“I was trying to be polite,” he said, his posture stiffening as if a brick wall had snapped up between them. “But I know what people say about me—about my house. So you’re free to leave, if you prefer.”
Her jaw dropped. Did he really think she was one of those people who believed his house and his family were cursed? It had been the main reason why the other kids had avoided him back then—because of the town gossip that claimed he was the descendant of Anastasia “The Sparrow” Roberts and Finn Morgan, the pirate and her British lover who founded the town back in the sixteenth century. According to what people said, the reason why Caleb’s family was wealthy was because they were hiding the pirates’ treasure—the stash of gold the nasty pirates had hidden in a cave on the island before they went off to another raid they never came back from. The same pirates who’d kidnapped Destiny O’Hara and left her starving to death on the mainland while they were stealing more gold. Allegedly, Anastasia and Finn had found the treasure and kept it for themselves, passing it on to their descendants. Kyla had never believed the stupid gossip, partly because she didn’t believe all the legends that were as much a part of this town as the buildings and the people were, and partly because of her crush. In a way, believing that Caleb might have pirate DNA had been an intriguing element that only fueled her interest in him—but she’d never believed the treasure was cursed and whoever owned it was destined to an unhappy life. Sure, his mother had walked out on him when he was ten years old, and his father had never been Dad Of The Year afterward, but that didn’t have anything to do with a stupid curse or a legend. It was just life.
“I never really cared about the gossip in town, even when I lived here. And I definitely don’t believe in all the silly legends,” she said, lifting a shoulder. “But I must get going; Conor’s expecting me. I called him just before leaving the airport, so he’d worry if I showed up late. Knowing him, he’d call the sheriff, the FBI, and the SWAT team.”
Caleb’s stance softened a little, and she let out a mental sigh of relief. She didn’t want him to feel defensive around her. Not that she had any intention of staying, but she hoped that, now they’d sort of broken the ice and were finally having a proper conversation, she would be able to spend a little time with him. She’d love to find out for herself if he’d live up to the dream guy she’d created in her mind.
“No problem. I guess your clothes will dry pretty fast in this heat.” He shrugged and tucked his hands in the front pockets of his cargo shorts. The closed-off, broody guy was back, and it hurt her to think she might have lost her one chance at getting closer to him. But she wasn’t kidding when she told him Conor was likely to call the cops if he didn’t see her soon.
“Okay, so…um…I’ll see you around?” She hadn’t meant for it to come out as a question, but it had to be her subconscious talking on her behalf. He nodded, and she spun around, reluctantly walking away from him before she gave him a goodbye kiss and made a complete fool of herself. As if she hadn’t already.
After her disastrous grand entrance and meeting with Caleb, Kyla drove straight into town to the Wilde Pirate pub. She was looking forward to seeing her brother and having a burger and fries, while she told him the reason why she looked like a drowned chick. Hopefully he wouldn’t make too much fun of her.
When she walked into her brother’s pub, the Florida heat had nearly dried her clothes, although her hair was still a bit of a mess.
“Whoa, look who’s here. The New York lady is back in town!” Jack Danielson, Conor’s best friend, raised his hand in greeting as she approached the counter. Kyla high-fived him and smiled. She used to have a bit of a crush on him when they were young, up until the day she realized Jack would never think of her as anything more than a little sister.
And then she’d noticed Caleb, and nobody else mattered.
“Hey, you.” She smiled, taking a seat on the stool next to his. She hadn’t been back since Christmas, and that was nearly seven months ago. Although she’d seen Conor three months ago, when he’d spent a couple of days in New York with his girlfriend Giorgia, on their way back from Italy, Kyla couldn’t deny she missed her friends from home. She didn’t have many, but Jack had always been one of them, and she used to have fun hanging out with him.
Sugarpuff poked her head out of her doggy carrier bag and tilted her head left and right as if inspecting the new guy.
“And who’s this?” Jack reached out his hand, letting Sugarpuff sniff him first. When she decided she could trust him, she licked his finger and let him pet her.
