by Helen Brenna
“No kidding? How—”
“She’s a Camden.”
“You mean one of the Camdens?”
“Yep.”
“Any chance she’s one of those single women you warned me away from when I first got to the island?”
Garrett chuckled as he shook his head. “She’s married to Jonas Abel. A retired FBI agent, I might add.”
“Dang. Guess I’ll be steering clear.” Jesse glanced around again. “Got a batting cage in this place?”
“Nope.” Garrett shook his head. “Zach and Brian have been bugging me for a while on that. It’s not likely to happen for a couple years.”
They went into the men’s locker room, changed and headed back out to the gym. A group of kids, boys and girls, including Zach and Brian, were having basketball practice in the middle gym, and a group of men were warming up on the court nearest the mirrored workout rooms.
A group of women were practicing what looked like yoga next door. Jesse didn’t know the pixyish-looking green-eyed blonde teaching the class, but he was surprised to realize he recognized a couple of her students. Erica, Sherri Phillips and…Sarah.
Dressed in black yoga pants that clung to her thighs and butt like no one’s business and a tight-fitting red tank top, her thick hair gathered into a messy ponytail, Sarah looked a far cry from the elegantly dressed woman he’d first met. In fact, she looked downright sexy. As if she felt his eyes on her, she glanced up, spotted him and arched an eyebrow. God help him, but a woman on the devilish side always had been his downfall. He was a glutton for punishment, that’s for sure.
He nodded at her. She didn’t nod back. In all fairness, though, the particular pose she was in—erect, one knee bent, one foot flat against the inside of the other leg and her hands locked above her head—didn’t look as if it could stand a loss of concentration. As if to prove his point, she fell out of the pose and glared at him.
So his presence unsettled her, eh? Good. With any luck, he could unsettle her even more.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“THAT’S MISSY,” Garrett said, following Jesse’s gaze. “Teaching the yoga class.”
“Are any of those single women I’m supposed to steer clear of in there?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact. Kelly Moser, our nurse. Hannah Johnson, one of our elementary schoolteachers. Trust me, neither one are your type. Sherri, on the other hand, will no doubt come looking for you.”
Jesse smiled and changed the subject. “I saw Zach in practice next door but where’s David?”
“At the day care upstairs.” Garrett headed toward the group of men warming up in one of the gyms. While his brother introduced each man, Jesse committed each name and face to memory.
“You know Herman and probably Tom.”
“Yep.” Jesse nodded, shaking hands with Garrett’s only other officer and the owner of the Rusty Nail.
Then there was Bob Henderson, a middle-aged fellow in fairly good shape, the drugstore owner. Dan and Mike Newman, father and son owners of the grocery store. Marty Rousseau, manager of the Mirabelle Island Inn. Bud Stall, manager of the golf course and community center. Carl Andersen, owner of the Rock Pointe Lodge. Harry Olson, the island Realtor. Sean Griffin, the island doctor and a man about Garrett’s age, and Jonas Abel, the retired FBI agent, were the only people slanting a critical eye in Jesse’s direction, but Jesse could deal with two men.
“Guys, this is my brother Jesse.”
“Brothers?” Carl said. “No kidding. I see a resemblance, but—”
“I favor my mom,” Garrett said with a smile. “Jesse looks like my ugly mug of a dad.”
“Yeah, well, who has the gray hair?” Jesse said, grinning. Garrett had a small patch of gray at each of his temples, so it wasn’t all that noticeable, but Jesse had to give his nearly perfect brother crap about something. “He is the oldest, you know.”
In the hopes of keeping his gaze from straying toward Sarah, Jesse dribbled a couple times and then took a shot from close to the three-point line. The ball swooshed through the net.
“Smart-ass,” Garrett muttered as everyone in the gym went for water. “Nice shot, though.”
Jesse had played a lot of basketball, too, in prison. “I don’t have my calculator handy,” he murmured. “But we have twelve guys here.”
“Bob and Herman sit out a lot,” Garrett whispered back. “Don’t worry. You’ll get a workout.”
