Finding Home Again (Catalina Cove)

by Brenda Jackson

  He glanced at his watch. “It’s late and time for me to go. Remember, no more studying tonight. Shower, drink some wine and go to bed.”

  “I will,” she said, walking him to the door.

  He stopped before opening it. “You sure about tomorrow?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then meet us dockside at six.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there, sea legs and all.”

  “Thanks.”

  “That’s what friends are for.”

  Smiling, he nodded, opened the door and left.

  * * *

  KAEGAN WALKED TO his truck while whistling. He tried to recall the last time he’d been in such a good mood. He felt good about the amount of information he’d covered with Bryce over the last three nights. He was confident that she would pass that exam.

  But what had really made his day was Bryce acknowledging their friendship. A friendship that had started close to twenty-five years ago. Of course, he’d told her that little white lie, agreeing there could never be anything but friendship between them. He intended to prove her wrong. She hadn’t wanted to be friends, either, and here they were. He wouldn’t rush her but would give her time to realize it for herself.

  Because a delivery truck had been in Bryce’s yard when he’d arrived, he had parked on the street in front of her home. As he got closer to his SUV, although it had gotten dark, he noticed something was wrong. One of his tires appeared to be flat. He frowned as he squatted down and studied the tire. It had been slashed.

  Standing, he glanced around. Although Catalina Cove had low crime, no doubt some teens had very little to do other than get into mischief. No need to make a big deal of it and he wouldn’t bother mentioning it to Sawyer. He glanced back at Bryce’s house and figured he could use what happened to his tire as an excuse to go back inside.

  Releasing a deep sigh, he remembered his decision to be patient when it came to Bryce. Besides, hadn’t he suggested that she take a shower, drink a glass of wine and go to bed? The thought of her naked and taking a shower had a number of salacious scenarios running through his head. He recalled a time during their weekend hookups when they would shower together. Those memories suddenly had him feeling hot and aroused. That was the last thing he needed to remember right now.

  Removing his jacket, he went to work changing his tire.

  PART 2

  The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.

  —Hubert H. Humphrey

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “HOW ARE THINGS GOING, Bryce?”

  Bryce looked into the man’s face and smiled. Vaughn Miller had been born in the cove and, like a number of others, when he’d left for college he hadn’t returned. She’d heard that five years ago he was accused of a white-collar crime for which he served time but had gotten released after a couple of years for good behavior.

  Last year he had returned to the cove to live. Some locals were aware Vaughn had served time and there were some who weren’t aware of it. It honestly didn’t matter since Reid LaCroix, the wealthiest man in the cove, had trusted Vaughn enough to give him a job as part of his executive team. That hadn’t come as too much of a surprise since Reid’s deceased son, Julius, and Vaughn had been best friends while growing up and the two had graduated from Yale together. Everyone knew if Reid LaCroix liked you, then everyone else living in the cove liked you. Few people went against Reid.

  “Things are pretty good. What about with you?” she asked, sipping her coffee.

  “Same here. It’s a beautiful day and I think the weather is going to be perfect.”

  She thought so, too. Waking up that morning, she’d questioned why she had decided to come here. The only reason Bryce could come up with was that since she’d agreed to be friends again with Kaegan, she had to keep their relationship just that.

  She figured the hardest part would be being around him and doing things they used to do that once had a significant meaning but didn’t any longer. She’d decided not to shun those things but be in control of how she felt about them. Closure meant the ability not to let the things they used to do together control her mind. Some people had their way of moving on and she had hers.

  Bryce had to accept that most people recovering from a broken relationship and finding closure didn’t have to encounter their ex on a constant basis like she did. Knowing she didn’t love Kaegan anymore, she was convinced one of the reasons she hadn’t been able to move on was because Catalina Cove was a small town and everybody knew everybody. They frequented the same places and shared the same friends. Avoiding each other had been impossible. Instead of evading those situations when confronted with them, she needed to be strong and meet them head-on.

  Vaughn stood beside her on the dock sipping his tea and looking out across the blue waters of the ocean. He was a handsome man and she tried remembering whom he’d dated in high school. He had graduated with her, which meant he was probably thirty-two or pretty close to thirty-three.

  “You volunteered today, as well, I see,” she said to him.

  He smiled. “Yes. I don’t get out much, and since I had nothing better to do today, I figured I’d come help. Kaegan has gone out of his way to befriend me since moving back home. He didn’t have to do that and I appreciate him for it.”

  Bryce had heard that Vaughn didn’t socialize much since moving back. He pretty much kept to himself. Her parents had mentioned that he would drop by their café on occasion for take-out dinners but had never dined in. She’d also heard he was determined to prove his innocence regarding that white-collar crime he’d served time for and had hired a team of private investigators to clear his name.

  Vaughn’s parents had been part of Catalina Cove’s old-money elites. When Eugene and Vivian Miller moved to Paris after their son and daughter left for college, instead of selling their home, they’d kept it with the intention of returning back to the cove to visit on occasion. They never did and had since passed away. Vaughn was living in the huge house alone. The house had been one of the original homes built for one of Jean Lafitte’s numerous mistresses, who happened to have been one of Vaughn’s ancestors. Bryce recalled that Vaughn and his younger sister, Zara, had both been pretty likable, unlike their parents, who’d been total snobs.

