Masquerade by the Sea — A Read by the Sea Contemporary Masquerade Romance Series

by Traci Hall

  His brother, in tan shorts and an obnoxious Hawaiian shirt, lifted his hand. Kendra smiled from ear to ear, her blonde hair longer too, waving as she came closer. She wore tan linen shorts, gladiator sandals and a silky beige top. He noticed because it wasn’t scrubs.

  Jolie waited at his side as the two came aboard the Masquerade. “Come aboard,” she said, her voice as friendly as always. Welcoming.

  Kendra gave her a hug. “So glad I didn’t have to come back and kill you. Now you have to tell me every last thing about turning my brother-in-law into a pirate. Very sexy, Heath.”

  “Hey now,” Cody said. “Everyone knows I’m the looker in the family.”

  “This summer we’ve been breaking out of self-defined constructs. Old patterns,” Jolie said with a straight face.

  Cody blinked, Kendra giggled and Heath clapped his brother on the shoulder. “How about a beer?”

  “I better. Especially if I have to be second best.”

  “Not to me,” Kendra said, kissing his cheek. “You’ll always be my favorite.”

  “You married him,” Heath teased. “You’re stuck with him now. Wine? We’ve got white, pink and red.”

  “I’ll have a glass of white zin.” Kendra looked at Jolie.

  “Ice?” Jolie gestured to the bucket.

  “Not if it’s been chilled.” Kendra walked toward the small round table they’d set up with a cloth and the cheese plate. “This is really nice.”

  “I hope you’re hungry.” Heath watched the way Cody looked out for Kendra, realizing that they had a great shot at making that fifty percent success rate, so long as they remembered to care. “Jolie bought lobster.”

  “Yum!” Kendra sat down.

  “How was the honeymoon?” Jolie slid a piece of cheddar cheese onto a slice of green apple and put it on a plate, handing it to Heath. He sat next to her, their knees touching. “It must have been amazing for you to take some extra time.”

  “Either that, or my brother was in some Italian jail and Kendra had to break him out.” Heath took a bite of the tart apple and sharp cheese. He used to think an apple was just an apple.

  “You have such an imagination,” Kendra said, her blue gaze zeroing in on how close he sat to Jolie. “Um, anything you two want to confess?”

  Heath hadn’t told them about him and Jolie because it hadn’t come up. He hadn’t wanted to defend, or define, their relationship. He didn’t want to risk the magic.

  “You didn’t tell them?” Jolie asked, her smile slipping.

  “Well, it wasn’t anybody else’s business, right?” Heath kept his hand on the back of Jolie’s chair, looking from Kendra to Cody.

  “Heath!” Kendra said, her eyes narrowing.

  “What’s the problem?” Cody asked. “Heath and Jolie hooking up for the summer? Of course they were going to, and you and I both knew it, Kendra. Don’t be mad. Apple?”

  Heath closed his eyes and Jolie pinched his leg. His bad leg, which got his attention. “Ouch. More wine, hon?”

  Jolie ran through the reasons why she was so freaking mad that Heath hadn’t told his brother and sister-in-law about them.

  “If this was a secret, you should have told me,” she snapped, tapping her fingernail against her wine glass. She felt embarrassed, for one thing. Was he embarrassed of her?

  “It wasn’t a secret. It just wasn’t anything we talked about.” Heath gestured between him and Cody.

  “It’s true,” Cody said. “We mostly texted, and when we did talk it was about me and Kendra and the places we’d seen. Italy is gorgeous.”

  Silence grew like a waiting storm cloud but if Jolie said anything she’d start to cry, and that so was not going to happen.

  Kendra slowly lowered her shoulders. “You’re right, Heath. It’s your choice who you date.” She looked at Jolie, her expression questioning though she didn’t say anything else.

  “We aren’t dating,” Heath said, slinging his arm casually around her shoulders.

  Jolie bit down on the inside of her cheek until she drew blood. He said it like that? It hurt her feelings. That’s why she was angry, she finally decided. They were sharing something incredible and she’d told her entire family, shared their lives without worrying about being judged. Jamison, Rajah, even Randall knew. But Heath? He hadn’t said a damn word. It made her feel as if he was ashamed, and she didn’t like it at all.

