by Kaci Rose
Kade being in the room during this meeting made me more nervous than I thought I'd be. I knew there was a reason I didn’t want him here, too late for that now. As we walked into the mayor's office, he rubs his hand up my back, trying to calm me, but it has the opposite effect.
It sets my nerves on fire, and my body is highly aware of his every move. My nipples strain against my bra, turned on by him just being next to me. I take a deep breath and try to push all that away, but instead, I can smell him more, his woodsy scent mixed with the salt air from being here. Apparently, that is all my body needs to betray me.
"Okay, Ms. Prescott, let's hear what you have to say," the mayor says once we are in the meeting room.
"I don't have to tell you how important Main Street is. It's the heart of our town. You as mayor know that better than anyone." I pause, and the mayor smiles and nods.
"Main Street is where the tourists flock when they visit us. Where painters sit to capture the magic, photographers constantly working to catch it in the perfect light. It's what brings families here year after year. I feel it's our small-town charm and what sets us apart from other towns. Don't you agree? I mean, who else has a Main Street right against the water?"
"This is all true. What's your point, Lin?"
"Main Street is why our inns are always full and why the town booms during the season. You bring in this new development and the chain stores, and you'll lose that charm. People will stop coming, and it will kill our town." I level with him.
He sits up in his chair. "This development will bring in high-end stores, which means more money for the town," he says.
"But that money doesn't stay in the town like it does now. Now you get your prescriptions, and it goes to a local family who turns around and buys clothes, groceries, and other things here in town. With your plan, you buy your prescriptions, and the money goes to some big CEO out of state."
"But there will be more jobs," he starts again.
"For whom? Teenage clerks? Stock boys? Those are after-school jobs and won't replace the adults you put out of business."
"This developer will pay the town just to put the stores here. More money than is being made now. This will allow us to run better marketing campaigns and bring in new people. Plus, they will be paying a generous fee for the buildings. Enough for many families to retire."
"What marketing campaigns? ‘Come to Seaview where we are no different than Wilmington now'? No one comes here for the city experience. They want to get away from the city."
"The buildings need repairs, and they are going to cost more than they are worth to fix. This is the perfect time for the town to buy them up," he says.
"So, you own none of the buildings? Do you really think the townspeople are just going to sell them to you? We all take pride living here. You aren't going to swoop in and change it. You won't even put this to a vote because you know you'll lose. That should tell you something, Mr. Mayor."
"This isn't the same town your parents lived in. The world is changing. They want new and modern. Your parents would have adapted and understood."
I stand there stunned for a moment. Kade can sense this is my breaking point, and he puts his hand on my waist, trying to calm me or keep me from lunging and wringing the mayor's neck, I'm not sure.
"How dare you! You know nothing about my parents. They loved this town and its charm, how it was busy in the summers and slowed down in the winter. They would be disgusted by this plan. Don't you dare try to pretend you knew them at all."
"I think our meeting is done here, Ms. Prescott," he says, his voice turning cold.
"I think this is far from over, but yes, I'm done with you for now," I grit out, turn and leave.
The walk back to the car is slow, and the drive home quiet. By the time we get back to the inn, the tears I have been fighting the whole way begin to fall.
"Shit," Kade whispers, then tries to pull me to him, but I pull away.
I take off running and don't stop until I get to the beach, where I fall to my knees and start crying. Kade is at my side a moment later, and he wraps his arms around me, and I feel safe. So safe that I can't keep it together anymore. I cry harder and hold on to Kade like he's the only thing grounding me to earth because at this moment, he is.
"My parents loved Main Street," I say once the tears slow down, but I don't move from Kade's arms. My head just rests on his chest, and his chin rests on the top of mine. "It's what they fell in love with and why they built the inns here. They could have gone anywhere else, Myrtle Beach even, and made more money, but it was the town."
Kade rubs his hand slowly up and down my back but doesn't say a word. "This place wasn't as much of a tourist designation until my parents built the inns. The town was split on if it was a good thing or not, but after the first year, they all backed my parents because the town flourished."
"There has to be another way, Lin. The mayor isn't the end all be all for the town. Not when the people who live there don't want it," Kade whispers.
"I don't know. Him trying to use my parents like that. I never wanted to rip a person's throat out before, but the thought did cross my mind then."
"I could tell. I don't think I'd have stopped you either," he whispers.
