Devlin

by Barbara Freethy

  "Really? I've never heard you talk like this."

  "And you probably wish I'd had this epiphany a long time ago." He gave her a sad look. "I'm sorry for breaking up our family, Hannah. I don't know if I ever said that to you."

  Her eyes blurred with tears. "I appreciate you saying it now, but I know there were two sides."

  "There were. But my devotion to work was a big part of our problems. In retrospect, I realized I used work as an escape from the unhappiness I could feel in both your mother and me, and then it became the breaking point. I don't know how much you're working these days, Hannah, but I suspect your hours have gotten longer since your breakup with Gary."

  "That might be true."

  "Work is important, especially if you love it, if it brings you joy. But don't make my mistakes. Don't use your job as an escape or a hideout. The years go fast. You don't want to wake up one day and wonder what the hell you're doing and why you spent so much time caring about things that don't matter."

  "Is that how you feel, Dad?"

  "Today…a little bit."

  "Is there anything I can do?"

  "You're doing it. You're here. Want to share some rocky road ice cream with me?"

  Considering she'd had cake at the party, she should probably say no, but she hadn't had this personal of a conversation with her dad since she was a teenager. "Sounds perfect."

  Chapter Eleven

  Nothing was quite right, Devlin thought, as he drove downtown Saturday afternoon. It hadn't been right for the last three days, ever since he'd messed up his evening with Hannah.

  Why had he kicked her out? Why had he jumped so far ahead? Why hadn't he just let himself enjoy her company?

  He knew why. Because being with Hannah had put all kinds of bad ideas into his head, ideas that he didn't normally have about women. He preferred things simple, fun, uncomplicated. While Hannah might be fun, she was not simple or uncomplicated.

  Unfortunately, kicking Hannah out had not put an end to his ideas. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. He'd looked for her and Frank out on the ocean, hoping to catch a glimpse of them in the Daisy Mae, but there had been no sign of them. And every time he saw a blonde walking along the street, he'd done a double-take. But, somehow, he'd made it to Saturday without seeing her. It seemed unbelievable. King Harbor wasn't that big. She had to be avoiding him.

  Blowing out a frustrated breath, he wished he could take his restlessness out to the sea, but he'd promised to check in on his grandmother while his dad was out of town. He'd done that earlier in the day, and now he was headed to the Bickmore Hotel for tea with Fiona. He needed to put his tense emotions aside for at least the next few hours.

  After parking behind the hotel, he met his grandmother in the grand lobby. The hotel décor was vintage luxury: gleaming hardwood floors, antique furniture, and art from the Roaring Twenties.

  Fiona stood by the hostess station. She'd had her silvery-white hair styled, and she was looking happy in a soft pink floral dress.

  "Right on time. I've always liked that about you, Devlin." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, then wiped off the smudge her bright-pink lipstick had left with a smile. "And I also like that you're willing to take your old grandmother to tea when I'm sure you'd rather be on the ocean."

  "Not at all. I'm looking forward to this." He gave her his arm. "May I escort you in?"

  "Yes, you may."

  They were seated at a table by the window, overlooking the gardens. The tables were about half-full and most of the diners were women, with only a few men sprinkled in. He knew his father hated tea at the Bickmore, but it was something his grandmother and mother enjoyed quite a bit. His grandmother was no doubt missing his mother a great deal. During the summer months in King Harbor, they spent a lot of time together. He needed to make sure she wasn't lonely.

  "I hope you like tea, Devlin," she said, with a twinkle in her eyes. "Or if you need a little kick in it, I have a flask in my purse."

  "Nana. You should not be carrying around a flask."

  "At my age, I can do anything I want."

  "That must feel freeing."

  She tilted her head, giving him a speculative look. "What don't you feel free to do?"

  "Oh, I don't know. I didn't mean anything by my words."

  "Words always mean something."

