The Bad Boy of Butterfly Harbor

by Anna J. Stewart

  “I can’t sleep.”

  Gee, I wonder why? She scooted back and patted her hand on the mattress, unable to stop the surge of love as he snuggled into her arms. “You’ve had a pretty full few days.” She pressed a kiss on the top of his head, giving silent thanks that things had turned out the way they did. “Sheriff Saxon was awfully nice to you even though you were mean to him.”

  Simon nodded. “Yeah.”

  Holly could feel it—the secret, whatever he was holding on to—struggling to break free. “What’s wrong?”

  “I told Sheriff Saxon I came back to the office to fix what I’d done.”

  “Uh-huh.” She stroked his hair, preparing for the worst.

  “But I didn’t do it because I wanted to be a junior deputy. Well, not only for that.”

  “Then, why did you?”

  “Because Charlie said she wouldn’t be my friend anymore if I didn’t.”

  Ah. Holly’s heart swelled again, this time for whatever wind had blown Paige and Charlie Cooper to Butterfly Harbor.

  “She said what I was doing to Sheriff Saxon was wrong. And that if I was really her friend, I wouldn’t have made her wait outside and watch to make sure we weren’t caught.”

  “She’s right.” She pulled him closer, tucked his head under her chin. “Friends don’t ask friends to do things they know are wrong.”

  “But I thought she understood. I wanted Sheriff Saxon to go away. I thought friends were supposed to do whatever you wanted them to.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he’d ever do something Charlie wanted even if he knew it was wrong, but the inquiry didn’t feel like a safe one to make at this point. They had some gray areas to work through when it came to right and wrong.

  “I didn’t believe her when she said she wouldn’t talk to me again.” Simon wiped his eyes and sniffed. “But she hasn’t. Not one word. She’s not my friend anymore, Mom. I miss her.”

  Holly missed the little girl, too. “I know you do. But you know what?”

  “What?”

  “I bet Charlie would be your friend again if you apologized and told her she was right, and you did as she asked and tried to fix what you did.”

  “You think?” There was that wonder again, as if she’d given him a magical potion to fix what ailed him. Sometimes Simon made her feel like a superhero.

  “I do think. How about first thing in the morning, we go down to the diner and you and I will talk to Paige and Charlie? You can tell them what you told me and we’ll see what happens.”

  “But what if she doesn’t want to be my friend anymore?”

  “I suppose it’s possible.” But given what Paige had been telling Holly about how miserable Charlie had been, she doubted it. “You won’t know unless you try. Owning up to our mistakes, to our misgivings about people, is what makes us better people.” A lesson she’d had to learn the hard way. That and forgiveness. “You like Sheriff Saxon now, right?”

  Simon shrugged. “I guess.”

  He more than guessed. She’d seen that flash of hero worship in her son’s eyes even as a danger sign flashed in her mind. Opening herself up to Luke was one thing. Having her son begin to depend on him...there was a Grand Canyon–size difference.

  “And if Sheriff Saxon can forgive you for what you did, likely there’s a good chance Charlie will, too.”

  Simon went quiet for a while, and Holly felt herself relax enough to finally doze off.

  “I’m really sorry, Mom,” Simon whispered.

  “I know you are. Tomorrow’s a new day. Let’s try to make it a better one, okay?”

  “Yeah, okay.” He dropped off to sleep and a few minutes later, bathed in the soft glow of her grandmother’s stained-glass lamp, Holly followed.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “DON’T YOU WISH we could be kids again sometimes?” Paige leaned her chin in her hand and looked misty-eyed at Charlie and Simon huddled in their usual corner. “You’d never know they spent the past couple of days not speaking to one another.”

  “We must grow into the concept of holding grudges,” Holly said. Simon had awakened grumpy, but Holly had known he was nervous about talking to Charlie, and to Paige, who had accepted his apology with as much enthusiasm as her daughter had. “Sorry my son tried to turn your daughter into a delinquent.”

