“Oh.” Embarrassed by the conclusion she’d jumped to, she took another step back and lost her balance over the step. With lightning reflexes, he caught her arm and pulled her against him.
Her palms collided with his chest, the bare skin still cool from the water, so firm beneath her hands, the blond hair crisp beneath her skin. She knew she should pull away, but she couldn’t make herself.
“Mom!”
Okay, that did the trick. She snapped her gaze away from the sun-browned skin, the drips from the ends of his hair that made paths along his chest, avoided his gaze and turned toward her daughter.
*****
“My God, Mercy, I wanted to lick him, head to toe. What is wrong with me?” Brioney asked as the two of them cleaned out one of the ocean view rooms on Sunday afternoon. The couple who had stayed here had been reasonably neat, but Lord, there was even sand in the bed.
Mercedes shook her head. The three of them, Mercedes, Jessamy and Brioney, had been best friends since kindergarten. They’d been through the ups and downs of men and jobs and ambitions. Mercedes had been there for the drama of Jessamy and Blue’s break-up, for Brioney’s own stormy relationship with Cameron and her teen pregnancy. She trusted Mercedes as she trusted her own sister, but she couldn’t talk to Jessamy about this. No. Way.
“Are you seriously thinking about going out with him?” Mercedes asked.
Brioney blew out a breath. “Jessamy would be pissed, wouldn’t she?”
Mercedes frowned as she wiped down the plate-glass window. “I don’t know. They were together a long time. And they were close. I mean, I remember them talking about happily-ever-after, don’t you? And her talking about the sex?” Mercedes rolled her eyes. “I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to get the sex she talked about having with Blue.”
Brioney did remember. She blushed at the memory of some of the things Jessamy had told her. Could she ever be with him knowing he’d done those things with her sister?
“I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just a fantasy. I’ll never act on it. He’s been too good of a friend for me to chase him off when it’s over. I’d hate for Joy to get hurt because she couldn’t see him anymore.”
“So you’d go into it thinking you’d end it? You don’t think he’s a forever kind of guy?”
“No. Lord. He has a million different jobs, each one easier than the last. He has no ambition. I need more than that for me and for Joy.” She blew out a long breath after smoothing the duvet and straightening, stretching her back with her fists pressed into the aching muscles. “Cameron will be in town this weekend. Maybe he’ll help me work off some tension.”
“I cannot believe you sleep with your baby daddy, still.”
“Not all the time, and not, you know, with any expectations. We suck as a couple, but we’re really good in bed.”
“You’re an idiot. You say you’re thinking about your future, and Joy’s, but you can’t do that if you’re holding onto your past.”
“I’m pretty sure Blue isn’t my future. I mean, technically, he’s my past, too, since I’ve known him forever.”
“He’s a good guy, though. He would never hurt you.”
Mercedes was probably right about that. Blue didn’t have a vicious bone in his body. “So why don’t you go out with him?” Brioney asked her friend, even though just thinking the question gave her a twinge.
“Because I like a little bit of pain,” Mercedes said with a wink. “Otherwise, it’s no challenge.”
Was Brioney like that, too? Is that why she kept Cameron in her life? When Cameron arrived, she could see then if her attraction to Blue was just sexual frustration, or if these feelings were something more.
*****
Wearing a tank and cut-offs, Brioney opened the door to Cameron, feeling a little slutty. She didn’t usually dress like this, but she wanted a reaction, to gauge if this weekend would be one where they slept together, or not.
“Hey, Brioney, looking good,” he said in an off-handed way, not really looking at her, but past her to Joy, who came running out of her room when she heard his voice.
“I’m going to be a marine biologist,” Joy announced first thing as he swept her into his arms.
In a couple more visits, he wasn’t going to be able to do that. Brioney had to admit, he wasn’t a bad dad, though he wasn’t around much. He lived in Houston, which was about four hours away. And he’d grown up really nice. She had to remind herself why they weren’t together—he’d hidden behind his parents when they said the baby wasn’t his, that she was just grasping onto him to ruin his future. He’d been a summer boy, had already been accepted to Tulane when she’d peed on that stick. But she’d never been with anyone else—still had never been with anyone else. His parents had insisted Cameron continue pursuing his education, and her parents, well, they were gone. Her older brother Fitz, who was raising her, Jessamy and Brandon, essentially told Cameron’s parents to fuck off, that he would make sure Brioney and her baby got everything they needed, and they and their deadbeat son could take a hike.
After Joy was born, Cameron had come crawling back, wanting to be part of her life. Brioney allowed it, for Joy’s sake, but she’d never forgiven him for letting his parents accuse her of being a liar.
“A marine biologist? Where did that come from?” He looked past her to Brioney.
“We went out on Blue’s boat last weekend and one of the fishermen caught a shark. It’s all she’s been able to think about.” Brioney closed the door behind him.
