by Lisa Jackson
Red and orange light spilled over the horizon, dazzling the sky with intense, glowing rays. Good morning, sunshine! This was going to be a good day. Celia had no idea how many people would come through the house today, but she would welcome them all. The food was ready. The balloons were waiting to be tied to the mailbox. She’d even hired a small, local band to play on the front porch. She was probably the only person on the face of the earth to throw herself a Welcome to the Neighborhood party, but she didn’t care. She and her father had left with their heads down; she was coming back with her head held high.
After spending an hour or so walking along the ocean’s edge, Celia made her way back to Ocean House. Just as she reached her corner, she saw Chris standing across the street, looking at the house. It was as if he were afraid to cross over.
“Hey there,” Celia said. Chris turned. Instead of showing her the smiling face he had greeted her with a few weeks ago, Chris looked horrid. His eyes were bloodshot. He was frowning. Was he drunk?
“Are you okay?” Celia stopped in her tracks, almost afraid to take another step.
Chris looked over his shoulder as if expecting the boogeyman. “No. Not okay.”
“What’s wrong?”
“You told Jacob what I did? After all these years?”
Emily had obviously gotten to him. Spread more lies. “No, Chris. Emily told Jacob. Not me.”
Chris pointed at her. “She said you would say that.”
So Emily was still attacking. Just from the periphery. “I didn’t tell Jacob. Emily is furious that we’re together. I thought you knew better than that.”
Chris looked as if he were about to cry. “She wants me to do something terrible, Celia.”
He was a man on the edge. What now? “What?”
“A year ago, we slept together.”
“You and Emily?” Celia didn’t mean to sound so surprised, but hadn’t Emily been with Jacob?
“Just after she and my brother hooked up. I guess I was feeling insecure. I know what you’re thinking.” He gestured over his body. “How could she still want this?”
“I wasn’t thinking that,” Celia said. “I was thinking how sorry I was for your wife.”
“I know. I know. Don’t you think I know? And now Emily’s threatening to tell my wife if I don’t do this thing for her.”
“What does she want you to do, Chris?”
“I can’t lose my wife and kids, Celia. I’m sorry. I’d do almost anything to make it up to you and Jacob. You have to know that. But I can’t lose my wife and kids.”
“What does she want you to do, Chris?”
“I’ve got to go.”
Chris headed off at a fast clip. “Tell us. We’ll help you.” But Chris didn’t answer. Celia turned back to the house. When she reached the porch, she saw large footprints. Chris had apparently been on the porch. Why? What had he done? What was Emily planning?
Celia was going to have to tell Jacob that something was afloat. After all this time, she didn’t want another misunderstanding to pull them apart. If Jacob knew Emily was planning something diabolical, and that it involved blackmailing his brother, then at least when whatever it was hit the fan, they wouldn’t be totally blindsided.
Jacob was still fast asleep. She stood in the room and watched his chest rise and fall. I want to wake up to him for the next fifty years. More if we’re lucky. She didn’t want to wake him up just to give him bad news. The minute he felt her hand on his shoulder, he pulled her into bed, rolled on top of her, and kissed her before she even got a word out. He kissed her neck, then pulled back to smile at her. Celia could only imagine what he saw on her face: half desire, half dread.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Just kiss my neck once more and I’ll tell you.” He was happy to oblige. Then he rolled off her and lay next to her with his head propped up by his fist. He looked so sexy and concerned. She told him about the encounter with Chris. Carefully. Even though Jacob was no longer with Emily, it was never fun to learn your partner had slept with someone else. Jacob’s reaction surprised her.
“That part is actually a relief.”
“What?”
“I knew she still loved Chris. It wasn’t just me. We were using each other.”
“But what now? Emily has asked him to do something she thinks is going to hurt us. And if he doesn’t, she’s going to tell his wife. I didn’t come here to break up a marriage.”
