Finally, all three of her sisters were speechless.
She had thought of all of this. And somewhere under that romantic moon last night, she’d known what her only option was. “So…I’m going to start looking into a donor bank. I think that’s the best thing.”
“No,” her sisters yelped in unison.
Cali crossed to her and cupped her face. “You need to take a deep breath and just pray about this. You, my sweet sister, need to find peace. And then see what happens. Just be you for now.”
Olivia came and put an arm around her waist. “It’s going to be okay. Cali is right.”
“Group hug.” Shar flung her arms around them all. “One for all, and all for one. We are with you, sister. And no matter if you can or if you can’t have babies, any man who is blessed to get you for a wife is the luckiest man alive. And don’t you forget it.”
Jillian cried then. “I love you three. You’re the best sisters ever.” And it was true. Somehow she’d forgotten that she wasn’t traveling this road alone.
“Yes, I’ll be ready. It sounds fun.” Ryan held the phone between his shoulder and chin as he lifted a kayak onto a multi-tiered rack. It was closing time and he was ready for a jog. More than ready.
Levi chuckled on the other end of the line. “You may not think fun when we’re done. Are you sure you’re healed up enough for the challenge?”
“Once again—I said I was in for the Thanksgiving Day Obstacle Course. Are you trying to talk me out of it? Starting to think we’ll lose?” He hoped not because Ryan was looking forward to competing.
“Of course I haven’t. I’m just making sure you’re up to it. This will be like old times,” Levi said. “Talk to you later.”
Ryan hit End on his phone and then finished closing up and headed home to his dad’s place to change before taking a jog. His hip was better but he needed to keep it limbered up. He was lucky the bullet hadn’t shattered his hip or hit a major artery when his cover had been blown.
He was ready to get off. Needed to get off. Everyone who’d come in today had been couples who had the look of love all over them. They’d not seemed capable of keeping their lips apart and letting their love shine—and he’d been front and center watching, with Jillian on his mind.
He needed a run. He needed to work off some steam.
What he wanted was to see Jillian. But that was a bad idea, so a nice, long jog on the beach was what he needed.
Since watching her drive away from him after they shared ice cream, he had been this way and it was just getting worse.
Thirty minutes later, he was jogging down the beach when he noticed a huge crowd gathered. Curious, he headed that direction. When he reached the edge of the crowd, he spotted the sea turtle hospital ambulance and Shar’s familiar dark head at the center, near the water’s edge. Gage was there, too, along with several people wearing shirts with the turtle hospital’s logo. He moved to get closer when he noticed Jillian. His pulse kicked up several notches and the day suddenly seemed brighter just looking at her. She was like a ray of sunlight…and he couldn’t help being drawn to her.
He made his way through the crowd until he stood beside her. “What’s going on?”
“Ryan,” she said, clearly startled to find him there. Her big green eyes were wide with excitement. “It’s release day. The sea turtle they rescued here several months ago is being released back into the ocean. It was in bad shape when they rescued him and they really never expected to be able to set him free again. But he’s doing fantastic and gets to go back to his home. Do you want to help? I’m supposed to be up there.”
“Sure,” he agreed, realizing she could have asked him whether he wanted to walk on hot coals and he’d have agreed.
“He was rescued here in the bay, near the resort.” She led the way through the crowd. “And they always try to release them near where they were found. It’s so wonderful when they get to go home, back into the ocean they love.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve participated in one of these.” He smiled, liking the work that the hospital did for the sea turtle life in this area. “I remember Shar was crazy about helping out the sea turtle hospital all those years ago, so it looks like she’s continued her work.”
“Oh yes, she’s driven by purpose.” Jillian smiled. “Hey, Superwoman,” she called, waving to Shar.
“Hey, come on and help us.” Shar waved from where she, Gage, and two other men held the edges of a large container that a good-sized sea turtle sat in.