“Blue’s still around?” He set Joy down with an exaggerated groan. “Man, he used to be able to get the best—”
Brioney cut him off with a look. He nodded his understanding and turned to his daughter. “What do you want to do this weekend?”
“What are my choices?” she countered, as she always did.
“You are your mother’s daughter. I heard the water park in Port Isabel is open, and it’s fun. Have you been?”
Of course she hadn’t been. It cost an arm and a leg, and Brioney didn’t have the money, or the time, to spare.
“No, we haven’t been,” Joy said, her voice relatively calm, though her eyes were bright.
“Would you like to go?” he asked.
“I would. Can Mom come, too?”
“No, sweetie,” she said before unease could do more than flash across Cameron’s face. “This weekend is for you and your dad.”
As she said it, a strange sense of peace washed over her. Yes, she’d have time free to study. Not that Joy bugged her when she knew she was studying, but Brioney felt guilty not spending their limited free time together.
Joy’s face fell. “You’d have fun.”
“I need to study. You have fun for both of us.”
“You need anything?” Cameron asked Joy, standing uneasily in the entryway.
“I have my bag,” she said, and hurried to her room to get it.
“You can come, if you want,” he offered awkwardly.
She shook her head. “I have things to do around here. Enjoy your day.” Her daughter reappeared and she kissed her, hugged her hard, and sent her off with her daddy.
Since Brandon was still asleep, the house was quiet. She could get a lot done.
But she could only sit at the books an hour, when her toes flexed into the carpet one too many times. She looked out the window at the sunny day. There wouldn’t be many beautiful days once November arrived. She’d take her book to the beach, sit in the sun and study. Sure, it wouldn’t be quiet, and she’d be easily distracted, but the urge was fairly overpowering. Ridiculous, when she should be appreciating the quiet house.
But she needed it. She wrote a note to Brandon, pulled on a different T-shirt—this tank was one thing for greeting her ex, but another to wear out in public, packed a couple of bottled waters and a towel into her book bag, along with her textbook and her composition book, tucked her keys and phone in the front pocket of her shorts, and headed out the front door.
Finally she settled into the chapter and made notes as the warm breeze flowed over her. She didn’t know how long she’d been there when a shadow cast over the page.
Blue dropped to the sand beside her. “Surprised to see you here today.”
“What? Why?”
“Thought you’d be working.”
“No, I told Leeayn I’d work today, since Cameron has Joy, but she didn’t schedule me. Just as well since I’m behind on my reading.” She held up her book.
He angled his head to read the title. “Macroeconomics Business and Policy. A little light reading?”
“Midterms.”
“Yeah? How’s it going?”
She stuck her composition book inside the textbook and closed it. “I wish I’d chosen another major.”
“Like what? Music?”
She snorted. “What would I be able to do with that?”
“Sing. You have a beautiful voice.”
“Thanks, but musicians are a dime a dozen. I just want something so I can give Joy a good life. I know I shouldn’t have waited so long, but…”
He put his hand over hers. “You’re doing a good thing. Once you have your degree, what are you going to do?”
“I thought maybe I’d be a manager or something. As long as I could stay on the island.”
That didn’t leave a lot of options, she knew, and if she truly wanted the best for Joy, she’d leave the island, go to another city.
“You’re getting red.” He touched the tip of her nose. “Did you bring your sunscreen?”
She’d grown up on the island, where sunscreen was as much a part of life as flip-flops. But she’d forgotten it today in her desperation to get to the water’s edge.
“Gah. No.” And she usually kept it in her bag for Joy, but she’d run out when they’d been on the boat and hadn’t replaced it.
“Come on, I have some at the booth.”
“I probably should just head home.” She opened her bag to tuck her book and notebook inside.
“Ah, come on. We’re in for some rain this coming week, you need to get outside while you can.” He hopped to his feet and stretched a hand to help her up.
She hesitated, thinking it would be just as easy to push herself to her feet, but instead, she put her hand in his lean one, the palm hard and callused, strong and firm as he wrapped his fingers around her and tugged.
“Did you like college? Getting to go away, I mean?” she asked as they walked, once he released her hand.
“Not really. College was a challenge for me.”
“Was it? I wouldn’t have thought so.”
“Really? Why not?”
“I just remember high school being really easy for you.”
“Sure, it was, but that was part of the problem. I didn’t have any study skills, and college was exponentially more challenging than high school. Plus, you know, even though my parents weren’t particularly strict, having that freedom was heady.” He turned to look at her. “I do wish you’d gotten to experience that, if for no other reason than to say you did.”
She’d made her decision when she decided to keep her baby. And now it was too late, she was too old, and really, almost ready to graduate. “Did it get easier?”
“I got used to it, but I was never really disciplined. It’s pretty amazing, actually, that I got into UT because my grades weren’t great. I would have tanked grad school.”
“Is that why you came home?”
“Austin was great, you know? Great. But it wasn’t the place for me.” He motioned for her to precede him up the steps to the boardwalk. “This is home. Always has been, always will be.”
