gabriel set his sandwich in his lap, wedged the beer in the sand, and grabbed the hem of his tank top to strip it off.

  Her mouth opened and then snapped shut. Need slammed into her at the sight of Gabriel's heavily muscled torso. All the hard work, heaving and lifting he did showed. He looked over at her and caught her staring. When her tongue snaked out to moisten her lips, his eyes followed.

  "I'm glad you like it,” she whispered. "The island, I mean."

  A sexy grin tugged at his lips. "We haven't even scratched the surface yet, but it's the most incredible place I've ever been."

  He loved the island. Felt the magic. Something clicked between them. There didn’t seem to be much she could do to avoid the fact. To avoid getting lost in his eyes, she turned back to her lunch. They ate and drank, content to be still while the wind blew up around them. The surf crashed against the shore as they baked in the warm sun. Then Sara sat up straight in her chair.

  "What?” he asked.

  "Look,” she smiled, pointed down at the beach. "Sandpipers. See how the tide rushes down, and they follow, their little feet moving so fast? Almost like peddling a bike. Then the water surges up, and they make a mad dash up the sand so they won't get their feet wet!"

  They watched the sandpipers in their flirtatious dance with the surf, Sara laughed most of the time. Gabriel took some pictures of them for her. He also took photos of her, enjoying life.

  "It's nice to see you have a good time. Come on,” he stood, held his hand out to her. "Let's go for a walk in the surf. I want to walk in the water."

  Sara stood. Sweat dotted her upper lip, between her breasts. Hot from the sun, she wanted to strip off her shorts and top. What would he think of her body? A bit thin, in her opinion. With the divorce and difficulty with Bree, her appetite dwindled. She'd let her workouts slide, and she’d lost some tone. With so little sun exposure so far this year, her skin must be as white as a fish belly.

  Maybe she would start running. Oh, to hell with it. She stripped her shirt off to take in some color, then slid her shorts down to the sand and tossed the clothes into her carryall. The two-piece she'd chosen flattered her curvy hips, and the tank style top's underwire push up feature accentuated her breasts. When his eyes gave her a slow once-over, she playfully put a finger under his chin to lift it. "I'm up here."

  He grinned. "Can't blame me for taking in the sights, especially when they're this gorgeous."

  "Then don't blame me if I do the same,” she flirted boldly, a bit surprised by her bravado.

  Shameless, he spread his arms wide. "By all means, sweetheart, look your fill."

  Oh, she did. "You have a confidence problem,” she said and made him laugh. Then feeling bold, she gripped his hand, warm and big enough to cover her own and started to walk.

  "So I've been told."

  For a long time, they padded over the wet sand, listened to the birds, braced against the rush of the surf battering their legs. Gabriel leaned over to nudge her shoulder with his. "I promised to tell you about my life today."

  Safe ground. He would go first. "Fire away."

  They walked the water line along the stretch of beach. "You already know I attended a college handpicked to prime me for Donovan Enterprises. Dad named me first vice president and Michael second."

  Patient and interested, Sara let him go at his pace. "Nicole, Michael and I had been friends since grade school. We lived in the same neighborhood. The family never wanted for anything, old money, but due to bad investments her father responded in panic, attempting to recoup their losses by gambling. He’d always loved going to the casino. Of course, his plan backfired, and they hit hard times and never fully recovered. We stayed friends, and they managed to keep living in our neighborhood. The family came from money, so maybe they gave them a hand. Michael crushed on her pretty bad, always followed
her around like a puppy.”

  He stood still, stared out over the water. The waves surged and pummeled the shore. "After I graduated and took the helm, Michael stood second in command. Dad still supervises operations."

  After another short walk in silence, Sara squeezed his hand.

  "Except a wife and family, I had it all. A fantastic job, family name, money, cars. Women,” he looked at her sheepishly. "There's no shortage of women who want to be around money and power."

  “I guess there wouldn’t be.” I’m not one of them, though.

  "Michael thrived on it, and yeah, I won't lie, I enjoyed myself, too. But my heart wasn't in the whole scene. We're family, but we're not the same. The last few months before I made the break, I talked to Michael about how I felt. Not only did I need his support, but I knew he'd want to pick up where I would leave off. Knowing how much he wanted it made it easier to move."

  He bent to pick up a twisted piece of driftwood, turned it over in his hands. "We're brothers and care about each other. But he wanted it more than I did, right from the start. Jealousy and rivalry always played a part in our relationship. Our Dad loves us both, but for some reason, we competed for his attention. Dad probably fostered that a bit, as he’s a fierce competitor in his business dealings. Michael wanted the company, the lead position. As much as he wanted DE, he wanted Nicole."

  His shoulders tightened. "For whatever reason, she kept him at arm's length. He spent plenty of time with other women, but Michael never stopped wanting Nicole. For him, she was the one."

  Curling his toes, he dug them in the sand, dragged them to carve deep lines only to have the rush of tide level them out. "I left the company. My father took it pretty hard, he was very pissed at me, as you can imagine. We were holed up in the conference room for hours. We had a huge blow-up, and furious, I walked out. The whole thing left me raw and edgy, so I stopped at one of the bars I frequented."