Sand Castle Bay

by Sherryl Woods

  “Okay, sweetheart, settle down,” he pleaded. “Let’s back up the train a minute. Obviously I got off at the wrong station, the same way I did ten years ago. Let’s try to be real clear. How did you see this working?”

  “Not like this!” she practically shouted as she paced past him yet again, then whirled around and marched in the other direction, the color in her cheeks high.

  Boone managed to grab her hand. “Sit, please. Let’s figure this out.”

  “What’s left to figure out?” she inquired sarcastically. “Things weren’t going your way, I wasn’t giving up my life to come here, so you bailed.”

  Boone closed his eyes, wishing there were some sort of script he could follow. Wasn’t this exactly what had happened ten years ago? They’d come at their situation from different directions, misunderstood things and wound up with a permanent separation, rather than the temporary break she thought she’d requested.

  “I swear I didn’t mean it like that,” he told her. “No more than you meant that ten years ago. It’s as if we’ve switched roles. I’m only suggesting a time-out. You’re apparently envisioning an ending.”

  “Well, that’s what I heard,” she replied.

  “Then let’s try again. Tell me how you saw this working,” he requested.

  She gave him a helpless look that tore at his heart.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered. “Phone calls, getting together on weekends, whatever. It’s what we’d talked about when we first got back together.”

  Boone nodded. “It was,” he agreed. “I guess what we hadn’t talked about was how long that was going to last or how it would eventually be resolved. Did you think it would go on that way forever?”

  She sighed, then sat next to him. “I honestly didn’t realize it, but apparently that’s exactly what I was thinking.” She met his gaze. “But you didn’t?”

  “I didn’t,” he admitted. “I thought our timetables would start to mesh better, not get worse.”

  “And we’d live here,” she guessed.

  Even as he nodded, he saw that it was a selfish assumption to have made.

  She looked into his eyes. “So, what happens now, Boone?”

  “I think we both need to think this through some more, figure out what we’re willing to sacrifice to make this work.” He touched her cheek again. “But not this job, Emily. No matter what, I don’t want you to give up this chance to do something you care so much about. Maybe it’s a good thing that we’ll be apart for a while. I don’t think so clearly when you’re around. All I can focus on is how much I want to make love to you, to keep you right here with me forever.”

  She drew in a deep breath, then settled closer to him, leaning against his shoulder. “Yeah, being close does muddy up rational thought, doesn’t it?” She fell silent, then glanced at him. “Of course, not everything in life should be entirely rational.”

  He smiled. “My thought exactly. I think a moment exactly like this one was in the back of my mind when I pushed so hard for a quick marriage. If you’d gone along with that, we’d have had no choice but to work through this.”

  “Oh, you dreamer,” she accused lightly. “That’s precisely when too many people wind up divorced when things get hard.”

  “Not us,” he said with conviction.

  “And yet you were the one who ten minutes ago wanted to call it quits.”

  “Not quits,” he protested. “Just a break to figure things out.”

  “No breaks,” she said with determination. “We work on this one day at a time. I am going to take that job, Boone, because I feel I absolutely have to do it, but that doesn’t mean for a single second that I’m giving up on us.”

  “Then I guess I can’t give up, either,” he said. “Not even temporarily. When will you start?”

  “After the first of the year.”

  “And you’ll be back here for Christmas?”

  “Absolutely. I intend to try to make it for B.J.’s Christmas pageant, then stick around through New Year’s.”

  “Then we’ll make the most of every day we have,” he promised.

  He still wasn’t a hundred percent convinced they could weather the kind of separation she was anticipating with this new job, but plenty of other couples did it, like those in the military. He just had to keep reminding himself what it had been like when he’d thought she was out of his life for good. Surely, compared to that empty time in his life, knowing she’d be coming home, that she’d eventually be in his arms, would be enough.

  * * *

  As Emily flew to Denver and then on to Aspen, she wished she felt more relieved at having resolved things with Boone. She knew, though, that underneath their agreement was a mountain of doubt. Boone might be willing to try to make this work, but he didn’t entirely believe that it would.

  Maybe she was being unfair to insist on trying. Maybe a clean break would have been wiser.

  Just like last time, she thought, wincing. That had certainly been disastrous.

  No, there would be no break. They were going to make a real effort to work things out. For the first time in years, she had balance in her life—a job she was genuinely excited about and a man she loved with everything in her.

  The next few days were a whirlwind of activity as something seemed to go wrong with every single detail at the ski lodge. A major furniture delivery was delayed. The snow they’d been anticipating hadn’t made an appearance until exactly the wrong moment, when deliveries were finally scheduled. Roads were temporarily impassable. Tempers were short. And permits for occupancy hinged on contractors correcting a seemingly endless list of thankfully minor last-minute glitches.

  Emily was working from dawn until late at night trying to make sure everything came together on schedule. After a week of nonstop worry and activity, she finally took a deep breath, sat back with Derek and his wife in front of a blazing fire and smiled.

