by Jill Sanders
“Any idea why she left?”
“Yes and no. I know it had nothing to do with me or the Graytons. She had a big fight with Roman the day before she left, but I don’t think it had anything to do with that, either. She’d started going out with some boy. Tommy, I think, was his name. Roman didn’t like Tommy. He thought he was bad news, and he was right. I didn’t even like the guy. That last night, when we talked, I told her my thoughts. She sounded so sad, like I’d hurt her somehow.” She hadn’t realized she was crying, until a tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, before Luke could see it. Turning her head back towards the window, she shrugged. “Her note said she wanted to discover who she was on her own. That she loved us all and that we shouldn’t worry.”
“It sounds like she just wanted her independence. Maybe she’s living her dream?”
“She was always worrying that she was going to turn out like her mother. Her mother had gotten pregnant with her in her teens. She drank and did drugs and never really took care of Marissa. She thought that the condition was hereditary. I asked her whether, if her condition, as she liked to call it, was hereditary, I was destined to have a kid and lock them away. She said, no, because it was my father who had done that to me.” Cassey shook her head. “She claimed that the bad genes were passed on from mother to daughter, and that I had lucked out because my mother had died when I was young, so I didn’t know how I would turn out. We were so naive.”
He chuckled. “Kids think all sorts of things. I thought that my father was the smartest man on earth.”
They drove up and parked next to her back door. She looked at the back of her place and sighed. “I just wish Marissa was here, so she could see that I’ve fulfilled my dream.”
He reached over and took her hand. “She’d be proud of what you’ve built for yourself here.”
Cassey smiled and nodded. It was too hard to say anything since there was a lump in her throat just thinking about it. She’d never talked to anyone about Marissa like this before, even her brothers. She wondered why she had chosen Luke to open up to about it all.
Chapter Nine
The next few days, Luke spent as much time as he could with Cassey. His father kept calling him on his cell, and each time he would put him off. He’d spent most nights in her bed, so he’d canceled his hotel reservation. He thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent with her and wondered how much longer it was all going to last. He knew he couldn’t put his father off much longer.
He worked on his laptop during the day while Cassey worked. It wasn’t that he had a lot of stuff to do for Crystal Shores. To be honest, his father had put him in charge of meaningless tasks, and he was beginning to feel more like a secretary than a son and the heir to the empire.
It was hard looking at everything Cassey had done for herself and comparing it to his life. Sure, he had a business degree where she just had some night school. But she was actually building her own empire instead of mooching off of her family. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to get out from under his family’s control.
He’d actually started taking measures to secure his own future in the last few days. He’d been spending more time working on his own business plan than working for his father. And he didn’t care what the consequences were.
He was punching away at his laptop and didn’t realize someone had come into the office until he cleared his throat behind him. Looking around, he saw a man in his twenties with dark hair and deep blue eyes glaring at him. He tensed.
“Just who the hell are you and what are you doing in my sister’s place?”
Luke relaxed a little. “You must be Marcus.” He stood and held out his hand. “I’m Luke Callaway.” He waited for the man to shake his hand, but he just continued to stand there looking at him.
“Callaway? Crystal Shores Callaway?” Luke nodded. “You’ve answered one of my two questions.”
Luke laughed a little. “I’m staying here for a while, with your sister.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so?” The man took his hand and shook it. A smile crossed his face and Luke had an instant liking for him.
“Cass didn’t mention you.” He grabbed the chair next to Luke’s, turned it backwards, and straddled it, crossing his arms over the back. “I just left her downstairs. She told me she’d bring me up some lunch. Maybe you’ll get lucky and get some, too.” Marcus smiled.
Luke looked at the clock on his computer and sat back down. “Yeah, she usually brings it up around now. Cassey tells me you’re in the building business.”
Marcus nodded. “Homes, businesses, you name it. You in the market for a building?”
“Might be. I’ve been working on a business plan and have my eye on a property on the outskirts of town.”
Marcus’ eyebrows shot up. “The fifteen acres on Mercer Street?”
Luke nodded and smiled. “Sound like a good lot?”
Marcus nodded. “Been thinking about what could go there for years. Would make a great place for a hotel. Is Crystal Shores looking at expanding to Surf Breeze?”
Luke shook his head, but before he could answer, Cassey walked in with three Styrofoam boxes stacked on each other.
They sat around the table and chatted while they ate. Marcus kept his mouth quiet about Luke’s plans, and Luke liked him even more for it. After Cassey left to head back downstairs, they finished their conversation. Luke told Marcus his plans and asked that he keep them quiet for now, at least until the ink was dry on the contracts. They shook hands and Luke knew he had taken his first step towards releasing his father’s hold on his life. Now all he had to do was head to the bank or someplace worse—his grandfather’s place.
Cassey watched Luke walking towards her. She’d enjoyed the lunch with him and Marcus, and she thought her brother approved of Luke. Not that it meant much; Marcus usually approved of anyone she dated. It was Roman that any man she dated had to get past.
