The Driftwood Promise

by Suzie O'Connell

  “Dad’d like some new photos of the campground to revamp the website and marketing materials. By a professional, this time. Is that something you could squeeze in?”

  “Sure.”

  “And Liz over at the Tidewater Inn needs a photographer for some events they have coming up this month. The guy who was supposed to do them was in a motorcycle wreck last week, and he’s in pretty rough shape. Won’t be back to work for at least a few weeks.”

  Gideon winced. “I’m sorry to hear that. I hate taking a guy’s work when he’s down.”

  “Yeah, it sucks, but if it isn’t you, it’ll be someone else. I talked to Liz when Hope said you’d be coming out for a month, and she was excited to work with you again. I didn’t know you took those shots in the lobby until she told me. They’re gorgeous.”

  “Thanks. Yeah, I took those years ago—before I graduated from college. Dad’s the one who sold them to her.” Gideon smiled. “That was actually what made me think I could make a living with my photography. Tell Liz to give me a call at the cottage—the number’s the same. And I’ll stop by the Grand Dunes tomorrow, see what you boys need.”

  “I’ll pass it on. Thanks, Gideon.”

  “Anytime.”

  He left to help his father and Andra pull the kayaks out of the water, and Gideon chuckled when Red smiled in his direction and then turned a scowl on his son. From where he stood several yards away, Gideon plainly saw Red’s mouth form the words I thought I told you no business tonight.

  Tilting his head, he narrowed his eyes. Huh. He’d been back in Sea Glass Cove less than twenty-four hours, and he already had a couple jobs lined up. One might say that was a sign that moving here would be good for him.

  Now if he could just get this whole custody debacle settled and get Liam out here with him… life would be just about perfect.

  Unbidden, his gaze slid to Erin only to find her sauntering toward him looking oh-so-sexy with her sun-gilded hair roughened by the soft sea breeze. It was tempting—so tempting—to reach for her hand and pull her into his side. The desire to be the object of her affection lingered, and it was potent.

  “That was a sneaky thing you did back there.”

  “Sneaky, maybe, but I’ll bet you dinner I got a shot of you and Owen that your mother is going to adore for the rest of her life.”

  “And how long until we find out who wins such a wager?”

  “Your mom’s birthday. When’s that?”

  “August thirteenth, so a week and a half.”

  Before he could say he didn’t want to wait that long to see how the bet would play out, she changed the subject.

  “Gorgeous evening, isn’t it?” she asked.

  “Mmm. It is.”

  He tipped his head to the side and studied her. She’d caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and her eyes sparkled like she wanted something but was too shy to ask for it. She stared down the beach at her mother and Red, but her eyes weren’t following them as they maneuvered the kayaks back into the water. Apparently they’d only come in to grab refreshments.

  “I think it’s about time to break out my guitar,” Gideon announced.

  “That would be lovely,” Erin murmured, still watching the couple in the kayaks. “Since it appears no one else is going to get another turn.”

  “Doesn’t bother me. They’re enjoying themselves, and that’s a wonderful thing to see.”

  Laughing softly, she turned toward the parking area and, without invitation, fell into step beside him. He made no mention of it. Would she notice?

  She strolled quietly with him along the trail through the sand dunes all the way to the parking area. When they reached the sand-dusted blacktop, he slowed his pace.

  “Erin?”

  “Hmm?”

  “What if I don’t want to wait a week and a half to take you to dinner?”

  She stopped abruptly and her eyes rounded. “What do you mean?”

  “I’d like to take you on a date.”

  “Like a date date?”

  “Yes, a date date. I told you, you intrigue me. You have such depth to you that I can’t help but want to dive in.”

  “I hope you’re talking figuratively, because I don’t do sex on the first date.”

  He stared blankly at her for a moment. Where had that come? Then he laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t even thinking—”

  Laughter sparkled in her eyes and curved her lips into an impish smile. “That’s obvious.”

  “Forget it. You’re evil,” Gideon teased. “I should keep my pure soul far from your wicked charms.”

