by Carol Henry
“What about your family? Bethany?” What was she thinking? It would never work.
“If you haven’t figured it out yet, let me set the record straight. My family does not run my life. Does not choose who I can and can’t go out with. I don’t care how many girls my sister throws my way. I haven’t been interested in a single one, and I’ve never encouraged them. Including Gwendolyn.”
“I don’t know, Gavin. I’m still trying to work through a lot of baggage. You know I bought a house and want to set up my own business. I don’t have time to get involved in a relationship.”
“You don’t think I haven’t baggage of my own I’m trying to work through?”
“Which means we both need more time to make sure this is what we want. Time to find out if there really is something between us. See if it’s going anywhere.”
Gavin hesitated, released her, and stepped back. “We can work through them together.”
She remained silent for several seconds and then shook her head.
Everything was moving too fast.
“Slow down, Gavin. I have other issues to consider. And I can’t continue to work for you if we are in a relationship.”
“Okay. Sure,” he agreed, swiping his hand through his hair. “We’ll continue, status quo.”
She took a step back, putting more space between them, and inhaled. “Thank you.”
“Now that we got that out of the way, we do have business to discuss. First, you should be aware Juelle and Hunter McClintock are returning to Lobster Cove. They should be here within the week. You might run into them. Coleman Baker requested their presence before the authorities confront several of their employees suspected of sabotaging the McClintocks’ business in order to start their own company.”
“Thanks for the warning, but I think I can handle them when and if the situation presents itself.” She wasn’t so sure putting a brave face on it convinced even her. Coming face to face with Juelle McClintock wasn’t something she anticipated turning out well. But before Gavin could respond, she reverted to the case in point. “So you’ve solved the case?”
“I’m pretty sure we’ll have things wrapped up once Hunter McClintock arrives. Hopefully they can set the wheels in motion and finally put an end to their dilemma. The Coast Guard is already on hand waiting, as are the local police. However, I think they’re going to call in Mark Logan from Homeland Security, as it involves international waters along the Canadian border.”
Mark Logan was another person she didn’t look forward to dealing with should it come to that in the course of working at Redmond’s. Yes, he was a decorated war hero who had attended the Memorial Day celebration alongside the other military men and women, but he was married to Katelyn Sullivan, Juelle’s best friend. Thankfully Nora had been able to sidestep crossing paths with them at the Memorial Day event.
“What about you? Won’t you be involved?” She focused on Gavin’s part in the operation.
“No. I’ve done my part. I’ll have to testify my findings at a later date, but the actual arrest procedure isn’t part of my job.” Gavin filled her in on what he and Calla Hutchins had discovered, as well as his talk with Coleman Baker.
“Are any of you in danger?”
“No. All the investigative work has been done quietly. Coleman and Calla have kept a low profile as well. The only other people who know about my research are Eric and Al. And I trust them to keep their mouths shut. Don’t worry, Redmond’s isn’t their target.”
“I wasn’t worried about myself. But if you’ve been seen at the McClintock warehouse, you might be.”
“The only person I was introduced to was Jim Sherman, McClintock’s tank room manager. I didn’t encounter anyone else. I appreciate you worrying about me, though. It’s a positive sign.” He wriggled his eyebrows, his smile disconcerting.
“It’s a legitimate concern, one I would have for anyone in such a precarious situation.”
“Don’t downplay it, Nora. Admit you’re concerned for me. And have dinner with me tonight.”
“Gavin…”
“Status quo. Promise.”
He raised his hand, swearing his honor, his face serious and his eyes searching.
She wanted to refuse. Seeing him outside office hours didn’t feel as if it was status quo. Would it be a mistake? However, the temptation was too great to pass up.
“Status quo. This is not a date,” she insisted.
“I’m too old for dating. It’s dinner out, an enjoyable evening to get to know each other better.”
Still, she hesitated before finally giving in. “I’d love to. Thanks.”
