“You’re lucky Mama’s so worried about her shoes that she didn’t hear you,” Levi says.
“Truth. But what your Mama doesn’t know can’t really hurt her, right? Now come on. While she’s busy getting new shoes, how about you buy your dad a good strong drink too. After that crazy ceremony, I think we could all use a little escapism, and something tells me wherever he is, your grandpa, God rest his soul, would be cheering us on.”
“I think you’re right,” I reply, knowing wherever Grandpa is, he’s smiling at the chaos he’s created—and probably laughing a little too.
Sitting at the bar as some of Grandpa’s favorite songs blare through Midsummer Nights, the bar and restaurant that Levi’s friends own and hang out at, I throw back another shot, trying to shove aside all the feelings of loss.
“I’m gonna miss him,” Levi says, taking a stool beside me as Jodie, his girlfriend, follows.
I turn and grin at my big brother. “Remember that one time he took us fishing?”
“Oh, I remember,” Levi says, smiling. “How many did you drink that day?”
“Four?” I ask, thinking of the memory.
“How old were you?” Jodie asks.
I smirk. “Fourteen.”
“Levi and Cash Creed, you rebels,” she says, and Levi and I raise our beers in toast.
“Grandpa knew how to be a little bit rebellious,” Levi says, and I agree.
“What are you boys talking about?” Mama asks, sneaking up behind us. Her face is still tearstained, but she’s not sobbing anymore. She’s wearing some pink water shoes Reed managed to scrounge up at a boardwalk shop nearby.
“Nothing much,” I say, knowing some things are better kept secret, especially from Mama.
“I’m sure,” she says, plopping down on a bar stool by us.
The rest of the crew wanders over, Lysander ambling behind the bar to serve up some more drinks.
“Thanks for letting us have the luncheon here,” Mama says, and Lysander nods.
“Least we could do. So, how long are you guys staying in town?”
“Just until things are in order,” Mama answers.
“Well, you know, it is prime tourist season,” Reed announces, joining Lysander behind the bar to help out. He looks at me. “A handsome man like you might find it interesting to stick around during peak season.” He winks at me, and I grin.
“Peak season in Texas is all the time,” I reply, and Mama hits my arm.
“Reed’s sort of right, you know,” Jodie adds now. “All the pretty young things will be coming right in. You never know what opportunity might come up. And I know someone who could find you a rental pretty cheap,” she says, looking at Levi.
“Speaking of rentals and business,” I say, “Is ten okay to go over the business details of the will tomorrow?”
I’d taken the reins on the will, knowing Mama and Dad had their own things to worry about. Figured it was the least I could do. It should be pretty straightforward. Grandpa was a little crazy sometimes, but he also liked to keep things in order.
“Yeah,” Levi says. “Better go tell Cindy.” He gets up from the stool, leaving Jodie and me with an empty stool between us.
“I’m glad you’re all here,” Jodie says to me, a soft grin. “I mean, I know the circumstances aren’t great, but I’m glad Levi has family around now. It’s going to be hard without his grandpa here.”
I take another drink of my beer before responding. “I know Levi and Grandpa were close. Not that I wasn’t, but these past couple years, Grandpa and Levi have obviously grown closer. I’m glad he has you, though, to lean on.”
And I mean it. I haven’t seen Levi happier, even when he was with that gorgeous Molly Madigan. I was always pretty jealous growing up that he got the beautiful girl across the street, although after the whole rodeo accident when she showed her true colors, I knew perhaps I’d just been spared.
Still, seeing Levi with Jodie, it makes me smile to see how my rebel brother’s definitely been tamed. It’s working for him, and I couldn’t be happier, if it’s what he really wants.
I also couldn’t be happier it’s not me—I’ve still got plenty of freedom, plenty of women to explore, and plenty of fun to have. While he’s shopping for curtains and quote pillows, I’m stocking up on booze and good times. I think I’ve clearly got the better gig going.
“She’s pretty great,” Avery says now, sidling up to us. “But she’s right. It’s good to have family close for this. Your grandpa was a good man, even though I only met him a few times. He’ll be missed.”
