With This Pledge (Windswept Bay Book 8)

by Debra Clopton

  He was serious she could tell. She liked that he was as blunt as she was. He was getting more and more irresistible with every passing moment.

  He took a bite of his burger and chewed, watching her reaction to what he’d said.

  She took another bite and then a drink of her water. Finally, she smiled. “You don’t take no for an answer, do you?”

  “No, not when I’m on a mission. I know I’m supposed to accept it, but I can’t help it. I’d say I want to take you skydiving or hiking or somewhere a little more adventurous than just a meal but I’m a little bit out of sorts at the moment and it’s not a possibility. So I’m being realistic on that part.”

  She laughed. “You’re impossible. You drive a hard bargain but I’m just as stubborn as you are and the answer is no. I’ve fixed you this meal and shared this lovely evening to repay you for saving me this afternoon but that’s it. Now you’re going to take me home and then come home and get in your bed and rest. If you stay off it for a few days maybe, hopefully, when you get to that doctor next week, you’ll get a good report. You’ll get to keep doing what you love to do for a little longer and as far as I’m concerned, if that’s what you want, that’s not something that I can be a part of. Not even just for a date. And you need to understand that and accept it.”

  He frowned and she continued…she had to, maybe to reaffirm her stance to herself.

  “Yes, I am tempted, very tempted. I’m more tempted than I’ve ever been in my life to make an exception.” Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. “I’m honest but no, it can’t happen. So…” She rose and set her empty plate on the table. She needed to go home and she needed to go home now. Because hanging out with him was just going to make it worse

  Chapter Six

  A few days later, Kelsey was invited to Windswept Bay Resort for a girl’s night out with Lana, Jessica, and the Sinclair sisters. They were having a fun night and she had been invited by Lana and Jessica to come because everyone knew she hadn’t had time to make friends in town.

  She was enjoying getting to know people but so far most of the people she’d met at the stables were tourists. She was so grateful for the invitation. It was going to be great to hang out with women…friends. She had been missing hanging out with women her own age.

  She walked into the beautiful lobby of the resort with much anticipation. Lana had told her she would pick her up but Lana was teaching school and she didn’t want to make her drive all the way out to the stables. Cam was back in Texas at his ranch while Lana finished out her last couple of months teaching before they married. She hadn’t wanted to have the wedding until she could marry and move with him back to Texas. It was actually working out so that Kelsey was getting to know Lana and Jessica, and now she would spend more time with Max’s sisters.

  They waved as she walked past the reception area into the wide-open lobby of the beautiful resort with the winding staircase. Lana and Shar, one of the Sinclair triplets, stood at the base of the staircase. And as she approached, she saw Cali, the oldest Sinclair sister, and Jillian, a second triplet, coming down the stairs from the second floor. Jillian was pregnant and had a small baby bump beneath her sun dress. She looked completely radiant.

  She thought the resort offices were housed up there but she wasn’t certain. Lana came toward her and hugged her.

  “I’m so glad you came,” Lana said.

  “Thanks for inviting me.”

  Shar hugged her too. “It’s great you could join us. The more the merrier.”

  “I was more than ready to have some girl time,” Kelsey admitted.

  Shar and Lana agreed.

  From the back of the building, Olivia and Jessica entered just as Cali and Jillian reached the bottom of the stairs. Everyone greeted each other with laughter and hugs. They were all excited to hang out together for the evening.

  Kelsey felt blessed to be included.

  She noticed that Shar wore a colorful T-shirt that said Save a Sea Turtle. She admired Shar for the work she did with the Windswept Bay Sea Turtle Hospital and the foundation that she’d started with her husband Gage. She planned to go visit it soon.

  “I’m going to come out and ride at some point,” Shar said. “I just haven’t found the time yet. But I will be out soon to jog the beach in search of sea turtle nests, or clutches as they’re called. Bess used to always let me know if she spotted any. She always would put up the protective tape to warn people to stay away. I can come out and show you how to do that, if you don’t mind.”

  “I would love that. I have to be honest. I don’t know much about sea turtles since I’ve never lived near the ocean before.”

  “Shar is the one to show you how to do all that,” Jessica said. “She’s like Superwoman. She saves the day for a sea turtle all the time. Everyone told me that but now I know it’s true.”

  Shar laughed. “I do what I can to save a turtle.”

  “Yes, you do,” Cali said. “More than most.”

  “That’s true,” Jillian said.

  “I think that is wonderful,” Kelsey said. “I think it would be wonderful for the stable to foster some wild Mustangs.”

  “Oh, we should do that,” Lana said. “My brothers actually are involved in a program for saving wild Mustangs. I’ll ask Cam about us doing some here. They can use as much help as possible.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Shar said. “I’m all for saving the animals. Who runs that program?”

  “It’s the Bureau of Land Management,” Kelsey said. “I’ve always hoped there was a way for me to help them. But I’ve never actually owned land enough to help.”

  “We’re going to make it happen,” Lana said. “That beach is crying out for some American wild heritage to lope along its shoreline.”

  Everyone smiled at that and began talking excitedly. Kelsey liked everyone that much more. She had missed so much hanging out with friends.