“Good. I’ll be out of the office the rest of the day. I’m joining Eric and Al on the boat. We’re going to check the McClintock nets one more time, as well as a few others in the area to be sure they aren’t being affected, as well. We’ve been asked to take a few more water samples to make sure the waters aren’t being polluted to the point of damaging the aquafer.”
“The forecast is a bit iffy for this afternoon.”
“No worries. Al is a great sea captain,” Gavin said before he turned, pulled her into his arms for one more kiss, and then headed toward the door. He paused, hand on the handle, and faced her. “While I’m gone, call The Cliffside restaurant and make reservations for two. I’ll pick you up at your place at six.” And with that, he was gone.
She sat, dazed. No way could she work for him day in and day out, anticipating his kisses, his touch, and his handsome good looks. And longing for more. Besides, she wasn’t about to be beholden to any man for her livelihood. Once she got established in her new home, she was going to set up her own accounting business. She’d longed to do so the past few years. How would Gavin feel about her wanting to set up her own business? What impact would it have on their relationship?
She picked up the phone and called the restaurant to make their reservations. She was further stunned with the restaurant he’d chosen for them to dine. The Cliffside was a fancy, upscale establishment. Out-of-her-league-high-class, it touted pristine white tablecloths, imported china, crystal, and real silver, not to mention lit candles on every table with subdued lighting and soft dinner music in the background. The waiters were dressed in black slacks with starched white shirts and carried crisp linen towels over their arms. And they served the best surf and turf in town. It was a romantic setting, a place Sebastian had never taken her. She was going to have to scrounge through her wardrobe to see if she had something appropriate to wear, it had been a long time since she’d dressed up for a fancy occasion.
So much for status quo.
****
Nora spent the rest of the morning concentrating on posting journal entries, setting up meetings with Gavin’s clients around Bar Harbor and Lobster Cove, and updating the company’s website. By lunchtime, she was ready for a break. She slipped into her sneakers, grabbed her lightweight white nautical jacket, slung her purse over her shoulder, and closed the office. A low group of clouds drifted in over Bar Harbor as she made her way toward the docks for lunch. Despite the temptation to indulge in the delicious, fresh seafood available on the wharf, she decided to save her appetite for dinner with Gavin and settled for a quick pick-up side order of clam chowder and a roll at the lobster pound. She found an empty seat at a nearby picnic table and settled in to enjoy her lunch.
It didn’t take long for a breeze swirling around the harbor to turn into a strong wind as dark clouds rolled in over the bay. White frothy waves bounced against the boats tied up at the docks, causing them to bob in place. She looked out over the bay and decided it was time to return to the office before the rain started.
It wasn’t unusual for the weather to turn on a dime around the coast. Yet no one along the wharf appeared concerned. Hopefully this wasn’t going to be one of those torrential storms that had escaped detection on the weatherman’s radar.
She quickly finished her chowder, returned her tray, zipped up her jacket, and headed back to the office. She
was halfway back to Redmond’s when the rain started in earnest and quickly became a steady, heavy downpour. The steam and fog soon obliterated the area surrounding the harbor. She pulled the hood over her head and picked up her pace. By the time she walked several blocks and turned the lock in the office door, she was soaked and glad to be out of the storm. She shook the rain from her jacket, hung it on the coat rack in the corner, slipped out of her wet sneakers, and headed to the kitchen for a coffee.
And then it hit her. Oh, my God. Gavin was out on his boat in the storm.
She reached for a vanilla-flavored coffee pod and inserted it in the coffee maker. The hiss of the machine as it pushed water through the pod into her cup only added to her anxiety as memories of Sebastian’s accident had her hands shaking. Regardless of how competent Gavin’s skipper was, she hoped he was smart enough to bring his rig back into port and get out of the storm.
