by Carol Ross
“After Tim’s transfer, things got better. Your dad seemed to come around. He started staying home more, paying more attention to me again. I realized that my marriage, my family, had to be what I made it. We fixed some things, worked others out, and now we’re happier than we’ve ever been.”
“I’m so glad, Mom.” And she was. She almost had all the confirmation she needed. A quick trip up to the attic should do it. What to do with the information was another question altogether.
A bark announced the next guests as the front door opened. “Hey, we’re here,” Nina called out. An excited Marion pranced into the room ahead of a shuffling Nina, who had hold of Gale’s arm. Camile came down the stairs, her arms weighed down with wrapped gifts.
Merry Christmases were exchanged all around. Gale helped Nina get settled in the cushy overstuffed chair by the fireplace. Marion curled up on the seat beside her.
Aubrey and Camile were arranging the gifts under the tree when a knock sounded on the door.
“Perfect timing,” her mom said. “That would be the Pelletiers. The prime rib is done. Camile, will you go tell your father we need him to carve the roast?”
* * *
DINNER WASN’T NEARLY as bad as Aubrey expected. With lively conversation and enough food to feed an army, there were plenty of distractions.
Eli was his usual courteous and charming self, without being overly solicitous toward her. She appreciated his efforts and marveled at how light the atmosphere seemed. She knew simply from what was going on inside of her own head, and what she knew about each person seated around the table, that there were probably plenty of reasons to scrap the merry in Christmas in this year. But no one did.
Aubrey loved that.
After the meal, Dad offered to show Tim the latest geode he’d discovered while out rock hunting in Arizona. They meandered off toward the den.
“Enjoy your cigars,” Susannah called after them.
Brian chuckled and waved as Gale and Marion helped Nina get settled in the living room. Her mom and Camile disappeared into the kitchen.
“Are you still mad at me?” Eli asked when they were alone at the table.
“I’m trying not to be,” she answered without hesitation. “Thank you for the tree. It’s beautiful and perfect. You have always been so good at knowing me and what I like. I can see how hard you worked on it, and I am overwhelmed that you would go to those lengths for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas gift.”
She hadn’t realized he was nervous about it until she heard his relieved sigh. His shoulders relaxed as his big hands spread across his kneecaps.
At his next words she nearly caved.
“Does that mean you forgive me? You can forgive someone and still be mad at them, you know?”
“Have you been watching talk shows as well as HGTV?” She tried to keep things light because it was Christmas. She avoided answering the question because she couldn’t. Not yet.
“I have another present for you. Well, it’s just more good news, but I’m excited to tell you. You’re back on duty.”
“Really? Already?” Instantly her heart felt lighter.
“Yes, there wasn’t much to it. I didn’t go through the proper channels to suspend you like you assumed. I just asked Nivens not to put you on the schedule for a while.”
“Thank you,” she said, delighted by the fact that it wouldn’t be on her record.
He reached out and took her hand, laying it gently on top of his open palm. He caressed it with his thumb.
His touch was so distracting, so mind-altering, she nearly gave in. She forced herself to focus on his face instead, which wasn’t much better because his expression was this heart-tugging cross between nervous and sincere.
“I really am sorry, Aubrey. I know this will be hard for you to believe in light of the fact that I’ve repeatedly shown otherwise, but I understand now what you mean.”
“I appreciate the apology, Eli. And I want to believe you. But those are just words. We’ve spoken words before and they didn’t hold true. We can’t... I can’t do this until I know for sure that you won’t do it again. You have to learn to let me be me, in spite of this scary and dangerous world.”
He nodded. “I know. Believe it or not, Gale helped me to see that.” He went on a little awkwardly. “If you had the power to keep me from flying, I wouldn’t want you to use it, either. Even if you thought it would save my life, I would want the option to make that decision for myself. I should have given you that courtesy. Even as difficult as it is for me to do where your safety is concerned, I promise from now on to only protect you when you ask. I may not always get it right, but I will listen when you tell me you don’t need my help. And I promise to always help you when you do ask.”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise as optimism welled within her. Did he finally get it? “Wow. That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to get you to see.”
He grinned proudly, reminding Aubrey of the boy she’d fallen in love with. “I know it will take time and other trees and...stuff. But I will prove it to you.”
She smiled and this time it was fueled by joy. “I will look forward to all of your trees, Eli.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his lips. “Thank you. And I take back what I said earlier. If you can really do that, then this is the best Christmas gift you could give me.”
* * *
THAT EVENING, AFTER dessert and coffee, Eli and Tim left to visit the St. Johns. Eli had given her a lot to consider. She wanted to believe him. Her heart kept telling her it was worth it to try. But when it came to Eli, her heart didn’t have the best track record.
Another issue kept turning over in her mind. Even though it was Christmas, Aubrey couldn’t let it go. When her sisters and mom started a card game, she hurried up to the attic, found the box she was looking for, and silently thanked her dad for his unfailing organizational skills. It didn’t take her long to find the tax records for the year she was looking for—the year leading up to Tim’s transfer.