  “We’re going to pull this off,” she said triumphantly.

  “I was beginning to have my doubts,” Derek said.

  “Not me,” Tricia claimed. “I knew Emily had it all under control. And for my part, the caterer for the grand opening party is the best around, the chef I hired is fabulous, the wait staff is well-trained and our ski instructors are excellent. I predict a huge success.”

  “I’ll second that,” Emily said, lifting her glass in a toast.

  Derek glanced toward the giant fir tree in the lobby that had been decorated with hundreds of twinkling colored lights and shiny, oversize balls in red, gold and green. A train ran through a snow-covered village beneath it. Mountains had been created with tiny skiers on the slopes.

  “I love that train,” he said, smiling. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. My brothers and I had one just like that, only not quite as elaborate.”

  Emily watched the train circle under the tree and thought of Boone. She’d barely spoken to him in the past week. They’d played phone tag a few times, connected once or twice for completely unsatisfying chats. She couldn’t help wondering if he wasn’t pulling away from her after all, especially since her calls yesterday and today had gone directly to voice mail. The fact that he hadn’t called back was even more worrisome.

  She’d find out what was going on with him next week, though, when she got back to North Carolina. If he’d had second thoughts after she’d left, that was soon enough to find out. She couldn’t allow anything to distract from getting the lodge open and running. She’d made a promise to Derek, and she didn’t intend to break it.

  “Emily, is something on your mind?” Tricia asked, a worried frown on her face.

  “Just thinking about all we have left to do tomorrow,” she claimed.

  “That wasn’t the look of a woman worried about details,” Tricia chided. “That was a woman thinking about the man
in her life.”

  Emily smiled. “Okay, you got me. I have to admit I am anxious to get back to North Carolina next week. It will be the first time I’ve spent the holidays there in a while. B.J.’s in a Christmas pageant the night I get back. He’s so excited about it. I can’t wait to see it.”

  At least B.J. had been in touch with her almost every day, his excitement over Christmas and Santa’s approaching arrival making her smile every time they talked. She was starting to understand why people talked about the best part of the holidays being the chance to see Christmas through the eyes of a child.

  “I predict you will have a very merry Christmas,” her friend said. “And I am never wrong about these things.”

  Derek rolled his eyes. “If something doesn’t seem to be going her way, Tricia nudges it along until it does. Watch out for her, Emily. She’s a meddler.”

  “Meddlers don’t bother me,” Emily claimed. “I have a whole family full of them.”

  “Not like her,” he said. “I guarantee it. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to check on a few things and then get some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day, making sure everything’s under control for the event tomorrow night.”

  “That’s my cue, too,” his wife said. She bent and gave Emily a kiss on the cheek. “Sleep well. You’ve done a wonderful job.”

  Emily looked around as they left and gave a little nod of satisfaction. She had done all she’d promised and then some, but it didn’t have the same thrill that she’d gotten from opening that modest little safe house for the women in such desperate need of it. Just this morning, Sophia had sent pictures of their modest tree, decorated with paper ornaments made by the children. To Emily’s eyes that had been the most beautiful tree ever.

  23

  After tossing and turning every night for days after Emily had left, Boone reached a decision. He couldn’t lose her again, not out of stubbornness, not without trying everything possible to pull this relationship together.

  “Pete, in my office,” he commanded as he passed his friend in the restaurant.

  “Sure, boss,” Pete said, following him at once. “What’s up?”

  Boone sat behind his desk. “I want you to forget about Charleston. You’ve been jumping through hoops. They’re obviously not going to come around, at least not on our terms.”

  Pete nodded. “I know you’re right. I just hate giving up. Should I get those other options so we can look them over?”

  Boone shook his head. “I want new options, this time in southern California.”

  Pete’s jaw dropped. “Los Angeles? San Diego? Where?”

  “L.A.,” Boone said. “Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Redondo Beach, whatever.”

  “You know real estate there’s going to be as bad as New York, and the market’s just as competitive,” Pete said, frowning. “You were totally against that. I don’t get it.”

  “Emily’s going to need to be in Los Angeles nonstop for quite a while. She’s not going to be there without me. You’ll take over East Coast operations. You can hire an assistant. I’ll fly in from time to time.”

  Again, Pete’s jaw dropped. “Did I hear a promotion in there?”

  Boone chuckled. “You did. I’ll give you a raise, too, so you can afford those tickets you’ll need for New York on a regular basis.”

  Pete shrugged. “I don’t think that’s going to work out, but the promotion is great. How soon do you want the information on Los Angeles? After the first of the year?”

  Boone shook his head. “I want it yesterday. There’s a bonus in it, if you can find me the perfect property by the end of the day today, so I can fly out to take a look at it tomorrow. And, by the way, I’ll be in Colorado for a couple of days after that.”

