I dumped all my belongings into the backseat of my Civic. At least my car was paid for. No one could take that away from me. I made the drive back to The Gables on autopilot, and when I parked in front of the guest house, I realized it was a miracle I’d made it back without getting in an accident.
I climbed out of my car but left all my stuff in the backseat. I’d deal with it later. Right now, I needed my comfiest sweats and to wrap myself in my coziest blanket. So, that’s precisely what I did. I curled myself in the overstuffed chair that had the best view of the ocean and simply stared out at the water. I watched the waves riot the way I wanted to, screaming at how unfair life could be. I lost myself in the rhythm of it all, trying to let it soothe all my frayed edges.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when someone knocked on my door. I didn’t move or make a sound. Hopefully, whoever it was would take the hint and leave, assuming I’d gone for a run or something. Another knock sounded, this one a bit more forceful.
The sound of a key in the lock hit me seconds before the door opened. I muttered something about nosy friends and pushed to my feet. “Hey,” I greeted, my voice a little hoarse.
Caelyn cast a worried look at Bell. “We’ve been calling you for the past two hours.”
I winced. “I think I left my phone in the car.”
Bell shut the door carefully. “We were worried.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” After everything that had happened to her a few months ago, we’d been a bit more cautious with our personal safety. Leaving my phone in the car when I didn’t have a landline wasn’t something I’d typically do.
“When you didn’t call us back, we went by Cornerstone,” Bell began. Oh, crap. “They said you’d been let go. Why didn’t you call us?”
Her voice was gentle, but the hurt on Bell’s face had guilt leaving a sour taste in my mouth. “I just—I needed a minute to wrap my head around everything.” Mainly the fact that my life was crumbling around me.
Caelyn moved in closer. “I get that. But we want to be here for you.”
There was a pull inside me at her words, a tug of war between wanting to lean on them and wanting to stand on my own two feet. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I really do. My head is a mess, and I was just trying to sort it out before I called anyone.”
“You’re trying to keep us out,” Bell said. “When you’re hurting, you want to keep everyone at arm’s length.”
I opened my mouth to argue, anger lighting in my belly. But before I could get the words out, a realization hit me. When something sidelined me, I went turtle on the world, crawling into my shell and not letting anyone close. If I didn’t let anyone close, then they couldn’t hurt me worse than the pain I was already experiencing. But I didn’t want to be that way anymore. “You’re right. I don’t mean to do it. It’s just second nature.”
Bell glanced from me to Caelyn. “Did she just admit I was right about something?”
Caelyn grinned. “I think she did.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get too excited. You’re still wrong about plenty.” Another knock sounded on the door. “Who now?”
Bell looked sheepish. “I might’ve called Ford, and he probably called Crosby.”
My eyes closed. I didn’t want Crosby here right now. He’d seen me at my lowest too many times already. Yes, I’d begun to let my guard down around him, but that didn’t mean I had no pride left. I was so tired of falling apart.
The door swung open before anyone could say another word. Crosby strode in, eyes blazing as they swept the room, zeroing in on me. The intensity of his gaze seared me to the spot. His long legs ate up the space until he was pulling me roughly into his arms. “I’m so sorry.”
Crosby’s embrace was like the rest of him: uninhibited and free. He held me so tightly, I was probably losing blood to my extremities. But I didn’t care. I needed that touch of ferocity right now. It was as if his arms might be able to hold me together. Keep me from breaking when the world was falling down around me.
I burrowed my face in his chest, inhaling deeply. The faint scent of ocean air clung to his tee. But underneath, it was all Crosby. As I let his essence fill me, soothe the day’s pain, the last bits of the walls I’d been clinging to tumbled to the ground.
37
Crosby
Kenna’s body gave a small shudder, and I pulled her tighter against me, resting my chin on her head. Her body melted into mine in that perfect way. I wanted my embrace to be enough to protect her from all the bullshit that had been thrown at her lately. She’d endured more than any person should have to in these past few months. How she was standing and not rocking in a corner somewhere was beyond me. But one thing was for certain: my girl was strong. Tough as nails. She’d get through this, too.