  “We’re just hanging out for the summer,” he said, pounding another nail in her heart.

  Cody’s brows lifted, but then he busied himself with putting crackers on a plate with some cheese.

  The way Heath dismissed their relationship, even though what he said was true, and it was what they’d discussed, hurt too.

  Jolie swallowed her emotions on a river of white wine. Heath cut the cheese into smaller slices.

  After a few minutes, Kendra cleared her throat. “Italy was lovely. We have a bunch of pictures we put on a slideshow.”

  It was nice of Kendra to try and smooth things over. Something that Jolie was used to doing. It took everything she had at the moment to keep from dumping her wine over Heath’s head.

  Heath finally seemed to realize that something was wrong, and he put his hand on her shoulder. She froze then forced herself to relax. It wasn’t his fault if she was having a difficult time with the truth. And if it sucked this bad now, what would it be like when he left for good?

  She looked at Kendra and attempted to smile. “Would you like me to set up my computer so that we can all see them together?”

  “That sounds great,” Cody said. “It won’t take long, really.”

  Jolie used the reprieve of twenty minutes touring Europe to gather her emotions. She even managed to nod and smile at most of the appropriate places, including the one of Cody pretending to try and lift the Leaning Tower of Piza to keep it from falling.

  At the end of the slideshow, she got up and excused herself to make dinner. “I thought we’d eat outside, too. Heath, do you want to take us to the sand bar?”

  “You let Heath drive your boat?” Cody asked, brow raised to his hairline in disbelief.

  “Heath drives the boat. You’ve been living together, on this space, which is not that large, for two months?” Kendra took Jolie by the elbow, getting to her feet as well. “I would have killed him. All he does is complain about the water.”

  “He’s changed,” Jolie said, doing her best to find fun and happy in her mood selection. “He took a boating course and docks better than I do.”

  “Not true, but thanks for the kudos.” Heath took the plates, piling them all on the demolished cheese tray. “Why don’t we wait to start the lobster until we get to the sand bar? That way I can help you.” He looked at Cody, then Kendra, then shrugged, buffing his nails against his t-shirt. “Jolie likes my help in the kitchen.”

  “A man’s work is never done.” Cody smacked his brother on the back. “How’s the leg? You’ve got a great tan, bro.”

  Heath lifted his shorts, showing the scarring, which wasn’t so angry or red. “I do aquatic physical therapy.”

  “What?” Kendra asked, walking toward him, dropping to her knees to get a good look. She probed the muscle with gentle fingers. “This is terrific.”

  “Jolie’s cousin Sabina is a physical therapist too. Specializes in water therapy. With resistance bands and those foam noodle things.” Heath talked like it didn’t matter, but Jolie saw the pride in the set of his shoulders.

  “I’d love to meet her,” Kendra said to Jolie. “This is mind-boggling. Heath is a changed man.”

  “Wait until you see me paddle board.”

  “I feel like you’re a totally different person,” Kendra said without smiling.

  Heath stopped joking around, pointing to Cody and Kendra, too. “We’ve all changed.”

  “Change isn’t a bad thing,” Cody said.

  Jolie was usually a proponent of it, but right now, she wished things could return to just two hours ago. When she and Heath had eac
h other on the chaise lounge, and loving one another was all that mattered. “Should I put some music on?” She grabbed the loaded tray and headed for the stairs. Jolie needed to think.

  Heath followed right behind her, so Cody and Kendra did too.

  As was their habit, he rinsed and she stacked the dishes in the dishwasher. Cody and Kendra looked at all of the paintings, then came back to the counter. Heath put his arm around her waist, and she relaxed into him.

  If she only had a month left, she would make the most of it. There would be plenty of time for tears once he was gone. Maybe it was for the best that the hurt started sooner rather than later.

  “What’s it like, working for a party charter, Heath?” Kendra asked.

  “Always something interesting,” he said, bumping his hip into hers. “We have this client who loves Jolie, like loves her, and he keeps canceling and rescheduling this big event just as a way to see her.”