“Um, I hate to interrupt, but I just want to make sure this is right,” Reed says, leaning across the bar from me. “The playlist you gave me has this song on it. Is that correct? I mean, I know your grandpa wasn’t traditional, but I didn’t want to make anyone upset.”
I glance at the last song on the list, smiling. “Oh, that’s right. I told you Grandpa taught us our rebel ways.”
And so, Reed fires up the jukebox, playing a song that stops Levi dead in his tracks across the restaurant, and we both share in a laugh at the moment Grandpa forever sealed in our memories.
“To a wild man with a rebel but warm heart,” I say, lifting my beer, silently saying goodbye again to the man who taught Levi and me to live life fearlessly, recklessly, and with no regrets.
Three
Cash
We gather at Levi and Jodie’s, all of us crowding in their living room, including Killer. Their cat, Sebastian, isn’t too happy about Killer, and Killer’s not too happy about Sebastian. I guess they’ll figure it out.
“Now,” I say from my position on the sofa, my parents, Levi, and Jodie crowded around. Cindy is also here. I go through a ton of legal jargon and dole out assets. I’m pretty excited that he left me his jet ski, although there’s not much I’m going to be able to do with it back in Texas. Cindy’s been left with a pretty hefty payout even though they weren’t married. Grandpa also left her the condo, so she’ll be sitting comfortably. Luckily, my family’s not the type to get all crazy over money, so there aren’t any protests.
Except when we get to the businesses.
“That’s got to be a mistake. Grandpa knew I was running Wild Hearts. This will must be old,” Levi says when I announce that Grandpa’s rental business in its entirety has been left to Levi.
“He updated this thing just last month. He meant for you to get everything,” I say.
“You did talk about helping with the rental business once we got Wild Hearts running,” Jodie notes.
“Yeah, but I didn’t plan on all of that now. And when we talked about that, I never planned on Wild Hearts growing so much.” Levi readjusts the hat on his head, exhaling.
“Son, death doesn’t really leave room for plans. You know that. You’ve got it under control,” Daddy says.
Levi shakes his head. “I love Grandpa for leaving me the business, but honestly, I can’t handle this right now. Not with Wild Hearts.”
My brother’s horse-riding ranch just outside of the beach town was a booming attraction now. It kept him and Jodie busy every day of the week. I could sympathize with his worries because Grandpa’s rental business was more like an empire at this point.
I look over to Cindy. “Any chance you can help out?” I ask. I know she and Grandad were close. Maybe she knew enough of the ropes to help out.
“Sorry, I just… I can’t. I really can’t.” Her face is still tearstained like it’s been for days. Grandpa and Cindy might have been a fast-burning flame, but there must have been some depth there too because Cindy is just broken up over this.
“I’ll help as best as I can,” Jodie whispers, stroking Levi’s back.
The room is silent for a long moment before Levi looks up, staring at me as I thumb through the will, making sure I didn’t miss anything.
“Cash?” he asks.
“Yeah, brother?”
“Why don’t you stay and help.”
I scoff at the idea, shak
ing my head like I must’ve heard him wrong. “What?”
“Stay. Just for a while until I get things situated. I mean, come on. You’ve got a legal mind and even though I hate to admit it, you’re pretty damn smart. Running a business will be child’s play for you.”
“I wouldn’t call it child’s play,” Daddy adds.
“Still, come on, Cash. Couldn’t you use a change of pace? Where’s the wild, live-it-up brother you claim to be? Why not do something different, try something new?”
I shake my head. Grief must be really warping Levi’s mind if this is a serious offer. “I love you, brother. But you know I’m busy back in Texas. I can’t just leave everything behind. And I can’t just come up here and run a rental business I know nothing about.”
Levi raises an eyebrow. “I know you could do it. I’m sure you could be spared for the summer. And besides, there are plenty of gorgeous things to keep you busy here, too.”
I take a deep breath. Levi must’ve lost his mind. Me? Running a rental business in Ocean City? Sure, I’ve got a knack for contracts and legalities, but this is a whole different game. “I don’t know, Levi. I don’t think I’m the guy for the job.”
