Christmas In the Cove

by Carol Ross

  “Wow,” she said when he stopped talking, giving her a moment to absorb it all. “I knew something wasn’t right. When I found you guys in the file room and you wouldn’t tell me...” She trailed off thoughtfully.

  “I couldn’t tell you, Aubrey. We couldn’t tell anyone.”

  Her face formed a thoughtful scowl. “Obviously. I understand that. So, why are you telling me now?”

  Inhaling a deep breath, he plunged ahead. “There’s more. I believe, and Gale concurs, that Alex might be involved.”

  “What? Alex? Our Alex? Are you out of your mind?” The shock didn’t surprise him. He hadn’t expected anything less. He was still having a difficult time believing it himself.

  “I know this is hard for you. I’m still struggling with it myself. You know that I value his friendship as much you do.”

  “Then how can you...?”

  He explained about the wood from the crates.

  “So? That doesn’t mean he’s the one making them or using them.”

  Her thoughts were mirroring his and Gale’s. He understood that she needed time to absorb the information. “He is, Aubrey. We found crates in an outbuilding at his company headquarters this morning. What we don’t know is the extent of Alex’s role in the operation—yet.” The wood didn’t match, but the construction did, right down to the nails that had been used. In a stroke of brilliance, Gale had thought to bring a sample of the nails with him from California.

  “Maybe someone stole the crates.”

  “Who would steal wooden boxes?”

  “I don’t know. A drug dealer maybe?”

  “That seems unlikely.”

  “So does Alex’s involvement,” she shot back.

  “I know.” He ran a tired hand across his cheek.

  “How are you going to figure this out?”

  “We’re going to keep digging and we’re going to watch him. The DEA is sending some agents to help us with surveillance.” He glanced at his watch. “They should be here anytime. All we can do is hope that his involvement is minimal.”

  “He would never do this. He must be doing someone a favor. He’s probably giving the boxes away or something. There’s no way he knows anything about any drugs.”

  “That possibility has occurred to me,” Eli conceded, knowing he had to be careful about the way he responded. “That his big heart may have gotten him into some trouble.”

  Her anguished expression had him wishing he could take her into his arms and make it all better. But he couldn’t. Not yet, anyway.

  “There’s something else.”

  “What?”

  “About your suspension.”

  He watched a range of emotions play across her face as the realization sank in that she wasn’t being investigated.

  “If you’re not here to evaluate us, then I’m not being investigated for safety violations... So, why am I suspended?”

  “Like I told you before, that was my call.”

  “I got that part,” she said dryly. “But why?”

  “For your safety.”

  “My safety?”

  “Yes, we also have reason to believe the Respite as well as the Angela Sue were involved in drug transport.”

  * * *

  ALONG WITH THE shock of what Eli was telling her, several other revelations crystallized in her mind at that moment. None of them good.

  “So,” he said when he finished, “you can see why I didn’t tell you any of this.”

  Aubrey stared into his earnest blue eyes and tried to decide which of the numerous issues to address first.

  “No,” she countered much more smoothly than she was feeling. “I can see why you didn’t tell me part of this, which includes the details of your assignment and Alex’s alleged involvement. And I say alleged because he’s not involved, Eli. There’s no way. I can’t believe you could even think he would do something like this. I can’t believe you would think this about our friend.”

  “But you can see that I had no choice, right? To remove you from duty? With the kind of danger you were in?”

  “Wow,” she drawled sarcastically, “you must be shocked that I’ve managed to survive the last twelve years without you.”

  “Aubrey—”

  She felt like her head was going to explode with the way her pulse was throbbing in her temples. “Let’s talk about these choices you say you didn’t have. How about the one where you could have chosen to trust me? Or the one where you...oh, I don’t know, chose to believe in me? In my abilities and my judgment as a highly trained and skilled rescue swimmer?”

  He looked baffled by the notion.

