by KB Winters
“Could I bring someone with me?”
I didn’t know where the question came from. It popped out of my mouth before I could even consider the implications. Gemma’s eyes went wide for a moment and I realized what it sounded like. Then quickly decided I didn’t care.
Gemma recovered quickly and nodded—a little too enthusiastically. “Of course! Yeah. I guess I didn’t realize you were—or you’d—” She stopped herself and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Holly.”
“It’s fine, Gemma. This is weird for everyone.”
She considered me for a minute. “Maybe so, but it’s hardest on you, I shouldn’t add to it.”
I reached out and touched her arm. “You didn’t. It’s really okay. I’m just trying to move on as best as I can.”
“Right. Of course.” Gemma smiled warmly. “We’d love to have you and whoever you’d like to bring.”
“Thanks. I’ll text you.”
“Okay.” She started to backtrack to the start of the aisle, narrowly missing another customer. “It was good to see you, Holly! Take care of yourself.”
I waved and she disappeared around the corner of the aisle. The store was busy and I suddenly felt like the walls were closing in. I abandoned the rest of the items on my list and made a beeline for the checkout.
Chapter Four
Jack
“You missed out on a really good night.”
Peyton was going out of her way to rub in the fact that she’d gone home the night before with one of the Englishmen in the pub. I don’t know what she expected me to do. Did she want me to get jealous? Fly into a rage and track the man down? Or did she just want to provoke me into fucking her? I couldn’t quite tell and after another sleepless night, I was too damned tired to care.
Our clients decided to bump up their flight home to New York and though I’d chugged down two cups of coffee prior to take off, I was going to consider it a job well done if I made it to Heathrow without falling asleep in the cockpit. Peyton’s prattling wasn’t helping.
We’d been flying for a little under an hour and she hadn’t stopped talking. Finally, I shot a cold stare in her direction. “What’s your point, Peyton? You want me to grovel before your feet and beg for a second chance? Sorry. It’s not happening. I wasn’t interested last night and I’m not interested now. I just want to get this damn plane on the ground and go home and sleep.”
Peyton’s eyes were wide, her posture a little too stiff. I couldn’t tell if she was shocked or pissed off. I tore my eyes off of her and went back to monitoring the control panel. I didn’t care either way. As soon as we landed, I was going to march into Barney Lamont’s office and demand that I be reassigned a co-pilot.
“What crawled up your ass and died?” Peyton sneered, her voice icy.
My jaw went tight but I didn’t justify her barb with a response.
“Seriously, Jack, what the hell is the matter with you? Last night you were flirting and buying me drinks and then all of a sudden, it was like a light went off and you bolted. You bipolar or something? I mean that is some serious Dr. Jekyll shit!”
The anger rose in my belly—red and fire hot. But when it hit the top, it fizzled and vanished, leaving me drained and tired all over again. I glanced at Peyton out of the corner of my eye. She was eying me with curiosity and maybe an edge of fear.
“It’s not you,” I finally said. “It’s a long story. Sorry I took it out on you. I’m just working through some shit.”
Peyton tilted her head. “You wanna talk about it? We got a hell of a long flight and judging by the blue sky and puffy, white clouds, it’s gonna be pretty uneventful.”
I considered her offer. She was right about the weather. Auto-pilot was going to do most of the work for the next few hours and I was struggling to stay awake. Maybe talking would help. Hell, as much as Aaron tried, he wasn’t exactly a compassionate listener. He liked to tell me what a fuckup I was and seemed to think I should race home, gather Holly into my arms, and tell her I’d been an idiot. Like that would somehow erase all the damage.
“I was engaged,” I started. The words came out like a heavy sigh. “We broke up about three months ago. I moved from California to New York to try and start over, have some adventures, and put some miles between me and her.”
“But it’s not working?”
I laughed. “Not even a little bit.”
“I’m sorry,” Peyton replied, her voice a low whisper. “I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have—”
I held up a hand. “No, please. You didn’t know.”