  Paige rolled her eyes. “Yeah, ’cause Charlie’s all innocence. Remind me to tell you about our last visit to Pizza Palooza. We’ve been banned.”

  Holly could well imagine. “Well, she was the voice of reason in this instance. Taught Simon a lesson he’s not going to forget anytime soon. Good afternoon, Sheriff.”

  Holly straightened as Luke walked in, a stack of papers in one hand, a relaxed smile on his handsome face. “Hello, ladies. Hey, Holly, I was hoping you might be willing to pass some of these out.” He set the papers on the counter.

  “You’re putting out the call on the youth center already?” The fluorescent pink Community Help Wanted flyer would definitely catch eyes. She was ready to hop on board. It was the least she could do given Luke had put her father in charge of the project.

  “The sooner people know I want to establish a safe zone for their kids, the better,” Luke said.

  “Sounds great.” Paige read over Holly’s shoulder. “Let me know if I can do anything to help.”

  “Thanks. I’m actually on my way over there to post a sign-up sheet for any of the kids and teens interested in being members.”

  “How about that,” Paige said as Holly hugged the flyers against her chest. “Holly was about to take a break before the lunch rush. I bet you could do with some fresh air.”

  Holly’s face went flame hot.

  “Happy to have the company.” Luke didn’t give any indication he’d noticed Paige’s matchmaking intentions. “Your dad’s making the rounds to some friends’ stores, including Harvey’s Hardware. He’s determined to get whatever repair materials we need donated so we can wait and go to the mayor for bigger items. We’re hoping to get everything we need by next weekend.”

  “Dad has plenty of favors to call in. And, um, sure.” She nodded, feeling that antsy dance she hadn’t felt since her first date with Gray. But this wasn’t a date. “A walk sounds great.” She reached behind her and pinched Paige hard on the arm.

  Paige jumped but her grin widened.

  “Can we come, too?” Simon ran over with Charlie bringing up the rear, her crooked pigtails giving that quirky, cute personality of hers a boost.

  “Sure.” Luke pulled open the door and waved them outside. “It’ll give me and Simon a chance to discuss his sentence for his misdeeds.”

  Simon grumbled something as he trudged ahead, but Charlie stopped in front of Luke, peering up at him with a glimmer of uncertainty on her face. “I should be sentenced, too.”

  Luke’s brows shot up. “You should?”

  “I helped Simon.”

  “Yeah, but you didn’t want to,” Simon proclaimed in her defense. “She only went along because I told her she had to.”

  “But I still did it,” Charlie insisted. “We’re a team, remember? If Simon’s in trouble, then so am I.”

  Luke nodded and Holly had to glance away, only to have her gaze stop on Paige, who looked proud enough to burst.

  “Aah. Would this make you the C in the SC Brigade?” Luke asked.

  Simon’s eyes went wide, the sparkling gray colliding with the neon green of his shirt. “You know about that?”

  “Ozzy’s pretty good on the computer,” Luke said. “He found where you hid that information in the virus email.”

  “I told you not to sign your work.” Charlie knocked her shoulder against Simon’s.

  “You know what?” Luke pulled a muddied plastic butterfly out of his pocket. “I thi
nk I found something of yours.” He held it out to Charlie, who gasped and plucked it out of his hand, holding it against her chest.

  “Oh, thank you!” She beamed up at him. “I thought it was gone forever. Mom, look! Sheriff Luke found my butterfly!”

  “I see,” Paige said, and mouthed a silent thank-you to Luke.

  “Come on, Simon. Race you to the community center!” She dived out the door past Simon, who followed behind like a loyal puppy dog.

  “Sometimes I love that little girl so much it hurts,” Paige whispered, flicking a tear off her cheek. “Dole out whatever punishment you see fit,” she told Luke. “She can handle anything.”

  “Like most of the women in this town,” Luke said.