  She snorted. “Pure soul? Ha!”

  “All right, so I’m not so pure.”

  The mirth slowly left her gaze, and he almost reached out to her as if he could somehow catch it as it drifted away.

  “All joking aside….” She lowered her gaze to the pavement and rose up on her toes, then sank down. “It’s probably better to be up front with you. I don’t do relationships.”

  “You don’t do them… or they’re difficult for you?”

  “The first,” she replied slowly, “because of the second.”

  “I figured as much.”

  She met his gaze and held it, probing, waiting for him to explain how he’d guessed that. He wasn’t going to spoil the evening by telling her how he’d arrived at the conclusion. The dark memories Owen had shared with him weren’t for gorgeous evenings like this.

  “So, how about that date?”

  “You still want one? Even though it probably won’t go anywhere.”

  “I do. Now even more than before. But I don’t want you to say yes because you feel pressured into it. I want you to say yes because you want to.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip as the battle between deep-rooted habits, curiosity, and what Gideon hoped was eagerness played out across her face. Finally, she sighed and smiled, and he grinned in response. She wanted to say yes.

  “Don’t look so smug about it,” she quipped, “but yes. A date with you sounds fun.”

  “Fantastic. And for the record, this isn’t my smug face. This is my delighted face.”

  “Ah. Good to know. When?”

  “Would tomorrow be too soon?”

  “Not at all.”

  Much to his astonishment, she slipped her hand into his and gave it a tug. They walked to his SUV like that, and with his free hand, he dug his keys out of his pocket and hit the button twice to unlock all the doors. He didn’t want to let go of her to fetch his guitar from the back seat, but reluctantly, he did.

  As he opened the case, lifted the glossy maple instrument out, and slipped the strap over his shoulder, he frowned. He’d forgotten to grab his phone when he’d left the Salty Dog with Erin.

  “Hang on a second,” he said, and reached for the passenger-side door.

  He found his cell phone right where he’d left it in the glove compartment.

  “Hey, there’s a rule about those, you know,” Erin teased. “No cell phones allowed at beach parties.”

  “I know, I just need to….”

  His voice trailed off when he glanced at the lock screen and saw that he’d missed eight calls. Crap. One was from Hope, another was from his father, and the rest were all from Hannah and all within the last hour. Double crap.

  “I have to call her back,” he said, unlocking the phone. He didn’t bother listening to any of Hannah’s voicemails. She never called that many times in a row unless something had happened to Liam.

  “Call who back?”

  “Hannah. She called six times.” He swore under his breath. The phone rang and rang, and panic surged as one scenario after another raced through his mind, each more horrific than the last. Liam had fallen off the swings at the park and re-broken his arm. He’d snuck into the kitchen and cut himself trying to make himself a sandwich because Hannah had been too lazy to make him one. He’d been hit by a car playing out in front of Hannah’s sister’s house. Nausea churned. “Please God, let hi
m be all right.”

  “You think something happened to Liam?”

  “Why else would she have called so many—”

  “It’s about time you call me back,” Hannah snapped from the other end of the line. “I’ve been calling you for hours.”

  One hour, a tiny voice corrected in the back of his mind even as adrenaline lanced through him at the sound of her voice. “Please tell me Liam’s okay. What happened? Is he hurt? How bad is it?”

  “He’s fine. Nothing happened,” she retorted. “But you need to come get him.”

  It was almost a minute before her words sunk into his brain. He’s okay. He’s not hurt.

  He barely had time to let out a sigh of relief before anger ignited. “You scared the hell out of me, Hannah!”

  Twenty-four hours. He’d barely been here for a full rotation of the world and she already wanted to get rid of her son. The timing smacked of spite, and his scowl deepened. He should make her keep him, but he wouldn’t do that to their son.

  “Please come get me, Dad!” he heard Liam yell in the background. “I don’t want to stay here anymore. Please.”

  The tears in his son’s voice was a spear of ice straight to his heart. “Put Liam on the phone please.”

