by Cate Beauman
She was merely buying herself some time to figure everything out.
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” she said to herself, then gasped when she realized she was about to miss her turn. Pressing hard on the brake, she took a sharp right, heading down Nate and Callie’s well-maintained dirt road—soon to be Molly and Brad’s road, too.
Moments later, she eased to a stop, parking behind Cade’s new Wrangler. Sighing again, she got out in her pale-blue wide-legged linen pants and white cami top, grinning when Winston, Nate and Callie’s golden lab mix, ran her way. “Hey, buddy.”
Winston sat down in front of her like a perfect gentleman, his tail wagging double time as his body vibrated with excitement.
Laughing, Gwen bent down, giving him a good rub. “Aren’t you a polite boy?” Smiling, she grabbed the crab dip appetizer and butter crackers Callie loved so much—her contribution for today’s festivities. “Let’s go find our family.”
Following the music and laughter, she walked with Winston to the back of the pretty cedar-shingle house. She smiled at Molly and her brother, then hugged Callie before making eye contact with Cade as he sat in one of the hunter-green Adirondack chairs next to Brad, sipping a beer.
Not entirely sure what to do as he continued to hold her gaze, she lifted her hand in a quick wave, trying her best to ignore how delicious he looked in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt.
He waved back, then returned to his conversation with her soon-to-be brother-in-law.
She relaxed her shoulders when she realized he wasn’t planning to head her way. The last thing he’d said to her before he’d left her bedroom was that they needed to talk—and he was right. But that didn’t have to mean today. “Okay,” she said to herself with relief, beaming at Molly as Callie wandered over to the grill with Nate. “I’m going to take this inside.”
Molly followed her to the kitchen, wearing denim shorts and a cute halter tank top. “Is that crab dip?”
“It is.” Gwen set the dish on the island. “I bought some fresh chives for the garnish while I was out at the farm.”
“Cool.” Molly grabbed a spoon from the drawer, immediately scooping dip onto a cracker. “I thought you and Cade were coming over here together.”
Gwen shrugged, fiddling with the napkins, stalling before she looked at her sister again. “Things ran a little longer this morning than either Mom or I intended. Plus, Kaitlyn needed to eat before I could come over, so it just made sense to drive myself.”
Molly narrowed her eyes as she bit into the cracker and chewed. “Uh-huh.”
Gwen huffed out a laugh, well aware that her sister was too wise to buy her story. “Just let me enjoy today without you being you.”
“So, you mean awesome?”
Gwen grinned. “That wasn’t the word I was thinking of.”
Molly chuckled. “Fine, but something’s up. Cade was evasive, too.”
She frowned, hating that her family knew her so well. “I’m not being evasive.”
Molly held her gaze. “I remember when you used to tell me and Callie stuff.”
Gwen saw the hurt in her sister’s eyes and was sorry for it. She had been keeping a lot to herself lately, which was new and something she didn’t particularly like. But she was afraid that if she started talking about one of her problems, they would all come tumbling out. It was mortifying to think of anyone knowing just how huge of a mess she’d made of her life. She was the big sister—the one who was supposed to have her shit together. “Later, okay? How about after our meeting on Tuesday?”
Molly nodded. “Tuesday it is.” She hooked her arm around Gwen’s waist. “The dip’s great, by the way.”
She returned Molly’s embrace. “Of course, it is. It’s your recipe.”
Molly grinned. “Let’s go have some fun.”
Cade scooped up the last bite of the excellent potato salad on his plate as he half listened to Brad and Nate arguing their points about the Red Sox’s chances of winning another World Series. He enjoyed sports; he liked a good debate, but currently, he preferred watching Gwen while she sat at the opposite end of the outdoor table with Callie and Molly, perusing paint chips and pretty fabric swatches for Ava Carter’s nursery.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, absently licking her glorious lips as she touched one of the pale-pink fabric pieces. She grabbed for a paint chip, glancing at Callie as they both laughed at something Molly said.
He couldn’t help but smile, missing that sound—missing her—but he was biding his time, giving Gwen plenty of space after their excellent early morning kiss.
He’d thrown himself into his work, allowing meetings, paperwork, and several flights to the city to consume his last four days. But even with his busy schedule, he’d noticed the absence of Gwen’s chatty phone calls.
Their communication hadn’t been crickets entirely. The occasional work email had gone back and forth. There had even been a text or two, but Gwen was back to stiff and professional, keeping a wide berth.
Unquestionably, their kiss had spooked her. If he was honest, it had surprised him, too. There had been an intensity between them—a heat—that he’d never experienced with anyone else before.
He’d found Gwen attractive from the first second he saw her. She’d fascinated him since the beginning, but her ability to bring him to his knees was entirely unexpected. Gwenyth Carter was as dangerous as any drug. One touch, one taste, and he’d been thoroughly addicted. He’d been craving his next hit since the moment he’d walked away. He yearned to wrap her back up in his arms. But that would have to wait.
Luckily, he was a patient man. Dad had taught him long ago to gauge his opponent—to know when to hit fast and strike hard, and when to bide his time. It always paid to seize the perfect opportunity—and his finally came when Gwen pushed back in her chair, grabbing hers and Callie’s empty water glasses before she headed across the porch and walked inside.
