Shale gave her a double take.
"He's having a party."
"Oh. I don't want to go there." Shale held his head.
"Head hurt?" Freya asked.
He closed his eyes and nodded.
She turned the radio up.
"Hey, what's that for?"
"For getting drunk and ruining my date." Freya stared into his eyes. "Tell me the truth. How long has this been going on?"
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do. How long?"
"A while."
"How long is a while?"
"I don't know. I guess a month or so after Mia died."
"Seriously?" Freya exclaimed. "For almost a year?"
Shale shrugged.
"We need to get you to some meetings." She glanced back and pulled out of the parking spot.
"What? No. I'm not an alcoholic."
"Clearly."
"Just stay and help me through this. I'll stop drinking. I swear."
"I can't replace Mia."
"Ew."
"Gross." She shoved him. "That's not what I meant. Emotionally. I can't replace her emotionally. You need to get professional help, Shale. If you won't talk to anyone else about her pregnancy, then you need to tell a counselor. You're going to dig yourself into an early grave if you keep this up."
"And that would be a problem because…?"
"Because it would kill Mom and Dad. Me. Everyone else you know."
"Everyone's been getting along just fine with me back home, out of their hair."
"Why would that be?" Freya tapped her finger against the steering wheel. "Oh, wait! I know. Because you were alive and well, and no one thought we had any reason to worry. You told us all you were fine. 'Just keeping busy with work. That's all.' You said that every single time I talked to you."
"So, I left out the part about the booze. Big deal."
"It is a big deal."
"I'm not seeing a shrink."
"Then join a meeting. Get a sponsor. Someone who understands addiction. I don't."
Shale mumbled something Freya couldn't understand. They drove in silence and Freya pulled over into the empty parking lot of the beach.
"What are you doing?" Shale exclaimed.
"We're going for a walk."
"You made me leave my coat back there."
"I saw one of Dad's in the backseat."
"Great. A really groovy one from the 70s."
"Or you could freeze. Your choice. Either way, we're getting some fresh ocean air."
"Fresh? Try sub-arctic."
Freya snorted. "Dramatic much? Come on." She reached back, grabbed Dad's jacket, and threw it at Shale.
"You could try being nice."
"And you could try not getting drunk."
He grumbled, but put on the coat. It was one Dad had worn since they were kids. Any other time, she would have laughed seeing her brother in it.
They got out, and Freya locked the car with the remote. There was an icy breeze that grew stronger as they got closer to the water.
"Is this really necessary?" Shale pulled the furry hood over his head.
"I could always throw you in the bay."
He glared at her.
"Would it help you stop drinking?"
"Probably not."
She picked up her pace and led Shale to some benches near the shore. When they were teenagers, they would often go there and have long talks about life—back when they'd thought they had big problems. What she wouldn't give to go back to those days when her biggest worry was whether or not some guy liked her or if she would flunk a test.
"Why did you start drinking?" She stared at him.
Shale let out a long, slow breath. "Just did."
Freya shoved him. "You said it was a month or two later. Why not right away?"
He stared at the water and sighed. "I was in shock. It didn't seem real. One minute we were decorating a nursery, the next… she was gone. They both were. Everything reminded me of their loss. The wife I adored and the child I would never get to see or hold." His voice cracked. "I'll never even know if it was a boy or girl."
Freya turned to him. Tears shone in his eyes in the moonlight. Her anger melted away. She took his hand and squeezed.
"I'm so sorry. Really, I am."
He sniffled. "I could've found out the gender. They asked if I wanted to know when they did the autopsy, but I said no. I couldn't deal with the pain. Plus, Mia never knew. It just didn't seem right."
Freya nodded, at a rare loss for words. A lump formed in her throat.
He let out a long, slow breath. "People say time heals all wounds. It's not doing anything for me."
"Maybe because of the alcohol. You're not giving time a chance."
"I'm not seeing a shrink, either."
"You already said that."
"What am I supposed to do, then?" He wiped his eyes.
"Talk to someone. We all care for you."
"I know." He sighed. "I just thought I could handle this on my own."
"Honestly?" she exclaimed.
He turned to look at her. "Yeah, I did, actually."
"You're way too prideful for your own good."
"I'm talking to you about it, aren't I?"
"After a year. After turning to alcohol."
Shale turned back to the water. Freya played with the rocky sand with the toe of her boot.
"Who are you going to talk to after I leave?"
"I can call you."
"I'm not flying out to bail you out of a mess."
He played with a zipper. "I know."
"Who are you going to talk to—Logan? Sully?"
Shale shook his head. "Those guys are as successful as they come. They won't understand."
"Logan deals with people on the worst day of their lives all the time. It's his job to keep people's secrets."
"But not a Hunter. We don't crash and burn."
Freya laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"He's gone down to Kittle Falls to help two of our cousins. Hunters in trouble. He doesn't think less of either one of them."
"Who?" Shale asked.
