Sweet Caroline

by Becky Lower

  Abbey’s head bobbed. “He might have been a cute guy, but he didn’t gain height and strength until his senior year. His classmates were jealous of how easily he attracted the girls and gave him a lot of grief.”

  “Surely, though, his popularity made up for a few nasty remarks.” Caroline had only seen him as he easily blended in with Abbey, Penny, and their gang.

  Abbey rolled her shoulders and took a deep breath as she finally steered the van into her driveway. “You have no idea. As I told you already, Grant’s story is his alone to tell. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask him. No more details will be forthcoming from Team Abbey.”

  Caroline had thought of him as the most handsome boy in the room and had been thrilled when he spun the bottle and landed on her. She waited breathlessly to see if he’d kiss her on the lips or just give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Instead, embarrassment washed over her like a bucket of ice-cold water when he refused to do any of those options. Refused to touch her. She had run from the room and cried for days. They’d been fond of each other, or so she thought, and she could never grasp why he’d shame her as he’d done. Her reputation had been ruined, and she never returned to the Cove for summer visits after that fateful night. All due to Grant.

  If he’d followed through on the silly game and kissed her, would he have suffered? Admittedly, he had been the only male of color in the room. Did the color of his skin have something to do with his refusal? Caroline’s mind spun in a million different directions. Could that be what caused her torment all those years ago?

  Almost two decades had passed since that fateful night, and society had become a lot more tolerant of mixed-race relationships. She needed to consider the possibility. Caroline had hung onto her anger for a long time. She couldn’t let go of it all at once, despite how handsome Grant had become. If she were to lay low, work at the card shop, only go out when absolutely necessary, and see him only occasionally, she could maybe release her anger a bit at a time. Abbey’s offer was worth considering.

  ****

  Grant holed up in his house and used his day off from school, thanks to the big dumping of snow from the Nor’Easter, to get caught up on his paperwork. Why did computers make things so complicated? When he’d been a student in school, each teacher had a black spiral-bound grade book where they entered attendance as well as the grades for each test or paper. Then, at the end of the quarter, they’d total the grades together, and the results would show up on the report card.

  In today’s world, everything was computerized. He had mastered the art of entering the scores from each test into the computer, but he couldn’t make heads or tails out of how to total and average them. He’d been experimenting with different approaches for the last hour in the valiant hope he’d figure out what to do and recall what he’d done if he did hit the magic combination.

  At last, he gave up on the computer program. He still had an empty column for the final result. He finally decided the only way to finish would be to total the grades himself with a calculator. At least he could handle a calculator, if not a software program. A calculator might take longer since he’d still have to transfer his results to the computer, but at least he’d get finished. He laid his head on the table with a groan and stared sideways at the screen, unwilling to admit defeat. This program still made no sense, and his brain hurt from the struggle.

  Grant raised his head and glanced out the window. The snow had stopped in the middle of the night, and the plows had been working at top speed all morning so the roads were clear, as were most of the sidewalks. Snow had been shoveled into huge mounds everywhere, but at least most of the roads had been made passable now. If he came across an unshoveled sidewalk, he could easily run in the streets, since only a few brave souls passed by in their cars. School would reopen tomorrow. A run in the cold might be just the ticket to clear his head. He changed into a layer of thermals, donned his running attire over it, and opened the door to his house.

  He took a deep breath of the crisp, salt-tinged air. “Ah, yes. Good running weather.” He sped off, the frigid air a welcome blast against his cheeks. He ran by Abbey’s home and let his thoughts drift to Caroline—not that they’d been far from her ever since the wedding. He hoped her flight hadn’t been cancelled because of the Nor’Easter and that she’d arrived home safely. He hoped she’d find happiness again in Ohio. He hoped she’d some day forgive him for the grievance of being a teenage boy.

  “Enough!” Grant picked up a handful of snow and hurled it onto the freshly cleaned sidewalk. She’d shown her true colors at the wedding, by holding onto her hurt feelings. Even his apology couldn’t sway her. Since his college days women hadn’t been an issue. But Caroline? She definitely had problems where he was concerned, and vice versa. He grabbed another handful of snow, formed a big round ball, and launched the snowball, just as another runner appeared around the plowed mound and took a blast to the face.

  “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry,” Grant yelled as he dashed forward to help. “I couldn’t see around the snow pile.” He brushed away the snow from the person’s face and stared into Caroline’s green eyes.

  “Leave me be, Grant,” she hissed, swatting away his hands.

  “All I do with you is apologize.” He grinned, hoping to cajole her into a good mood.

  She huffed as she removed the remaining snow from her face and the front of her jacket. “Maybe there’s a reason. We don’t fit together well. We’re oil and water. We need to leave each other alone.”

  Grant didn’t want to leave her alone, but he had no idea what else he could do either. His hands itched to touch her again. Instead, he took off his cap and plowed his fingers through his hair. “Why are you still here? I thought you were headed back to Ohio on Sunday.”

  “And I would have been, except the storm had other plans. My boss will kill me.” The corners of her mouth curved upward.

  Her smile provided all the encouragement Grant needed. “The computer job?” At her nod, he raced ahead. “Could you maybe help me out with a computer issue?”

