by Kay Correll
“It appears so. Not sure which of them is having the better time.” Tally watched as Eddie talked to Bobby, then pointed out to sea. Eddie was really good with Bobby. She sat watching the two of them interact.
An inescapable sadness crept over her. Eddie hadn’t ever had the chance to do simple things like play on the beach with his own son. He had missed so much.
* * *
Courtney waited for her pulse to settle. She’d had a momentary panic when Bobby raced down the beach. She hoped Tally hadn’t noticed her fright. Would she ever be okay when Bobby was out of her sight? She had a hard enough time leaving him with Belinda, but she needed to earn money so she had no choice. How had she managed to get herself, and Bobby, into this mess? She’d been a fool about Kurt, that was for sure. A mistake she’d never make again.
She watched as Eddie played with her son. Bobby was having so much fun. He was getting so much attention on Belle Island, and he was thriving under it all. Guilt washed over her that it would soon all be taken away from him. He’d lost so much in his young life. He was used to no continuity at all.
She hoped she’d managed to let him know he was loved and wanted, but she hadn’t been able to give him a stable home. She’d wanted that so badly for him. But she’d failed.
Six months ago she’d let down her guard when she thought she’d finally located them a safe place to stay, but they’d been found and soon were on the run again. She didn’t plan on making that mistake again. She wasn’t going to be lulled into a false security here on the island.
She rubbed the back of her neck and watched while Eddie and Bobby tossed shells into the sea. A bone-weary tiredness soaked through her. It was all so exhausting, and she worried about the toll it was taking on Bobby.
She just wanted to keep him safe and provide him some stability in life. Was that too much for a mother to ask?
* * *
Eddie dropped onto the sand beside Tally when Courtney finally took Bobby inside. “The kid is amazing. Sharp boy. But wow, does he have a lot of energy.”
Tally laughed. “Apparently, so do you.”
“It’s not every day a person gets to be a space guy.” He grinned. “Or a pirate.”
“Bobby certainly isn’t lacking in imagination.” Tally picked up a handful of sand and let it sift through her fingers. She glanced at her watch. “I’d better go. Need to get ready for the dinner crowd and I still have a lot to do for Julie’s wedding.”
“Julie’s wedding?” Eddie had no idea who Julie was.
“Julie’s a friend of mine. She was supposed to have her wedding at the inn, but they had a fire and their kitchen is closed.”
“Yes, they told me about the fire when I checked into the inn.”
“Anyway, I offered to have it here at Magic Cafe. We’re going to have the ceremony out here on the beach, then a reception out on the deck. I’m closing the restaurant for the evening.”
“Can I do anything to help? I feel kind of at loose ends here and I’d love something to keep me busy.”
“I thought you were working while you were here?” Tally looked at him.
“I am, but things are kind of slow right now.”
“You don’t have to help.” She shook her head.
“But I want to.”
“Okay then, how do you feel about taking the van over to the inn and picking up the chairs? Susan is loaning them to me.”
“I could do that.” Eddie was happy to help, and it was an excuse to keep seeing Tally. He couldn’t get the memory of that kiss out of his mind, and he’d tried. He’d lain in bed last night, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep, reliving the kiss and wondering why he hadn’t thought to kiss her again.
Enough of that. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and stood up, reaching out a hand for hers. She slipped her hand in his, and he effortlessly lifted her to her feet. He steadied her for a moment before she caught her balance. She smiled at him as she brushed the sand from her pants.
“I do appreciate the help with the wedding preparations. Let me go get you the keys. I’ll call Susan and tell her you’re coming.”
He followed her into Magic Cafe, watching as she gracefully crossed the sand and climbed the steps to the deck. She looked at home here at the cafe, confident she was in the right place where she belonged. He couldn’t imagine living in one place for his whole life. A place where he belonged and felt a part of. His nomad life had never allowed him that… luxury. He did consider it a luxury. A luxury that suddenly, unexpectedly, he felt was missing from his life.
Chapter 16
Eddie unloaded the chairs into the storage building to store them until the wedding. He carried armload after armload of white wooden chairs inside and set them against the wall. After he finished, he went off to look for Tally.
He found her busy with the dinner crowd.
“Eddie, thanks for your help. Let me repay you by at least giving you a nice meal. Why don’t you take that table over at the edge of the beach?”
He wasn’t going to say no to dinner, and his stomach growled in agreement to his decision. “Sounds good. Can you join me for a bit?”
Tally looked around the restaurant. “It’s pretty busy right now. Maybe in a little bit. I’ll send Tereza over to take your order.”
The waitress who had told him where to find Tally the first day he’d come to town walked up to his table with a friendly smile. “Hi, I’m Tereza. Tally wanted me to get you anything you want from the menu. Do you want to start with a cold drink?”
“Hey, Tereza. I’m Eddie.” He paused. He’d introduced himself as Eddie, not Edward. How long had it been since he’d done that?
“Nice to meet you, Eddie. Tally said you’re a friend of hers.”
A friend. Well, he guessed that about covered it. Probably. A friend and so much more… and yet, not. He chased his flitting thoughts away. “I’ll take a Corona and lime.”