  “When are you coming?”

  “I’ll leave first thing in the morning. Put him on the phone, Hannah.”

  “No. You can talk to him when you get here.”

  The boy’s scream of outrage was cut off as the line went dead, and Gideon stood rooted in place, paralyzed by the urge to hurl his phone to the ground. A slender hand slid the device from his grip. He raised his gaze from his empty hand, and the concern in Erin’s sea-green eyes sliced through his anger, sweet and soothing. Shyly, she slipped her arms around him, and he sank back, leaning against his car as he tucked his arms around her waist and dropped his head onto her shoulder. Quivering with fury and a potent need to let her quiet strength bolster him, he sighed.

  “Looks like we’ll have to reschedule our date. I’m sorry.”

  “He’s okay, though, right?” Erin murmured. “She wants you to come get him?”

  He nodded.

  “You said she’s at her sister’s in San Francisco?”

  Again, he nodded.

  “That’s an eighteen-hour drive.”

  “I know it is.” Even to his ears, his voice sounded weary.

  “Would Hannah meet you in Mendocino?”

  “I doubt it.” He lifted his head, frowning. What an oddly specific question. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well… Owen and I have a cousin there, and he was planning to take some more items down for her to sell in her shop, but….”

  Her lips curved slowly, shyly, catching his attention.

  “Maybe I could go in his place so he can stay home with Hope and Daphne. Then you and I could split the driving, and if you don’t mind sleeping on the couch, we could stay at Lauren’s and save money on hotel rooms. I was thinking of volunteering, anyhow, but now….”

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You aren’t asking. I’m offering.”

  “In that case….” The last of his frustration came out in a rush, and as it left him, he was able to smile. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

  “Crisis averted?” she asked.

  “For now.”

  “Then let’s get back to the party, shall we?”

  Six

  Erin parked Gideon’s car beside Lauren’s in the driveway around the back of her cousin’s place, shut it down, and almost groaned in relief. What a day. A drive that should’ve taken them twelve hours had taken almost sixteen thanks to an over-turned logging truck that had backed traffic up for miles. They’d left at six this morning after loading the car with Owen’s creations with the hope they’d make it in time for dinner. Instead, it was now nearly ten.

  “We’re here,” she sighed.

  When Gideon didn’t answer, she glanced over at him and let out a huff of laughter. He was out cold, and with sleep erasing the frown that had furrowed his brows frequently in the hours since his less-than-cordial phone call with his ex, he was beautiful. She hesitated to wake him, unwilling to bring him back to realm of the conscious where all his troubles waited.

  Yawning, she gave in and nudged him. “Gideon. We’re here.”

  “Already?”

  “Don’t you mean finally?”

  “Yeah. Finally. That’s what I meant,” he mumbled. He stretched with a groan, sat up, and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Thanks for driving the rest of the way. I was done.”

  “Obviously.”

  When he turned tired eyes and a lopsided smile on her, her heart fluttered. For a moment, she held his gaze, enthralled. She couldn’t look away if she’d wanted to. Then a blossoming of light in the dark night caught her attention, and she glanced toward her cousin’s deck. The open door spilled light onto her porch, and the woman herself strode to the top of the steps, clad in plaid fleece pajama pants, a plain black tank top, and a broad, welcoming grin. Erin climbed out of the car and jogged up the stairs to hug her cousin.

  “It’s so good to see you!” Lauren said, squeezing the breath out of Erin. “Where’s your gentleman friend? Ah, there he is.”

  She let out a low whistle and nudged Erin playfully with her elbow. Erin’s face heated uncomfortably, and she hoped Gideon was too far away to notice the teasing. He was heading toward the porch with both his overnight bag and hers clutched in his hands, and if he’d caught the exchange, he gave no indication.

  “I was going to grab mine in a minute,” she said.

  Despite the weariness that made his eyes and shoulders droop, he offered her a lopsided grin. “You’re welcome.”

