by Cate Beauman
Shaking her head, Gwen laughed again, holding his gaze. “You’re ridiculous.”
Chuckling, he pulled Kaitlyn back against him, hugging her, knowing the baby stared at her mother with her big blue eyes. “She wants to see the fireworks, Gwen.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay. Fine.”
Several minutes later, the three of them settled on the small love seat on the rooftop, while people crowded the beach below.
Kaitlyn started fussing, rubbing at her eyes while Cade set up the makeshift snack bar on one of the side tables—the leftover fresh shrimp and cocktail sauce that hadn’t fit on the platter he’d brought to the picnic, and Gwen’s fruit and dip tray, which looked amazing.
“She’s ready to go to sleep,” Gwen said, snuggling the baby at her breast, leaning back against the cushions.
He helped himself to a strawberry and some of the white chocolate, nodding as he chewed. “This is awesome.”
She smiled a little. “I told you.”
He scooped dip onto a grape, holding it to her mouth.
She accepted his offering. “I like that it’s just a little sweet. It complements the fruit.”
He nodded, eating more, noting the goosebumps on Gwen’s arms as a gust blew in off the water. “It’s a bit chilly up here when the wind blows like that.” He snagged the lightweight blanket he’d been smart enough to grab on the way up, covering Gwen and her sleeping daughter. “It’s lights out for her already.”
Gwen nodded, stroking Kaitlyn’s cheek as the baby still suckled. “We were just about to sit down and nurse when you rang the doorbell.”
“Are you sorry I came over?”
She shook her head. “We have a great vantage point up here. Plus, we don’t have to try to drive home through the traffic later on.”
He huffed out a laugh. “The trolley system sure as hell isn’t doing much to help with the gridlock.”
She shook her head again. “Today, you have to expect any and all insanity here on Carter Island.”
“Well, I’m certainly not hating this.”
Another small smile curved her lips. “It’s perfect.”
He looked at her again in the dim glow of the fairy lights strung along the railing. “Then why are you sad on the Fourth of July?”
She frowned. “I’m not.”
“You’re definitely something, and it’s not happy.”
She sighed, letting the weight of her arm rest against his. “It’s been a long day.”
He shook his head, holding her gaze, making sure she understood that he wasn’t buying the bullshit. “What’s changed since yesterday—when you had all of that sparkle in your eyes?”
She looked away, staring out somewhere on the beach. “Let’s let tonight be simple. I want to watch the fireworks and be happy that the Seashore Drive house went under contract this afternoon.”
He raised his brow, letting her lead the conversation, struggling not to be frustrated when she’d willingly confided in him just a few days ago. But not tonight. “No kidding?”
She nodded, looking at him again. “The buyers loved the décor.”
“Of course, they did.”
She grinned as he did.
The first explosion and pop of red and white filled the distant sky. He lifted his arm, wrapping it around Gwen’s shoulders, bringing her and the baby closer. “It looks like it’s showtime.”
She relaxed against him, sighing quietly. “My favorite part.” She looked at him as blue and green sparkled to life. “I’m making chicken on the grill tomorrow night if you want to join us.”
He nodded, staring into her gorgeous eyes, wanting to close the distance between them and finally know what her lips would feel like pressed against his—what she would taste like when he teased his tongue against hers. But now wasn’t the time. She wasn’t ready for that yet.
“Kaitlyn mentioned something about dinner when we were getting things ready to head over here. I told her I would wait for your invitation, even though she thought of it first.”
Her gorgeous smile was back. “Kaitlyn’s awfully chatty with you.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? She says I’m easy to talk to.”
Smiling again, she shook her head. “I figure since you gave up Molly’s excellent food tonight, the least I can do is feed you.”
He nodded. “That sounds like a fair trade-off.”
She rested her head on his shoulder, watching the next wash of colors. “We tend to eat at five thirty.”
“Perfect.”
“Do you want some of the blanket?”
“I wouldn’t hate it.”
She pulled some of the soft cotton his way.
“Thanks.” He covered up, then settled her back against him. The night was turning out better than expected. Gwen and the baby were here with him—right where he wanted them. The friendship they were building worked just fine for now. But eventually, Gwen would realize that dodging and pretending weren’t going to be an option.
He planned to have her—all of her—and that wasn’t possible until she trusted him.
Chapter 12
Gwen stood on her tiptoes in the warehouse Mom and Mini owned on the airport’s property, reaching for a vase she intended to place in the Anchor Way home she was officially contracted to stage. “Come on,” she muttered, extending her fingers, finally touching the blue swirled glass. “You’re exactly what I need for the living room bookshelf.”
“Do the knickknacks ever talk back to you?”
Gasping, she whirled around, laughing as Cade leaned his butt against one of the tables. He looked amazing in his khaki slacks and blue-and-white striped golf shirt. And when he slid his aviators on top of his head like that…
“You scared me.”
Grinning, he winked. “Sorry.”
“This is certainly a surprise.” She moved his way, subtly adjusting her strapless blue floral sundress, noting the Carter Island Deli and Bakery bag by his side. “I thought you were supposed to be on the mainland for most of today.” Or that’s what he’d mentioned while they’d eaten their grilled chicken dinner on the deck Thursday night.