"I take it things didn't go well?" Brynn asks softly as she sits beside us and takes my hand.
"The mayor tried to say her parents would want this. The meeting ended with Lin yelling at him and being asked to leave," Kade tells her, then fills her in on the details.
"Fuck him, Lin. Do you hear me? Kade is right. There is another way. We just need to regroup and come up with another game plan. Those buildings are privately owned. We need to make sure the families can do the repairs and help those who need it." Brynn squeezes my hand, and I turn my head to look at her and rest it back on Kade's chest again.
I don't want to leave this warm cocoon where my problems can't touch me.
"How were the houses?" Brynn asks, changing the subject.
"Good, your side tree needs some work, but that's all. We ran into Mrs. Keller too," I say, and Kade and I go on to tell her about our talk with Mrs. Keller.
"Well, I have some wine. Let's forget the rest of the day and go in and drink, watch some TV, and have dinner brought to us," Brynn says.
"Sounds perfect." I sigh.
"Maybe we even let Kade join us." Brynn winks.
I pull back and look at Kade. "Up to you, Goldie," he says.
"Fine, but I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight, alone." I level my glare at Brynn, who bursts out laughing.
"Okay, okay. Come on."
We head to her room, and she's very careful to avoid the kitchen, even going the long way to get some wine. I make a note to ask her about that later when Kade isn't around.
Once we are settled in Brynn's room, we debate what to watch. Kade keeps trying to tell us facts about someone in each movie.
"Okay, so we need to watch some crap movie so he can't ruin the good ones," Brynn says.
"I agree," I say as I raid her freezer for some ice cream.
"So, what was your last movie, Kade?" Brynn looks at him with a straight face.
"Hey, that movie is nominated for three awards!" Kade defends.
"The ones nominated for awards are done so by people in the business, and the movies are normally crap. The good ones never get the recognition they deserve," Brynn says.
Kade looks at me like I'm going to help him.
"Don't look at me. She's right," I say and sit down with my ice cream and dig in.
Kade thoroughly spoils the movie for us by telling us how certain scenes are done, facts about certain actors, and other tidbits we never wanted to know. I'm pretty sure he does it on purpose to keep my mind from wandering to earlier today.
"Okay, Lin, you call the kitchen and order dinner," Brynn says.
"What? It's your kitchen," I say.
"Ah, better yet. Kade, you call," Brynn says.
"Whatever, just tell me what we are ord
ering." We give him the list, and he calls, placing it to be delivered to Brynn's room. We talk and debate what to watch next when there is a knock on the door.
I check the peephole and see an angry Jasper with our food cart. What the hell? Then it clicks. This is why Brynn didn't want to call down there. Well, fine, two can play this game.
"Kade, you answer the door, and Brynn, you get your ass out there!" I whisper and then run to the bathroom and hide with the light off. Leaving the door cracked just a bit to hear what is going on.
"Move on pretty quickly, huh? Looks like your reputation is true," Jasper hisses.
"Oh, shut up, Jasper. You are just making yourself look stupid," Brynn says.
From the crack in the door, I can see Kade pulling the food cart into the room a bit more, but I can't hear the hushed voices coming from Jasper and Brynn. If I open the door any more, I'd give myself away. Maybe a little jealousy will give Jasper the kick in the pants he needs to realize his feelings. Who knows?
When the door closes, I step out and level Brynn with a look.
"It's his first night in the kitchen since my chef quit. His mom set it up. I can't say no to that woman, but I might kill him before it's all over. I don't want to talk about it right now," Brynn says.
I glance over at Brynn and find her hands clenched in fists and a pleading look in her eyes to drop it. I nod.
"Okay, we'll drop it for now."
We continue with one more movie while we eat. With Kade, this time it makes us laugh, and the wine is long forgotten as we finish off the pie we ordered.
It's only nine at night, but I'm ready to head home. Brynn seems ready to be on her own too.
"Well, I'm going to go back. We will talk about Jasper some other time, but I think we are both too drained to do it now," I tell her.
"I am. I promise all the details later," Brynn says and hugs me.
"I'll walk you back," Kade says.
We walk in silence, but once the warm night air hits us, I turn to him and smile.
"Care for a walk on the beach?"
Chapter 19
Kade
"Care for a walk on the beach?" Lin asks.
