A Promise To Keep
Love On The North Shore
Book 5
Christina Tetreault
Table of Contents
Letter To The Reader
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Other Books By Christina Tetreault
About The Author
A Promise To Keep, Copyright 2017 by Christina Tetreault
Published by Christina Tetreault
Editing: Hot Tree Editing
Cover Designer: Amanda Walker
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author at [email protected]. This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. For more information on the author and her works, please see www.christinatetreault.com
DIGITAL ISBN: 978-0-9994907-0-9
Dear Reader,
Welcome to North Salem, Massachusetts, the setting for this series. Some of you may have visited before, but if not please let me tell you a little about it.
Located forty minutes outside of Boston, it is in a part of the state referred to as the North Shore. North Salem is a close-knit New England town that few people leave. While such camaraderie can be wonderful, especially in times of need, it also means everyone knows each other’s business, and squabbles that pop up in high school sometimes continue for years.
Despite the occasional gossip and minor squabbles, North Salem is a wonderful place. I hope you come to love the town and its citizens as much as I do.
Happy Reading,
Christina
Prologue
September
Drew switched lanes and waited for an opportunity to ask some questions. Since leaving Sean and Mia’s wedding reception, Kelsey hadn’t given him a chance to say much.
“Did Mrs. Mitchell talk your ear off?” Kelsey asked.
After their dance, he’d gone back to visit with Mrs. Mitchell as promised. The old widow had kept him at her table a long time. Although not possible, the woman seemed to know everyone’s business. “You know her. She loves to talk. She filled me in on a year’s worth of town news.”
“Only a year’s worth? She must have been tired.”
Drew ignored Kelsey’s comment, and before she could say anything else, he asked a question of his own. “Marissa… is she Jack’s wife?”
Kelsey nodded.
“William’s their son?” He was still trying to make sense of the conversation she’d had with Marissa.
“Technically, William is Marissa’s son from a previous marriage, but Jack adopted him after they married. They have a daughter, too. Rachel is in the first or second grade.” Kelsey paused for a moment. “No, she’s definitely in first. William told me she has Mrs. Cunningham this year. Did you have her in school? I didn’t, but Ella and Cat did. I had Mrs. Bush for first grade.”
He ignored her question. Her time for asking questions had ended. “And William has you for science.”
“Yep. He’s in sixth grade.”
“And you teach while you work on your doctorate part-time?” He didn’t see how she could teach, waitress, and attend school full-time.
“Not exactly.”
They approached the highway exit for North Salem. He couldn’t linger at her house. He had at least a forty-minute drive home ahead of him. At the same time, he needed answers. What he’d learned so far only raised more questions.
“And that’s it?” He took the off-ramp and passed through the center of town. He waited for her to say more as he turned onto Lincoln Street, but she remained silent.
“You’re not going to explain?” He parked in Kelsey’s driveway and looked at her.
“Explain what? I teach science at the middle school. Big deal. Lots of people do.” Kelsey retrieved her purse from the floor and dug out her keys. “Thank you for the ride home tonight.”
She opened the door. The floodlight on the garage illuminated the inside of the car, allowing him to see her expression. She didn’t like him asking questions.
That just too bad.
“Be careful driving home. And good luck tomorrow. I’ll probably catch part of the game on TV.” She pushed the door open and swung both feet out.
Yeah, she wasn’t getting off so easy. He let her exit, but got out too and planted himself in front of the car. She’d have to get past him to get inside the house.
“Why are you still teaching? You told me you went back to Brandeis.” Had she lied about that like she’d lied about having a boyfriend?
“No. You assumed I went back, and I never bothered to correct you.”
Was that true? He couldn’t honestly say.
“I’m chilly and tired. I’m going inside.”
She moved around him, and he followed. Kelsey was keeping something from him. Drew wanted to know what, and he wanted to know tonight.
“I knew you took the teaching job to help out your parents when Ian was sick. He told me. He’s been gone for three years. Why haven’t you left and gone back to school?” He wished she’d invite him inside, because he could see the goose bumps on her skin. Inside she’d be warmer.
“Because I haven’t. And I don’t understand what the big deal is anyway. It’s not like you care whether I teach middle school science or finish my doctorate. Either way, your life isn’t going to change.”
That’s where you’re wrong. He didn’t think before putting his hands on her shoulders. “I care, Kelsey. I wouldn’t call every month if I didn’t care. You’re like a sister to me.”
Okay, perhaps not a completely true statement. All night he’d been having very unbrotherly thoughts about her. Who was he kidding? He’d been having them since she took his dinner order at Masterson’s two weeks ago.
Kelsey took a deep breath, and he waited for an explanation.
