Can't Get Over You (Fortune's Island, Book 2)

by Shirley Jump

  And maybe, while they were together tonight, she could pick his brain some more about the music industry. She wasn’t quite sure what she was doing at school, or where she was going to put that degree to use once she was done, but it was fascinating to hear Ethan’s perspective about the same world that Zach had shut her out of.

  As Jillian headed into the kitchen to help her mother with the prep work—and go through another recap of her date with her mom—the little flutter of anticipation began to grow. Yes, maybe expanding her horizons was going to be a very, very good thing.

  SEVEN

  Carter Matheson had spent his entire life trying to get off of Fortune’s Island. As soon as high school was over, he’d applied to colleges in Boston and moved to the mainland. Once he got his degree in accounting, he took a job with a large firm in the financial district. He put on a suit and tie every day, working the nine-to-five grind—which was a misnomer because no one in a big corporation logged anything less than ten hours a day—and tried to put Fortune’s Island in his rearview mirror.

  Yet, he still ended up back here pretty much every weekend. Mostly to help his parents with The Love Shack, and to tease his kid sister, Jillian. The couple of days he spent on Fortune’s Island were a nice break from the busy city, a way to recharge but not feel imprisoned within those few square miles.

  Then last week, he’d spent a hundred waking hours in the office, and needed a break in the worst way. For the first time in a while, he’d taken off a couple extra days and, instead of spending them in the city—where it seemed every school tour had descended to trot along Paul Revere’s trail—he opted to take the ferry across to the island.

  “I appreciate you letting me and Sophie tag along with you.” Brian Pierce, who had worked at the firm with Carter for the past two years, rested his arms on the railing and drew in a deep breath of salty air. If there was one person at the firm who worked as hard as Carter, it was Brian. He’d recently been promoted to director, and his entire life seemed to revolve around the office. Maybe that was what had made them such good friends. No one understood the constant workload and pressure like someone else in the same boat. Brian and Carter operated in the same world of broken promises and ruined plans, and commiserated over insane deadlines and crazy schedules.

  Relationships were often the first to go. Brian’s first marriage had broken up a year ago, a marriage that had already been fractured, then fell apart completely during Brian’s ascent in the company. After the divorce, Brian had thrown himself even further into work.

  The stress had begun to take its toll. Brian snapped at people more, stopped showing up for after-work basketball games or beers in the Irish pub across the street, and when Carter decided to take four days off, he asked Brian to come, too.

  Brian stood beside Carter on the deck of the ferry. With each passing mile that distanced them from the mainland, his face grew more and more relaxed. He let out a long, happy sigh. “I haven’t had a vacation in years. I really needed to get away. Guess I didn’t realize how much until we actually got out of sight of Boston. As for my sister,” he nodded toward Sophie, who was sitting inside the ferry’s cabin area, huddled over an open laptop, “I doubt she’ll end up vacationing at all. I swear, she is married to that thing. It’s no wonder my mom is constantly on Sophie’s case about that ticking biological clock.” Brian chuckled. “In my evil sibling thoughts, I’m glad, because it keeps my mother from nagging me about getting married again. As long as Sophie keeps on being a workaholic, I stay under the Mom Radar.”

  Carter didn’t know Sophie well—only as the always-working, perpetually moving younger sister of Brian. He’d seen her a few times at cookouts at Brian’s house, but she rarely joined in on any of the fun, mainly sticking to a corner of the house with her laptop.

  That didn’t make her any less noticeable, though. Sophie Pierce was a stunning woman, tall, leggy and brunette, with deep green eyes and a tendency to tuck her hair behind her left ear whenever she was thinking. He’d exchanged maybe a dozen words with her over the years, so he couldn’t really say he knew her. Only that he was aware of her. Very aware.

  But she was Brian’s sister, and if there was one thing Brian made clear on a regular basis, it was that his little sister was off-limits. Brian was as protective of Sophie as Carter was of Jillian, so he could understand Brian’s big-brother attitude.

