by Alexis Anne
“For one season. He’s a ranger at the sanctuary now. Everett runs the family marina.”
Once again I felt incredibly lucky to have my career. “Isaac was amazing. Everyone was surprised when he retired.” That’s right. Retired. After starting for St. Pete for one season. He wasn’t hurt and they begged him to stay. It was one of those stories you pay attention to because it was so different.
Trent shot me a tight smile. “Isaac’s a good guy.”
There was a story there, I was sure of it. “What about the Anderson sisters?” I had a feeling my brother Ben still had a crush on London Anderson. I was willing to bet my playoff bonus that was one of the reasons he wanted to come visit. The other reason, obviously, being me.
Ben was a pretty typical older brother. Responsible, level headed, a little quieter than me and Scott. Our parents didn’t require us to follow them into the music industry but they did encourage show business. I think it had more to do with living life big and loud and less about the fame. Ben wasn’t interested in any of that. He just wanted to build furniture and fix up old houses. It was kind of an accident that he wound up on television and a stroke of good luck that his show became so damn popular.
But since Ben wasn’t particularly a fan of fame, he’d become even more responsible and quiet, retreating to his mountain cabin every chance he got. How he was going to meet a girl while hiding out, I had no idea. But then again, Ben had never gone googly eyed or head over heels for anyone but London.
“Oh, Paris lives in her mama’s house with her husband and two little girls. They’re a real nice family.”
Paris was married. Good to know. “And Berlin?”
“Became an archaeologist and moved to the Keys, but she’s still here quite a bit. Married some hockey player or something I don’t understand. Why are there winter sports in Florida? I don’t get it! We have football and baseball for a reason.”
“Soccer, swimming, tennis…” I just started listing other non-winter sports.
But Trent spit on the dock. “The only sport that matters is baseball.”
“Whatever you say, old man. Whatever you say.”
“Mmmhmmm. Who writes your paychecks? It isn’t some hockey team.” He was chuckling now.
“Fair enough. And London?”
He grew quiet. “She doesn’t come home anymore. Left after high school. But she has a nice website about traveling the world that people seem to like reading. Olivia works with her sometimes.” He said that last part like he was sharing special information.
“Oh really?”
“Mmmhmmm.”
I didn’t understand what he was trying to tell me and asking Trent anything usually came with a very long story so instead I announced that it was time to throw the fish on the grill.
We ate quickly and Trent offered to bring the dishes into the kitchen before he begged off for his nightly card game at Mr. Willis’s house.
“Did you rinse off the dock?” Trent asked as he started down my crushed shell driveway.
“Crap. No I forgot.” I’d meant to go back while the fish were grilling but Trent got to talking about how the craft beer industry was all about money and I got distracted.
“Well you should do that. Good night, Chris.”
“Good night, Trent. See you tomorrow.”
I shuffled down to the dock in time to see four pelicans take flight. At least they’d enjoyed the meal of fish guts I left behind for them. It only took five minutes to wash away the remains and get the dock back to normal. I was in the middle of stowing the hose when I decided—for a reason I still didn’t understand—to examine the dock beside mine. The one that belonged to Family With Kids.
Typically I didn’t look at this dock because the sun set in that direction and I didn’t enjoy having my irises burnt to a crisp. The dock was visible now that the sun was below the horizon. It was still older and still had a boat docked, just like the last time I looked at it.
But this time I saw it all in a brand new way. I knew that boat now.
It was the same boat that had been tied to mine earlier today.
3
Might as well swim home
Olivia
I took two cold showers when I got home. Two! And I was still hot and bothered from running into—literally I ran to him and gave him a hug—Chris Kaine. Well, technically, I hopped a boat and then acted like a fan girl and then hugged him. But those are details. I didn’t understand what came over me. There was something familiar about the grumpy guy who tried to grouch me away but it wasn’t until he went overboard, stripped off his hat, sunglasses, and long sleeved sun shirt that I realized who he was.
I had to admit I watched a lot of baseball. A lot. I always loved the sport but since Chris Kaine, a boy I’d once known, became one of the star pitchers of the Mantas, I’d started to watch every game. I knew what he looked like because the cameras liked to zoom in on his eyes when he was pitching.
I also had to admit I may have seen a picture or two of him shirtless on Pinterest.
I sipped my bourbon on the rocks and closed my eyes. How was it possible to feel hot and bothered by another human being? No, scratch that. I knew what it felt like when I was attracted to a guy. The confusing part was that it was now several hours later, after two cold showers, and I was still burning up.
And it had nothing to do with the sun.
Was it because I was surprised? Maybe. Surprise certainly did things to me. Like never wanting to eat takeout after getting food poisoning. That was a bad surprise.
But something told me seeing Chris was supposed to be a good surprise. He was funny (when he was done being grouchy) and bantered with me. It was easy to talk to him.
“Mom!” My front door opened and the unmistakable sounds of footsteps echoed through the house.
“Out back!” I didn’t get up. Lincoln knew where to find me and I was fairly sure if I tried to stand my knees would wobble. They’d wobbled on my boat all the way home and again in the shower.