  Anger flamed to life inside her, anger that she now realized had been smoldering since she’d learned the details of their breakup. Eli had been protecting her then, too, and deciding what she should and shouldn’t know. Making decisions about her life and what was best for her, all without ever consulting her. And he’d done it again. Even after she’d specifically asked him not to.

  That was the worst part. That’s when another realization hit her, and it hit so fast and hard she could barely take a breath.

  This was never going to work.

  She and Eli could never work. He didn’t trust her, not in the way she needed him to. And, clearly, he didn’t respect her, not really. Not professionally. The fact that he’d removed her from duty because he wanted to protect her? That was proof. And it was also so...presumptuous.

  Not to mention high-handed and...arrogant. “You can’t just relieve me from duty to protect me from some imagined danger you think I may or may not be exposed to.”

  He frowned. “Yes, I can.”

  “No, you can’t. And if you don’t reinstate me immediately I will go to Commander Pence, or the DEA, or your buddy, Admiral Schaefer...or someone. I will go to them all if I have to and file complaints. This is unfair and wrong on so many levels.”

  Now he was starting to look frustrated, too. “This isn’t about me believing in you and your abilities or whatever it is you’re thinking, Aubrey. This is about me trying to protect you.”

  “Why didn’t anyone else get suspended?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What about Johnston and Oliver? Jay was involved in both of those rescues, too. Why didn’t you remove either of them from duty?”

  “Because—” He stopped himself and she thought he might finally be getting the idea.

  She answered for him, “Because it’s me. This is personal.”

  He didn’t argue so she went on. “We haven’t even discussed the fact that I am needed here in my position. I save lives, Eli. That’s what I do and I’m good at it.” Disappointment and frustration clogged her throat, but she forced it away. “It’s what I live for. I seriously believe it is what I was put on this earth to do. It’s not right for you to keep me from doing my job because you think I might be in danger. I know you think you’re keeping me safe, but you’re crushing my spirit in the process. What about all the other lives that might be in danger out there on the water every day? Lives that I could help save?”

  “But you are in danger right now,” he countered softly. “And I... I can’t handle that. If something happened to you, I would never forgive myself. Especially considering where we’ve been heading. I’ve been hoping that we...that maybe we were starting over again.”

  As she stared into those gorgeous blue eyes brimming with honesty and sincerity, she felt some of the tightness loosen inside her. Because that statement was incredibly...sweet. His desire to protect her was kind of endearing, as well. She would want to protect him, too, under certain circumstances. She wanted to protect her family. She wished she could have protected Nina. It managed to deflate some of her anger. But only a little because it didn’t change certain facts.

  “That’s never going to happen if you don’t trust me, if you don’t believe in me.”

  He threw his hands up. “I don’t even know what that means. I don’t see how my wanting to keep you safe mean
s I don’t believe in you.”

  “Well, then, you need to think about this. I am in danger every single day in this job and you know it. Boaters get drunk, boaters use drugs, they get mean, some are just stupid or unprepared and, yes, some of them are even criminals or murderers. I never know what I’m getting myself into when I go out on a rescue. None of us do. But I am no different than any other AST. And I shouldn’t be treated any differently.”

  Now he looked defensive. “But—”

  “Fix this,” she said. “If you really care about me, you will fix this. You will give me my life back, Eli.”

  Folding his fingers together, he dipped his head onto them as if in prayer. After a few seconds he met her gaze again. “Fine. I’ll have Nivens put you back on the schedule, but I don’t want you giving Danny Cruz swim lessons anymore, taking her out for coffee, going bowling, or just generally hanging out with her at all until this is over.”

  She met his glare with one of her own. “Are you kidding me?”

  “No, I’m not. The West family is involved in this, too. We just don’t know to what extent and exactly which family members.”

  “So, what, you think Danny is a drug dealer, too? Or wait, maybe she’s Alex’s right-hand girl?” She knew she sounded snarky, but clearly the situation called for it. He was being paranoid and ridiculous.

