by Carol Henry
“Eugenia is babysitting tonight.”
“What a lucky grandmother. My daughter should be married and having a baby of her own by now so I could babysit.”
“Mother. Please. You know Sven and I are waiting until after I finish my classes.” Katelyn approached, carrying a serving tray in her left hand, laden with a bowl of steaming clams. “You sitting outside?” she asked Juelle, as she kept on going to deliver the tray at a table across the room.
“Yes.”
“I’ll meet you out there,” Katelyn called as she shuffled in and out between the tables full of customers.
“Go. Have a seat,” Mrs. Sullivan told them. “There are a couple of empty tables left out back. Katelyn will be there. Enjoy.”
Hunter followed her through the sliding doors to the deck overlooking the harbor. Her heart beat triple time—Hunter was leaving tomorrow. There had been no talk of his returning. She hadn’t made a decision in regard to the company. Would he change his mind? Stay in Lobster Cove and run the business or sell out and she’d never see him again? Her appetite disappeared before they made it to the table in the far corner—the one Hunter had sat at the first night she’d seen him.
They had no sooner sat down then Katelyn slid in next to Juelle. Katelyn wiggled her fingers in front of Juelle—a diamond ring sparkled under the lights strung around the deck.
“It’s about time.” Juelle hugged her friend. “Have you set a date yet?”
“No, but I wanted you to be the first to know. Well, after my parents of course.”
“Congratulations,” Hunter offered from across the table.
“Thanks. Can’t stay. It’s extra busy tonight. The folks are offering their special tonight. So, give me your order and I’ll get out of your way.” Katelyn wiggled her eyebrows, stood, and pulled out her order pad.
Juelle hid her own ringless hand under the table, and ordered the special, Hunter ordered the same, then sat quietly drumming his fingers on top of the table. What could she say? Stay? Don’t go? Take me with you?
He reached across the table and clasped her right hand—she kept her left under the table. She wasn’t ready for him to discover she no longer wore her rings. He twined his fingers through hers.
“I hate for us to end this way. I’m sorry, Juelle. But I have to go back home. I have a business to run, my mother is counting on me.”
“I understand. You don’t owe me any explanations. You’ve been kind to me and Makenzie. I don’t know how I would have made it through the past couple of weeks without you.”
“There was more to our lovemaking, and you know it. I’m sorry I have to leave…”
Their meal arrived, ending whatever else Hunter was about to say. She picked at her crab cakes. What little appetite she had before they ordered had disappeared.
“We need to talk.” He leaned across the table, looked into her eyes—her soul. “I need to apologize, but it’s too noisy here, not enough privacy.”
She shook her head. Privacy? Did she dare be alone with him, again? He was leaving. She’d never see him again. Yet, she craved his touch.
She wasn’t going to cry. Not here. Not in front of Hunter. She swallowed, forced her voice to sound normal, not emotional. She wasn’t going to be one of those emotional women who fell apart and made a scene. She shouldn’t have agreed to meet with him tonight. It was only dragging their goodbyes out.
“I understand.” She nodded. “If anyone should apologize, it’s me. I don’t know what got into me—the last few weeks have been difficult, but that’s no excuse for the way I acted.”
“If you’re done eating, so am I. Let’s go somewhere more private.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
“But I’m leaving tomorrow…”
She stiffened her resolve, even though she was more than ready to leave the restaurant. “Right. So we might as well say goodbye now.”
Hunter threw more than enough money on the table to pay for their meal, extended his hand across the table in an invitation for her to go with him. Her resolve dwindled. She placed her hand in his and followed his lead. She waved to Katelyn and Mrs. Sullivan as they took the stairs on the outside of the restaurant from the deck leading to the parking lot. Before she had a chance to open the passenger side door, Hunter had her up against the car, his body so tight against hers, his kiss took her by surprise. Oh, God, Maybe her world wasn’t coming to an end after all. She kissed him back.
