by Marie Force
He wanted to fix everything for her, right all the wrongs and make her whole again. Which was utter insanity and played right into the hero-complex bullshit that Blaine liked to spew at him. Deacon Taylor didn’t do commitment or serious relationships or anything that smacked of love or forever. But the second he laid eyes on Julia, first at the clinic and then at the wedding, all bets had been off where she was concerned. He’d been drawn to her like the proverbial moth to a flame, as much by the wounded look in her eyes as her beautiful face and sexy body. And when he’d heard that her ex had stolen money from her, he’d burned with the desire to get retribution and restitution for her.
That reminded him he’d missed a call during his training. As he directed the boat around the island toward New Harbor, he checked his voicemail and found a message from Lieutenant Webb. “This is Lieutenant Carl Webb calling from the Plano Police Department in Texas. We’ve arrested the subject and brought him in for questioning. Of course he insists it was all a big misunderstanding. We’ve given him forty-eight hours to reimburse Ms. Lawry, or he’ll be charged with fraud. She should be seeing an electronic transfer of funds, and we’d appreciate a heads-up when the money arrives. Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. We’re taking a closer look at him and other questionable activities that may lead to charges. I’ll look forward to hearing that the money has arrived.”
Deacon let out a whoop when he heard that news and immediately put through a call to Julia. To hell with restraint. He wanted to talk to her right now.
“Hey.” She sounded breathless, probably from chasing the puppy. “I thought you were at work.”
“I am. I’m out on the boat, but I just heard from Lieutenant Webb that they brought your friend Mike in for a chat, and after he claimed the whole thing was a big misunderstanding, he was given forty-eight hours to make restitution or face fraud charges.”
“Oh my God! Are you kidding me? They’re making him pay me back?”
“Yep. You built an airtight case that they were able to turn into immediate results.”
“You built the case, Deacon.”
“Couldn’t have done it without your input.” She made a sniffling sound that made him wish he’d waited to tell her in person. “Are you okay?”
“I’m overwhelmed. Getting the money back will mean so much to me.”
“It hasn't happened yet, but I’m optimistic that it will if he wants to avoid being charged. What he doesn’t know is that they’re taking a closer look at him in light of the info you provided to see who else he’s done this to.”
“Thank you so much for pushing me to pursue this. I wouldn’t have done it without your encouragement.”
“I was happy to help. I just hope he comes through with the money.”
“Me, too. If so, I’m buying you dinner to celebrate.”
“That sounds good. Let me know if it shows up.”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
“How’d the interview go?”
“Great. I got the job.”
“That’s awesome, Julia. I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m happy for me, too. Mac invited me to a party at the Wayfarer tonight, a thank-you for everyone who worked on it. He said it would be a good chance for me to meet his team, and he said I could bring a guest. You want to go?”
“I’d love to. I’ll check in after I get out of work.”
“Sounds good.”
“Hey, Julia?”
“Yes?”
“Last night was awesome. I bet tonight will be even better.”
Her entire body reacted to his gruffly spoken words. “Can’t wait.”
“Me either. See you soon.”
Deacon pushed the boat’s throttle forward, eager to get his work done for the day so he could leave on time. He had a big date to look forward to.
Julia ended the call with Deacon and let out a shout that startled the puppy. “Daddy is the best. The absolute best.” Tears ran down her face, an unstoppable river of pain over what Mike had done to her as well as relief and gratitude for the new friend who’d already made such a huge difference in her life.
She had to be at the clinic in fifteen minutes for her appointment with Victoria, so she pulled herself together, washed her face, brushed her teeth and headed out with Puppy on a leash. If her money came through, she’d go back to the pet store to buy a crate that she could leave him in when she had to go out.
As she walked, she put through a call to her sister Cindy.
“Hey, what’s up?” Cindy asked when she answered.
“I heard you’re sticking around on Gansett for the summer.”
“You heard right.”
“What about your job at home?” Cindy lived an hour north of the Dallas area and had worked for the same hair salon for years.
“I took a leave of absence. When I got here for the wedding, I knew I wouldn’t want to leave in three days. Then I heard at the wedding that Chloe’s summer helper wasn’t able to come this year, and I couldn’t resist the chance to stay for the summer.”
“I’m going to stay, too.”
“Really? That’s awesome!”
Julia told her about the job she’d landed that morning. “I heard you rented a two-bedroom place. Would you consider a roommate?”
“I’d love that! Absolutely.”
“Thank you.”
“It’ll be like old times, only better.”
“Yeah, for sure.” Everything was better now that they no longer lived under the merciless reign of General Mark Lawry.
“I’ve seen Mac’s signs all over the island. You’ll be busy.”
“That’s what he tells me.”
“If you want to see the house, you can come by tomorrow afternoon. I’m getting the keys from Chloe’s boyfriend, Finn, then.”
“That’d be perfect.”
“I’ll text you the address. I’m so excited!”
“Me, too. I’ll see you tomorrow, if not before.”
“See you then!”