  Still, a little part of Carter had been hopeful when Brian asked if Sophie could come along on their four-day weekend. Carter had thought maybe, just maybe, he’d have a chance to get to know the workaholic brunette. But given the way she was hammering at the keys on that laptop, it didn’t seem likely.

  “She works more than us, and that’s saying something,” Brian said. “I wish she would chill once in a while, maybe take a breath, go get a massage or whatever it is girls do when they want a break. But Sophie’s one of those people who worries that if she takes her eye off the ball for one second, it’ll end up in someone else’s court.”

  “Sounds like both of us,” Carter said.

  “Exactly. Which is why I hammer on my sister all the time to take a day off. I’d hate to see her life end up like mine.” Brian sighed. “She needs a vacation more than I do, I think.”

  Carter knew Brian worried about his little sister, the same way Carter worried about Jillian. Both of them were older brothers, trying to steer their siblings away from mistakes already made. Carter had heard that Sophie was engaged, but her left hand was bare now. Another relationship casualty to a world of Type-A overachievers. Maybe Carter would do well to learn from his friend and his friend’s sister, and start thinking about a different life than the crazy one he already led. “Won’t be much of a vacation for Sophie if she’s working.”

  “It will be if I burn her laptop.” Brian grinned. “Nah, I’m not going to do that. If I did, Sophie would probably throw me off a cliff. But I am going to do my best to drag her out to a bar a couple times, maybe even convince her to lie on the beach and get some color.”

  That made Carter think of Sophie in a bikini, which was not a good thought. At all. Especially not with former high school linebacker Brian standing a foot away. “The island’s winding down a bit from tourist season, so you guys should have plenty of beach to yourselves.”

  Private beach. Sophie in a bikini.

  Yeah, not a good train of thought.

  “Sounds good.” Brian nodded. “And maybe we’ll find a couple beach bunnies of our own.”

  Carter chuckled. “We only have four days.”

  “That’s more than enough time.” Brian shrugged. “Love ‘em and leave ‘em.”

  Carter put up a hand. “Wait, is this coming from the same guy who said he will eviscerate any man who tries to date his sister?”

  “Hey, my sister’s not a woman. Well, she is, but not…not one I want other men to dog. I mean, she’s my sister, man.”

  “Yeah, I get it. My sister broke up with her fiancé and it was all I could do not to strangle the guy and tell him he was a complete moron for letting her get away. That was after some serious years hating him in general because he was…” Carter shrugged.

  “Putting the pole to your—”

  “Hey! I don’t even want to think about that. And besides, Zach is a nice guy. I just don’t like the idea of any guy ever…” Carter grinned. “Okay, yes, you’re right. I do hate every single man who even looks at Jillian sideways.”

  “See? Now you understand why I want to kill every man who gets within ten feet of Sophie. I tell ya, I miss the days when you could drop off a family member at the convent.”

  Carter laughed. “You are way more protective than me.”

  “It’s not that.” Brian laced his fingers together and looked out over the bay, just as the island’s pier came into view. “Sophie’s been through a lot. She…well, she just doesn’t need the bullshit that comes with some loser trying to get in her pants. So do me a favor, and keep the dogs at bay this weekend.”

&nb
sp; “Yeah, sure.” Carter forced himself to look away from Sophie. She was beautiful—but off limits. Still, he wondered what Brian had left unsaid about his sister.

  The ferry docked. Sophie packed away her laptop and got to her feet. She hung her indigo leather briefcase from one shoulder, then flipped out her phone and started scrolling through the messages. Several men looked over at Sophie, but she was buried in the phone and didn’t notice.

  Brian didn’t have to worry about some dog trying to pick up his sister. Not unless they were a walking laptop or iPhone.

  Brian and Carter joined Sophie at the gangplank. She looked up at them, and flashed a quick smile in Brian’s direction, then went right back to her phone. “You know you’re supposed to be on vacation, right?” Brian said. “That means not working for a little while.”

  “I just have this one brief to review and then—”

  “I’m going to throw your briefcase into the water.” Brian arched a brow. “And you know I will.”

