Abby frowned at her. “We’ll discuss this later,” she said direly. She emerged from the pool and went to pull on her clothes.
“I tossed a couple of towels over there,” Jess said, then grinned at Trace. “Maybe you should have Abby bring you one before you get out of the water.”
Naturally Trace took that as a challenge. He was about to hitch himself up and over the side of the pool, when Abby rushed over and handed him one of the oversize fluffy towels that Jess had insisted were essential. Right now, Abby was glad she had. It was large enough to wrap securely around Trace’s waist.
She whirled on her sister. “Go inside,” she commanded as if Jess were a disobedient kid again. “I think you’ve had enough fun at our expense for one night.”
Clearly undaunted, Jess returned her gaze evenly. “I’ll go, but if you have an ounce of sense, big sister, your night is just beginning.”
After Jess had gone, Abby dared a look at Trace. He didn’t seem to be the slightest bit embarrassed about what had just happened.
“She has a point,” he said instead.
“Are you crazy? We were just caught cavorting in a pool where we had no business being. You didn’t have a stitch of clothes on, and I barely did. Now you want to do what? Rob the bank?”
He laughed. “I don’t think that was what Jess had in mind.”
Abby knew it wasn’t, but she didn’t want to mention what had been in her sister’s mind. If she said one single word about sex, it would open up a can of worms that was best locked up and sealed.
Instead, she tugged her clothes on over her soaking-wet bra and panties, then jammed her feet into her sandals. “I’m going home.”
“I figured as much,” Trace said with an air of resignation. “I don’t suppose—”
“No, you are not coming with me. You are not sneaking into my room. We tried that once, and Gram caught us. It would be too humiliating to have that happen again at my age.”
“Of course, at your age, we could just walk boldly upstairs and go straight to your room,” he suggested.
Abby refused to admit, even to herself, how very tempted she was by that idea. Instead, determined to cut it off without discussion, she said one word: “Wes.”
He sighed. “Yes, his presence does put a damper on things, doesn’t it? Okay, then, you go home all alone. I’ll go home all alone. And neither one of us will get a wink of sleep.”
“Speak for yourself. I intend to sleep like a baby.”
He stepped closer, tucked a finger under her chin, then covered her mouth with his. It was a splendid kiss. When he ended it, he grinned. “Bet you don’t.”
She blinked, trying to unravel what he was talking about. It was tricky, since she could barely remember her own name. “Don’t what?”
“Sleep like a baby.”
Yeah, she was beginning to have her doubts about that, too.
Abby was sitting in the kitchen on Sunday morning, hoping that a second cup of coffee would kick-start her exhausted brain, when Jess bounced in looking as perky as if she’d had a full eight hours of sleep.
“Gee, sis, you don’t look so good,” Jess said, her eyes sparkling with laughter. “Late night?”
“Go to hell,” Abby muttered. “And don’t you dare say one word about anything that went on last night. Wes could wander in here any minute.”
Jess immediately frowned. “Sorry. I forgot all about him.” She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table. “Where’s Gram? She’s usually down here making pancakes by this time on a Sunday morning.”
“So you came for the pancakes and not to torment me?” Abby queried.
Jess grinned impishly. “Actually I came for both, but I will refrain from all those comments on the tip of my tongue to protect you from the wrath of my former brother-in-law.”
“I appreciate that.”
“You sure he’s here? I didn’t see his car outside. Maybe he went into town for an early breakfast.”
Abby’s head snapped up. “His car is gone?”
“I didn’t see it,” Jess said, studying her with concern. “What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’re going to pass out? Every speck of color just washed right out of your face.”
Abby didn’t waste time answering. She flew up the stairs to the girls’ room and threw open the door. They were gone. Her babies were gone!
“Oh my God, he’s taken the twins,” she shouted at Jess, who was right on her heels. “We need to call the police.”
Jess grabbed hold of her. “Calm down. What do you think Wes has done?”
“I think he’s taken the girls away with him, back to New York.”
“He wouldn’t do that, would he?” Jess said, her expression disbelieving. Then she shook her head. “Of course he would, the pig.” She stepped past Abby and surveyed the room, then frowned. “Their things are here, though. Are you sure he’s taken them?”
Abby didn’t know what to think. “Well, not a hundred percent sure, no, but the clothes don’t mean anything. They keep a whole wardrobe of stuff at his place.”
Just then Gram joined them. “What’s going on? Why are you two so upset?”
Jess spoke up. “Abby thinks Wes may have taken off with the girls.”
Gram regarded her with dismay. “Why on earth would you leap to such a conclusion? He’s just taken them to Sally’s for breakfast. He promised them last night that he would.”
Abby nearly collapsed with relief. “Are you sure?”