“Drew, really it’s no big deal. Right now I need a full-time job, so I’m teaching. When I’m ready, I’ll finish up the degree I started.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” He’d promised Ian he’d look after Kelsey and help her if she ever needed it. He couldn’t help if she didn’t ask.
“Nope. I’m good.”
He wanted to push more. Get more out of her. Her tone and stance told him it wasn’t happening tonight. “If you ever need help, any kind, call me.”
She nodded.
“We’ll talk soon.” His eyes dropped to her lips, the urge to kiss her overwhelming him for a second time tonight. This time though, they weren’t in a crowded room with people watching.
Drew leaned toward her, her lips his final destination. Promise you’ll look after Kelsey. Ian’s words surfaced, and he paused. If he kissed her the way he wanted, she might never let him near her again. He couldn’t keep his promise if she refused to see him.
He dropped a kiss on her cheek instea
d. “Goodnight.”
Kelsey opened the door and stepped inside. “Thanks again for the ride. See you later.”
She closed the door, leaving him alone on the steps. Getting into his car, he started the engine but didn’t back up. In the house an upstairs light went on. What was going on? Rather than get answers tonight, he’d gotten more questions. But he’d get the answers he wanted. It might take time, but he’d get them. Then he’d help Kelsey get her life back on track.
He’d made Ian a promise, and he didn’t intend to let him down.
Chapter One
January
With his cell phone in hand, Drew McKenzie opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the balcony. “Morning, Mom,” he said, closing the door behind him.
“More like good afternoon. For those of us not on paradise time, it’s one o’clock in the afternoon,” Jill McKenzie said with a fair amount of humor.
Paradise time was a fairly accurate way to describe life in Hawaii. Despite his ability to travel anywhere he desired, Drew considered Hawaii his number-one vacation spot in the world. The only spot outside of New England he’d ever consider moving to.
“Fair enough. What’s up?” Drew dropped into one of the padded balcony chairs and gazed down at Waikiki Beach. Still on the early side, the beach remained fairly empty—except for the two homeless individuals he’d spotted sleeping on the beach the previous day as well.
“The perfect house for you came on the market yesterday.”
Two months ago, he’d asked Mom to keep her eyes open and let him know if anything suitable came on the market in North Salem, his hometown and where his parents and younger brother still lived. A place he’d visited as little as possible for almost four years now. However, back in the fall, he’d learned avoiding the town and the memories it held was a big mistake on his part. A mistake he needed to rectify if he planned to keep his promise to Ian.
Drew ignored the unease settling in his chest. The same unease gathered every time he considered moving back to town, even if only on a part-time basis. No doubt about it, his move back to North Salem would only be part-time. He planned on keeping his home in Weston, which was much closer to the Rebels home stadium.
“Where is it?”
“Blueberry Court.”
He’d called North Salem home until he graduated from college and bought his first house. He’d thought he knew every street in the town. “Not familiar with it.”
“It’s a newer road. Down past the Victorian Rose,” Mom answered, referring to the popular bed-and-breakfast in town. “There are only three homes on the street. The one for sale was built five years ago by a neurosurgeon from Boston. I’ve bumped into him a few times at Peggy Sue’s Café. He didn’t want his children growing up in the city. From what I’ve heard, he’s taken a position at a hospital in New York and the whole family is moving there.”
The gossip grapevine in North Salem was superb. If it said this doctor was relocating to a hospital in New York, then Drew would bet a small fortune he was.
“The house is seven thousand square feet and has five bedrooms. I drove by it yesterday. It looks gorgeous.”
He trusted Mom’s opinion. She knew what he liked, and if she thought he’d like this house, he’d take a look. “Can you forward me the listing?”
“E-mailed it to you before I called. The real estate agent has over twenty pictures of the interior posted and several of the grounds too. I really think this is the place for you.”
He heard the excitement in her voice. She’d wanted him to move closer for years. She’d started suggesting he buy a house in town after he got his first contract to play football for the New England Rebels after college. At the time, the idea of having a place in a new town away from Mom and Dad had been too appealing. Later he’d resisted moving back or even visiting because of the memories North Salem held. A decision that seemed to be coming back to bite him in the keister, as his grandmother would say.
“Thanks. I’ll take a look. If I like it, I’ll fly back and check it out.”
“Something tells me this is the one,” Mom said.
He imagined she was already picturing him living in the house. She was probably imagining him married too, with a bunch of children running around. Mom wasn’t quiet about her desire for him to start a family of his own.
“Let me know what you decide, and I can pick you up at the airport.”
Behind him the door opened, and from the corner of his eye he saw Melissa sit down. “Will do. Talk to you soon. Love ya.” He’d get questions about that comment, no doubt about it. He and Melissa had started dating only five weeks ago, but already she was acting like a jealous wife. He couldn’t even answer a text message without her asking whom he was contacting.
