by Jill Sanders
Only when he felt himself on the edge did he allow himself to slow down. His hands stilled against her skin, his lips covered hers as he enjoyed the taste of her.
“Come for me, Lilly,” he said against her lips. “I’ll follow you,” he promised.
“Adam, I…” She pushed herself tighter against him, her eyes closed tightly as his fingers found her softness, then she was exploding around him. She threw her head back and he’d never seen a more beautiful sight. Moments later, he followed her and held onto her like his life depended on it.
Chapter Eighteen
The next two days were even more a blur to Lilith than before. It wasn’t that she was particularly busy, but she did spend a lot of time setting up the attic and organizing the bar area. She’d found everything she needed for the space in the boxes that had been stored in the attic.
She even found several large paintings that now hung in the space. She’d ordered the tablecloths and had to replace several tables and over a dozen chairs, which had been hard to find.
Already, she had a party booked for the space in two weeks. She’d had a photographer come and take pictures so she could update the resort’s website. After she surprised Sarah, of course.
Everything had fallen into place nicely.
She’d even stopped receiving the notes and was even more sure it had been Kaleen than before.
Less than two days after the Robinsons and Bauers left, she received a certified notice from the Bauer’s lawyer with a check attached.
She’d been shocked to see so many zeros. Adam had insisted she think about everything before signing the paperwork and cashing the check. She’d promised to wait until Sarah returned before making her decision.
Her knees had healed up nicely, but she still had bruises. She covered them up by wearing slacks, which bothered her since the weather had turned very warm after all that rain they had gotten.
The day before Sarah and Ben were set to return was the busiest day so far. She spent most of the day in the office, making sure everything was perfect. All of the invoices were scanned and filed and all of the orders were up-to-date.
Her evenings were filled with Adam. They had taken to spending their nights in her room, since it was almost double the size of his and the bigger shower had come in extra handy.
Every member of the staff knew they were together. They also knew about Rob and Heather, who seemed to have a rockier relationship since Rob was always complaining about how Heather was complaining. Still, they were very cute together when they were acting happy.
The next morning, Lilly stood on the front porch and watched the ferry arrive. She twisted her fingers enough that Adam reached up and took her hands in his.
“Stop, everything’s going to be fine,” he whispered to her.
“What if she doesn’t like—”
“Stop. They’re going to love it. Besides, from the sounds of it, you already have it booked up for several occasions.”
She smiled and relaxed. “Three.” She watched the couple walk slowly up the sidewalk, holding hands.
“They look happy,” he said, squeezing her hand lightly.
They did. Both of them were a little tanner than before. Ben’s hair had grown out a little during the trip to where it was borderline shaggy. Sarah looked amazing. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder flowered sundress and heeled sandals. Her hair was pulled in a braid off to the side and there was a bright pink flower above her left ear.
When they noticed her, Sarah dropped Ben’s hand and rushed to give her a hug.
“I missed you,” Sarah whispered.
“Me too.” A tear slid down her cheek. “Mrs. Rothschild.” She giggled. “So.” She leaned back and cleared her throat. “I have a late wedding gift for you.” She smiled.
“Lilith, you shouldn’t…”
She held up her hand, stopping her friend. “If you’ll follow me.” She turned to Ben who was shaking Adam’s hand. “Both of you.” He frowned slightly, but then took Sarah’s hand in his.
“Lead the way.” He motioned.
She walked in and stood aside in the hallway, which was filled with employees, who were all cheering and clapping.
“Welcome home,” everyone chortled at the same time.
“Thank you,” Sarah said once everything quieted down. “I’m sure we will have plenty of time to catch up with one another over the next few days, but until then… Get back to work,” she said playfully, as everyone laughed.
“Thank you.” She turned to Lilith.
“Oh, no. That wasn’t your surprise.” She smiled and took her friend’s hand, then led her up the main staircase and didn’t stop until they reached the attic doorway.
“What—?” Sarah started to say.
“Close your eyes.” Lilith waited until Sarah and Ben complied.
Lilith took Sarah’s hand and pulled her into the doorway. She didn’t stop until they stood in the middle of the room. Glancing around, she noticed that everything was perfect.
“Okay.” She took a deep breath and waited.
First Sarah gasped, then Ben. Lilith watched as Sarah did several spins, her hands covering her mouth as her eyes grew wet with tears. “It’s just like I remember it.”
Lilith was taken back. “Remember?”
She turned to her. “Yes, when I was a child.” She watched her friend’s tears slide down her cheeks. “I remember dancing with my father up here. Before he got sick. Then…” Ben walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “Then, my father died and they moved all the storage up here.” She turned to Lilith. “You did all this?”
“Me and the extra money you found in the budget last month.” She smiled, then Sarah’s arms were around her, holding her tight.
“Thank you. It’s perfect.”
“It’s already booking out too,” Adam added from the doorway.
Sarah turned to him, then back to Lilith. “Really?”
She nodded and smiled. “Three events so far.”
