Adam stood behind Julia, looking over her shoulder to the young woman seated at the desk.
“Selena?”
“My God. Adam Monroe. You’re the new police chief?” She walked toward him, holding out her hand. “Congratulations.” She glanced at Julia, and seeing the distress in her eyes, understood the situation without it being explained. “I’m guessing you’ll need a place to live.”
“Yes, I will.”
“I’ve taken notes.” Julia handed a sheet of paper to Selena, then turned toward Adam. “Let me welcome you back to Peregrine Bay. I hope you’ve made the right decision.”
His gaze followed her down the hall, her parting words hit him like a punch to his gut—the same words she’d spoken to him the night he’d broken up with her. He slowly turned back to see Selena studying him. She lowered her eyes to read the information Julia provided and decide how best to handle the unexpected appearance of the man who’d caused Julia so much pain.
“I guess it would be best to give you some information on neighborhoods and review the open listings. We can then schedule visits to the ones you’d like to see.”
He glanced over his shoulder before taking a seat, wishing he’d had a few more minutes with Julia. “All right.”
******
Julia slumped into her chair, her heart pounding. It had taken years to get past the fact her best friend, the one man she’d ever loved, had walked away. He’d attended Washington State on a baseball scholarship while she’d gone south to Boise State. Friends of hers who went to WSU had let her know his new interest was a cheerleader—a bouncy, bubbly brunette who’d hounded him mercilessly during baseball season his freshman year.
Tall, handsome, and a star athlete, Julia had always understood her good fortune at being the one he wanted. She’d put everything into their relationship, driving to Pullman to see his games, responding to every request he made of her to attend events and dances. Not once had she suspected someone else had their eyes set on him, or that he returned the interest.
Even now, nine years later, her chest tightened in pain.
She noticed the time, realizing she had a meeting with her CPA in ten minutes. Grabbing her purse, she dashed from the office, rushing to her car. Selena would take care of Adam, find him a home far away from where Julia lived. She’d seldom seen the previous police chief and saw no reason it would be different with the new one.
She’d push him from her mind, steel her heart, and continue on as she had since the Christmas Eve she’d never been able to forget.
******
“Let me make some calls. Is nine o’clock tomorrow too early to start?” Selena asked as they stood in the lobby.
“No, that’s fine.” Adam looked around, hoping for one more look at Julia before leaving. He held out a piece of paper. “Here’s my phone number and where I’m staying.”
“Plan on meeting me here. We’ll take my car.” She saw his brows draw together as his mouth curved up at the ends. “Don’t worry. I’m a much better driver than I was when you and Julia were together.” She noticed him wince and wished she’d kept her mouth shut. “Anyway, it’s roomy so you can stretch out.”
“All right. Thanks, Selena.” He held out his hand.
“My pleasure. And again, welcome back, Adam. I truly hope this turns out to be a good opportunity for you.”
Adam needed to call his folks, let them know he’d taken the position. They’d moved from Peregrine Bay during his junior year in college, his dad buying a business north in Pine Cove, but still on the shores of Lake Bountiful.
Peregrine Bay lay on the south end, a beautiful spot filled with longtime residents, wealthy second home owners, and thousands of tourists during the summer months. He hoped to find a home at the north end of the bay, making his drive to visit his parents about an hour.
“Hi, Mom. Tell Dad I accepted the job. Yes, I feel good about the decision. I’ll tell you all about it at supper.” He pocketed the phone and pulled into traffic, turning toward the lake, knowing he was searching for the sense of belonging he’d lost. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Perhaps, if all went well, he’d be able to find what he’d carelessly walked away from all those years ago.
~~~~~
Chapter Two
“Here’s the next one. We’ll stop for lunch after this and review the homes we’ll visit this afternoon.” Selena pulled to a stop and grabbed the property data sheet.
“Do you think I can qualify for this one?” Adam asked, doubting he had the money for what he saw. The house looked large from the outside. It sat on a large lot on the shore of the lake, about a mile from the north end of town.
She smiled. “Trust me. Once you see the inside, you’ll know why this one is in your price range.” She unlocked the door, letting him step inside ahead of her.
“Holy…” Adam began, then clamped his mouth shut. A musty odor slammed into him as he took in the filth. Cigarette butts littered the old, shag carpet, sockets fell from outlets, and the walls sported an odd yellowish-brown color as if they hadn’t been cleaned or painted in years. He cleared his throat. “What color do you think this was?” He nodded toward the walls.
“I know they were white as I sold this house to the current owner five years ago. From what I understand, several men rented this place for four years, never lifting a hand to clean. Nothing was ever reported to the landlord, so little has been repaired. They up and moved out on him a few months ago. The owner is in a convalescent home. His relatives live in Chicago and have little to do with him. At this point he just wants to get rid of it.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.
Adam followed her toward a large room divided into a kitchen, eating area, and family room with sliding glass doors to a huge deck. The view to the lake alone had to be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
“You’d need to do a lot of work, but the electrician and plumber I had over last week said the repairs in those areas are pretty minor. You’d need to replace a few fixtures, change some lights, repaint, add new flooring, and buy appliances. If you look to your left, there’s a mudroom between the kitchen and garage.”
