by Carol Ross
After the transfer, his father had fallen into his worst depression ever. Eli had despaired of him ever recovering, even considering forgoing his own berth at the academy. His father had insisted he go, encouraging Eli to achieve what he’d been unable to. Halfway through his second year at the academy, his dad had retired.
“Her father is Brian Wynn.” Then he forced himself to grind out the words—the title—that should have belonged to Tim Pelletier. “Captain Brian Wynn. Remember the guy who forced my dad’s transfer?”
“Oh, shh...oot.” Gale lowered the file he’d been holding. “I didn’t put that together. Why didn’t you say something sooner, man?”
Gale was the only person who knew the circumstances surrounding his dad’s transfer, outside of him and his dad. And Brian Wynn. Yep, he knew it, too.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does. Is he still around?”
“Retired. But around, yes. He still lives here part of the year. Alex told me he’ll be home for the holidays. It’s inevitable that our paths will cross.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
AUBREY WAS INCREDIBLY grateful for the help when Alex showed up on Thursday with Eli and Gale in tow. With her, Camile, Nina, Jay and Osprey, Nina’s move hadn’t been nearly the ordeal she’d feared. Even with the entire contents of a large storage unit, furniture she’d had crammed in their parents’ garage and the belongings Nina had brought to Aubrey’s, the bulk of it was finished by late afternoon.
She had to admit the old two-story farmhouse was charming and the Quinleys had maintained it well. Nina had spent the last few days painting the inside. She’d opted for pale tones on the walls to accentuate the rustic antique furniture and colorful folk art she’d chosen for the décor. The results were nothing like the grandeur of her home in California. Thank goodness for that, Aubrey thought. She’d never been comfortable in that modern showpiece Nina had called home. But she could definitely get used to this.
The original wood floors, attractively scarred and toned with age, still held up in every room of the house. The Quinleys had buffed and polished them to a fine sheen before they’d moved out. Nina had purchased thick wool area rugs and placed them throughout to add comfort and warmth.
Aubrey’s favorite features were the old stone fireplace that took up one entire wall in the living room and the ancient well-used butcher block that comprised one end of the island in the kitchen. The only new touches appeared in the kitchen where granite countertops had been installed along with gleaming stainless-steel appliances.
“Where do you want this one?” Jay asked, walking through the archway, his arms filled with a large box.
Aubrey had just headed into the living room to help Camile arrange photos and knickknacks on the built-in shelves along one wall. Nina and Camile had stayed behind at the house during the move to direct traffic to the various rooms where items belonged. Aubrey was amazed at the progress they’d already made unpacking.
“What does it say?” Nina asked.
“Um, it doesn’t say anything.”
“Really? Just set it here and I’ll take a look. Thanks, Jay.”
“No problem.” He carefully lowered the box, smiled at the women and headed back out the door for another.
Eli and Gale were on their way with the final load of boxes from the storage unit, along with sandwiches they’d volunteered to pick up from Salmon Crackers.
Nina removed a pair of box cutters from the pocket of her overalls. She sliced through the tape and peeled open the cardboard flaps.
“Hey, look—it’s Christmas decorations.” She snatched a couple of items from the box. “These are the ornaments Grandma gave us when we were little.”
Aubrey had bent over to inspect the contents when she heard a noise.
She glanced at Nina. “Did you hear that?”
“No, what did it sound like?”
“I’m not sure.” She reached for a knitted stocking and paused. “There it is again.”
“Ghost?” Nina asked with an excited gasp. “Do you think I could be so lucky as to buy a house with a ghost?”
Leave it to Nina to be excited about the prospect of a haunted house. “No. It’s not a ghost. I think it’s outside...” she drawled, waiting...
She pointed as Eli came through the door, his arms loaded with brown paper sacks from Salmon Crackers. A black-and-white dog trotted in beside him.
His face erupted with a smile. “Merry Christmas, Nina. I know it’s a little early, but every farmer needs a dog, right?”
“Are you...?” Nina dropped the ornaments she’d been holding and hurried forward. “Kidding me, Eli? Oh, my gosh! She’s beautiful.”
The pooch was already wagging its tail and looking thrilled to be there. Nina wilted to the floor. The dog sank down beside her, whining enthusiastically, clearly reveling in the attention.
“Eli, I can’t even believe this. Thank you. She’s gorgeous. Wait, is it a she?”
“Yes, she’s a she. A border collie. And she’s actually a service dog. Trained for epilepsy.” He tipped his head to one side. “Well, she’s sort of a service dog dropout.” He held out a card. “Grady Royce, a friend of mine, believes in her, though. He trains dogs and he’s willing to work with you guys to get her officially certified if you want.”
Aubrey narrowed her eyes in Eli’s direction. “You got my sister a service dog?”
He winked. “Yep.”
She turned to Alex. “Did you know about this?”
“Nope. But I wish I would have thought of it.”
Me, too, Aubrey thought. Eli had always been thoughtful like this. And it was more than just being thoughtful; he always seemed to know what people needed before they did. Her included. Her especially.
“What’s her name? Does she have a name?” Nina asked.
“She does, but Grady says you can change it if you want.”