  Fortunately, he didn't have to come up with a better answer, because the waitress was at their table. The older woman ran through their tea options in great detail. He'd had no idea there were so many variations of tea. When his grandmother ordered green jasmine tea, he did the same, hoping it would taste good. But his preference for a caffeinated hot beverage was coffee, black and strong, no sugar or cream.

  "So, Devlin, how is it going at the Boatworks without your right-hand man?" his grandmother asked.

  "Not well. News is getting out that Frank may be done, and I've had to talk two customers out of pulling their orders for new boats."

  "Why don't you hire him back?"

  "Because Dad fired him."

  "Which was petty, but it's your company, Devlin."

  "Under the umbrella of Blackthorne Enterprises. But I reminded Dad that he'd promised me autonomy. I threatened to quit if he isn't willing to hire Frank back."

  "What happened?"

  "He went back to Boston, and I don't have an answer."

  "Your father can be quite contrary, you know. He's been that way since he was a little boy. If I told him I didn't want him to do something, he couldn't do anything else."

  "I can't even picture Dad as a little boy."

  "Well, he was just as stubborn and opinionated but a lot shorter," she said. "But your father also has a big heart and a soft side that he doesn't like to show. He thinks it will make him look weak. But it's still there, Devlin. He's very upset about your mother."

  "Then why doesn't he talk to her?"

  "I have a feeling he doesn't know what to say."

  He shook his head. "I think it's more that he doesn't want to address her issues."

  "Probably both. But you'll have to let your parents work out their own problems."

  "Don't worry, I will. I have enough problems with my dad."

  "Well, he's coming home tomorrow night. I spoke to him a short while ago."

  "Good. Have you also spoken to my mother?"

  "No. I've been hoping she'd contact me. I miss Claire. She's a daughter to me."

  "I miss her, too. I've been trying to respect her need for space from all of us by not texting her or calling her, but I also worry that she'll think I don't care."

  "She knows you care. She loves you, Devlin. She loves all of her kids, not just her sons, but also her nephews. This isn't about any of you. She turned sixty; she feels at a crossroads. She's wondering how she's going to live the rest of her life, and my son has been a blind idiot. Hopefully, he will come to his senses, and they will both figure out how they can continue being happy together."

  "I thought they were happy. Mom has always been a great complement to Dad. They were a good team. This threw me."

  "It surprised all of us. But change can be good."

  "I hope so." His eyes widened as the waitress set down a spectacular four-tiered tray filled with sandwiches, wraps, and sweets. "I didn't realize this was part of afternoon tea."

  "I thought you'd like it."

  As he waited for the waitress to pour his tea, his gaze caught on a trio of young women entering the room, especially the pretty blonde in the middle of the group. His heart thudded against his chest. He'd forgotten that Hannah had agreed to have tea with Jessica and Caroline today.

  Hannah looked amazing in an off-the-shoulder floral dress, falling over her bare shoulders in beautiful waves. As the women were escorted through the room by the hostess, they passed by his table.

  Hannah's blue eyes widened when she saw him. "Devlin," she said, coming to an abrupt stop. "I didn't expect to see you here."

  He got to his feet, his smile encompassing al
l three women. "I got an invitation from a very special woman—my grandmother, Fiona Blackthorne. Nana, I think you've met some of these ladies before."

  "Jessica and Caroline, yes," his grandmother said, then turned to Hannah with a quizzical look in her eyes. "I think I know you, too, dear."

  "I'm Hannah Reid, Mrs. Blackthorne."

  "Oh, my goodness, Hannah, of course. You're Frank's daughter. I remember you when you were a little girl."

  "It's nice to see you again," Hannah said.

  "You, too. I hope you'll give my regards to your dad, although I'm sure he's not too happy with any of us these days."

  "I'll let him know you said hello. We better get to our table," Hannah added, giving him a quick look that couldn't mask the longing and uncertainty in her gaze.

  He sucked in a breath, wondering if she knew just how much she'd revealed. But she quickly turned away and followed Caroline and Jessica to their table.

  When he sat down and turned back to his grandmother, he had a feeling he'd just revealed too much as well.