She prepared her coffee with an extra dollop of half and half and carried it back to her desk. She sat, and ignoring her coffee, lowered her head in her hands. Was Gavin safe? Would anyone call her if something went wrong? No one had called her when Sebastian was taken to the hospital after the Coast Guard had rescued him. But once she’d learned of his accident and she found out where they had taken him, she’d gone to the hospital in hopes of seeing him. She’d wanted to make sure he was okay. But he hadn’t been okay. And she wasn’t able to see him, let alone talk to him. Except for a brief undetected moment while she witnessed his wife sitting next to him in his hospital bed in a dimly lit ICU unit, she hadn’t had a chance to be the one by his side. She hadn’t been there for him. Juelle had been the one holding his limp hand. His eyes had been closed, and beneath his fisherman’s tan was nothing but a pale reflection of the adventuresome man he’d once been. He had been hooked up to a ventilator, a cardiac monitor, a central venous catheter, and an intravenous IV. He had looked like death. She had stood in shadow, shedding silent tears, not wanting to be detected. She’d watched in agony as Juelle leaned in to him and whispered in his ear, words Nora strained to hear but couldn’t. She had waited for Sebastian to respond, a movement, anything, but there was none. She had waited, hoping Juelle would leave so she could sit by his side, let him know she was there for him, but a loud commotion in the hallway ensued, and she quickly hid behind one of the adjoining curtained cubicles as Sebastian’s mother stormed into the room, shouting at Juelle. Thankfully Nora had been able to duck behind several empty, curtained cubicles in the ICU wing and escaped undetected.
She knew now Juelle hadn’t been responsible for Sebastian’s death. Still, her heart bunched at the angst and sadness she’d gone through. She shook her sad thoughts from her head, reached for her coffee, and gulped down several swallows, and then wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Oh, my God! Was Gavin lying in a hospital bed, dying? The man she realized she’d been starting to care about? The man she’d fallen in love with and wanted to spend a lifetime of happiness with, only to have it taken away? Gavin was nothing like Sebastian. She trusted Gavin. He was an honorable, honest man. He had feelings for her. He said he wanted to get to know her, when others in the community had given up on her. And at this moment he was probably out in the storm where something terrible might happen to him. Would anyone feel the need to call her?
She pulled her cell phone from her purse to dial Gavin’s number when the office phone rang. Startled, she dropped her cell in her lap, then quickly picked up the ringing phone on her desk and prayed. Dear Lord, let Gavin and his crew be safe!
“Nora? Eric, here. Gavin asked me to call to let you know he’s not going to be able to make dinner tonight.”
“Is he all right? What happened?”
“He’s fine. As we all are. A snafu out on the water this afternoon.”
“Is anyone hurt? What happened, Eric?”
“Don’t have time to fill you in. Things escalated today, and we had to call in the Coast Guard.”
“Eric. Is anyone hurt? How is Gavin? Where is he?” She wanted to scream but controlled her emotions, hoping Eric would get to the point and tell her what had happened.
“Nora. Calm down. Gavin is okay. He’ll fill you in later. I have to go.”
“Eric. Where. Is. Gavin?”
Silence on the other end of the line. The urge to scream grew stronger. At least she’d gotten a phone call. But Eric hadn’t really told her anything and had disconnected the call. The urge to jump in her car and rush to Gavin’s side was overwhelming. But where would she rush to? Damn! Was she about to lose at love again due to a storm out on the Atlantic?
She snatched a tissue from the end of her desk and mopped up tears she hadn’t realized she’d been shedding. A sob escaped. So much for status quo. She’d stepped over the line and trusted in love again, and it might be too late.
Before she talked herself out of it, she reached for the phone again, pulled it across the desk, and punched in Bethany’s number. Beth’s husband, Ed, was a cop. Cops knew everything when there was a disaster. Ed would know what was going on, where Gavin was, and if he was okay. And Ed would tell Bethany.
“Bethany, Nora here,” she hiccupped. “I’m calling to find out what’s going on with Gavin. He went out on the boat this afternoon to do more research, and something happened. Eric called, but he didn’t give me any particulars. What’s going on?”
