The January Cove Series Boxed Set Books 1-8

by Rachel Hanna

  Chapter 11

  It was her final day in January Cove, and Tessa’s stomach was in knots. She’d spent the last few days talking with police, avoiding phone calls from Ethan’s family and looking for a new place to live in Savannah.

  She’d already secured a job at a marketing company in Savannah, just to get her by until she could get on her feet. She’d found the perfect little one bedroom apartment for her and Tyler right in downtown Savannah. But one thing she hadn’t been able to do yet was say goodbye to Aaron.

  He’d spent a lot of time with Tyler while she was packing up. Several people around town heard her story and actually chipped in to buy her a used car, and that had made her cry. She sold off the awful camper to get enough money to put a deposit on her apartment, but her job would be their only source of income so she had to make it work.

  Adele Parker had come to say goodbye and tell her how proud she was of the strength Tessa showed. It meant a lot to her, and she'd cried at that too. On her last day, Kyle and Jenna came by so she finally got a chance to meet them. Jenna took her aside.

  “Tessa, I know we just met, but I see a lot of myself in you,” she'd said. “And I kind of understand why you're doing this. But let me tell you something I know for sure. These Parker men, they get under your skin. It's an itch you'll never be able to scratch with anyone else,” she said with a smile. “I hope you don't take too long finding yourself because that Aaron is a gem, honey. You'd be one lucky woman to land him.” Tessa gave her a hug and nodded.

  “Thanks. And I know you're right. I just... have to do this. For me.”

  When it was time for her to leave, it was just her and Aaron and Tyler. Like a little family, she thought, and then shook the idea from her head.

  She packed her last bag into the small compact car as Aaron stood in the driveway of the cabin. Tyler ran to him and gave him a big hug.

  “Bye, buddy. I’ll see you soon, I promise. Maybe we can see a movie or something in a few weeks,” Aaron said ruffling Tyler’s hair.

  “I wish we didn’t have to go. I like it here.”

  “I know, but sometimes adults have to do things even when they don’t make a lick of sense at all,” Aaron said looking up at Tessa, his mouth forming a sharp line.

  He gave Tyler another squeeze before he got into the car and buckled up. Tessa stood there and looked at Aaron.

  “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

  “Goodbye, Tessa,” he said holding his hand up and forcing a smile. “And good luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” With that, he turned and walked inside. And Tessa’s heart felt like it actually broke in two.

  Two Months Later

  “Over to the left more,” Aaron said to Gary, his favorite contractor. “Perfect.”

  He’d spent the last four weeks renovating the house by the springs, and the finishing touches were going into the kitchen with new cabinets.

  “Those are nice cabinets,” Gary said. “You must have paid a pretty penny for those.”

  “Yeah. I ordered them directly from the cabinet maker so they would fit in with the time period of the house. I want it to look authentic.”

  “When does the bed and breakfast open anyway?” Gary asked as he took a long gulp of water.

  “Not for another few weeks yet. I wanted some time here alone before I start that up. Plus, I have to find someone to run the place. I’m busy at the campground a lot.”

  “Then why did you decide to do this now?”

  “I just needed to. The place needs energy, and it has some good memories for me.”

  Aaron got lost in his thoughts for a moment as he remembered those good times with Tessa and Tyler. Tipping over in the canoe. Making s'mores by the campfire. Kissing in the swing. He'd gone over and over those memories in his mind since she left. His heart still ached for her just the same, and he dreamed of her most nights. She'd only called once, and that was to let Tyler talk to him. He missed the boy almost as much as he missed Tessa, but he was well aware that she wanted space and independence and he was going to give it to her.

  As Gary went back to his work, Aaron walked out to the front yard to get something from his car. When he made it to the front porch, he was shocked to see someone standing there. Natalie.

  “What in God’s name are you doing here?” he said shaking his head.

  “Heard you were finally renovating this old place.”