  She raised her head and made eye contact for the first time. “What kind of issue?”

  He quickly explained his problem.

  She nodded. “Sounds simple enough.”

  “Then, you’ll help? I live a couple blocks from here. Could you swing by and take a look at my dilemma?” He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

  “I guess I could. Why don’t we head to your home now?” She glanced toward him and then away quickly.

  Maybe he could become a computer-competent person by nightfall. Maybe they’d find some common ground and forge a friendship. Maybe he could pay for her help with kisses.

  His day had gotten a whole lot brighter.

  Chapter Five

  Grant led the way into his house and took a deep breath. Caroline entered his fortress for the first time. If he had his way, she’d be coming here on a regular basis. Even if she stayed in Cleveland, if they cleared the air, she could return to Lobster Cove and maybe become a regular visitor once more.

  Her eyes widened, and she placed a hand on her heart as she glanced around the tidy room. She briefly shifted her gaze to his face and then away, not establishing eye contact.

  She had reverted to her tortured animal state again. He wanted to run his hands down her arms to soothe her but he kept his hands by his sides.

  “Did you hire a decorator?” She focused her gaze back to the furnishings.

  “Nope. Mom helped out a bit, but I did most of the decorating. Why? Does the room scream ‘man who doesn’t have a clue?’ ” Grant grinned.

  “Not at all.” She brushed a hand over the leather recliner. “This is a lovely space, very masculine but comfortable, and so clean.”

  “I am a bit of a neat freak.” Grant ran a hand over a bookshelf, checking for dust. “Which is probably why this computer stuff is so troublesome. I tried to make the final result neat, but instead, what I’ve got is a mess of different fonts and size
s, and I can’t get my columns to add and average. I’ve been banging my head against the table all morning.” He moved his hand to his forehead, massaging his wrinkled brow.

  She finally smiled. “Let me take a look.”

  “At the program or my head?” Grant’s smile widened when he witnessed her grin.

  “The program, you silly man. Your head is fine.”

  Grant nodded and led her to the computer. He positioned an extra chair in front of the computer and booted up the program. In only a few minutes, Caroline figured out his problem. She ran through the data, encouraging him to take notes as she worked her way through the steps so he could duplicate her efforts after she left.

  “I’ll admit, this software is ancient and cumbersome, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the program.” She glanced from the screen, her body relaxing slightly. “My company back in Cleveland developed a program for schools which is in use in ten states now. What a shame Maine wasn’t one of the lucky ones. I’d be a whiz at getting that program up and running.”

  Caroline’s face hovered only inches from his. He dropped his gaze from her eyes to her lips. Those light pink, dewy lips had haunted him for years, and now they were a whisper away. She appeared comfortable for the first time since they’d encountered each other. If he wanted to take a chance, now was the time. He leaned forward.

  Her hand met his chest, forcing him back. She stood and circled the desk, putting a barricade between them.

  Only a few feet but the space could well have been the Atlantic Ocean.

  “You’re about sixteen years too late with that kiss, Grant.”

  Her voice lowered and cracked as she spoke his name. Grant stood as well. Couldn’t let her get the advantage of height. “Didn’t I already apologize for my stupidity?” Anger bristled up his spine.

  “You’re sixteen years late with your apology, as well,” she countered, keeping the desk between them. “You have no idea the hit my ego took that night. Still don’t, evidently. I didn’t feel worthy of a good man’s attention for years afterward.”

  He met her stare before brushing a hand over his eyes. “I handled the incident wrong, okay? I was fifteen, for God’s sake. I should’ve tracked you down and explained before you left. I’m as ashamed now as I was when this all happened in the first place. But you have to put yourself in my shoes for a minute to fully grasp why.”

  She crossed her arms and jutted out her chin. “Yeah, Abbey told me the same thing, and I can almost forgive you for not playing along with the silly game. What I can’t forgive is how you avoided me the rest of my visit.” Her eyes welled with tears. “If only you’d come to me then with an explanation, none of my angst would have developed. That’s what I can’t forgive.” She blinked several times before she pivoted and stared out the window.

  Grant raked his hand through his hair. “I was embarrassed to see you. I didn’t know what to say. I hid out the rest of the time you were here. I kept an eye on you but never got close enough for you to see me.” He swallowed hard. “And you never came back to the Cove after that summer.”

  She shifted around to face him. “I should go. Your programming nightmare is at an end, and Abbey’s probably wondering what snowdrift I’m lodged in and can’t get out of. I need to finish my packing.”

  “You’re leaving?” Grant could almost feel his heart breaking.

  “Yes, this evening.” She nodded.

  “Will you ever come back again?” He held his breath.

  “As a matter of fact, yes I will. I’m moving here since my life in Cleveland fell off the rails right before I came for the wedding.” She raised her gaze from the floor and met his. “Abbey’s offered me both a job at the card shop and Penny’s old apartment until I can sort out my life. Lobster Cove is big enough that if we take care we won’t have to see each other.”

  He smiled, but his lips were tight. “I doubt that. Look, if avoiding me will make your life easier, I’ll do my best.”