“Change it? That would be horrible. Unless it’s something like Dummie or Ugly—then I’d be forced to change it. What is it?”
“Marion,” he said.
Nina made a sound, part gasp, part squeal. “Marion? No! Way!”
Eli grinned and shot a questioning look at Aubrey. “Does this mean she likes the name?”
Aubrey shrugged with a grin of her own.
“I love it. It’s totally meant to be,” Nina explained, burying her face in the dog’s silky fur. “Like a marionberry. I’m going to grow some. The Quinleys didn’t grow them. But planting marionberries is going to be my first project and now—my first dog. Isn’t that right, Marion, my love? You are such a beautiful girl...” She went on with a string of sweet, puppy-talk nonsense.
Aubrey was awestruck by the sheer joy radiating from her sister, and overcome with the kindness of the gesture. She could kiss Eli for his thoughtfulness. Not literally, though, of course. Because along with her appreciation and affection came the startling realization that she was in deep trouble. She absolutely could not allow her feelings for Eli to escalate beyond friendship. There was no way she could survive that kind of heartbreak again. A wave of anxiety followed. She needed some space, some air.
There were enough sandwiches to feed half the town or, in this case, a hungry moving crew. While the crowd oohed and aahed over the adorable canine addition to their group, Aubrey grabbed a roast beef and provolone and headed out the back door.
Nina had purchased a couple rocking chairs for the porch after declaring that all farmhouses had them or should have them if they didn’t. The chairs had been delivered that morning in the midst of the chaos. As Aubrey settled into one, she decided Nina was absolutely right. She leaned back and closed her eyes, enjoying the soothing, rhythmic movement of the chair and the raspy sound it made against the old floorboards.
At the sound of a loud creak her eyes popped open. She discovered Eli watching her from where he now sat in the other chair. So much for t
hat space she’d sought.
He smiled, blue eyes dancing with mischief. “It would be tricky to sneak up on someone on this porch, wouldn’t it?”
“Were you trying to sneak up on me?”
“No, just checking on you.”
“Checking on me?”
“Yes, I know you’re not crazy about all of this.” He gestured around.
“It’s growing on me.” Aubrey smiled and she couldn’t help but pour her heart into it. “Eli, thank you. I can’t believe you got her a dog. An epilepsy dog. Well, I can, actually. It’s perfect. Why didn’t I think of it?”
“Well, to be fair, it only came to me when my friend Grady called. He was in the area testing some puppies or whatever it is he does to see if he wants to train them. We met up, he had Marion with him, and it just felt like a good fit.”
“A very good fit. However you thought of it, it was spot-on.” She turned her head, focusing on the stunningly beautiful landscape because it hurt her heart to look at him. The gesture was too much. It reminded her too much of the Eli she used to know, or rather the way she used to know him, the closeness they had shared. Now that she was getting a taste of that again, she realized he was like a drug. Even a small dose of Eli left her wanting more.
The sun was just beginning to set, casting shades of red and gold and purple on the horizon. After two clear days, it looked like the rain was moving back in. A low-lying fog was blanketing the fields and the air felt heavy and thick.
“What a gorgeous evening,” he said. “Probably rain tomorrow. It’s nice to take a minute to enjoy it. I used to sit here on the porch with Hank sometimes while we’d go over the workday.”
“Right now, I’m sitting here wondering why I’ve been so resistant to the idea of Nina living out here.”
He stretched his legs out in front of him and turned his head to look at her. “That’s an easy one. Because you’re worried about her.”
She tore a piece of bread from her sandwich and nibbled on it. “I’ve been told by both of my sisters that I worry about them too much. That I worry about everything too much.”
“Your concern for others is a big part of what makes you who you are. It’s also a huge reason you’re such a great RS.”
Aubrey managed a weak smile. “Thank you. That’s a nice thing to hear.” She took a proper bite of her sandwich, trying to ignore the feeling his compliment stirred up in her. She reminded herself that she didn’t do warm and fuzzy, not where he was concerned.
His comment reminded her of the rescue, which she still hadn’t heard anything about. The curiosity was getting to her. She swallowed and added, “Especially in consideration of your checking up on me the other day.”
“Checking up on you?”
“Yeah, I know you and Gale went to see Danny Cruz. I figured you were investigating the rescue. When I didn’t hear anything, I assumed that I was in the clear.”
Eli’s brow furrowed. “You went to see her, too?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She nabbed a pickle slice hanging from the side of her sandwich and popped it into her mouth.
“Why?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I follow up with a lot of survivors after a rescue, especially if they’ve been injured. And extra especially if they don’t know how to swim.” She added a wink.
He rocked back in his chair and gazed up at the cedar-planked ceiling above them. His lips played with a grin. “Of course you do.”
“Except for the criminals—the ones I know have broken the law. It might sound harsh, but I leave them to wallow in their misery.”
* * *
THE CRIMINALS? Eli almost laughed. He wished he could tell her the truth. Her eyes and ears as an RS could be invaluable in making some headway into this investigation.
“The rescue is always so chaotic and crazy. Afterward, I like to see that they’re going to be okay. Sometimes they don’t quite know how to deal with the trauma they’ve been through.”
