by Dee Ernst
“I heard a bit of something about you buying the Montecorvo place?” Mike said, grinning.
Daniel glared at me. “Yes, but please try to keep it under your hat.”
Mike shook his head. “No worries. I heard directly from Celeste. She called me to tell me how happy she was, and what a wonderful person you were, Daniel.”
Daniel could always lie gracefully. “Well, she’s…lovely. And now, I really have to go. Night.” He downed the rest of his drink in a gulp and left.
Mike looked down at me, and then looked around. “Where is everybody?”
He was wearing khaki shorts and a button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up, and I found myself staring at those forearms again, and his hands…
“What? Oh, there’s no everybody. It’s just us.” I was a bit breathless when I said it, because I knew that his reaction would mean a great deal. I swallowed hard as he frowned slightly, then his eyes began to twinkle.
“Just us? Well, what do you know about that? “ he said slowly, starting to smile. “It’s funny, though, because Steve had said that you didn’t want to be going out without your…what was the word he used? Entourage?”
I’d gotten this far. I’d left him the message that got him through the door, and he was right there, in front of me, and if I didn’t take the step right now…
I looked straight at him. “I told him that because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by just saying that I didn’t want to be going out him.”
Mike raised his eyebrows. “Is that so?”
I swallowed hard. “Yes. Because I wanted to go out with you.”
He grinned. “Is that so?”
My heart was pounding so loud and so fast I was sure that every single person in the bar could hear it, and I glanced around to see if anyone had begun to stare at me yet.
“Charlie,” Mike called. “Put this here lady’s drink on my tab, and do you have any champagne back there? Cold?”
The bartender gave Mike a funny look. “You can’t be drinking from open bottles on the street, Mike. You know that.”
“Yes, I do. But this fine woman and I are going to walk over to the marina and open that bottle on my boat. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”
I looked up at Mike. “Your boat?”
Mike was chuckling and shaking his head. “Yep. She’s not much, more of a fishing dinghy, if you must know, but she’s a perfectly good place to drink champagne.”
He took the bottle and slid his hand on my back as we wound our way to the front door and on to Main Street. He stopped at the curb, looked up and down the street and grabbed my hand.
“Run. Quick before some idiot runs us both down.”
I didn’t run, I flew, and he kept my hand all the way to the marina and down the dock until we reached a low, gently rocking shape in the water. He jumped in, set down the bottle, and held out both hands to me.
“Come on, I’ll catch you.”
I stepped, and he caught me all right, and he pulled me to him and his arms went around me, and our lips met and I swear, somewhere, I heard a choir start to sing.
“I was wondering,” he finally said in a low voice, “if we were ever going to do this.”
I tried to speak, but found I had to take a breath, so I nodded instead and kissed him a second time. His lips were just as soft as I’d imagined them to be, and the kiss deepened and all sorts of interesting thoughts started going through my head, like what did the inside of his boat look like?
I finally pulled away. “So,” I said, my voice a little hoarse, “is this boat one of those cabin cruiser things?”
He tightened his arms around me and laughed. “No, I’m afraid not. At all. But I do have these two nice leather seats right here and a couple of red plastic cups stashed in the cooler. Why don’t we drink a little and talk about this?“
I slid down and sat while he rummaged through something along the side, coming up with red cups. He sat beside me and popped the champagne cork There was a loud noise and a wisp of something in the semidarkness.
“Now, a little for you, and little for me?” He poured, set the bottle down, and kissed me again, very light and quick. “We have a few things to celebrate, don’t we?”
The champagne was sweet and bubbly and cold and perfect, and I wanted him to lie down in the bottom of the boat so I could pour the rest of the bottle over him, and slowly lick the champagne off…
“So what should we drink to?” he asked.
“How about taking chances?” I said, smiling at him.
He bent close. “I will take a chance on you any day, Chris Polittano,” and we clicked our glasses together, and drank, and kissed a bit more before his arm went around my shoulder and I settled against him, my head alongside his, looking up at the stars.
“I’m thinking,” he said, “that maybe you and I should have a nice dinner somewhere. In fact, I happen to be a pretty good cook. You could drive over to my place, and I could grill us something amazing, then we can have a bit of wine, watch the water? How does that sound?”
“It sounds perfect.” And it did—perfect and romantic and just the two of us. “You live on the water?”
“Technically speaking, on Mockhorn Bay. You take Seaside Road going south till you get to the dead oak tree—no, I’m not kidding—and turn toward the water. I have a little bit of river, then a bit of marsh, and then Mockhorn, and eventually, the Atlantic. Quite a view.”
I laughed and pressed myself against his side. Had I ever felt this happy and safe? That was it. I felt safe. I also felt…empowered.
All my life, every man I’d been with had pursued me, and I’d felt flattered by the attention. I’d also felt obligated to follow them to the next step, and after I had, none of those other men ended up making me happy.
But Mike was someone I’d seen and wanted, just for myself, and I’d gone after him. Sure, it had taken me a while, and the whole time, in the back of my head I worried that he wouldn’t return my feelings. But I’d taken the risk and here was the payoff: sitting with him on a summer’s evening, his arm around me in the moonlight. And more than anything else, I knew him to be a good man, and I was willing to trust him with not just my home, but my heart.
