Finding Home Again (Catalina Cove)

by Brenda Jackson

  At that moment an idea formed in her head. “I’m thinking about joining the reunion committee. I think it will be fun trying to get others to return to Catalina Cove for the holidays.”

  “That’s a good idea. I think you would be great on the committee. I hope Rita, Monique and Faye will come this time,” he said. “At one time or another, all of us have done some pretty stupid stuff while growing up.” He paused for a moment, glanced over at her and then added, “Some of us have done stupid stuff as adults, as well.”

  She knew he meant how quick he’d been to believe she’d betrayed him. To give him credit, at least he hadn’t wasted time apologizing when he’d found out the truth. And he had sincerely been remorseful; she was sure of it. Still, a part of her hadn’t been ready to accept his apology at the time. It had taken her a while but she’d come around. Forgiving didn’t mean reconciliation, and she had rejected the idea that they could ever be friends again. Yet here he was helping her in an area where she needed help. He’d known, and in simple Kaegan Chambray style, he’d delivered. She’d retained more information studying with him than she could have on her own.

  “What about you, Kaegan?”

  He looked over at her. “What about me?”

  “Would you consider going to the holiday class reunion?”

  He shrugged. “Not sure.”

  She didn’t say anything for a minute, and then she said, “I have an idea. Like I told you, they are asking for volunteers to work on the committee. I will work on it if you will.”

  He stared at her for a long moment and then he shrugged his shoulders. “Okay.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “You would do it?”

  He nodded. “Yes, I will do it. Now let’s get back to studying.”

  An hour or so later, Bryce watched as Kaegan closed the book she’d been studying from. “That’s enough studying for tonight,” he finally said. “You don’t want to overload your brain.”

  Knowing he was right, she eased off the sofa. “I appreciate you taking the time to help me study and I want to thank you again.”

  “No need to thank me. I enjoyed it and it reminded me of old times,” he said, getting up off the floor and stretching.

  She wished he wouldn’t do that, since it placed a lot of emphasis on what a fine physique he had. She really shouldn’t be thinking about stuff like that, but it was hard not to do so when such eye-candy masculinity was on display.

  “Will you be studying tomorrow?” he asked her.

  She nodded. “Yes. My teacher canceled class today so we could study as much as we can. That means I’ll be studying the rest of this week, including the weekend.”

  “Isn’t the exam on Wednesday?”

  “No. That was my class night. The exam will be administered on Monday evening at one of the test centers on campus.”

  “Then if it’s okay with you, I’ll come back tomorrow,” he said, moving toward her front door.

  She followed. “It’s fine with me if you have the time, Kaegan. You helped me a lot tonight, but I wouldn’t want to infringe on your time.”

  “You won’t be. Once I get home from work I usually don’t have a lot to do.”

  She wondered if it must be lonely for him out there on the bayou by himself. Since his mother passed away a few years ago, he had no family, which was probably why he came into town and ate at her parents’ café most of the time. “How are things going with your business?”

  His lips tilted in a smile. “Good. We took on a big client this year, and I had to hire a couple of new guys, just to keep up with the orders.”

  They had made it to her door. He opened it and turned back to her. “Take a shower, drink a glass of wine to relax your mind, and then go to bed and get a good night’s sleep.”

  She smiled. “I will. Thanks again.”

  He waved as he walked out the door and sprinted down her steps. When he reached his truck, he glanced over his shoulder and saw she was still standing there. “’Bye, Kaegan.”

  “’Bye, Bryce.”

  Bryce closed the door and leaned against it while listening to the sound of his truck’s engine. Tonight he had helped her study the way an old friend might and she refused to think letting him do so was a mistake. And she had persuaded him to work on the holiday class-reunion committee with her. Nobody, not even Vashti, would believe he had agreed to do such a thing. Smiling at the thought, she decided to do as he suggested and take a shower and drink a glass of wine before going to bed.

  She then remembered the missed phone call earlier. She’d been too absorbed in her studying to take the call, thinking it was probably Vashti. Going into her living room, she grabbed the phone off the coffee table, where she’d placed it earlier.

  It had been from Jeremy. They had met for coffee again last week, and although she had enjoyed his company, she knew that was as far as things went with them. She listened to his voice message. He confirmed he’d gotten her message from earlier, letting him know her instructor had canceled the class today, and for that reason she wouldn’t be meeting him for coffee before class, like they’d planned. He’d also said he would be in New Orleans for two more days and would love to see her and take her to dinner if she had the time. He asked her to text him if that could be arranged. Unfortunately, right now she didn’t have the time.

  Jeremy was a nice guy and she enjoyed their conversations over coffee the times they’d met. However, she knew she could never see him as anything more than a friend. She had a feeling he was hoping for more, but the vibes just weren’t there.

  Deciding to phone him instead of texting, she punched in his number only for her call to immediately go to voice mail. She thanked him for the invitation to dinner and then told him that although she had enjoyed her time with him, she would be busy studying for a while and after that she would be focusing on building her career as a multistate Realtor and wouldn’t have time for much else.