Cindy was the most upbeat and positive of the Lawry siblings, always able to find the silver lining in any situation. Of course, being seven years younger than Julia and Katie, her experience at home had differed quite a bit from what the eldest three had endured.
Not that Julia begrudged the younger ones for having suffered less than they had. Not at all. Cindy grappled with migraines that’d been a challenge for her since childhood. While they had no way to know if the stress of their childhood had caused the headaches, Julia believed it had.
At the clinic, she was taken right back to a cubicle and told to undress completely. As she sat on the end of the exam table, wearing a gown and cradling Puppy, she tried not to think about her desperate dislike of doctors and all things medical. After the time she’d spent in the hospital during the worst of her disorder, the antiseptic smell of the clinic was enough to bring back more memories she’d sooner forget than relive.
Victoria came breezing in a few minutes later. They’d met at Katie’s wedding but hadn’t gotten a chance to talk. “Hi there!” Her dark hair was in a bun, and her friendly smile put Julia at ease. “I’m so glad we had an opening in the schedule.” She washed her hands and then sat on a stool in front of a rolling desk with a laptop. Victoria glanced at Julia and did a double take when she saw the puppy cuddled in her arms.
“Who’ve you got there?”
“This is Mr. Puppy Pupwell, who was found swimming off the coast of Gansett yesterday when I was out on a boat with a friend.”
“Ah, yes, I read you were treated for hypothermia.”
“Yes, but I’m fine now. He can’t be left alone yet. I hope it’s okay that I brought him. He’s fairly well behaved.” She hoped and prayed that he didn’t pee on her while she was extolling his good behavior.
“He seems very sweet. I’m glad you were able to save him.”
“So am I. I just hope he doesn’t show any sign of rabies after he bit Deacon. He was scared when w
e rescued him. He’s been super docile ever since.”
“The poor guy must’ve been terrified.”
“He was.”
“He’s very lucky to have you. Katie mentioned you’ve had some chronic conditions that need to be monitored while you’re here, but she didn’t say what.”
Julia hated talking about this, but knew she had to keep her promise to Katie. “I’ve suffered from anorexia and bulimia since I was a teenager. For the last seven or eight years, it’s been mostly under control. But I, um…”
“It’s okay. Take your time.”
Victoria’s kindness went a long way toward making it possible for Julia to share that she’d had a major disappointment that’d stirred up old wounds and caused a setback in her recovery. “When I’m upset or anxious, it’s almost impossible to eat. I get a lump in my throat that just feels so big, and I can’t even think of eating because my stomach is so agitated.”
“That’s got to be an awful feeling.” Victoria typed notes into the computer as Julia spoke. “Do you recall how old you were when eating and food became a problem?”
“I was fourteen or fifteen. I can’t recall exactly”
“Did something particular trigger it, or was it a slower evolution?”
“It’d been an issue for a while but got much worse after my father beat up my brother and broke his arm.”
“God, Julia, I’m so sorry.”
Julia shrugged, the way she had for years whenever someone expressed sympathy for the way she’d grown up. She rarely talked about it, but whenever she did, the reaction was usually the same—shock, horror, sympathy. “I tell myself it was a long time ago, but…”
“Some things stay with you forever.”
Her throat closed around a hot ball of emotion, so she only nodded while trying not to cry.
“Have you lost weight during this most recent episode?”
“About five pounds.” She’d been shocked to realize that when the nurse weighed her. It was the most weight she’d lost in years, and it was five pounds she didn’t have to lose.
They talked about the medication Julia took to control the anxiety that contributed to the eating disorders, and Victoria suggested a slightly stronger dosage for the next thirty days.
“When was the last time you had a full exam?”
“It’s been a few years. After the last hospitalization, I went out of my way to avoid doctors.”
“I’d like to do a full exam with a pelvic and pap. Is that all right?”
“I suppose so.”
Forty minutes later, Julia had been thoroughly poked and prodded and had a new prescription in hand. She made a follow-up appointment with Victoria in two weeks so they could monitor her weight and make sure she was staying healthy. Victoria had also given her a birth-control shot that would be effective in a few days.
Not that she would need it, or so she told herself.
Chapter 18
Julia put Puppy Pupwell down to walk and headed for the pharmacy to fill the script. Hopefully, they wouldn’t mind if she brought him inside, because there was no way she was leaving him alone outside.
Gansett Island had always been a dog-friendly place, which was another thing she’d loved about it as a child. Her father wouldn’t allow them to have pets, but each summer, she made friends with dogs she encountered on the island and then missed them the rest of the year. The first thing she’d do when she returned was to look for her friends from the summer before.
In Texas, she hadn’t been able to get a dog because of Katie’s allergies. After Katie decided to stay on Gansett, Julia had held off on getting a dog of her own because she worked too many hours and it wouldn’t be fair for the dog to be alone most of the time. It had been a huge relief when Mac said she could bring Puppy to her new job.
At the pharmacy, a woman named Grace waited on her. Julia recognized her from the wedding. “Ah, the maid of honor,” she said after reviewing the prescription.