  “You heard right. But that still doesn’t explain why you’re here.” He walked past her to his car, took out his phone and shut the door.

  “We need to talk. Or at least I need to talk.”

  “We most certainly do not need to talk, Natalie. Jeez, it's been six months now. What could we possibly have to talk about?” He started to walk back up the stairs, but she grabbed his arm and turned him around.

  “Aaron, I made a huge mistake. I was scared, and I had no idea what I had until it was gone. I want you back. I want a chance to prove that I love you, and I won’t ever cheat on you again,” she said, tears welling in her lying eyes.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” he said with a laugh.

  “This isn’t funny, Aaron. I’m serious. I know you were dating that trailer park woman and she left you after she killed her husband....”

  He stared into her eyes, cutting a hole right through her. “Don't you ever talk that way about Tessa. She's more of a woman than you'll ever be. And she didn't murder anyone.”

  “Still, you have to know that you'd be so much better off with a woman like me, Aaron. Come on, you were seriously slumming it with her.” She rolled her eyes, and Aaron did everything he could not to punch a woman.

  “Natalie, get off my property. Now.” He tried to stay calm, but she was riling him up and he didn't need the extra aggravation of having her removed.

  “What, do you want me to beg?” she asked, starting to kneel on the ground.

  “Good Lord, get up, woman!” he said yanking her arm which sent her tumbling into his chest. She took that opportunity to lace her arms around his neck and press her lips to his. Natalie was pretty strong for such a thin frame, and he had trouble wrestling away from her grip.

  Before he could say anything, a noise beside them caught his attention. He looked over and saw Tessa standing there, but she had dropped her purse on the ground. Her eyes were wide, like she’d seen a ghost, and she shook her head before grabbing her purse and running up the long gravel driveway.

  “Tessa!” he yelled, wrenching free of Natalie’s grip as Natalie called to him over and over. Eventually, he could no longer hear her voice, but could only hear Tessa’s footsteps running faster and faster. She was wearing a sundress and sandals, but she sure was fast. “Wait! Tessa! Please!” he yelled.

  Finally, she stopped out of sheer exhaustion and leaned against a tree. Her ragged breaths shuddered in and out as she bent over with her hands on her knees.

  “I’m sorry I came,” she said.

  “I’m not,” he said as he knelt on the ground in front of her.

  “Who is she?”

  “Natalie. My ex.”

  “You took her back?” she asked with a confused look on her face.

  “Of course not. She just showed up out of the blue trying to get me to agree to come back. I was trying to say no, but she kissed me before I could stop her. I didn’t want to kiss her, Tessa. I didn’t even want to see her.”

  “I have no right to tell you who to kiss anyway,” she said as she finally stood up. Aaron stood with her.

  “Why are you here?” he asked softly, hoping for a good answer.

  She seemed to be weighing her options as to what to say. “No, I said I was going to be honest and I am,” she said to herself. “I’m here because I fell in love with you two months ago, and I left because I thought I had something to prove. What I ended up proving was that being with a man who cares about me doesn’t make me weak. It makes me stronger.” Her eyes were filled with tears as she bit her bottom lip to stop herself
from crying.

  “Don’t bite your lip. You know what that does to me,” he said with a sly smile. “You love me? Really?”

  “Yes, really. So much it hurts,” she said.

  “I love you too, Tessa Reeves. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. But I can’t have you running away from me again. I need you to trust me, and I’ll trust you. We’ve both been hurt and betrayed in different ways, but I am willing to stand in the gap for you. I will always protect you if you’ll let me. Can you promise me that you won’t ever run off like that again?”

  “I promise. It was stupid. I know that now.”

  They stood there staring at each other for a moment before Aaron stepped forward and placed his hands on both of her cheeks.