Luke was wearing a suit and tie, and every woman in the place watched him walk across the floor. When he stepped up to her and kissed her on the lips, she thought she heard a few sighs.
“You clean up pretty well.” She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
“I’ve got a meeting. Shouldn’t take too long. If all goes well, I’d like to celebrate with dinner tonight.”
She nodded and smiled. She watched him walk away and sighed herself. He sure did make a wonderful sight in his suit.
An hour later, she was shocked to see Luke’s father walk through her front doors. He made a beeline towards her after he spotted her standing across the room. She excused herself from the couple she was talking to and met him across the floor.
“Miss Grayton.” He nodded. “Do you have someplace we can talk?”
She nodded and took him to her office. She motioned for him to sit in the chair in front of her desk. He remained standing, so she sat behind her desk, shoving her hands under her desk so he wouldn’t notice how much they shook. What was he doing here?
“I understand my son has been staying here.” He looked down at her, disgust written all over his face.
Instead of saying anything, she nodded her head in agreement.
“Typical,” he said harshly. “I send him down here to do a job, and he decides to take a vacation and sleep around while he’s at it.” He turned and started to pace in her small office. “What will it cost me this time?” he said after he turned and glared at her again.
“I’m sorry?” she asked, shocked.
“Come now, Miss Grayton, everyone has their price. I need you to break it off quickly with him. Today, if possible. I understand you’re not in the market to sell your…little place here. I’m willing to overlook that, but I won’t have you dragging my son’s name through the mud, so to speak.”
The shaking in her hands stopped; instead, she started to grind her back teeth. Slowly placing her hands on her desk, she rose up to her full height. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I can�
��t be bought off. You have—”
“I’m a concerned father,” he broke in as he walked to the front of her desk. “I’ll give you this chance. You won’t get another,” he warned.
“I don’t need another. As far as I’m concerned, you can get out now.” She leaned slightly on her desk, watching his dark eyes grow fierce.
“Fine,” he said, staring at her. “There are other methods for getting what I want. I will have this place, or see it closed down, just to prove my point.” He turned and started to walk out.
When the door shut behind him, she sat back down as the shaking started up again. When Luke walked back in an hour later, she was still sitting there, a plan forming in her mind.
“Hey,” he said, smiling.
“Hi.” She motioned for him to sit down. Was it really only two weeks ago that she’d met him for the first time in this very room? How had she let herself be drawn into his life, his mess, so quickly? “Luke, I think we need to talk.” She waited until the smile fell away from his face. “Let’s be honest, we both knew this wasn’t going to work out. It’s not as if we walked into this with any assumptions.”
He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. “What led you down this path?”
She shook her head. “I’m not the kind of person to get close to. I’ve never had a relationship past a few weeks. Which is one of the reasons I was honest with you from the beginning.”
He nodded. “You were.” He stood and leaned on the front of her desk. “What brought this on now? Did you get a visit from my father?”
She nodded. “But my decision has nothing to do with his visit. I asked him to leave and he threatened the bar and grill.”
“I’m sure he did.” He leaned up and looked down at her. “I wouldn’t take his threats lightly.”
She nodded. “From what I heard, he cares about you.”
He laughed. “Right. You don’t have to do this. I can help you. I can help your bar and grill.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need your help.” She stood. “I hope we can remain—”
“Don’t.” He walked around the desk and pulled her close, crushing her hands next to his chest. As he dipped his head down, she heard him moan. His lips crushed hers as she grabbed hold of his suit jacket. She could feel the anger and frustration slowly leave him as his mouth heated hers, leaving more than her hands shaking.
When he pulled away, he looked down at her. “Don’t say we can still be friends. It wouldn’t work. I want you still, and I can’t imagine a time in the future when I won’t want you. I want much more than just friendship.” He turned and walked out the door without another word.
She slid down to her chair, her spine melted to the back. She’d never been kissed like that before, and she hoped to God she would never be kissed like that again by anyone else. Closing her eyes, she let the tears slide down her cheeks.
Two hours later, after showering and dressing, she walked downstairs and went to work. The kitchen was understaffed tonight, thanks to the flu that was going around, so she spent her time back there, helping out. By the end of the night, she was exhausted and fell into bed fully dressed.
That next week, it only got worse as more and more of her staff called in sick. She worked the bar, waited and bussed tables, and even did dishes. She didn’t mind since keeping busy was helping her keep her mind off of Luke. When she fell into bed each night, she missed feeling him next to her. She missed talking to him as she ate her lunch in the courtyard, so she started eating lunch in her office. When that didn’t work, she sat in the dining room or at the bar.
As more time went by, she realized she couldn’t fool herself. She’d fallen for Luke and it frustrated her to realize it. Now she just needed to decide what she was going to do about it.
