Opening her eyes slowly, her lips curved in a smile as she leaned back in her seat. Just then the waitress came by.
“Dessert, anyone?” the young woman asked sweetly.
Glancing over at Tori and noting the slight shake of her head, he looked up and smiled, “We’ll pass on dessert.” As the waitress walked away, his heart pounded as he brought his gaze back to hers and added, “At least not a dessert here.”
Chapter 8
Reaching her front door, Tori leaned her head back, unable to keep her eyes off Mitch’s face. I thought he was cute at ten. I thought he was handsome at eighteen. But nothing…nothing is like Mitch, the man.
“I hate for the evening to end,” Mitch admitted.
“You can come out to the back deck for some wine, if you’d like,” she offered. “It’s my private retreat…the guests don’t go out there.”
“I’d like to.” Following her through the wide hall by the stairs, he nodded to an older couple sitting in the living room. He whispered, “How does this work, Tori? I never considered it when we were kids, but now that I’m really thinking about this setup, you’ve got strangers living in your house!” Suddenly protective, he was unhappy about the living arrangements of a bed and breakfast inn.
As they made their way into the kitchen, she said, “It really isn’t bad. The guests use the front door that has a card reader lock—I’m the only one with an actual key. The front room, including the living room, dining room, and the sunroom are all pretty much for the guests. They are not allowed in the kitchen, but they have a mini-fridge in their room. When they check in, they have to sign that they understand the kitchen, the deck off the kitchen, the back study, and of course, my attic rooms are off limits. I show them the snack pantry in the dining room. I keep it stocked with snacks they may partake of, but everything else is mine.”
“But what if you get rowdy guests and they—”
“Mitch,” she said with exasperation. “Rowdy people don’t fork over the money it takes to stay here. I’m more expensive than a hotel so that helps.” Grinning, she teased, “Plus, I happen to know the Police Chief.”
“How can you keep them away from your private rooms?” he pushed, not giving in to her joking attitude.
She pointed to a closed door near the back of the kitchen. “There are two sets of stairs. When the house was built, there was a separate servants entrance. Of course, my room is two levels up, so I have lots of stairs, but my bedroom suite is in the attic. It can also be reached from the second floor where the guest rooms are, but again, I keep the door locked as well. I also have an intercom into my bedroom for emergencies.”
So it was you I saw the other night from the beach. Not wanting to embarrass her, he did not mention it but instead followed her out onto the deck. He breathed in the sweet floral scent of the summer flowers mixed with her honeysuckle shampoo. They sat together on the glider, and he wasted no time putting his arm around her shoulders.
Sipping the wine, they relaxed, letting the years drift away, finding once more that time was easy between them.
“So you never married?” she asked, curiosity overriding common sense.
“Nope. Never found the right woman to spend my life with. When I get married, it’ll be for life…like my parents.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth and he saw the hurt flash across her face, he wanted to pull them back in while simultaneously kicking himself in the ass.
“Jesus, Tori. I’m sorry.”
The silence was no longer easy, but strained. Finally, he said, “Can you tell me about your marriage?” He paused, and then added, “Only if you want to.”
She grimaced but forged ahead. “There’s not much to tell. I married a man I met through work. I think we were actually more friends than a great love and I was too naive to understand the difference.”
“So what happened? Did you just grow apart?”
Her gaze drifted over his shoulder, as she admitted, “No…like you, I planned on being married for life. But, well, he…um…well, he cheated and I found out.”
“No fuckin’ way!” Mitch cursed, hating the insecurity he heard resounding in her voice.
Sitting up straighter, she met his angry stare. “Yep. I found out and hired someone to follow him to make sure. When I had all the evidence I needed, I confronted him. Told him I was leaving and I wanted a divorce. He didn’t want one. Swore it was all a mistake and he’d never stray again.”
She suddenly turned sideways, facing Mitch on the glider, bringing her face close to his. Taking a deep breath, she said, “As hurt as I was, I wasn’t tempted one little bit to take him back. You want to know what I discovered? Grandma always said I deserved someone special and Mitch, right there, at that moment, I knew he wasn’t special!”