  “Thank you,” she replied quickly. “Lauren, this is Gideon St. Cloud, Hope’s cousin. Gideon, this gorgeous woman is my cousin, best friend, and one-time college roommate, Lauren King.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lauren,” Gideon said, cresting the stairs. He shifted Erin’s bag to his other hand and shook Lauren’s offered hand.

  “I do believe the pleasure will be mine if the rumors are true,” Lauren quipped.

  “What rumors?” Erin asked, whirling on her cousin.

  “Owen might’ve mentioned seeing a few sparks between you and this fine-looking gentleman here.”

  “I’m gonna kill him,” Erin muttered.

  “No, you won’t,” Gideon remarked. “You love him too much.”

  “Doesn’t mean I won’t maim him.”

  “Anyhow,” Lauren interrupted, tipping her head toward her door. “Come on in. I saved you both a plate of dinner if you’re hungry, and if not… I’ve already got the couch and the spare bed made up for you.”

  “You’re a goddess,” Gideon said with a sound that was half groan of relief and half purr of pleasure. “Thank you for your hospitality. Especially considering the short notice.”

  “I’m glad I could help. Sorry it didn’t work out so you could get your boy tonight.”

  “Yeah. Me, too.” He set the bags on the floor beside the island separating Lauren’s kitchen from the living room and rolled his shoulders when he straightened. Then he yawned—the kind of deep yawn that made his eyes water. “I need to call Hannah.”

  “Why don’t you do that while I heat up your enchiladas. They’re nothing fancy, but they’re homemade and hearty.”

  “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

  “Call her tomorrow,” Erin said gently. Then she grinned. “Or text her and don’t reply tonight.”

  Gideon pointed at her as he turned toward the door. “That’s genius.”

  Erin followed him outside, leaning against the post of the porch roof as he trotted out to the car to retrieve his phone. By the time he returned with the text already sent and the phone set to Do Not Disturb, Erin was fighting to restrain her laughter.

  As soon as he noticed her expression, his lips twisted in chagrin. “Find me amusing?”

&nb
sp; “Highly. That’s the second time today you’ve left your phone in the car, and it’s only the second time we’ve been out of it longer than it takes to fill the tank. Plus, you left it in your car all day yesterday.”

  “I hate cell phones,” he retorted. “If I didn’t need the thing for work, I probably wouldn’t have one. What?”

  Erin’s face and sides ached from holding the laugh in. “You’re cute. I know where Liam gets it.”

  The way his expression shifted from amusement to despair added a fresh crack to her heart beside the dozen others this day had put there. She bit her lip and cursed herself for opening her mouth. When he sat heavily on the stairs and buried his hands in his hair as he propped his elbows on his knees, she sat beside him and slid her hand across his back. After a moment, he turned his head toward her.

  “I know I’ve said it at least two dozen times today,” he murmured, “but thank you for coming with me. It’s stupid to feel so wrung out over picking my son up, but I am.”

  “If it were just picking him up, you wouldn’t be. It’s the driving all the way to Sea Glass Cove from California, having one day to recuperate before turning around and driving another twelve hours… all because Hannah is being a vindictive harpy.”

  He snorted. “True that.”

  “Let’s go back inside. I bet Lauren has those enchiladas ready for us. And then you should probably get to bed before you fall over. You want the spare bedroom or the couch?”

  “Couch is fine, but thanks for offering the room. I’ve already impositioned you enough.”

  “Um, Gideon?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I’m not sure ‘impositioned’ is a word.”

  He snorted. “It should be.”

  She rose to her feet first and offered him a hand up. He took it, and a groan escaped him as he stood. As she’d predicted, Lauren had two plates sitting on the island, two steaming enchiladas on each with two glasses of mint-garnished ice water.

  “This is a fantastic place you have here,” Gideon remarked after he’d finished eating. He carried his plate, fork, and glass to the sink, washed them, and set them in the strainer before turning toward Lauren, who regarded him with brows raised and her lips curved in a disbelieving smile. “That area under the loft—that’s your gallery, isn’t it?”