Love Lost, Love Found

by Judy Kentrus

  “What do you do at home to relax?”

  “You know I like to run. I like to cook when I have time and read when I get the opportunity. I work a great deal, running the office and being on the town council. That’s another reason I decided to come here. Kaitlyn tells me I work too much.”

  “Tell me about your daughter.”

  “She’s twenty-one, joined the Beacon Pointe police force when she was twenty. She’s currently going to school to get her degree in criminal justice. She wants to join the state police and specialize in forensic science.”

  “So she lives with you?”

  “It’s the only home she’s ever known. I’ve a large, five-bedroom home. It’s been updated, but I’ve retained most of the interior and exterior features of the home built in the Victorian era. We’re rarely home together and, like she says, are strangers in the night.”

  “Sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders. Who does she resemble?”

  “Me, right down to her crazy shades of blond hair and my light brown eyes. She inherited Nelson’s step-above intelligence. She’s got a quick mind, and learning comes easily. I’m glad she didn’t take after me in that respect.”

  “I disagree. You’re very smart, but didn’t have a lot of self-confidence back then. Look where you are today.”

  “Still trying to bolster me?”

  “Nancy Jean, we were good for each other, and no, I’m not rehashing what we’ve already discussed, but I wish I knew then what I know now, especially about myself.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “With you I am a different person. I’m happy and actually like myself. When we broke up, I was driven, a cutthroat businessman seduced by dollar signs. I never did anything dishonest or cheated anyone, but the personal drive could be all-consuming.”

  “Oh, Sean, I’m so sorry.”

  “No, it’s okay. You bring out the best in me. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said, not giving Anita a chance. Should I apologize?”

  “You mean, like I’ve seen the error of my ways and want you back in my life?”

  “Hell, no! Take her to lunch and apologize for not giving our marriage the attention it deserved and wish her well with her fiancé.”

  “I think that would be a very nice thing to do.”

  Nancy stood up and moved to stand in front of his chair. “I ate too much and need some exercise. Plus, I’m still very hot and bothered recalling that bean episode. I’m going for a swim. When we get back to my place, my hair will be gritty with sand, and I could probably use your help.”

  She put two thumbs in the waistband of her shorts and wiggled them down her legs. Her tank went next, and she tossed it in Sean’s face. She didn’t give him a chance to appreciate her quick striptease that left her naked as she headed for the water. “Last one in is a rotten egg.”

  Sean turned his head on the pillow and glanced at the beautiful, naked woman sleeping beside him in bed. He moved his arms and legs slightly, and his muscles tightened in protest, a reminder of last night. They’d gone for a swim for an hour that included a lot of kissing and groping and had ended up making love on the wet sand. Laughing like sophomoric juveniles who’d just discovered how great making love on the beach could be, they’d redressed, collected the second bottle of wine and stumbled back to her villa. The bean-removal episode took a backseat to the get-the-sand-out-of-her-hair shower they’d indulged in before going to bed.

  He reached for his watch on the nightstand and wasn’t surprised it was after ten in the morning. She hadn’t mentioned doing the tourist thing today, so he’d let her sleep a little longer. He slipped quietly out of bed and took a quick wake-up shower. His shorts and shirt from the previous night were in a pile on the bathroom floor, so he drew a towel around his hips.

  “Coffee, I need coffee,” he said and headed for the kitchen. He’d just taken a sip when there was a knock on the front door. It was probably housekeeping, he determined, and secured the towel around his waist, not wanting to shock the woman too much.

  Sean was the one who was shocked when he opened the door.

  Chapter 10

  “Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my mother’s villa?”

  It took only a moment for Sean to recognize their surprise visitor. Nancy had been correct when she said her daughter was her clone, right down to the demanding challenge in her light brown eyes. He should have felt uncomfortable standing before the woman in nothing but a towel, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

  “You must be Kaitlyn.”

  “In the flesh. Where’s my mother?”

