The House on Blackberry Hill: Jewell Cove #1 (Jewel Cove)

by Donna Alward

  He looked down at her. “Me? Blow up?”

  “You’ve got your father’s temper.”

  “And my mother’s stubbornness.”

  She grinned. “Sorry ’bout that. Now, I hope you’re hungry. The food’s out and the meat’s on the barbecue.”

  He helped himself to a burger and potato salad and a few scallops wrapped in bacon. It wasn’t so bad. Sarah’s sloping backyard looked over the water and when he started to feel closed in he would watch the way the sun played over the surface as it got lower in the sky. The water always seemed to calm him the way nothing else could. He even made it through catching up with his cousin Bryce without a whole lot of awkwardness, meeting Bryce’s wife, Mary, and their baby daughter.

  And if he felt a pang watching the three of them together, he ignored it. The past couldn’t be changed.

  He leaned back in his Adirondack chair when a voice sounded in his ear. “Jesus, wouldja look what the cat dragged in.”

  The grin on his face was genuine as he tipped back his head and stared up at Rick Sullivan. “Well, goddamn. The standards in this place have gone way down if they let in the likes of you.”

  “You’re tellin’ me. Good to see you, soldier.”

  “Semper fi,” Josh said, tipping his bottle in salute. “Pull up a chair, Marine.”

  Rick grabbed a lawn chair and put it next to Josh. As they gazed out at the water, Rick took a flask out of his denim jacket pocket. Josh tried not to stare as his childhood buddy anchored the flask in the crook of his left elbow and screwed off the cap with his right hand.

  Not all of Rick had made it back.

  Wordlessly they tipped up their respective bottles and drank.

  “Hell of a thing,” Rick finally said. There was no need for him to explain. Josh knew that such a statement covered any number of events. Rick’s being wounded and losing his hand, Erin not making it back at all, the two of them sitting here now, forever changed yet somehow still the same. A history of several years all leading up to this moment.

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Josh answered.

  “You seen Tom yet?”

  Josh scowled. “No, thank God.”

  “Hating him won’t bring Erin back.”

  Josh had told himself that a thousand times. But there were things Rick didn’t know. Things that could only be seen by someone on the inside of a relationship.

  He didn’t answer. Instead they sat watching the sun play over the waves of the bay. Josh was aware of Rick drinking steadily from his flask and something twigged inside him. How was his old friend really coping with being back home, with his disability?

  There was a change in the air of the party. Josh couldn’t put his finger on it but it felt like things got quieter, like someone was holding their breath. Slowly he turned and saw his cousin for the first time in several years. Since before he’d married Erin. Tom hadn’t changed at all. Still big and brawny with his hair a little too long and his face in need of a shave. As boys they’d gotten into their fair share of trouble. There hadn’t been this sense of competition. They’d always had each other’s backs. But that changed the day Josh had seen Erin laughing up at something Tom said, her face glowing as if Tom had hung the moon and stars. Tom had looked like he hadn’t a care in the world while Josh was burdened with trying to deal with the grief of losing his dad, being the new head of the family, finishing school, and being in the service.

  For once he’d wanted something to come as easily for him as it had for good ol’ Tom.

  But it had ceased to be about Tom when he’d actually gotten to know Erin. He’d lost the chip on his shoulder and fallen head over heels in love with her. For a long time he’d considered what happened more his fault than Tom’s. He wasn’t proud of himself for stealing Tom’s girl. Not even when Erin had insisted it was Josh she wanted to be with. He’d always borne a little bit of guilt—right up until he had proposed and Erin had accepted. And when Tom had stood up in the Rusty Fern and declared to the town of Jewell Cove that Erin was marrying the wrong man, it was the last straw.

  Because he’d known, deep down, that despite what Erin said, there was something between her and Tom that Josh couldn’t compete with. If Tom had really wanted her, he could have had her. Tom always got what he wanted and the thought of losing Erin had made Josh afraid—a weakness he hated.

  Tonight Tom wasn’t alone. A girl he didn’t recognize was beside him, her hand on his arm while the two of them shared a laugh with Jess. She was pretty in an understated sort of way; not Tom’s usual type by a long shot. Once again Josh felt like an outsider in his own family.

