Tanner is the brother closest to my age. He’s a few years older than me and growing up I had a bond with him that I didn’t feel with the others. Not that I don’t love all my brothers, because I do.
“Thanks. I really love it here. I can’t wait for you to see the Inn. It’s nothing on the scale of what you work with every day, but I’m proud of what I’ve done. It was really rundown when I first got here.”
Tanner works with billion-dollar hotels; my inn isn’t going to impress him.
“How long can you stay?” I ask.
“I’m here untill opening day. I wish I could stay longer, but I’m needed back on site. Do you know where I might be able to get a room?”
I shift my eyes to his. “I think I can work something out.”
I pull down the now manicured and landscaped driveway and watch Tanner’s expression as the Inn comes into view. I hope he sees the same things I see. He takes it all in and I watch the smile grow on his face before he turns to me.
“Kimmie, this is beautiful. I can see your hand in everything from the flowers to the pillows on the rocking chairs.”
I think my chest may have puffed out a bit from his praise. I park in front of the Inn. “Come on I want you to meet Henrietta.”
“Kimmie, I can’t believe you’ve done all of this,” Tanner says as we sit out by the fire pit, each with a beer.
I prop my tired feet on the brick fire wall. After we’d unloaded the boxes and taken a tour, I put my brother to work. Manual labor. Not pushing a pen around or clicking buttons on his computer. We’d had a simple dinner of spaghetti with garlic toast and now we’re in my favorite place. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from a Westmoreland.”
Tanner gives me an arched brow and a glare. “You know you’re a Westmoreland too.”
I shrug and pick at the label on the beer bottle.
“Why do you do this?” he asks. “I don’t understand how a confident woman can be so insecure. Kimmie, look at all you’ve accomplished. You say that Helping Hands was all Lili, but you are a big part of its success. Lili was the front person, but you were behind the scenes making everything happen. And just look at this inn. I saw the pictures of what it looked like before you started rehab. You’re a miracle worker. Now you’re helping the town with the technology plan. That is genius, by the way, and I want in as a founding investor.”
My mouth opens wider the longer Tanner talks. I did do all of that and just the thought of Tanner wanting to invest in Faire Island is showing how much he believes in what I’ve started here.
His voice softens. “Kimmie, you are every bit as much of a Westmoreland as the rest of us. You don’t have anything to prove. Not to any of your brothers. Not to Dad. Not to Mom. The only one you seem to need to prove it to is yourself.”
“I’m trying, Tanner,” I say, but I’ve always felt like an outsider. Like a TAG Heuer watch, a Gucci handbag, and a hair scrunchy. I’m the scrunchy. Useful and pretty to look at, but not all that special.
“I know you are. I love you, sis.”
I smile and say, “I love you too.” My brother is a very handsome man. All my brothers are. Tanner has dark hair trimmed close on the sides and longer on top. A strong chin and blue eyes that always see past my crap. His shoulders are broad and I know for a fact that he puts in a grueling workout every day.
“Now, tell me what’s going on in your private life,” he says with a twinkle behind his eyes
I start to open my mouth and deny, but I should have known I can’t get anything past Tanner. I was never the girl that could sneak out at night to go to parties. It was like Tanner had Kimmie vision and always knew. Of course it could be because I was the only girl and all my brothers felt like it was their responsibility to curtail my forays into being bad.
Tanner points at me, “And don’t bother denying. I can see something is up.”
“I met a guy,” I say and let it draw out. When Tanner doesn’t say anything, I continue, “I thought we had something special." With a cocked brow, he remains quiet. “And then he left and it’s over.”
Tanner’s lips press together. “He’s an ass to let you get away. What’s his name?”
I take a sip of beer. That’s such a protective brother answer. “Leave it alone, Tanner. I can’t make him want to be with me. Where I have issues with trust and opening myself up completely, he has his own issues.”
“Then it sounds like you’re better off without him.”
