Hidden Charm

by Jill Sanders

  “Me?” She almost squealed it out. “No!” She shook her head quickly.

  He placed his hand over hers on the railing and slowly pulled her fingers free. Then he pulled her up close to him. Their bodies bumped as she slowly took the spot in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and kept her from falling over as she gripped the wheel.

  “This is the throttle.” He took one of her hands and laid it on the shifter. “All the way forward, we go faster. Towards us, we slow down. The middle ground is neutral.” He put the boat in neutral. “Backwards puts us in reverse.” They moved slowly backward and she squealed once more.

  “Okay.” She glanced back over her shoulder until their eyes locked.

  He was smiling, and she stopped as her eyes narrowed.

  “You scared me on purpose,” she accused.

  “No.” He held in a chuckle. “I’m trying to distract you from being scared,” he admitted.

  When her eyes moved down to his lips, he started moving the throttle forward, his hand still placed over hers.

  Her head jerked towards the front, and she held on as they started moving again.

  “The left side of the boat is called…”

  “Port, and starboard is the right,” she supplied.

  “Good, see, you already know more about boating than most.”

  “Doesn’t mean I like it,” she said softly.

  “The front is the bow, the back is the stern,” he continued. They were now at his normal cruising speed, and she hadn’t tensed again in his arms. He smiled. He continued to talk to her about everything he could think of that had to do with boating. He told her about the ferryboat, and how he’d won it in an auction shortly after he’d bought the island. Before he started ferry service between the mainland and the private resort, East Haven, the only way to the resort was helicopter or by chartering a private boat. Most of the wealthy didn’t like leaving their expensive cars parked miles away on the mainland when they vacationed.

  “So, one of the first things I did was negotiate a deal with East Haven to deliver guests and their cars when they call.” He helped her slow the craft down as they entered the mouth of the small inlet that held the docks near the edge of Silver Cove. “Now that Sarah owns the place, she’s asked for something a little more permanent. It seems a lot of the guests enjoy day trips into town for shopping.”

  “Sarah?” she asked as he turned the wheel and let the boat coast into his slip.

  “Rowan’s cousin.” He moved around the bow and stopped them from hitting the dock. He tossed the line over the post and locked them in place, then easily jumped onto the dock. “Toss me the rope.” He pointed and smiled when Emma tossed it so he could pull in the stern and tie it off. “See, you’re a natural.” He held out his hand for her to take so he could help her across the small space.

  “It’s a lot easier when I’m distracted,” she admitted when her feet were solidly on the dock. “Besides, I kind of liked driving.”

  They made their way down the docks. His slip was one of the farther spots out, and it was like a maze since they’d added the new sections last year, a true sign that Silver Cove was growing.

  “Did you grow up in Silver Cove?” she asked when they reached land.

  “I was born a few miles south of here in Portland. I grew up in the same house that my mother did. She still lives there. Her parents retired to Florida and gave her the house just before she married my father.”

  “Are they still alive?” she asked.

  “My grandfather is. He’s on his second wife, met her shortly after my grandmother passed. Betty is the only reason my granddad is still around.” He smiled. “He was lucky to find two women in his lifetime to love.”

  “You said your mother still lives in town. Did she find someone… after your father left?”

  He was silent for a while, trying to decide what to tell her. “After Lori’s… death, my mother retreated into a deep depression,” he said as they walked further into town. She scanned the town, taking in everything. Tourist season was in high swing and the streets were crowded. There were rows of cars trying to make their way through the tight streets, but for the most part, locals walked or biked everywhere and tourists parked and followed suit.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. When my father died, it took me weeks to just get out of the house.”

  “She’s doing a lot better now that Kayla and CJ are in town.”

  “How did Lori die? You told me back in California that she died, but just now… I get the feeling you held something back.” She tugged on his hand until he stopped and looked down at her.

  They were standing in the middle of town, near a massive water fountain with a statue of a mermaid leaning against the leg of a fisherman. The statue had been put up in the early sixties when the town had suffered through a dry fishing spree. The statue had quickly become the town’s good luck charm when the following season was one of the best on record.

  “She was murdered.” He felt his stomach turn at the memory. His eyes moved around town as if searching out the culprit. He knew someone somewhere knew something more about the night his sister had been torn to pieces.

  “That must have been terrible for your family,” she said when he started walking again. Every time he thought back to that night so many years ago, he felt a need for movement.

  “It’s what broke my family.” He turned on Main Street and slowed his pace when he noticed Emma had fallen behind. “My father left the day of the funeral. My mother retreated into her mind, and my sister… I abandoned Kayla to her own defenses.” He stopped again, this time just outside of Serenity’s Attic.

  Even the brightly colored store couldn’t lift his spirits after talking about what had happened.

  Emma’s hand rested on his arm. “I’m sure you did what you had to in order to get through the pain yourself.”

  He reached for the door handle and nodded quickly. “So, I’ve been told many times.” He motioned for her to enter and followed her inside.

  Emma was not only pleasantly surprised at the bathing suit options in the colorful store, but she was pleased with the prices as well.