  Sean quickly stepped to the side when she pushed her way into the living room and took a quick assessment of the decorator-designed living area.

  “Don’t tell me this isn’t her villa, because I checked.”

  Sean followed, but kept a respectful distance. Kaitlyn Griffin had the typical kick-ass attitude of a cop, and making an enemy of Nancy Jean’s daughter was the last thing he needed.

  “Nancy Jean is in bed, sleeping. We had an exhausting evening.”

  “I’ll bet, considering you’re answering her door wearing a towel.”

  Before he could offer an explanation as to why he was in her mother’s villa, she drew her own conclusion. Her eyes and mouth opened wide.

  “Oh my God! She actually took my advice and hooked up with…what are you? A stud for hire or male escort with fringe benefits?”

  Sean couldn’t hold back the heat of embarrassment when her eyes did a very thorough sweep of his muscular form.

  “You may have some white mixed with your black hair, but you’re really built. I sure hope she got references.”

  He’d been called a lot of things, but didn’t know whether to be flustered or accept the compliment. He cleared his throat. “Why don’t you walk straight ahead to the kitchen and make yourself comfortable? Help yourself to coffee. I’ll throw on some clothes and get your mother.”

  Nancy turned over and stretched her arms wide before reaching a hand across the bed, only to find the spot next to her empty. He couldn’t have been up long, because the sheet was still warm. Thoughts of Sean woke up her sleep-drugged mind. What a night! They’d acted crazy and so out of control. She had to stock up on that wine.

  She sat up and pushed the hair out of her eyes. A dull pain shot up her spine, a reminder that she might have overdone her physical activities, but damn, it was all worth it. The more she moved around, little aches popped up all over her body. It was time she took advantage of her open-ended appointment to the spa. Maybe she could convince Sean to get one, too.

  She swung her stiff legs off the side of the bed, but her attention was drawn to the voices in the kitchen. Who would be calling this early in the morning?

  “It’s time to get up anyway,” she grumbled and walked into the adjoining bathroom to get her short silk robe she’d hung on the back of the door. She finger-combed her hair before tying the belt around her waist. Curiosity made her head for the kitchen.

  “Sean, love, who—” The rest of the words never came out of her mouth.

  Kaitlyn!

  “Mother!”

  Her eyes darted from Sean, standing with a towel wrapped around his naked body, to her daughter, whose face demanded answers to unspoken questions. The small area screamed with tension, and Nancy had never been more embarrassed in her life.

  “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you call to let me know you were coming?”

  “I wanted it to be a surprise. I knew you would be alone, so I took a few vacation days so we could spend some time together.” Her eyes moved in Sean’s direction. “Apparently, you found someone to occupy your time. He’s a hunk, a little too mature for my tastes, but you’re sure getting your money’s worth.”

  The situation had just gone from bad to worse. Her daughter thought Sean was a male escort! This couldn’t be happening, she told herself, shifting from side to side. She looked at Sean and then her daugh
ter, unsure of where to begin with an explanation. She was grateful when Sean responded to the pleading worry in her eyes. He took a step in her direction, reached for her hand and gifted the front of her fingers with a soft kiss.

  “How about I get my clothes and leave you two alone?”

  She didn’t want him to leave, but this was something she should do alone. “I think that would be a good idea. I’ll call you later.”

  “That would be great. You know where to find me.”

  Sean brushed past Nancy, but paused and looked directly at Kaitlyn. “Try not to judge your mother. Listen to what she has to say. I’m not a male escort and am very much in love with her.”

  “Pardon me, but what the hell was I to think?”

  “Kaitlyn, this is very awkward for me,” Nancy said. “I’ll explain everything. First, let me get dressed. Help yourself to coffee, breakfast, whatever. I’ll be right back.”

  Nancy moved quickly to the bedroom and closed the door, not realizing Sean was still in the room. The towel was history, and he wore the shorts he’d worn last evening. He was on his hands and knees, looking under the bed for his shoes.

