Forbidden Kisses

by Annie Rains

  “I’m fine. Or I’ll be fine,” Grace assured her.

  “Good. So you’re coming to Castaways tonight?”

  Grace shut her eyes, massaging the dull ache behind her forehead. “No. I’m staying in and doing one of those Meg Ryan–a-thons, I think.”

  “Uh-oh. Is this still about Noah?”

  “And now Jack, too.” The throb in Grace’s head grew stronger. Maybe she did need an ambulance. Maybe this was an aneurysm or a stroke.

  “Wrong answer,” Krista said. “You’re not bailing on Abby and me over a man. That’s not how this club works.”

  “We’re in a club?” Grace asked, cracking one eye and squinting at the light in her kitchen. The refrigerator was humming noisily. There was another mysterious noise rattling through her apartment that she tried to identify—anything to take her mind off Jack.

  “More of a terrific trio, and unless you’re on your deathbed, you’re coming out with us.”

  Grace started to argue. “I don’t think—”

  “I’ll be there in an hour,” Krista said, cutting her off. “I suggest you be ready when I get there, because while Joey doesn’t mind driving us around for free, if you make him wait, he starts to charge. I’ve learned this the hard way.”

  “Your brother is a saint,” Grace said, straightening and heading to her bedroom.

  “I know. So get dressed and we’ll pick you up.”

  Grace nodded. She’d go because staying here would be all kinds of depressing. But she wouldn’t cry on her friends’ shoulders, she vowed. She’d always hated the idea of that. Whatever was going on between her and Jack, she’d handle it on her own the same way she always had.

  An hour later, Joey’s cab honked outside her apartment. Grace stepped outside and locked her front door. Just seeing Krista and Abby’s face in the cab made her feel a little better. This would be good for her.

  Grace took the backseat with Abby and forced a smile.

  “Liar,” Abby said, calling her out on her fake smile. “Don’t worry. We’ve commiserated over the Sawyer brothers many times. Tonight will just be another.”

  Grace fastened her seatbelt. “No need to commiserate. I’m fine.”

  Krista glanced back and caught Abby’s eye.

  Grace folded her arms and stared out the cab’s window. “Really, guys. I don’t want to talk about Jack.”

  Joey started laughing as he drove them to the bar. “Good luck,” he called back. “My sister and Abby love commiserating.”

  “We do not,” Krista objected. “It’s not commiserating. We support each other. That’s what friends do.” Krista twisted her body around and looked at Grace. “And you’re our friend, so tonight we’re supporting you.”

  Abby playfully swatted Grace’s arm. “And you’re not depriving us of it because we’re as nosy as we are supportive.”

  Joey laughed again.

  Grace smiled—it wasn’t forced this time. “Thank you,” Grace said, meaning it.

  “No, thank you.” Krista turned around as they drove. “Abby and I were getting sick of going over the same woe-is-me stories.”

  “Woe-is-me?” Grace asked.

  Krista curled her fingers around her headrest. “Well, for one, I’m sick of hearing about how much Abby hates Sam.”

  Abby rolled her eyes. “And I’m sick of hearing about how you and Noah are only friends.”

  “We are,” Krista shot back.

  Her brother tugged on her. “You’re going to get me a ticket sitting like that. Cabdrivers shouldn’t get tickets.”

  “Oh shush. You’ve gotten tickets before,” Krista said.

  “Do I need to start charging you?” he asked, irritation lining his usual easygoing tone.

  “If you had half a brain, you would.” Krista ducked as he tried to mess up her hair. “Watch it, brother dearest, I know your weak spot.”

  Abby and Grace looked at each other.

  “And I’ll tell,” Krista threatened.

  Joey’s hand retreated. “You wouldn’t. You need me to be your DD every Thursday night.”

  Krista folded her arms at her chest and sat back in her seat the correct way.

  Turning into the parking lot of Castaways, Joey pulled around front to drop them off. “Have fun. Be safe. Stay away from the sleaze buckets.”

  Krista leaned over and wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck. “Aww. You do care.”

  “I was talking to Grace and Abby,” he said.