He shrugged. “I made it back earlier than expected. And I brought you lunch.”
“I see that. Thank you.” She peeked in the bag, noting her favorite sandwich and a bowl of fruit. She frowned as she looked at him. “You’re not eating, too?”
He shook his head. “I ate my sandwich on the way over. I stopped by Carter House first—figured you and Kaitlyn would be there or hanging out in the pool since it’s a hot one.”
She sighed wistfully, wishing she were splashing around in the water with her baby girl, but the bills needed to be paid. “I had my first meeting with the sellers for the Anchor Way staging. It was a last-minute thing. They’re eager to get the house listed, and Kay was able to keep an eye on Kaitlyn. I thought I’d get a head start with some of my ideas since I still have some time before I have to pick her up.”
He nodded, heading toward the vase on the shelf, grabbing it for her.
“Thanks.”
“No worries.” He set it on her desk. “When do you think you’ll be finished up around here?”
She glanced at her watch. “In about twenty minutes.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Got any big plans tonight?”
She held his gaze, trying to figure where he was going with his questions. “I can’t remember the last time I had big plans on a Saturday night.”
He rocked back on his heels with a twinkle in his eyes. “I might be able to change that.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Cade, what are you up to?”
He shrugged, sending her a slow grin. “If you have a couple of seconds, you can see for yourself.” He gestured to the door.
“I’m officially too curious not to check out your little mystery.” She snatched up her sunglasses, then hurried toward the door with him following closely behind. Stepping out into the early afternoon sunlight, she stopp
ed in her tracks, staring at the brand-new white Jeep Wrangler parked next to her Audi. She laughed. “What is this?”
His grin was back. “It’s a custom-made Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Now that I’m an islander, I figure I should have something fun for the summers.”
Rolling her eyes, she laughed again. “Of course, you should. Because all billionaires have a vehicle just for summer fun.”
He laughed. “There are too many excellent views around here not to take advantage of them. This will help.”
She moved closer, running her hand along the grill, admiring the top-down feature Cade had already capitalized on. “But what about your truck?”
“It’s back at the compound. I flew over with Rod this morning, picked up this little beauty, then took the ferry back.”
She peeked in the open windows at the leather interior and fancy bells and whistles occupying the dashboard. “It’s really pretty, Cade.”
He nodded. “I got it stacked.”
She tossed him a look, chuckling as she met his amused gaze through the lenses of his glasses. “Naturally.”
He shrugged. “If you’re going to do it, do it right.”
“How can I argue with your logic?” She continued her inspection, her smile fading as she glanced in the back seat, recognizing the identical car seat base and baby mirror she had in her Audi. “What—”
“Those are right, right? The right models?”
“Yes,” she said quietly, still surprised that they were there at all.
He stepped closer, resting his hand on the small of her back. “I figured Kaitlyn should have what she needs if the two of you are going to be my cruising mates—keeps things hassle-free.”
She reached in, giving the base a testing wiggle, discovering that it didn’t move. She swallowed, struggling with the sudden rush of emotions. Cade had done this for them. He’d thought of Kaitlyn’s safety. He wanted to include her baby girl in his adventures—on his summer cruises around the island.
His hand moved to her arm. “Is this okay?”
She looked at him, nodding, wrapping him up in a hug.
He returned her embrace. “So, you like it then?”
She nodded again, easing back when she was certain that she was fully composed, smiling. “I love it.”
“Are you ladies free tonight? Maybe we can get some ice cream and give this thing a proper go?”
Her smile bloomed into a grin. “Definitely.”
“I’m running the next flight to Boston, but I’ll be back shortly after dinner. I’ll need to shower and change. Then we can go after that.”
She nodded. “I can’t wait.”
He winked, fully drawing away, then headed around to the driver’s side. “I’ve gotta get parked and get ready to head over.”
“Have a safe flight.”
“Sure thing.” He got in, turning over the engine. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
She waved as he drove off, grinning as she stood alone in the parking lot. For the first time in eons, she actually had Saturday night plans.
Cade spooned up another bite of ice cream from one of the two containers he and Gwen shared. He chewed a generous chunk of chocolate chip cookie dough while he scanned the shallow Atlantic waters from their vantage point above Fisherman’s Cove—one of the island’s sacred secret spots only the locals knew about. “Wanna switch?” he asked, holding up the pint of Ben & Jerry’s.
“Sure.” Gwen plucked up a thick brownie piece before she handed him her carton.
“Thanks.” He immediately went to work on unearthing another brownie bit stuck deep in the vanilla ice cream. “Sorry about all of this—the ice cream stand. I wasn’t expecting the line to be wrapped around the block.”
She grinned. “We both should have expected it. It’s a Saturday night. In July. Plus, the weather’s perfect. The quick stop off at the grocery store only added to our adventure.”
He huffed out a laugh, appreciating that Gwen had been a good sport when their original plan had gone to hell. When he picked her up at Carter House, they’d discussed a trip to Main Street Diner’s summer stand, then taking their treat to Mary’s Bluff to eat it. Neither idea had worked out. There were too many tourists hanging around, fucking everything up. “Sure, it did.”