Then she went in search of her dad. The door to his den was open a crack. She pushed it enough to stick her head through and found him seated behind his antique Craftsman-style desk. He was smoking a cigar beside an open window.
She scratched her nails on the solid oak door and called softly, “Dad?”
He jumped. “Sheesh, Aubrey, you scared me. I thought you were your mom coming in to bust me. She encourages me to only smoke two of these a day and I’m over my limit.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “No worries, your stogie binge is safe with me. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, hon.” He waved her in. She’d always loved this room with its nautical-themed collectibles and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that took up one entire wall. They were crammed full of tomes on everything from Coast Guard and maritime history, the biology of coastal and marine life, to gardening and identifying rocks and gems. The latter of which he’d taken up when he and her mom had begun traveling south for the winters. She admired her dad’s insatiable quest for knowledge as well as his seemingly endless supply of energy.
She came in, shutting the door softly behind her. After crossing the room, she pulled the cushy chair he kept in the corner closer to him. She sat and looked up to find him studying her intently.
“Are you okay?”
“I am. I want to talk to you about the past. About some things that happened twelve years ago.”
He adjusted his chair so he was facing her more solidly, one elbow resting on the arm to allow the blue smoke of his cigar to curl out the open window. “Is this about your mom and me? And the, uh, trouble we had when you were in high school?”
“Mom warned you, huh? Only peripherally, Dad. And I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
He took a puff, studying her with assessing, narrowed eyes. In moments like this Aubrey supposed she could see why her sisters were intimidated by him. But they hadn’t spent nearly the amount of time with him that
she had. Her interest in the Coast Guard, her gift for swimming and her love of all matters water-related had bonded her to him from a very early age. She could see right through his rigid exterior.
“Important how?”
“Important for my relationship with Eli. And possibly for a, um, problem that Eli might have that is work related.”
He tipped his head and she could see the questions, the curiosity, light in his eyes. “Promise to tell me when you can?”
She let out a relieved, “Of course. Thank you, Dad,” even though she knew her smile revealed her feelings.
“I haven’t helped yet.”
“But you will. No matter how you answer my questions, the answers will get me closer.”
“Shoot,” he said.
“Twelve years ago, when Tim Pelletier was transferred, did you arrange the transfer at his request?”
“Yes. Well, I helped arrange it and I encouraged him to take it.”
“Why? I mean, why did he want the transfer?”
Her dad’s face contorted into a kind of half scowl, letting her know he was uncomfortable with the inquiry. “He was, uh... He was ready to get out of here. He wanted a fresh start.”
“Why did he want to get out of here?”
“It’s not my place to say.”
Aubrey didn’t think she could love her father more than she did in this moment. The sky-high level of respect she already held for him rose exponentially.
“Was it gambling, Dad? Was he in debt from gambling?”
In spite of his composed features, she knew her dad. She had her answer. She’d already had it from Tim’s personnel file, but she’d wanted her dad’s confirmation. And she wanted a bit more.
It was the conversation with her mom on the beach that had set this train of thought in motion. When Eli had mentioned that Brett West liked to gamble, she’d remembered that all those years ago Tim had liked to gamble, too. Back then, they’d just assumed it was something he did for fun. Unfortunately, and especially for someone with an addiction, the line between fun and financial disaster was far too easy to cross.
A look at Tim’s personnel file had given her the confirmation she’d needed. He’d been in serious financial trouble and his habit had gotten him into trouble at work. The trip up to the attic had confirmed another part of her theory. Next to her mom’s old cedar chest was a box full of her parents’ past income tax returns. A quick perusal had confirmed that her father had worked an extra job during that year, a part-time evening shift at a nearby bottling plant.
“Did you pay off his debt?”
Exhaling a sigh, he stubbed out his cigar. “Aubrey, why are you—?”
“Because, for all these years, Eli believed that you forced his dad to take the transfer to punish him for something else...” She didn’t add the part about her mom and Tim’s almost-affair. “But since Eli has been back in town, he’s been rethinking that assumption.”
“Ah.” Brian thrummed his fingers on the desktop. “Yes, I worked a second job to help Tim pay off his debt.”
“Why didn’t he ask the St. Johns for a loan?”
He seemed surprised by the question. “I don’t think Carlisle knew. He was out of the Guard by then. It was difficult enough for Tim when I found out what was going on. He didn’t want my help, either. But I didn’t ask. I just did it. I wasn’t about to betray his trust and tell anyone—not even Carlisle. I didn’t even tell your mother. These men were—are—my best friends.”
Friendship. There it was again. There were few bonds that were tighter. In some ways they were tighter even than that of family, because with friendship you had a choice. You could choose where to put your loyalty.
She’d given her loyalty to Eli and Alex years ago. And even though things had gone south between her and Eli, she’d always had Alex. She’d do anything for him, and he for her. Truth be told, even when she and Eli were estranged, she would have done anything for him, too. How could Eli not believe this about Alex, too?
Friends, true friends, helped each other out, put the other first. Like her dad had done for Tim. They were willing to risk their lives for their friends, even their reputations, if warranted. But what happened when that friendship wasn’t reciprocated? That would be the ultimate betrayal as far as she was concerned.