  “You two will never grow up,” Abby remarked as they got out of the cab and walked toward the front entrance of the bar.

  “I love my brother. He’s the best.”

  Grace pushed down her own thoughts. She was an only child, but for a little while she’d had three brothers growing up. She’d gotten to feel that way again over the last month, especially with Noah.

  They walked to the back of the bar and nabbed their regular spot.

  “Did you get to talk to him?” Grace asked, leaning close to Krista so she could hear over the music. “Noah?”

  Krista nodded. “I invited him to lunch today. We made up, by the way.”

  Grace smiled. “That’s great. So?”

  Krista twisted her mouth to one side thoughtfully. “So I inserted the idea that he might need to forgive you. That’s how Noah works. You kind of have to suggest something to him, never flat-out ask or he’ll push back. So I suggested that maybe you never meant to hurt him.”

  Grace nodded.

  “I’ll go get the drinks while you two chat,” Abby said.

  “Thanks.” Grace turned back to Krista. “And?”

  “And that’s the first step. I suggested something, now he’ll go home and think about it. Then he’ll decide that maybe I’m right, because I always am. Next time I see him, I’ll show you in a positive light somehow. I’ll tell him how you brought me coffee to work or something like that.”

  Grace reached for the bucket of shelled peanuts at the center of the table and popped one into her mouth.

  “Usually that’s enough to get things rolling. But yours is a special situation, so…”

  “I don’t have time to go slow,” Grace huffed. “The tournament is this weekend. Noah has dropped out and now Jack has, too.”

  Abby returned with the drinks, overhearing Grace. “They both dropped out?”

  Grace shrugged. “It’s a mess, and I’m a mess.” She blew out a breath as tears filled her eyes. “Oh geez. I said I wouldn’t do this.”

  “Do what?” Krista asked, rubbing Grace’s forearm.

  “Cry. I don’t want to cry. I want to be strong. And I don’t want to quit the tournament. The Beatrice belongs to the Sawyer family and I don’t care if Jack thinks it’s a stupid idea.”

  “When Krista told me about your plan, I thought it was genius. Did Jack actually say it was stupid?” Abby asked, sipping her beer.

  “No, not in so many words. But when he found out that’s why I wanted to win the tournament money, he was furious. I told him that my mother wanted my help fixing things between our families. He would rather she live in guilt and shame, though. He hates her.” A couple of tears streamed down Grace’s cheeks. She quickly wiped them away and shook her head.

  “I’m sure that’s not true. Those Sawyer brothers are just pigheaded,” Krista said. “So the tournament is really off?”

  “For us, at least. Unless I can convince Noah and Jack to change their minds, which at this point isn’t going to happen.”

  “Or,” Abby said, putting her beer down.

  “Or?” Grace looked up hopefully.

  “Or you can find a different crew to help you.”

  Hope shattered on the dusty floor of the bar. Grace reached for more peanuts. “There is no one else.”

  Krista grinned and nodded at Abby. “Right. That’s a genius idea, Abs.”

  Grace chewed on her peanuts. “I don’t even own a boat.”

  “You’re the captain, right? You’re the one who signed up for the t
ournament and paid the entrance fee?” Krista asked.

  Grace nodded. “Yes, but only because I had a crew and the Summerly.”

  “I’ve been fishing with Noah and the Sawyers since I was six years old,” Krista said.

  “And I learned in high school when I started dating Sam.” Hurt flashed momentarily in Abby’s eyes at the mention of her ex. She reached for her beer again.

  “Joey and Dad have a nice fishing boat. It’s comparable to the Summerly.” Krista turned to Grace. “So there’s your crew and boat, Captain.”

  Grace was still looking at them like maybe they were drunk out of their minds, even though they’d barely gotten through their first beers. “Are you serious?”

  “Dead,” Krista said. “Abs, are you in?”

  “Absolutely.” Abby looked delighted at the idea.

  “Well, I’ve been on a boat twice this summer, and that’s it for the last decade. I can’t be a decent captain.”