  She hoped he got the message since she hadn’t invited him to come to Catalina Cove to see her or asked for a rain check. The one thing she refused to do was lead any man on. Jeremy was good-looking, had a nice personality and a good job. He was a good catch for any woman looking for a man she’d want to get serious about. However, for her something was missing.

  She never felt any sparks around him. Not even strokes of sensations swirling around in her tummy, and she couldn’t see anything serious ever developing between them. Satisfied with the message she had left him, she headed toward her bedroom to take a shower.

  * * *

  KAEGAN BROUGHT HIS truck to a stop at a traffic light and smiled as he recalled the two hours he’d spent with Bryce. He thought of how he would throw several questions out to her to stimulate her mind and how she would pace the floor before answering.

  He had eventually gotten her to quit pacing and focus...so that he could stay focused, as well. It had been hard watching her lithe and graceful movements and not concentrating on her hot-as-sin curves. She even had pretty feet with painted toes.

  Watching her lounge on her sofa as she answered his questions had been challenging, as well. He was glad when she’d stretched her long legs out on the ottoman in front of him.

  And when she’d smoothed a frustrated hand through her hair whenever one of his questions would stump her, her already tousled hair looked even sexier.

  She would never know how he’d fought the urge to reach out and trace a finger along her ankles and take his own hands and rake his fingers through her hair. Then there were those times when he’d analyzed the shape of her mouth, remembering how he loved devouring her lips.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Kaegan knew he needed to take the same advice he’d given her. When he got home he would take a shower, but instead of wine he would grab a beer out the fridge and then go to bed to get a good night’s sleep. At least he would try. There was no doubt in his mind that
he would be dreaming about Bryce.

  He then thought about something else he’d done tonight. He had actually volunteered to work on that committee with her. He, of all people, who hadn’t even liked his high school when he’d attended. Only Bryce and Vashti had made the time bearable. He knew the kids but doubted they would even remember him. But he refused to let that stop him because he thought being on that committee was an essential piece of winning back his friend. He had to believe that stepping out of his comfort zone would be worth it. He’d done it that night when he’d decided to attend that charity ball. It hadn’t been so bad and he had gotten to spend time with Bryce. She had even unloaded some stuff he had needed to hear.

  Something Vashti had said stuck with him. She was right. It was time to let Bryce get to know the man he was now and for him to get to know her as the woman she’d become.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “I THINK YOU’RE READY, Bryce. You answered every single question I tossed out at you. You’re going to ace it,” Kaegan said confidently.

  Bryce drew in a deep breath, not as certain of her abilities as Kaegan. If she did ace the exam, she would credit her success to his study techniques. For the last three evenings he had picked up dinner from her parents’ café and shared a meal with her before hitting the books.

  He drilled her endlessly, gave her word associations that she could remember and made up flash cards to use for those questions she still had difficulty answering. “I honestly hope so, Kaegan. I’m tired of studying so hard.”

  “It will be worth it to get your multistate-Realtor license, right?”

  She knew the answer to that without thinking. “Yes.”

  “Then don’t start doubting yourself. You know the material. All you have to do is apply what you know. Did your instructor give the class a hint of what the makeup of the test would be like?” he asked, shifting in his place on her floor. That was his usual place to stretch out on her floor. Hers was the sofa with her legs extended across the ottoman. It was hard to believe just a few months ago they couldn’t stand to be anywhere near each other.

  “Yes. There will be one essay question worth twenty points and the rest is multiple choice.”

  He nodded. “Multiple choice give you plenty to choose from. You just have to concentrate on what you know is the right answer. And as far as the essay, you’re good with writing. If you recall, you helped me get my writing scores up when I was in my junior year. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have passed to the twelfth.”

  “Liar.”

  “No, honestly. You know how old man Goldman felt about people living on the bayou.”

  His words gave her pause because she knew. Everybody knew and they still allowed him to teach until her mother, Debbie Witherspoon, forever the outspoken Canadian social activist, called for the man to resign at a PTA meeting. Her mother had gotten a standing ovation because she had stood up and done what no one else in the cove had had the guts to do.

  “Well, you proved him wrong.”

  Kaegan didn’t say anything and she wondered if he was remembering what all they’d been through together over the years. The good, bad and ugly. They had survived it all.

  That was why his rejection had been so devastating for her, and caused her an incredible amount of pain. But it had also taught her something. You couldn’t put all your hopes and dreams into one person. She had. Kaegan had been her world, and when he’d walked out of it, she’d thought her world had come to an end. It had taken her a while, but she’d recovered. Found out life went on and the world still existed.

  She had made some changes in her life, got her self-esteem back, decided to go into business for herself and live for today and not tomorrow. She knew not to depend on a man for her happiness, not to believe any man was perfect, and she had accepted that nothing was forever. In a way, she owed Kaegan for being the one to stop seeing life in a fishbowl. She owed him for showing her that whatever she did in life, she had to do it to make herself happy because she could not depend on anyone else for her happiness.

