"Why you'd want to spend time with an emotional mess like me is baffling."
"Well, I'm not perfect, either."
She gazed into his eyes. "Thank you, Brodie. I actually do feel better. Would you mind taking me home now? I'll get my car from the inn tomorrow."
He didn't want to take her home. He wanted to keep talking to her. He wanted to hold her in his arms again, but this wasn't the night for that. She was emotionally drained, and what she needed right now was a friend. He could be that for her.
"Of course," he said, as he slid off the table.
"Thank you. I also have to ask you again to keep my secret. Maybe that's not fair, but it's the way it is."
"Your secret is safe with me, Chelsea. But secrets always have a way of coming out. You need to prepare for that, because this secret isn't only yours. There are other people involved, and you can't stop them from talking."
"They would have talked by now if they wanted to. It's been over a year and a half."
"That's not that long. And with Austin stirring things up about you, who knows what comes next."
She gave him an unhappy look at that reminder. "I need Austin to leave."
"Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. I also have a feeling that if Austin's career is floundering, he'll find any way he can to keep the press interested in him. If he can use you to do that…"
"He will," she finished. "But he doesn't know the truth. Thank God, I never told him."
"Yes. But from what you've told me about him, I have a feeling that won't stop him from making up whatever truth will serve him best."
Chapter Twelve
Chelsea awoke to a loud pounding sound on Saturday morning. She rolled over in bed, realizing it was almost eleven. She couldn't believe she'd slept so long. Maybe it had been the result of pouring out her heart to Brodie. She was still shocked she'd told him the whole story, but she had to admit she felt better.
The loud knocking came again. Someone was at her door. She got out of bed, throwing a robe over her T-shirt and PJ shorts. She peered out the peephole. If it was Austin, she was definitely not answering. But it wasn't Austin; it was Lizzie.
She sighed, turned the dead bolt and opened the door.
"Well, it's about damn time," Lizzie said, worry in her green eyes. "Why the hell haven't you answered my texts or calls?"
"I was asleep."
"It's eleven o'clock. You never sleep past six."
"I was exhausted." She closed and locked the door behind her sister. "I need coffee." She padded into the kitchen, her sister on her heels. As she turned on the coffeemaker, she said, "I'm fine, by the way."
"I don't believe you," Lizzie said with a frown, as she slid onto a stool at her island. "Not after last night."
She pulled out a mug and set it on the counter as she waited for the coffee to brew. "What happened after I left?"
"Austin finished the song to a round of applause, and then I kicked him out, after telling him what a shithead he was."
She turned to see the fire in her younger sister's eyes. "Thanks for that."
"I had no idea he was going to crash the party and grab the mic."
"I didn't think you did."
"I can't believe he ambushed you like that. The look on your face…" Lizzie's lips tightened. "It reminded me of that last night on the stage."
"You weren't there that night."
"I watched the video."
"I did not know that."
"I was looking for clues, since you weren't talking to me. I saw fear and panic, but I still don't know what happened then or what happened last night. You and Austin were never particularly tumultuous, but now it seems there's a tremendous amount of tension between you."
"Because he won't take no for an answer. He doesn't want me back in his life; he wants me to write and perform a song with him. I refused. He's determined to change my mind. But I never imagined he would take it as far as he did last night."
"I asked him what he was thinking, and he told me that he wanted to remind you of who you used to be. He begged me to talk to you, to encourage you not to give up on your gift, to tell you that you're too special to hide away in this town."
She met her sister's gaze. "What did you say?"
"That I support you in whatever you want to do."
"Good answer."
"Oh, and Adam told him if he didn't leave you alone, he would persuade you to get a restraining order."
"Sometimes I like his big brother attitude," she said with a faint smile. "But it doesn't need to go that far. Austin will eventually have to give up on this crazy idea of his. He'll move on and find some other duet partner."