“Sounds like you made a good choice making her manager,” Ben added.
“Temporary manager,” Lilith added.
Sarah looked at her and winced. “Actually…” She took her shoulders. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
***
“Manager!” Lilly said for the tenth time.
“Yes, I heard.” He chuckled. She stopped on the pathway leading to the employee quarters that evening.
“But, manager.” She stretched the word out and smiled over at him.
“Yes, I also remember her saying you had the next week off.” He smiled. “And, she was nice enough to allow me two more days since I spent two day’s building that.” He nodded towards the beautiful greenhouse he’d built with the help of Rodney and his grandson. “So, I was thinking…” He stopped under the light just outside the doorway. “What about spending some time on the mainland. I did promise you a boat trip.”
She wrapped her arms around him and smiled. “That sounds nice.”
The next morning, they set off on the ferry, both weighted down with a bag. They were surprised to see Jerry manning the helm.
“I thought you were going to be gone a lot longer?” Lilly said, rushing up the stairs to give the man a hug.
“Naw, just a few days to sign all the paperwork. The real long trip comes this fall. They want to set me up in an apartment for six months for filming.”
“Six months in LA?” Adam broke in, his arm going around Lilly’s shoulders.
“Yeah, it’s going to be tough being away from here so long.” Jerry looked out to the water and sighed. “She’s my mistress.”
Lilly smiled. “Still, six months while they make your book into a movie. Who are they going to get to play the lead?”
Adam leaned against the railing as the two of them went through a list of actors and characters for his movie. Some he knew, others he didn’t. When the ferry docked, they disembarked and he could feel Lilly’s nerves kick in.
“Hey,
she’s going to love you.” He took her hand and pulled it up to his lips to kiss.
“I’ve never meet someone’s family before,” she said, causing his eyebrows to shoot up. “Other than Sarah’s.”
He chuckled. “If you can handle Crystal, then my mémère will be easy.” He tugged on her arm until they stopped in front of the car.
“Grand-mère, this is Lilly. Lilly, my gran, Sonya.”
Lilly held out a hand to shake, but then his mémère surprised even him by walking over and wrapping her arms around Lilly.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard lots about you from Crystal.” She winked at her. “I take one of her yoga classes, silver sneakers.” She smiled, her chin rising slightly. “I’m the oldest one in the class.” She leaned closer and whispered. “And the most limber one too.”
“Gran,” he warned, rolling his eyes. “Remember, not in front of me,” he said in French.
“English, boy. It’s rude to speak a different language in front of our guest.” She slapped his arm playfully. “Why don’t you put those bags in the trunk while I walk with Lilly.” She turned to Lilly. “I thought we’d walk over to Ed’s for some pizza. Then we can head to the docks for our evening boat trip.” Sonya wrapped her arms through Lilly’s as they started walking and talking.
Adam piled the bags in the trunk and followed them two blocks to Ed’s.
He’d never laughed so hard having lunch with Mémère before. Even though she managed to embarrass him more than he’d ever been, he enjoyed every minute of it.
After they ate pizza, he was surprised to learn that Mémère had packed his favorite dishes for the next day and a half in a large basket and cooler.
“Mémère, how did you get all of this in the trunk?” he asked as he was unloading it from the car at the docks.
“I asked the neighbor boy to help.” She patted him on his cheek. “Adam worries about me too much.” She took Lilly’s arm and started walking towards his boat.
“This is yours?” Lilly asked when they stopped in front of his 36-foot boat.
“Sure, I had big plans for her.” He smiled and tossed his bag over and then set the cooler and basket down. Next, he held out his hand to help Mémère in first, then Lilly. “Welcome aboard.” He kissed them both.
“It’s for luck,” Mémère said, smiling. “My père used to do the same.” She walked over and sat down. “Come, sit. Adam will get everything ready.”
Lilly looked around the boat as she made her way to sit on the soft bench.
“I’m impressed,” she told him once she sat down.
“What? Did you think it would be smaller?”
“Well, yes.” She laughed. “For some reason, when you mentioned you had been stuck out in a storm... I guess I pictured the boat from Gilligan’s Island.” She laughed.
“From?” He turned to her and frowned. “What is… Gilligan’s Island?”
She laughed and shook her head. “A classic show that we are going to seriously have to catch you up on.”
He took the next few minutes getting the food and supplies downstairs. Just as they were about to leave, mémère stood up and sighed. “Well, this is where I leave you two.”
“Leave?” Adam frowned. “But you’re coming with us.”
“No.” She patted him on the cheek. “This is a trip for you two.” She leaned close. “I’ve packed a little something special for you in my bag.” She winked. “Go, have fun, be young.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Besides, I don’t want to miss any of my yoga classes.” She turned to Lilly. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you. I know we’ll have plenty of time to get to know one another soon.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Lilly asked.
“Oui.” She smiled. “Aller avec le vent,” she said, then he helped her out.