I dragged in another deep breath, sipped from my water bottle, and then turned toward her. “You’re a beautiful girl. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested last night. But I’m not there yet. I don’t want to move on. Or maybe it’s just that I can’t. I’m not sure which.”
Peyton nodded thoughtfully. “I get it. I had a bad breakup a few years ago. My high school sweetheart. He was supposed to be the one. But, ya know, shit happens.” She scoffed. “Anyway, after that, I swore off men for about a year.”
“What changed?”
“I don’t really know. I just woke up one day and decided I was tired of being alone and just because he’d broken my heart, it didn’t mean I couldn’t still find someone special. But as of yet, I’m still looking.” She paused and then a wicked smile flicked over her lips. “But I’m gonna make damn sure I have a good time on the way.”
I chuckled. “Aha. Sounds like a solid plan.”
“But three months is hardly anything,” she added. “It takes time. As much as it sucks to hear it, it’s true.”
I nodded, feeling my smile fade. “That’s what everyone says.”
“Do you like New York?”
I shrugged. “It’s definitely a change, but I haven’t decided if it’s right for me.”
“Well, when you’re ready, let me know and I’ll take you out and introduce you to some of the city’s single women. They’d probably have a massive cat fight to get a chance with a guy like you. Most of the guys in New York City are douchebags. Fun for a night or two but that’s about it. The lovely Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda weren’t lying on Sex in the City. It’s tough!”
I laughed. “Thanks for the warning.”
Peyton smiled. “Oh, no I mean for the women. You’ll have it easy whenever you go out. I was serious when I mentioned cat fights.”
“I can’t even remember the last time I went to a club,” I mused, staring out at the clouds as they passed by. “Or had a meaningless hookup.”
Peyton shrugged. “You will. When you’re ready.”
I looked over at her and smiled, reassessing my earlier plan to demand a change-up in my co-pilot rotation. “Thanks, Peyton. Sorry I was a dick last night.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m here, seriously, whenever you wanna talk.”
“I think I’ve had enough couch time today, but I’ll keep that in mind. Now, let’s just get home in one piece. Which means I’m going to need another cup of joe.”
****
It took two days, but I finally gave up on trying to convince myself that I could be a New Yorker. I missed home. I missed the sound of the ocean in my window at night instead of traffic. It was the city that never sleeps and I was tired. I’d seen Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue, and wandered Central Park and the trendy little shops and cafes close to my apartment in Brooklyn.
I was tired of the city. In fact, I hated it.
My next flight wasn’t for another week, so I decided that rather than mope around and feel sorry for myself, I’d hop on the next flight to LA and go see Aaron and Gemma. I packed a bag, took a cab to the airport, and used my connections to get a first-class seat on the redeye to LAX.
The Camaro was locked up in a storage unit while I was in New York, so once I arrived, I grabbed a rental car. I picked out a sporty little number but it didn’t have quite the same satisfying giddy up on the scenic route to Holiday Cove. Still
, the sight of the ocean out the windshield and the fresh, ocean air piped through the sunroof was more than enough to make up for the fact that I had to take the winding curves a little slower.
Originally, I’d planned to go straight to Aaron and Gemma’s, but when I took the exit, my internal auto-pilot took over and I found myself on the road that wound through the neighborhood Holly and I used to live in. Well, technically that she still lived in…
As I approached the four-way stop before the house, I knew I should go straight. The little voice inside my head was screaming, begging for me to keep going. My heart didn’t listen. I turned right and crept down the street. It looked the same as it had when I’d left. Not that I expected change. The same cars were in all the driveways, the fire hydrant on the corner, and the same kids playing in the cul-de-sac at the end, their bikes and soccer balls and remote controlled cars all scattered over the street.
My stomach clenched as I got close enough to see the house Holly and I’d bought together all those months before. The tight knot cinched even tighter at the sight of a blue pickup truck parked beside Holly’s SUV in the driveway.