  “Are you going to volunteer to work unloading on the docks or did you volunteer to go out on one of the boats?” he asked her.

  “I prefer going out on the boat, but I’ll pitch in wherever I’m needed. It seems a lot of people showed up this morning.”

  “Yes, sure looks like it.”

  Bryce hadn’t seen Kaegan since arriving and figured he was somewhere in his office getting things organized. However, she had seen Ray, who’d arrived at the same time she had. He’d said he was okay with leaving Ashley for a full day since her three best friends were in town visiting her this weekend.

  Sawyer had come a few minutes later and told her that Vashti would be on her way after dropping off Cutter at Reid’s place. Everyone appreciated Bryce’s parents for sending over the complimentary boxes of blueberry muffins to go along with the kegs of coffee they’d also provided. She hadn’t been surprised by her parents’ generosity to Kaegan. They knew a lot of the volunteers would be out on the water most of the day and had wanted to do their part, especially since Kaegan had ordered lunch and dinner for his crew to be catered from her parents’ café.

  “Would you excuse me, Vaughn? I see Willa and Faith and want to say hello.”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  She moved away from Vaughn and walked to where Willa Ford and Faith Harris stood talking. Bryce knew Willa and Faith. Like Bryce, Willa had been born and raised in the cove. Instead of going away to college, she’d opted to marry her childhood sweetheart. She and Ron were still married and had two sons in college. Ron was a part of the Catalina Cove police force.

  Faith was four years older th
an Bryce and had graduated from high school with her brother Duke. She had come to the cove to live with her grandparents during her middle-school years. Bryce knew that Faith’s first husband had died three years ago. It was known around town that the man had cheated on her a few times but she’d stayed with him anyway. A year after he’d died of a heart attack in another woman’s bed, Faith had managed to pull herself together and get married again. This time around she was married to a man who adored her and treated her like a queen.

  “Hey, guys,” Bryce said when she approached.

  “Hello, Bryce,” Willa and Faith said simultaneously.

  “I see Kaegan talked you into joining the team this morning,” Willa said, grinning.

  Bryce chuckled. “No, I volunteered. I figured it was the least I could do for him helping me study for an exam I’m taking.”

  “So is it official now?” Faith asked, smiling brightly. “Are you and the boss back together again?”

  Bryce shook her head. “No. Kaegan and I are just friends and nothing more.”

  “Honestly, Bryce,” Willa said as she shook her head. “Do you think you and Kaegan can ever just be friends?”

  Funny, her brothers had asked her the same thing that morning when she arrived at the café and told everyone of her plans for today. “I don’t see why not. Ten years apart is a long time and we’re not trying to rekindle anything but friendship.”

  She knew that might be hard for Willa and Faith to believe because most people in the cove had been aware that the two of them had made plans to marry one day. Of course, by the time she’d finished college and returned home, most had heard the two of them had broken up, although no one knew why.

  When Kaegan had moved back to the cove, Bryce had known all eyes were on them and that most people thought whatever had broken them up would be patched up eventually. She’d ignored the erroneous assumptions and everyone’s speculations.

  Bryce figured they would be under everyone’s microscope even more now that they were friends again. The assumptions and speculations would increase, but there was nothing she could do to stop them, other than deny there was anything between them like she was doing now.

  “There’s Kaegan now,” Willa said, smiling.

  Bryce turned and saw Kaegan. As if he’d known where she was, his gaze connected to hers. He smiled and she couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Now, what was that you were saying a few minutes ago, Bryce, about you and Kaegan just being friends?” Faith asked, reclaiming her attention.

  She broke eye contact with Kaegan to glance at Faith. “What about it?”

  “We haven’t seen the boss smile like that in a very long time.”

  She was certain Faith was exaggerating. “He’s probably smiling because he didn’t believe I’d show up.

  “I’m only volunteering until noon. I got more studying to do.”

  “Your mom told me you were taking that class in New Orleans at Delgado Community College,” Willa said.

  “Yes, and the exam is Monday evening,” Bryce replied.

  “Good luck and I hope that you do well,” Faith said.

  “Thanks.”

  “Good morning, everyone,” Kaegan said, and Bryce wished the sound of his deep, husky voice didn’t still stir sensations within her. That was definitely something she needed to work on.

  Everyone returned his greeting and then he handed Willa a clipboard. “Here you are, Willa. I’ve assigned everyone positions and grouped them into teams for the boats. Let everyone know their placement and duties after they’ve signed those liability forms.”

  “Okay,” Willa said, nodding. Before walking off, she scanned the list, looked over at Faith and said, “We’re manning things in the office while everyone’s out on the boat.”

  “Where am I needed?” Bryce asked Willa. “I’m only available for half of the day.”

  “You’re on my boat,” Kaegan said, before Willa could answer her. “I’ll be returning to shore every four hours and can bring you back.”