"Your voices did blend in an amazing way. When he was singing your song, it did remind me of who you used to be, the girl who was always strumming a guitar, singing a song, jotting down words she could use in a song."
Her gut tightened. "That girl is gone."
"Can she come back?"
She sighed. "I don't know."
"I wish you could talk to me, Chelsea. We used to be able to speak about anything."
She couldn't do it again. She couldn't say everything she'd said last night. Maybe it hadn't been fair to tell Brodie, but his strong shoulders, his objectivity, seemed like it could carry the burden of her secrets. Lizzie would be swamped with emotion, with pain, and the last thing she wanted to do was put the weight of her secrets on anyone in her family. "Let's talk about your fabulous party instead."
Her sister made a face at her. "Nice dodge."
"There's no point in looking backward, Liz. And you do not need to worry about me. I'll be okay."
"Does that mean you're admitting you're not okay now?"
"You always were a little too smart. I have to handle my life my way. I'm not trying to hurt you. I hope you can understand."
"I'm trying. Can I ask one more question?"
"Can I stop you?"
"You left with Brodie. It seems like you two are getting to be good friends."
"I didn't hear a question."
"Is there something else going on? Are there sparks perhaps?"
She saw the hopeful gleam in her sister's eyes. "I think Brodie sets off sparks wherever he goes."
"I'm going to take that as a yes. Where did you go after you left the inn?"
"We went to the lake. It was quiet. I had a chance to catch my breath."
"I'm glad he was there for you. He got you out of the inn so fast, I barely knew what was happening."
"He's a good guy. But I'm not looking for a relationship. I need to be on my own."
"You really don't need to be on your own. Why not give Brodie a chance? He fits your new lifestyle."
"Maybe," she murmured.
Lizzie raised a brow. "What does that mean?"
"I'm not sure if he'll stay in Whisper Lake. He mentioned some other possible offers."
"I thought he liked it here."
"I think it's more about his old life calling him back. Anyway, do you want coffee?"
"I do. Pour me a cup and then we'll talk about my amazing party, until you're so bored you'll be dying to talk about Brodie again."
She laughed. "That sounds like a plan. But I don't think you could bore me if you tried, Lizzie. I'm very proud of you, little sis. And speaking of men, is there anyone you're interested in?"
"Honestly, I have had no time to look. The only relationship I'm in right now is with an inn that requires a lot of tender, loving care."
"But will the inn love you back?" she teased.
"That's to be determined. I will say that after the party and the cleanup, I'm ready to enjoy the rest of the weekend. Want to hit up the art fair with me?"
"I don't think so." She wasn't sure she wanted to brave the public eye after last night.
"Why not?"
"I just feel so stupid. Your guests must have thought I was crazy."
"Those people care about you. And you don't have any reason to feel
stupid. I'm sure they just thought you were upset your ex showed up. We've all wanted to run out of a room when that happens."
"You're being nice. I'm sure everyone is gossiping about me."
"And you're going to let the gossips stop you from having a life? Come on, Chelsea. You're the one who keeps saying you don't want to look back. If you want to move forward, you need to stop worrying what people will think. Just be you. It's enough." Lizzie paused. "If you won't come to the fair, how about the twilight paddleboard races? The sun will be going down. There will be plenty of shadows for you to hide in. We can have a picnic dinner on the beach with Gianna and Zach, and his little girl, Hailey. Also, Chloe and Leo are planning to come. Adam said if all is calm, and he can leave work, he'll be there, too."
Seeing the stubborn gleam in Lizzie's eyes, Chelsea knew she couldn't say no again. "Fine. I'll meet you there. Oh, wait. My car is still at the inn."
"Do you want to come and get it now? Or I can just pick you up on my way to the beach later."
"To make sure I actually come?" she asked.
Lizzie laughed. "Okay, you got me. But seriously, what's easier?"
Since she needed to pull herself together, she said, "You can pick me up. I'll get the car tonight. Do we need to bring some food to the beach? I can see what I have here."