  “No, I don’t,” he returned patiently. “But I do think there’s a chance Brendan might be, or he may know something—something that could get him hurt. Or worse.”

  “Worse? What is this, an episode of some cop show? People are getting killed now?”

  “People get killed over drugs every single day in this country. You know that. The Coast Guard deals with it all the time.”

  “Eli, this is Pacific Cove, Oregon!”

  “Come on, Aubrey, you are not that naive. In the short time Gale and I have been here, we’ve spent a lot of time out in the community. You wouldn’t believe some of the stories we’ve heard. Some of the crimes people in this town have committed. I’ve talked to—”

  “You’re right. I’m not. Because something else just occurred to me, too. You and Gale? All the Santa, chef’s hat, crab cooking, do-gooder, elf-juggling crap? Helping out with the contest and stuff? That was all for the investigation, wasn’t it? That’s why you guys have been so social and so curious about everything. And Gale charming everyone in town?”

  She paused and then let out a gasp. “And you, with the bowling and Danny and Brendan...”

  “No, Aubrey. I...”

  She narrowed her eyes menacingly, daring him to deny it.

  “I mean, yes, some of it may have had a dual purpose, but I still would—”

  “A dual purpose? I am such an idiot.” She laid a hand on one flaming cheek and let out a dry laugh. “I thought you were doing all of that for me.”

  “Will you please let me explain?”

  “By all means. Explain. I would love to hear an explanation counter to the one I’m sitting here thinking.”

  He looked surprised, opened his mouth, closed it. Then opened it again and offered a measly, “Please, try and understand this from my perspective...”

  She barked out a harsh laugh. “That’s the only perspective there is as far as you’re concerned, isn’t it? In pretty much everything you do, it’s your way or nothing.”

  Gathering her bag, she slipped the strap over her shoulder and stood. “Even if you’re right about the drugs and the danger and the Wests and the...the...stupid crates.” She couldn’t even bring herself to say Alex’s name in relation to Eli’s outrageous theory about their friend.

  “You can’t protect me, Eli.” She leaned over so her face was only inches from his. “You. Can’t. Protect. Me. And, you know what? Even if you could, I wouldn’t want you to. Whatever this—” she flapped a hand between them “—is, was, whatever that we were doing? Now we have a name for it. It’s called over.”

  He looked miserable—angry and hurt and disappointed. Well, too bad. So was she. But she couldn’t care about that right now, not for him and not for herself. What he’d done was wrong. His heart might have been in the right place, but his actions had been way off base. And those actions had hurt her so very badly.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  GALE CAME THROUGH the door on Christmas Eve while Eli was putting the finishing touches on his project.

  “Well,” he said, resting his hands on his hips and surveying the mess now covering nearly the entire surface of the dining table. “Looks like someone has been spending a little too much time on Pinterest, huh?”

  “Funny,” Eli said as he glued another string on the knight-shaped game piece he’d found. He dropped it. “Ouch, this hot glue gadget gets really, really hot. Have you ever used one of these? There’s a reason why they call them glue guns. I’m pretty sure the military could weaponize them.” He gestured at the ornaments scattered across the table. “What do you think?”

  “It looks good, I guess... It’s an interesting theme, that’s for sure. ‘Under the Sea’ meets... Medieval Times? Is this for the tree I saw in the back of your pickup? All these years I’ve known you and this is the first I’m seeing of your crafty side. I’ve gotta say, I’m liking it. Any chance I could put in an order for a tea cozy while you’re at it?”

  Eli grinned as he peeled some dried glue and burned skin from his thumb.

  Gale picked up the mermaid tree topper. “Pretty.”

  “I know,” he said. That had been a score. “It’s an angel mermaid. I had no idea they even made them.”

  “I didn’t know such a delightful creature even existed,” Gale commented dryly.