  Sophie sighed. “Fine.” She tucked her phone into the front pocket her briefcase, but Carter could see by the stiff set of her shoulders and the thinning of her lips that she was not happy about it at all.

  “Soon as we get off this boat, I’m putting a drink in your hands,” Brian said. When his sister started to protest, he put up a finger. “First rule of vacation—” He glanced over at Carter.

  “Thou shalt drink early and often.” Carter finished the familiar refrain between him and Brian.

  Sophie rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you two a little old for that?”

  “And aren’t you a little young to be living like a workaholic?”

  “Says the pot who keeps calling the kettle black instead of looking in the mirror.” She blew her bangs out of her face with a chuff, then turned to Carter. “Talk to him, will you? And get him off my case.”

  Carter was so stunned that Sophie had addressed him, it took him a second to respond. “He won’t listen to me any better than he listens to you.” Carter grinned. “Brian’s a bit of a…”

  “Bossypants,” Sophie supplied.

  Carter laughed. “Exactly.”

  Brian scowled. “I am not. I just want you to enjoy yourself this weekend, Sophie. Do as I say, not as I do. Or did.”

  “I will when you get off my back about it.” Sophie put up a finger, cutting off Brian’s protest. The crowd began to disembark, and the three of them followed down the gangplank, tunneling down and emerging on the pier. “Now, let’s call a truce and go get a drink.”

  “About damned time,” Brian muttered.

  They grabbed a cab at the stand by the ferry office, then headed south, away from the uppercrust northern area of the island. The cabin his dad had rented to Carter’s friends was just a half mile from The Love Shack, which meant pretty much everything they did today would be within walking distance. On the weekends he was on the island, Carter usually stayed with his parents, in the small bungalow where he and Jillian had grown up. It was prime beachfront property, something his father could have sold for five times what he bought it for, but Whit Matheson loved the little house that he and Grace had lived in all their married lives, and would never sell it.

  The cab pulled up in front of The Love Shack, and the three of them disembarked. It was early yet—just past four—which meant The Love Shack was mostly empty. As much as Carter loved living on the mainland, there was just something about walking into The Love Shack that felt like coming home.

  “Carter, you’re here.” His mother came rushing forward, and cupped his face in her soft hands. “I’ve missed you.”

  Carter chuckled as he stowed the group’s weekend bags in the corner. “I was here last weekend. That was less than five days ago.”

  “I still miss you.” She drew back and wagged a finger at him. His mother was tiny, but a powerful woman who loved her kids with a fierceness that a mother lion would envy. “You have your own kids and you will see. Every time one of your kids come home, it’s like God restored a part of your heart.”

  Carter pressed a quick kiss to his mother’s cheek. “Love you, Mom.”

  “Love you, too.” She reached out and drew Brian into a hug, then Sophie. “Welcome to Fortune’s Island, and to The Love Shack. Any friend of Carter’s is part of the family.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Brian said.

  “Suck-up,” Carter muttered. Brian just grinned.

  “I hear The Love Shack has some of the best clams on the island,” Sophie said. “I’ve been looking forward to those the whole trip out here.”

  Grace beamed. If there was anything she was more proud of than her kids, it was the restaurant. Sophie had unwittingly won major brownie points by praising it. “We do indeed. If you three want a clam bake, we can set that up on the back porch. Weather is nice today, and the tide’s coming in, so the view is spectacular.”

  “That sounds great,” Brian said. “You up for that, sis?”

  “Steamed clams, corn on the cob?” Sophie made a small mew. “Definitely.”

  Carter heard that sound escaping Sophie and, for a second, he completely forgot his promise to Brian. Sophie had let her hair down, and unbuttoned the top button of her blouse in the warm interior of The Love Shack—and that had Carter’s mind traveling down some definitely bad paths. Brian was his best friend, but the one thing his best friend had asked of him seemed to be the most impossible thing in the world right now.