“Sorry, once she makes up her mind about something…” He sighed as he watched her walk back to her car alone.
“I think it’s charming that she set this up so we can have the time to ourselves.” Lilly leaned back and rested against the seat.
“You think that’s what she had planned all along?” He turned to her. “To not go?”
“Why not.” She shrugged.
He thought about it as he untethered the boat, then sat down and turned the boat engine over. “Well, I was going to stick close, because of…” He glanced back as the car pulled out of the parking lot. “But, if you’re up for it, there’s this secluded beach a little further down the coast.”
She waved her arm. “You’re the captain.”
He chuckled and pulled out of the docks slowly. When they hit the open water, he gunned it and a smile spread on Lilly’s lips. She’d tied her hair back, but still, strands of it found their way loose. He motioned for her to join him up in the copilot seat. She held onto the back of the seat and made her way forward to sit next to him.
“Would you like to take the helm?” he asked. She quickly smiled and nodded. He moved over and let her take the wheel, then stood beside her as she leaned her head back and laughed.
“I love the wind.” She laughed, throwing her head back and smiling over at him.
He knew at that exact moment that he would do anything to please her just like this for the rest of his life.
Chapter Nineteen
They traveled south for almost an hour before he took the helm again and slowed the engine down.
“Wow, what a rush.” She smiled as she straightened her hair. “I never imagined it would be so much fun.”
“I remember the first time I went out onto the water.” He sighed and his eyes became dreamy. “I was scared to death and excited all at the same time.”
“How old were you?” she asked, settling into the seat next to him.
“Five.” He glanced at her. “My grand-père was a captain, remember?” She nodded. “He wanted his son to follow in his footsteps.”
“And?” she asked when he went silent.
“He had a daughter instead.” He chuckled.
“Right.” She nodded.
“So, naturally, he wanted his grandson to have sea legs.” He maneuvered the boat closer to the shoreline.
“What happened?”
“I got seasick.” He chuckled. “Terribly. I had to be hospitalized for a week with an inner ear infection.”
“Oh, poor child.” She reached out and took his hand.
“It took me ten more years to get back on a boat. Mémère took me out again. She’s always had a boat. Even when she moved here and married her second husband.” He leaned closer. “He was an investment banker.”
“What happened to him?”
“She’s outlived both of her husbands.” He sighed. “After that, she was determined to live alone. That was until I came along.” He smiled over at her and she could see the love in his eyes.
“I never knew my grandparents.” She added, “I guess I never knew my real father’s family at all. I suppose I could have cousins out there.” She thought about it, then shrugged. “If so, I never knew about them.”
He reached across and took her hand. “There’s still time to learn more about them.”
She turned and looked at him. “I’m not sure I want to know more about them. I mean, they had plenty of opportunity to reach out to me.” She thought about it, thought about the conversation she’d had with her mother’s PI. “Besides, I’ve decided not to get in touch with my mother.”
“Why?” he asked, slowing the engine down.
“I have all the family I want here.” She smiled, thinking about Sarah, Crystal, and the people she’d surrounded herself with over the last thirteen years. People who had helped a teenager start fresh, even though they knew she was running and hiding from something.
Adam squeezed her hand, then raised it up and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. Then he released her hand and focused on steering them to a small rocky area and cut the engines. “Can you help me tie up?” He turned to her.<
br />
“Um, sure.” She bit her lip, concerned she was going to mess something up.
“It’s pretty easy. All you have to do is toss this rope to me once I get over there.” He picked up a rope and nodded towards a pile of rocks.
“How—?” she started to ask, but then realized they were drifting towards the rocks still. Then she gasped when she realized just how fast they were approaching the dark wall of rocks.
“I’ve got it,” Adam said, standing on the edge of the boat, then glancing over at her. “Ready?” He handed her the rope.
She nodded since she was too afraid to speak. He used his legs to stop the boat from slamming into the rocks, then when they were moving backwards, jumped easily across the space and landed on the flat rock edge.
“Now,” he called out to her, holding his arms out. Without thinking, she tossed the rope across the space and squealed when he easily caught it.
He planted his legs wide and when the boat started drifting too far, gave the rope a gentle nudge and had it once more drifting towards the rocks.
Images of crashing into the sharp edges flashed through her mind.
“Easy,” he said, just before he once more made sure the hull didn’t smash into the rocks. “I’m tying us off.” He rushed over to a large rock and then she noticed the small piece of metal that had been hammered into the massive side.
“It’s called a cleat,” he called out. “See?” He swung the rope around it several times. “Easy.” He turned back to her and she felt the boat settle. “Now comes the hard part.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “That wasn’t hard?”
He chuckled. “No, the hard part is carting everything for our picnic down to the beach.” He nodded towards the left and she glanced over to see the sandy spot. It looked completely untouched.
“Wow.” She moved to that side of the boat and watched the water splash up on the soft sand. “How did you find this place?”
She hadn’t heard him come back on board, but his arm rested around her. “What do you think I do on my days off?”
