He looked down at the letter shaking in his hand. Noah hadn’t smoked a cigarette in three years, not since leaving the “sandbox,” as they had all called it.
I could use a cigarette now.
He inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes against the pain.
It should have been me. Not Benjamin.
Sadie rested a furry head on his knee and looked up with warm brown eyes. Sadie had been with him in Iraq, a bomb sniffer, and when Noah found out she was to be retired after that last tour, he had adopted her and brought her home. He patted her on the head and smiled.
“Wanna go for a run, old girl?”
She responded with a tail thump on the wooden floor of the houseboat.
“C’mon, then, I could use one too,” he said, and laid the letter down on the nightstand next to the picture of The Boonies. That picture carried him through months of sleeping under the stars surrounded by sand. Noah stopped before walking out the door and turned to look at the picture. Smiling sadly, he closed the door.
***
Emily
Emily’s mind drifted as the miles ticked away. It was a beautiful fall afternoon, and the sun was welcome warmth on her pale face. Having worked the night and early morning shifts for so long, she had forgotten what the sun felt like. A light breeze from the open sunroof blew her brown locks around her face. She tuned to a rock station and turned up the volume. No sad country songs today.
Now, Emily was going back to Bon Chance. But what would she do when she got there?
One step at a time.
Don’t go borrowing trouble, Grams would say.
She remembered the drive from Lafayette after the accident that had taken her parents. Pops had the Cajun music channel on. The lively sounds of the accordion contrasted with the somber mood in the late model Ford. Years later, Emily was making the move again. Again, it was with little more than a few clothes and prized possessions.
Driving south through the small towns of south Louisiana, memories flashed like the faded yellow dashes on the highway. The excitement of summers. The long days of playing on the beach, fishing, campfires at night. When vacation was over, and her parents went back to Lafayette, she had always stayed for the remainder of the summer with her grandparents. After her parents died, she’d moved in with them permanently. It was then, in Grams’ kitchen, that Emily developed a love for cooking. She’d spent many hours in that old kitchen with Grams. Grams had taught her how to make a roux from scratch.
“No roux in a jar for me no, cher,” Grams would tell Emily. Emily would stir with that old, stained wooden spoon for so long; sometimes she thought her arm was going to fall off.
Emily smiled at the memory. How long had it been since she’d made a gumbo?
Too long.
Driving down the coast, she rolled the window down to smell the sea air. On one side of the road was various fishing camps standing on stilts, on the other side was the gulf. Emily rolled Oscar’s window down as well, and he stuck his head out, sniffing this new air. His ears tilted back in the breeze, tongue hanging out sideways. Emily’s lips lifted in a slight smile. She had loaded up the black-and-white mixed-breed dog after throwing the few things she’d packed in the SUV. She couldn’t leave Oscar with Eddie. Eddie couldn’t take care of himself, much less a dog.
Emily turned down the small road on the inlet side that led to her grandparents’ place. A sagging porch roof and noticeable roof damage left her heart sinking. A blue tarp flapped in the breeze on one side of the roof. Plywood covered the few broken windows. She leashed Oscar and walked up the steps. She stood there staring at the door, afraid to go in. Afraid of what she’d find.
Emily sat down on the top step of the porch. Petting Oscar, and ignoring her growling belly, she looked out across the front yard. How many times had she sat there as a teen? Waiting for Noah, or watching the stars, or daydreaming about the future?
An older model truck rolled to a stop in front of the mailbox. Oscar barked again as a man got out of the driver’s side and rounded the truck.
“Hey, Emily, I thought that was you. You’re early.”
It was Noah. The years hadn’t changed him much. He had a sharp, strong jawbone, same with the cheekbones. A slight shadow of a brown beard and the curve of a smile softened the look. Made him more human than Adonis. And a far cry from the military man she had seen during her last visit.
He enveloped her in a hug as he met her on the porch. Emily relished the comfort of the simple hug.
“Yes, I am,” she said as they pulled away.
He cocked a dark eyebrow in question. “Everything okay?”
“It will be.”
Dark eyes narrowed. “You’ll let me know if I can do anything, won’t you?”
Her lips curled into a slight smile. “I will, thank you, Noah.”
“No problem,” Noah said, smiling at her. “I need to get going. I was just passing by on my way home and saw you here. And again, let me know if there’s anything I can help you with.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“No problem,” he said. “It’s good to see you again, Emily.”
“You too, Noah. You too.”
Emily watched him drive away, turned to look at the house one more time, and grabbed Oscar. It was time to head to the Redbird.
***
The Redbird Inn, like everything else in Bon Chance, was only a short drive away. Owned by her grandmother’s best friend, Glinda, for as long as Emily could remember, it was a place Emily knew well. Within a few minutes, Emily was pulling into the driveway. Like most houses in the area, the main house was on posts to prevent flood damage. There was a huge front porch at the top of the stairs and the door was painted a cardinal red that suited the inn’s name. Two huge hound dogs pounded welcoming tails on the wooden porch as she walked up the stairs.
An older, speckled man answered the doorbell.
“Daniel?” Emily said, recognizing her grandparents’ friend immediately.