“Not to interrupt this tender moment,” Bell began as Ford wrapped an arm around her. “But what the hell happened?”
I pressed my lips to Kenna’s hair and scowled at Bell. “Give her a minute, would you?”
Kenna wiggled in my arms, trying to get free of my hold. I reluctantly released her, feeling the loss instantly. Kenna motioned towards the living area. “Come on. We might as well sit down.”
I pulled Kenna down next to me on the couch, needing whatever small touch I could get in the moment. The rest of the group settled on chairs, and Caelyn opted for the floor. I gave Kenna’s hand a squeeze, and she returned the gesture. “My boss is an asshole.”
Caelyn choked on a giggle, and Bell rolled her eyes. “Not a newsflash. He’s had it out for you since day one.”
I hadn’t gotten a good vibe off the guy, but the girls’ statements just solidified my feelings. I might be paying Chris Woodward a visit. Or making his business life on Anchor very uncomfortable.
Kenna toyed with the string on her sweatpants. I’d never seen her in clothes like these. Even her normal loungewear was somehow put-together. These sweats looked as if they were three washes away from disintegrating altogether. “He’s been looking for a way to get me out for years. But he’s never had any leverage. The Abbots gave him what he needed.”
My fingers dug into the arm of the couch. “What do you mean?”
Ford leaned forward in his chair. “The Abbots don’t do business around here. I don’t think they’re clients of Cornerstone either.”
Kenna kept knotting and unknotting her sweatpants’ string. “But they do have relationships with some of my clients. The Cove, the marina, and Island Sports all asked to be reassigned.”
“What the hell?” Bell pushed to her feet and began pacing. “What is wrong with people? You’re the best accountant on this whole island. You’re a true local. And a good person. And these jerks are willing to throw all of that away because the Abbots aren’t getting what they want?”
Kenna gave a small shrug. “You know their influence.”
“And who knows what Grant promised them.” I wanted to break something. Preferably something heavy…over Grant’s head. I’d seen ugly tactics during legal battles in Boston, but nothing like that had ever happened during one of my cases on Anchor. Leave it to the Abbot family to bring this island low.
Bell paused in her pacing and turned back to the group. “Did that boss of yours even bother to ask the rest of your clients what they thought of your service before jumping all over you?” Kenna started to answer, but Bell kept right on going. “Of course, he didn’t. Because he’s a pompous, jealous dingleberry!”
The room went silent. Then one by one, laughter overtook us all. Kenna pushed into my side, and I wrapped an arm around her, simply enjoying the feel of her body shaking with amusement instead of grief.
Ford wiped a tear from his eye. “Tell us how you really feel, Trouble.”
Her cheeks heated. “I don’t like that man.”
“I can tell.” Ford arched a brow. “Dingleberry?”
“I was flustered. It just popped out.”
Caelyn coughed. “It’s a good word.”
Kenna nodd
ed. “In fact, from now on, Chris will only be referred to as Dingleberry.”
Bell pressed a finger to her lips in an exaggerated thinking pose. “It does have a certain ring to it.”
I shook my head and pulled Kenna closer against me. These women were goofy as hell, but it did my soul good to see some of the heaviness leave Kenna’s shoulders. Unfortunately, I had to put it right back on. “We need to think about where they might hit next.”
Kenna stiffened. “What else is there? They’re trying to take my home. They already took my job. You guys know what they’re doing, so it’s not like they’ll be able to turn you against me. What else is there?”
I heard a desperate edge to Kenna’s voice. One that said she was at her wits’ end. I didn’t blame her. “I’m not sure where they might strike next, but I want us to be prepared. To cut them off at the knees.”
