by Marie Force
The wealthy Donovans, summer residents for decades until they retired and became year-rounders five years ago, had never approved of his interest in their fair-haired daughter. However, they’d told him she had an internship, a fantastic opportunity, and wouldn’t be coming out that summer. Luke, who’d been unable to leave the island for college because of his ailing mother, had already waited nearly a year to see Syd again. The news that she wasn’t coming had crushed him. And that she hadn’t seen fit to tell him herself pointed to the unimaginable possibility that she had met someone else.
That summer he became a loner. Of course there had been other women since her but only to provide an occasional physical release. None of them had mattered to him.
He wondered, as he crept through the brush, did she still have that long strawberry blonde hair that reached almost to her waist? How many times over the years had he recalled the way her gorgeous hair would drape them off from the rest of the world as she straddled him and rode him to one incredible climax after another? Did she still get a thousand new freckles for every hour she spent in the sun? Were her eyes still as blue as the ocean and her pale skin soft as silk? Would she ever again let loose with her trademark all-consuming laugh? Had she loved her husband as sweetly and as purely as she had once loved him? Did she ever think about him? About them? About what they’d shared for the four most memorable summers of his life?
As he approached the big yellow house with the wide front porch, he knew he might never get the answers he so desperately wanted. The last person she needed to see in the midst of her terrible grief was an old boyfriend who’d never stopped loving her or thinking about her or remembering her.
But he needed to see her.
In the Donovans’ yard, he got as close as he dared to the well-lit porch, thankful for the lingering clouds that dimmed the moon’s glow. When he saw her sitting in a rocker, a quilt around her shoulders, he suppressed a gasp. There, after all this time, his Sydney, the love of his life. He hadn’t seen her in sixteen years but would’ve known her anywhere. Her long hair had been cut to shoulder length, but the color was just as beautiful and vibrant as he remembered. It wasn’t possible to tell whether she still had freckles or if her eyes were as blue.
She stared out at the distant pond, lost in thought. While he’d like to think she was remembering him and their time together, he knew she was picturing her children playing on the rolling lawn and beach. They’d come every summer, her and her banker husband and their two children. Luke had never seen them, had never thought to seek her out, but he’d always known exactly when they came and exactly when they left. Since she was married and lost to him, it hadn’t occurred to Luke to try to see her again. That chapter was closed, finished. She had chosen someone else, and Luke had no alternative but to live with it.
As he watched her on the porch, he barely took a breath. His heart beat so hard and so fast he was sure she could hear it. How could she not? And then she began to cry, and it took everything he had to stay where he was, out of sight, out of mind, out of reach. Her anguished sobs reached him in places no one but her had ever touched. His own eyes burned and filled, but he didn’t move. Time crawled to a stop, and he had no idea if he remained crouched beside the porch for five minutes or an hour. When the cramps in his legs became painful, he eased himself down to the damp grass. He knew he should go but couldn’t leave her all alone. Not when she was so sad.
After a while, her mother stepped onto the porch and bent to put her arms around her grieving daughter. Luke watched Mrs. Donovan help Sydney to her feet and slowly guide her inside. Syd moved as if she was still in great physical pain, which was hard for him to watch. For a long time after she went inside and the porch light went out, Luke stayed there, needing to be as close to her as possible.
And then, sometime later when he trusted that his legs would actually carry him, he made his way back down the path to the rowboat at the beach, already knowing he’d come back tomorrow night.
Probably the night after as well.
Janey lay on the sofa staring up at the ceiling. Turning Joe away had been, without a doubt, the most painful moment of her life, and she couldn’t seem to stop crying. Her heart ached when she remembered the shattered look on his face. She would never forget that.
A knock on the door startled her. She sat up. Had he come back?
Mac walked in and came right to her. Sitting next to her, he put his arms around her.
As her brother’s familiar and comforting scent surrounded her, Janey lost it all over again.
“Shh,” he said, brushing a hand over her hair. “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“I hurt him,” she said between sobs.
Riley let out a concerned whimper and dragged himself over to her.
Hoping to reassure him, Janey reached out to scratch behind his ears. Among her many concerns since receiving Doc’s call earlier was how she would manage eight pets in a Columbus apartment.
“What did he say?” Janey asked Mac.
“He’s confused. He can’t figure out what happened since this morning.”
“Maddie told you?”
Mac brushed the hair off her damp face and smiled at her. “I’m so proud of you. Doctor Janey. How about that?”
Tears spilled from her eyes, and Janey wondered if they would ever stop. “You know why I had to end it with Joe, don’t you? I couldn’t string him along for the next month and then try to manage another long-distance relationship.”
“You’re not giving him enough credit.”
“He’d walk away from everything that matters to him so I could realize my dreams. I couldn’t do that to him.”
Mac sat back against the sofa, bringing her with him. She rested her face on his chest, and he kept an arm around her. If he’d asked first, Janey would’ve told him not to come, but she was glad he had.