I search the moonlit ocean and bite my lip when I feel a stinging behind my eyes. I have cried too much over Bode. A tear falls from my eye and I brush it away before Tanner sees.
Chapter 17
Bode
I storm down the sidewalk with a glare and a dare to anyone who stops me. I’m fed up with my supposed friends telling me about Kimberly’s new man. He’s handsome. He’s distinguished. He’s tall. She jumped into his arms and kissed him.
I growl low in my throat. I almost sucker-punched Patrick when he told me that one.
My dad waves to me from the marina, but I only nod and keep going. I’m going to get in my truck, go home, and sit on the deck with a six pack or two.
“Bode!” my dad calls out and I sigh. I know what that tone means. I head down the marina deck for what I’m sure is going to be a conversation I don’t want to have.
By the time I reach him, my dad has a cold longneck waiting for me. “Sit. Tell me what’s crawled up your ass. I’m getting complaints about you from all over town. Al said you placed an order and left before it was delivered. Olivia said you snarled at her outside the town hall. Rod said you almost bit his head off when he asked if you were going to the open house at the Inn. And there have been plenty more.”
Damn small town. I hadn’t realized I’d been that rude. “I’ll apologize.”
“Is this about Kimberly?” he asks.
Suddenly the label on the beer is very interesting. I don’t want to talk about this. “We aren’t together anymore. She’s moved on. It’s for the best. I hear he’s much more her type than I am. It’s just everybody loves to rub my nose in the fact that she has a new man.”
I feel my dad’s eyes burrowing into me. “Yeah. I suppose so,” he says offhandedly.
My head jolts up. That wasn’t the sympathetic father answer I’d anticipated. “She doesn’t really go for the preppy nerd type. And I hear this douche is.” By all accounts, he’s extremely preppy.
“Why did you two break up?” he asks.
I give my dad’s question thought before I respond. I’m not proud of the answer. I’ve never wanted to be that guy. The insecure one. I’ve always been happy with my lot in life. Happy and content. But I wish I could be what Kimberly needs. “You know she doesn’t belong here. She won’t stick around for long. This asshole guy, he’s probably come to take her away.”
He nods and takes a drink, enjoying the taste before answering. “How long you thinking before she cuts out?”
Why is he acting so doubtless? Kimberly really loves the Inn. It may take time for her to become disenchanted with island life. Dad’s acting like she’s already out the door. “She has to stay for five years to keep the Inn,” I remind him.
He nods and takes a slow sip of his beer. “A lot can happen in five years. Seems to me a person could set down roots in that amount of time.”
My dad puts a hand on my shoulder and I turn my head to meet his caring eyes. “She’s not Mandy, Bode.”
Mandy left. I wasn’t enough to keep her here. “Neither one belongs here. Kimberly will get tired of the isolation and leave.”
“Kimberly is invested in Faire Island. She’s gone out of her way to help her new hometown. Mandy never tried to get to know anyone. Mandy came to the island with her mind already made up. If you’re honest with yourself, you know that’s true.”
Everyone in town loves Kimberly, but that isn’t enough to keep someone here if they hate the lifestyle. If I’m not enough. “I know how badly it hurt when Mandy left
. I don’t want to go through that again. It’s best if Kimberly and I part ways now.”
“I get it, son. Kimberly may stay. She may go. But what if twenty years down the road she’s still here? Married to someone else with grown kids and you sat around and watched it happen. Don’t be the guy that missed out on a golden opportunity simply because you were too afraid to grab hold.”
My chest hurts just thinking about the reality of that happening. I’ve already screwed up and lost her. “But she has someone else now.”
Dad slaps my back and says, “Well, okay. I guess she’s not worth fighting for. It’s best you just bow out now.”
It’s the day of the grand opening of the Faire Island Inn and I’m not in a very good mood. I’ve spent the last week thinking about what my dad said. I’ve decided I don’t want to be the guy that loses the woman he loves. I need to get my shit together and make a move. If she’ll give me a second chance. I know the douche she’s seeing now can’t love her the way I can.