  All of her life—before her dad died—she and her mom had moved from place to place, following him wherever the military sent him. She would make friends and then leave them behind. Because of this, she’d found it hard as an adult to ever really connect with many people for extended friendships. Her own career had moved her around a good bit. But now, here on Windswept Bay’s shores, she was excited about staying and setting down roots. All the more reason she didn’t want trouble to follow her here.

  This was her new beginning. Not just with her job but with her life. It was a place she knew in her heart she could settle and stay forever. She felt safe, or at least had felt safe until her ex-boss had shown up. And Cam Sinclair was one of the most outstanding and well-respected men she knew and the perfect boss. He was madly, deeply in love with Lana so she didn’t have to worry about any of the junk she’d had to worry about with her last job. This was the perfect setup for her.

  If only her jerk of an ex-boss didn’t do anything more to mess it up. Thankfully she hadn’t seen him anymore and that was a good thing.

  To her surprise, Max had called twice over the last few days, just to ask her whether everything was okay and to make sure her ex hadn’t bothered her anymore. She had thought that was nice of him for doing so and she had to admit that each time he called and each time she saw his name on her phone and then heard the sound of his voice, a thrill of anticipation hit her. It was different from the anticipation she’d felt about coming here to spend the evening out with girlfriends…it was so very different. Oh, she tried to tell herself it wasn’t happening but it was very clear that he had captured her interest. She was holding steady, staying strong, and had kept their conversations strictly about him checking on her safety and welfare. They had been friendly but he was respecting her wishes and there was no talk about dating or any of that.

  That didn’t stop her from thinking about it…nor had it stopped her from thinking about him. Nor had it stopped her from wondering all day long how his appointment at the doctor had gone today.

  Pushing that out of her mind, she tried not
to let it intrude on this moment. She couldn’t let herself get emotionally involved with Max and that meant she couldn’t have him on her mind constantly.

  “So shall we go to the patio?” Cali asked everyone. “They are holding a corner table on the patio for us overlooking the water. It should be a lovely night to sit and enjoy it and have a good time.”

  “Our own little world for the evening.” Olivia smiled.

  “Perfect,” Shar said and everybody agreed. They followed Cali out the back doors of the lobby. The area was beautiful, even in the diminishing sunlight; with the lights coming on, the landscaping was gorgeous.

  She couldn’t help remarking on it. “This resort is beautiful. The flowers are so lovely.”

  Shar grinned and pointed at Jillian. “That’s our Jillian. She has a green thumb—I have a black thumb. I think she stole my green part too, but I’m okay with that. Yep, she does all this. With the crew, but it all comes out of that pretty head of hers. I’ve always said we are very lucky to have her.”

  Jillian shook her head, looking embarrassed at her sister’s beaming compliments. “I love what I do and you know, it’s kind of like being an artist. I see it in my head and then reproduce it here. But it’s not just me. I have such a talented crew. I think you might have met Blair. She is our number-one employee; she’ll do anything she can to help out. But she’s my right-hand woman and helps keep everything running smoothly. She’s pregnant right now, too, and has to slow down a little bit. I don’t know what I’m going to do when she goes part-time for the first six months and then I do the same two months later.”

  “We will make it,” Cali said. “You and these two babies will be what’s important!”

  Immediately everyone started talking excitedly about the babies. They seemed as excited for their friend Blair and her husband Jax as they were for Jillian and her husband Ryan. Kelsey thought that was sweet and she loved how much they cared. There was a small hope that when she…if she…ever found love and was expecting a child that she would finally have true friends like these who would be thrilled for her. Kelsey just hadn’t realized how much she craved all of these connections.

  Or had realized exactly how isolated she’d become.

  Jillian explained that Jax owned the Lagoon Adventures in town and also worked with Cali’s husband as an artist. Cali’s husband was the world-famous sea life painter Grant Ellington. He traveled the world, painting huge sea life murals, and from what she understood, Jax went with him sometimes for bigger projects. Kelsey knew that to paint with Grant was an honor and it meant that Jax must be talented himself.

  Grant had given him a great opportunity. It made Kelsey think of the great opportunity that Cam was giving her. The opportunity to start over. Fresh.

  “So, we’re hoping Jillian’s baby has a green thumb like Jillian so the tradition can be carried on,” Olivia said.

  “I don’t have a green thumb.” Kelsey laughed. “But if I did, I never really have the time or take the time to plant much and really haven’t been in any place in a while where I could take the liberty of planting anything. I’m excited about being here working for Cam.” She looked at Lana. “I am so grateful for your fiancé and the opportunity that he’s given me. I’m loving getting to know all of you.”

  Lana gave her a quick hug. “Believe me, we are so grateful for you. Because of you, he can be in Texas and know that things will be great here.”

  It felt so good to be appreciated. It gave her a content feeling to know that she was appreciated and it was something that she had lacked for a long time.

  They ordered appetizers and drinks as the live singer in the corner of the deck played his guitar and sang old Beach Boy tunes and an array of other hit songs from the past. The atmosphere was perfect and the company excellent. As the sisters and sisters-in-law and soon-to-be sisters-in-law chattered happily, Kelsey couldn’t help but think that if she was ever going to be in a family unit, this would be a great family to marry into. The thought struck her out of the blue, startling her and sending her thoughts instantly back to Max.

