She'd missed him the last few years when their visits had dwindled to meeting up for a night somewhere at Christmas or New Year's and the occasional weekend, usually at some location where her father was delivering a boat. Now, she had at least a couple of weeks to reconnect.
As she neared the harbor, she could see boats motoring in and out of their slips, and out on the water were more than a few brightly colored sails. She wondered if Devlin was out on the ocean today, or if he was dealing with a whisky hangover. She suspected he and his brothers had had a few more drinks after she'd left the Vault. It had definitely been the night for it.
She crossed the street in front of the King Harbor Yacht Club, which was housed in a two-story white stucco building, with massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the harbor. The Yacht Club had been founded by Devlin's grandfather—Graham the first. He'd also been the one to start the Boatworks. Devlin's father, Graham the second, and his Uncle Mark had worked at the Boatworks during the summers when they were in high school. But Mark had gone on to become a lawyer and Graham had become more interested in expanding Blackthorne Enterprises to encompass a number of different businesses, each adding more and more to the bottom line.
While Devlin had worked at the Boatworks during the summer, he had become its manager five years ago when the former manager, Bill Walker, had retired. According to her dad, Devlin had done a great job building the business and the brand of Blackthorne boats, but sometimes she thought her father gave him too much credit. But that was her dad; he'd always been more comfortable behind the scenes, and with Devlin in charge, her father had been able to concentrate on what he liked most—design and construction.
She couldn't imagine what Devlin would do without her dad's creativity and expertise, but he was going to find out. Just like he would find out how it felt to lose to her father instead of win with him.
She entered the building with an eager step, moving past the restaurant and bar, which were busy with Sunday brunch, and jogging up the stairs to the administrative offices. In the reception area, she was greeted with the warm brown eyes of Grace Varney.
"Mrs. Varney?"
"Oh, my goodness—Hannah. You're back." Grace got to her feet and came around the counter to give her a hug. "How are you?"
"I'm very well, thanks. And you?"
"I'm great. Your father must be over the moon that you're home. Although, you probably don't still think of King Harbor as home, but we still think of you as one of us. Jessica would love to see you. How long will you be in town?"
"Probably until Memorial Day."
"You know what—we're having a birthday party for Jessica on Wednesday night in the banquet room here. It starts at seven. Why don't you come by?"
"I wouldn't want to intrude," she said hesitantly.
"You would not be intruding. You know how parties are at our house—the more the merrier. Please say you'll come. I won't take no for an answer."
She laughed. "Then I'll say yes. It sounds like fun."
"Wonderful. Now what can I do for you?"
"My dad and I have decided to race together Memorial Day weekend."
"Really?" Grace asked in surprise. "But won't Frank be on the Blackthorne boat with Devlin? They're the odds-on favorite to win again this year."
"My father and I will actually be racing on another boat."
"Another boat? But why? Your father builds the Blackthorne boats. And from what I hear, the Wind Warrior is top of the line."
"That's all true, but this year will be different," she said vaguely, quite sure her father didn't want her talking about the termination of his employment. Hopefully, he'd be back at his job before anyone heard about it. "Can we still enter?"
"Of course." Grace moved back around the counter, then paused, speculation in her eyes. "I've heard a few rumors about the Blackthornes letting Frank go, but I don't want to believe they are true."
"It's a complicated situation. I don't think my dad wants me talking about it."
"Well, I hope they work it out."
"Me, too, but in the meantime, I'm looking forward to racing with my dad."
Grace pulled a paper out of the file folder. "Here's the entry form. Fill it out, pay the fee and you're set."
"Great."
She spent a few minutes filling out the form, then handed over her credit card. While Grace completed the transaction, her gaze moved toward the window overlooking the docks. She stiffened when she saw Devlin talking to another man. He wore faded jeans and a T-shirt that clung to his broad shoulders, and her stomach did a little flip-flop at the sight of him.
Devlin laughed at something the other man said, then gave a wave and headed down the ramp. Was he going for a sail? Maybe taking out the Wind Warrior for a test run? Her father had mentioned that they'd planned on putting the boat in the water this weekend.
After taking her receipt from Grace, she headed back down the stairs and outside. Instead of returning to the Palmer's boathouse, she moved around the building. If Devlin had the Wind Warrior in a slip, she'd like to take a closer look. She told herself she was just sizing up the competition; it had nothing to do with wanting to see Devlin again. But that was too big of a lie for even her to believe.
She found Devlin on the deck of a sleek and sophisticated boat. When he saw her, he gave her a sexy grin. "Well, look who's here."
"I was at the Yacht Club signing up for the race."
"I guess your dad found a boat."
"Yes. I hope you won't be too disappointed with second place."
He laughed. "You're very confident, Hannah."
"Something wrong with that?"
"Not at all. Whose boat will you be sailing?"
"Not your business."
"I'll find out soon enough."
"Then that's when you'll find out." She didn't particularly want to hear his opinion of the Daisy Mae's chances against the Wind Warrior, because her dad was right. This boat would be tough to beat. It had all the bells and whistles anyone could want, and probably some features that no one but her dad and Devlin had thought about.