“Why, Emily Thibodeaux,” he said. Emily didn’t have the heart to tell him it was Breaux. Who knew how long it would remain Breaux anyway?
“Glinda told me you were coming,” he said. “Come on in. You hungry? Glinda, I brought you a visitor!” Emily followed him into the kitchen area of the inn where Glinda spent her time if she wasn’t outside tending her yard.
Glinda looked her over. “Daniel, this is no visitor! This is Emily!”
Suddenly, Emily was enveloped in a bear hug. “Lord, girl! How we’ve missed you here! How are you doing? How is your grandparents’ house? You stopped by there?”
“It’s going to take a bit of work,” Emily said.
Glinda said, “I’m just so happy that you’re staying here. I just loved your grandma. I miss quilting with her! I still have some of our quilts in the guest rooms. Come on now. Daniel, you go get her bags, we’ll get her set right up. Have you eaten?”
“Not yet,” Emily said.
“Well, I’ll tell you what. Let me make you a plate, and then we’ll get you settled. Looks like you haven’t slept in forever. Girl, you got bags under your eyes bigger than my gumbo pot. Stay right here, I’ll bring you something to eat.”
Glinda returned with a covered dish and led Emily outside to a small raised cabin. It had steps that led up to a deck that surrounded the front. They climbed the few steps and Glinda opened the door and stepped aside, letting Emily in first. The cabin smelled like lemon oil and sea air—clean and salty.
The living room and kitchen were open. A small island with a sink separated them. A worn brown sofa with huge, hideous, orange flowers and a matching love seat flanked each wall, and sat in front of big windows. Despite the outdated and dark furniture, it was bright and sunny.
“Do you like it?” Glinda asked.
“I love it.”
“It’s yours for however long you need it. There are pots and pans, silverware, and all of that in the kitchen. If you want to come for breakfast, it’s at eight
and I’d love the company. Towels and sheets are in the closet in the bedroom. It’s your basic furnished camp.”
“Thanks. For everything.”
“Not a problem. We take care of each other. It’s what Grams and Pops would’ve done.”
Emily felt tears well up, and, embarrassed, looked away. Glinda took that as a cue to leave.
Daniel appeared, Oscar in tow. “This big guy didn’t want to be left, so I brought him first.” Emily took the leash from Daniel and walked the dog around the cabin. When she came back around, Daniel was walking back down the steps.
“I left your bags in the living room. I’ll let you put your things where you want them.”
“Thank you so much, Daniel,” she said.
“Not a problem. I’m going to head out now.”
She looked around the new place, smiling as Oscar sniffed these new surroundings. It was definitely tiny. But how much room did they need anyway? This morning she’d had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a huge kitchen, and a big back yard that constantly needed attention. Tonight, she had half that space and the gulf for a front yard. She still had a husband, but that could be fixed.
One thing at a time, Grams always said.
She walked through the kitchen, running a hand across the cheap laminate counter. It was smooth. And clean. She opened the cabinets, looked at the simple silver pots and pans that shone like the treasures they were. Touching a small pot, relishing the feel, she thought of the cooking that could be done in this room. While this sauce or that chili simmered on the stove, she could devour a book outside on the small deck. Until her home was ready.
After a walk-through of the rest of the small cabin, she ended up in the small bedroom that faced the gulf. Painted a blue that matched the sky, it was Spartan in its simplicity. All it had was a bed, a dresser with a mirror, and an open closet with two abandoned white plastic hangers. The bed was covered with clean and crisp white sheets. A handmade quilt lay on top of that. Emily recognized it as one of Grams’ favorite patterns. She and Glinda must have made this one. Emily lay on top of it, stretching out, crossing her arms above her head. She took a deep breath. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, her first real smile in a long time. She closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer of thanks.
One tear rolled out, then another.
For now, she was home.
Chapter Three
Where am I?
Opening her eyes, Emily had a moment of disorientation. With consciousness came memory. She had left Eddie. In one day, she had moved out, quit a job, and lived in a new, but temporary, place.
What a difference a day made.
She stretched again, enjoying the quiet. There was nothing to hear except the occasional call of the seagulls. Oscar roused from the blanket she had thrown on the floor the night before. He laid his head on the bed, tail thumping against the floor.
She reached over and grabbed the phone charging on the nightstand. Three missed calls and two voice mails. All from Eddie. She sighed.
She grimaced, listening to the messages.
“Where are you? Why didn’t you come home? Are you with someone else?” he ranted on the first one.
“I will find you, Emily. And when I do…” he threatened on the second. It wasn’t the first time he had threatened her, but it soon would be the last.
He’ll have to find me first. And find a way here. He’d lost the company truck when he was fired.
She rolled out of bed, slipped on shoes, and grabbed Oscar’s leash. By then, he was already jumping up and down. She leashed him, set out down the steps, and off to the beach, still yawning. One whiff of the ocean air, and she was instantly reminded of the summers here and the time spent with family and friends. An early morning walk along the beach would do wonders.
Emily and Oscar explored the mostly deserted beach. Only one boat bobbed off the pier, an older model houseboat. The fishermen, eager to catch the plentiful shrimp and redfish, had already headed out for the day.