Linc scrambled through the back door just as I heard my front door close. “Mom! We had the best week!” He jumped into my lap and hugged me hard around the neck.
Linc was eight and still my little cuddle bug. I hoped he always would be. “I’m glad. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
Heavy footsteps shuffled closer and closer until my ex-husband appeared in the doorway. “Hey Liv. How’s it going?”
Beau filled the entire doorway. He was a massive mountain of a man and always had been. Tall, wide, made of pure muscle, he was the new starting running back for the Tampa Bay Renegades.
“I had a good week.”
His eyes darted to my drink and back, quirking an eyebrow.
I shrugged. “Sue me.”
He smiled. “Never.”
Linc looked up. “We went to the zoo and the aquarium and to Disney! It was the best week ever!”
I knew all of this because Beau sent me pictures of everything, but it was fun to hear Linc’s version. “Which was your favorite?”
He made his eyes really wide and funny looking. “All of it!” He started back to school in two weeks and Beau was already getting busy with football season, but they took a week together before they were both so busy it would require minor miracles to get everyone together.
It was easier now than it had been when Beau played for Green Bay. Wisconsin and Florida weren’t close and dressing Linc for the dramatically different climate was a challenge. It’s hard to explain to a kid who is wearing flip-flops and shorts that when he gets off a plane it will be below freezing. We no longer had to worry about that and I was grateful.
“You headed back right now or will you stay for a drink?”
Beau shook his head. I wasn’t surprised. He hated small towns and quiet nights. It was this difference between us that led to our eventual end. “No thanks. I want to sleep in my own bed.”
“Me too!” Linc howled and went running for his room.
“I understand,” I sai
d to Beau and was honestly a little relieved. I usually didn’t mind hanging out with him, we were friends, but tonight I had another man on my mind. Beau’s presence was weird. It gave me twisty feelings.
On the one hand it made me panicky, like being attracted to another man was cheating, even though I knew Beau dated and we’d been officially divorced for two years.
But on the other hand it was a shocking wakeup call. I’d spent a lot (a lot) of time analyzing what was right about my marriage to Beau Rowland. We had good chemistry, similar problems and expectations from our parents, we found comfort in each other. He was very good looking. He had graced the cover of a dozen magazines. When we met I sizzled. When we got married I had butterflies. Eventually the sizzles and butterflies disappeared. There were very good reasons for that, none of it the fault of either one of us.
And yet today I’d felt something much more potent than a sizzle. Once upon a time I was struck by lightning, so I knew what I felt when I met Chris today was very much the same sort of shocking sensation. And yeah, it didn’t escape my notice that he was the boy I was with when I was struck by that bolt all those years ago.
“Is something on your mind, Olivia?” Beau asked, moving to sit across from me. “Do you need to talk? I can stay if you do.”
“No. No it’s nothing like that.” I could feel my cheeks turning red and I wished there was some way to hide my face. Mostly I had to hope that my darker skin tone hid it from Beau. “I ran into a really old friend today and I was momentarily distracted with a memory. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for that,” he chuckled. “It looks like it was a good thing.”
“I think it was. Actually, can I ask you something?” It was probably crazy to most people that Beau and I really were good friends who could talk about anything.
“Of course.”
“Have you ever fallen in love?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is this a trick question?”
I laughed. “No.” When we decided to end our marriage we did a lot of talking and decided that while we loved each other it wasn’t that earth-shattering kind of love. Ours was a quiet love that faded into friendship. What I was asking about was the knock-you-on-your-ass, soulmate, forever kind.
“Well, then no. I don’t think so.” He said it slowly and carefully like he didn’t really believe this wasn’t a trick. “I do love you and Linc.”
“I know that. I feel the same way.” I reached over and gave his hand a squeeze of confirmation. “I guess I’m starting to wonder if I will ever fall head over heels or if that’s not something that really happens.”
He stared at our hands. “It happens, Olivia. It does. It just hasn’t happened to either of us yet.”
“How do you know?” I guess I was wondering what the hell I’d felt today. Was it lust? Attraction? Longing? Or was it the beginning of that magical thing I read about in books, saw in other couples? I’d talked myself into believing people didn’t actually fall in love. They said they did because they wanted to believe their relationship was magical, but really it was all a lie.
Beau took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Well, my brother for one. Clark and Leslie are definitely crazy in love and it happened overnight. I was there.”
“Really?” Other than the elopement and Beau’s shock, I hadn’t heard the details.
He shook his head. “We were out drinking at this country bar. He saw her laughing and trying to line dance with her friends. It was like someone had tied a rope around the two of them. I swear he has never looked at another woman since. And she fell all over herself flirting right back. They went home together and eloped a month later. They’re celebrating their two year anniversary next month.”
“Wow.” Talk about knowing. I couldn’t imagine marrying someone after a month.
“And then there’s Kirk and Andy.”
I had to admit he was right about that. Kirk and Andy loved each other deeply. Also they made out in front of us way too often for me to doubt their chemistry and devotion.