He knew this was true. A brush with death could be incredibly life-changing for anyone. And if a loved one wasn’t lucky enough to make it, the mix of emotions could really do a number on a person’s psyche.
This was such an Aubrey thing to do—caring and worrying about people where others might not think to.
“That’s really great...” He almost called her “mermaid,” which would be a really bad idea. He was finding it difficult to be around her and not fall back into that comfortable familiarity.
He’d fudged a little about the dog. He knew she was worried about Nina and he’d wanted to ease her concern in some way. An epilepsy companion dog had seemed like a logical way to do that. He had called Grady to ask what breed he would recommend. They’d met up for coffee. Grady had just confiscated Marion from an incompetent “trainer” and the rest had worked out like he’d relayed.
“I wasn’t checking up on you. It’s a part of our job while we’re here, to interview every survivor after a rescue. It’s just one of the many ways we’re evaluating procedures.” These interviews were a part of the duties related to their “official assignment.”
“Oh...” A furrow creased her brow. “I guess that makes sense.”
He could tell the answer made her feel better. She fidgeted a little with the waxy paper her sandwich had been wrapped in, which made him wonder if she was picking up on his vibe. If she, too, was struggling with how they were going to work this between them?
First, he needed to clear something up. “I want to apologize for what happened on the base the other day. When you found Gale and me in your records room?”
She waved a casual hand through the air. “What are you apologizing for? I shouldn’t have interrupted you or questioned you. And it’s not my records room, I just like to keep it...you know, tidy and organized.”
“I know that, technically. But I know I was a little, uh, short with you.” He curled a hand around the back of his neck and squeezed.
“Yeah, I caught that.”
The way she was nibbling on her lip told Eli she was thinking.
He went on. “I might be a bit more stressed about this assignment than I’ve let on. There’s a lot riding on this job for me and I want to do everything right.”
“I understand. It’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” He studied her with narrowed eyes, waiting for her to say more.
“Eli, I’ve been in the Coast Guard for a lot of years now. I’m used to taking orders, and I’m used to stressed-out officers and coworkers. This is a difficult and demanding profession we’re in.” She leaned back and stretched her long, shapely legs in front of her.
He could so easily entangle his feet with hers.
“Rewarding, too, of course. But hard.”
“That it is.”
“Although...” She paused, narrowing her eyes at him. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“You guys shouldn’t leave the door open when you’re in there. A lot of those files are confidential and you shouldn’t be careless about security and—”
“Duly noted,” he interrupted with a grin. “The Coast Guard is lucky to have you, you know that?”
“Stop trying to distract me with compliments. I’m still wondering exactly what you guys were doing in there. It doesn’t make sense. If there’s something you need, some records, I can probably tell you where—”
“I know what I’m doing, Aubrey.”
He reached out and slowly removed the waxy paper from her hands.
His sole purpose in doing so was to feel her soft, warm skin against his. He had to touch her even as he knew he needed to quit stealing these moments. He needed to find a place where they could peacefully coexist, one that didn’t include touching her and wanting to kiss her lips. Lips that were now parted slightly as she watched him, her green eyes all soft and bright and full of questions and... And he knew he wasn’t imagining the desire now swimming in their mossy-green depths. Twelve years may have passed, but that was a look a man could never forget.<
br />
Her voice was low with that rasp it sometimes got when she was emotional, “Maybe you could give me some advice?”
Thankfully she cleared her throat and looked away because he didn’t think he would have been able to break the contact. No surprise that once again Aubrey was stronger than him.
Eli hoped she wasn’t going to ask something of him he couldn’t give, even as a part of him desperately wanted her to. It would be easier if she’d take this out of his hands. Maybe tell him to stay away. Or suggest he come closer... Okay, he needed to get a grip. Just because there was clearly still an attraction between them didn’t mean she had feelings beyond that. He definitely did. But why would she after the way he’d left her? He wished... Geez, what was he, a kid again? Wishing for things that couldn’t be? He amended his thoughts and wished for the strength to resist her.
He quirked a brow. “I can try.”
“I’ve been thinking about Danny Cruz. I don’t know if she mentioned this to you guys, but she told me she’s worried about her boyfriend, Brendan. She said Brendan’s dad, Brett, is over-the-top upset about the accident and the loss of his boat. Enraged was the word she used. Something about it just...bothers me. She’s worried about Brendan.”
Wish granted. Not only was she backing off, she was reminding him of his number-one task—his job. This was good. So why didn’t it feel good? He followed her lead and leaned back in his chair.
“Really?” he said, trying to shift into the subject change. Danny hadn’t mentioned this when he and Gale had interviewed her. But that wasn’t really surprising—the fact that she’d be more open with a smiling and concerned Aubrey than with two imposing Coast Guard men in uniform. “Worried about what exactly, do you think?”
“I don’t know... Maybe he’s blaming Brendan for the loss of the Respite? Because his girlfriend was on board and he wasn’t paying attention or...something? I’m not sure. I was wondering if I should follow up. Talk to him or recommend some family counseling or something? Now that I’m giving Danny swim lessons, we’re becoming friendly. I feel invested in her happiness.”