"Want to come aboard?" he asked.
"I should probably get back."
"You know you want to see the boat."
She hesitated, not liking the knowing gleam in his brown eyes, but he was right. "I'm a little curious," she admitted.
He extended his hand, and as she moved up the stairs, his warm fingers curling around hers, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her. When she hit the deck, she stepped away as quickly as she could, trying to calm her suddenly racing heart.
Devlin gave her a look that told her he knew exactly how she was feeling.
She turned her gaze away from him, trying to focus on the boat. The Wind Warrior was branded as a B40, referencing the Blackthorne brand and the forty-foot size. Even on first glance, it was easy to see that every detail was designed to provide both comfort in cruising and speed in racing.
The cockpit was uncluttered, the large 48" wheel, allowing the helmsman and mainsheet trimmer to sit side-by-side upwind. The rigging was simple and clean, with lines leading to winches on either side of the companionway. The main sheet was double-ended with a winch on either side of the cockpit so that the mainsheet trimmer could sit outboard.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"She's very pretty."
"Yes, she is. Now, I need to see how fast she can fly."
"I should let you get to it."
"Why don't you come with me, Hannah?"
The invitation was both unexpected and very tempting. "Aren't you afraid I'll see too much, now that I'm your competition?"
"Since your father built every inch of this boat, there are no secrets. When's the last time you were out on the water?"
"Probably five years," she admitted.
"That sounds like a lifetime to me."
"It actually feels that way to me, too. I've been meaning to get back to King Harbor for a while, but I got busy with work, and I
never seemed to find the time."
"Well, now is the perfect time for a sail. Are you really going to turn me down, Hannah?"
How on earth could she say no to the sexy lure of not only Devlin but also the ocean? "All right. I'll go," she said, hoping she wouldn't regret it.
"Great. It will give me a chance to see how good you are."
"So, you do have an ulterior motive." Now that he'd reminded her that her skills were about to be shown, she was plagued with doubts. She was rusty and if he saw that, it could give him an edge. Although, in reality, it was her father he had to beat. She'd be doing whatever her dad told her to do.
Devlin jumped off the boat, releasing the lines and then pushing off before he jumped back on board to take the helm.
As they motored their way through the harbor, she was surprised by how many boats were in port. "It's crowded," she commented.
"The racers come earlier and earlier every year. For this event, we already have a record number of boats competing. That's why I was wondering what boat your dad had found."
"Like I said, you'll have to keep wondering."
He grinned. "I hope it's not the Daisy Mae. I know Howard is in Africa right now. That old lady wouldn't be able to touch this girl."
"It's not just about the boat."
"That's what your father always tells me."
"It's true."
"Your dad is an incredible racer. His instincts are amazing."
"Getting nervous?"
"It will be a challenge," he admitted.
"Who will you race with?"
"I'm not sure yet. I'm hoping to get one of my brothers or cousins on board, but so far, they have all said no. They came for the party but left early today to get back to their lives."
"What are they all doing?" she asked curiously.
"My oldest brother Trey and my cousin Brock live and work in Boston. Trey is executive vice president of operations and Brock is senior vice president of brand management for Blackthorne Enterprises."
"That sounds very official."
"They are both following in my father's footsteps. My brother Ross is not. He races stock cars in Kentucky, although I think my dad is pressuring him to work in the distillery there."
"What about Logan?"
"He seems to be jumping around a lot. He's learning various parts of the business but hasn't committed yet to what he wants to do or where he wants to be. He still puts having a good time over just about everything else."
"That's the way I remember him. He was always a lot of fun. And your other two cousins?"
"Phillip lives in DC. He runs a non-profit org that sends kids who have suffered a tragic loss in their lives to camp."
"Like he and his brothers did when your aunt and uncle died."
He nodded, a somber look in his eyes. "That was a horrible time."
She was sorry she'd dragged him back to that memory. "And last but not least…"
His smile returned. "That would be Jason. He lives in LA and runs Blackthorne Entertainment. He is currently producing a detective TV series that just started airing. He's actually scouting locations for the second season here in King Harbor, but he says he can't commit to the race and that I'd be a fool to want him on the boat," he said dryly. "He knows his strengths and apparently doesn't feel that sailboat racing is one of them."
"That's honest. It would be cool to see the town on television."
"I'm not sure King Harbor is ready for the Hollywood crowd, but I suppose it would bring in more business, which is always good."
"True. It does sound like everyone in your family is too busy to sail with you, Devlin. What about your dad? Would you ever race with him?"
"He hasn't raced since my Uncle Mark died. Although, he might appreciate the incentive of beating your father."
"If he's on your boat, my dad will have even more incentive to beat you."
"Well, I wouldn't get too excited. I don't think my dad will get on this boat. He's never said yes to me before."
There was an odd note in Devlin's voice that made her curious. "Are you and your father close?"