“I was right there when they talked about it. That’s why I slept in this morning. I figured no one would be around expecting breakfast before church.”
Abby wanted desperately to believe her grandmother was right, but until she saw the girls for herself, she couldn’t. “I’m going to town.”
“I’ll drive,” Jess said. “You’re liable to run off the road.”
“Whatever,” Abby said, running downstairs and grabbing her purse in the kitchen on her way out the door. Jess was right on her heels.
“Call me,” Gram shouted after them. “Let me know that everything’s okay.”
“I will,” Abby promised. Clutching her purse in her lap until her knuckles turned white, she turned to Jess. “Gram has to be right.”
“I’m sure she is,” Jess soothed. “When has she ever been wrong?”
“I can’t wait till we get there to know for sure,” Abby said, reaching for her cell phone. She punched in Trace’s number. He sounded groggy when he answered. “Trace, I’m afraid Wes might have left town with the girls. Gram swears they were going to Sally’s this morning, but I have to know for sure that they’re there. Can you check?”
“I’ll call you back in two minutes,” he promised. “Sit tight.”
“Actually, I’m already on my way into town.”
“What the hell are you doing behind the wheel of a car when you’re this upset?”
“Jess is driving.”
“Okay, then. I’m on my way out the door. Give me another minute and I’ll call you back.”
She ended the call, but continued to hold the phone in a trembling grip.
“You know we’ll be there ourselves in less than five minutes,” Jess said.
“Right now every second feels like an eternity,” she told her sister, tears welling up and spilling down her cheeks. And if they weren’t there, if for any reason her ex-hus
band had taken off with her daughters, she knew she was going to need Trace with her. She had Jess, of course, and Gram, but she was counting on Trace to find them and bring them back. Maybe he’d even beat a little sense into Wes while he was at it.
Her phone rang. She punched the wrong button, then finally hit the right one. “Yes?”
“They’re here, safe and sound,” he told her. “I’m standing right outside Sally’s. They must have gotten themselves dressed this morning. Carrie looks as if she tried to fix her own hair. Caitlyn’s wearing one pink shoe and one red one.”
The description, clearly intended to make her smile, only made her cry harder. She was sobbing and shaking like a leaf when Jess pulled to the curb down the block from Sally’s. Trace was there at once to open the door and pull her into his arms. When she was calmer, she hauled off and punched him in the chest.
He blinked and captured her fist when she would have done it again. “Hey, what was that for?”
“You planted that idea in my head, that he might want to take the girls. I would never have thought of it otherwise.”
He regarded her evenly. “No, he was the one who planted it in your head. He’s the one who mentioned taking them back with him today. You told me that yourself.”
“But you thought it might be true. You upped the stakes.”
“So what? You’re blaming the messenger? All I said was to keep your guard up.”
“Well, I feel like an idiot. I got Jess and Gram stirred up for no good reason.”
Jess stepped up to join them. “I don’t think it was for no good reason,” she said quietly. “And don’t worry about Gram. I’ve called her and told her everything is fine.”
Abby frowned. “What do you mean about it not being for no good reason?”
“I think Wes deliberately brought those girls into town this morning without leaving a note just so you would be scared to death.”
Abby didn’t want to believe that. “He probably thought Gram would tell me where they were, which was exactly what happened.”
“I don’t believe that,” Jess said solemnly. “And I don’t think you do, either.”
“I’m with Jess,” Trace said, his expression grim. “If it wouldn’t upset the girls, I’d go in there right now and tell him just what I think of him and his stupid games.”
Abby tugged on his hand. “Let’s just leave. Carrie and Caitlyn are fine. They’ll be back home soon.”
“I vote we stay right here,” Jess said. “There’s nothing to prevent Wes from leaving here and heading straight to the airport. Besides, he’s seen us. It will look odd if we don’t go in there now.”
Trace nodded. “I agree. In fact, there’s a booth opening up. Let’s have breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Me, too,” Jess said, challenging Abby with a look. “You know you’ll feel better if the girls aren’t out of your sight.”
Jess was right, Abby thought. In fact, Abby was just about certain she’d never willingly let them out of her sight again.
Trace followed Jess and Abby into the café, deliberately keeping one hand on Abby’s shoulder as he guided them toward the empty booth. He wanted that weasel ex-husband of hers to know she had backup, in case he was thinking about doing something stupid.
Of course, if Wes also got the idea there was something going on between Trace and Abby, that was okay, too. Trace had no problem with publicly staking his claim. If things had gone the way he’d wanted them to, Abby would have been his years ago.
“Mommy!” Carrie shouted, scrambling from the booth and drawing Wes’s attention to the new arrivals. A scowl spread across his face as both of his daughters immediately abandoned him.