  “We’ll take Joey with us,” Krista decided. “Grace, you’re the captain. I’ll be first mate. Abby, you’re second mate, or whatever they call it.”

  “Thought you said you knew about fishing.” Grace stiffened, slowly warming to the idea that she could do this without Noah and Jack. All wasn’t lost.

  “I do. I just don’t know the lingo all that well. And Joey will just be Joey. He’ll make sure we get where we’re going and back safely, like he always does.”

  Grace turned to Abby, who was always the voice of reason. “Is this a good idea?”

  “It’s the only idea. Do you want to win the tournament or not?”

  “I do, but do we even have a chance without—”

  “There’s only one sure thing,” Abby said. “You have absolutely no chance if you don’t get your ass out there on Saturday morning.”

  “So?” Krista said. “Are we a crew?”

  Grace’s shattered hope reassembled, rearranged. She nodded. “Yes.”

  —

  Jack had driven around the entire town of Blushing Bay twice and had somehow ended up here. The point was a large cliff in town that overlooked the ocean. Jack and Chris had come here many times in their youth with girls they’d dated. They’d also come just to talk. Once when they were sixteen, Chris had nabbed a few of his dad’s beers and they had gotten drunk here for the first time.

  Jack sat down on the grass and stared out onto the dark water. The moon was high in the sky, lighting up sections of the water and leaving other sections like a dark hole. Jack wished he had a few of those beers right now. He wished he had his best friend, too. Chris had teased him about liking Grace way back then. And, of course, Jack had denied it. But when Chris had shown interest in Grace, he’d threatened to throw him off this very cliff.

  “What would you tell me now?” Jack asked out loud.

  The water made a hushing sound as it hit against the bottom of the cliff. It rolled and hushed, rolled and hushed. “Would you tell me to go for it? Tell me to leave it alone?” Jack wondered. “She’s just a girl, right?” As if answering his own question, the response rose up inside of him. She was more than a girl. She always had been.

  Jack stared at the water for a long time until it felt like his eyes might close. Falling asleep here at the Blushing Bay point might land him in jail. Someone might mistake him for being homeless.

  Shit. Jack remembered what Tristan had told him. Did Tristan have a place to sleep tonight? After his fight with Grace, he’d forgotten all about the teen. Picking himself up, Jack headed back to his truck. He grabbed his cellphone and dialed Tristan’s number. It rang and went to voicemail. “Call me,” Jack said into the phone. Impatiently, he dialed the kid’s number again. He hung up as the voicemail came on. On the third attempt, Tristan finally answered the phone.

  “What do you want?” he asked.

  “Tell me where you are and I’ll come pick you up,” Jack said. “I have a spare room in my house that you can stay in until things cool down and we figure out something else.”

  “You’re the reason I can’t sleep in my own bed tonight,” Tristan said, his voice making it clear that he was still angry.

  “No, that would be your father. He’s the one that hit you and he’s the reason that social services came to your house. I called them because I had to.” Jack wasn’t going to be responsible for the lost life of someone else that he cared about. “Where are you?” he asked again.

  Tristan hesitated, then blew a breath into the receiver. “I’m on Sandy Drive,” he finally said.

  Jack recognized the street as a less-than-ideal part of town. “What are you doing there?”

  “Surviving,” Tristan said, as if he’d been homeless for months instead of half a day.

  “I’ll come get you.” Jack got into his truck and started the engine. “I’m on my way now. Give me ten minutes. Don’t go anywhere.”

  Tristan didn’t respond.

  “I’m serious, kid. If I get there and you’re not waiting for me, I’m going to be furious.”

  “Guess that would make us even,” Tristan said.

  Jack decided to take his chances and head toward the location that Tristan had given him. Ten minutes later, he pulled onto Sandy Drive and found Tristan leaning up against the stop sign. Jack slowed to a halt on the roadside and waited for Tristan to head toward the passenger side. He opened the door and got in without saying a word. With a nod, Jack pulled back onto the road and headed home.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I’m hungry,” Tristan said.

  “I can fix hungry.” It was a world of other problems, namely the one he had with Grace, that Jack had no idea how to fix tonight.