Just when she’d given in and was about to cross the line, again, he pulled back, rested his forehead on hers, and took an unsteady deep breath. He smoothed his hands down her arms, clasped her hands, and lifted them to his lips. His thumb rubbed over her fingers. He froze. Looked deep into her eyes. She read the question in his sexy eyes. He lifted her left hand to his lips and caressed each fingertip, then placed a warm, erotic kiss on the spot where the rings had been. Embarrassed, Juelle started to apologize, pull her hands out of his, but his lips landed back on hers and she was lost all over again.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered next to her trembling lips.
She wasn’t sure what he was sorry about—that they had made love? Or that he was leaving?
“I wish things were different.” He leaned against the car. “Have you made up your mind what you want to do about the business?”
Really? After his explosive kiss, after the mind-blowing lovemaking they’d shared? That’s what he was concerned about? He was leaving her and he wanted to know about lobster fishing?
“I don’t want any part of it, but I have to think of Makenzie. I’ll hang on to it for now. Like you suggested.” Which meant she would have to work with him, see him again at some point? “What about you? Are you going to keep your half?”
“For now. If you change your mind, and hear of anyone wanting to buy us out, let me know. You have my number.”
They were both quiet for a moment, as he continued to hold her hand, rubbing his thumb over the inside of her wrist. Her heart was breaking.
“What about the house? Is Jordan taking care of everything for you—everything in order?”
“Yes. Everything will be finalized by the end of next week—it’ll be all mine.”
“I’m sorry I won’t be around to help with the move.”
“I understand. You have a business, a life to get back to in Hawaii.”
“Juelle…”
“Don’t. I understand. It was a mistake to think your concern meant more than it did.”
“I never meant to hurt you…, never meant to lose control. Sebastian was a jerk. You need time to come to grips with everything you’ve been through, get your life back together. Make a life for you and Makenzie.”
“I’ll be fine. Really. Thanks for being there for me when I needed someone.” She tugged her hand out of his, circled to the driver’s door, and regarded him over the top of the car. “Goodbye, Hunter. Have a safe flight home.”
****
The warm tropical breeze off the Pacific Ocean greeted Hunter the second he stepped off the plane onto the hot tarmac. He’d always breathed a warm sigh of relief when he returned from the latest tour, but today his heart was heavy. He had mixed feelings about leaving Juelle McClintock behind in Lobster Cove. What was it about her that had gotten so entrenched inside his heart he hadn’t been able to guard his emotions?
He’d always been good at not connecting on an emotional level. With Juelle, it was way beyond feeling sorry for her and the loss of her cheating husband. He’d promised himself she wouldn’t be hurt by another McClintock, and he’d broken his promise. He’d seen it in her beautiful tear-filled, sea-green eyes he couldn’t get out of his mind every time he closed his own eyes. But he had a business to run here in Hawaii—there was no way he would leave his mother in the lurch—she’d been there for him all these years. McClintock and McClintock Lobster Company back in Maine was in excellent hands with Coleman Baker. Juelle’s finances were in good shape, thanks to Hunt’s will. She had her daughter, a ne
w home, and a new life.
She didn’t need him.
Hunter found his mother at their travel office in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza on the corner of Kalakaua and Seaside. They had rented an office in the upscale shopping center five years ago, making it easier for tourists to locate them and book trips. As usual, she sat at her desk mapping out tours.
“It’s late. You should be home relaxing.”
“Hunter! You’re back.” She rounded the desk littered with spreadsheets and gave him a warm hug. “Aloha. I have missed you.”
“You’re looking much better. How are you feeling?” He hugged her in return. Waited until she sat down and relaxed, and then sat in the chair on the opposite side of her desk.
“The doctor said I am fine. It was just a bad case of flu. Now, tell me everything. Did Hunt’s wife accept my offer to return the money to Lobster Cove?”