  The fact that Kayla, JT’s sister, was the one who was working at the store had been a surprise. A pleasant one, as it turned out. JT had made the introductions and then quickly left her in Kayla’s hands while he ran down the street to the hardware store for a few things he needed for the deck and upstairs projects.

  When the door shut behind him, Kayla burst out laughing.

  Emma glanced over at her, her eyebrows up in question.

  “That was the most flustered I’ve ever seen my brother.” Kayla chuckled and pretended to wipe tears from her eyes. “Okay, now I have to get to know you.” She held out her hand once more. “I’m Kayla. I have an almost four-year-old son, Connor James. I am engaged to Rowan, the town’s doctor.” She smiled and sighed and instantly Emma could see love flood her eyes.

  “JT told me your mother lives here, too. Do you live with her?”

  “No, CJ and I moved in with Rowan a few months back.”

  “How’s your mom doing? JT said she had a really hard time after Lori died but that she’s doing better now.”

  “Yeah. For a while there, she rarely left the house and had become a hoarder. We helped her get the house cleaned up. Having CJ around has really changed her attitude.”

  “I’m so glad to hear that. Is CJ here with you full time, or do you share custody with his father?”

  “No, his dad recently killed himself.” Her voice turned sad.

  “I’m so sorry.” Emma took Kayla’s hand. “Your brother was just telling me about Lori.”

  Kayla sighed. “I guess depression runs in the family.”

  There was a moment of silence. Then Kayla shook her shoulders and jumped around a little. “Okay, all the bad juju is out of my system. Let’s shop.” She smiled.

  Emma took an instant liking to Kayla. She spent the next forty minutes trying o
n swimsuits and sundresses, and letting Kayla lather lotions on her until she found one she loved.

  By the time JT came back for her, she was the proud owner of three new swimsuits, a few bottles of hair care products and lotions, several blouses, and two new sundresses, one white and the other in a soft teal.

  Kayla had made her promise to join them for dinner that following weekend at her and Rowan’s house, which she had eagerly agreed to after listening to stories about the man and her son, CJ.

  She had watched JT closely around Kayla and got the impression he was almost scared of his sister. When they were almost a block away from the store, she asked him about it.

  “Are there problems between you and your sister?”

  JT stopped and looked at her. “No, why?”

  She shrugged. “It’s just… the way you act around her is very… stiff.”

  “Stiff?” he asked as he started walking again. “How so?”

  “I don’t know, you didn’t give her a hug or… anything I always imagined big brothers would do around their little sisters.”

  He glanced over at her. “I guess I still feel…”

  “Like you abandoned her?” She repeated his words from earlier. “How so?”

  He stopped just outside a small grocery store and looked down into her eyes. “After my father left and my mother…”

  “Became a hoarder?” Upon his look, she added, “Kayla told me.”

  He nodded. “She was left alone in the house with someone who was emotionally absent. She was only thirteen. I was eighteen. I should have…”

  “What? Raised her?”

  “Something. I should have done something more.”

  “From what Kayla said, each of you dealt with Lori’s death in different ways. She needed to feel like her mother needed her. Like someone needed her. You felt like you had to find Lori’s killer.” When he gave her another look, she nodded. “Kayla is more perceptive than you give her credit for.”

  He ran his hands through his hair again and glanced around the street once more. Again, she got the impression like he was looking for something… someone. “I couldn’t find out anything back then. I was just a kid.”

  “Does that mean you’ve found something out about Lori’s death since then?” she asked.

  His eyes returned to hers. “Later,” he said softly.

  She nodded, then sighed. “Kayla loves you. She doesn’t hold a thing against you, you know.”

  He shook his head. “I…”

  “You are her big brother, whom she looks up to and adores. You should give her a hug and kiss her when you see her. She misses you.” She took a step closer and moved the bags he was holding for her aside to lay her hand on his heart. “The real you. Show her how you feel about her.”

  He swallowed, then nodded quickly.

  “Now, if you’re done playing shrink”—he took a deep breath and smiled down at her—“I was thinking of getting a pie and some ice cream for dessert tonight.”

  She smiled. “Chocolate cream pie? French vanilla ice cream?”

  “As you wish.” He opened the door for her and bowed quickly.

  As she started to walk by him, she reached up on her toes and placed a quick chaste kiss on his lips.

  “A man who quotes Princess Bride, opens doors, carries bags for me, and gives me chocolate.” She sighed loudly. “Marry me,” she joked as she sailed through the open doorway.

  Chapter 8

  It took a while for JT’s heart to settle in his chest after Emma’s display outside of the store. He felt like a zombie walking around the store as they picked out a pie and ice cream. He added a few choice steaks to their basket along with potatoes and carrots for dinner.

  He was bummed that she had to carry a bag from Serenity’s as they made their way back towards the docks, but his hands were full and he didn’t want to drop the ice cream.

  He settled the food into the built-in cooler and made sure the rest of her bags were stored below deck before releasing the ropes and pushing the boat away.

  “Do you want to drive back?” he asked as he kicked the engine on.