I’m a nervous wreck as I pull in the Inn’s driveway. I’m not leaving until she tells me we’re over for good and she’s moved on. If it’s the latter, then I have no one but myself to blame and my life is going to get a whole lot fucked up.
Cars and trucks line the driveway and the field behind the house is also crowded with cars. It seems the entire town came out to celebrate. Kimberly has done such a wonderful job. She’s worked hard to make this happen and I’m happy that so many people are here to support her.
I pull in behind Martin Cowell’s truck and cut the engine. I’m not a quitter like my dad said. I’m going to fight for her, but she may well tell me to go to hell. Her blue eyes will be spitting daggers of ice and her beautiful lips will be tight with anger. Her lips. I miss kissing her. I crave her taste and the way she fits into my arms with her head tucked beneath my chin. I even miss Henrietta.
That brings a smile to my face as I close the truck door and walk toward the mass of people spilling out of the Inn and onto the lawn. There are tables piled high with sweet and savory treats. Another table has a huge glass container of lemonade with a spigot to dispense the tart fresh drink into your cup.
I search the crowd and look up just in time to see Kimberly come out of the front door. It’s been so long since I held her. She’s beautiful in a white and yellow sundress with strappy sandals on her cute feet.
Our eyes meet and she stops in place. She blinks in disbelief that I’m here. I haven’t given her any reason to think I would be. I close the space between us, ignoring anyone who tries to speak to me as I go by.
“Bode…what are you doing here?” she stumbles to say.
“You didn’t think I’d be here for your special day?” I say hoarsely, emotion clogging my voice.
She crosses her arms over her chest, her eyes turn suspicious and her posture defensive. “No. I didn’t. Why would I after you ghosted me?”
I earned her distrust; now I have to convince her to give me another chance. “I deserved that. I’m sorry. I know you’re busy, but later, can we go somewhere and talk?”
Over her shoulder, I see the guy who thinks he’s taking my place. He puts his arm around Kimberly’s shoulder and I want to roar at him to get his hands off of her. The dumbass grins, holds out his hand, and says, “Hey, you must be Bode.”
I glower, ignoring his outstretched hand. Once he gets my message, he turns to Kimberly. “Come on, Kimmie. They’re ready to interview you.”
Before she leaves with the jerk, she says, “I am busy, but maybe later we can talk. If you’re still here.”
She has to get in one last poke at my leaving her without a word. That wasn’t well done of me. I knew it at the time, but I was too chickenshit to have an adult conversation with her.
So I wait. All day long. I spend time with my mom and dad. Case and Adan come by and we shoot the bull. More people arrive, this time with suitcases. I assume those are her first guests checking in. Brandy and Melissa alternate refilling the refreshment tables and the jerk carries a bucket with a lemonade refill. I could have done that.
Around five in the afternoon, I help myself to a plate of food and a tall glass of lemonade and head to the back of the Inn to sit by the fire pit. I take the double Adirondack which had become our favorite place to sit and watch the waves. I end up setting my plate aside almost untouched. I’m too nervous and unsettled to eat.
“Hey,” Kimberly says.
I look up and my heart flutters.
“They’re making me take a break and I saw you sitting out here. Do you want to talk now?”
Unable to speak, I watch her take a seat beside me. I have not kissed her or held her in my arms for so long. All I want to do is carry her off and make love to her. She needs to remember what we have together. The silence becomes slightly uncomfortable and I am clueless as to what I should say. I’d worked up a grand apology in my head, but at go time, I can’t string two words together.
Kimberly turns her body towards mine and pulls her feet up under her. I want to groan when her dress rides up, exposing a good length of satiny smooth thigh. I’m so nervous and I need her to forgive me so badly. The stakes are high and I can’t fuck it up.
“You really hurt me,” she admits and I see the truth of that plainly on her face and it makes me sick.
“I have so many things to apologize for.” I just pick a point and jump in.