  * * *

  “I’VE BEEN MEANING to ask how things are over at your place.”

  The uncertainty in Holly’s voice broke through the barrier Luke spent years building around his past. “It’s a place to sleep.” Last night had been the first time in weeks he’d slept longer than a few hours, dropping deeply and quickly once the situation with Simon had resolved itself. Or maybe his internal clock was finally catching up, giving his brain a chance to turn off. Whatever the reason, Luke hadn’t felt this clearheaded in ages.

  “I bet it’s difficult being there again after all this time,” Holly said. “All those memories.”

  “Would have been a lot harder if my father was still alive.” His attempt at humor fell flatter than a burned pancake. “There’s no need to tiptoe around the truth, Holly. It’s not as if those years are a secret to anyone who’s lived here. I don’t spend many hours there. And it’s not as though I’ll be here forever. When my term’s over, I’ll either sell the house as is, or raze the entire property line. Let someone come in and start over.” If he’d been superstitious he might have the land exorcized or smudged with burning sage. At least his father had saved everyone the hassle and made arrangements to be cremated.

  “You’re not staying, then?”

  He had to be imagining the disappointment he heard in her voice. “I came back as a favor to your father, Holly. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

  “Yeah, sure.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I was thinking with everything you want to do, it might take a little longer than you expect.”

  Yeah, he’d been imagining it. The last person who would want him to stick around Butterfly Harbor was Holly Campbell. A friendly short-term truce would have to be enough.

  “I finish what I start, Holly.” But he could understand her concern. “And I keep my promises. I won’t leave until I’m sure everything’s in place.”

  “Nice to know.” She clasped her hands behind her as they continued down Monarch Lane. “That you keep your promises. In case I didn’t say so before, thank you for asking my father to take charge of the youth-center project. I can’t tell you how relieved I am he’ll have something productive to do with his time.”

  “I get the feeling Jake underestimated just how big a difference not being sheriff was going to be.” This wasn’t a job one could simply walk away from. Even in a small town, there were plenty of things to keep him and his two deputies jumping. From reports of lost cats to garden sheds being broken in to, to missing stop signs and reports of vagrants in abandoned houses. And don’t get him started on the parking tickets and traffic infractions.

  “What did he mean last night?” Holly’s question broke into Luke’s reverie. “When he said the accident was as much his fault as yours?”

  Luke stepped around her so he could look out at the cresting shoreline. Would he ever get tired of the sound of waves or the smell of midmorning salt air? “No idea.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Luke.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop, pinning him with a look Luke was convinced Simon had been on the receiving end of on more than one occasion. “I can deal with a lot of things, but not being lied to.” The ferocity in her voice, the flash of hurt and anger mingling in her eyes, reminded him that not all had been perfect between her and Gray. “What don’t I know?”

  As many doors to the past as had been opened recently, this wasn’t one he wanted to walk through. Not with things going as well as they were between them. “It’s nothing that makes any difference, Holly.” He started to cover her hand with his, but before he made contact, he closed his fist, dropped his arm. As much as he wanted to touch her, to have some physical contact, there wasn’t anywhere for his growing feelings for her to go. “The accident was what it was. It’s over.”

  “So there is something.” Her fingers squeezed; a silent plea for him to continue. “Luke, I’ve spent a lot of years blaming you and only you. If I’m wrong about—”

  “That’s the thing, Holly.” Luke couldn’t help but stare into her eyes, the swirling depths catching hold of him and threatening to drag him down. “You’re not wrong. I got into that car after I’d been drinking. I knew I shouldn’t, but I did it anyway. And your father ended up paying the price. Nothing else matters.”

  He tried to tug his arm free, but she hung on and moved in front of him, that defiant, determined look on her face.

  “Where were you going?”

  “I’m following your son.”

  “Not funny.” Holly shook her head. “The more you evade my questions, the more I’m certain there’s something you and my father are keeping from me. Where were you driving to that night?”