“Has he told you about how he came to own the company?”
“Wasn’t it his family’s business?”
“Uh-huh. Remember his grandparents? They lived out by the north light?”
“You guys were so much older than me—back then,” she said with a small smile. “I never met them. I knew they were important to him, though.”
“His dad was killed in a car accident when he was seven. I guess his mother was kind of a mess afterward. Her parents lived out here, so they packed up their place in the city and moved here. His grandfather had started the ferry company just after World War II. He took Joe under his wing and taught him everything he knew about running boats. Joe discovered he had a natural affinity for anything and everything to do with the water, but it wasn’t his first love.”
“What was?”
“You must know the answer to that by now.”
“Oh. . . the painting!” She sat up so she could see him better. “Have you seen his work?”
Mac nodded. “Quite something, isn’t it?”
“I couldn’t believe it! Why didn’t he go to art school?”
“He was on his way. He’d gotten into one of the best schools in the country, the Savannah College of Art.”
“So what happened? Why didn’t he go?”
Mac tilted his head, and his mouth twisted into an ironic smile.
“Oh, God. His grandfather died, and he felt obligated to keep the company in the family.” Her heart ached when she realized the enormous responsibility he’d inherited at the tender age of eighteen.
“It was never his dream, Janey. He’s had a very satisfying life doing something he truly enjoys, but it wasn’t his first love.”
“I’ve known him all my life, and yet there’s so much about him I don’t know.”
“He loves you more than anything. You have to know that by now. Is there any chance at all that you might love him, too? Even a little?”
Janey blinked back more tears, bit her lip and nodded. “I love him so much.”
“But are you in love with him?”
“Yes,” sh
e whispered, wiping her face. Any final doubts had disappeared the second he walked out her door earlier. “Very much so.”
“It’s not fair for you to make these decisions on his behalf. He’s had his choices taken away before. It’s really the worst thing you could do to him.”
Moaning, she said, “I thought I was doing the right thing for him!”
“What would you say to letting your buttinsky big brother fix this fine mess for you?”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’d say please, by all means, do what you do best and butt in.”
Mac laughed and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry, brat. It’ll all be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”
Mac’s wedding day dawned clear and sunny. He took a cup of coffee to the deck to look out over the yard and the tent that had been erected the day before. It didn’t pay to gamble with New England weather, and Mac was taking no chances that this day would be anything less than perfect. He’d certainly waited long enough to find Maddie. In just a few hours, she’d finally be his wife. And with her came a son who Mac couldn’t have loved any more if he’d been his biological child.
Maddie and Thomas had spent the night at Janey’s, and Mac couldn’t wait to see them later. He’d grown used to his mornings with Thomas and had missed waking up to baby chatter. Mac had arranged for a horse-drawn carriage to pick them up for the wedding. He looked forward to hearing about Thomas’s reaction to that.
A hand landed on Mac’s shoulder, and he turned to find Joe holding a mug.
“Hey, did you sleep okay?” Mac asked.
“Like a dead man. The boys are still out cold.” Joe referred to Mac’s brothers.
Mac studied his good friend and saw none of the agitation and despair that had marked his features earlier in the week, before Mac had cued him into Janey’s news. Today he saw nothing but serenity and determination on Joe’s face.
“Ready for all this?” Joe asked, gesturing to the tent and the arrangement of chairs to the right of the tent where the exchange of vows would take place at two o’clock.
“Absolutely. How about you?”
“Operation Janey is ready to roll.”
Mac smiled. “You’ve thrown her all off kilter with four days of total silence, you know.”
“That’s the very least of what she deserves after what she’s put me through—for years. Yeah, a few days of suffering is just what she needed.”
“You two are well matched,” Mac said, laughing. “Very well matched indeed.”
“You really think so?” Joe asked, showing a hint of vulnerability that tugged at Mac’s heart. Hell, everything tugged at his heart these days.
“You know I do.” Mac took a long swig of coffee. “So what’s the plan?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see,” Joe said with a smug grin.
“Come on! You can tell me. I won’t say anything.”
“Nope.”
“Oh, this is going to be good,” Mac said, chuckling.
“You bet it is.”
Janey had no doubt that she was far more nervous than the bride. While Maddie had been calm and cool all day, Janey felt like she was coming out of her own skin while she waited to see Joe. She knew for a fact that Mac had told him her news days ago, and yet she hadn’t heard a word from Joe since then. If he was trying to punish her, he was doing a damned good job of it.
Night after night she had lain awake wondering where he was, what he was thinking, why he didn’t call, why he didn’t come over, why he didn’t do something. The tension had turned her into a basket case as she tried her best to provide steady support to the bride.
The guys had cleared out of Mac and Maddie’s house hours ago so the women could finish getting ready, but now Janey heard their voices out on the lawn. She glanced out the window, and her breath caught at the sight of Mac and Joe standing together in black tuxedos. Mac held Thomas, who wore a tiny tux for the occasion. Her other brothers, dressed in dark suits, talked and laughed and joked with them. What a handsome bunch of guys, Janey thought with a smile.