  “God, I’ve missed you,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her softly. “Everything about you, I’ve missed. This nose,” he said as he kissed her nose, “these cheeks,” he said as he brushed her cheek with his lips. “this neck,” he said as he planted a series of kisses up her neck. She moaned at his touch and seemed to be losing her legs for a moment. He slowly pushed her back against the tree and covered her mouth with his, pulling her as close to him as possible. Just then, the sound of a car squealing down the driveway interrupted the moment.

  “I hate you!” Natalie yelled out the window before throwing a rock at Aaron and driving away.

  “Good to see you again, Nat!” he yelled back laughing before he returned to Tessa’s lips.

  A few moments later, they each pulled back to take a breath. Tessa was all smiles, and Aaron loved to see that side of her.

  “Where’s Tyler?”

  “With your Mom,” she said grinning.

  “What?”

  “Your mother came to see me last week, Aaron. She told me that she thought we belonged together, and that you were lost without me. Is that true?” She twirled a piece of her hair around her finger.

  “My meddling mother,” he said laughing. “But yes, that is totally true.”

  “She told me that you were looking to hire someone to run this bed and breakfast, and I wanted to apply for that job. Would you like to see my resume?”

  “Oh, I’d love to see your resume. But we will have to conduct this interview in my bedroom.” Tessa’s eyes got big and her mouth fell open.

  “Why, Aaron Parker, I’m going to tell your mama on you!” she said in her best Southern drawl.

  “Tessa?”

  “Yes?” she said as they started to walk back to the house.

  “Where is your car?”

  “At the end of the driveway. I ran out of gas,” she said giggling.

  “Some things never change. Have you ever noticed that every time you run out of gas, you end up where I am? I think that’s a sign,” he said as he grabbed her up in his arms and started carrying her.

  “A sign of what, Mr. Parker?”

  “A sign that any road you take will always lead you back to me,” he said kissing her gently. She put her head on his chest, content in the fact that Aaron Parker was fully qualified to love her forever.

  Chapter 1

  Jackson Parker strummed his expensive pen on the solid mahogany desk and growled through gritted teeth. His cell phone on speaker mode, he took a deep breath.

  "Look, Donald, I don't understand the hold up. This deal was supposed to close last Tuesday. My clients aren't going to continue sitting around waiting for your sellers to get their asses in gear. You hear me? Enough's enough. That appraisal needs to be done today or we walk."

  He sat back in his chair and ran his fingers through his thick black hair, the typical Parker family trait. All except for Aaron, of course; the only blond one of the siblings, he was constantly kidded about being the milkman's baby.

  "Everything okay, boss?" Jackson's assistant, Mark Tyner, asked. He was a scrawny, newly graduated kid he'd hired just last year, but he was doing a good job so far.

  "Just the Milton deal; People are nuts this time of year. Say, when are you heading back to Virginia for Thanksgiving?"

  "Well, I was hoping to talk to you about that. I know I had promised to leave the day before Thanksgiving, but my whole family is planning a get together on the Sunday before..."

  "Relax, Mark. You're welcome to leave earlier. I'll be here working, as usual," Jackson said with a sigh as he started sorting through contract paperwork again. Work was the one constant in Jackson's life.

  "Aren't you going home at all? I mean, your whole family is there, right?" Mark asked, sitting down in the cushy chair in front of Jackson's desk.

  "I just have too much to do right now. I've got the Milton deal, that crazy land deal with Clayton Barnes and then don't forget the new development over on Riverside. I can't take off for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year."

  "But everyone will be closed, boss. You deserve a few days..."

  "Mark," Jackson said staring into the young man's eyes with his steely gaze. "Enough. Okay?"

  "Yes, sir," Mark said standing up slowly and walking out of the office. Jackson wasn't normally so pointed with him, but he wasn't in any mood for people's opinions today. He'd just gotten through with his latest fling with an opinionated woman named Roma. An Italian beauty queen who had recently relocated to Atlanta for modeling work, Roma was too fussy and whiny. He couldn't stand a whiny woman, and she took whining to a whole new level. In fact, if whining was an Olympic sport, she would most certainly win a gold medal.