  “Why do you care?” He hated the desperation he heard in his own voice—whiny, complaining. It was bad enough he couldn’t leave the past behind him. He didn’t want her to have to deal with the same. “Holly, what possible difference does all this make now?”

  She snatched her hand off his arm as if she’d been burned. “Because the man I’ve come to know these past couple of weeks isn’t anything like I imagined you’d become. It makes me wonder if I misjudged you from the start,” she said.

  “You didn’t.”

  “Yeah, see, the more you insist, the less I believe you.” She planted her hands on her hips. “We’re having this out right now, so I’m asking you for the last time, what really happened?”

  Luke caught sight of Jake’s car pulling up in front of the community center. Any hope he might have had that Simon and Charlie would prove a distraction vanished as they raced to greet Jake and help him unload what looked like a full load of paint supplies. Luke sighed. Could fighting with Holly be any more exhausting? But while telling her the actual circumstances of the night wouldn’t change anything for him, maybe it would finally give her some peace of mind. “Prom night’s always been a busy night for your dad and the deputies.”

  “Yeah. I remember he was ready to go out on patrol while I was getting dressed.” Holly inclined her head, the spark of frustration he’d seen in her eyes fading as she fell into the conversation.

  “You probably noticed I didn’t go. I had the house to myself, was drinking myself pretty stupid. Hoping to pass out before my old man got home.” There it was. Luke ground his teeth as the sympathy slipped over Holly’s pretty features. He took a deep breath, scrubbed a hand down his face. “I was almost there when the phone rang. It was your dad. He’d gotten a call from the bartender at the Dirty Rose complaining about my father, but he was on his way to the high school to make sure no one had been drinking before they got into their cars.”

  “He still does that.” Holly’s stance shifted. She folded her arms over her chest as she watched his face for any change of expression. “Or he did.”

  “Your dad asked me to go pick my father up. He didn’t want him in the drunk tank that night because there weren’t enough deputies on shift to watch out for him. He told me to drive straight there to get him so he could sleep it off at home.”

  Comprehension shone in her eyes. “Dad didn’t know you’d been drinking.”

  “I didn’t have the chance to te
ll him.” Why did he feel compelled to convince her he’d never meant any harm? He shouldn’t care what Holly thought of him, but he did. Other than Jake, he couldn’t think of anyone else on this planet he wanted to think well of him. “Looking back, I didn’t realize how impaired I was. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve wondered if only I had realized, or if I hadn’t picked up the phone, how so many things would have been different.”

  Holly ducked her chin, but not before he saw her flinch. Well, she’d wanted to know. No turning back now.

  “There was a part of me that was proud your father thought he could rely on me to handle the situation. By then Dad and I occupied the same space, but we didn’t interact. Not after I gave him a dose of what he’d dished out to me all those years. So I got into my car and headed into town.”

  Tears filled Holly’s brown eyes. “And crashed into my father’s patrol car on the way.”

  His shoulders felt heavy, as if he was caving in on himself. “I did what I could to help him, Holly. I swear I did.”

  She nodded, but didn’t move. Her eyes had gone distant, perhaps peering into the past he was describing.

  “I can’t explain it, but the crash jolted me out of the stupor I was in. I called 911 before I even got out of the car and I stayed with him until the ambulance got there. I even remember...” He’d tried to pull the memories free for years. “I think I took off my shirt and tied it around his leg to try to stop the bleeding.”

  “Wait, what?” Holly blinked out of her stupor, but he couldn’t meet her gaze, not as the guilt descended again with the force of two lifetimes.

  Holly closed her eyes, freeing the tears to splash down her pale cheeks.

  “Holly, don’t. Please.” Luke reached out to brush his fingers against her face, but stopped himself. “Simon’s not the only one who doesn’t like to see you cry. I only wish I could do more than apologize to make things right. You see, I knew there wasn’t any point of telling you. None of it matters.”