“And Scarlett and Drew. You remember how her jaw was on the floor when they met? Every time he turned around she’d freak out, then paste on this calm smile when he looked her way. They got married six months later.”
He was right again. “I just saw them a couple of months ago,” I murmured. “They still can’t keep their hands off each other.”
“So yeah, I believe people fall head over heels and that one day we will too.” Beau smiled at me encouragingly. “Maybe this old friend?”
I blushed again and he smiled knowingly.
“I doubt that. We haven’t seen each other in twenty years. He was five at the time.”
Beau’s smile grew. “That don’t mean shit and you know it, Olivia. Give the poor guy a shot. If he’s making you blush then he might just be that one-in-a-million man you’ve been asking me about.”
“I can’t believe you’re encouraging me to see another man.”
He shrugged and stood. “If he doesn’t treat you right I’ll murder him. But you want me to fall in love one day right?”
I nodded.
“I want the same for you.”
Knock, knock, knock.
“I’ll get it!” Linc hollered, running for the door despite the fact that it was after dinner. I had no idea who could possibly be knocking on my door at this hour.
“Wait, Linc!” I ran after him.
But Linc already had the door open by the time I got there. “Who are you?” Linc scrunched up his face.
I skidded to a stop behind him and stared.
And stared and stared and stared.
“Chris.”
He filled my doorway. It was the second man to fill my doorway tonight and it was starting to sound like a dirty joke waiting to happen in my head. He gave me a half smile and held up a dish. “I just realized we were neighbors and decided I should bring over a gift.”
His eyes darted back down to Linc and he smiled warmly. “I’m Chris. Who are you?”
Linc looked back at me for permission to answer. I nodded, mostly because I was too stunned to do anything else. What was Chris doing here? Why was I seeing him for the second time today?
Did I look good?
Wait, did he say he was my neighbor?
“I’m Lincoln but my mom and dad call me Linc. And so do my friends.” Then he held out his hand.
Chris leaned forward and shook it, shifting the dish to his other hand. “They’ve also taught you excellent manners.”
“What’s in the dish?” Linc grinned mischievously, just like his father. It was what attracted me to Beau all those years ago and I already worried for all the women who would swoon in Linc’s path years from now.
It was a really good grin.
“The snapper I caught today, seasoned with my special recipe.”
Linc bounced up and down. “Oh can I have it now, Mom, please?”
“Didn’t you already eat dinner?”
“Yes…but I’m still hungry. Dad said I must be in a growth spurt.”
What kind of mother would I be if I denied my growing son fish? “Fine. Take it in the kitchen. Would you like to come in, Chris?” I made sure to meet his gaze even though it made my knees wobbly.
To my great pleasure he locked his eyes with mine and held before nodding. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Can I get you a drink? Wine, beer, bourbon?” I asked as I stood to the side to let him in.
“Beer will do.” He stopped just inside the door and shoved his hands into his pockets.
“You can go into the kitchen with Linc and I’ll grab us some drinks.”
I took a breath when he disappeared. My insides were doing backflips again and that sizzle was back. The damn sizzle was going to be the death of me. It made me warm—no, it made me hot—and turned on. It was very inconvenient.
My minibar was just off the kitchen. It afforded me some space and a view. Linc sat at the counter with a plate of snapper and Chris lea
ned against my stove, explaining how he’d caught the fish. His hands moved with each word as if they were an extension of his mind, forming shapes, creating a visual story that went with his voice.
Earlier he’d been dressed in swim trunks and—briefly—a long sleeved shirt. Now he had on a worn pair of faded jeans with an equally worn navy blue shirt that pulled tight across his shoulders and biceps.
He looked good.
“And then?” Linc asked, practically falling off his stool as he tried to get closer to Chris.
“Then I took a nap,” Chris said with a shrug and grin that filled me with warmth.
“A nap!” Linc howled. “How could you nap after that? I would have put my line right back in the water.”
I took our two glasses and started for the kitchen.
“Oh really? You fish?” Chris asked.
Linc nodded, mouth full of food as he responded. “My mom taught me. She’s the best.”
For a moment I was trapped between wanting to hide behind the kitchen wall so I wouldn’t have to reply to Linc’s praise, my desire to remind him not to speak when his mouth was full, and my curiosity over what Chris’s reaction might be. So instead of smoothly correcting my son’s manners with the cool grace I liked to think I typically employed, I stood frozen in the doorway of my kitchen with my mouth hanging open as Chris’s gaze collided with mine. It was soft and, well, nice.
“Really? The same girl who used to squeal over a bait bucket full of shrimp?”
It was true I used to loath reaching my hand into a bucket of live shrimp. “People change.”
I blinked as his smile turned mischievous. His brown eyes twinkled and these adorable slits appeared around his mouth near where some men had dimples. I had the most inexplicable urge to run the pad of my index finger over them and test how soft or rough his five o’clock shadow made the skin feel.
“They do indeed. Take me for example. I’m more than two feet taller than I used to be.” He moved his hands from his waist to over his head. “Lots of changes.”
“You knew my mom when you were little?” Linc asked, shoving the last bite in his mouth. Finally.