  "So, it's like that," she said with a knowing gleam.

  "It's nothing."

  "Oh, I think it's something."

  "Hannah is furious with me that her father was fired."

  "That might be, but the sparks I saw had nothing to do with anger."

  "You are imagining things."

  "And you are a terrible liar. What's Hannah like?" she asked with interest.

  He thought about the best way to describe her. "She's smart, bold, and pushy. She doesn't back down from a fight, not when she's fighting for someone she loves, that's for sure."

  "I respect that in a person."

  "I do, too."

  "How long will she be in town?"

  That was a loaded question. "Probably not long enough," he admitted.

  Fiona gave him a soft smile. "Well, you might have to do something about that, Devlin. You're not getting any younger."

  He laughed. "You did not just say that, Nana."

  "Well, it's true. So, what are you going to do?"

  "Nothing. Hannah lives in Austin, Texas. She's only staying in town long enough to sail with her father and try to beat me in the race."

  "They're racing against you? Oh, my. Your father will not like that."

  "I'm trying to use it as incentive to get Dad to race with me."

  "That's an excellent plan. And it sounds to me like you have at least another week to convince Hannah to extend her stay."

  "You mean uproot her entire life? It's not going to happen."

  "It could happen. You know what I've always admired about you, Devlin? When you see what you want, you go after it. You can be relentless."

  "I didn't say I wanted Hannah. I barely know her."

  "But you know she's special. You should find out if there's something there that you want to fight for. The worst thing you can have in life is regret for missing an opportunity. I don't want you to regret anything. In the meantime, try the olive sandwich; it's amazing."

  "Olive sandwich, huh?" He was happy with the change of subject but not so excited about the mini-sandwich his grandmother was offering him.

  "It's a tapenade. You'll love it. Have I ever steered you wrong?"

  He laughed. "I guess you haven't."

  "Then eat. Hannah is not going anywhere—at least not yet."

  Hannah tried really hard not to turn her head, but out of the corner of her eye she could still see Devlin. She couldn't believe he was here. She'd been avoiding the docks and the Yacht Club for the last few days, so she wouldn't run into him, but she'd thought tea at the Bickmore was safe. But no, there he was, looking so handsome and sexy with his brown hair falling over his eyebrows and his expressive brown eyes that revealed far more than he probably knew. And to make him even more endearing, he was having tea with his grandmother. How sweet was that?

  She picked up her cup and sipped her tea, focusing on Jessica and Caroline, who had been talking wedding dresses for the last ten minutes.

  "I'm sorry," Caroline said suddenly, giving her an apologetic look. "This has to be boring for you, Hannah. I was just so excited to find the dress I wanted right here in town, at the only bridal boutique within a hundred miles. It was shocking. I thought for sure I'd have to go down to Boston or New York."

  "It was meant to be."

  "I think it was," Caroline agreed. "I've been feeling that way about a lot of things lately. It's like the universe is giving me sign after sign that I'm on the right path. Planning this wedding has been surprisingly easy."

  "I don't think that’s the universe," Jessica said dryly. "I've been helping."

  "Oh, I know, but I was walking out of the bakery and saw the perfect dress in the window display. And then I crossed the street to put money in my meter, and I saw a flyer in the travel agency for a resort in Antigua, where I have always wanted to go, and they were featuring a honeymoon package for 50 percent off. How big a coincidence is that? What do you think, Hannah? Do you believe in signs? Or in fate?"

  "Not really. I think we make our own destiny."

  "I agree," Jessica said. "We all choose the lives we want to live. And even if we don't make a choice, that's a choice."

  "That's true," Caroline said. "But sometimes there are signs, and we need to be receptive to them. If we keep going, with our heads down, never looking up or around, we'll miss them."

  For some reason, Caroline's words resonated deep within her. She'd been on one path for a long time. Not even Gary had been a detour from that path. He'd been a real estate attorney. They'd talked a lot about properties and deals. He'd lined up perfectly with her life. But now she was here in King Harbor, nowhere she'd planned to be, and suddenly everything seemed up in the air.