  “Randall Wallace. He’s a character.” Randall wouldn’t break her heart. “Inherited the land that this town was built on, and he’s the town manager. If he would follow through and book us, it would be a great big chunk of money.”

  “Jolie wants to have her own fleet.”

  “How many makes a fleet?” Cody asked.

  “More than one,” she laughed but it sounded hollow. “Three would be great. I’d like to keep this one as the party-hearty boat and buy a bigger, more elegant yacht for corporate events.”

  “Let me know if you’re hiring,” Cody said.

  “I need to buy a new engine first.” Jolie always had the list of priorities running through her head. Keeping the Masquerade in business was number one.

  “I’d give up my job at the fire department in a second to grow my beard and be a pirate. What will that virtual ski place think of your new look, bro?”

  Heath pulled the band from his hair and shook it out. His dark brown hair had golden highlights from his time in the sun, and it really did look beautiful, Jolie thought.

  “I’ll get it cut.” He said it like it didn’t matter. As if he wasn’t at all affected by his summer of finding himself.

  Jolie dug her fingernails into her palms to keep from screaming.

  “Have you talked to them?” Kendra asked, swirling the wine in her glass before taking a drink.

  “Nope,” Heath said with a shrug. “I’m not supposed to start until October. There’s plenty of time.”

  Jolie shivered with apprehension. Benedict would be back in less than four weeks. There wasn’t enough time to suit her. Arguing and fighting over her unrealistic expectations wouldn’t help her any. She loved Heath. He was leaving, according to their summer plan. What would her granny do in this situation?

  As the ultimate hostess, she would bite her tongue before making a scene.

  So that’s exactly what Jolie did, too. “More wine?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The next morning, Randall Wallace called.

  “Heath, want to bet he’s going to cancel again?” At this point, Jolie was saving for a brand new engine. She had just enough for a rebuilt one, but she didn’t want that. She wanted something with a better guarantee. Her grandpa had built the Masquerade with love and skill. She owed it to him to make it the best it could be.

  “Maybe he’ll ask you to lunch, alone. For the third time. ” Heath stared at her over his coffee, his hair mussed, his voice deep with sleep.

  She winced and answered, “Masquerade Party Charters, this is Jolie.”

  “Jolie! How are you?”

  “Fine, fine, Randall. You?” She leaned back against the counter, putting one foot on the other to admire her new toe ring. Heath had bought it for her at a little shop in Key West. Gold with a masquerade mask.

  “I’m ready to finalize my plans and I was hoping you had a moment to coordinate.” His voice was apologetic.

  She didn’t believe he was sorry for a second. “Of course,” she said. “We are looking forward to making your event so special it will raise the bar.”

  Heath grinned and pretended to do the limbo. Jolie smiled.

  “We decided on the crab cakes?” Randall sounded as if he was shuffling papers in the background and Jolie imagined the man at his desk trying to be important.

  “Yes. With a béarnaise sauce.” She knew each of the changed menus by heart.

  “Wonderful.” He sighed. “When is Benedict coming back again?”

  “In a few weeks.”

  “I like him, much better than this new fellow.”

  “I miss Benedict, too,” she said. “You’ll get to know Heath and then you’ll see what an asset he is.”

  “Hmm.” Randall gave a polite cough. “Well, until next Friday, then.”

  “Saturday. Remember, you changed it because of your niece’s birthday?”

  “Oh, that’s right. You have a terrific memory, Jolie. If you ever decide that you don’t want to do the charter thing anymore, I will give you a job working for me.”

  And what would Janey think about that? “Thank you, you flatter me. I’m doing what I love, Randall. I’m blessed.”

  They ended the call and Heath sidled up next to her, kissing her cheek. “Next Saturday?”

  “For real. At this point I’m nervous just because it’s been put off so many times. I’ll triple check everything from the tablecloths to the fish. I have to call Jamison.”

  “I’ll help.”

  “You’ve been beyond amazing. I would have been stuck this summer without you.” She caressed the full, dark brown beard along his jaw and traced the muscle down his throat. “I know we’re supposed to live in the moment, but I feel like something wonderful is coming to an end.”