“Oh, don’t be silly,” Mama adds now. “Cash, you know you’ve got a great mind. You’re charismatic and levelheaded. You could really be an asset for Levi here. And maybe he’s right. You could use a change of pace.”
“Mama, are you forgetting that I’m your employee?”
“Come on, son. It’s summer. There’ll be interns pawing at the doors. Your mother’s right. Sometimes a change of pace can do a man good.” Dad leans back in his chair, arms crossed like the decision has been made.
I stare at Levi, a little wounded by my family’s willingness to let me go and replace me so quickly. Still, I think about how it might be nice to get a change of scenery. I don’t know much about rental properties and all that, other than the legalities behind the contracts. Still, I do know my way around a bar of scantily clad women, and this town doesn’t seem to have a shortage of that. Maybe a fresh set of women to chase, a new town could do me good. If nothing else, it could be fun. It’s been a while since I’ve had a summer vacation of sorts, even if it is a working summer vacation.
And all those bikinis. I tap my foot, leaning back in my chair now.
“Your grandpa would love the idea,” Mama adds.
I eye her suspiciously now. “I don’t think he would, or he would’ve left it to me in the will.”
Dad laughs. “Son, he knew you. He knew that if he told Cash Creed what to do or even hinted at it, you’d do the opposite. It’s who you are.”
I take a deep breath. Dad’s kind of right. I don’t like being told what to do—although they’re trying to tell me what to do now.
Nonetheless, I convince myself this is what I want to do, not what I have to do. “Okay,” I say, envisioning a summer of tanning sessions gazing at gorgeous, bikini-clad girls.
“Wait, okay as in you’ll do it?” Levi asks, leaning forward.
I sigh. “Just for the summer. Don’t get any ideas that you’re going to convert me to whatever weird beachy religion you follow here that sucked you right in,” I warn as Levi stands to come over and hug me.
“Oh, thank heavens. This place worked for one of my boys,” Mama says, raising her hands as if in worship.
“Mama, don’t go getting any ideas either. Just because Levi settled down—no offense, Jodie—doesn’t mean I’m going to. Far, far from it.”
“We’ll just see about that,” Mama adds, and for the first time in days, she smiles.
I roll my eyes. I love how my life, my love life, has become a family conspiracy.
“You never know what could happen. Sometimes even the lone hearts get lucky,” Ray Creed adds now. Great, even he’s on the “get married, Cash” train that Mama’s driving.
“That sounds like a really good country song,” Jodie adds, smiling. “So Cash, where are you going to stay? We have a spare bedroom if you’re interested.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Thanks, I appreciate it. But one, I think Sebastian would jump out the window if Killer stayed here any longer.” With that, we look at the growling cat, ears down, who stands with an arched back in the corner of the room, Killer licking his paws in front of the feline. “And two, no offense, but I’ve heard from Avery, Lysander, and Reed that you two can barely control yourselves in public. I love you, big brother, but not enough to hear your nightly sexcapades through the walls. I think it might cramp my own adventures, if you know what I mean.”
“No, Cash, we don’t know what you mean. Enlighten us,” Mama says, raising an eyebrow as she scowls.
“No worries, Mama. You don’t want to know. But anyway, thank you for the offer, Jodie. As landlord of several fine properties now, though, I think I’ll be able to find something that suits me.”
“There’s always the apartments we started in,” Jodie says, looking at my brother wistfully.
I shrivel my nose. “Again, no offense. I’m really no snob, but I’ve seen some of the tenants that come out of there.” I gesture toward Levi, grinning. “I think I’ll take a peek at these condos off the boardwalk.
“Of course you will,” Levi says, rolling his eyes. “You always did like the finer things.”
“Nothing wrong with that, brother.”
“I suppose,” he says, and I tuck the will safely inside the file as I head over to the corner to rescue Sebastian from Killer, thinking about how much life is really going to change—and how I definitely didn’t pack enough for this extended stay.