Jacob took her hand, and they sat on the edge of the bed. “As much as I’ve resented Chris over the years—more so since I learned what really happened with you—I still don’t wish that on him either. His kids don’t deserve that.”
“What are we going to do?”
“First, I’m going to find Chris. I’ll get him to tell me what she’s up to.”
“Should I cancel the open house?”
“Absolutely not. Whatever it is, we’re not running. She’s pulling the same stuff she tried as a teenager. We fell for it then, Celia, because we were young too. But let me tell you something loud and clear. This is your last chance, gorgeous. If you don’t want to be with me, say so, and I’ll walk out of here forever. But if you do, we’re not letting anything—not one thing—ever come between us again. Do you hear?”
It was a relief to hear Jacob echo her earlier thoughts. “I’m not going anywhere either.”
Jacob leaned in for a kiss. “Thank God,” he said after he got it. “I wasn’t really prepared for you to walk away.”
Celia kissed him again. “Not on your life.”
Jacob worried nonstop as he made his way to Chris’s house. Emily and all her schemes. Like it was one big boardwalk soap opera. It did his head in. After he saw Chris, he was going directly to the source. No matter what, she was not going to ruin Celia’s open house. Of course, it was a delicate balance because Jacob agreed with Celia. None of this was worth destroying a family. Chris shouldn’t have slept with Emily and kept it from his wife, but Jacob wasn’t going to be the one to get in the middle of that hornet’s nest.
Jacob stopped into the arcade first. They didn’t open until noon, and the place was shut tight. Chris’s house was only another fifteen-minute walk. Jacob had a car, but walking or biking was one of his favorite things about living on Hampton Beach. Besides, the fresh air and walk were helping to calm him down. He would need to be calm to face the destructive duo. Chris was lucky Jacob hadn’t punched him in the face for what he did to Celia all those years ago. Now Chris was pulling this?
The minute he arrived at Chris’s house, he saw the driveway. Normally they had two cars parked in it. Today there were none. The windows were shut too, and so was the front door. Normally his niece and nephews could be heard a block away. Screaming, squealing, playing, fighting. They were definitely gone. Maybe Chris had gotten out of town instead of bowing down to whatever Emily demanded. It was ironic. Chris had been the one who tried to get Jacob to see what she was like. Now he was the one who had to deal with her instability.
Jacob knocked on the door, just in case. Silence confirmed his suspicion. Should he go over to Emily’s? Dealing with Chris was one thing. Emily was a woman, and Jacob wasn’t always very good at figuring out the best way to approach women. He wasn’t trying to insult a single woman on earth, but from his limited experience, they could be unpredictable. What if confronting Emily just made things worse? Then again, Chris could be at Emily’s house. He’d at least amble by and see. He was just passing the gas station near Emily’s house when he heard shouts.
“Uncle Jake, Uncle Jake!” Jacob stopped as the kids piled out of Chris’s truck and came barreling into his arms. Chris, who was pumping gas, looked stunned. Jacob hugged and chatted with the kids as he made his way up to Chris. His sister-in-law wasn’t in the truck. Chris must have noticed Jacob looking for her.
“She’s inside getting snacks,” Chris said.
“Road trip?”
“Yes. But I’m also going to tell my wife the truth. All of i
t.”
Jacob nodded. Diana was a good woman. Would she forgive Chris? Was it better not to tell? Jacob didn’t have a clue.
“What about you?” Chris asked Jacob.
“What about me?”
“Are you going to do the same with Celia? The whole truth and nothing but the truth?”
“I’ve been meaning to. Haven’t found a way to ease into it.”
“Well, you’d better hurry. Or Emily’s going to do it for you.”
Jacob felt a prickle of fear run through him as Chris looked at him. If Emily revealed the truth before Jacob had a chance to explain . . . Celia would never forgive him.
“Emily sent me to tell Celia the truth,” Chris said.
“You were going to do that? You were going to tell her something that wasn’t yours to tell?”