Her gaze softens, giving me some hope, but her eyes are still filled with sorrow. I don’t like seeing her sad. “I’m a big, stupid oaf and I owe you an apology for breaking things off the way I did.”
“Is that why you’re here? Just to say you’re sorry?” she asks and lowers her eyes to her clenched hands.
I open my mouth to lay it all on the line when a whirling noise in the distance catches our attention. The sound grows louder. And louder.
We both look up and Kimberly squeals and jumps up, waving her hands in the air. “Oh, my God! I can’t believe it!”
“What?” I ask, but she doesn’t answer. She grabs my hand and we run around the house as a huge blue helicopter hovers above the Inn. There’s a gold crest on the side I can’t make out.
Kimberly is jumping and screaming and I have no idea why. As long as she’s happy—and she clearly is—then I’m fine with it. Everyone watches as the helicopter lands in the vacant field. The blades slow and the door opens. Two bulky men in black suits exit first and stand to each side of the door. Next, a tall broad-shouldered man dressed in a blue suit steps out. His hair is dark and swept back from his face. He turns toward the Inn and removes his aviators in a move that most actors wish they could pull off.
Then the man holds out his hand and a stunning woman emerges from the helicopter. I feel a tug and then Kimberly is running across the yard screaming. The woman sees Kimberly and does her own screaming and takes off running. They meet and wrap their arms around each other, talking so fast it’s impossible to hear what they are saying, but evidently they understand each other.
The man stands behind the woman with his arms crossed while giving me a thorough going-over. I have no idea who these people are, but they are important to Kimberly so they are important to me too. I must have passed inspection because the man approaches with his hand outstretched.
“You must be Bode. I’m Prince Milo SuMartra and this is my wife, Princess Lili.”
I nod and shake his hand, but my eyes go to the two women still absorbed with each other. “Kimberly’s best friend Lili?” I ask. She never mentioned her best friend was a princess.
“I want to talk to you about this technology plan your town is implementing. I understand you are looking for investors.”
I nod, but don’t see where this is going. “Yes, that’s right. We are.”
Prince Milo watches his wife with such love and affection on his face. It’s easy to see how devoted the man is to her. “I do not like it when my wife is sad. Not being able to see and talk to Kimmie makes her very unhappy and because of this, I w
ill make this plan happen.”
My mouth drops. I have no idea if he understands the millions of dollars the project needs to bring the lines to the island. “Thank you, Prince Milo, but we’re talking millions. It’s going to take us years to be fully funded.”
He winks at me and says, “No, it will take one call from me. My wife’s happiness is priceless.”
Nothing could have stunned me more. Kimberly is going to go crazy when she realizes the timeframe for the tech plan has been moved up. Considerably.
“Is this one available?” Homer says and points to Lili. I know what he’s asking, but it’s probably better if Prince Milo does not.
“No, Homer. Not even a little bit.” I laugh when Homer storms off muttering to himself. I know everyone has their person. Kimberly is mine. I just hope Homer’s shows up soon.
Prince Milo’s brow arches. “Do I want to know what that was about?”
I shake my head. “No, sir. You do not. Come on, let me get you something to drink. It looks like the girls aren’t going to come up for air anytime soon.”
I take one last look at Kimberly. Later. We’ll talk later.
Chapter 18
Kimberly
I search the quickly dwindling crowd for Bode. The last time I saw him he was with Milo and that was hours ago. I don’t know where our talk was headed, but I have hope.
“This is incredible, Kimmie,” Lili says from the seat beside me. She takes a sip of wine and stares out into the night. “That view…even by the light of the moon is killer.”
I hold my glass up and take a sip of the unique Faire Island wine. “It is. I can’t believe this is my life now.”
She turns to me and holds her hand out. I take it and squeeze. “I think we’ve both done pretty good for ourselves,” Lili says with a loving smile.
“You look so happy, Lili. And the way Milo looks at you could scorch the paint off the walls.” Does Bode look at me like that?
Going All Inn (Faire Island Bride Series Book 1) Page 13