Adam pushed the door open, seeing an old washer and dryer. His breath caught when he stepped down into the garage.
“This must hold four cars.”
“Yep. The person who built it had two cars, a truck, and a boat. All fit inside, plus there’s a carport on the other side of the garage. As I recall, the original owner used it for his boat trailer.”
By the time they’d completed the tour, Adam’s initial shock had worn off. Four bedrooms, three baths, three fireplaces, a family room plus a den off the master. It sat on a full acre and included a boat dock.
“What do you think?” Selena asked, seeing the look of concentration on Adam’s face.
He walked around the back yard once more. It would be a lot of work, but he could do almost all of it himself, although he’d have to rent a place for a few months.
“It’s everything on the list, plus more. How much?” he asked, holding his breath.
Selena named a price, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the relief on Adam’s face.
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope. I sold it to the current owner. He called me last week and gave me the listing. The man just wants out.”
“The roof?” Adam asked.
“He put a new one on when he bought it five years ago. It still has ten years on the warranty. Plus, he added the deck and boat dock.”
“You know the rest of the properties on the list today. What do you think?” He couldn’t take his eyes off the lake. His dad would have a great time fishing here, and his mom would love the kitchen once he fixed it up.
“Buy it, Adam. You may never get a second chance at something like this.”
He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. It seemed he didn’t get many second chances since his sophomore year in college. He wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
“Let’s do it.”
<
br /> ******
Selena handed the offer to Adam then sat back to finish her lunch. “With the down payment you’re offering and the fact I know you, I don’t believe the seller will have a problem accepting.”
Adam read and signed the document. “I hope you’re right. I can’t go any higher on the price since I’ll need money to fix it up.”
“He knows it needs work and is prepared for something in this range.” She drank her soda, fidgeting with the straw while she watched him. “Tell me what you’ve been up to. We all thought you’d go pro after college.”
His face clouded before he steeled his expression. “I tore some stuff up in my arm and it never healed right. Can’t pitch in the majors if you don’t have an arm left.”
“I’m sorry to hear it. I had a great time watching you when Julia would let me tag along to Pullman. You were real good.”
“Yeah, well, what’s good is that I decided to get a degree in criminal justice, so I had a fall back plan in place. Spokane police hired me right out of school. I got my master’s degree and moved up to detective. I’d just applied for the U.S. Marshal Service when I got the call from the mayor. It seemed right, plus it would be close to my folks.” He shrugged, knowing the real reason he accepted the job was Julia. Friends had told him she never married and didn’t seem to have anyone serious in her life. Adam didn’t count Mark Walters, a boy they grew up with who he heard she’d been seeing on a casual basis the last few months. Perhaps, if he played it right…
“Uh, oh.”
He glanced up at Selena’s comment to see Julia talking to the restaurant hostess before following her across the room. A moment later, Mark walked in and found her table.
“Is she dating Mark?” He turned toward Selena, noting she’d also seen Julia and Mark arrive.
“It’s not really my place to say, but yes. Sort of.”
“Sort of?” Adam turned his attention to Selena, raising an eyebrow.
She folded her napkin and set it on the table, deciding how to answer.
“He treats her well, is solid, dependable—”
“Boring.”
Selena let out a small chuckle. “Well, yes. He’s comfortable.” She threw him a pointed glare. “And, she trusts him.”
“Ouch. I guess I deserved that.”
“I like you, Adam. You were the absolute best thing to ever happen to Julia—and the worst. People in town talked about the split, saying you’d found someone fun and, well…free spirited, to replace her.”
“What the hell?” Adam never heard any of the gossip regarding the breakup.
“I was thankful she lived in Boise and didn’t have to hear it in person. She stayed down there to get her master’s degree. By the time she returned to Peregrine Bay, the commotion had died down. Of course, it helped that you jettisoned the cheerleader within months.”
Adam grimaced. He’d been stupid, rash, and immature, walking away from Julia and everything they’d built. Having your best friend as your lover didn’t seem uncommon until he’d lost her. It didn’t take long to realize most people never found someone as devoted, loving, or trusting, and he’d thrown it all away.
“If you’re thinking of a second try, realize she’s not the same person you knew. Please don’t make a move unless you’re prepared to stick it out.” She finished her soda. “And even then, the odds aren’t close to being in your favor.”
******
“Julia, you with me?” Mark asked, realizing her thoughts were miles away.
“I’m sorry. I have this proposal to prepare and it’s been on my mind.” The proposal had crossed her mind. Adam Monroe and his return as police chief consumed her thoughts, although she’d never admit it to anyone.
He jiggled his phone in front of her and gave an impatient nod. “We have supper at my parents’ house on Friday night at seven and the cocktail party on Sunday at the club.”
She checked her calendar, shaking her head. “I don’t have either in my schedule, Mark. Are you certain you told me?”
“Of course I am. Both are important. Everyone who matters in Peregrine Bay will be at the cocktail party.”