“Of course not,” Chris said. “I’m not Emily’s puppet.”
“Celia said you were at the house, she said you told her that Emily wanted you to do something that was terrible.”
“She wanted me to drop the bomb.”
“She was willing to throw her own mother under the bus?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? She’s just like her mother.”
“And you were going to do it? You were going to tell Celia everything?”
“No. I came to warn you, dude. I’m still on your side.”
“Okay,” Jacob said. He put his hand on Chris’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you about Emily.”
“I can’t tell you how glad I am that Celia’s back. Don’t let her go this time.”
“Does Elizabeth know that Emily plans on—how did you put it—‘dropping the bomb’?”
“Apparently, yes. Looks like they’d both risk anything to get rid of Celia,” Chris answered.
“Just like old times,” Jacob said. It was a head-wrecker. Celia had never done anything to either of them. Celia had never done anything other than be her beautiful, happy self. Imagine how much easier all of their lives would have been without the Tanner women.
Jacob ran his fingers through his hair. There was no other choice. He was going to have to tell Celia first. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. He should’ve done so already. He’d hoped Celia’s father would have just confessed the whole sordid mess. It might have saved Jacob all these years of heartache. But at the time he supposed everyone involved had done what they thought they had to. You gotta do what you gotta do, isn’t that how the saying goes? Every one of them had made mistakes. Surely Celia would be able to see it through adult eyes?
There was no guarantee. After all, Celia was fiercely protective of her dad. Ironically, this would have gone down much easier if the old man were still around.
“Hey, handsome.” Jacob looked up to see his sister-in-law coming out of the gas station with bags in her arms. Chris hurried over and took them from her. He prayed Chris would be able to make things right. The older Jacob got, the clearer it became. He even understood why Pete Jenkins had done what he did. All might be fair in love and war, but there was nothing a man wouldn’t do for his family.
Celia was in such a good mood when Jacob returned. She was arranging flowers and jars of sea glass. She was blowing up balloons and tying them to the porch rail. She was making homemade lemonade. Was it really worth ruining her good mood to tell her the truth? Or should he let the good times roll as long as he possibly could? Life was full of such decisions, and Jacob didn’t love his track record. It seemed he always made the wrong choice no matter how much time he spent weighing his options. Just had a knack for picking the wrong one. So when his instincts shouted at him and told him to tell her the truth right this very minute, he purposely did the opposite. Instead of confessing he squeezed lemons and blew up balloons and made another pot of coffee and did everything he could, all the while praying that he was for once making the right choice.
Celia couldn’t help but wonder what had happened between Jacob and Chris. She wanted to tie him down and ply the information out of him (she also wanted to tie him down just to have her way with him), but she had too much to do to get ready for this day. Jacob was helpful but quiet when he returned. Celia didn’t press him; she was just happy to have him by her side. By the time she finished, there was only an hour left before people would arrive. She had to shower and dress. Jacob was actually wiping down all the windows when she slid up behind him and put her arms around his waist. She had never been this comfortable with Ben, couldn’t remember a single time she’d slipped up behind him to cuddle. Jacob turned around, and before they knew it they were kissing again. Jacob’s hunger for her seemed to grow by the second.
“Want to shower with me?” Celia said.
Jacob groaned. “You know the answer to that. But you also know that you’ll never get out in time for your party.”
“You’re probably right. Although I hate to admit it,” Celia said. She broke away and ran up to the shower before she could change her mind. When it came to Jacob, she definitely had that soft spot that she had to watch or she was going to ignore the entire world and spend her days just loving him. This is our time, she thought while in the shower. This is our coming out party. Bring it on, she wanted to shout at Emily. Whatever you’ve got, our love is stronger.
CHAPTER 10
People began strolling in at one o’clock sharp. Celia had a banner hung near the front door. SANDY, BARE FEET WELCOME.