“You’ve got it.”
Tereza walked away, and Eddie settled back in his chair. He waved to Courtney across the room. She was busy waiting on a table by the door. He watched Tally greet a group of customers and seat them at a table. She walked past another table and stopped to talk to the couple for a few minutes. She grabbed a tray and cleared a table, then came walking out of the back room—the kitchen, he’d guess—with a full tray of food and delivered it to another table. She seemed to be everywhere at once with a proficient, graceful ease.
She looked his direction once and smiled at him. He smiled back, glad to just be around her, even if she was busy working. Tereza came back with his beer and he delayed ordering, hoping to persuade Tally to join him.
Tally walked by later and stopped at his table. “You don’t have your meal yet?”
“I was waiting to order. Hoping you’d have dinner with me.”
She looked around the restaurant. “I could do that. Things are slowing down. I might have to jump up if I’m needed though.”
“I’m okay with that.” He was okay with anything if she’d just sit down across from him and spend time with him.
She walked over and spoke to Tereza, returned to the table, and sank into the chair across from him. “I’m going to have a beer with you.”
He grinned at her. “Good for you. Way to be a rebel.”
“Hey, I own the place. I should be able to take a break and have a drink with an old friend.”
Friend. There was that word again.
* * *
Tally sat across from Eddie while he ate his dinner. She’d just ordered a salad, but he’d gotten a salad, an appetizer, and the catch of the day, blackened. She enjoyed watching him relish each bite.
She tried not to stare. Not to stare at his strong hands. Not to stare at his face with the beginning of a tan and a hint of sunburn. Not to stare at his eyes that glimmered when he laughed. Or his lips. She definitely didn’t stare at his lips while he sipped his beer. Or think about what it had been like to kiss him again after all these years.
“You’re staring at me.” Eddie grinned at her.
“I am not.”
“Okay, whatever you say.” He shrugged, but a self-satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“Okay, maybe I was.” She set her beer on the table. “But it feels so… surreal… to have you back here on Belle Island. I thought I’d never see you again, that the fates didn’t want me to find you.”
“Ah, but then they did.”
“Only… it was too late.” Her voice dropped.
He reached out and covered her hand with his. “No, it’s not too late. I’m glad I came back. I am sorry I missed Jackson’s life, but I’m grateful to hear about it. I’m glad I found out I had a son. Grateful to see the photos. And…” He set down his fork. “I’m really grateful to have found you again, Tally.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. She was enjoying her time with him. And much like Susan had predicted, it was helping to talk about Jackson again. The pain was still there, but it was being wrapped up with wonderful memories of the good times.
“Your face looks… I don’t know… sad and yet, not sad.” Eddie’s eyes were filled with puzzlement in their depths. “I used to be able to know what you were thinking, just by looking at you.”
“Well, I’ve had a few years to learn how to hide my thoughts.”
“You don’t have to hide them from me.”
She looked at him, wanting to believe him, but it had been so long that she’d kept her feelings to herself. Protected herself. It was easier that way.
Besides, deep inside, she truly believed she didn’t deserve more than her simple life now. She’d made mistakes. Mistakes that had cost her dearly. And Eddie was a complication. Besides, he’d be leaving soon. She didn’t want to feel anything about him because he’d leave and there would be that empty hole in her life again. She wasn’t sure she could do that again, live with the void of someone leaving her.
She stood up abruptly. “I should go. I have chores to do to close up the restaurant and still have things to do for Julie’s wedding. It’s in two days. So much to do.”
“Tally, don’t go. Don’t run away.”
“I’m not running. I’m just busy.”
Eddie let out a long whoosh of air. “I’m sticking around for a while, Tally. I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to sit down and talk. Talk about what this is.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. You’re leaving. Yesterday’s kiss was just a momentary slip into the past. A mistake.” She started to walk away, but Eddie gently caught her wrist and stopped her.
“It was more than that,” he insisted.
“It can’t be.” Tally pulled away and hurried off to the safety of her office.
* * *
Eddie watched Tally rush away from the table, no longer looking the confident I-belong-here-woman. She looked more like she wanted to be anywhere on earth but here. Running away. Running away from him. He’d wanted to stop her, but when Tally made up her mind, there wasn’t much chance of changing it. He remembered that fact well enough. He hadn’t been able to convince her to come with him all those years ago, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to…
To what?
What was it he wanted?
He picked up his beer and took a long swallow of the cool liquid. It did little to quench his thirst or the thrumming of his pulse.
One thing was certain—Tally could twist his thoughts up into knots. She’d always done that to him and it appeared the years hadn’t lessened her ability.
He stared in the direction she’d disappeared. He set his beer down with a clatter and jumped up from the table. With determined strides, he went off in the direction she had disappeared.
When he found her office, he peeked through the half-opened door. Tally sat at her desk, the low light of a lamp illuminating her face. She stared into space, lost in thought. He rapped on the door frame and she looked up, startled.