  “I think this time I can sit and actually enjoy the ride.” She settled down beside him, and he noticed that she didn’t have a death grip on either her life vest or the railing.

  When they hit open water, he gunned it to top speed and glanced over to see her smiling as the wind blew her hair around her face. She’d braided it for the first ride over, but short strands had fallen loose around her face.

  He shot glances her way while they sped across the open water towards his island. There were other islands around his, most of them too small or too rocky to build on. An occasional home or two sat on the bigger islands and, in the distance, he could make out East Haven. He slowed the boat and let it coast while he pointed it out to Emma.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said, standing next to him, shielding the sun from her eyes. “Have you ever stayed there?”

  “No, but I’ve spent plenty of time on the island. If you want to take a tour of the place sometime this week, I can ask Sarah.”

  “Sarah is… Serenity, correct?”

  He nodded. “Her mother, Crystal, owns Serenity’s Attic. Sarah owns East Haven now. Her father originally owned it, but he died when Sarah was young and left it to her, which she didn’t find out until last year.” He shook his head. “The more I talk about the people around me, the more I understand why I write books. There are more stories surrounding me than I know what to do with.” He started the boat again and waited until Emma sat back down. “For instance”—he raised his voice over the sound of the motor—“Lilith, Sarah’s employee, was kidnapped last year.”

  “Oh no.” Emma glanced over at him and held a strand of hair away from her face.

  “Long story, but she’s okay now. She’s married now to the chef on the island.” He sighed. “Then there’s—” He stopped talking when the boathouse came into view. Something was off, which raised security flags. There, on the dock next to where his boat parked, sat the mug from this morning. At least he assumed it was the remains of his mug, since the dark blue ceramic shards matched his favorite mug perfectly.

  “Stay in the boat,” he said before the vessel came to a stop. He tied off the bow ropes and jumped out without tying it off fully. He rushed around the boathouse, calling for Bo.

  When the dog came running up to him, panting and wagging his tail, he relaxed slightly and walked back to help Emma out of the craft.

  “Is that your mug from this morning?”

  He nodded. “Looks like we had a visitor today.” He pulled out his cell phone and called Tom, the local police chief. As he tied off the boat, he filled Tom in on the possibility of an intruder.

  His island wasn’t completely marked private land, but there were signs up every so often. It wasn’t the intruder that bothered him, it was the fact that they had taken the mug and then returned it crushed. Was it a sign?

  His first thoughts were of Emma. What had happened between her and Mark Rayes? Making a mental note to find out as much as he could online, he hung up the phone with Tom.

  “Well?” Emma said from behind him. She was on her knees, petting Bo, who was lying on his back with his legs sticking straight up in the air. The dog was incorrigible.

  “He says to keep an eye out. If we see anyone, let him know.”

  “That’s no help.” She stood up and Bo groaned as he rolled over to stand.

  “Yeah, I figured they weren’t going to be much help.” He jumped back in the boat and grabbed the groceries.

  “Then why call?” she asked, watching him.

  “Because now it’s officially on record.” He set the bags on the dock. “There’s a cart…” He nodded to the wagon he used to get groceries up to the house.

  “Who do you think it was?” she asked, pulling the wagon over towards the boat.

  “Did you tell anyone you were coming here?” he asked after a moment.

  Her e
yes jumped up to his. “You don’t think… Mark wouldn’t…” She shook her head. “I doubt he’d stoop to…”

  “I’m not naming names.”

  “No, but you’re hinting.” She started putting the bags into the cart.

  “No, I’m trying to run through a list of people who could potentially be a danger to you.” He jumped onto the dock again and took her shoulders in his hands. “That broken cup isn’t just a kid playing around. Someone had to have a boat, know where the island is, get past…” He glanced down at the dog, who was chasing his tail, and sighed. “Okay, getting past Bo isn’t hard, but someone took the cup from the beach while I was either swimming or shortly after we left.” He felt her shiver and nodded. “Someone’s watching us.” Her eyes darted around the boathouse. “Who’s to say they aren’t waiting to do something further.”

  Her eyes moved up to the house. “You don’t think they broke in?”

  He groaned. “Stay here.” He started to leave, but she jerked his arm back.

  “You are not going up there alone.”

  He looked down. “No, I’m taking Bo with me.”

  “And leaving me here all alone?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  He thought about it. “Okay, we’ll go together. Whatever we find…”

  “We deal with it together,” she agreed.

  Emma was having a hard time thinking of the broken cup as anything other than a broken cup. But as they made their way back to the house, she glanced around and realized he was right. To get to his island, someone had to have a boat, know which island was his, park the boat somewhere, and… watch them.

  She’d lived in the city for the past few years and having people watch her was nothing new. But the more she looked around, the more it creeped her out, knowing someone had possibly watched them on the beach.

  Then she remembered JT coming out of the water and understood exactly why he was on edge. If she’d been the one walking out of the ocean wearing nothing but a smile, she’d totally freak out. Like she was now seeing the house in front of them and not knowing what was waiting for them.