“She’s my baby as well as my roommate. Her name’s Sugarpuff.”
He laughed. “What kind of name is that?”
Kyla huffed and brought her dog closer to her protectively. “It’s a sweet name for a sweet baby. And what are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be working at this time of day?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I have a tour starting in thirty minutes but Conor said you were coming back today. I thought I’d pop in for lunch and say hi.”
“Well, thank you for being so thoughtful,” she said, touched by his admission. “I might book a tour before I leave. It’s been a while since I last was on the water.”
He nodded. “Sure thing. Just let me know when and I’ll be sure to have the whole boat reserved for you.”
Jack organized sightseeing tours of the islands in the bay, as well as dolphin tours, according to the season. Conor used to help him when Jack had just started out and didn’t have enough money to hire helpers. Last she heard, the company was thriving, and he’d been able to buy another boat and hire three people. She was happy for him and looked forward to spending a little time catching up with an old friend.
“I’ll even let you bring Sugar Lump on board.”
She glared at him and he chuckled, chucking her under her chin like he used to do when they were kids and he called her kiddo. A little nostalgia hit her, as she remembered running on the beach, tagging along her brother and his friends just because she didn’t want to be considered the crying little girl who couldn’t do what boys did.
“And I’ll go with you.” Conor walked out of the swinging doors that led into the kitchen, holding a plate of chunky fries, and nodded toward his friend. “I don’t trust you to be left alone with him without supervision, now that you’re no longer underage.”
Kyla’s cheeks heated at her brother’s comment, afraid Jack would think she was interested in him, but judging by the way he laughed, she was sure she didn’t have to worry about it.
“Conor, come on. You know I’d never make a move on her. She’s like a sister to me.”
Her ego took a blow and she must have let it show because Jack patted a hand on her shoulder and smiled apologetically.
“No offense. You’re a beautiful and smart woman, but I can’t see you as anything but the tomboy who followed us around.”
“Good answer, buddy.” Conor winked and went to deliver the fries to a table. When he walked back, he came up behind her and wrapped her in a hug. She’d missed him so much these past three months they’d been apart, and she made a resolution to never let this much time pass between visits again.
“I’m starving,” she said when he released her. “Do you think I could get a burger?”
Conor chuckled and smacked a loud kiss on her cheek. “Comin’ right up, along with fries. Then you’ll tell me why you’re looking like you’ve stuck your finger in a socket.” He winked, then disappeared into the kitchen.
Jack laughed and stood up, left a few bills on the counter, then gave her a quick hug and made her promise to hang out while she was in town. He walked out just as Conor came back with her food. Her brother took the seat next to her and tousled her hair. She rolled her eyes as she reached for the inviting burger.
“I fell into a stream trying to rescue Sugarpuff,” she said, just before taking a huge bite of her burger. Conor’s eyebrows went up, and she shrugged. “No big deal, it wasn’t that deep.” She purposely left out
the part when she’d nearly drowned and would’ve died in a three-feet-deep stream if it hadn’t been for Caleb. Conor had been just like the other kids at school, who stayed away from Caleb because of that stupid legend about the curse. She didn’t know what her brother would say about her hanging out with him, even though all they’d done was chat for a few minutes.
“So I take it you haven’t been to see Mom and Dad yet?”
She shook her head. “I’ve come straight to you, just as we agreed. I thought you might be worried I was late.”
“I was. Giorgia was here, waiting for you too. She said I should go look for you, but she’s a bit of a chronic worrier, so I didn’t listen to her. I guess she was right this time.” He shrugged and stole a fry from her plate. “But don’t tell her I said that or she’ll never stop gloating.”