She checked her watch. Ten minutes to show time. Gathering the skirt of her periwinkle gown, she rushed upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door.
“Come in,” Maddie called. She had requested a half an hour alone to finish getting ready.
Janey opened the door and stopped short. “Wow.” The dress was simple, elegant and utterly perfect. “Seriously. Wow.”
Maddie released a nervous laugh. “Really?”
“Mac won’t be able to remember his own name when he sees you.”
Maddie flashed a saucy smile. “That was kind of the goal.” She reached for Janey’s hand. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m a mess.” She rested her free hand over her churning belly. “I have no idea if Joe will even speak to me.”
“Of course he will.”
“I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t.” Janey shook off that unpleasant thought. “Anyway, it’s not about me today. This is your day. My dad should be here any minute to give away the bride. Are you ready?”
“I’m so ready.” Maddie’s caramel-colored eyes glowed. “I’ve never been happier in my life. I kept waiting for something to happen to mess it up. . .”
“I told you nothing would happen.” Janey hugged her. “Don’t start or we’ll both be bawling like babies.”
“Only happy tears today.” Maddie extended her hand. “Deal?”
Janey shook on it, hoping she could hold up her end of the bargain.
Chapter 24
Following Maddie’s sister Tiffany down the stairs to the lawn, Janey looked everywhere but at Joe. She was too afraid of what she might see if she made contact with those hot hazel eyes of his. Instead, she watched her brother’s mouth fall open at the first glimpse of Maddie on his father’s arm. Janey held Maddie’s bouquet during the emotional exchange of vows and took the arm Joe silently offered so they could follow the newly married couple down the aisle.
And still she hadn’t dared to look directly at him.
Her stomach twisted and turned, her heart raced and she couldn’t seem to get enough air to her lungs. Despite being riddled with tension, she managed to smile for the photographer before they moved into the tent. Luckily, she was seated next to Maddie and Joe was next to Mac during dinner, which Janey only picked at.
Joe gave a beautiful toast about Mac finding the exact perfect partner that brought tears to Janey’s eyes. While Mac and Maddie were cutting their cake, Janey finally ventured a glance at Joe’s handsome face and found him staring right back at her. Her heart soared with hope at the heated look he sent her, and she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes off him. The DJ ended the moment when he announced the bride and groom’s first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Mac McCarthy.
Janey startled a few minutes later when Joe’s warm hand landed on her bare shoulder, setting off a reaction that rippled through her body like a live wire.
“Our turn,” he said.
Looking up at him, she took the hand he offered and let him lead her to the dance floor. As he took her into his arms, Janey breathed him in, flooded with relief at being close to him again. Suddenly, all the tension she’d carried for days faded away, and she relaxed into his embrace.
He didn’t say anything, but his fingers lightly skimmed her back as they moved to the music. Later, Janey wouldn’t remember the song or the soft summer breeze that drifted through the open sides of the tent. She wouldn’t remember her parents dabbing at tears as they watched the four of them from the edge of the dance floor. She wouldn’t remember Maddie’s mother play-dancing with a giggling Thomas on the sideline or her other brothers watching her and Joe with thinly veiled interest.
Janey would, however, remember the sense of absolute rightness that came over her as Joe held her close to him. She’d remember the distinctive scent of the sea and cloves, the heat of his hand branding her sensitive skin and the brush of his lips over her hair. And she would remember the moment, th
e exact moment when she realized he was holding her the way a man holds the woman he loves. Right then she knew somehow, some way, this was going to be okay. They were going to be okay.
“Have you done everything you need to do for Maddie?” he asked as the song came to an end.
Janey looked over at her brother and his new wife, who were totally absorbed in each other. “I doubt she’ll be needing me for anything.”
“Great,” Joe said.
The next thing Janey knew, she had been tossed over his shoulder and was looking at the floor rushing by as he carried her out of the tent.
“What are you doing? Put me down!”
“Be quiet or I might be tempted to paddle your ass while I have you right where I want you.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wanna try me?”
Janey bit back another retort because she was afraid he would, in fact, spank her with everyone in the tent no doubt watching as they crossed the lawn and headed for the driveway. Over the blood rushing to her head, Janey was certain she heard her brothers hooting and hollering. She’d take care of them later.
“Joe, come on, I’m going to throw up!”
“Throw up what? You didn’t eat a bite of your dinner.”
She should’ve known he’d be watching her every move the way he always had.
“Please put me down?” she asked, affecting the sweetest tone she owned, since being a shrew had gotten her nowhere.
“And risk you running away from me again? No way.”
She’d resigned herself to hanging upside down for a while, so it came as a shock to her when he suddenly stopped walking and put her down. As the blood rushed from her head, his hands on her shoulders steadied her.
Janey twisted out of his grasp. “You’re a Neanderthal.”