  He got up from his chair, needing to burn some of his pent-up energy, and he found himself at the beer cooler again. He popped the top and took a long drink, trying to cool the resentment running through his veins. But it didn’t work. After all that had happened, Josh was here alone, and Tom had a pretty girl on his arm. All the talk of Tom grieving was a pile of horse shit. Erin had only been gone six months.

  For a half hour they managed to avoid each other, though Josh was always aware of Tom and his mystery woman. They got something to eat and found chairs closer to the deck. Tom went to help Mark set up the fireworks while the woman sat and chatted to Bryce and Mary.

  Tom had taken Josh’s place in the family. And why not? Josh had barely been home since marrying Erin and moving to Hartford. His resentment deepened. The fear of confronting Tom had played a large part in keeping him away. Josh had his pride, after all. Now he wondered if he’d ever belong here again.

  * * *

  Abby had taken ten minutes to change for the party while Tom waited. They’d picked out a granite countertop and gorgeous dark walnut cupboards for the kitchen, and she’d completely fallen in love with some slate-colored ceramic tile. The whole kitchen was going to have a makeover and shopping for samples had been exciting. Right up until the moment she realized it wasn’t going to be her kitchen at all. It would belong to whoever bought the house. That time was still a long way away, though. The more she discovered about her family, the more questions popped up. She was still trying to make sense of what she’d already unearthed in the attic. Trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Something didn’t quite add up and she couldn’t put her finger on it.

  Right now, though, she was in Tom’s cousin’s backyard, wearing a simple sundress and sandals, a light cardigan over her shoulders as the wind off the water cooled the air.

  Tom never left her side for the first half hour. It was definitely feeling like a date as she first met his bubbly cousin Sarah, then his aunt Meggie, his parents Pete and Barb, and then a grinning Bryce and Mary and their gorgeous baby. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, but Abby was on edge just the same. It felt like Tom was going through the motions. He never touched her, his smile seemed fabricated rather than genuine. She met neighbors and family friends, but one introduction wasn’t made—not through mingling or as they grabbed something to eat.

  Tom had not once spoken to his cousin Josh—the guest of honor. In fact, Abby was fairly certain Tom had avoided crossing paths with his cousin altogether.

  She was about to ask him why when he said he was going to help Mark set up the fireworks.

  Jess came over and brought her a serving of dessert—little jars filled with sponge cake, strawberries, and whipped cream. “You look like you could use this,” she said, handing Abby a spoon.

  “I do?”

  “You’re a little tense. Relax. You’re doing fine.”

  “Jess, this isn’t a date…”

  “Sure it’s not.” Jess grinned and scooped up some of her shortcake. “Tom’s been happier lately,” she observed. Abby watched as he and Mark laughed over something as they anchored the fireworks into the dirt. Happier? And Jess thought it had something to do with her? Something warm seemed to run through her veins at the thought, but she tried to tamp it down.

  “He’s just enjoying working on the house,” Abby replied. “We both know I’m just h
ere until the work is done and I can sell it.”

  “You’ve decided for sure?” Jess sounded disappointed.

  Whether or not she was having any moments of indecision was none of Jess’s business; besides, she wasn’t certain that Jess wouldn’t go and tell everything to her cousin anyway. Perhaps with the best intentions, but Abby wasn’t about to say anything that might come back to bite her later. “Well, nothing’s written in stone,” she replied. “But yeah … selling it seems to make the most sense.”

  After a few moments of silence she looked over at Jess. She was frowning at Josh and another man who was sitting with him. “What’s the matter?” Abby asked.

  “Nothing. I mean, I know Josh is struggling. I’m just not sure hanging out with Rick Sullivan is the best plan. Sarah was out of her mind to invite him.”

  Abby supposed she should be relieved that Jess meddled everywhere and not just in her and Tom’s business. “Why?”

  The wrinkle between Jess’s eyebrows grew deeper. “Rick lost his hand overseas. He’s dealt with it by drinking. A lot. I’d rather that not happen to Josh.”