A one-sided friendship could also mean that you might be easily manipulated.
“Dad, I want you to know how much I admire you. How much I admire what you did for Tim.”
“He would have done the same for me.”
Aubrey couldn’t help but wonder if this were really true. He’d allowed his son to believe that the man who was trying to help him was out to destroy him. Although, she reminded herself, Tim’s pride had been on the line, his standing in the eyes of his son. So maybe that was, if not acceptable, then at least understandable?
She leaned her head against the high back of the chair. She couldn’t tell Eli the truth about his dad. What purpose could it possibly serve other than to upset him? And embarrass Tim, and possibly drive a wedge between father and son? The irony of the situation seeped into her; of finding herself in the position of keeping information from Eli in order to protect him.
She thought about that and about this conundrum with Alex. Suddenly, everything seemed connected somehow and confusing.
Aubrey knew one thing. Her mom was right; the world wasn’t nearly as black and white as she’d always believed.
CHAPTER TWENTY
TWO DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS, Aubrey happened to be sitting behind the front desk at the pool. Her lessons were over and Tabitha, the regular receptionist, had a doctor’s appointment. Aubrey had offered to fill in.
Aubrey heard the door open. She looked up from the lesson schedule she was working on to find a short, heavyset woman with bright blue eyes and the prettiest red hair she’d ever seen standing before her.
“Hello,” she said with a friendly, dimpled smile. “I’m looking for an Aubrey Wynn. Do you know if she’s here? Or where I might be able to find her?”
“I’m Aubrey.”
“I thought it was you, but I wanted to be sure. Well, that was easy.”
“I aim to please. What can I help you with? Are you inquiring about swim lessons?” She picked up a sheet of paper. “Or maybe our open swim schedule?”
“Oh goodness, no. I used to be a swimmer, though. Butterfly was my specialty.”
“Fantastic. I love the butterfly, too. It makes me feel like a mermaid.” Aubrey added a happy laugh. “That probably sounds weird, doesn’t it?”
She let out a giggle. “Not at all. I always imagined myself as a dolphin.” She reached out a hand. “Mary Justice. I work for DeBolt Realty.”
“Coastal Christmas Contest DeBolt Realty?”
“That’s the one.”
“I owe you a big thank-you, then. I had so much fun with that contest. It pretty much consumed my life for six months. And I don’t think Pacific Cove has ever had such a festive Christmas.” Even if mine didn’t quite live up to what I helped create, she added silently. But that didn’t have anything to do with the contest.
“You don’t know this, but I attended every event that Pacific Cove hosted.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I was a judge. Your second event? The Visit with Santa?”
“Yes...” Please don’t let there be some kind of lawsuit or formal reprimand that would keep Pacific Cove from competing next year...
“Quite frankly, I think you were robbed when corporate headquarters disqualified Pacific Cove. I believe it was a knee-jerk reaction.”
“Thank you.” Even though it didn’t change anything, it was nice to hear. “It was unfortunate. We tried to appeal the decision.”
“Appeal?” The bewildered expression on Mary’s face was enough for suspicion to take root. “I’m not sure what you mean by that. I’m technically the contest coordinator. No one spoke to me about an appeal.”
Aubrey tried to concentrate on her words. Mar
y described the call—the only call—that came in after the event was the one threatening a lawsuit if Pacific Cove wasn’t disqualified from the contest.
Which meant... Alex. He’d assured her that he’d called the contest coordinator to argue their case for reinstatement. She’d asked him if he’d followed up on it. Twice.
“Anyway, I couldn’t let it rest. I’d been at the Visit with Santa and it was the best I’ve ever seen. You could feel the excitement in the crowd. And when that little boy ran into the street and Santa scooped him up? I had tears. That’s Christmas spirit in action right there. I didn’t think a thing of the street situation.” She shrugged helplessly. “Kids are kids, right?”
“Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how much your visit means to me. I was so upset after that I—”
Mary interrupted, “You’re welcome, dear, but I’m not finished.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“When you entered back in July, you had to fill out a form about what you would do with the money if you won. Do you remember that? How you talked about refurbishing the pool you grew up in?”
Aubrey gestured around at her dilapidated second home and said flatly, “Hard for me to forget, Mary.”
They exchanged smiles and Mary went on to explain how she’d been so disappointed after the phone call, and yet delighted about A Visit with Santa that she’d gone ahead and attended the treasure hunt hoping it could all be resolved somehow.
“I saw you on the beach. With a tall man and a little girl? Helping her find one of the glass balls? I saw you slip it into a pool.”
“Yes, that was me.”
Mary smiled. “That sealed it for me. It just exemplified the whole point of the contest—aside from the business aspect, of course.”
Joy welled inside of her. Her efforts really had been worth it. They’d helped to make this Christmas special for a lot of people, even if her own hadn’t quite worked out the way she would have liked.
Mary went on. “I found two of those hand-blown ornaments, by the way. So lovely. Anyway, I consulted our attorney and did some research. He said that while the safety concern was valid, the violation didn’t break any laws. So a lawsuit probably wouldn’t fly. But by this time it was too late—the grand prize had already been awarded to Remington.