“What the fuck…” I hissed. I didn’t recognize the truck. The blinds were drawn so I couldn’t see inside the living room and it was already too light outside to tell which rooms were occupied. I wondered if the truck had been parked there all night.
Fury bubbled up inside me and then quickly turned to nausea. I gunned the rental and sped out of the neighborhood, nearly blowing a stop sign on the way.
I flew across town and up the hillside to Aaron’s house and parked in his driveway. The only thing that eased my anger was the sight of a floppy-eared yellow Lab racing in my direction. A smile broke across my face and I jumped out of the car. Princess launched herself at me, her tongue and tail flying franticly and wild. I sank down to one knee and rubbed her ears. “Hey, girl! I missed you too!”
“Princess, what the hell—” Aaron’s voice boomed but stopped short when he came around the side of the bungalow style house and saw me and Princess on the ground. “Boomer? What the hell are you doing here?”
I laughed and kept petting Princess. “Hello to you too, buddy.”
Aaron rolled his eyes. “I’m happy you’re here. Just confused. Did I know you were coming?”
“Not at all. Spur of the moment thing.”
Aaron grinned. “New York driving you crazy already?”
I hated admitting he was right.
He laughed at the hem-haw expression on my face. “I called it! You’re not a city boy, Boom. Come on, I was just making some breakfast.”
“And by you, you actually mean Gemma?”
Aaron gave a sheepish grin and snapped his fingers for Princess. “Come on, girl. Tell your dad to get his ass in the house. I want my damn waffles.”
I chuckled and followed after him. “Yes, sir!”
Gemma was indeed the one working at the stove, cracking eggs into a cast iron pan as sweet smelling steam poured from a hot waffle maker at the other end of the counter. “Jack?” she said, her eyebrows raised.
“Morning, Gemma. You mind having a house guest for a few days?”
She laughed. “Not at all. You can take Aaron off my hands so I can get something done around here.”
Aaron stepped behind her and grabbed her hips. He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered something that made her giggle. I moved to the other side of the kitchen, turning my back on the happy couple, and busied myself with the coffee pot.
“What are you actually doing in town?” Gemma asked.
I turned, raising my coffee mug to my lips, and was relieved to find the two of them untangled. Aaron sat down at the table, snacking on a pile of scrambled eggs. “He missed me too much,” he answered, smirking at me.
I rolled my eyes. “I missed Princess,” I corrected, smiling down at my feet where Princess had set up camp. “I’m looking for apartments that allow dogs. I should be able to bring her over in the next few weeks. I’ll even hire a dog walker and I found a couple of dog daycares where she can go when I’m overseas.”
“How metropolitan of you,” Aaron teased. “A doggie daycare.”
Gemma smiled. “I’m sure she’ll love it. I’ll miss her, but I won’t miss her fur getting on everything.”
I cringed. “Sorry. I’ll hire a carpet cleaner to come by when she’s gone.”
“Thank you,” Gemma replied. “Here, Jack, take a seat.”
I took my place at their small dining table and Gemma placed a plate in front of me. Three waffles stacked with butter and syrup and a generous pile of eggs on the side, sprinkled with paprika. “Thanks, it looks amazing.”
“It is, when’s the last time you had a good home cooked meal?” Gemma countered.
“Right now,” I laughed, digging into my eggs.
“So you’re really staying in New York?” Aaron asked, his expression suddenly serious.
Gemma dropped a hand to rest on his shoulder as they waited for my answer. In that flicker of a moment, I saw how much my friend was hoping I’d say no.
I lifted my fork. “It’s for the best. For now, at least.”
Aaron opened his mouth but Gemma squeezed his shoulder and he stopped short. I started to ask what he wanted to say, but thought better of it and dug into breakfast instead.
Chapter Five
Holly
“So, what do you think? How long would it take?”
“I’d say two, two and a half, weeks.”