  They drove to a fast food restaurant and ordered. After devouring their burgers and fries, Tristan finally cracked a smile.

  “You’re really going to let me stay with you tonight?” he asked.

  Jack leaned back in the booth. “Well, I’m not going to let you sleep on the corner of Sandy Drive.” He stared at the teen for a long moment. “I’m not sorry I called social services. I had to.”

  Tristan’s smile faded. “Yeah, well. You’re not the first person to call, so whatever.”

  Jack leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “If your dad’s been investigated for this before, why are you still there?”

  Tristan shrugged. “Those ladies usually come out to the house, ask a bunch of questions, make a huge stink, and then leave. I guess Dad is pretty convincing with whatever he tells them. Anyway, all it ever does is stir up trouble for me.”

  “Sorry about that.” Jack reached for his glass of water. Suddenly his food wasn’t sitting too well in his stomach. A kid deserved better than to be mistreated at home. A kid deserved security, stability.

  Jack’s thoughts went to Grace and the life she’d lost during their parents’ divorce. He couldn’t blame her for wishing things were different, for trying to make up for a past that had hurt her.

  “I turn eighteen in two weeks,” Tristan said. “No one’s going to care if I’m on my own earlier than that. I just need a place to crash till then.”

  “I’ll help you,” Jack said. Which meant he’d be feeding Tristan as well as giving him a roof over his head until the kid was on his feet. Not that that was a hardship. Jack had the resources. And maybe a distraction was exactly what he needed right now anyway—something to lure his mind off Grace.

  Although he doubted anything would distract him from thinking about her.

  —

  On Friday morning, instead of indulging in muffins and mindless chatter, Grace met Krista, Abby, and Joey to discuss a game plan. They’d all called in sick at work, which was maybe partially true. They all had to be a little sick to think this was a good idea. The East Coast fishing tournament was in less than twenty-four hours. Tomorrow morning they’d be setting out, a crew of mostly amateurs going up against expert fishermen.

  “Dad would never approve of this,” Joey said, raising his coffee to his mouth and takin
g a large gulp.

  “Well, we’re not asking his permission, are we?” Krista asked.

  Joey glanced over. “It’s his boat.”

  “And yours.” Krista returned her attention to Grace and Abby. “I’m seriously excited about this. I couldn’t sleep last night.”

  Grace smiled. “Thank you, guys. I know I’m asking a lot. You’re all missing work today and giving up your weekend for me.”

  “You don’t have to keep thanking us,” Abby told her. “Hasn’t anyone ever gone out of their way for you before?”

  Grace considered the question. “I usually don’t let people go out of their way for me.” She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t like to be an inconvenience.” And she didn’t like to depend on people who might let her down. “Anyway, I really appreciate your help with this.”

  “We’re going to win. I can feel it,” Krista said, excitement gleaming in her blue eyes. “So let’s get started. Joey, you know exactly where to take us, right?”

  Joey nodded and set down his cup of coffee. “I’ve never entered this tournament before, but let me tell you, if I had, I’d have won. Dad and I have a secret spot.”

  “Wouldn’t your father kill you if you shared his secret spot?” Abby asked.

  “Well, yeah, if I shared it with someone who could keep going there. You guys can barely drive a boat, though. You’re not going to steal our spot.”

  “I can drive a boat.” Abby raised her hand.

  “Me, too,” Krista said, narrowing her eyes at her brother. “But you’re right. We’re not fishermen, so your secret’s safe.”

  “I also have a secret tool,” he said, looking proud of himself. “I’ll show you that, too.”

  Abby cocked one eyebrow. “A secret tool? That sounds a little dirty.”

  Joey stopped talking, and all the women laughed.

  “Uh-oh. Heads up, guys,” Krista said, pulling her paper cup in front of her face. “Sam and Pete Sawyer are here.”

  Grace froze. Her back was to the incoming customers, but she’d called in sick at work this morning. “They can’t see me here,” she whispered. “I’m supposed to be in bed sick.”

  Abby shook her head, ignoring Grace. “I swear, Sam shows up everywhere I go.”