“Sounds…perfect. How about tomorrow night?” I suggested.
He shook his head. “My cousin’s son, Charles Eli McCann, is getting married on Saturday, and Steve and I are of course invited to the bachelor party and all the other parties involved. We leave tomorrow morning for Roanoke. But I’ll be back Sunday evening.”
“Sunday I have to drive to Rehoboth. Closing Mom’s house, finishing some final stuff for my business. But I can be back Thursday. Afternoon.”
He laughed and poured more champagne.” Afternoon, eh? Why that sounds positively decadent. Then I guess we wait until next week.”
I pouted into my red plastic cup. “A whole week?”
He kissed me, very slow and deliberate, and my toes curled. “I think we can wait a whole week. A little aging sweetens the wine?”
I bit his lower lip and tugged gently. “Sweeten away.”
I could see his eyes dance in the moonlight and heard the happiness in his voice. “You know that I’ve kinda wanted you from the very first time I saw you.”
“Kinda?”
“Well, I did want to wait and see if it was just lust or something more.”
“And?”
“Pure lust. And a whole lot more.”
“Yeah. Me too.” I ran my fingers down the front of his chest, and it took everything I had to keep from unbuttoning his shirt so I could press my fingers against his skin. His lips were in my hair, and against my throat, and his hand slid up the inside of my knee as I turned and tried to climb on top of him…
The boat took a sudden dip, and the champagne bottle rolled from one side of the boat both to another.
“We spilled our champagne,” he whispered.
“I don’t care,” I said, and kissed him again.
Ch
apter Nine
I’m sure I did things on Friday. Terri kept looking at me strangely, and I know that I smiled a lot. Saturday was pretty much the same. And Sunday, I got in my car and drove all the way back to Rehoboth. I don’t remember doing the actual driving though, just like I didn’t really remember Friday or Saturday, because my brain was stuffed with Mike McCann, and the way his lips tasted, and the feel of his hands, and how soft his beard felt against my skin.
We texted back and forth, and every time my phone chimed, I jumped a foot. But it wasn’t just because I was going to finally be with him, find out exactly what he could do with those strong and very capable hands and that delicious mouth. Whatever I was feeling for him, he had just the same intense feelings for me. And not just lust. More, so much more, and I was drowning in so many emotions I couldn’t begin to sort them out. I just wanted to get back to him as fast as possible and have him grill me a bit of something, drink some wine, watch the water and enjoy whatever happened next.
Everything in Rehoboth went as planned. There were no last-minute legal glitches, and for my part, no seller’s remorse. As I walked though the house for the last time, all the memories seemed faded and a bit sad. I was walking away from the whole of my past, and there would no longer be a home for me to run back to, as I’d done so many times before when things had not worked out for me. But I knew what my future looked like now, and I was happy and silly and impatient to be done with Rehoboth and everything it once meant.
Wednesday afternoon, as I was signing things that would officially end my involvement in Corner Street Realty, Terri sent me a text.
Dinner tonight with Steve! Invited him to talk about the house but—
There followed a series of heart emojis. As soon as I’d shaken hands with everyone for the last time, I called her.
“Terri. Listen to me very carefully. Tonight, when you’re with Steve, keep it business only.”
I could practically hear her roll her eyes. “Chris, the last thing I want to talk about is that house.”
“I know. But listen to me. Remember how I told you that every woman who’s ever made a play for him hasn’t lasted?”
“And I said—”
“I know what you said. But he told me that the women around here expected him to act a certain way, and he didn’t sound like he was all that thrilled about it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Tonight just talk about the house. No personal questions, no flirting, no trying to see deep into his soul. Be detached and impersonal.”
“And where, exactly, do you think that will get me?”
“Hopefully the same place it got me. With him a little intrigued.”
She was silent. “I’m not so good a playing hard to get.”
“Don’t play hard to get. Just don’t throw yourself at him. And if he issues an invitation, decline.”
“What? But…really?”
“Really. Tell him you’d rather get to know him better.”
“And you think that will work?”
“Saying yes on the first ask hasn’t worked for anyone else, Terri.”
“Hmm…okay. Maybe you’re right. All business.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I wanted Terri and Steve to get together, not because I thought it was such a good idea, but because she was my friend and it was what she wanted.
“One more thing,” I said.
I heard her sigh. “What?”
“Be sure you look amazing,” I told her.
She laughed. “Oh, honey, I always look amazing.”
Then she hung up.
Thursday morning I got a text from Mike.
Make sure you find me as soon as you’re home we have to talk
I thought it was odd but pushed it from my mind. I was on my way back. I’d be there around three, just in time to take a shower, shave my legs because expectations, and drive over to his place for a bit of something-something.
I practically flew down the highway, which, considering the tourist traffic, was a lot harder than it should have been.
I made it to Terri’s just before four and flew up the stairs. As I was turning the key in the lock, I heard Daniel’s voice above me.