  “It’s for Aubrey. She’ll understand. I’m taking all of this over there tonight before the party, after she leaves for Nina’s, and setting it all up.”

  After a sleepless night of agonizing about what had happened with Aubrey and how it had all gone wrong, which he still didn’t quite get, he’d set about trying to figure out how he could make it right. And then it had hit him.

  He’d taken off early in the morning on a shopping trip. He’d never been so happy about quirky beach shops in his life. The mermaids had been no problem. They were everywhere. The knights had taken some innovation. With an inordinate amount of help from an enthusiastic saleswoman at the craft store, he’d purchased what he needed and then some. He’d stopped at Ike Clairmont’s tree lot on the way home and picked up the tree. He couldn’t believe it when he’d found the nearly perfect blue spruce sitting in the corner of the lot behind an overly bushy Shasta fir. Blue spruce was Aubrey’s favorite.

  “Okay, but why don’t you just take it to her now? Decorate it together? Chicks love that kind of thing.”

  “She’s not talking to me. Well, she’s not talking much.” After three phone calls and an embarrassing number of texts, she’d replied with a single response.

  Please stop. I can’t talk to you right now. Have fun with your dad at the Christmas Eve party. I’m spending the night with Nina.

  That last part had stung. He’d been looking forward to spending Christmas Eve together again at the St. Johns’. He may have been fantasizing about re-creating their first kiss by the Christmas tree.

  Gale winced. “I take it you told her about the investigation and Alex?”

  “Yes, there’s that. And, it didn’t take her long to guess the ulterior motive for our, um, enthusiasm with the contest. She thinks we were only helping out because of the investigation.”

  “Sorry.” He made an apologetic face. The community-involvement angle had been his idea.

  “It’s okay. It was a good idea on more than one level. The worst part was when she realized why I removed her from duty. She can’t understand how I did it for her own safety...” He trailed off with a shake of his head. “I don’t know. She totally overreacted. She said it’s over. I refuse to accept that. As soon as she’s had time to think about it, she’ll understand. This tree will remind her why I did it.”

  “Mmm...
” Gale’s tone was doubtful. “Maybe.”

  “What do you mean ‘maybe’? I had the power to keep her out of danger. Why wouldn’t I use it?”

  Gale nodded slowly and heaved out a breath. “You know, for someone as brilliant as you are—you’re an idiot when it comes to women.”

  “What do you mean? No, I’m not. I...” He probably was. Since his first breakup with Aubrey, his focus had been on his career. Life in the Coast Guard usually meant moving every couple years, anyway, which would mean a relationship would take more effort than he’d been willing to give. Until now. “You’re saying you wouldn’t have done the same?”

  “Nope, buddy, I wouldn’t have. Not even a little bit.”

  “But—”

  Gale lifted a hand and interrupted. “Hold on. Think about it this way. You’re on duty in the middle of a huge storm. A call comes in, Aubrey is your superior officer, and she’s the one handing out assignments. You’re supposed to be piloting, but she calls you off because the storm is too big and scary and she’s afraid you might get hurt. You’re saying that would be okay with you?”

  Eli stared at his friend as he recited the ridiculous scenario. “This is different.”

  “How? Danger is danger. Who are you to decide where or what the most danger is? Look at what happened to Nina. I don’t think farming is exactly a high risk profession and she’s the one who ended up in the hospital.”

  “But...” Eli froze as the implications of what he’d done sank in. The Coast Guard, flying—that was his life. It was more important to him than anything—anything except Aubrey. He’d do whatever he could to protect her and keep her safe. But in trying to protect the most precious thing in the world to him, he’d taken away the most important thing to her. How could he have been so shortsighted? Because he loved her, was the answer that immediately sprang to mind. Gale was right. Aubrey was right, too; just because he loved her and wanted to keep her safe didn’t mean he could. Not always.

  “Uh-oh.” He scrubbed his hands over his tired cheeks and mumbled under his breath, “I think I seriously messed up.”