  Pete looked as if his head were reeling. Boone had never done anything this impulsively before.

  “You’re full of surprises,” Pete said, sounding concerned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Never better,” Boone said with conviction. He fingered the thick vellum invitation to the opening of the Aspen ski lodge and smiled. “It’s taken me a very long time to have what I want within reach. This time I’m not letting go.”

  * * *

  Though Emily had been repeatedly told that she had no official duties at the grand opening party, that her role in readying the ski lodge had been successfully completed and that she was simply a very valued guest, she couldn’t help wandering through the crowded event and looking for any problems she might not have noticed earlier. Was there adequate seating for a large crowd? Were there sufficient conveniently located end tables so guests could set down their drinks? Was there any risk of tripping at carpet edges?

  “You’re working,” Tricia accused when she ran into her. “I thought I told you to enjoy yourself tonight. You’ve earned it.”

  “Force of habit,” Emily said with a chuckle. “Sophia’s stopped inviting me to her events, because she says all my obvious fretting makes her guests nervous.”

  Derek’s wife grinned at her. “I am not going to banish you from this amazing party, but I will order you to take a walk outside, breathe in the incredible scent of that mountain air until you feel completely relaxed, then come back in here and drink this outrageously expensive champagne.”

  Emily laughed. “Okay, I can do that.” She hugged her friend. “Thank you.”

  “I should be thanking you. You performed a miracle here in record time, and you did it without killing my demanding husband.”

  “I’ll take a client who knows what he wants anytime over those who keep changing their minds,” Emily said. “Now, go. Enjoy your success. I’ll step outside and look at that amazing, clear sky and the fairyland of trees along the driveway.”

  She went to her room, grabbed her coat, scarf and gloves, then walked out onto the lodge’s wide front porch, captivated by the scene spread out before her. It was like a picture postcard of the ideal Christmas setting. With snow-covered mountains as a backdrop, white lights twinkled in majestic firs as far as the eye could see. Derek had wanted the entrance to the lodge to be magical, and it was.

  “It’s beautiful,” a voice from the shadows commented.

  Stunned and not quite believing her ears, Emily whirled around. “Boone?”

  He stepped into the light and walked toward her.

  “It really is you,” she said, her heart lifting as she flew into his arms. “When? How?”

  “I received an invitation,” he told her. “Didn’t it come from you?”

  “No, but I think I know exactly who’s responsible,” she said. Derek had said his wife was a meddler. Obviously Tricia had seen the perfect chance for nudging Emily’s romance along. “And this explains why I haven’t been able to reach you for days now. Either you were scared you’d spoil the surprise or you were en route.”

  “Something like that,” he said, his tone oddly mysterious.

  He put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything this beautiful,” he said.

  When Emily glanced up, she realized he was looking at her, not the glorious scene spread out in front of them.

  “I’ve missed you,” she said. “And I’ve been worrying myself sick that you’d changed your mind.”

  “Never,” he said succinctly. “Not about us. What we have is a done deal.”

  “Thank God,” she said, snuggling closer. “Do you want to come inside? See the rest of the lodge? Put your bags in my room?”

  He laughed. “I think we need to avoid your room for now. We might never get out of there. And I’m content to stay right here for a few more minutes, unless you’re cold. Are you?”

  “Not since you showed up,” she said. “Did you bring B.J.? I spoke to him earlier. He talked on and on about his school play, but he certai
nly didn’t give me a single hint about what was going on with you.”

  “He doesn’t know I’m here. I told him I had to go out of town on business. He’s staying with Jodie and Frank. We’ll bring him with us next time. He’s going to love this place. And he’s going to want to learn to ski.”

  “You sound as if that’s the worst thing he could possibly want to learn,” she teased. “Are you scared of skiing?”

  “Of skiing? No. Of running into a tree, yeah.”

  Emily laughed.

  Boone frowned. “I suppose you’re an expert.”

  “Not me,” she said. “There’s no way to go up the mountain that I find acceptable. I’m content right here in the lodge.”

  “And yet you were making fun of me,” he said. “How is that fair?”

  “What does fair have to do with it?” she inquired, feeling amazingly carefree and giddy all of a sudden. Boone was here. He’d surprised her. He’d been adamant about being with her. Surely that meant everything was going to work out, even if there were a few bumps along the way.

  It seemed as if there was every chance this would be the merriest Christmas ever.

  * * *

  Boone woke with Emily in his arms and all seemingly right with his world. This was exactly the way it had been meant to be, the two of them together, sharing magical moments.

  When his cell phone rang, he glanced at the caller ID, then frowned when he saw Jodie’s number. Holding back a sigh, he answered.

  “Good morning, Jodie. How are you?”

  “I’ve been better,” she said, a familiar tight tone to her voice.

  “What’s wrong? Is B.J. okay?”

  “B.J.’s with us,” she said, then added irritably, “Of course he’s fine.”