Conor had met Giorgia before Christmas, when she and her friend from California had come over for the Treasure Hunt, the most important event in Fortune’s Bay. She had just moved from Italy on a sabbatical and was only meant to stay a few months in Orange County with her friend, while she decided what she wanted to do with her life. According to her brother, it had been love at first sight, at least as far as he was concerned, and he was sure Destiny, the town’s matchmaking ghost, had played a part in their meeting. Giorgia was only meant to stay for a week before moving to California with her friend, but after Conor rescued her and they got closer during the Treasure Hunt, which they also won, she decided to stay in Fortune’s Bay and give their budding relationship a chance.
Kyla had met Giorgia at Christmas, and she’d liked her a lot. Although she did seem like she worried too much about everything, she was a nice girl and perfect for Conor. They’d had a lovely time when she’d visited New York with Conor, and Kyla was looking forward to spending a little time with her.
“Finish that burger and go see Mom and Dad. They’re really excited about you coming over after so long.” There was a reprimanding note lining his words, and she couldn’t blame him. Their parents didn’t like the city, so they never went to see her in New York, and she’d always been too busy to come home, even if only for a weekend. Hopefully, once she was a gallery manager, she might get a few more days off and could visit more often. And maybe by then her parents would have accepted that she did have a career and would stop asking her to come home and find a real job.
Chapter 2
Caleb hadn’t stopped thinking about Kyla, no matter how hard he’d tried. Ten minutes, maybe fifteen. That was the time he’d spent with her, although it had seemed like so much more. It had felt like the years had never passed and it had been enough to erase the nine years they’d been apart.
But just like in high school, he knew he had no chance with her. A woman like her, smart and beautiful, couldn’t be single. And he wasn’t exactly the epitome of the meet my parents kind of boyfriend a girl looked for, at least in this town.
So, since he didn’t seem to be able to concentrate on his work, he’d decided to try and let his favorite hobby do its job and distract him from thoughts he wasn’t supposed to be having—thoughts of Kyla and how much he wanted to see her again.
As usual, when Caleb was engrossed in his art and in his own thoughts, the brush flew freely across the canvas, his hand in full control even though his mind was miles away. The colors blended into one another—hues of greens and blues—and before he’d even realized what he was doing, a silhouette of a woman with shoulder-length black hair had appeared on the canvas, sitting on the river bank.
He smiled to himself. Kyla had invaded his thoughts and now she was invading his subconscious too, guiding his hand like a muse.
Bear slept in the shade by his side, enjoying the warm afternoon, while Caleb lost himself in the rhythmical, soothing movements of the brush across the canvas. He lost track of time, until Bear lifted his head from his paws and sat upright.
“What’s up?” Caleb asked, looking down at him. He never had visitors coming over, apart from the mailman who, just like everyone in town, preferred to keep his distance and was probably grateful that the mailbox was on the edge of the property, so he wouldn’t have to set foot inside—and risk getting affected by the curse.
Bear stood on all fours now, his nose up in the air, his ears perking up just like he did when he sensed something—be it an animal or a human. A second later, he let out a bark. A high-pitched bark, more like a yelp, sounded in the distance—to which Bear replied with two barks.
A moment later, a familiar tiny furball ran at full speed toward them, as fast as her short legs allowed. His heart did a somersault in his chest and nearly shot up into his throat when Kyla came into view. She wore a turquoise summer dress whose skirt reached down to her ankles, and with the sunlight reflecting off the beads on her sparkling flat sandals, she was an angelic, heart-stopping vision. Her smile was tentative as she approached him, holding a small cardboard box in her hands. He stood there, rooted to the ground, unable to move a muscle or think of something clever to say.
“Hi,” he said eventually, when she was standing right in front of him. Pretty lame, but his brain had completely blanked out.
Her smile turned a little less wary. “I wasn’t sure whether this would be considered trespassing, but Sugarpuff wanted to see her friend.” She looked down at her dog, who was snaking between Bear’s legs, in what looked like an entertaining game only the two dogs seemed to understand. It was nice to see Bear with a friend for once—the dog had become a hermit just like his master. “And I wanted to thank you for rescuing me. I’ve brought a cake.” Kyla handed the box to him.