The next day, she forgot completely about Luke when she found a large sign taped over her doors stating that the Health Department had closed the building until further notice.
She stood in line for two hours at the local county building to meet with the head of the health department. After arguing with him about his schedule and how much money she would lose if he didn’t come out soon, she finally convinced him to come out in the next forty-eight hours.
When she walked away from the building, she was still unclear what had caused them to close her doors in the first place. He’d mentioned something about violations but had yet to present her with a list or any explanations. The worst part was that Boardwalk Bar and Grill would be closed over the weekend, her busiest days. She thought she knew who was responsible.
When she walked down the boardwalk, she noticed three more signs posted on doors and felt her frustration grow. Instead of walking to the bar and grill, she marched to her car and the steam didn’t stop rolling off her until she parked in front of Crystal Shores. Before she knew what she was doing, she was standing outside Luke’s father’s office, listening to his secretary tell her that he wasn’t available. She marched around the woman’s desk and opened one of the double doors. When she barged in, she noticed two things: one, he wasn’t alone, and two, his face was beet red as he yelled at his son.
Luke sat in a leather chair, looking rather smug as his father stuttered over him.
“What the hell?” He turned and glared at her. “Carolyn, get in here.”
His secretary was right on her heels and quickly apologized as Cassey walked forward, more determined than ever.
“Mr. Callaway, I understand your beef with me, but those other shops had nothing to do with me. For you to shut them down as well is low.” She stopped right in front of him, her back and shoulders rod straight as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Leave us, Carolyn,” he barked and then waited until the woman shut the door gently with a quiet click. “I’m sure, Miss Grayton, I don’t know what it is you are talking about.” He walked behind his desk and sat down. Just the way he said her name made her back teeth grind.
“You may have friends in high places and be able to shut me down for the weekend, but Alfred, Marvin, and Judy had nothing to do with our little disagreement.”
He waited, just looking at her. Luke stood up. “What’s all this about?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.
She turned on him. “As if you didn’t already know. You warned me this might happen. I suppose I should have paid more attention. He had the health department shut down all the food venders along the boardwalk. No food equals no business for any of us. People are going to stop coming to Surf Breeze altogether. I can’t believe the city agreed to your scheme.” She turned back to Mr. Callaway who was now looking quite smug behind his desk.
“Is this true, Dad?” Luke asked. When his father didn’t answer, he picked up an envelope his father had been waving around when she walked in and tossed it at him. “I’m done. No more arguments, no more conversations. You won’t even see me for the holidays.” He grabbed her hand and started walking out the door. When they made it into the hallway, she yanked her hand away and turned on him.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t know his plans.” The anger still radiated through her. Her rational mind screamed at her to stop, but she was working on adrenaline now.
“Cassey, I didn’t know what he was up to. I swear it. I haven’t seen him or talked to him since the night we ate dinner a few weeks ago.” He held out his hands and took a step back.
She looked at him, gauging his face, and could see he was telling the truth. After a minute, she sighed and relaxed her shoulders. “I’m sorry; it’s been an emotional day.”
“I understand. Have you eaten lunch?”
She was so caught up in her anger towards his father, it took a moment for her to process what he had asked her.
Chapter Ten
Cassey sat across from him at his favorite fast food place in town, and he could see the wariness in her face. Her silver eyes, which were normally bright, were dull and foggy looking. There were purple blotches under those eyes, and he could tell she wasn’t get
ting enough sleep. She looked like she’d lost some weight as well, but he knew better than to mention it.
He reached across the table and touched her hand lightly. “Has it been that bad?”
“What?” She looked up at him as she rubbed her forehead. “No.” He could tell she had just automatically denied it.
When he sighed and looked at her, she closed her eyes and lowered her hand from her temple.
“Yes, okay, it has. Half of my staff has been out the last few weeks with the flu.” She laughed a little. “To be honest, at first I thought that was your father’s doing. Then this morning, after seeing the notice, I spent a few hours arguing with the local health inspector, who is apparently the only health inspector in Adams County. After going back and forth, I finally got him to agree to come back down to my place and reinspect on Monday afternoon. When I walked back from the meeting, I noticed that two other places, including The Lunch Box, were closed down due to violations as well. I can’t even remember driving to Emerald Beach.” She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“I’m sorry you’re having to deal with all this by yourself,” he said and meant it. He wished she hadn’t turned him away. It had hurt not being with her, but the time apart had only reinforced his desire to be with her. He’d taken so many steps in the last few days, and he knew that once he had everything lined up, he would find a way to change her mind about their relationship. All he needed was some time.
“It’s not that bad. I have the new inspection on Monday.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve given the employees a day off.”
“A day?” he asked, his curiosity in his voice.
“Yes, everyone is scheduled to be in first thing Sunday for a complete cleaning of the place. I want that inspector to be able to eat off the floor.” She smiled and he gained even more respect for her.