Four
Sage
“Harper, you’re such a bad influence on me,” I murmur into the phone that’s propped between my ear and shoulder as I pull the steaming cup of coffee off the Keurig. It’s my fourth of the day, even though I’ve been swearing I’ll cut back. Tomorrow’s another day, though, and I’ve got a few more hours of marketing reports to sift through.
“No, I’m a good influence. That’s why you hired me. First, for my mad design skills. But mostly because I keep you from being freaking boring. Now come on. Those marketing reports aren’t going to disappear, and reading them isn’t going to change anything right now. Let’s go. You’re turning into a boring old hermit in that freaking condo of yours.”
“Okay, I’ll have you know that I went to Target twice yesterday, and I even took a spinning class this morning. I’m not turning into a hermit. A hermit, by definition, never leaves the house.”
“Well, in my definition, a hermit never leaves the house to do anything fun. Sage, are you seriously trying to tell me that Target and spinning class are the epitome of your social life right now? Come on. You’re freaking twenty-five, you’re gorgeous, and you’re loaded. You’re supposed to be enjoying it. Get out. That’s the beauty of working for yourself. You can decide when you get a vacation.”
I shake my head as I set my coffee on the end table. Monticello is meowing at his bowl, so I lean down and give his clammy skin a pat before filling up his black dish that says Prince. Barcelona ambles out from behind the television, his safe spot. He sits beside the dish, pawing at his whiskers before leaning down to the bowl as well.
Harper keeps talking about spinsters and crazy cat ladies and other terms I should find offensive, but I don’t. I know Harper just worries about me. In truth, she’s not completely wrong. I am turning a little boring. Actually, a lot boring.
Of course, there’s always work. Work’s been a blast lately.
Spoken like a true workaholic, I know. Nevertheless, I’ve always felt like if you’re doing what you love, it’s not really work. And I’ve also always felt like when you get complacent about money and schedules, that’s when you fail. Failure is not a word in my vocabulary, never has been—the one positive thing my parents left me with.
“Are you listening to me, or are you petting those cats right now like you always are?”
“Guilty as charged,” I say, standing up to walk over
to my coffee and the file of reports.
“Well, listen. I’m not taking no for an answer. Boss or not, I’m telling you that you have no choice in this matter. When’s the last time you went out to a bar?”
I mentally tick back the weeks. “Probably the beginning of May,” I reply.
“You are aware it’s June 10 right now, aren’t you?”
“And your point?”
“You’re losing your touch, Sage Everling.”
I glance at the reports, work beckoning me forward. But then I think about the bar scene, about how long it really has been since I’ve gotten out. It’s been my longest dry spell in a while—self-imposed, which makes it even worse.
“You’re right.” The words roll off my tongue easier than I expected, but I can admit when I’m wrong. Harper’s right. She’s good for me. She reminds me what life is about and when I need to loosen up. And I feel the unquenchable need to escape for a while, to relieve some stress in the best way.
“Wait a second,” Harper says, and I can imagine her stance, her head flipping as she tosses her two black braids behind her. “Did you just admit I’m right?”
“Yes. You’re right. It’s been about five weeks since Rocky, and I guess work can wait. A woman has her needs, and I’m feeling like I could go for a good challenge tonight. Plus, it’s tourist season. My favorite, and the best time for no-strings-attached fun.”
“That’s the spirit. So what do you think? Professional type? Artsy? What are you going for?”
I smile as I head to my room to pick out my go-to going out outfit. “You know, Harper Renault, not every woman’s best friend is this nonchalant about casual sex. Some best friends actually hope their friend finds a serious relationship.”
“Yeah, but I know that’s not your gig. Every woman has her own gig, you know?”
“Yes. Besides, your obsession with your one-and-only is enough serious relationship for the both of us. Anytime I want to feel depressingly traditional, I live vicariously through you. You talk about me losing my touch and being boring. I mean, pretty soon you’re going to be married with the white picket. Pretty soon your weekly excitement will be Target.”
Lone Hearts (Lines in the Sand Book 6) Page 2