"Don't worry about it. We have food left over from the party. Raina didn't want to take it home, so I'll bring it to the picnic."
"Will Raina be joining us?"
"I'm not sure. We had a little problem last night with her almost-stepson."
"What happened?"
"Marcus was smoking weed in the back of the yard and some of the guests took notice. In fact, one person was worried a fire had been set in the garage. Everyone's nerves are on edge these days. Anyway, Raina was upset with Marcus, not that he seemed to care. That kid has a big attitude. We had to send him home."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Raina told me she's very conflicted about being a stepmother to kids who are not that much younger than she is, but she loves Vic."
"Maybe he needs to get more involved in those kids. I think the boys run pretty wild."
"Hopefully, they can't get into too much trouble in Whisper Lake," she said, wondering once more if it was possible that Marcus could be involved in the fires. It didn't seem likely, but he had been in town since they'd started. Although, if the arsonist was the same person who had set Janet Robbins's house on fire sixteen years ago, that wouldn't have been Marcus.
She wondered if Brodie would remember to follow-up with Marcus. She could remind him. Or she could stop trying to find reasons to talk to him again.
"Is the coffee ready?" Lizzie asked, distracting her.
"Yes." She poured her sister a mug and then filled one for herself. She was definitely going to need coffee to deal with the rest of the day.
The weekend festival was going well, the crowds bigger than previous years. But with only a few minor incidents that were dealt with quickly and easily, Brodie was able to get off work at four and head to the beach. He'd changed into board shorts and a T-shirt and was looking forward to spending time on the water.
Adam was on his way as well, and he was hopeful Chelsea would make it, too. But after last night, there was also a good chance she'd be hiding out in her house today. He'd texted her earlier to see if she'd had any more problems with Austin, but she'd told him all was quiet on that front and thanked him again for giving her a shoulder to cry on.
He'd been happy to do that, but he wanted to be more to her than a shoulder to cry on. Maybe now that she'd told him her secret, she'd be able to relax with him. She wouldn't be worrying about keeping him out of her life, because he was already there. At least, that was the hope. She might go the other way and try to push him away even more, afraid that he'd blow her secret out of the water if they stayed in the same orbit.
He parked behind a Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks from the beach. He'd delivered the owner's son in the back of his patrol car two months earlier when their vehicle had broken down two miles from the medical center. Since then, the owner, Wei Zhang, had told him he could park behind his restaurant any time he couldn't find a spot by the beach, and today was definitely one of those days.
As he got out of his car, Wei came through the kitchen door and gave him a wave. In his early thirties, Wei and his wife, Min, had taken over Wei's parents' restaurant three years ago. Wei was a thin, muscular man, who'd graduated from UC Berkeley and when he wasn't cooking, he also enjoyed racing speedboats, an activity that they were still planning to share one day.
"Are you participating in the races?" Wei asked him, nodding to the paddleboard on the roof of his Range Rover.
"I'm going to give it a shot. How's business this weekend?"
"Very busy," he said with a grin. "Very profitable."
"Glad to hear it, but it sounds like you won't be getting down to the beach today."
"Not today. Min and her sister took the baby down there a few hours ago."
"I'll keep an eye out for them. I'm glad everyone is well now." It had been a scary few weeks for the family with the premature birth.
"Thanks to you," Wei said, heartfelt gratitude in his eyes. "Are you meeting friends on the beach?"
"Yes. I think there's a picnic happening."
"Then you must wait one second," Wei said, hurrying back into the restaurant.
While he was waiting, he took the paddleboard down and leaned it up against the car. A moment later, Wei returned with a large brown bag. "Appetizers for you and your friends."
"That's great. How much do I owe you?" He took his wallet out of the pocket of his shorts, but Wei immediately waved it away.
"It's on the house," he said. "You are the reason my wife and child are healthy. I can never repay you."
"You don't have to repay me. I was doing my job, and I was happy I could help."
"Go. Enjoy. And win that race."