  EIGHT

  Zach’s cell phone rang just as he was getting into the car after a quick pre-performance night practice. Maybe it was because he was so used to just clicking answer and getting Jillian, or maybe because he was still walking around distracted and frustrated and mad at himself for last night, but he answered without checking the Caller ID.

  A robotic voice spoke into the phone in flat, lifeless notes: “An inmate from Cedar Junction State Prison is calling. To accept this call, please press one.”

  Zach’s finger hovered over the End Call button. Every time before, for the past six and a half years, he had done just that. Hung up without answering. After a year, his brother had stopped trying to call, except on Zach’s birthday and around Christmas. Then, six months ago, Keith had started calling again. Maybe hoping to reconnect before his release date.

  Zach did miss his brother—the brother he used to have. The one who hadn’t been this angry, rebellious hothead who had alienated almost everyone in his life. The brother who had let drugs and alcohol rule his choices, and derail him from the plans he’d made years ago with Zach.

  For just a moment last night, Zach had emulated the worst behavior of his older brother. He had let his anger dictate his choices—something Keith was famous for doing. That scared Zach—and made him want to redouble his efforts to keep Keith from having any influence over him whatsoever. But there was still a part of Zach, a foolish, sentimental part, that missed the brother he remembered from childhood. The one who would stay up late at night and tell him corny jokes and have farting contests.

  The phone was heavy in his hand, waiting for his response. One button to answer, another to avoid the call. At the last second, Zach’s thumb shifted left and up, then he pressed a single digit, and put the phone to his ear. “Yes, I accept the charges.” A few clicks, a moment when it sounded like the phone was in a tunnel, then Keith’s voice.

  “Wow. You…you picked up,” Keith said. “I mean, I didn’t think you would. All this time…”

  His brother sounded older. His voice was hoarser, harsher. Like he’d spent a lot of time yelling. In the background, there was shouting and arguing, and the constant sound of buzzing. Zach imagined his brother in a hallway somewhere, jostling for space among men three times bigger and five times meaner.

  “Yeah, well, I can’t talk long,” Zach said.

  “That’s okay. Whatever you got, man. I…” A pause. “I miss you, dude.”

  “You’ll be out soon.” It wasn’t saying he missed Keith, too, because he wasn’t sure he did. He mi
ssed the Keith he used to know, the big brother who would let Zach tag along on runs to the corner market to get a push-pop in the summer, or go on a campout in the backyard on a weeknight. Not this person he didn’t even know. This…prison inmate. Even after all these years, it was tough to put those words together with my brother.

  “I…I have a lot of things to make up for,” Keith said. “With you, with Jillian—”

  “No, you don’t,” Zach cut in. The last thing he wanted, or needed, was for Keith to tell Jillian what had happened that summer all those years ago. How could he explain keeping that from her for years? Denying her the answers she wanted and needed? All this time, Zach had kept this one giant secret—that it had been Keith who attacked Jillian that night on the beach. Keith who had stolen her backpack and left her there, unconscious.

  If Zach told Jillian that, would she forgive him for protecting his brother years ago? The brother he had once idolized, not seeing the truth about Keith until it was too late and he was behind bars? Better to keep all that buried, rather than resurrect it in some misguided make amends journey of Keith’s. “You don’t have anything to make up for,” Zach said. He prayed Keith would let it all drop, would accept that everyone had moved on and forgotten. Even if that was a colossal lie.

  “Zach—”

  “Listen, I have to go. I’ll see you when you get out.” It was an empty promise, because Zach had no intentions of doing that. He had yet to forgive his brother for what he had done to Jillian, or for how he had hurt everyone in the family. Maybe prison had changed Keith. Maybe it had only hardened the rough edges. Zach decided he didn’t want to find out.

  “That’s why I was calling. So you can be there when I get out.”

  “I gotta go, Keith.” Then Zach hung up the phone. He leaned against the roof of his car, the cold metal of his cell phone against his forehead, and felt like a jerk. Keith was his brother, and he was avoiding him like he was the plague. Right or wrong, they still shared DNA and memories, and those facts made Zach’s chest feel heavy.