He followed Jillian. She greeted everyone and grabbed the edge of the container. “John, Alex—this is Ryan,” she said in quick introduction to the two men he didn’t know.
They exchanged quick greetings. Gage smiled. “Hey, good to see you. This is dangerous. You might get hooked like I did.”
“Maybe so,” he said.
“Let’s do this,” Shar instructed and then they were walking.
They all carried the open-ended tub to the water and walked into the chest-high surf. It was heavy and the turtle wasn’t the biggest he’d ever seen but it wasn’t a lightweight either. Jillian’s grip slipped when she stumbled in the surf. He held tight to the tub with one hand to take her slack and reached out to steady her. “You okay?”
Water splashed over them all and she laughed as she grabbed the tub again. “Yes, fine. Thanks for the save. I almost took a swim with the turtle.”
“Anytime.” He grinned at her, loving the joy that sparked in her eyes. He realized some of that had been missing when they spoke and he wondered whether he was the cause of it.
“Okay, this is good,” Shar exclaimed. “Okay, Raymond, everyone loves you but now you get to go join your family again. On the count of three,” she shouted and looked at the crowd. “Let’s start the countdown,” she called to a lady on the beach, who relayed the message as Shar held up one hand with her pointer finger up. “One,” she called and the crowd repeated her. “Two! Three!” And with everyone shouting the number, they tilted the tub and the sea turtle slid into the water.
Cheers went up from the crowd as the turtle swam out and then bobbed up and seemed to play in the surf, as if enjoying the attention, and then it dove and disappeared. Shar spun toward them all; elation lit her face. Jillian gave her a high five and then looked up at him and there was elation in her expression too.
“It gives me chill bumps each time we do this. I just hope he lives safe and happy.”
“Me too.” He gently held her arm to assist her as they trudged back up to shore.
“Oh.” She gasped and looked down at his wet running shoes. “You weren’t barefoot. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She’d stepped out of her flip-flops prior to entering the water.
“It’s fine. They wash. I wouldn’t have missed that for anything.”
“Thanks, buddy,” Gage said, as he passed by. “I’m glad you could help out.”
“Any time,” Ryan said as he and Jillian moved out of the way so the ambulance could pack up and head out.
“Talk to you later, Shar,” Jillian called and walked with him to the side.
Shar winked at Jillian. “Yeah, don’t you dare not call me, okay?”
He saw Jillian color slightly and she didn’t answer as she picked up her sandals and started to walk. His curiosity snagged, he walked beside her. “I’m going to remove my shoes. Could you wait for a minute?”
“Sure.” She paused and watched him as he bent down and untied his shoestrings and tugged the now sand-encrusted shoes and socks. “Good ole sand.” She laughed.
“Yeah, hang on.” He picked the shoes up and jogged to the water to drench them in the water and then jogged back and stuffed the socks inside them. “Okay, ready.” They walked a little way before either said anything. He felt at peace being in her presence.
“That was awesome,” he said, because it was, and he suddenly had trouble finding something to say.
“Yes, always.” Pride glittered in Jillian’s eyes and it was
clear to Ryan that what she said was so true.
“She is amazing.”
“Yes. She was helping Cali and me at the resort and she was basically running herself ragged—getting up early to jog the beaches, watching for injured turtles. During the egg laying seasons, she would jog all the beaches in rotations, watching for endangered eggs, filling out paperwork for that when she would find the nest. And then she was coming to work, working with us…it was too much.”
“It sounds like it.”
“Helping with the resort in the PR department wasn’t exactly her most enjoyable moments. She was better at it than she believed but her thing is rescuing sea turtles—organizing weddings, not so much. So Olivia came into the group and set her free.” She grinned.
“That’s definitely her heart. But you love what you do, so you’re not looking for a way to leave.”
“Oh, I love it. No leaving for me.”