  Abby looked closer. Now that she thought about it, she remembered Rick. He’d been in the Rusty Fern the first night she’d been in town. He’d given the bartender a hard time and Tom had gotten him to leave.

  “Maybe she thought Rick would understand. Or that Josh needed a friend.”

  Jess’s dark eyes were worried as they met Abby’s. “I’m not convinced that’s the sort of friend he needs. Rick’s changed a lot, and not for the better.”

  There wasn’t much she could say to that, so she asked the question that had been burning on her mind all evening. “Jess, why hasn’t Tom spoken to Josh?”

  Jess’s face turned deceptively innocent. “What?”

  Before Abby could repeat her question, they were joined by Tom’s mom and dad, and shortly after, Tom. The words sat on her tongue, harder to hold in the longer the evening went on and still Tom and Josh didn’t acknowledge each other. Tom even reached down once and took her hand in his, and for a second a delicious thrill slid up her arm at the contact. But she soon realized there was a tension in his fingers that had nothing to do with holding her hand. Instead of it making her feel closer to him, she felt even more isolated.

  Twilight was beginning to settle in and the patio lanterns were casting the first bit of warm glow when Tom leaned over and said in her ear, “Come on, let me show you Sarah’s roses. Maybe the garden will give you some ideas for the one at the house.”

  He led her across the lawn, but it just so happened that their route intersected with Josh as he went to put his empty beer can in a recycle bin.

  For a long moment resentment seemed to sizzle, making Abby’s tummy churn uneasily as her gaze darted between the two men.

  Josh looked Tom in the eye before letting his gaze slide over to Abby. She didn’t quite like the way he examined her, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Much like Tom had that first day, but this time the mocking stare felt … She held in a shudder. Not threatening. But definitely not friendly. Insolent. Tom’s fingers flexed over hers and she forced herself to breathe normally. Things were tense enough without her letting Josh get to her. Tom hadn’t wanted to come today, she remembered. Jess had insisted. Abby swallowed. They’d all known tonight would be tense, then. And no one had seen fit to warn her she was walking into a viper’s nest of family drama. She lifted her chin. Josh would not intimidate her, however. That much she could control.

  Josh finally looked back at Tom, the mocking smile still playing on his lips.

  She heard the strain in Tom’s voice as he spoke. “Josh. Welcome home.” To her surprise Tom held out his hand. She was impressed with his self-control, considering all the hostility in the air and the fact that it was clear Josh was deliberately trying to provoke Tom.

  Josh didn’t answer. Instead he drew back and sucker punched Tom in the jaw.

  Abby’s heart hit her throat the moment that Tom hit the ground. Josh stood above his cousin, his fingers still clenched and his eyes blazing blue fire. In shock, her heart pounding, she knelt down beside a stunned Tom. “Oh, my God, are you okay?”

  His black eyes met hers for an instant. “Yeah, I’m okay,” he reassured her, sitting up. His hand rubbed the side of his face where Josh’s fist had connected with bone. Tom looked up at Josh and his eyes burned with an intensity that was frightening. “The first one was free,” he said, with quiet steel underlining the words. “The next one won’t be.”

  Slowly Tom got to his feet. Oh, God, a fistfight? Abby pulled on his arm. “Don’t,” she whispered hoarsely. “Let’s just go.”

  Meggie rushed up, Tom’s parents right on her heels. “Josh! What on earth is going on?”

  Josh leaned forward, his fingers still curled in a fist. Another dark-haired man moved in, gripping Josh’s arm with one hand. The Rick person Jess didn’t like. Better and better.

  “I’m settling an old score,” he replied to Meggie through gritted teeth, though his gaze never left Tom. “One that should have been settled long ago, right, cousin?”

  Abby looked from Josh to Tom. An old score? What on earth?

  “The score was settled,” Tom answered tightly. “And you damn well know it. You won. Let it go, Josh. It makes no difference now.”