Mesmerized by the strength in her words, he pulled her in for a kiss. Unlike the one at the restaurant, this kiss went from soft to a hard, wet kiss almost instantly. Delving his tongue inside her warm mouth, he tasted the wine and essence of her…drinking her in.
She relaxed into his embrace as he moved her closer. Reaching up, she cupped his face, finally allowing her fingertips to move over his close-shaven beard. His lips were strong and supple, moving over her mouth while his tongue tangled with hers.
Just when she slipped into a dreamlike state of kissing bliss, he moved away slightly. Her lips tried to maintain contact, but she opened her eyes to find him staring deeply into hers.
“You are special, Tori. I knew that the minute I saw you when I was eight and you were only six years old. And all these years later…I still know that. And your grandma was right.”
Tucking her under his arm for a few minutes, they once again fell into an easy silence as they rocked back and forth in the glider.
After staring at her profile in the moonlight, Mitch said, “I hated that you got sick the last time you came to visit during my senior year in high school. I knew I was heading to bootcamp two days after graduation and spring break was going to be the last time I was going to see you for a long time.”
His FBI interviewing skills kicked in as he noticed her change in breathing. Lifting his hand to her soft cheek, he pulled her gently so she was facing him. “I was surprised you left without saying goodbye.”
“I was…well…oh, hell, Mitch,” she said with a sigh. “I can’t lie…in fact I never could lie to you, that’s why I had grandma talk to you.”
“What happened, Tori? I really wanted to go to the picnic with you.”
“Do you remember my sister Vanessa?” She felt his fingers on her jaw flinch as a scowl crossed his face.
“Uh, yeah. I have no idea what she’s like now, but I always hated how she acted like she was so much better than us hicks as she used to call us. I hated how she was so mean to you. I even threatened her once to keep her mouth shut when she was calling you names.”
Eyes wide, Tori said, “I had no idea! Well, to make matters worse, she discovered how much of a crush I had on you and told me that…uh…well…this is embarrassing now, but well, she told me that you slept with her.”
Mitch reared back at her words. “Jesus, I’d rather have slept with a rattle snake!”
A slight grin curved her lips at the reptile comparison as Tori shook her head. “I had no idea. Back then, Vanessa with her perfect blonde hair and tall, tanned body…I always felt frumpy.” Peering into his irritated face, she said, “I’m sorry for believing her.” Thinking back, she continued, “Since we’re being honest, I have to tell you the rest of my story.” Seeing that she had his riveted attention, she said, “My ex-husband’s affair was with my sister, Vanessa.”
Whatever reaction she expected, his response was not in the realm of her thoughts. He immediately leaped from the glider, stalking to the edge of the porch before slamming his hand down on the railing, threatening the innocent piece of wood. Whirling around, his eyes were stormy, anger pouring off him.
“Are you telling me that piece of shit, low-l
ife, son of a bitch man you married, slept with your over-inflated ego, lying, bitch of a sister?”
His voice growled so low, she would have been afraid if his words had not forced a gasp from her, at his vehement anger toward the two people that had one time gutted her. Inwardly pleased Mitch hated the situation for her, she said, “Um…yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying. But it was a while back. Believe me, after the initial tears and tantrums…I realized I was better off. And that was when I realized I deserved better.”
Stalking back over, he knelt on the deck, taking her face in his hands. “Tori, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. And even more sorry that because of your sister, I wasn’t able to talk to you that day. There was so much I wanted to say.” Sighing heavily, he added, “But we were young then. And we have now.”
Pulling him in for another kiss, she let her lips speak the words still embedded in her heart. For me, that better man is you.
As he walked back through the house toward the front door, with her tucked under his arm once more, he reveled in how right she felt there. By his side…just where he used to envision her.
At the door, she stopped and twisted her body around so she was facing him. “I had a really good time tonight, Mitch. I’m glad we can be friends again.”
Cupping her cheek he gazed into her wide, blue eyes. “Is friendship all you want, cause I’ve got to tell you, I want more.”