Three long strides and he reached her desk. He extended his hands and pulled her to her feet. His pulse raced when a small gasp escaped her. He gently reached down and tilted her chin up, then lowered his lips to hers. Her hand grasped the front of his shirt, bunching it tightly as she responded to his kiss.
He finally pulled his lips away, but tucked her up against his chest, savoring the closeness, feeling her heart beat with his. He could stand like this forever and die a contented man.
“We can’t do this, Eddie.” Her words were muffled against him. She pulled back and looked directly into his eyes. “I can’t do this.”
In an instant, his contentment was shattered.
“Yes. Yes, you can. We can.” He let her go and took a step back. “We’re not done. There is still so much unfinished between us.” He reached out and trailed a finger along her cheek.
“You have to let this go.”
“We don’t even know what this is yet. But you can’t deny there is something between us. Still.”
She shook her head slowly back and forth, a sad expression on her face.
He tried to reach for her again, but she took a step back.
He slowly turned away and left her office, his heart hammering in his chest and his lips burning from her kiss.
Chapter 17
The next morning Tally stood by the door of the storage building chatting with Courtney while Bobby played with some hero figures in the sand beside them. The boy had the most vivid imagination.
Susan hurried up to them, her eyes clouded with concern. “Have you seen Mary’s puppy, Stormy? He got away from her this morning. She’s so worried.”
Bobby jumped up, his eyes bright. “Stormy ran away?”
“I’m sure we’ll find him,” Susan assured him but her eyes belied her confidence.
Bobby tugged on Courtney’s hand. “Momma, let’s help find him.”
“Bobby, we need to go inside and get cleaned up. It’s time for you to go to Miss Belinda’s and I have to work.”
“But Momma.” A thunderous look swept across Bobby’s face.
“Don’t worry, Bobby. We’ll find him. My son is out looking with Mary, too.” Susan patted Bobby’s shoulder.
“But I wanna help. Stormy’s probably scared.”
“I’m sure they’ll let us know when he’s found.” Courtney took Bobby’s hand, and he kicked the sand to let his mother know his displeasure. “Bobby.” Courtney’s voice held a warning note.
He looked contrite and followed his mother inside.
“I could help you look.” Tally frowned. “I bet Mary is upset. She’s really grown attached to that little dog.”
Susan nodded. “She is. But it’s almost time for the lunch crowd here at Magic Cafe. You go ahead and work. I know you’re crazy busy with finishing up the wedding things and your regular workload. After we find Stormy, I still plan on coming over this afternoon and helping with the centerpieces for the tables.”
“You go on then and look for the pup. Good luck.”
“Thanks, Tally.” Susan turned and hurried down the beach.
Tally hoped they would find Stormy. The pup brought so much joy to the tough stage of life Mary was at now. The woman deserved all the happiness she could get.
* * *
Courtney finished changing into clothes for work and walked out of the bathroom. “Bobby, you ready to go?”
She looked around the small room. Bobby was nowhere to be seen. He must be waiting for her out on the front deck. She took a quick look in the mirror, then glanced down at her feet. She really should consider a new pair of more comfortable shoes. But then, that was money she couldn’t save, so… no new shoes.
She opened the door and stepped outside. Bobby wasn’t on the stoop. She looked out at the beach in front of the building, though he knew he wasn’t allowed on the beach without her. Panic began to race through her. How long had she been in the bathroom changing clothes? Enough time for Kurt to sneak in and find Bobby?
She hurried out onto the beach and
looked both ways, calling his name. The wind buffeted her calls. Her heart pounded as she put a hand up to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun and swept her gaze along the shore.
Maybe he’d gone over to Magic Cafe. She twirled around, hurried over to the restaurant, and bounded up the stairs to the deck. Tally was setting a tabletop and Courtney hurried over to her. “Have you seen Bobby?”
Tally looked up. “No, not since you went inside.”
“I can’t find him.” Just saying the words out loud almost brought her to her knees. “I’ve looked. He’s not in the building. I can’t see him on the beach. I… I don’t know where he could be.” Her words choked in her throat.
Tally frowned. “You don’t think he went off looking for Stormy, do you?”
Courtney paused and clutched the rung on the chair in front of her. That could be it. He had been angry with her when she said they didn’t have time to help with the search. Bobby off looking for Stormy was preferable to Kurt finding him. But not by much.
“I know it’s my shift soon, but I have to find him.”
“And I’m going to help.” Tally turned and motioned to Tereza. “Bobby is missing. We’re off looking for him. You got this? Call another waitress in if you need to.”
“I will. You two don’t worry about the cafe. Just go find Bobby.” Tereza’s eyes were filled with concern.
“You got your cell?” Tally reached and slid her phone from her pocket.
Courtney patted her back pocket. “Yes, it’s here.”
“What’s going on?” Eddie walked up to them. “You both look a bit panicked.”
“Bobby is missing.” Courtney heard her voice shake.
“We think he went off looking for Stormy,” Tally explained.
Eddie’s face held a blank look.
“Stormy is Mary’s dog. Mary is Susan’s mother-in-law.” Tally quickly filled him in. “Stormy got loose and we think Bobby went off to find him.”
“Let me help.” Eddie stepped forward.