  He sounded so tired. So weary, and Abby was suddenly aware of the resigned expressions of everyone around them. Like they’d all expected the explosion. Tom turned to her. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” He took her hand and to her relief started to walk away. The last thing she wanted was for him to get in some brawl and ruin Josh’s homecoming—something that apparently meant a great deal to the rest of his family.

  But Josh wasn’t as willing to let it go.

  “Asshole.”

  Tom’s fingers tightened around hers for a moment. “Sorry,” he murmured, before turning back to face his cousin. Oh, God, was Tom seriously going to hit him back?

  But Tom only lashed out with words. “She’s dead, Josh. It doesn’t matter anymore. None of it matters anymore.” Abby heard Tom’s voice break on the last words and dread trickled down her limbs. She? This was over a woman?

  “I damn well know she’s dead!” Josh yelled, his voice echoing through the yard. Everything was still except for the music, which sounded incredibly out of place now. “She was my wife!”

  Abby heard the anguish in the words and instantly felt sorry for Josh. How could she not sympathize with someone in such pain? But then she looked at Tom and a heavy feeling settled in her chest. His expression was no less tortured. Not just any woman—they were fighting over Josh’s wife.

  “Yes,” Tom replied, his voice hoarse. “She was. She was your wife. She chose you. You can stop hating me for it now.”

  This, then, was the woman who had broken Tom’s heart, the reason why he didn’t date, the reason why he didn’t get along with his cousin anymore. The woman who’d married someone else. She was still absorbing the information when Tom turned to her, his face utterly contrite despite the redness spreading along his jaw. “I’m sorry about this. We shouldn’t have come.”

  “Oh, come on, Tom. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your pretty friend?”

  Josh’s words were snarky, a deliberate taunt to set Tom off again. Something rebelled within Abby. Why had Tom brought her here? He had to know it wasn’t going to go well. He’d been on edge all day. Even in Portland he’d been distracted. And right now she was feeling like she was nothing more to Tom than a statement. Like her being with Tom was his way of rubbing it in Josh’s face. Josh was alone and Tom wasn’t. And Josh was falling for it. It was easy to tell he was spoiling for a drag-out fight.

  Anger burned. She refused to be used—by either of them.

  She stepped up and held out her hand even though her heart was pounding. “Hello, Josh, I’m Abby Foster.”

  She kept her hand between them as she raised her eyebrows, challenging him. Someone had to hav
e some common sense and it wasn’t these two … boys.

  He finally shook it. “Miss Foster.” His cheeks even colored a little. The schoolteacher in her made her want to give them both a good dressing-down, but instead she withdrew her fingers from his and turned back to Tom. “I think I’d like to go now,” she stated.

  “I’ll drive you home.”

  “No need. I can find my way back just fine. After all, I hear Jewell Cove has a fine taxi service.” Her accusing gaze slid from Tom’s face over to Jess. At least Jess had the grace to blush and look away.

  “I’ll drive you home,” he repeated, stronger this time, and she knew better than to argue the point right now. One scene tonight was enough.

  She turned her back on Josh and kept her eyes straight ahead, trying desperately to ignore the curious stares of Tom’s extended family. When Tom’s hand settled lightly at the small of her back, she had the urge to arch away from it. At the back gate Jess rushed up, her dark eyes wide with worry. “Tom, Abby, I’m so sorry. I guess we thought Josh would be on better behavior.”

  The apology didn’t help. Abby felt angrier with each passing second. Angry and hurt. Jess had been so kind before. And Tom … she swallowed. In a short few weeks Tom had been her mainstay here in town. He was the only one she’d told about the house and her family and …

  She blinked back the sting of tears. She’d trusted him. Both of them. She’d considered them friends. But friends didn’t set up friends like that.

  She turned on Jess. “You ambushed me,” she whispered stridently so the rest of the family wouldn’t hear. “You used me. You knew from the moment you invited me that afternoon in your store that this would happen.”

  “It wasn’t supposed to be like that,” Jess insisted. “Honestly, Abby. We just thought that if Tom brought someone, if Josh could just see it wasn’t all about Erin anymore…” Jess looked genuinely distressed. “We thought it would make things easier. We never thought he’d punch Tom.”

  Tom took a step forward. “We?”