“I thought so. I haven’t been in since I came back but I’ve passed by and it looks great. The landscaping is fantastic on the exterior and I hear it’s even better inside due to you. Plus, I’m sure you’re a wonderful host. I remember when your mom and dad always held those parties for the people staying at the resort and invited anyone who wanted to come and they loved it. I figure you’re that way.”
“Thank you. They had a way with people and still do. We are trying to continue the legacy that they built at the resort. We’re updating it because it needs freshening up and we have to do it in order to attract small conferences and weddings and family get-togethers and things like that. But overall, we are striving to keep the same feel that Mom and Dad always managed.”
“I would think that this mural is a fantastic draw.” He nodded at the mural in front of them. They stopped walking to study it.
“Grant went beyond the call of duty for that masterpiece.”
Ryan studied the brilliant colored coral reef that Grant had painted and the fish and the dolphins that were the focal point of the four-story piece of artwork. “Jax is very proud of the work he was able to do on this.”
“He should be. He’s talented. Have you heard from him since they left?”
“A couple of times but he says they keep a pretty hard schedule when they’re creating.”
“Yes, they do. This was done in less than a week once he started the actual painting. It’s Grant getting the feel for the area and deciding what’s special that he should paint that is the lengthy part, it seems.”
They stood close together and Ryan had the urge to put an arm around her shoulders and to draw her in for a hug. A kiss. He tried not to let his imagination go there. “You stay busy. When do you fit dating into your schedule?”
“Oh, I do…um. Here and there.”
Was it just him or was she hedging? His chest tightened at the thought that she didn’t sound too committed. “So, your boyfriend—he doesn’t mind dating here and there?”
Her long lashes nearly touched her eyebrows as her eyes widened. “Um, no.”
Jillian Sinclair could not pull off a poker face if she wanted to. She was up to something. But what? Why hedge on this with him?
“Let’s just say for the sake of it that I was dating you,” he said. Her expression faltered as he lifted his hand and took a loose strand of her thick hair between his fingertips. It was as soft and silky as it looked. She swallowed hard enough that her tiny jaws tensed. He held her gaze with eyes full of serious truth. “Here and there dating you would not cut it for me.”
Her lips parted and a soft, “Oh,” escaped as her footing shifted in the sand.
She was so lovely. He could not help himself as he leaned forward so their faces were very close. “I would want to be at your side every moment you let me be there.”
“Oh,” she said again. Her breaths were little puffs against his lips.
“So true,” he murmured as the world seemed to spin around him. Ryan leaned closer and covered her lips with his.
The world stopped revolving the instant her soft lips joined his. Her welcomed hand came gently to his cheek; her trembling fingertips light as butterflies against his skin caught his heart instantly. His heart thundered and he felt as if he were in heaven.
Suddenly Jillian froze and pulled back. “Oh,” she gasped, her expression one of shock. “I have to go.” She practically stumbled on the sand as she moved to get away from him
Shocked himself, Ryan watched her leave, fighting the need to go after her.
He hadn’t meant to kiss her. Hadn’t meant to cross that line. But he had and now he knew without a doubt that he was in trouble.
Big trouble, because that hadn’t been just a kiss….
Chapter Six
He’d kissed her.
And she kissed him back.
Jillian did not stop as she raced from the beach onto the Windswept Bay Resort property. She kept moving past the pool with another of the gorgeous murals Grant had painted. She didn’t even glance at the beautiful painting as her mind reeled from what had happened.
She crossed the small white bridge over the swan lagoon and headed toward the rear entrance stairs that would lead up to the office. She had to grab the keys to her car before she could drive away and be alone, so she hoped she didn’t run into her sisters.
She made it into the office and was relieved to find it empty. Her heart thundered erratically; her hands shook as she grabbed her purse and dug in it for her keys and then headed toward the stairs.
She was halfway across the lobby, headed toward the hall that would take her to the side parking lot and her car, when she heard her name.
“Jillian, what’s your hurry?”
She stopped and turned to see Horace Finley, the head maintenance man, looking at her with worry on his face. Abe stood beside him.