“I was about to call you.”
That was a surprise. As was Bethany’s caring tone of voice. And the fact Gavin’s sister thought to call her indicated Gavin might have talked to his family about their relationship, as he’d intimated.
She was holding on by a thin thread, her fingers tight around the receiver.
“Do you know anything?”
“First, Gavin is fine. There was a brief encounter with another boat while Gavin was diving. With the storm and the boat kicking up waves, Gavin had a hard time surfacing and getting back on board. He has minor injuries, nothing serious. Al radioed for the Coast Guard, who then called in backup, and I guess all hell broke loose. Ed said everyone’s back on shore. After a brief chase, the authorities apprehended the culprits. Gavin, Eric, and Al are being detained in order to give evidence. That’s all I know.”
“Thanks, Beth. I appreciate you letting me know. I’ve been worried, knowing he was out on his boat in this storm.”
“Glad I could set your mind at ease. I know we didn’t get off to a very good start, Nora, but if Gavin is serious about a relationship with you, I don’t want to interfere. Family is important to him, to us.”
Wow! Coming from Bethany, that was a major concession. Although, knowing how straightforward the entire family was, she wasn’t totally surprised.
“I appreciate your honesty.”
“While I’m being honest, you should know Gavin was devastated when his wife Celina died. He blamed himself for not being there when she needed him. He hasn’t felt worthy of being able to care for someone else since. Lord knows I’ve tried to change his mind. But it hasn’t worked. So for him to want a relationship with you must mean he’s serious and willing to commit. Don’t break his heart.”
Again, wow!
“Thanks for sharing. Just so you know, I don’t intend to be the one to break his heart.”
“Good to know. I’m sure he’ll be in touch as soon as he can.”
Nora hung up and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She snatched another tissue and blew her nose. She had to get out of the office. Do something, other than sit around waiting to hear from Gavin. And heaven only knew how long that was going to take.
Deciding to finish packing the last of the items from the cottage and take them to her new home, Nora shut the office for the afternoon. There was an hour left, and things had been slow.
Unfortunately, Chuck was outside when she arrived at the cottage. There was no way she was going to escape a confrontation with him this time. Instead of waiting for him to approach, she took a deep breath, and deciding to stand her ground, hands on
hips, headed his way.
“Listen, Chuck. I’ve had it with your innuendoes. If you don’t cease and desist harassing me, I’m going to call the cops. Something I should have done a long time ago.”
Chuck came to a screeching halt in the middle of the yard, his hand outstretched, held up in a stop sign as if he were afraid she would accost him. “Never meant any harm, there, Nora. You know I was just flirting with you.”
“It was more than flirting, and you know it.”
“Well, I thought you’d be a bit willing to share what you’d been sharing with Sebastian. Sorry if I read the situation wrong.”
“I’ve never given you any reason, at any time, to give you the idea I was, or ever would be, interested in you, and you know it. Now. Back. Off!”
“Now, Nora…”
“The final check for the rent is in the mail. I’ll leave the key on the kitchen counter when I leave.”
She turned, strode into the house, and slammed the door behind her. For good measure, she locked the door just in case Chuck decided to follow her. She waited half a second, then peered through the window to make sure he hadn’t followed her. She quickly began to round up last-minute items, before taking one more quick check around the house to make sure nothing was left behind.
Thankfully Chuck was nowhere in sight when she returned to her car. Not wasting time, she loaded the last two banker boxes into the trunk, and without a backward glance, backed the car out of the drive and drove to her new home. Relief washed over her like a cleansing shower. Despite her worries, she couldn’t help but smile as she left her past behind, something she should have done long ago.
Beside herself with worry about Gavin and having dealt with the confrontation with Chuck, she wanted nothing more than to have someone to talk to, someone to hold her, tell her everything was going to be okay. She missed her grandmother’s loving arms. Arms she needed right now.