The band arrived and was soon playing beach tunes on the porch. The food was a huge hit: finger sandwiches, and strawberries with cream, prosciutto with melon, and plates of cheese and crackers. Laughter rang out as guests dropped off their donations before meandering through the house. From the looks of it, Ocean House was going to be well-stocked. One older woman spent her entire time in a corner, drinking tea and staring at Celia. Just as Celia joked with Jacob that it looked like she had a stalker, the woman approached.
“You’re Celia Jenkins,” the woman stated.
“Yes,” Celia said. She knew there was more, so she waited.
“Your father was a good man,” the woman said.
“Yes, he was,” Celia said. She tried to catch Jacob’s eye, but he was looking away. Maybe he was worried Celia would start crying.
“My husband had just passed away when you came to town. Your father was a lifesaver. He came any time I called about anything. Mostly, I was just grieving, and I just wasn’t used to taking care of a house by myself. I was so terribly sorry when he was unjustly accused of all that nonsense.”
Celia impulsively reached out and took the woman’s hands. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that. That’s what hurt the most. Nobody around here stood up for him.”
“Well, I tried, for what it was worth. But instead of getting anyone to listen, I was kicked out of the quilting club.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I took up yoga instead, and now look at me.” The woman winked. Celia felt a load lift off her as the woman walked away. She turned to get Jacob’s reaction. He had moved on, was talking to someone else. For a moment she was stung. Didn’t he know how much it meant to her, meeting people who believed in her father’s innocence? But she shouldn’t expect him to read her mind. She should tell him the truth. When it came to her father, she wanted Jacob right next to her, defending his name.
Two hours later, Celia finally started to relax. She’d been carrying so much tension, expecting some kind of Tanner ambush. It looked as if Emily and Elizabeth were going to stay away after all. Endless worrying for nothing. There was a nice crowd still in the home, mostly gathered on the porch to listen to music, and in the living room, where food and drink were readily available. And just as she thought her worrying had been over nothing, she saw them, mother and daughter, marching up the street. She didn’t even realize she had swayed, until Jacob put his hands on her waist.
“Easy there, tiger,” he said. Celia didn’t want to give the impression she was running away, but neither did she want to appear l
ike she was waiting for a fight.
“Pretend we’re having a lovely conversation,” she said, grabbing Jacob.
“Why don’t we just have a lovely conversation?” Jacob said.
“Who’s the man with them?” Celia said. Jacob looked out the window. “Don’t look. Is that Elizabeth’s man?”
“Can I look?” Jacob tried to turn his head to the window. Celia grabbed it and pulled it toward her.
“No!”
Jacob grinned as Celia squeezed his face. “Then I have no idea.”
Celia kissed him and let go of him, then straightened her hair. “How do I look?”
“You look amazing.”
Celia melted. From the way he was gazing at her, he meant it. “We can do this. We can handle them.”
“Celia. I think I made a mistake. I should have told you—” The door opened. Celia didn’t pay any mind to Jacob—he was worried they were going to get her goat. But he was wrong. Now that Ocean House had a purpose, so did she. She had Jacob. And a reason for being here. But she still didn’t know how to handle the Tanners. Look at them or don’t look at them? She was just trying to figure out which way looked more cool when they shoved their way in and bullied their way up to her. Celia didn’t have time to process much. Elizabeth looked much older, but also good for her age. She’d definitely had Botox, maybe even a facelift. Her perfume reached Celia first. Her makeup looked as if it had taken days to apply. Her hair was still blond, or still fake blond, and straightened. She hadn’t gained an ounce. Maybe they all just ate Emily’s muffins. Nobody would want more than a bite a day. Elizabeth Tanner was the ultimate picture of someone who was “put together.” Emily, on the other hand, looked a little wild. She was a woman on a warpath. Next to them stood the mystery man. It was Ben. He was wearing sunglasses, Bermuda shorts, and a parrot shirt. Celia couldn’t believe it.