Oscar decided he wanted to explore the pier, so Emily followed. A small blue crab instantly fascinated Oscar. Getting down on white-tipped front paws, he barked. Slowly, he inched closer. The crab moved its pincers around in the air in warning. Oscar leaned in for a sniff, and the crab pinched his nose. He yelped, then turned around and promptly lifted a leg and peed on the crab.
Emily threw back her head and laughed. The sound was almost foreign, it had been so long. She took in a big breath of the brackish air and raised her face to the sun. It was another silent prayer of thanks.
What a difference one day made.
Oscar barked again and Emily looked down the beach to see a male jogging with a very large German Shepherd. A fine specimen of a man from what she could see. He was tall, dark, and more than handsome. Emily felt a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she hadn’t felt in quite some time. Eddie hadn’t actually inspired attraction those last few months. The feeling she had gotten from Eddie had been more like nausea, not lust.
It was Noah. He slowed to a walk as he approached.
Lowering her eyes, she saw a tattoo of a rooster with the words ‘Semper Fi’ scrolling above his heart. That hadn’t been there when they were young.
“Mornin’, Emily,” he said. “I’d hug you but…” He gestured to his sweat soaked chest.
“That’s quite all right,” she said, laughing.
He motioned to the dog. “This is Sadie.”
Emily leaned down and gave a quick pat when the dog nudged her hand.
“Hello, Sadie.”
She straightened and glanced back at Noah. “How are you doing?”
“I was about to grab a cup of coffee. You want one?”
Emily’s mouth watered. Coffee sounded good. She hadn’t had a chance to buy any yet and was never fully functional in the morning without at least one cup.
“Where?”
“Follow me.”
He led them to the houseboat anchored on the pier. Emily had no idea how old it was. It had a wide deck on the front and a smaller one on the back. A railing of sea blue vinyl surrounded it.
“Let’s sit out on the deck and watch the world go by.”
“Okay.”
Oscar started pulling on his leash, obviously frustrated with the sudden stop.
“You can let him off the leash, yeah.”
“He’s insane when I let him off.” It would take both hands for Emily to count the number of times she’d had to chase the dog and carry him home.
“He’ll be fine. The fishermen are all out. Not a lot of traffic in and out right now. Let him run a little bit. He’ll work off some of that energy. And besides that, Sadie will keep him in line.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
Emily leaned down and unhooked his leash. Oscar was off in an instant, a barking blur of black and white. Crazy dog. Sadie was right there, barking and nipping at his side.
She followed Noah onto the boat and to the deck. He pulled up a comfortable looking white rocking chair with sun-bleached cushions. He disappeared into a set of sliding glass doors and soon reappeared. The smell of brewing coffee soon followed.
“You want something while you wait?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
Emily brushed hair out of her face, unsure of what to say. So she said nothing, and neither did Noah. She rocked slowly in the chair and was about to make an excuse to leave when he got up.
“I think the coffee is ready now,” he said, and disappeared into the boat.
“Cream? Sugar?” he asked as he held two cups out. He handed her a Life’s A Beach mug and kept the one that said ‘Semper Fidelis’.
“Cream, please.”
He came back with a small container and handed it to her. Just yesterday, Emily had been the one waiting on people, bringing them their coffee and cream.
“So, where’ve you been living? Still in Lafayette?” he asked, settling into the chair beside her. She was glad he didn’t c
rowd her, keeping a distance there.
“Yes.”
“Did you finish school?” he asked her.
“No,” Emily said, unwilling to say more. “What about you?”
“I build houses now. I’m a contractor.”
That explained the muscles and the tan. Eddie had started to resemble the white under belly of a large fish, all white and blubbery. And after a night of drinking, smelled about the same.
“You okay?” Noah’s kind, whiskey brown eyes narrowed in concern.
Embarrassed, Emily smiled. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. Thanks for the coffee.”
“Not a problem. Thanks for keeping me company. The quiet is nice, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little conversation with my coffee.”
“How is Carly doing?” Emily asked.
“She’s hanging in there. But she’ll be okay. One more cup?” he asked.
“Sure. I’m gonna run check on Oscar first. Lord knows what trouble he’s gotten into by now.”
Oscar was busy harassing the seagulls that were trying to rest on the rocks by the shore. His new friend, Sadie, was right there too. The gulls were not worried though. Their little heads regarded him with cool disdain. Assured that Oscar was not creating chaos, she went back to the boat. Noah had already set out another cup of coffee.
Oscar finally noticed her outside and came running, his tongue hanging out one side of his mouth. Bounding through the gate, he jumped on her, sending them rocking furiously.
“He’s a bundle of energy. Always has been. He makes me laugh though, so I keep him around,” she said.
She sipped the coffee, relishing the aroma mingling with the salty breeze. It was quiet. The only sounds were the rockers hitting the deck and the seagulls calling overhead.
“I’ve missed this place.”
“Why did you stay away so long?” he asked.
Unwilling to answer, she changed the subject. “So, all the repairs after the hurricane must keep you pretty busy?”
Tangled Up In You (Fleur de Lis Book 1) Page 2