A walk on the beach with Lin? I'd say yes to that anytime, but even more so right now. I don't care how safe this island is supposed to be; there is no way I'm letting her walk at night alone.
We stroll down the beach toward the water, then walk along where the water just splashes up over our feet. I tuck my hands in my pockets. This isn't a date, so I need to remind myself not to reach for her hand. After one date, it's already instinct to reach for it, and this can get me in a lot of trouble.
"My patents always ended a hard day with a walk on the beach much like this. They always said the water seems to wash their worries away," she says.
I can see it, letting the waves carry away the things you can't control. It's a great way to let go, and I hope maybe Lin can let go of some of the stress from today.
"Since they died, though, it seems the water brings more problems than it takes away. I still try to reconnect with them here by taking a walk on the beach with them, but it's hard when the water now symbolizes everything it took from me. I felt like if this Main Street project goes through, it will be one more thing taken away. The last nail in the coffin, stripped of everything that makes this place home."
She stops and stares up at the moon. It's a clear sky tonight, and so many stars are visible.
"You will find a way around this. You and Brynn are too stubborn not to. Plus, you have the town on your side. Make sure to ask for their help, Lin. Even in the small amount of time I've been here, I can see how much support you and Brynn have." I'm honest with her.
Before she can say anything else, my phone rings. I forgot it was in my pocket from earlier today, and I curse myself for not having it on silent and allowing it to ruin this moment.
"Who is this bimbo you're dating?" Gina's voice comes across loud and harsh. "Wren said you were dating some inn owner, but this girl looks like a model. Fine, I can work with that, but the picture that just hit social media of you two in the sand on the beach? Christ, did you fuck on that beach too? That's what the press is going to try to insinuate. What were you thinking?"
Lin mouths, “Who is that?"
I hold my phone to her so she can read the name. Then something flashes in her eyes, and she straightens her back. She steps up and takes the phone out of my hand. I'm so shocked by the move I don't even have time to stop her.
"Hello, this is the bimbo. I am an inn owner, and what happens on my property and my private beach is really none of your concern, but I'll lay it out. Nothing happened. I was upset about a meeting I had, and he was hugging me. So, thanks for taking one of my low points and trying to make it something trashy. This is life outside Hollywood. Life isn't all sunshine and roses. So how about you do your job and paint him in a better light? I see the problem isn't Kade, it's you." Then she hangs up and tosses my phone back at me and turns to stare at the water.
I stand there stunned. No one has ever stuck up for me like that other than my parents. The fire in her eyes that she was upset for me makes my heart race.
"I can't believe you did that," I whisper.
She mistakes me for being mad. "I'm sorry, but I just snapped. How anyone could turn that moment today into something dirty I just—" I cut her off the moment our lips collide.
I didn't plan it. My body just seemed to have a mind of its own. My heart propelled me forward no matter what excuse I tried to give on what a bad idea this was.
Wrapping a hand behind her head and pulling her closer, I kiss her gently but passionately. It's a thank you and a plea to give me more of a chance to prove I'm not just the playboy everyone thinks I am.
When she isn't kissing me back, I start to move away, and that's when her arms wrap around my neck, gripping fists full of hair and pulling me back to her. I coax her lips apart and explore her mouth. She nips at my bottom lip, drawing a groan from me.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pull her close so there isn't an inch separating us, and I know she can feel how hard I am. I don't try to hide it. I wonder if she is wet for me and how she'd react if I tried to find out, but I keep my hands where they are.
I don't know how long we stand there wrapped up in the best kiss of my life, but when we finally pull apart to breathe, and I find her lips swollen from me, it's such a turn-on. A small way I've claimed her. I kiss her forehead before stepping back and putting physical space between us.
She brings a hand to her lips to touch them as though she can't believe what just happened. I get it; I can barely believe it myself.
"What was that for?" she whispers.
"For believing in me enough to stick up for me. No one has done that besides my parents. I wasn't thinking. I just was feeling." I try to explain.
"Don't you dare apologize for that kiss because then I will be mad," she says.
I nod and give a relieved sigh.
I take her hand as we walk the beach a bit more. She's so lost in thought I let her work it out. Hopefully, she isn't trying to find a way to end our agreement because, after that, I don't think there is a way I will be able to let her out of it.
"You said you have been trying for a year to change your image?" she asks.