“Juelle, Sebastian’s widow, talked to Eugenia. I understand she took it well, and didn’t flinch once she learned the money was being given back to the community, as well as the funds she controls. According to her, Eugenia has a soft heart when it comes to the community of Lobster Cove. Of course, she wasn’t very welcoming when she spotted me.” It was an understatement, but his mother didn’t need to know the full particulars. It would serve no purpose.
“I have a letter for you from Hunt.” He drew it out of his shirt pocket and handed the folded envelope to his mother. He wasn’t surprised when she didn’t take it right away. He still hadn’t read the letter from his father. He hadn’t made up his mind whether or not he wanted to. It was in his travel bags. “If you don’t want to read it, you don’t have to. But take it and decide later. He also left one for me. I haven’t read it yet.”
She accepted the envelope with reluctance, laid it on the desk, and stared at it. Her face turned pale. Damn. He should have waited until she was at home alone and not likely to be disturbed by clients and could deal with it on her own terms.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to give it to you at all, but then, it’s not my place to make these decisions.”
“No need to apologize, son. I am anxious to read it—find out what happened all those years ago. Why he never contacted me.”
It didn’t matter what his father’s excuses were, he’d broken his mother’s heart. No matter what his father had to say, it wouldn’t erase or alter his callous actions of the past. His abandonment of his wife, Hunter’s mother—and him. Not now, after all these years? His respect and love for his mother grew even more—she was a strong, resilient woman. He was proud of her. She reminded him of Juelle—she was also a strong, resilient woman—she would be just fine without him.
“So, tell me, are you now the owner of the lobster business in Maine, or did you turn your half over to Juelle McClintock?”
“Like I told you on the phone, I am now the proud owner…joint owner…of the McClintock and McClintock Lobster Company. We, Juelle and I, have decided to let it run with the current operators and see how things go. Coleman Baker has a good handle on the business. There is no need for either Juelle or me to interfere at the moment. We took a tour of the facilities and everything is intact, running smoothly, and there isn’t much we need to do at the moment. I can check in with the manager on occasion from here.”
“What about your partner—Juelle McClintock?”
What about her? He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since boarding the plane to come home. “She’s found a house for her and her daughter, Makenzie. Cute little tyke. Mr. Jordan, their lawyer, is helping to expedite the closing so she can settle in by the end of next week. It’s a nice modern ranch style home with a large yard in a good location.”
His mother’s smile held a trace of smugness he ignored. “So what’s on my agenda? What tours do you have scheduled for me to lead?”
“You changed the subject. This girl is not so easy to forget, I take it?”
“No. She’s not easy to forget. But there is nothing between us, so get that look off your face.”
“A mother can only hope. Hunter, you have dragged your feet for so long. It is time for you to think beyond work. Find yourself a nice girl and settle down. Don’t keep things bottled up inside. What happened between me and your father is not going to happen to you. I was just as much at fault. I didn’t pursue Hunt after he left. If you love someone, do whatever it takes. You go after her.”
“She has a life in Maine. Not Oahu.”
Their eyes met. She raised her eyebrow, and smiled. “Perhaps your feelings aren’t as strong as you think they are—as strong as they should be. But if they are, do not make the mistake of walking away. It is your decision, after all.”
He wasn’t going to comment either way. Instead, he reverted the subject back to the travel schedule.
“What tour do you have me scheduled for? Is it on Oahu, or the Big Island?”
She hesitated, then handed him a sheet of paper with an itinerary on it. “It’s the Oahu Island Tour. This one is a two-day tour. We’ve made hotel reservations on the other side of the island close to the Polynesia Culture Center.”
“I’m assuming that’s on the agenda?”
“Yes. People don’t like to be rushed at the center, so we’ve scheduled the entire day there, and then an evening luau. There are several stops at some of the more scenic lookouts, and a stop at one of the pineapple plantations. Make sure they have a chance to taste the pineapples while they’re there.”
“What about Diamond Head Crater and the U.S.S. Arizona?”