  “Oh.” Bryce noted Willa and Faith were smiling. Unknown to Kaegan, he’d filled their heads up with crazy ideas.

  * * *

  “YOU WERE RIGHT,” Kaegan told Bryce after he placed a huge tub of oysters on the scale to be weighed.

  She looked up at him after recording the weight in the log. “About what?”

  “Still having your sea legs.”

  She threw her head back and laughed, and he loved the sound. He couldn’t recall the last time Bryce had laughed over something he’d said. “Did you think I didn’t? I was born in the cove, remember.”

  “I remember.” In fact, he was remembering a number of things. Like the last time she’d been out on a boat with him. He hadn’t been able to sleep most of last night, wondering if she would keep her word and show up today.

  He’d been in his office before daybreak and had known the minute she’d arrived on the pier. Watching from his office window, he’d seen her arrive and he’d felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Love. He loved Bryce. A part of him knew he’d never stopped loving her, even during that time when he’d believed she had betrayed him. That was probably why he’d felt so much animosity toward her. He hadn’t understood how he could desire someone who had dishonored him the way she had. When it came to Bryce, love and desire went hand in hand.

  It had taken him ten years to find out she hadn’t betrayed him. He’d been wrong, and he didn’t care how long it took—he was determined to earn back her love. He had to because he couldn’t imagine living another ten years without her.

  Maybe that was the reason he’d felt a territorial tightening in his gut when he’d seen her talking to Vaughn. Kaegan knew that Bryce had a tendency to be friendly to everyone; that was why she was so well liked in the cove. The only reason he’d been so quick to believe the worst of her that time was because he’d also known Samuel’s reputation with the ladies. At least he’d known the one the man had perpetuated for years. On top of that had been the lies his father had been feeding him. He’d played right into his old man’s hands and he would admit that losing Bryce was what he deserved for not fully trusting her. For not believing she would not betray him.

  Feeling territorial when it came to Bryce was nothing new and it wasn’t anything against Vaughn. He felt the same way whenever he saw her conversing with Isaac Elloran, or any other single man living in the cove, for that matter. More than once, he’d run into her out on a date. Either he’d been on a date, as well, or he’d been alone. Didn’t matter. He’d still felt the need to ram his hand into the nearest wall.

  Since they were playing the “remember” game, he said, “I also remember that I was the one who taught you and Vashti to swim.”

  “Yeah, but that was only after we begged you to do so.”

  “Yes, the two of you did get on my last nerve.”

  “Oh, we did, did we?”

  They turned and saw Vashti standing there with her hands on her hips, while frowning at him. Instead of answering her, Kaegan asked a question of his own. “How was your nap?”

  Vashti’s grin told him she was aware he’d deliberately switched topics and would let him for now. “It was fine. I guess next time you’ll think twice about letting me come along. I’m not much help today.”

  He winked at Vashti. “I invited you because I knew inviting you meant also getting your husband on board. That’s not a bad deal. Besides, you’re pregnant. I understand pregnant women sleep a lot. At least that’s what Ray told me.”

  He glanced at his watch when he heard a smaller boat approach. “Perfect timing. Elton is here with the boat that will take you back to shore, Bryce.” Elton was one of the old-timers who’d worked for the Chambray Company when Kaegan’s father ran things.

  “Okay,” Bryce said, adjusting the straps of the backpack on her shoulders. He thought
they were beautiful shoulders and could remember a time when he would rub his hands all over them. Use his tongue to lick them.

  “I’ll call you later,” Vashti said to Bryce, breaking into his thoughts.

  He studied Vashti. “You sure you don’t want to leave, as well?”

  She shook her head. “No. Now that I’ve taken my nap, I’m fine. What do you need me to do?”

  “For starters,” Kaegan said, grinning, while shaking his head, “stop staring at your shirtless husband over there. I’m sure he’s not displaying anything out here that you haven’t seen at home.”

  Vashti threw back her head and laughed. “For your information, Kaegan Chambray, it doesn’t matter where or how my husband displays it—I still think Sawyer Grisham is a fine specimen of a man. Besides, what could be better than seeing a half-naked man with the ocean as a backdrop?”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  BRYCE SMILED, ALWAYS finding it fascinating as well as endearing how attracted Vashti was to Sawyer, even after almost three years of marriage. But she understood. Some things couldn’t be denied, no matter what.

  She still thought that Kaegan was a sexy man, as well. When he’d been a teen, approaching manhood, she’d drool over his body. When he got older she’d thought he was the epitome of masculine fineness. Now as a full-grown adult in his thirties, he was even more buff. He put his shirt back on, but when he’d taken it off earlier, she hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off his chest without remembering a lot about it. Like how she would kiss him all over it, how his chest felt rubbing against her nipples those times when she would straddle him when they made love.

  Bryce kept telling herself that acknowledging Kaegan’s sexiness meant nothing. It was a woman’s thing for her. She thought Idris Elba was sexy, too. She knew how to stay in her lane where Kaegan was concerned.