She rolled her eyes at his smug remark. “Not everyone. I have a reception for the chamber on Sunday afternoon to introduce the new police chief. As the president, I’ll be attending it and not the Bay Club cocktail event.”
“And Friday?” The tone of his voice revealed his displeasure at her decision to attend the chamber event instead of the summer social kickoff.
“I’ll do my best. I have a five o’clock meeting with the developer of the large parcel on the southeast shore. He’s in town for one night before he flies to Seattle.”
“Surely the meeting won’t last more than two hours,” he sniffed.
“The last one took five hours. I’ve already made plans to have dinner delivered.” She glanced once more at her calendar then looked up to see Selena and Adam leave. She hadn’t seen them when she arrived. To her relief, neither looked in her direction as they made their way outside. As much as she didn’t want Adam back in their hometown, she’d also learned of his qualifications from the mayor and council members. He’d packed a lot of experience into his time with the Spokane PD. She had to admit, it appeared he’d make an exceptional police chief.
“Are you finished?” Mark asked, picking up the check, then straightening his suit jacket.
“I am sorry about not being able to make dinner with your parents. Please give them my best.”
“You know, Julia, at some point a choice will need to be made.”
She tilted her head to one side, narrowing her eyes. “Choice?”
“I don’t see much of a future for us if you aren’t willing to make a few sacrifices.”
“You knew my work commitment when we began to see each other. Besides we agreed to keep our relationship casual. Nothing has changed. I believe we’ve both made sacrifices in deference to our jobs, and I’m sorry if you feel otherwise.” Julia slung her purse over her shoulder, heading for the door, ignoring Mark’s disgruntled sigh.
“Look, we obviously won’t see each other this weekend. I’ll call you Monday. We can have lunch, dinner, whatever you want.” Mark slid a hand into one pocket, jiggling his car keys—a nervous habit which drove Julia crazy.
“Fine. Have a pleasant weekend.” She gave him a slight peck on the cheek, then turned toward her office, wondering why she kept seeing him. The answer was obvious. Most of the time, dating Mark was comfortable and convenient. His manners were impeccable even if his disposition sometimes soured over the least little slight, and she never had to worry about having an escort to a major event.
She let out a groan at the thought of sleeping with him. He’d made it clear that’s what he wanted, but she’d always declined. She’d never felt the least amount of spark and refused to sleep with him out of a sense of obligation.
Julia let her thoughts drift back to one of the times she and Adam made love. He’d driven to Boise as a surprise, taken her out to dinner and a movie. Then he’d escorted her into one of the nicest hotels in the city and calmly walked into the elevator, pushing the button for the twelfth floor. She’d always remember it—room 1212.
He pushed the door open, and waited to see the expression on her face. Twelve bouquets adorned the room, one for each year since they’d begun paying attention to each other in the fifth grade. He grabbed her hand, slowly walked to the bed, and turned her to him, claiming her mouth with his. The result had been the most passionate and memorable night of her life.
“Good afternoon, Julia.”
She snapped back to the present, realizing she’d lost track of time and location. She’d walked a full block past her office.
“Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Jost. Beautiful day, don’t you think?”
He stood outside his jewelry store, the nicest in town, and the most expensive. Adam had purchased a beautiful ring with her birthstone from him at five dollars a week until he’d paid it off. Her heart
squeezed at the memory before she brushed the sentiment aside and straightened her back.
“Indeed it is a beautiful day. I hear young Adam Monroe is our new police chief. It’s hard to believe he’s old enough to hold such an important position.” He scratched his chin before his eyes widened. “Say, didn’t the two of you date for a while?”
She swallowed and nodded. “Yes, for a while. Well, I’d better get back to the office.”
“Hey, Julia.”
She glanced across the street to see one of her other sisters, Calypso, dash across to join her. Calypso led the property management group at the company and was her half-sister, as were the two youngest twin girls, Danielle and Lily. Her father had been married three times with she and Selena having the same mother, Calypso another, and the twins another—their father’s current, and longest lasting wife, Joannie. The oldest three were involved in the business while the twins attended college in Boise.
“What’s up with you today? I saw you walking like you were in some kind of fog, missing the office and almost getting blindsided crossing the street,” Caly joked.
“I did not,” Julia laughed. “I haven’t seen you all week. Where’ve you been hiding yourself?”
“Meeting with our new landscape firm at all the properties, getting repairs done at the Main Street apartments, installing a new kitchen in unit A at the Mountain View duplex—”
“Okay, I get it. You’ve been busy.”
“Not too busy to know who’s been hired as the new police chief. Have you seen him?” Caly had been real fond of Adam, teasing him, and generally being a pest whenever he came to see Julia. She’d been five years younger than her oldest sister, and at fifteen, too wrapped up in her own world to understand the pain her sister felt when Adam left. Even now, she somehow couldn’t understand why Julia couldn’t let bygones be bygones and move on.
“Uh…yes, I’ve seen Adam. Selena is helping him find a house. Look, I’d better get inside.” Before she could turn, Caly put a hand on her arm to stop her.
Reclaiming Love Page 2