“I’ll be right back,” he said to Nate and Brad as he stood, bringing his dirty plate with him, following her toward the kitchen.
Gwen closed the refrigerator door, then flinched, sloshing the lemon water in the pitcher as their eyes met across the room. “God, you scared me.”
He walked over to the island, setting down his plate. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Clearing her throat, she focused on her task, filling one of the glasses.
He leaned his hip against the countertop, crossing his arms at his chest, feigning a casualness he didn’t feel as the silence stretched out between them. It appeared as though they were back at square one. “Are you enjoying your afternoon?”
She set down the full glass, then picked up the empty one, repeating the process. “I am.”
“Good. How’s Kaitlyn feeling?”
“Much better.” Her shoulders remained rigid and her movements jerky as she moved to one of the cupboards for a cutting board, then to a drawer for a knife. “Her fever was pretty much low-grade all of Wednesday. By the time we went to bed, it was gone.”
He nodded. “That’s good to hear.”
“It is.” She picked up a lemon, slicing two pieces, placing them on the edges of the glasses. She opened her mouth to speak again, but her phone alerted to a text. She immediately snatched it up, her brow furrowing as she tapped the screen.
“Is everything okay?”
Suddenly she grinned, then chuckled as a bunch of noise and laughter played through her phone’s speaker. “Mom sent me a video from the farm this morning—Kaitlyn with the horses.”
He loved seeing Gwen smiling again—smiling at him when their gazes met. Taking advantage of the moment, he walked over to join her, watching Kaitlyn belly laughing as Gwen helped her daughter pet a gorgeous black colt, then a chocolate-colored mare. He chuckled, wishing he’d been there, hating that he’d missed out on one of Kaitlyn’s precious firsts. “She loves them.”
Gwen nodded, snagging her bottom lip with her teeth as her smile returned. “She really does. Sh
e had so much fun today.”
“Maybe she’ll want to take riding lessons when she’s older.”
The video ended with Gwen waving Kaitlyn’s hand toward the camera’s lens. “Maybe she will.”
He stayed close, breathing in her shampoo and perfume as she set down the phone. “I have something for her. It came in yesterday.”
She huffed out a laugh. “Cade, you have to stop buying her toys.”
He shrugged because he loved picking up little things here and there. “Technically, it’s not a toy. It’s one of those touch-and-feel books about farm animals. It’s good for developing curiosity, vocabulary, and sensory skills—or at least that’s what the experts said on the website I ordered it from.”
Her eyes went soft as she sighed, taking a step back, ending their easy moment. “Why do you have to say things like that?”
He sensed the chink in her armor and closed the distance between them again. “I bought it for after our trip to the farm. I thought we’d planned on taking her over there together.”
She shrugged, picking up the glasses. “It worked out better to go with Mom today. I should get these outside.”
“Hold up.” He snagged her by the arm before she could take a step. He’d been patient long enough. “You’re avoiding me, Gwen.”
She pulled away, setting the glasses back down. “I’m not avoiding you. I’ve been busy.”
“It’s odd how your schedule ramped up right around the same time we kissed.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Our kiss has nothing to do with anything.”
He nearly smiled. She was a terrible liar. “We need to talk about this.”
She moved farther away, busying herself, cleaning up her mess, yanking open the dishwasher. “There’s nothing to talk about. We kissed. We shouldn’t have.”
He stepped up behind her, trapping her, hating that she regretted the entire thing. “Gwen—”
She whirled around, huffing out a breath. “You want it to happen again, and it can’t. I can’t give you any more.”
“Okay.” He captured her hands, willing to concede for now. He still had plenty more to say on the matter, but that didn’t have to happen today. “We kissed. We both enjoyed it. We can leave it there if you want.”
Her left eyebrow winged up as it often did. “So, it’s just that simple?”
He shrugged. “If you want it to be. We work together, and we’re friends. Ultimately, that’s what’s most important to me—our friendship.”
She nodded. “That’s what’s important to me, too.”
“I like what we have going on—our dinners. I like playing with Kaitlyn. I like that you call me several times a day just to talk or to ask me questions about the airport. The whole email thing sucks.”
She smiled.
He let himself relax a little at that, recognizing that they were getting somewhere. “Will you have ice cream with me? Tomorrow night?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so, Cade. Things feel different between us now.”
“I imagine they are. Or at least a little. But tomorrow’s just ice cream.”
She held his gaze, saying nothing.
“It’s just ice cream, Gwen.” He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “Let me read Kaitlyn her new book. I miss her.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay. We can have ice cream. Come over around six, so I still have time to give her a bath before she goes to bed.”
He grinned. “Sounds good. I’ll pick up our usual flavors?”
She smiled. “Yeah. I should get these outside—”
“Knock, knock,” Callie said, standing in the living room. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
He shook his head. “You’re definitely not. I’m actually about to make my exit. It’s my mum’s birthday, so I need to get home and check in.” He walked to Callie, kissing her cheek. “Thank you for an excellent meal, and even better company.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome. We’ll do this again soon.”