“Chris? Is that you? What in the hell is going on?”
I dumped my overnight bag in Terri’s front hall and went upstairs.
He was pacing in front of his open door. “I’ve been here all afternoon waiting for you to get back.”
“Why didn’t you text me?”
“I did. Several times. Do you still have that useless Do Not Disturb While Driving thing on your phone?”
I pulled my phone out of my shorts pocket and looked. Sure enough, six texts from Daniel, all saying the same thing: RUHOMEYET???
I took a breath. “Sorry. What’s going on?”
“Ryan came down this morning to walk the Montecorvo property with me,” Daniel began. Ryan was the banker that had worked with Daniel for almost ten years.
“He didn’t want to give you the money?” I asked.
“No, don’t be silly. Of course he was going to give me the money. He loved it. And then I walked him to the car, and waved goodbye, and Celeste came running out, in tears, saying that she was selling to Amy McCann after all, and she was sorry, but that was what Mike told her to do, and she trusted Mike and knew there had to be a good reason. So. I was out of the picture.”
“Wait.” I walked across to the couch and sat slowly. “She said that Mike told her to sell to Amy?”
He followed me and sat next to me, his jaw clenched. “Mike apparently made a deal.”
I sat in silence. How could Mike possibly do something like that?
“I don’t understand,” I croaked. “Did you talk to Mike?”
Yes, and he was a real SOB about the whole thing, saying he had his reasons. End of story. So now, I have to call Ryan back—”
I shot out my hand. “Not yet. There has to be a mistake. Mike wouldn’t make a deal with Amy. Don’t tell Ryan anything yet. Let me talk to Mike and find out what’s going on.”
I felt all the joy rushing out of me. What had happened in the short time we’d been apart? Had he and Amy met and…talked? Had they, in fact, made some sort of deal?
Had they gotten back together?
“Chris? Listen, I’m sorry, please, don’t be upset.” Daniel reached for my hand and patted it briskly “God, you look awful. It’s only a business deal, I shouldn’t have made such a stink. Do you need a glass of water? I’ll get you some water. Please, don’t faint.”
I gripped his hand. I felt how icy my skin was against his, and I really did feel sick. Physically ill. My stomach turned and I couldn’t catch my breath.
Was Mike back with her? Is that what his odd text was about this morning? Here I thought I knew him. Obviously, I didn’t know him at all. Was he really just going to be another bad mistake of mine?
I stood up. “I have to find Mike.”
“Are you sure you’re all right? Let me drive you—”
“No.” I brushed him off. “I’m fine. I just need to talk to Mike.”
I went back downstairs, locked Terri’s front door, and went back out to the street.
I pulled in behind the retail site on Main Street. It was late, but there were still a few men around. No, Mike wasn’t there, they told me. He’d gone home early.
I glanced across the street and could see Terri through the front window, talking to Steve. She was laughing, and he had his head bent down to hers. I’d been gone almost a week, and Terri had sent me pictures of all she’d gotten done at the house, but I didn’t even care.
I typed Seaside Road into the GPS and headed across the island.
Away from the bay, things got rural in Northampton County, and Seaside Road was not so much about the sea as it was about farmland and dust. Yes, there was a dead oak tree by a turnoff, so I took the turn and bumped my way along until I came to a sprawling ranch house under oaks hung with Spanish moss. I turned off
the car and took a breath.
What was I going to say to him?
I got out of the car and heard a wild yapping. Joe came racing around from the back of the house and skid to a halt at my feet, tail wagging, a doggy-smile on his face. I bent to rub his ears, then went up the walk to the porch and knocked on the door.
“Mike?”
I waited, still not knowing how I was going to even start this conversation. Hey, Mike, are you sleeping with your ex-wife again? Is that why you turned Daniel’s deal upside down? Because, really, what other reason could there be?
“Mike?” I called again and pushed open the screen door.
I could look right through his living room to a wall of sliding glass doors that overlooked the marsh, with a winding bit of silver going through it before disappearing into the woods. The glass doors were open, and the air was warm and smelled of salt. I took a few steps in. I could watch this all day, I thought. The sea grass waved in the breeze and a giant white bird appeared from nowhere, cutting across the evening sky.
“Chris?”
He’d obviously just come from the shower, his jeans low on his hips, his broad chest and shoulders still damp. Any other day I would have leapt across the room and tackled him to the floor. Now, all I wanted to do was yell.
“What did you do?” I said loudly, my voice shaking. I felt the world around me had cracked, somehow. If this man, who I had believed to be so good, could turn against Celeste and Connie to make a deal with Amy…
He crossed the room quickly, grabbed both of my arms, and tried to move me, but I broke away from him and hit him, hard, with both of my fists against his chest.
“What did you do?” I screamed. I fought to bring my voice under control. I was angry and hurt and felt completely betrayed. I had trusted him. “It was a done deal, Mike. Daniel was going to build, Celeste and Connie were going to get their money, and nothing was going to be bulldozed and covered in concrete. It was done.”
He shook his head. “I know.”
“You made a deal with Amy?”
“It’s not how it sounds.”