  “Oh, Sean, what are we going to do?” she cried and, when he stood up, threw herself into his arms. She didn’t resist when he lowered them both to sit on the side of the bed. She was grateful for the arm he wrapped around her shoulders to draw her close.

  “What do you mean, what are we going to do? Are you ashamed of me? Of us?”

  “Of course not! My daughter hit me broadside showing up unannounced. She knows I don’t have sex with men I just met.”

  “That was something I really didn’t need to know, but we can discuss your dating habits another time.”

  “I date, but I’ve had sex twice in the last ten years. Both were mistakes. Satisfied?”

  “Calm down, sweet cakes. I was teasing you. Just make sure you throw away your little black book.”

  “I don’t have one,” she said, appreciating that he was trying to take the edge off the situation.

  “Just out of curiosity, did you ever tell her about me?”

  “No. You were a part of my life before Nelson, before her, that she didn’t need to know about.”

  “Great. In her eyes, I’m a total stranger who has fallen madly in love with her mother in a week.”

  Nancy raised her head from his shoulder and gave him a small smile. “At least she won’t think of you as a stud for hire. If it’s any consolation, I’d hire you in a heartbeat.”

  “And I’d give you any and all fringe benefits free of charge.”

  “In that case, consider yourself unavailable and with only one client, me.”

  “So noted. That still leaves us with a major problem—explaining the man from your past to your daughter. My suggestion is tell her about me and then spend the rest of the day relaxing. I’ve got work to keep me busy.”

  “I’ll call the Eucalyptus spa to see if I can get two appointments.”

  “This evening we’ll have dinner together on neutral territory. I know of a very nice place in Naples, The Bay House. It’s on a canal, has a very rustic interior, complete with a fireplace, and the food is great. I’ll be glad to answer any questions she might have. I survived George. Consider this a test to overcome our first bump in the road as a couple. We’ll get through it, together.”

  It felt good knowing she would have him by her side. Nancy stood up and moved to stand between his wide-spread legs. “There is something I haven’t told you.” She gathered his face in her hands, gazed deeply into his hazel eyes that shone with a hint of pearl gray and confessed with all her heart. “I love you, Sean Patrick Harrigan, and I’m so happy you’ve come back into my life.”

  “I love you, too, Nancy Jean, and you sure picked an awkward moment to say the words I’ve been praying I would hear you say to me. I’m not going to kiss you, because then I’d have you flat on your back in seconds, and Kaitlyn is in the next room.” He gave her a playful slap on her bottom before he stood up. “Guess I’m back to sleeping in my own villa.”

  “I’m just as disappointed as you are.”

  “So we’ll set up secret rendezvous.”

  “Just let me know the time and place.”

  “I’ve got to get out of here before we get in trouble.” He headed for the door but turned when she called his name.

  “Thank you for last night and the pep talk.”

  Nancy washed up in the bathroom, put on a pair of doeskin-colored shorts and a heather blue top before she returned to the kitchen. Kaitlyn sat at the table and had helped herself to a container of French vanilla yogurt, melon slices and orange juice. The sight of her daughter in jeans and a long-sleeve sweater made her feel hot.

  Nancy concentrated on making herself a cup of coffee, wondering where she should start explaining Sean to her daughter. As a cop, Kaitlyn had learned to be open-minded and not judgmental, but what was she supposed to think when a half-naked guy answered her mother’s door when she’s was supposedly vacationing alone? This was not the action of the mother she’d always held in high moral regard. Would this lower her in Kaitlyn’s eyes? She couldn’t put it off any longer and took a seat at the table.

  “I see you found everything you like.”

  Rather than face her mother, Kaitlyn concentrated on licking the vanilla yogurt off the back of her spoon. “Apparently, you did, too. Where did you find him? Hunks R Us?”