"Brayden and Rafael."
Shale's eyes came together. "They're just as successful as Logan and Sullivan."
"And they managed to find themselves in need of legal help. Brayden was even jailed."
Shale flinched. "No way. Perfect Brayden?"
Freya patted Shale's hand. "No one's perfect."
Shale swore. "I guess not. How do you know all this?"
"Because I call home and talk to my family." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I even called you, if you remember. But you lied to me about how you were really doing."
"No, I didn't. Omitted some facts, is all."
"Same difference."
He shivered. "Mind if we go somewhere warm?"
Freya pulled out her phone. "We've still got some time before dessert and games with the fam."
Shale put his hands up to his face. "I forgot about that."
"Tell you what. We'll grab some coffee. Hopefully it'll give your blood some time to dilute the alcohol. Maybe no one will notice."
"And I can say I'm jet lagged."
"You should consider talking to Logan."
"Maybe."
She glared at him.
"Fine. I'll consider it."
"Why don't I believe you?" Freya asked.
"I will. I'll think about it."
"You'd better. Come on, let's get that coffee. Oh, and Shale?"
"What?"
"If you try to interrupt my date again, you're going to have to wait. Or better yet, call someone else. Got it?"
"Sure."
"I'm serious."
He stared into her eyes. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Call Logan."
"No, I mean how am I supposed to get through this? Losing them." The pain in his eyes pierced to her heart.
Freya took his hand. "We'll help you, all of us. But you have to let
everyone in. And getting drunk isn't the way to go."
He shrugged.
"I'm serious. I'll tell the others what's going on."
Shale yanked his hand away. "You wouldn't. You promised."
"I'd rather have you mad at me than spiraling toward your death."
"That's melodramatic."
"Is it?"
His brows came together.
"Do you know what excessive alcohol does to your—"
"I don't need a lecture."
"And aside from that, what happens when that vice isn't enough? Where do you turn next?"
He rubbed his temples. "You're giving me a headache. Let's get that coffee."
Any icy breeze blew by. Freya shivered. "You're paying."
"Already am," he muttered.
"What?"
"It's on me."
They got into the car and Freya cranked the heat as high as it would go. She slid off her gloves and put her hands up to the vent, trying to warm them. "I hope you know I honestly do care about you and everything you've gone through." She turned to face him. "It breaks my heart that you lost Mia and the baby. I wish I could have been there for you in person, but I would have talked with you more on the phone—if you'd have told me how you were really doing."
"I know, I know. I was trying to tough it out."
Freya shook her head. "You can't power through something like that. You need your friends and family. Not drugs."
He looked down and played with a nail. "How am I supposed to quit?"
"Have you been listening to me? Lean on us. Go to meetings. I've never been addicted to anything, so I don't know. I'm sure Logan has helped plenty of people in your position. That's why I keep saying to talk to him."
Freya glanced back, pulled out of the spot, and onto the road.
"I do want to get my life together. I want to quit. Or at least down to just social drinking."
"That's good. I'm sure that wanting to change is probably the first step. You won't make any progress if you don't at least want to."
"I guess."
"What would Mia think?" Freya asked.
"Huh?"
"If she were here and you were getting drunk like this."
"Then I wouldn't be getting drunk every night."
"Every night? Really, Shale?"
"There's a coffee place."
"Nice change of subject." Freya pulled up to the curb not far from the entrance and cut the engine. She dug into her purse and pulled out some painkillers and handed him a couple.
"Thanks. You took those on the plane?"
"It's never been a problem. They're just ibuprofen. It's not like I have a year's supply on me."
He put them in his mouth and swallowed.
"You could've gotten water inside."
"This headache can't wait."
Freya took a deep breath. It was going to be a long night.
Seven
Nico double-checked the address on the house with the one on the GPS. It matched the one Freya had given him. He turned off the car and squeezed his key chain. With any luck, he and Freya could have a nice date without any distractions. He'd told the captain not to call him unless it was life or death—as in one of their men was in trouble.
He took a deep breath, got out of the car, and glanced at the passenger seat. Hopefully the bouquet of flowers wasn't too much. She might think they were cheesy, but he wanted to make a lasting impression. Even if she couldn't bring them with her, at least they might help her to remember him when she got back to the city.
It was way too soon to even consider anything long-term, but he really liked the idea of being able to talk to her on the phone from across the country. With his schedule, that would probably be for the best. They could get to know each other slowly, and if they did find they had something with potential, maybe he would be at a place where he had more stable hours—if she even had plans to return to Enchantment Bay one day.
Nico slammed the door. He was getting way too far ahead of himself. It was one date. And with Logan Hunter's sister. If they got together and broke up, that could make for a really awkward working relationship with one of the best attorneys in the area.
Again, he was getting ahead of himself. She was flying out the next morning. Her twin brother could need her again, and she'd run off again. Or work could call, needing Nico right away.