Drew ended the call and immediately opened his e-mail. He scrolled past a few messages before he found the one he wanted. “Morning.”
“You’re up early,” Melissa said while she stretched her arms over her head.
“Couldn’t sleep. I came out here so I wouldn’t disturb you.” He read through the brief house description before scrolling through the various pictures. Mom was right. The house was gorgeous, and it had everything he wanted in a home and then some: three-car garage, heated in-ground pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, separate pool cabana, full home gym, and even a wine cellar.
“Who was on the phone, and what are you going to do?” Melissa didn’t even try to hide the jealousy in her voice.
“Just my mom, Melissa.”
When they’d met, Melissa had come across as sweet and loving. He’d thought maybe, given time, their relationship would go somewhere. Her true self had started to sneak in during their second week together. It’d been subtle at first, and sometimes he’d wondered if he’d imagined the little changes. They’d arrived in Hawaii a few days ago though, and since then there was no denying their relationship was doomed.
“Oh. What did she want?” Her tone changed. Now, she sounded less like a jealous woman and more like an annoyed one. He didn’t need either type in his life.
What’s her problem? Didn’t she ever have conversations with her parents? “She found a house she thought I’d be interested in looking at. It just came on the market, and she e-mailed me the listing.”
He’d told her once he intended to buy a place in North Salem, but they hadn’t discussed it since. At the time she hadn’t understood why he’d want to. He hadn’t gone into all the specifics because it wasn’t any of Melissa’s business. Or anyone else’s, for that matter.
She tapped her long light blue fingernails against the chair, the sound grating on his nerves. “You’re still thinking about doing that?”
Melissa had grown up in Miami and then spent a few years living in Los Angeles before moving to Boston. She thrived on city life and didn’t get the appeal of living in a small town.
“Wouldn’t it be nicer if you bought us a place out here? We could spend a couple weeks here every year. I’ve always wanted to learn to surf. I can’t imagine a better place for doing it. Maybe we could get a yacht, so then we can travel between the islands whenever we want. Or even better, we can get a plane. We could take flying lessons together and get pilot licenses.”
Someday he might buy a house on one of the islands. He loved it enough here to do so, but when he did, he wouldn’t be doing it with her. They’d already been together too long. He’d decided to keep things as platonic as possible for the rest of their vacation. Then as soon as they got back to the mainland, he’d let her know it wasn’t working. At the moment, he was reconsidering his decision. Ending things now and getting her a separate room was sounding better and better.
“My plan is still to buy a place in North Salem. I’m just waiting for the right home to come on the market. Mom thinks this might be it.” He nodded toward his cell phone.
“Why, so you can be closer to your mother?”
Her question made him wonder if she’d dated a few too many mama’s boys in her
time. “Being closer to my family is a perk of moving back, but it’s not my only reason.” Nope, his main reason was a woman named Kelsey, his deceased best friend’s younger sister. Heaven help him if he ever told Melissa that. She’d immediately assume he wanted Kelsey, and he didn’t. He only wanted to uphold his promise to her brother, Ian. “North Salem is a great town. It’s got a lot to offer, and I have a lot of friends and family there.”
“Whatever. Let’s see the house.” She reached for his cell phone and plucked it from his hand. She scrolled through the various pictures before handing it back to him. “It’s okay. Not as nice as your house in Weston, but it might do.”
“I’m going to take a look at it when I get back. If the house looks as good as it does in the pictures, I’ll make an offer.” He’d intentionally not mentioned bringing her along, knowing she’d pick up on it. Waiting until their vacation was over to end things was a bad idea. Even if they didn’t have sex again while here, she’d continue to think a future existed between them.
“You mean us, right? Before you commit to anything, I want to see it.”
Drew turned, so he faced her. He’d been taught that both honesty and integrity were all important. She might not want to hear it, but he needed to be honest with her now. “No, Melissa, I mean me. If I buy this house, it’ll be my decision.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but before she could speak he plowed on. “We’ve had some fun together. And I think you’re a great person, but it’s time we went our separate ways.” Okay, so he stretched the truth a little. In the beginning, he’d thought she was a great person, it was only the more he got to know her the less he thought so.
Her fingers stilled, and she crossed her arms. “You’re seeing someone else, aren’t you? That’s who was on the phone, not your mother.”
“There isn’t anyone else.” For a brief moment, the memory of Kelsey walking toward him at Sean O’Brien’s wedding popped up. He’d spent most of his life thinking of her as the little sister he didn’t have. At the wedding though, it’d been clear she wasn’t anyone’s little sister anymore. She was a beautiful woman. A beautiful woman he had no right fantasizing about.
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