  “Thank you, Grant.” She returned his smile as she put on her jacket and tried to raise the hood, but she fumbled.

  “Here, let me help.” He stood behind her, trailing his fingers over her hair before he lifted the hood into place. His voice came out in a whisper. “Your hair’s still lovely. And you smell great. Sweet Caroline.”

  She faced him. “Thank you. For the assist in adjusting my hood…and for the compliments. I hope I won’t see you around anytime soon.” She gave him a wide saucy grin before she left the house.

  He stood rooted in place. She hadn’t decked him for whispering a few compliments, and he’d been able to touch her, finally. Caroline soon would become a Lobster Cove resident. She’d told him where she would be working and living, staking her territory. He wiped a hand over his face. Right now, he’d take baby steps, but they would share a kiss soon. A kiss that had been sixteen years in the making.

  ****

  Caroline ran from Grant’s house as if the grim reaper himself were at her heels. When she got out of sight from his home, she stopped to catch her breath. With one hand on her head and the other on her stomach, she tried to calm herself as she paced in a circle. He’d tried to kiss her! The way her body tingled as she’d sat next to him disconcerted her. She’d almost let his lips touch hers, something she never thought she’d do. If she hadn’t jumped up when she had, he would have probably even sweet-talked her into seeing how he’d decorated the bedroom.

  She’d been reminding herself multiple times over the past half-hour how much she despised him. Reminding herself how her self-esteem had deteriorated after their evening together all those years ago. Reminding herself how she only regained her self-worth with years of therapy and finding one good man, Michael, to make everything right again. Grant had tainted her teenage years. She certainly wouldn’t let him taint her adult ones as well, despite Abbey’s belief they belonged together.

  Good Lord, she needed to get home to Cleveland, put some miles between them in order to sort out things. True, she’d told Abbey she’d take her up on her offer, but she could always back out if being in the same town as Grant would pose a huge problem.

  Her sneakers pounded the sidewalk as she made her way back to Abbey’s home, her head full of Grant. Abbey had one thing right. He had grown into a very handsome man. All the young high school girls must be head over heels for their history teacher. She pictured them all hanging around him after the bell and smiled. As icing on the cake, he held the position of basketball coach and evidently his team had some chops. What a lethal combination. Well, lethal anyway if you were fifteen. Not so much at thirty. Or thirty-one. At least that’s what she told herself as she finished her end-of-run stretches and let herself into Abbey’s house.

  “Thank God, Caro. I about called the state trooper to come looking for you.” Abbey wrapped her in a warm hug. “Where have you been? Don’t tell me you’ve been running all this time.” She placed her toasty hands on Caroline’s frozen cheeks.

  “I, uh, I ran into Grant.” Caroline shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m sorry if I made you worry about me.”

  Abbey pinched Caroline’s cheeks lightly, and her eyes flashed. “Really? He does live close by, but how odd that you’d both be out at the same time. Did you go for coffee somewhere?”

  Caroline glanced away. She couldn’t face Abbey and her questions or her hopeful expectations, fearing she’d peer into Caroline’s core and see the questions she had herself. Knowing Abbey had been worried, Caroline did owe her at least a bit of explanation. “No coffee. He told me he had tried all morning to sort out some trouble with the computer program he had to use for school, so I offered to help him figure out things” She glanced back at her cousin and winced at the wide smile on her face.

  “So, you visited his house?” Abbey prodded.

  Caroline waved her hand, shooing away Abbey’s question. “Yes, and don’t make more out of the encounter than there is. We stopped by his house, we sat at the computer, and I showed him how to work
the program. Then I left. End of story. I need to take a shower and finish packing.” Caroline strode toward the guest bedroom, leaving behind a sputtering Abbey.

  She let the hot water wash over her, hoping the shower would smooth out the ball of stress between her shoulder blades. She may have told Abbey in no uncertain terms her visit to Grant’s home signified nothing. Unfortunately, she wasn’t so certain she’d really tacked a ‘The End’ sign on their story.

  Chapter Six

  Back at her Cleveland office, Caroline barely had time to put her purse on her desk and take off her coat before her boss, Doug, came storming into her room.

  “Stuart, my office. Now!”

  He pivoted before she shifted her glance so she only caught a glimpse of his flabby backside as he stormed down the hall. She hadn’t seen him move so quickly in ages. If the situation weren’t so tense, she might have laughed. Today she could only muster a small grimace.

  She took a moment to collect herself, cataloging what she planned to say. Then she inhaled a deep breath, picked up a pad and pen, and sauntered down the hall. No sense in rushing since she already had the eventual outcome mapped out in her head. She closed the door and took a seat.

  “Explain yourself!” Doug shouted.

  Despite her best efforts to remain aloof, she cringed. “I can’t be held responsible for the weather, Doug.” Her voice sounded weak, even to her. Caroline straightened in her chair. She would not allow him to berate her. Not anymore.

  He pointed a finger. “If you hadn’t defied my wishes in the first place, you wouldn’t have been caught up in the weather.”

  “My cousin asked me to be a member of her wedding party.” She raised her voice to match his, her heart rate rising. “I have nothing to apologize for.”