“It’s a start,” she admitted hesitantly.
Nodding, he smiled. “Yeah, it’s a start.”
“Grandma used to say all things happen for a reason. I cared about you a lot when I was sixteen years old, but to be honest…I needed to grow up. Make mistakes, find out who I was and really like myself. So now…I think it’s the perfect time to reconnect.”
“How’d you get so wise?” he asked. Seeing her smile, he nodded, “I understand what you mean, though. I was hot-blooded at eighteen and if I’d acted on what my desires were with you…well, at only sixteen, let’s just say we both needed to grow up.”
Holding her gaze as her body pressed up against his, he added, “But Tori, we may be friends now…but I’d like to see where this friendship can go.”
“I’d like that,” she replied rising on her toes to capture his lips once more. Ten minutes later, lips swollen from his kisses, she waved goodbye as he headed back to his jeep. Smiling, she locked up and moved to the back staircase, climbing to her room. Stepping out onto the balcony overlooking the beach across the street, she recognized his jeep still parked out front. Waving once more, she smiled as he flickered his headlights.
Laughing, she remembered he used to do that whenever he dropped her off at home all those many years ago. Finally, closing the lace-covered doors, she twirled a few times before getting ready for bed. Sliding under the covers, she fell asleep easily and for once, her dreams were not stuck in times gone by…but rather in things to come.
Chapter 9
Tori carefully lifted the hot quiche into her food travel tote. She had cleaned up the breakfast dishes from her guests, tidied the kitchen, and was ready for some more girl time. The chicken salad she had made for herself had been shoved back into the refrigerator, knowing it could be tomorrow’s lunch. Driving to Jillian’s house for brunch, she was grinning with excitement. Girl time!
Arriving at the small house, a few blocks from the beach, Tori noticed a couple of cars parked out front. Hmm, I wonder who else is here?
Entering the refurbished house with the wide, Victorian front porch, she headed back to the kitchen after hearing Jillian’s voice calling out, “Come on back!”
Jillian’s kitchen was sunny and bright, decorated in yellow and green. She noticed the kitchen table was filled with fresh fruit, deli sliced meat, a vegetable tray, as Jillian took the quiche from her hands.
Katelyn stood near the refrigerator, mimosas in her hands as she looked over her shoulder. Smiling as she placed them on a tray, she made her way to the table as well.
Another woman stood by the table, her thick, black hair pulled back from her somewhat familiar face and Tori smiled, wondering where she had seen the woman. “Hi, I’m Tori,” she greeted.
“I’m Belle. Isabelle Gunn. I remember you from the summers when you would come visit your grandmother, but I was a few years behind you in school.”
Smiling widely, Tori replied, “That’s right. I do remember you now. Do you live in Baytown?”
Belle, a shy smile on her face, explained. “I never left. I got my LPN at the community college and work in the new nursing home in town.”
“Let’s eat, girls. I’m starving,” Jillian announced, placing the quiche wedges onto plates.
The women filled their plates and each grabbed a mimosa before moving out onto the stone patio. The sprinkler shot water across the flowers near the back corner of her yard as butterflies flitted amongst the blooms. A few trees and a large yard umbrella provided shade for the gathering as they dug into their food.
The conversation was light while they ate, reminiscing about childhood in Baytown and how it had changed over the years. Finally pushing their plates back, refilled mimosas in hand, they leaned back enjoying the pleasant summer morning.
“So,” Jillian began, piercing Tori with a grinning stare, “are you going to tell us about your date last night with Mitch?”
“Um…I…” She gazed at the others, seeing interested and unwavering looks from them all. Laughing, she agreed, “I guess I am!”
Taking a sip of her champagne-heavy mimosa for fortification, she said, “We had a nice dinner. We went back to my place and talked for a while. And then he kissed me goodnight.”
Silence greeted her and she widened her eyes in fake surprise. “What?”
Katelyn slapped her hand down on the table and, with exasperation, demanded, “Dirt, girl. We want the dirt!”