Abby knelt down to hug Carrie and then Caitlyn, who’d followed on her heels. “Good morning. Are you having a nice breakfast with your dad?” she asked, giving Wes a pointed look.
“Yes,” Caitlyn said. “Daddy said you didn’t want breakfast, so how come you’re here?”
“I got hungry after all,” Abby said.
Trace saw the struggle it took for her not to say more. Just then he felt a tug on his hand and looked down into Carrie’s upturned face. “Can we have our ice cream now?” she pleaded.
He glanced toward the plates of half-eaten pancakes and bacon on their table. “Looks to me like you didn’t even finish your breakfasts. I think ice cream will have to wait for another day.”
“Tomorrow?” Carrie persisted.
He glanced at Abby, who gave him a nod. “Tomorrow it is,” he confirmed.
Wes rose up, his face clouded over with barely concealed anger. “Hold on,” he said. “Abby, we need to discuss this. I think it would be best—”
“I’m not discussing this with you now,” she said tightly. “There are far more important things you and I need to work out. We’ll do that when we get back to the house.”
Caitlyn and Carrie looked from one parent to another, clearly sensing the sudden tension. Thankfully, Jess stepped in, sliding back out of the booth they’d just claimed.
“Hey, girls, have you seen the cool coloring books down at Ethel’s Emporium? They have crabs and seahorses and all sorts of birds that you might see around the bay. Maybe we can find one or two that you’d each like.”
Caitlyn’s eyes lit up. “Yes, please. Can we go with Aunt Jess, Mommy?”
“Absolutely,” Abby said, clearly relieved.
“I’ll have them back in a few minutes, Wes, or they can wait and ride home with us, if you don’t want to hang around,” Jess told him.
“I’ll wait,” he said tersely. He yanked a chair from a neighboring table and sat at the end of their booth. Ignoring Trace, he asked Abby, “What are you doing here? Did you deliberately follow me just to spoil my morning with the girls?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Abby snapped. “When have I ever deliberately tried to spoil your time with them?”
Wes looked shaken by her heated response. It was evident he didn’t know what to make of her mood. “Okay, it doesn’t matter, but we do need to discuss them coming back to New York with me today.”
“It’s not going to happen,” she said flatly. “They’re staying right here with me. It’s the first time they’ve visited Chesapeake Shores for longer than a weekend, and I want them to take advantage of spending some real quality time with their great-grandmother, Jess and Mick, when he gets back from California.”
“How long do you expect this family reunion to last?” he said.
“As long as it takes,” she said, leveling a look straight at him.
Trace had to admire her gumption. She wasn’t letting Wes bully her. At the same time, though, he felt guilty knowing that he was the one who’d put her in this position in the first place. If he hadn’t insisted she stay here to help Jess, she and Wes wouldn’t be engaged in this tug-of-war over their daughters.
“Abby, maybe we can work something out,” Trace said quietly, his gaze on her.
Wes frowned. “You have no say in this,” he said.
“Actually he does,” Abby said. “It’s okay, Trace. We made a bargain and I intend to keep it.”
“What bargain?” Wes demanded.
“That’s none of your concern,” Trace said. He turned to Abby. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “A hundred percent.”
He leaned back, feeling more optimistic than he had in a very long time. Maybe she was just rebelling against her ex-husband, but it w
as also possible that in her own way, she was choosing him and the possibilities that had hung in the air the night before. He’d have to wait to find out for sure which it was.
In the meantime, though, he had to admit that he was enjoying watching Abby get under Wes’s skin. The woman was no shrinking violet, that’s for sure. If he hadn’t seen her outside a few minutes earlier, if she hadn’t nearly collapsed with relief in his arms, he would have thought her a hundred percent calm and in control. That kind of strength in the face of her own fears was just one more thing to add to the long list of reasons why he was falling in love with her all over again.
13
T o Abby’s surprise and relief, Jess had insisted on hitching a ride back to Gram’s with Wes and the girls. She glanced over at Trace, who was regarding the sour expression on Wes’s face with unmistakable amusement. When they were gone, he turned to Abby.
“That must make you feel better.”
She didn’t pretend not to understand. “It does. He won’t even think about taking off with the girls with Jess watching his every move.”
“Would you rather be doing that yourself?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m still so furious with him, it’s best if we don’t spend too much time together until I cool down. With any luck, he’ll have left for New York by the time I get back to the house.”
“I hope you’re not counting on that,” Trace said.
Abby sighed. “No, of course not. He wants to talk to me, so he’s not going anywhere until that happens.” She poked her fork into the scrambled eggs on her plate, eyed them with distaste and then pushed the plate aside. “I’m not hungry.”
“How about a waffle instead? With fresh strawberries?” Trace cajoled. “They’re in season, and that’s the special this morning.”
The Inn at Eagle Point Page 19