  His handsome face filled her mind, and that dimple appeared as he smiled. Her chest fluttered and she groaned silently. The man invaded her thoughts and sent her heart pounding simply thinking about him. It was not a good thing for a gal determined not to get involved with a military man.

  What a cruel twist of fate.

  Still, as she sat there, she looked around and realized that none of his sisters knew the struggle that Max was going through right now. None of them knew that the career he loved and was so dedicated to, the life he had chosen and loved, could very well have ended for him today. With that thought in her mind, there was no way she could get him off her mind for the rest of the evening…no matter how much she knew she couldn’t get involved with him.

  Two days later, she hadn’t heard from him and she couldn’t help but worry that he was sitting home, hurting, and that he’d gotten bad news.

  Because of the guilt she felt over the whole incident, worrying about him was almost too much to take. She didn’t sleep much that night and when she woke, there was just no getting away from it…she had to go check on him.

  She took two separate groups riding on the beach. She loved riding her horse on the beach and listening to the excited chatter of the people in the group but her heart wasn’t in it. It was a beautiful sunny day: the white, pristine, sandy beach with water so beautiful and blue, glistening like jewels in the sparkling sunlight. The backdrop of swaying palm trees and beautiful native underbrush and a blue cloudless sky hanging above them…it was truly paradise. But today all she could think about was Max.

  She kept looking at her phone, thinking that he would call. It had been so long and maybe he would call and check up on her. But he didn’t.

  When the last tour was over, it was just after lunch and she could not stand it any longer. “Zack,” she called to one of the college students who worked for her. “I’m going to take the afternoon off. Can you handle it?”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  “Thanks.” She kept it short, not wanting him to ask any questions, and headed inside to grab a quick shower. She might be worried about Max but she wasn’t going to show up at his house smelling of horse. Thirty minutes later, she climbed into her truck and decided to call him before she reached his place. It would be better to do that than surprise him. But her call went unanswered and that solidified her decision to drive out there. Her gut told her something wasn’t right.

  She drove to town and on down the beach road that led to his place. When she reached his gate, it was, of course, locked. So she parked her truck, took the keys and then hopped over the fence. She walked down the lane and around the corner—and gasped. She hadn’t seen his place in the daylight. It was beautiful: a private cove with a small beach that had a small, faded red wooden boat turned upside down in the sand out of reach of the tide…but waiting to be turned over and taken for a ride.

  A handful of colorful deck chairs sat near it, also out of reach of the incoming tide. Max’s place might be small but it had loads of character. She smiled when she saw the cute, blue shack nestled into the trees. She expected Charlotte to run up as she approached and was surprised when the pig didn’t come out. It didn’t come around when she knocked on the door either. There was no pig and no Max. But his truck was there… She looked around, half expecting him to suddenly walk out of the tropical woods.

  Then she heard hammering. She turned in that direction, toward the trees. The land just past the bungalow went upward at a fairly steep angle, something she hadn’t seen in the darkness, even with the bright moon since the trees shadowed it. Her breath caught suddenly. There was a house up there.

  Or at least the beginnings of a house.

  Max was building a house.

  He’d told her he was improving the place and that he was doing all the work, which meant it took awhile—she hadn’t realized he hadn’t been talking about this little blue shack.
He’d been talking about this. What a project.

  She followed the path that led up to the house. It was beautiful, not finished but the exterior had come together and blended in with the trees. It was made of stone, wood, and glass. He would have an amazing view from this level, overlooking the water.

  There was no door yet and so she entered through the unframed doorway and looked toward the sound of hammering. She saw him across the room with his back to her. He was working on framing in a wall. He wore a tool belt, slung low on his jean-clad hips, and a dark-navy T-shirt. Charlotte sat at his feet, practically lounging on his boots as she watched his every move with interest.

  So did Kelsey. She took a step toward him and both he and Charlotte turned toward her, the man and his pig. Charlotte squealed, jump to her hooves and trotted toward Kelsey. Her little piggy tail did some serious shaking.

  Obviously Charlotte was happy to see her but Max wasn’t smiling.

  No, his expression told her exactly what she had been afraid to know.

  “I was worried about you.” She studied him as she rubbed Charlotte’s ears. “I thought I’d come check on you.”

  His jaw stiffened and his eyes shifted away.

  “So…how are you?” she asked, more determined than ever to make the stubborn man talk.

  He looked back at her. “It wasn’t good,” he said, with almost no emotion in his voice.

  That lack of emotion also told her how hard the news had been for him. “So you’re out? It’s over?”

  He gave a curt nod. “Yeah, and it’s the only decision they can make. Of course, they offered me a desk job, but I turned it down. I am taking the discharge. They say it’s the only thing that they could do…it really was the only option. I can’t be responsible for potentially hurting one of my team members. They put their lives in my hands, and I put my life in their hands. I would expect the same of them. It’s that cut-and-dried. Just like you pointed out.”