  After three months, their so-called relationship was over. And truthfully, Jackson didn't care much. He knew when he met her that she wasn't his soul mate or future wife or any other stereotypical romantic notion. She was just one more woman in a long line of women that he wined and dined and wasted time with.

  Jackson Parker wasn't your typical man. The oldest of the Parker kids from January Cove, he was known as the stand-in father of his four younger siblings. The strong, solid type, he'd remained in January Cove until his siblings were older to help his mother, Adele, care for them.

  Widowed with five young children, Adele had struggled to build up a successful real estate business in January Cove. Jackson became the man of the family at thirteen years old and didn't get to leave January Cove until he was twenty nine years old. It wasn't like his mother had forced him to stay, but Jackson had always taken his responsibilities very seriously. He remembered his father, who died in a car accident, very well and wanted to make him proud. Not having a father to grow up with had been hard, and Jackson tried to do the best job he could as a stand-in for his father.

  He loved his family, but sometimes going home reminded him of things he'd rather forget like not having a woman to share his life with. Sure, he'd dated lots of women in Atlanta, but no one seemed to "fit". Most were like him - career go-getters with little time to spend "dating". He wanted a certain kind of woman, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what kind she was. And yet there was a part of him that never wanted to settle down and have a quiet family life. He was conflicted, and that irritated him to no end. In every other area of his life, he had a decisive personality, but relationships with women confounded him.

  Lost in thought as he flipped through papers, Jackson almost didn't hear his cell phone ringing.

  "Hello?" he said a little too gruffly.

  "What crawled up your butt and died?" his brother, Kyle, said on the other end. Jackson had to laugh. Brothers had a tendency to bring each other right back down to Earth with a thud.

  "Bro, what's up? I'm knee deep in real estate crap today." If anyone understood, it would be Kyle who was successful as a real estate investor back in January Cove.

  "Is there ever a day where you aren't knee deep in it?"

  "Not really. So what do you need?" Jackson said, still distracted by the papers on his desk.

  "You gotta come home for Thanksgiving."

  "And why is that?" Jackson asked sighing as he leaned back and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

  "Because we're family, and you need to come home. Ta
ke a break. You're going to have a heart attack, old man," Kyle said laughing. Although Jackson was only three years older than Kyle, he seemed older than his years. Responsibility can do that to a person.

  "Can't, man. I'm coming at Christmas."

  "Can't or won't?"

  "Both."

  "Jackson, you own the freaking company. Your staff will be off. Attorneys' offices will be closed. Clients will be with their own families. There isn't one damn reason why you can't come home." Kyle was getting more than a little irritated at his brother.

  "Why is this so important?"

  "Because I thought you'd want to spend as much time with Mom as you could after her medical scare, that's why. Jeez, man, there are more important things than working, ya know?" Kyle was referring to his mother's recent mild stroke, and Jackson had come into town for a short time when that happened during the early summer. Although Adele was in picture perfect health now, Jackson had to admit that he was more than a little worried about her. After all, time stops for no one, and she was getting older just like anyone else.

  "Don't you try to guilt me, Kyle," Jackson snapped.

  "If you feel guilt, that's on you," Kyle snapped back. "Plus, if you come home, you'll get to meet Aaron's new love, Tessa. She's great, man." Jackson's stomach felt nauseous. Did his brothers really think he wanted to hear all about their fantastic love lives with amazing women? He was glad for them, but love wasn't on his horizon apparently. Sex, yes. He could get that easy enough. He had money and good looks, but when morning came those women meant nothing to him. He couldn't even relate to the feelings his brothers had for these women - Jenna and Tessa. What did that kind of love feel like?

  "Fine. I'll come home for a few days, but then I have to get back. If I'm not here..."

  "Yes, I know, the world will come to an end," Kyle said laughing. "See you next week."