Laughing again, Tori replied, “Well, ask me questions. I don’t know what to say on my own.”
“Well, for starters, what did you talk about?”
“Our jobs, our families. I told him about my marriage and disastrous divorce.”
“Did you tell him what Vanessa said?”
Belle seemed confused, then added, “Oh, I forgot about your sister. She was much older than me and, if I remember correctly, she wasn’t very nice.”
Katelyn snorted, “That’s an understatement.”
Nodding, Tori said, “Yep. I told him that she claimed to have slept with him in high school and then, many years later, actually had an affair with my husband.”
Belle’s eyes bulged out of her head at this proclamation, as Jillian and Katelyn shook their heads.
“Good!” Jillian proclaimed. “I’m glad you told him.” Then, leaning closer, she asked, “So tell us about the kiss.”
Blushing, Tori smiled. “Ladies, let’s just say that the years have not diminished his ability to take my breath away.”
Settling back in her chair, Jillian nodded approvingly. “My cousin deserves you, Tori. He deserves the best and that’s just what he’s got.”
“All the Baytown Boys deserve that,” Katelyn added.
“Tell me about the Baytown Boys,” Tori asked. “I remember that nickname when we were kids, but I guess I’m surprised it stuck.”
Jillian and Katelyn were quiet for a moment as Tori and Belle waited patiently on them, both eager to learn.
“Part of it had to do with being raised in a small town. Our high school was the county high school of North Heron, so we had friends from all over the county. But when Mitch was in elementary school, there was a group of boys that were just…I don’t know…they must have been different. They hung out, inseparable, together all the time. Whenever you saw one, you saw them all.”
Katelyn laughed, “I was sometimes jealous, so Jillian and I would try to sneak off to find their secret clubhouse, but the boys would find out and chase us away.”
“Yes, but they were never mean,” Jillian added. “They weren’t exclusive. They
played with anyone, even us girls.”
“That’s what I remember so much about my summers here growing up. There was always a fun group to play with.”
“Everyone saw them together, running through town, playing with each other, down on the beach or at the fishing pier. It was Mitch, Aiden, Brogan, Zac, Callan, Grant, Phillip, and a few others as well. Somehow they became known as the Baytown Boys.”
Nodding, Jillian agreed. “Unlike many childhood friendships that dissolve with maturity, those guys stuck together. In fact, when they played baseball for the town’s recreation club, the team was named Baytown Boys, and that’s when the title really stuck.”
Katelyn’s eyes darkened as her memories came back. “Then, the whole group of them decided to join the service after high school. Aiden and Brogan went into the Marines. Callan with the Coast Guard where he still serves. Mitch and Grant went Army, and Zac went into the Navy. I think a couple more guys that were a year or two younger than them were also Army and Air Force.”
“The town was so proud of them,” Jillian added.
“And now, most are back,” Belle said, shooting a quick glance toward Katelyn.
Katelyn sighed heavily, “Yes, some in better shape than others. Brogan was never a very talkative guy, but he can be downright surly now. And Aiden…I sometimes wonder if he doesn’t try to drown out memories with too loud laughter, too much talk, and too many women.”
“Hell, Grant and Zac are worse than Aiden!” Jillian said, her eyes flashing with a disguised pain.
Katelyn hesitated before adding, “Phillip Bayles didn’t make it back. At least not alive.”
Tori’s sudden intake of breath indicated the memory flooding back. “Oh, Katelyn, I remember he was the one who asked you to the prom that spring and you were so excited.”
Nodding slowly, Katelyn’s gaze drifted to the flowerbeds at the back of the yard, her expression far away as the other women sat quiet. After a moment, she spoke. “I’d been chasing after Phillip ever since we were kids…kind of like you and Mitch,” she said, smiling at Tori. “I’d hoped that when he got back from the military, he’d come for me and we’d leave Baytown. Go somewhere big. Have a fancy job and live in a city somewhere.” Scoffing, she admitted, “That was so stupid. We were just silly kids.”
Coming Home: Baytown Boys Series Page 7