Ford tugged on Bell’s hand, pulling her into his lap. “Crosby has a point. Do you have any loans? I’m pretty sure Clark is tight with the local branch manager.”
Kenna let out what almost sounded like a growl. “No. My car is paid for, and I don’t have anything else that required a loan. But what if I get kicked out of The Gables and want to buy a house? How much do you want to bet that loan gets denied?” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m so damn tired. This is just like before. The Abbots beat me down into exhaustion with a million smaller attacks.”
She had a point. From what Kenna had told me about the time she was pregnant, the Abbots had tried to grind her down. I was sure they thought that if they threw enough at her, she’d agree to not put Grant’s name on the birth certificate. I didn’t even want to think about them possibly pressuring her to get an abortion.
“This isn’t going to last forever. The case will be settled within a matter of weeks, and we have the truth on our side.” I was actually taking these new attacks against Kenna as a good sign.
Caelyn spoke from her spot on the floor. “They know they’re going to lose, don’t they? That’s why they’re pulling all of this crud.”
“How is any of this even legal?” Bell asked.
I rubbed the back of my skull, where a headache was starting to form. “So far, he hasn’t done anything explicitly illegal. We could file a complaint with the courts, but it might do us more harm than good.”
Bell’s gaze met mine. “Why?”
Kenna answered first. “Because Grant and Hotchkiss will twist my complaint in their favor. And I’ll come across as a whiny brat.” She turned to me. “Judge Moore wouldn’t like that, would he?”
I shook my head. “He’s not a fan of squeaky wheels or anything that appears to be personal drama. I think Grant was counting on us filing something.”
Kenna straightened. “Then that’s exactly what we won’t do. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he rattled me.”
I pressed my lips to her temple. “That’s my girl.” Tough as nails. But that knowledge didn’t stop the urge I had to lock her away and stand between her and anything that might cause her pain.
Kenna pushed to her feet. “I need my laptop and my phone.”
“What for?” Bell asked.
“I’m going to call every single one of my clients and tell them I’m putting out my own shingle.” The color had come back to Kenna’s face, and with this new sense of purpose, an energy that I hadn’t seen in days.
Ford grinned. “You know, I’ve been thinking about getting an accountant for the bar now that Bell is focused on her shop. I hate doing payroll. Think you got a spot for The Catch on your roster?”
Kenna was silent for a moment, the kindness of the gesture seeming to take her by surprise. “You’re my first official client…Thank you.” She looked around the room. “All of you.”
38
Kenna
“Thank you so much, Mr. Carpenter. I really appreciate your confidence in me.”
Mr. Carpenter’s gritty laugh sounded over the line. “I’ve told you before. Call me John. And I’m always down for anything that will stick it to The Man. Plus, you’re a damn good accountant.”
I grinned down at my papers that were sprawled across the coffee table. “Well, no matter your reasoning, I appreciate it.”
“I’ll see you next week, Kenna.”
“Next week, John.” I hung up with a sigh. But a happy one.
“That was the last one?”
I looked up to see Crosby removing what looked like takeout from Rocco’s out of a bag. He’d made Bell and Ford stay with me while he ran out to grab a few things, but now, it was just the two of us.
“All done.”
He plated two heaping slices of lasagna along with some Caesar salad. “Verdict?”
“Everybody except one person is staying with me.”
Crosby beamed, the smile hitting me right in the belly or maybe the heart. It was devastating. “That calls for a celebration.”
I pushed to my feet and stretched, my back stiff from hunching over the coffee table. “I’d say you’re right.”
As soon as I was within snatching range, Crosby pulled me to him and slid into a hungry kiss, his tongue tangling with mine and leaving me just a touch breathless. “I’m proud of you.”
I pushed the hair away from his face so I could see his eyes a little better. Eyes that had somehow become my safe place—maybe even more than The Gables were. “I’m proud of me, too. I never would’ve been brave enough to strike out on my own when I had the safety of the firm to fall back on. It would’ve felt too risky. But I’m going to make a heck of a lot more money working on my own.”