  Was she meant to go home and get back on the path? Or was it time to forge a new trail?

  The questions ran around in her head as their conversation moved on to less thoughtful topics. Sipping tea and sharing crustless sandwiches and decadent scones with two girls she'd grown up with felt remarkably comfortable and pretty wonderful.

  She had friends in Austin, but they weren't like these girls. They didn't remember her when she was a child. They didn't have stories to share about teachers and neighbors, and kids she'd grown up with. And those stories made her miss King Harbor more, made her wish she could have stayed here instead of leaving with her mother.

  However, it was pointless to go down that road. Her mother's choices had changed her life, and they hadn't all been bad. She'd longed to live with her dad, but her mother had done her best to fill that empty space. She'd been very attentive, and they'd been close through the years. But now she was starting to realize that she'd gone from living her father's life to living her mother's life. She probably would have lived Gary's life if he hadn't broken up with her. It was time to choose what she wanted for herself—all on her own.

  She couldn't help noticing when Devlin and his grandmother left their table. Not just because he was no longer lurking in the corner of her eye, but because his grandmother's infectious laugh no longer flowed through the room.

  She didn't know Fiona, but she'd always seemed like a sparkly and fun person. But then, all the Blackthornes were bigger than life. She'd always envied the family, not for their money or their power, but for all the love she'd seen between them.

  The brothers and cousins had ruled King Harbor in her youth, and while they might have been wild boys, they'd also been good guys. They'd had tragedy in their lives. The cousins had lost their parents. The brothers had lost their aunt and uncle. But the kids had all been truly loved, which was certainly a tribute to Claire and Graham, as much as she didn't want to give Graham any credit.

  As an only child, she'd wished desperately for a sibling, especially when her parents were fighting. It would have been great to have someone in the middle alongside her, someone she could talk to, who would understand what it felt like to watch your parents splitting apart. Thankfully, she'd had her girlfriends. It ha
dn't been the same, but it had definitely helped.

  "This was great," Jessica said, as they paid their bill. "It's so nice to have you here, Hannah. You should come back more often."

  "Definitely for my wedding at the end of summer," Caroline said.

  "And for mine next fall," Jessica added.

  "Looks like I'll be making a lot of trips here."

  "Or you could just stay," Caroline suggested. "We have realty companies here, you know. And there are lots of new homes going up. King Harbor is even more popular than it used to be, so the prices are going up, up, and up."

  "Something to think about," Jessica put in. "Real estate aside, we still have the incredible ocean in our backyard, and that's hard to beat."

  "I will think about it. I've actually been feeling like a change would be good for me. But it's a big decision. Shall we go?"

  They made their way out of the hotel, saying good-bye in the lobby, with hugs all around, and then Jessica and Caroline headed to their cars, while she decided to walk around the downtown before heading home. It was four o'clock now, and there were plenty of tourists out and about on a Saturday afternoon.

  As her friends had said, King Harbor had definitely grown since she'd been a kid. There were more high-end boutiques, restaurants boasting both farm-to-table and sea-to-table selections, gourmet markets offering organic foods, gift shops, antiques, and a fabulous two-story bookstore with reading groups for both adults and kids. The Center Theater where Caroline worked was still in the town square but had seen a massive remodel, and next to it was a new Irish pub touting after-theater Irish coffees.

  She meandered in and out of the stores for over an hour, enjoying the fact that there was so much more shopping now. If all these boutiques had been here a decade ago, her mother might have stayed.

  When she saw the sign for Mendelson Realty, her steps slowed. There were a number of flyers on the display window, and she paused to look at a two-bedroom cottage located on the ocean bluff. Her pulse leapt. It was one of the houses she'd seen from Devlin's boat the other day. The diamond-paned windows glittered in the light, and the veranda with Adirondack chairs overlooking the sea, as well as the lush garden complete with a trickling rock waterfall, was right out of her dreams.