“Well, let’s get this game going,” Jonas said. “I got an hour, tops.” He and Missy, he explained, had two kids in the facility day care.
When they finally started the game, Jesse found him self inordinately distracted by the yoga class taking place next door and by Sarah, in particular. It seemed he couldn’t shoot a glance to a teammate across the court without finding Sarah directly in his line of vision. He couldn’t look up without seeing her face in profile. And those yoga poses. Damn. Some of the positions were downright erotic.
Still, when he could focus, the game that followed was the most fun Jesse had had in a long while. The teams were fairly evenly matched and he loved competing against Garrett. The Taylor siblings had always been competitive, so when Garrett stole the ball from Jesse and broke toward his net, Jesse was hot on his heels. Garrett went up to the hoop. Jesse followed.
“Foul!” Garrett called as he came back down from his layup.
“Because you missed the basket by a mile?” Jesse muttered. “And a half?”
“I only missed that basket,” Garrett went on, “because you slapped my arm.”
“Like hell,” Jesse said, dripping with sweat and his muscles happily alive with the workout. He hadn’t been sure he was ready for the camaraderie of men’s sports, but he felt relaxed in a way he hadn’t felt in…well, at least four years.
“Boys, boys, boys.” Marty snatched up the ball from Garrett. “Am I going to have to give you both timeouts?”
“Like to see you try,” Garrett said.
“That sounds like a challenge.”
“Bring it.” Garrett motioned with his fingers, good-naturedly egging Marty on.
“In your dreams,” Marty said, laughing even as he tossed the ball back out to Jesse.
“Ready to lose?” Jesse said, snickering.
“Now who’s dreaming?”
Jesse slipped around Garrett, charged for the net and missed, but damned if he’d admit it had anything to do with a black-haired beauty just now bent in a downward dog.
“Okay, I need a break,” Dan Newman announced.
“Take five,” someone said.
Jesse grabbed the ball and started toward the sideline when Jonas stepped in front of him. The man didn’t look happy. “I need to get something off my chest,” Jonas said softly, narrowing his eyes at Jesse.
“Go for it,” Jesse said, bracing himself.
Sean stood only a foot behind Abel, listening, but the rest of the players had taken off for their water bottles on the other side of the court.
“Ex-FBI agents don’t get along well with ex-felons,” Jonas said. “I’ll shoot hoops with you. Talk with you. Hell, I’ll even hang out at Duffy’s and have a beer with you.” His tone of voice and body language wasn’t angry or vindictive, only matter-of-fact. “Out of respect for Garrett, I’ll put up with you being on this island. But hurt anyone or break any laws, and I’ll make your life on this island so miserable you won’t even want to wait around for Garrett to ask you to leave. Understand?”
“Yeah,” Jesse muttered. “I get it.” There was a time he would’ve hassled the man or joked with him, making light of the situation, but at the moment he wasn’t feeling particularly lighthearted.
Jonas walked away, but Sean remained.
“You, too?” Jesse asked, holding the doctor’s gaze.
“Yeah, pretty much. Until I know exactly what you did to land in prison, I’m going to assume the worst.”
Garrett spun around and glanced from Jonas and Sean to Jesse. “Everything okay over there?”
But he could tell by the look on Garrett’s face that his brother didn’t believe his conversation with Sean and Jonas had been the least bit friendly. Not for a second.
“AGAIN, WE STAND in mountain pose,” Missy said, soft instrumental music playing in the background.
Sarah stood, feet together, hands folded in front, and tried to refocus her breathing. Since Jesse had showed up in the gym in shorts and a T-shirt her concentration had gone straight to hell. Those broad shoulders and sculpted arms. Dark curly hair on muscular legs. Not to mention what was likely a large black tattoo, a mass of what looked like Chinese letters peeking out from the edges of his sleeves. She’d never been much of a fan of tattoos, but the severity of the solid black ink against Jesse’s skin and the flowing artistry of the design intrigued her.