  “Kaitlyn, I don’t appreciate your sarcasm. We’re adults, and I expect you to act like one.”

  “I’m still trying to recover from the shock. I get that you are a single, very attractive woman with needs, but I was joking when I suggested you find a volleyball-playing hunk. The reality is, my mother has been having sex with a total stranger!”

  “It’s not as bad as it appears. Sean does play volleyball, but he isn’t from Hunks R Us. I met him at a fraternity party in the Village. He walked up to me and said he’d found the woman of his dreams and gave me a glass of this godawful-tasting wine.”

  “Wait! Wait! You met him when you attended NYU? That’s where you went to law school.”

  “Yes. I’d just started my second year.”

  Kaitlyn dipped her head to the side. “From the state of his undress and yours, I take it you were more than just friends. He said he loved you.”

  “Hold on to your shiny police badge. Sean and I lived together for two years in an apartment off-campus. You could say it was love at first sight. We went together for three months and then he invited me to move in with him.”

  “You! Ms. Prim and Proper, I Don’t Like To Date lived with a guy? This is unbelievable! What did Grandma and Grandpa say?”

  “Not much. I was twenty-four years old. I brought him home to Beacon Pointe twice. They were cordial and never said they didn’t like him. Your grandmother made sure we slept in separate bedrooms.”

  “That I can believe. So you slept with him all that time.”

  “We didn’t play gin rummy.”

  “Okay, don’t take this the wrong way, but while he has some gray hair, he has a great body. Was it that good back then?”

  “He was hot, and twenty-four years later, he’s even better.” Nancy realized too late what she’d said and put her hands to her pink cheeks. “Oh, you mean his body.”

  “Oh no, you can’t take it back. When you walked out of the bedroom casually belting your robe, his eyes said he wanted to eat you up. You thought nothing of him standing around wearing a towel.”

  Nancy buried her face in her hands and said the words she was thinking out loud. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation about my sex life with my daughter.”

  “Why? We’ve always been able to talk about anything. So the shoe is on the other foot. From my brief observation, you guys are comfortable and hot for each other.”

  “Let’s say the love we shared came back to life very quickly.”

  “Mother, that’s a beautiful love story. So what happened? If you were that
much in love, why didn’t you marry him?”

  Now came the hard part. “I hope you will understand what I’m about to say. Having a loving relationship doesn’t always lead to a happily ever after. Sean lived with a girl who had no self-confidence and leaned on him for just about everything. He was smart, and I struggled with my courses. We were both afraid to fail for different reasons. He took himself too seriously and needed me to show him there was life beyond studying. We grew too close, co-depended on each other for everything, and that wasn’t a good formula for any relationship. His goals after graduation were different from mine. He wanted the fast pace of corporate life, and I preferred to be a small-town lawyer.”

  “So who walked away first?”

  “He did and broke my heart. I came home devastated, and your grandparents let me brood for a month. Then Grandpa got me a job in your daddy’s office.”

  “What a bastard to treat you that way!”

  “I thought so at the time. We’ve spent the past week going over what caused our breakup, and we both agree that if we’d stayed together then, it would have destroyed us. Yes, he had his own goals and dreams, but he saw the same potential in me to be a great lawyer and needed to set me free so that I could recognize my own self-worth. It broke his heart, too, and he regrets his actions. Look at it this way: If he hadn’t broken off our relationship, I would have never met your father, and you and I wouldn’t be sitting here talking about my love life.”

  “I don’t know whether to feel sorry for you two, or think he’s a shit for breaking your heart. So, what’s he doing here?”

  “He has his own investment-banking firm and is investing in the baseball stadium they’re building on the island.”

  “He just happened to be here at the same time as you?”

  Nancy shrugged a shoulder. “Fate works in strange ways.”

  “For a woman who practically never dated, you’re burning the candle at both ends. Does Stud One, the guy you’re sleeping with, know about Stud Two, the one you’ve been communicating with online?”