“Count me in.” He turned to look at Gwen, realizing she was studying him the way she used to. “I’ll see you tomorrow night?”
She nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
He tossed her an easy smile, then walked out. Things weren’t perfect, but they were better. He could work with that.
Chapter 16
Gwen hurried around the living room, tossing Kaitlyn’s ever-growing pile of toys in her big wicker basket. She moved to the coffee table next, straightening the magazines, then stopped to fluff the accent pillows on the couches, knowing that Cade would be there any second. He’d seen her home in disaster-mode before, but she preferred staying busy as she nibbled her bottom lip in the quiet, more than a little nervous that it would be just the two of them tonight.
Mom and Dad had unexpectedly extended their stay on the island by a couple of days. Last-minute plans had been made, and with very little notice, Grandma and Grandpa had packed fresh bottles in Kaitlyn’s diaper bag, then whisked her baby girl off to Kay’s for dinner with Roy and the Deacons.
She exhaled a steadying breath when she heard the familiar rap of knuckles against the front door. When the doorknob turned, she caught herself sliding her fingers through the messy bun piled on top of her head. She rolled her eyes as she smoothed her white scoop neck tee and thigh-length denim skirt. There was no one here she needed to impress tonight. She and her friend were having some ice cream together—just like they’d done several times before.
“Gwen!” Cade called as he walked down the hall dressed in navy-blue athletic shorts and a Nike T-shirt that accentuated his fantastic build.
She consciously relaxed her shoulders, forcing a small smile as she studied the scruff along his jaw and the ball cap he’d added to his outfit. Why did he have to look so good? “Hey. Come on in.”
He frowned, adjusting the paper grocery sack in his hand, carrying Kaitlyn’s new book in the other. “It’s quiet around here. Is she sleeping already?”
Gwen shook her head. “Mom and Dad decided to stick around for a couple more days. They took her over to Kay’s after Mom told me I don’t share my daughter enough.”
He grinned. “She may have a point.”
Gwen frowned. “I share. Most of the time. Okay, some of the time,” she amended again, finding it easier to unbend and smile for real. “Aren’t friends supposed to be on each other’s sides?”
He chuckled. “I am on your side. I’m pointing out the truth.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Touché.”
He set the new book on the coffee table. “Should we get to this ice cream before it melts? It’s still pretty hot outside.”
“Definitely.”
He started toward the kitchen, entirely at home in her space. “It’s our lucky night, by the way. I grabbed the last carton of cookie dough.”
“That is lucky. Ice cream’s a hot commodity around here.” She watched him pull the pints of Ben & Jerry’s from the bag, wishing she felt as relaxed as he appeared to be. “Are you thinking cones or bowls?”
He shrugged. “I guess that depends. Do you want to walk on the beach?”
The evening was beautiful as the sun started its descent toward the horizon, casting the sky a pinkish-orange. “I think we’d be crazy not to. But I’m taking mine in a bowl, either way.”
He moved to the drawer, grabbing the ice cream scoop. “So, we’ll do bowls and head out.”
She pulled two bowls from the cupboard, sliding them his way, watching him add a smaller scoop of each flavor to her dish, then the remainders of the cartons to his.
“How does that look?” he asked, licking a smudge of their dessert off one of his fingers. “Do you want more?”
“No. Thanks. That’s perfect.” She grabbed two spoons, placing one in each bowl as they both took their dishes. “Ready?”
“Definitely.” He stepped out of his slides by the French doors before they moved to the deck, then walked across the lawn to the beach access.
She sighed, closing her eyes as she sank her feet into the warm sand, loving the way the steady wind felt against the naked skin on her legs. “I can’t believe I almost changed into pants. I’m so glad I didn’t.”
“It’s awesome out here.”
“Mmm,” she said, taking her first bite of the cookie dough and brownie-chunk ice cream, falling into step beside him as they moved closer to the surf, which was receding with the low tide. “This is the perfect way to end a day. I miss walks on the beach during the wintertime.”
He spooned up a brownie chunk. “I imagine the wind’s a punishment then.”
She nodded enthusiastically. “And that’s probably an understatement.”
He grinned. “I remember it being cold when I was on and off the island earlier this year, but I was mostly inside.”
“Just give it a few months.” She bumped his arm with her elbow. “You’ll have firsthand knowledge soon enough.”
He smiled again. “That I will.”
Several minutes passed as they ate in companionable silence. “How was your day today?” he asked over another mouthful.
She’d missed him asking—missed being here with him like this. “Good. Busy and productive. Dad took Kaitlyn out for a walk in the woods by Nate’s place, so I was able to get over to the new house I’ll be staging on William’s Pass. It’s a monster—big and in need of plenty of TLC. It took me forever to get all of my measurements.” She scooped up her last bite. “How about you? How was your day?”
“Busy on this end, too. Flights are consistently maxed out. Charlotte and I were looking at our numbers. We need to hire another pilot, so we can get more planes in the air.”
She beamed at him. “That’s awesome, Cade.”
He nodded. “Fanny Marstens and the chamber of commerce are doing a hell of a job with the advertising. The new campaign is killing it.”