He gave a short laugh. "No. We rarely see eye to eye on anything."
"Then how do you work for him?"
"We don't work together. I only agreed to run the Boatworks because he usually has nothing to do with it, but, as we both know now, your father's termination was not about the business." He paused. "I spoke to my dad again this morning, Hannah. He told me to stay out of it. I'm sorry, but at the moment there's nothing else I can do. My dad is reeling from my mom's abrupt departure, and your dad is tangled up in that."
"I know," she admitted. "I'm disappointed, but I understand that you're caught in the middle."
He flung her a quick look. "I'm glad. Your father might have better luck if he talks to my dad himself."
"He won't do that. He says he is not going to beg for his job when he didn't do anything wrong."
"Looks like we have a stalemate, at least for the moment. Why don't we forget about our obstinate parents for a while?"
"That sounds like a great idea." Turning her head, her gaze swept the shoreline, loving the sight of all the colorful houses tucked into the hills overlooking the water. "I always wanted to live in one of those homes."
"They're nice," he agreed.
"My mom used to take me to open houses on the weekends when we lived here. Even then she was fascinated with real estate, but, of course, we had no money to buy anything. And my dad was happy to live in the two-bedroom house three blocks away from the Boatworks that he lives in now."
"It is convenient."
"Yes, but those houses are so pretty, and the views are spectacular. I wonder how much they sell for now."
"Probably more than they did when you were a kid. Why? Are you thinking of buying one?"
"No. Although, I have been saving money to buy a house. I just haven't found anything that I love. Nothing is quite right. My mother says that's because I still want a house at the beach; she's not completely wrong."
"So why don't you live at the beach?"
"There is no ocean beach in Austin, and lakes don't quite do it for me."
"You could always come back to King Harbor."
"I have a life in Austin now. King Harbor is my past."
"Right now, it's your present," he said with a smile.
"For the next two weeks, but then I go back to reality."
"Well, since reality is still days away and we're now in open water, why don't we let this baby run?"
"Sounds good," she said. "Show me what you've got."
"Right back at you," he said.
She laughed. "It's your boat. You're in charge."
"Words I never thought I'd hear you say."
"Don't get used to it."
For the next thirty minutes, they worked together in easy accord. Devlin was quick, agile, and calmly efficient. He gave orders with a smile that sent tingles down her spine. And as they worked the sails and rode the waves, she felt incredibly happy. With the sun on her head and the wind at her back, she felt transported back in time to days spent out on the ocean with her dad. On the water, everything had seemed possible, and problems had floated far away. She'd missed this feeling of freedom, of being untethered, of flying across the sea.
And when she looked at Devlin, she saw the same pure joy in his eyes. Muscles rippling, his body powering the sails, he was completely in his element. He'd been born for this, and he'd found a way to combine passion and business.
She almost felt bad about wanting to beat him—almost. Because as much as he loved this boat, she had a feeling her father loved it just as much.
He turned his head and met her gaze. "What?" he asked.
"You look like a kid in a candy shop."
"The sea is my candy shop. I love it out here. I think you love it, too."
"I do," she admitted.
"What do you think about the Wind Warrior?"
"She might be the best boat my
father ever built."
He grinned. "Probably. Getting worried about your chances?"
"I'm sure you'd like that, but no."
"You're good, too, Hannah. I should have expected that. Your father was your teacher."
"Yes, he was. My happiest childhood memories are of us sailing together."
"Did your mother like to sail?"
"Not at all. And the more she resented my dad's devotion to boat building, the more she grew to dislike boats. I don't think she's been out on the water in years."
"Did she marry again?"
"She did—four years ago. Her husband is a contractor, and he's a good man. He treats her well." She paused. "Have you heard any more from your mother?"
"No. I was thinking about texting her, but maybe I should give her some space."
"Maybe. It has only been a day."
"True. Do you want to take the wheel?"
"You're giving up control?"
"I can give up control, especially when there's a beautiful woman involved."
She laughed. "That's a good line. How many times have you said that?"
"I can't remember ever saying it."
"Sure," she said, moving in behind the wheel. She'd thought Devlin would take a step back, but he remained right behind her, so close she could feel the heat of his body. "You must not trust me if you have to hover." She turned her head, feeling the warmth of his breath on her cheek.
"It's not that I don't trust you," he murmured.
"Then what is it?"
"I like being close to you."
She shivered at his words. "You're a big flirt, Devlin." Distracted, the boat shifted, and she stumbled.
He slid his hands onto her waist to steady her, but then he left them there. If she leaned back, she'd be right up against his very muscular chest. She blew out a breath. "Maybe you should take over again."
"You're doing fine. You're just distracted."
"Because you're distracting me," she retorted.
"If you really want me to move away, I will. Or…" He reached past her and put the boat on autopilot. "We could see where this attraction could go…"
He turned her around, and she felt incredibly torn.
Then Devlin moved forward, putting his hands back on her waist, his gaze questioning as he leaned in, and for the life of her she could not find the will to say no.
Devlin Page 6