He just stared at her like an idiot. Nobody had ever brought him a cake—or anything else, for that matter. Not since that day when he was twelve and their old neighbor, Mrs. Feldstein, had shown up with a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. His father had sent her away before Caleb had even managed to take a sniff of the food.
Kyla took a step closer and lifted the box toward his face. “It’s from Vanilla Kisses. It’s their signature millefeuille. Conor said it’s to die for.”
Yeah, he agreed with her brother. He’d bought it a couple of times, and delicious didn’t even begin to describe it. A silly thought crossed his mind right then, and he wondered whether it might be a good way to make up for the idiotic impression he must have made, both the day before and right now. He’d never been an active member of the community, nor a party animal—although not always by his own choice—but he’d been taught manners and he’d had friends in college. He didn’t always enjoy being a hermit, but growing up as an outcast had taught him to be content with a lonely life, although that didn’t mean he always liked it. He could be nice company—when people let him. And right now, he wanted her to.
He raised his eyebrows and nodded toward the box. “I hope there aren’t eggs or milk in it,” he said, scrunching up his nose. “’Cause I’m vegan.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened in horror as she pulled the box to her chest. “I’m sorry, I… I should’ve thought about asking. I’ll get you another one. They must have something that’s suitable for vegans…” Her face was bright red and her hands were shaking as they squeezed the box.
“I’m not vegan. I was kidding,” he said eventually, when her discomfort and embarrassment reached dangerous levels. “Actually, I love their millefeuille. I was just messing with you.”
Her shoulders relaxed just as a glower replaced the worried frown. “You’re unbelievable. And mean too.”
He chuckled. “Sorry.”
“No, you’re not. I should actually throw the cake to your face and walk away, but I’m too polite.” She shrugged and handed the box to him again. He snatched it out of her hand before she could change her mind and take it back.
“How about I offer you a slice of this awesome cake to make up for my prank?” He held his breath while he prayed for her to say yes. He had no idea how long she was going to be in town, but he imagined she was here for a brief visit before going back to New York, where h
e thought she lived—unless she’d moved since he’d overheard her brother talking about his trip to New York to see her.
She tilted her head to the side, her blue eyes narrowing a little as if she was expecting this to be a trick and was waiting for him to say he was joking. She bit the corner of her bottom lip, and his eyes were drawn to her mouth. Bad idea. Memories of his teenage years, when he’d spent hours staring at her, both in class and during lunch breaks, when she couldn’t see him, came back to the forefront of his mind.
“Okay.”
His heart soared up to the cloudless blue sky, and he resisted the urge to raise his hand in the air in a fist pump. He smiled and dropped the brush onto the table behind him, nodding toward the house.
“Let’s go inside so I can grab plates and forks.”
Her eyes went over his shoulder and widened as they settled on the canvas. He cringed. He didn’t like people seeing his paintings, and he definitely didn’t want her to see this one and realize the woman on the canvas looked exactly like her.
“Did you paint that?” Her tone didn’t seem to hold judgment—more like awe. Or was he dreaming it?
“Um…” He couldn’t find any other words, but she didn’t look like she’d expected an answer anyway. She stepped around him and stood in front of the half-finished canvas, her head tilting left and right as she assessed the details. He prayed she wouldn’t notice the resemblance.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, after what had to be the longest minute of his life. He realized he’d been holding his breath when it left his lungs all at once, upon hearing her words. She turned her head and smiled at him. “Is this what you do for a living? You’re an artist?”
The usual sense of embarrassment took over him. He’d never shared his passion with anyone but his mother, and he’d never been allowed to talk with his father about anything remotely close to painting after she left. He placed the box with the cake on the table next to him. His hands had started shaking a little, and he didn’t want to risk dropping the one thing that would make Kyla stay a bit longer with him. Her eyes were sincere and not at all judging, and for the first time ever, since the evening art classes he’d taken during his first year in college, he found he didn’t mind talking about his passion, the thing that his father had always hated.
A Brush With Love In Fortune's Bay Page 2