*****
Blue told himself he was only checking on Brioney and Joy because Cameron was in town. He didn’t trust the guy. He remembered too well how he’d hurt Brioney when he left.
He hadn’t been to Brioney’s house since he and Jess had broken up almost seven years ago, but his bike flowed along the roads as if it had been yesterday.
Blue bounced the book on the tips of his fingers, his excuse for coming to the house tonight. He rang the doorbell. A few minutes passed before Brioney answered, pushing her hair over her shoulder, bare in the skimpy top she wore. And were her lips swollen?
“Blue, hi. I didn’t know you were stopping by.”
Her voice was husky, too, sexy as hell. “Yeah, ah, I saw this book on sharks and thought of Joy.” He held it up, like it was evidence, glancing past her at Cameron, who’d stepped out of the living room, adjusting his pants. Blue almost didn’t recognize the anger that rose up in him, that she was fooling around with the guy who had treated her so badly. “Where is she?” He turned what he hoped was a bland expression to Brioney. Of course she would be here, but Brioney wouldn’t be making out with her ex with her daughter nearby.
“She’s in the living room. We were watching a movie.” Her tone was almost accusing.
Had that been what they were doing? Watching a movie like a normal family, when Cameron had walked away? His temper flared. He buried it and forced a smile.
“Cameron. How’s it going?” Uninvited, he stepped into the house and closed the door behind him, like he belonged here.
“Great.” Cameron recognized the challenge and lifted his chin. “Pool business has never been better. I have four crews working at all times. Good money.” He moved closer to Brioney and folded his arms over his chest. “Brioney and Joy were telling me about your boat. Just the one?”
“Well, there’s just me.” Blue forced a casual tone. “But I love doing it.”
“And you still do the rentals on the beach, too?”
Blue didn’t usually feel defensive about his life choices, but he was already off-balance finding Cameron here. “With Logan, yes. I like meeting the tourists.”
“Plus, you know, not a whole lot of pressure.”
Blue remembered, clearly now, how he’d hated Cameron even before Brioney turned up pregnant and he dumped her. He could see why Brioney was attracted to him, tall, dark and handsome, broad shouldered. But he was a rich, entitled asshole.
“I like my life,” he said, just as Joy came out of the living room, rubbing her eyes.
So she’d been asleep. Maybe Brioney had been making out with her ex. Again, he battled back the anger.
“Hey, Blue, what are you doing here?” Joy asked, her voice slurred by sleep.
“I came to bring you this book.” He held it out to her. “I saw it at the store and thought of you.”
His words penetrated her lethargy and she bounced forward to take the book from him. Immediately, she let it fall open and flipped through the pictures. “This is great! Thanks, Blue!” She hugged him, quick and hard, and moved away, looking through her book.
And then he was left, awkward, by the door, as Cameron and Brioney watched him. He no longer had an excuse to be here, so he stepped back, his hand on the doorknob. He looked at Brioney, wishing he could ask her what the hell she was thinking. But it wasn’t his business.
“I’ll see you around,” he said instead, and let himself out.
*****
Brioney flopped onto her bed—alone—feeling a little dirty. She’d thought all week about taking the edge off he
r libido with Cameron, but when time came to follow through, she couldn’t go through with it and sent him home. Something about them pretending to be a happy little family left a bad taste in her mouth.
Blue stopping by hadn’t helped. The posturing between the two men had been subtle, but kind of exciting. God, what was wrong with her?
Would she have settled for Cameron if Blue hadn’t stopped by? The way Blue had looked at her….
She rolled her shoulders, as if that could relieve the tension running through her. At least she knew it wasn’t just sexual frustration. She was attracted to Blue.
What would Jessamy say? Could she really get involved with her sister’s ex?
She pushed the thought aside. She didn’t need that drama. She had her daughter, she had school, she had work, she had singing. She would get out her guitar right now to work this off, if she didn’t think the noise would wake Joy.
At least Cameron was gone, and she wouldn’t see him for another month. She had known he was an asshole, but thought maybe he might have outgrown it until she saw him with Blue tonight. She wished she’d risen to Blue’s defense, but honestly, she’d never thought Blue was the type to need defending. He was living the life he wanted, wasn’t he? She’d always just assumed. Maybe it was time to ask.
What was she doing? Was she really thinking about getting involved with Blue? Her sister’s ex? A man with whom she had nothing in common? She thought he was interested—why else was he coming around the bar, inviting her to go on the boat, bringing Joy a book?
Joy. She’d been trying to show her daughter how to follow her dreams. How could she do that and be involved with a man who had none? At least Cameron was ambitious and successful, and wasn’t that what she wanted for her little girl?
But did she really want to wait to find love?
Her head was starting to hurt, and she was never going to get to sleep, so she got up and headed to the living room for the television. She didn’t let herself watch TV much while she was in school because she could better use the time to study. But tonight, she wouldn’t be able to study, so she may as well clear some shows off the DVR.
Summer on Main Street Page 43