  “I feel it, too.” Heath captured her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. “You just have to let it go.”

  “I’ve been letting plenty go.” She pulled her hand free.

  “Are you still mad about me not telling Cody and Kendra about us?”

  “How did you know? I thought I was hiding that.”

  “You wear your emotions on your face. Everybody knew. I’ve been hoping you’d get over it, because I don’t want to spend the next few weeks with you upset because I said something stupid.”

  “You admit it?”

  “Of course.” Heath ran his hand from her bare shoulder to her wrist and took her hand, lifting it to cover his heart.

  “Then why didn’t you bring it up sooner?”

  “I just told you.” He lifted her fingers and kissed them. “I was hoping you’d get over it.”

  She sighed, and took the shopping list for tonight’s sunset party off the refrigerator door. “I’m going for groceries. Do you want to come?”

  “I do. I don’t want to be separated from you. I feel it, the magical summer is ending. But I don’t want to spoil it, I want to savor it, so that when I’m in the mountains this winter freezing my ass off, I can pull out a memory of you, my sunshine, and be warm again.”

  Jolie’s eyes filled with tears and she pushed against his chest. “Damn you, Heath. That’s the most beautiful thing anybody has ever said to me.”

  Heath unloaded the groceries as soon as they got back, starting in on the biscuit batter for the home-made strawberry shortcake. If anybody would have told him that he’d spend the summer on a party charter making cake he’d never have believed it. He liked it. Liked serving the food, doing the dishes. Liked being with Jolie. Sad truth was that he even liked doing laundry with her.

  “I’ve got a few phone calls to make for the stone crab next week,” Jolie said, holding her phone and a pad of paper. “I’ll be up on deck, okay? Cigar event tonight.”

  He waved. “No problem.” He’d already made up a menu that consisted of bar snacks and tapas. Mostly savory things like sliced summer sausage, but there had to be something sweet, and the shortcake was popular.

  His phone dinged and he looked at the Salt Lake City area code. Cody and Kendra each had their own ring, so he knew it wasn’t them. Maybe
his landlady?

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, I’d like to speak to Heath Hamilton.”

  “Speaking.”

  “Oh, hey, this is Robbie over at Virtual Ski Instructor. I’m calling about the position Doug offered you for this fall.”

  “Right.” Heath hiked his hip against the kitchen stool.

  “Well, we were just touching base. I’m reading here that you’re recovering from a ski injury. Is that going to impact your mobility teaching people how to ski?”

  “Not at all.” He was so healthy he wondered if he might actually ski one day. Down a real slope.

  “Not that it matters too much. I mean, you’ll be doing mostly sales. Getting people to buy their own machine. You get a commission after a base salary.”

  A salesman? Heath hadn’t thought about pay, really. He’d been so pathetically grateful that Doug wanted to hire him, he hadn’t worried about the rest. Commission?

  “Are you there, Heath?”

  “Yeah.” He put the phone on speaker so he could wash the strawberries. “Base salary?”

  The guy named a figure that was equal to what he’d made as an instructor on real snow.

  He stared at the phone, his summer coming to an end. Reality waited with the drop of fall leaves. It didn’t happen that way in South Florida, according to Jolie.

  “Uh, I’ll be in touch,” he said.

  The guy’s tone turned cool. “We’ll need an answer by the end of the week. We have to have trained, qualified people in position by October.”

  Robbie didn’t have to be a dick about it, Heath thought. “I’ll give you a call by Friday.” Of course he was taking the job. It was a dream situation. He and Jolie had a deal.

  The other man hung up, leaving Heath with a bitter taste in his mouth.

  He’d learned a lot about himself in the last two months, realizing that he could step outside his self-imposed limits and try new things.

  The accident had forced change. Made him re-think what he’d held as important staples in his life. Turned out that he could breathe salt air and not dissolve like a slug. He’d adjusted to the difference in altitude. Discovered an appreciation for the ocean that he’d never considered possible, so long as he ignored the shark thing.