She smiled again. “I’m just happy we ended up here. The bluffs are my favorite, but this is a close second. And we’ve got the place all to ourselves, which is pretty much a miracle.”
“It’s gorgeous.” He sighed, perfectly content while they sat on a blanket on top of the Jeep’s hood, their ankles crossed and their backs resting against the windshield as the sun descended toward the horizon. The surf lapped along the shore in the distance while music played through his excellent speakers—Teddy Drake’s Summer Mix Saturday. Over the last half hour, the local radio station had selected hits dating from the sixties to today. Currently, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys filled the air. “I appreciate you letting me in on the secret. I had no idea this spot existed.”
Gwen swallowed another bite. “You’re a Sandersonian now. It’s your right to know about this little slice of heaven.”
He grinned at her, loving that she’d surprised him with an adventure of her own. After they’d driven by the bluffs and quickly realized their first option was a no-go, Gwen had hopped in the driver’s seat, taking them to the edge of Brewster’s Forest, then a quarter mile down a bumpy dirt path to the clearing they were parked at now. There was something about the trees, water, and isolation that made the place feel like magic. “We’ll certainly have to come back here again.”
She nodded. “Anytime you want.” She dipped her bamboo spoon back in the carton as Kaitlyn stirred in the carrier they’d settled between them.
The baby opened her eyes, then closed them again as she snuggled against her blanket.
“The drive knocked her out.”
Gwen adjusted the pale-pink cotton, covering her daughter’s toes. “It usually does.”
“We’ll make a stop at the park before we head home—get her tuckered out, so she’ll be ready for bed again.”
Gwen nodded. “I like that idea.” Then she chuckled, shaking her head as the next song rolled through the speakers—Usher’s “U Remind Me.”
He frowned. “What?”
“This is totally a high school song.”
He grinned, intrigued by the opportunity to learn more about the woman he craved on the daily. “Gwen Carter in high school—what was she like?”
“That feels like a lifetime ago—like I was an entirely different person.” She snagged her lip with her teeth as she smiled, staring out at the water. “High school Gwen was a good student—super-organized and great at math. She was the student body president her junior and senior years. She was also the captain of the cheerleading squad from freshman year on.”
Chuckling, he set the empty ice cream container down, then laced his fingers behind his head. “Of course, you were.”
She frowned as she met his gaze. “Out of everything I just said, why’s that an ‘of course’?”
“Because you’re beautiful. Surely, you were the most beautiful of the bunch. The gorgeous girl is always the captain. It’s like an unwritten rule.”
She shrugged. “I was more than that.”
His smile was back. “A good girl, for sure.”
She jerked her shoulders again. “Mostly, but not always. I almost got suspended once.”
His brow shot up as he held her gaze. “That’s hard to believe.”
She nodded. “It’s entirely true.”
He huffed out a laugh, eager for the story. “We can’t leave here until I have the details.”
She laughed, tossing her head back. “The incident was certainly my most rebellious moment.” She laughed some more. “God, I still can’t believe I did that.”
He grinned, thrilled that her guard was entirely down tonight. “Don’t leave me hanging.”
“Okay.” She turned
herself on the hood, fully facing him, sitting cross-legged. “Do you remember the Christina Aguilera song, “Dirrty”?
He nodded. “Sure.”
“Well, we were doing this drill team-type thing for the final basketball game—a compilation of songs that would have cheer and dancing elements mixed together. One day, while we were practicing, snooty Mayor Sanderson walks into the gym and gives our cheerleading coach hell for using a snippet from that song. He said it was entirely inappropriate for our island’s reputation—pretty much ripped her a new one right in front of us. Of course, the coach was humiliated. She apologized and told Thomas she would change the routine immediately.”
Cade winced as the battle light darkened Gwen’s eyes. “Uh-oh.”
She nodded, chuckling. “Damn straight. The girls and I were pissed. We’d been busting our butts for weeks. Then Thomas walked in, and we had to change everything? Our coach had no idea that we were going to Diane’s house after practice—that we were tweaking the original routine. When halftime rolled around a couple of weeks later, we did our dance—extra inappropriately.”
He laughed, absolutely adoring her.
“We made such a mess of things. Thomas just about lost his mind. My parents were pissed. Nate was mad at me for getting his teammates all hot and bothered when they should have been focused on the game. Our squad ended up getting four weeks of weekend detention, but I got six since I was the captain and encouraged the whole thing.”
Cade laughed again. “Such a rebel.”
She scooped up another bite of her dessert. “When it counts.”
“So, are you going to show me?”
Gwen frowned as she chewed a piece of chocolate chip cookie dough. “Show you what?”
“The wildly scandalous dance.”
Her eyes grew huge. “No way.”
“Aw, come on, Gwen.” He turned his head in all directions. “There’s no one around.”
She adamantly shook her head. “It’s not happening.”
“All right. No worries.” Sighing, he resettled his hands behind his head. “But it’s a shame that you’ve turned into a bit of a wimp in your old age—that rebellious high school Gwen no longer exists.”