It was impossible not to sneak a glance at him as he dribbled up and down the court, his skin glistening with the sheen of clean sweat. At least she’d found a way he was nothing like Bobby. Bobby, although naturally lean and fit-looking, had never worked out a day in his life.
“Inhale and back.”
Sarah raised her hands and arched backward as far as she could go as Missy walked around correcting positions.
“Exhale and forward,” Missy said.
Folding at the hips, Sarah touched her toes.
“Right foot back.”
She inhaled and lunged backward.
“Shoulders down and lengthen your spine,” Missy whispered in Sarah’s ear so no one else could hear. “What’s the matter with you tonight? You’re so unfocused, you’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Left foot back,” Sarah said, ignoring her friend. “Into plank position.”
“Okay, okay,” Missy muttered. “Sweep forward into cobra.”
And then the routine of the hundreds of sun salutations she’d done since Missy started teaching classes took over. Lift hips and tailbone into downward dog. Lunge right foot forward. Again bend at the hips, touching toes. Arch backward. Mountain.
“Okay,” Missy whispered. “Let’s close.”
All the women sat on their mats for brief meditation. How was she supposed to relax with Jesse parading back and forth on the basketball court? Of all the attractive, young men in the gym, Sarah found her gaze naturally straying toward Jesse. Sure, Garrett was taken, but she’d never been attracted to him in the first place. Too intense. Marty was too tall and lanky to strike her fancy. Jonas was too serious. Sean too dark. Jesse was the only one out there with a smile that lit up his face. Eyes that sparkled with humor. Just looking at him brought a smile to her insides.
Her smile dampened. Jonas, Sean and Jesse stood on one end of the court, and they didn’t appear to be having a friendly exchange. Missy had probably told Jonas about Jesse having been in prison. Rumors were already circulating. What the hell had he expected, coming to this small community?
“Breathe. Slowly. In. Out. That’s it, ladies. Namaste.”
Most of the women slowly filtered out of the room at about the same time as the basketball game finished.
“I’ll catch you guys later,” Hannah said, heading toward the door. “Have a phone date in ten minutes.”
“With your Madison university professor who was here for a wedding last fall?” Sarah asked.
Hannah grinned and nodded.
“Okay. See ya.” Sarah waved as Missy gathered her things.
“So what’s with you tonight?” Missy quietly asked.
“Just tired, I guess.”
As Missy started toward the door, she caught sight of Jesse. “Tired. Right.” She chuckled. “That’s him, isn’t it?”
“Who?”
“You know who I’m talking about.”
“You mean Garrett’s brother?” Sarah whispered.
“Mmm-hmm,” Missy said. “No wonder you had problems with your tree pose.”
They trailed behind the other women. All the men glanced up as Sherri sauntered by. “Hello, boys,” she said.
“Sherri,” a couple of them murmured.
Although several of the men went directly to the locker rooms, including Jonas after a nod to Missy, a few hung back. With a big smile, Brittany Rousseau jogged toward her husband, Marty. Erica went to Garrett’s side. And in typical barracuda fashion, Sherri beelined it toward Sean, the most eligible bachelor on Mirabelle. She seemed more than a little pleased that Jesse was also around.
“Hey, Doc,” she said.
“Sherri.”
“Hello, Jesse. Good to see you again.”
“Hi, Sherri.” Jesse grinned as he wiped his face and neck with a white towel.
“Well, Chief.” Sherri smiled at Garrett. “’Bout time you talked your brother into coming to the island.”
Sarah couldn’t help it. She rolled her eyes.
“I take it you two have already met,” Garrett said, narrowing his gaze at Jesse.
“At the Nail,” Jesse offered, steadily holding his brother’s gaze.
“He’s a lot more fun than you are, Chief.”
At that, Sarah almost snorted out loud.
“That’s not saying much,” Sean quipped.
“He’s more fun than you, too, Doc.” Sherri reached up and dragged her finger through Sean’s wet hair. “And you are in dire need of a cut. Just stop by the shop for a trim sometime. No appointment necessary. I’m available anytime.”