“Well, you’re taking me out on the town tomorrow, then.”
I gave Crosby a quick kiss. “I’ll keep you fed.”
He chuckled, the sound sending pleasant vibrations through me. “Are you going to work out of the guest house, or try to find a spot to rent in town?”
“I think I’d like to find a place in town. It’s more convenient for clients. And I’ll have to get an assistant at some point.” My lips twitched. “Maybe I can bribe Penny away from you.”
Crosby released me, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t even think about it. Without her, the wheels fall off my whole life.”
“All right, all right. I’ll leave Penny be.”
Crosby opened a bottle of red wine that smelled heavenly. Soon, we were discussing all the plans I had for my new business while we devoured our delicious food. I didn’t think about the fact that the meal was way too decadent for a weeknight or what Grant might be planning to cause me more trouble. I just enjoyed being with a man who was just as excited about my dreams and plans as I was.
Crosby tugged my stool closer to him, his hands sliding up my thighs. “Am I allowed to stay tonight?”
I pursed my lips and glanced to the side. “I’ll consider it…”
Crosby leaned in, his lips lightly trailing up my throat. “What do I have to do to convince you?”
“I’d say you’re off to a good start…” Just the brush of his lips against my skin had my body coming alive. I’d never had as much sex with a partner as Crosby and I seemed to find time for. And the activity levels had seemed to train my body’s response. The skim of his fingers, the touch of his mouth, and my body knew exactly what was coming next. But it was more than that. My body had let Crosby in. Trusted him. And my heart was following suit.
I couldn’t deny the bite of fear that thought brought on, but at the same time, the incredible comfort it delivered. I wasn’t going to play my usual games, trying to micromanage or predict the future. I was going to let myself fall.
“I need you.”
The words were barely audible but seemed to send an electric current through Crosby. He was on his feet in a flash. I wrapped my legs around him as he lifted me, going gladly. He was through the door of my bedroom in a handful of steps. But instead of his typical playful toss, he lowered me to the bed slowly as if he were soaking up the experience.
Crosby stared down at me, my hair in a
messy array around my head, and I could feel his gaze like a physical caress. Every point he touched with his sight seemed to brim with energy and heighten the pull towards him. My eyes. My hair. The apples of my cheeks. The slope of my neck.
Crosby cupped my face. “You’re so damn beautiful.”
I fought the blush that wanted to surface. Instead, I reached up to touch his cheek. The longish stubble on his face pricked at my palm, sending a new riot of sensations down my arm. “You’re beautiful, too.”
His eyebrow arched. “Not my usual compliment. But I’ll take it.”
“It’s true. And not just this.” I placed both palms against his cheeks. “But in here.” I slid a hand down to hover over the left side of his chest. Crosby had one of the best hearts I’d ever known. All he did for Zoe and the kids at the Alliance. Everything he’d done for Harriet. And the endless gifts he’d given me.
“I love you” was on the tip of my tongue. I knew it wouldn’t be received like the gift I wanted it to be. Crosby would see it as chains attempting to tie him down, when all I wanted was for the words to make him soar.
“You’re an incredible man.” It wasn’t what I wanted to say to him, but it’d have to do.
“Kenna.” The single word was almost guttural as if torn from him. But no words followed. Only actions. Each movement was painstakingly slow, almost reverent. From gently pulling my sweats from my body to tenderly sliding inside me.
The pace Crosby set was a love letter without words. Sentiments he might never say aloud but gave with his body. Each stroke seared those silent emotions to my flesh. My hips rose to meet him, seeking more, because with Crosby, I’d never have enough.
His thrusts picked up speed, golden muscles bowing and flexing as he moved. It was beautiful to watch. Crosby palmed one of my breasts, his fingers tracing my nipple, then teasing and toying. The action sent sparks through my nerve endings. But still, I needed more.
Perfect Wreckage Page 21