  Kaegan eased up off the floor and her gaze followed the movement. She couldn’t help it. Since he’d come straight from work he still wore his jeans and T-shirt. He’d taken off his fisherman boots at the door and walked around in socked feet. He looked comfortable at her place. So at home. A part of her was glad to realize their friendship was still there after everything. It was time she told him that.

  “You need to take a break from studying tomorrow for a while, Bryce. I suggest that you do something fun to clear your mind. Take a tour of the cove on one of Ray’s boats or take the trolley car around town for a few hours. Then come back here and binge-study the way we’ve been doing the last three days. If you do that then you won’t have anything to worry about when you take that test Monday.”

  She smiled. “You have so much confidence in me.”

  When he didn’t say anything, and just hung his head, she could only imagine what had flashed through his mind. There had been a time he’d lost his confidence in her and it had cost them everything. It was a love that could never be recaptured.

  But she knew now that there was one aspect of their past that could be restored. “Kaegan?”

  “Yes?” he asked, while sliding into his jacket.

  “I appreciate what you’ve done the last three days. If I pass that exam I will have you to thank.”

  He shrugged and said, “That’s what friends are for.”

  He held her gaze, seemingly waiting for her to say something to deny their friendship. This time he would have a long wait because she wouldn’t. But acknowledging their friendship wouldn’t give either of them the right to think it went beyond that. There could never be anything more than friendship between them.

  It was important they both understood they’d had their chance and there was too much hurt, anger and pain to try to recapture a love that was not only lost, but also dead and buried. He’d buried it years ago and so had she. It was too late for anything between them to ever be resurrected, but they could be friends.

  She got out of the chair. “You’re right. That’s what friends are for and the past three days have shown me that we can be friends again, Kaegan.”

  She paused a moment and added, “I think we both understand and accept that friendship is all there can ever be between us. Agreed?”

  “Agreed,” he said, zipping up his jacket.

  She was glad they were in agreement, but did he have to be so quick and eager to concur? She should be glad he had, but still... “I’ll walk you to the door.”

  “Good luck on your test Monday. I hope you will take my advice about clearing your mind for a few hours tomorrow before doing any heavy-duty studying.”

  “Hmm. Instead of taking a tour on Ray’s boat or riding a trolley around town, I’ve got a better idea.”

  “What?”

  “Earlier you mentioned that tomorrow a group of volunteers would be helping you out.”

  “Yes. I have a huge order of oysters to net for an all-you-can-eat oyster chow-down in Oklahoma beginning next week. All hands are on deck for even my office staff. Ray plans on pulling an all-day, but you know Ray. He looks for any excuse to be on the water,” Kaegan said, grinning. “Sawyer and Vashti have volunteered, as well,” he added.

  She nodded. “I wonder who will be keeping Cutter.”

  “Sawyer said Gloria volunteered to do so.”

  “That was nice of her.”

  “Yes, it was. I believe that she and Reid think of themselves as Cutter’s grandparents, as well. For a man who a couple of years ago was living a very lonely life, he certainly has it all now. A future wife and grandkids he adores.”

  Bryce nodded. “I agree.” Then she said, “Well, I want to volunteer to help you tomorrow for at least half a day. I’ve always wanted to go back out on a Chambray boat.”

&nbs
p; “How are your sea legs?” he asked as his gaze roamed down her legs.

  Certain she was imagining things and his gaze hadn’t been as intense on her legs as she’d thought, she said, “I admit I haven’t been out on a commercial shipping boat for years. At least not since that time you sneaked me on board as a stowaway.”

  They looked at each other and simultaneously burst out laughing. After wiping tears from her eyes, she said, “You know it’s a crying shame when two adults can remember one of their outlandish escapades as teens and laugh about it.”

  “Your parents didn’t do anything to you when they found out, but my dad raised holy hell and grounded me for a week.”

  Bryce still giggled at the memory. “He only punished you because it was me. He didn’t like me and didn’t care who knew it.” Bryce had known she was Mr. Chambray’s least favorite person because he had wanted Kaegan to date one of the Pointe-au-Chien tribe girls living on the bayou. She could think about that now and not feel threatened by it.

  “Well, I liked you, and that’s all that mattered.”

  “Yes, but we should not have tricked your dad that way.”

  “He would not have found out the truth if we hadn’t got caught in that storm and a search party hadn’t been sent looking for us.”

  Bryce recalled that day as if it was yesterday. Kaegan was to master his own shipping vessel, the one she’d been a stowaway on. It was one of the smaller boats in the fleet. They thought they’d succeeded with their plan to outwit his father. Then out of nowhere a summer storm blew in and the two ships got separated.

  Kaegan had skillfully handled the vessel and they had made it through the swamp to Eagle Bend Inlet. It was there Kaegan had taken her to his private place on the inlet, an abandoned bunker he considered his secret home. It had provided shelter from the wind and rain, and protection from the wild animals known to come out at night. The search party had found them a little after daybreak the next day.