That comment caused a few eyebrows to be raised. If she hadn’t been completely fascinated by the strange conversation, she would’ve headed straight for the locker room.
“You, too, Jesse,” Sherri added.
“Well, thanks, Sherri,” Jesse said. “I just might take you up on that sometime.”
Shaking his head, Sean walked away and headed to the men’s locker room. Sherri slipped away from the group in an effort to catch up with Sean.
Jesse slung a towel around his neck. “Thanks for the game, guys. See you around.” Then he came straight for Sarah. “Hello, Sarah. Introduce me to your friend?”
“Missy Charms Abel,” Missy said before Sarah had the chance.
“Very nice to meet you, Missy.”
“She’s married,” Sarah said, her tone matter-of-fact. “In case you were wondering.”
“Darn it.” Jesse grinned.
“To Jonas,” Sarah added. “An ex-FBI agent who tends toward jealousy.”
Missy laughed, but apparently wasn’t about to verbally counter the comment. “Glad to have you on the island, Jesse. Hope you’ll be around to enjoy some nicer weather.”
“You mean it gets better than this?” He tilted his head toward the exterior windows. “That’s what I call balmy.”
“Then you’re in luck, aren’t you,” Sarah said drily.
“You’ve been here awhile, haven’t you? I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around before now.”
“Got a slave driver for a boss, you know?” He held Missy’s gaze for a long moment. “All I do is eat, sleep and work.”
Missy chuckled.
“The regulars at the Nail might disagree with that,” Sarah muttered.
“That they might.” The smile he threw at Sarah held the slightest tinge of condescension. “Have a nice evening, ladies.”
“See you around,” Missy said.
Sarah held silent, her thoughts a jumbled mass of contradictions. She both despised Jesse and was fascinated by him, found herself intensely attracted to him, but couldn’t seem to bear standing next to him. Clearly, the sooner he got her house done, the better.
CHAPTER NINE
“WHAT’LL IT BE, JESSE?” Tom Bent swiped down the bar with a white towel on his way toward Jesse.
“Ginger ale, please,” Jesse said over the rock music blaring from the jukebox and hearty laughter erupting from the group of men playing pool in the far
corner of the bar.
“Running a special on a new microbrewery—”
“Thanks, Tom, but the soda’s good.” He hadn’t been to the Nail since the basketball game at the community center more than a week ago, and it was becoming obvious he shouldn’t have come here tonight, either. He wasn’t in the mood. For some reason laughter, music and the loud conversation and heavy drinking of a group of snowmobiling tourists by the pool table held no appeal these days.
“Hey there, stranger.”
Jesse felt a hand smooth across his back a moment before Sherri slid onto the bar stool beside him. “Sherri.”
“Haven’t seen you around much lately.” The smell of hard liquor on her breath wafted toward him.
“Been working some long hours,” he said.
“Well, it’s just not fair. Sarah monopolizing so much of your time,” she said, a syllable or two running together.
“Sarah’s house. Not Sarah.” That’d be the day his boss would want to personally monopolize his time.
“Well, all I know,” she purred, “is that she’s one lucky woman.”
Tom set the ginger ale in front of Jesse.
Suddenly Sherri hung her arm around Jesse’s neck. “Ever had a body shot?”
“Not sure that I have.” He chuckled and gently pulled away. “But I’m sure I don’t ever want one.”
She nodded at Tom, and the bartender set a shot glass in front of her, filled it with tequila, and then set down several wedges of lime and a saltshaker. Sherri proceeded to rub the lime across her chest and sprinkle salt on her skin, very close to her ample cleavage.
“Now,” she whispered in his ear. “Shot, lick, lime.”
Jesse forced out a smile. “Appreciate the offer, but I don’t drink.”
“I do.” She grabbed a lime and reached toward his neck.
“Whoa, Nelly!” He jumped up and backed away. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea.”
“Do I?”
“Mmm-hmm.” When she came toward him, he held her back. “Look. We had fun that first night. But remember? No strings? No ties? Just a good time. I’m not looking for a relationship with you, Sherri.”