“That’s me.”
She extended her hand to Julia. “Nice to meet you. I’m married to Evan McCarthy.”
Julia shifted the puppy so she could shake Grace’s hand. “That makes us practically related.”
“I know! Are you hanging out on Gansett for a while?”
“For at least the summer. I just got a job managing Mac McCarthy’s construction office.”
“Oh, that’s awesome. He needs the help. He’s my brother-in-law.”
“There’re so many McCarthys. It’ll take me a year to figure out who goes with who.”
Grace laughed. “It won’t take that long. You should come to the party at the Wayfarer tonight. I’ll introduce you to the whole family.”
“I’ll see you there. Mac invited me so I could meet everyone.”
“Perfect. And I’ll make sure Laura and Katie invite you to our girls’ nights. We have a lot of fun.”
“That sounds awesome.”
“I’ll get this taken care of for you right away.”
While Grace worked, she kept up a steady conversation with Julia, who told her the story of how she’d come to have the puppy.
“That is so amazing! You jumped right in after him!”
“I never hesitated. The minute I saw him, I had to get him. I’ve been a dog lover my whole life, but I’ve never actually had one of my own.” Julia glanced down at Puppy Pupwell, sleeping in her arms, and prayed she’d get to keep him. Despite her best efforts, she was already attached.
Grace rang her up and handed over the prescription. Fortunately, she had health insurance from her old job until the end of the month, and her new insurance with Mac would kick in next month. With her ongoing health issues, Julia couldn’t afford to let her insurance to lapse.
“Thanks again, Grace. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Looking forward to it.”
As she walked the short distance back to the hotel, her phone chirped with the sound of a cash register. She withdrew it from her back pocket and juggled the phone and the puppy, who’d protested when she tried to put him down. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she saw the message on her screen.
Mike had sent seventy-five hundred dollars.
The phone chimed again with a second alert for the same amount.
Right there on the sidewalk where anyone might see her, Julia broke down into tears of relief and gratitude. And in that moment, the door to her heart swung wide open to let in Deacon Taylor. Even as her better judgment screamed that it was far too soon for doors to be opening, Julia knew it was already too late to stop what had been inevitable from the first time she talked to him at the wedding.
He was going to mean something to her. She’d known it then, and she knew it now for certain. What exactly he would mean to her remained to be seen, but after he’d gone all out to get back the money that’d been stolen from her, she had all the proof she needed that he was someone worth letting into her life—and her heart.
Deacon was on his way back to South Harbor to end his day when he received a tearful call from Julia.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“He sent me the money.”
“Oh my God. That’s fantastic news.”
“Thank you so much, Deacon,” she said, sniffling. “I’ll never be able to properly thank you for doing this for me.”
Her tears, even happy tears, gutted him. “It was my pleasure to make sure that scumbag paid you back and got what’s coming to him.”
“I’ll never forget this.”
“Are you at the hotel?”
“Yes, I just got back.”
“I’ll be there soon.”
“Deacon...”
“I know, honey. I’m on my way.”
Elated to hear the news from Julia, he made a quick call to Lieutenant Webb to let him know the transfer had been completed.
“I want to thank you for alerting us to this guy,” Webb said. “We’ve found that he has a long record of scamming people. We have three documented instances
so far and expect to find more.”
“Wow.” He hoped it would help Julia to know she’d helped to put a stop to Mike’s criminal activities. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“Tell your friend she did the right thing reporting him.”
“I’ll do that. It’ll mean a lot to her. Will you keep me posted on what goes down with him?”
“You got it. Thanks again for the info.”
“Thank you for the quick action. You can’t begin to know what it means to her to get that money back. She gave the son of a bitch everything she had.”
“I’m glad we were able to get restitution for her. I’ll be in touch.”
Deacon stashed his phone and fist-pumped the sky, thrilled to have helped right a terrible wrong for Julia. That had been his favorite part of being a cop, getting justice for people who deserved it. They didn’t always get justice, but when they did… That was a good day. Today had been a good day, and he was determined to help her celebrate.
He pulled into the town dock to secure the boat and was dismayed to find his brother waiting for him with the usual stick up his ass and the pissed-off expression he wore whenever Deacon was nearby.
Deacon expertly docked the boat and began securing the lines before shutting down the engine. “Chief. How lovely to see you.”
“How’d it go out there today?”
“Great. I managed to collect on ninety percent of the occupied moorings, and Colby is working on the other ten percent. I wrote one ticket for speeding in the pond and pulled a fishing net out of the water.” He gestured toward the mangled net on the deck. “Not good for marine life or propellers.”
“Sounds like a good first day.”
“It was. Did you need something?”
“Nope. Just checking on you.”
Deacon wanted to tell him he didn’t need to be supervised, but he bit his tongue. Fighting with Blaine would keep him from Julia that much longer.
“Tiffany wants me to invite you to dinner some night.”
“Does it cause you pain to invite me to your house?”
“Yes, it does.”
Deacon threw his head back and laughed. “You’re such an idiot.”