“Are you okay?” Abe asked.
“’Cause you don’t look so good,” Horace commented, staring at her hard from beneath bushy brows. Horace had worked at the resort since before she was born—probably since the beginning of time. He was wonderful, competent, and took care of business. He was also blunt.
“I’m fine,” she denied.
“Honey, you look like you just saw a ghost.” He scratched his head.
Abe stepped forward. “Can I help you?”
Horace looked from Abe to her and gave a small nod. “I think I will let you handle this. You need anything, young lady, you just let me know and I’ll take care of it, okay? Right now I better get home to Mrs. Finley. I think she’s got my supper ready.”
At least he hadn’t pushed. Abe, on the other hand, looked less inclined to dismiss her shell-shocked expression and walk away. Horace probably only did it because he knew that Abe was quite able to help her.
“I’m fine, Abe. I just need to go.” She walked toward the hall and Abe fell into step beside her. He was broad shouldered, capable, and one she felt could handle anything. Why there was no spark between them, heaven only knew. And after what she just experienced with Ryan, she wondered whether she could ever settle for anything less than an overpowering abundance of butterflies.
Because there had been crazy, wild, overpowering butterflies.
And he had just disrupted her entire world with a light, tender kiss. It had been so sweet. He’d taken her breath away and she still couldn’t find her voice.
When they reached the end of the hall, Abe pushed the door open and held it for her. She passed between him and the door, brushing his arm as she moved past him into the sunlight. His nearness caused no flutters of anything. Not so with Ryan. The moment she’d turned to find him beside her, everything that could flutter got into motion.
And that was before he kissed her. She looked up at Abe.
He smiled gently. “You really do look upset, have looked and acted upset for days. At least every time I’ve been around you. Can I help you? Do you want to go somewhere and talk?”
“Yes, could we?” She was pushing things; she knew it. She should go home. But Abe had off
ered and he could be her path to the future she wanted—or would settle for. Oh, what an awful-sounding, desperate thought.
“My truck is over here.” His deep voice rumbled softly as he leaned slightly and pointed over her shoulder toward the large crew cab at the edge of the parking lot. She nodded and let him lead the way and open the passenger door for her.
Jillian was getting inside when Grace, who managed the resort for them, got out of her car a few spaces away.
“Hi.” She smiled at Jillian and then her gaze lifted to Abe. Jillian saw Grace’s eyes light up. “Hello, Abe,” she said, and then looked from Abe to her. “Are you going out?”
Jillian might be wrong but she thought that she heard tension in Grace’s question.
“We’re going for a drink.” Abe smiled at Grace.
Jillian thought his voice softened. “To talk,” Jillian added, quickly. “Are you working this evening?”
Grace nodded as she pulled her purse onto her shoulder and her hand tightened on her purse strap. “I am. I had to take Donovan to the doctor today for a checkup so I traded for the late shift.”
Abe’s head tilted. “Donovan?”
Grace brightened. “Yes, my son. He’s five.”
“And adorable,” Jillian added. “And smarter than any five-year-old I’ve ever met—maybe any fifty-year-old.”
“Is he okay?” Abe asked and Grace nodded.
“He is. He has a cold. He was disgusted because the doctor did not give him any medicine to help him.”
Abe laughed. “My daughter would have been ecstatic.”
Grace’s eyes brightened. “I didn’t know you had a child either.”
Jillian watched them and wondered why these two weren’t dating. There seemed to be something passing between them.
“Yes, my wife died a few years ago. It’s been tough on her but she’s starting to do better.”
“I’m so sorry about your wife,” Grace said. “It’s hard raising kids alone. Donovan misses his dad. He walked out on us two years ago and it’s been hard on him. At the moment, Donovan thinks he’s smarter than me. Anyway, I need to get to work and let you two go. Sorry.”
Holding Out For Love (Windswept Bay Book 5) Page 5