I smiled, glancing around the bathroom and imagining it once the renovations were completed. I finished taking the visual tour and landed on Harley Westlake, the stocky contractor who’d come over to give me an estimate on the project. “That sounds perfect.”
Harley stretched out his hand. I shook it and he gave a quick, professional smile. “I’ll send over the contract as soon as I get home and then we can set up the schedule.”
“That’s great. From seeing your portfolio, I just know it’s going to be wonderful.” I waved a hand back into the hall and we backtracked down the stairs and to the front door. Harley gave me his card for reference and then we said goodbye. I watched from the window beside the door as he hopped into his beat-up looking truck and started down the road.
The bathroom was not in urgent need of repair, but I decided the best way to settle back into living at the house was to keep myself busy and while it was still early, planning and decorating the nursery and remodeling the adjacent bathroom to get ready for baby, was the best thing for me.
I started back toward the kitchen but a knock on the door stopped me. I turned back and checked through the peephole. Carly was standing on the porch, a large white bag in her hands. I opened the door and ushered her inside. “What are you doing here?” I asked, as she hurried inside. “This is lunch rush, isn’t it?”
Carly went into the kitchen and set the bag down. “Margot can handle it. I wanted to bring you some lunch.”
“That’s lunch? For how many people?”
Carly laughed as she unpacked the food. The containers were marked with the coffee shop’s logo. Once she’d spread out the containers, she reached back into the bag and tugged out a second bag. This one wrapped around itself. “There might be a few things in here from that super cute baby shop downtown.”
I smiled. “You didn’t.”
“I did.” She hurried to unpack the bag, laying out half a dozen onesies, each one more adorable than the one before. Then a rattle toy and a pair of baby high tops rounded out the gifts. I gently ran my fingers over the soft baby clothes, trying to imagine the chubby baby belly filling it out and the smiling cherub-cheeked little one staring up at me. Tears pricked at my eyes as I pictured it all.
“They’re perfect, Carly. Thank you.”
Carly smiled. “I’m glad you like them. When will you find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“Not for a couple of months. At least, not officially. They have a blood test they’re running now and it’
s supposed to be pretty accurate but I’m not sure I want to know.”
“You want the mystery?”
I brushed at my eyes. “Maybe.”
Carly squeezed my arm and then started to pack up the garments. “You have time to decide. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Now, come on, I brought pasta salad, sandwiches, salads, soups, and a ton of pastries! I’ve been experimenting with lavender and vanilla this week.”
“You’re a goddess,” I said with a smile. “Nick is a very lucky man.”
Carly laughed and started dishing up two plates with way more food than we could ever hope to eat. We settled at the dining room table and started eating. I told her about the meeting with the contractor and the changes I wanted to make to the second upstairs bathroom to update it and make it more baby friendly with a large tub and a new vanity with more storage.
After we finished, we went out on the back deck and watched Hunter run around the beach. “Gemma invited me over to the barbecue next weekend. She said you and Nick were going to be there.”
Carly’s jaw tensed and she refused to make eye contact.
“What?”
She glanced at me and then dragged in a sigh. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
My stomach churned. “Okay…”
“Jack’s in town.”
My eyes went wide. “What?”
“He came to the coffee shop about an hour ago, with Aaron.”
I sank down, resting my arms against the banister. “Wow. I wonder what happened to New York.”
“I don’t know. He didn’t say much and Aaron seemed pretty quiet too.”
“Any idea how long he’ll be here?”
Carly shook her head. “Nope. I just thought I should give you a heads-up.”
“Thanks.” I nodded as I stared, fixed on the ocean. I knew I’d have to talk to Jack. I just hadn’t expected the opportunity to come up naturally. I’d imagined making a call or maybe even flying to New York, to have the conversation in person, but in either case, it would be on my terms, with time to prepare and work my way up to it. Now, it was possible—hell, even likely, given the size of Holiday Cove—that we’d bump into each other. I couldn’t tell Jack he was about to be a father in the middle of the produce section at the grocery store. No, that wouldn’t do.