“They are your first stops. Tour starts day after tomorrow morning at eight. It’s a small group of twenty-four, so I’ve arranged a small coach. You can pick up the head sets and paperwork the night before.”
For the first time since joining the Lani Aloha Travel Agency, Hunter didn’t look forward to trooping around the island with a group of twenty-four eager tourists.
Chapter Fourteen
Juelle picked up Katelyn to go shopping for furniture. They followed Route Three across the bridge to the mainland and the Town of Trenton, leaving Mount Desert Island behind. The weather was a typical misty morning with the sun pulling the dew from the earth. A slight breeze brought the damp earthy scents swirling, mingling with a brand new day. Juelle’s spirits lifted. She’d been looking forward to shopping for furniture for her new home. Having Katelyn accompany her was sure to make the day a pleasant one—get her mind off Hunter.
“Thanks for the information about the Hearts and Hands Child Care Center. I contacted Jolene Graham and made arrangements to enroll Makenzie on a trial basis. I dropped her off this morning for a trial run—see how she likes it.”
“Did she fuss when you left?”
“She started to pucker up, but Carolyn Clark, an elderly lady who works there part time, was like a grandmother, and whisked her away to join the others. She was laughing by the time I shut the door behind me. I think this is going to work out just fine.”
“Speaking of grandmothers, how’d it go the other night? Makenzie survive Eugenia?” Katelyn chuckled.
“Yes, they both did fine. Although I had Makenzie in her jammies, fed, and a bottle ready before I left, so Eugenia didn’t have much to worry about. Just rock her to sleep.”
“How did Eugenia take the news when you told her you were moving out the end of the next week?”
“She was unusually quiet. At first I wondered if I was doing the right thing by taking Makenzie away from her, even though Eugenia hasn’t been your typical grandmotherly type—something that always surprised me. I think her background might have had something to do with her not wanting to get close to others.”
“Seems to me she’d be more affectionate, not having had a loving environment growing up.”
“She’s afraid of the attachment. She’s already lost two of the most important people in her life—three if you count Sebastian’s father.”
“Wait a minute. What about Sebastian’s father?”
“Oops. Not for publ
ic knowledge. His father’s name was Edward Miller. He was killed in a car accident not knowing Eugenia was pregnant. They weren’t married. He worked for Hunt on the docks. Do you know the family? Are they from around here?”
“You’re making me want to feel sorry for the woman. No, the name isn’t familiar. Probably someone who came in looking for a job. There were a lot of young men coming in to work for McClintock’s.”
They drove in silence for a while, Juelle concentrating on morning traffic.
“Have you heard from Hunter? How are you doing since he left Lobster Cove?”
Katelyn couldn’t hold her curiosity in any longer. Juelle hadn’t expected it to take her best friend this long. Her friend was nothing, if not direct—the one thing Juelle had learned since meeting her when she’d arrived on the Island with Sebastian. But it was the one thing she loved about Katelyn, as well as trusting her friend to keep her mouth shut when it came to personal secrets.
“Juelle,” her friend prompted when she didn’t answer right away.
“No. I knew from the beginning ‘it’ was going nowhere. I was stupid to let myself get involved.”
“The heart wants what the heart wants.”
“Give me a break. Quotes?”
“Well, it’s true. I bet your heart wants Hunter McClintock. I can’t think of another reason why you didn’t sell him your half of the company.”
“It was a ‘win-win’ to hang on to it for a while. At least until things settle down and I see what Makenzie and my needs are.”
“Yeah. Right. You don’t want to let go of Hunter McClintock.”
Was Katelyn right? Was she holding on, hoping a miracle would transport him back to Lobster Cove? If he didn’t sell his half, did she have half a chance? Probably not. Even though they had made love, he hadn’t said he loved her. He’d made no promises that he’d return. He’d said he could run his business from afar. All indications were that the minute he’d stepped on the plane to go back to Hawaii, he’d forgotten all about her. He hadn’t contacted her, and it had been three days.