Maybe all this happened to show him how ridiculous it was to even consider a relationship. Some jobs were more conducive to relationships and families than others. He was more than aware of the fact that those in the force had a much higher incidence of divorce than most professions.
Why was he thinking about divorce? He opened the passenger door and grabbed the flowers. It was just a date. He had the chance to spend the evening with a beautiful woman. That was it.
He closed the door and headed up the walkway to the large house. Did all the Hunters live in such large, gorgeous dwellings?
Nico rang the doorbell and held the bouquet, trying to look natural. He realized his badge was still attached to his belt, but he couldn't remove it with only one hand, so he tried to cover it with the flowers. Hopefully Freya wouldn't think he was pompous for wearing it. It was just a habit to keep it in sight at all times, whether on duty or off. Especially with the frequency he was called in.
The door opened and Freya's sister answered with a big smile. "Welcome to my home, Nico. Come on in. Freya's almost ready."
He stepped inside and she closed the door.
"Brr. It's so cold out there. It's going to be a long winter, isn't it?"
"That's what they're calling for. It's brutal for January."
Dakota eyed the bouquet. "Oh, pretty flowers. I hope she wants to put those in the living room. Let me get her. Hold on."
Nico nodded and then turned to a large, elegant mirror on the wall. It looked like something that belonged in a castle. He didn't look so bad, either. Better than usual, but then again he'd spent far more time getting ready than he could remember in a long time.
Conversation sounded. He turned toward the stairs and nearly dropped the bouquet when he saw Freya. Her long hair now had a wave and cascaded over her shoulders. She wore a shimmery sea-foam green top with dark blue skinny jeans and short black boots.
"Hi, Nico." She smiled, brightening her entire face.
His heart raced. He held out the flowers to her while trying to find his voice. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you." She took them and took a deep breath. "I love these. Let me put them in—"
"Nonsense." Dakota grabbed them from Freya. "I'll take care of them. You two kids have fun."
Freya took a black leather jacket from the coat rack and Nico helped her slide it on. Dakota ushered them out the door into the freezing cold and closed the door.
"Don't mind her," Freya said. "She's a wedding planner, so she gets a bit excited about people going on dates."
He laughed. "Prospective business?"
"All she thinks about is romance." Freya shook her head.
"Is she married?"
Freya shook her head. "She hasn't found the right guy, but she enjoys living vicariously through her clients."
Nico opened the passenger door and closed it after she sat. They made small talk on the way to the restaurant. At least they were going in one car, so neither of them could run off if a phone rang.
When they arrived at the restaurant, they were immediately ushered to their table. Nico had been smart enough to make reservations.
"Oh, this is nice." Freya glanced out the window. They had a clear view of the bay. There were even lights down near the shore, giving them a better look since it was already dusk. "How did you get this table?"
"I asked nicely." He smiled, enjoying the sight of her far more than the outside view.
"You must have. I've never been able to get a table by the windows here."
"It does help to have connections." He patted his badge. His job brought a lot of them, and it was nice to be
able to use them once in a while.
The server came with waters and menus. "Would you like to start off with bread and garlic oil?"
Freya turned to Nico. "Does that sound good to you?"
He tipped his head. "It's up to you."
She smiled and turned to the server. "That would be wonderful. Thank you."
"I'll give you a minute to look over the menus." She headed to another table.
"Order anything you'd like," Nico said.
"Okay." She turned to the salad menu.
"They have the best lobster in town."
Her gorgeous dark blue eyes widened. "Are you sure? I—"
"Of course. We're here to enjoy ourselves."
When the server came back with the bread, they ordered wine and their meals. Nico laughed and joked easily with her. He found himself having a great time and forgetting all about the big case. It had been such a long time since he had gone on a date, he'd expected to be rusty, but with Freya, they got along like they'd known each other for years.
It was actually nice to have a life again, even if it was only temporary. Maybe even because it was just a short-term thing.
The server stopped at the table after they had finished the meal. "Are you two ready for dessert?"
Freya rubbed her stomach. "Sorry, I think would explode."
"We can't have that," Nico said. "I'll take the check."
"Coming right up. Do you want some boxes, too?"
"I don't think we have enough to worry about it." Freya had only eaten a salad. She said because it had salmon, it was a complete meal. Nico could never eat just a salad for a meal, no matter how much meat it had on it.
"Okay. I'll be right back." She turned around and took off.
Nico smiled at Freya. "This has been really fun. Still up for a movie?"
Her face lit up. "Definitely, and I'm having a great time, too."
His heart warmed as she gazed at him. "So, is there a movie in particular you want to see?"
She paused, looking both thoughtful and beautiful. Nico's breath caught.
"Do you like rom-coms?" she asked.
"What's that?"
"Sorry. Romantic comedy."
No, he didn't watch them, but he'd definitely see a chick flick for her. "Anything you'd like is fine with me. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw a movie in the theater."
Bayside Wishes Page 5