"I'll do my best." Arguing with Wei was pointless, and now he wouldn't feel guilty showing up at Lizzie's picnic without anything to contribute.
He tucked the board under one arm, carrying the bag in the other, and headed to the beach. The barbecues were smoking, the picnic tables were full, and there was a band playing on a grassy area nearby. There were people everywhere enjoying the warm sunshine and the gentle waves of Whisper Lake.
Following Adam's directions, he found Lizzie and Chelsea sitting on a blanket along with Gianna, Zach, and his little girl Hailey. Chloe was nearby, but it was Chelsea who was holding baby Leo. He paused, watching her for a moment, his heart twisting at the expression of tender love on her face as she stroked the baby's head. He liked seeing her like this—no fear, no worry, no protective mask over her eyes. He just didn't know if the mask would come back when she lifted her gaze from the baby, when she saw him. He really hoped not. He wanted the door that had opened between them last night to stay that way.
He moved forward, setting down his board on the sand, as he nodded to Lizzie, whose gaze met his. She nudged Chelsea with her bare foot, and Chelsea looked up.
A smile immediately crossed her lips, and they exchanged a very personal look that made his pulse beat a little faster.
"Brodie, you made it," Chloe said, drawing his gaze to hers. "I hope that means the weekend is not creating any big problems for the police department."
"Not so far. Adam is on his way as well. How's everyone doing?"
"We're having a great time," Lizzie replied. She waved her hand toward a half-dozen plastic containers and two large coolers. "We have food from last night's party, cold beer, sodas, and wine. What can I get you?"
"I'm good for now. In fact, I have Chinese food for you. It's hot, so help yourselves."
"What did you bring?" Lizzie asked, as he handed her the bag.
"I have no idea. Wei Zhang gave it to me as a gift. He's still paying me back for delivering his wife's baby in my patrol car."
"You did what?" Chelsea asked in surpri
se.
"They were broken down on the side of the road. I was going to take her to the hospital, but their little boy was in a big hurry. There was no time."
"I know what that feels like," Chloe said, throwing Gianna a smile.
"Me, too," Gianna said. "Delivering Chloe's baby was the scariest and best thing I've ever done."
"Ooh, pot stickers," Lizzie exclaimed.
He smiled at her enthusiasm and knelt down on the blanket next to Chelsea, giving Leo a long look. The baby's skin was almost translucent, the sweep of his eyelashes giving him an even more angelic look. "He's asleep."
"Chelsea has the magic touch," Chloe put in.
"I think he was just tired," Chelsea said. "He's a sweetheart, isn't he, Brodie?"
"He's perfect."
"Don't get carried away, you two," Chloe said with a small laugh. "You should see him at three in the morning. My boy can put on quite a screaming show. His face gets all red, and his little hands clench into fists, and he is just one pissed-off baby. I'm still trying to figure out how best to calm him down."
"The nights must be hard on your own," he said, thinking what a rough time she had to be having. He was impressed by how strong she was.
"It's when I miss Kevin the most. I think Leo misses him, too, even though he's never met him." Chloe cleared her throat and forced a smile on her face. "But all is well at this moment, and right now, I'm taking it one moment at a time."
"That's all you can do," Zach put in with a compassionate gleam in his eyes. "And I think I speak for all of us when I say you're doing a great job."
"You really are," Chelsea added.
"Oh, please, stop. I didn't mean to turn this into a pity party for me. I left the house to talk and laugh. Let's do that." She paused, her gaze moving down the beach. "I see Adam. I'm going to let him know where we are."
"I wish we could do more for her," Lizzie said as Chloe left.
"There's nothing more you can do," Zach said. "I lived through this when my father didn't come home. Chloe has to live through it, too. You can't take her pain away, but you're all very good at distracting her, and that's a good thing. Now, who wants to take a walk with me and get a sno-cone?"
My Wildest Dream: Whisper Lake #2 Page 12