Backrush

by Jana DeLeon

  Alayna looked around at the space. It was sectioned off into offices, but the walls weren’t load bearing and could be easily removed. The brick from the outside was carried inside and she knew from the exterior view that windows ran across the front and back of the building. The space had character, historical character. The kind that lent itself to a fine dining establishment.

  But could she do it again? Put herself out there that way?

  And what about her reputation? If Melody Whitmore knew of Alayna’s disgrace, then she could only assume that everyone else on the island did as well. Would they believe her innocent, or would they assume she’d been in on everything and simply gotten away with it? And even if they didn’t think her guilty, would the taint of Warren’s crimes prevent people from giving her a chance?

  It was a huge risk. And an expensive one for her aunt.

  “I’ll think about it,” she said, mainly because nothing else would be acceptable to Bea. But she already knew there was no way she could gamble Bea’s retirement dollars on her sketchy reputation.

  Bea beamed. “Good girl. I knew you’d be intrigued. Now, let’s put the Be Right Back sign on the door, head out with Nelly, and get an ice cream cone. I’ve been wanting one all day.”

  As Bea walked away, Alayna gave the space one last look. It was perfect. She could already picture it in her mind. Kitchen on the east wall. Polished cherrywood tables with crisp white linens. Two-tops interspersed with four-tops, with the prime seating lining the windows. No large parties. Just couples and foursomes looking for an intimate meal in a classy setting. A huge chandelier in the center and candle sconces on the walls.

  She sighed and pushed the vision aside. It was a nice dream, but that’s all it could be.

  Bea waved at Alayna as she drove away, then went into the bookstore carrying a bag of cookies from the ice cream shop. She didn’t need the extra calories, but the sugar cookies smelled so good baking that Bea couldn’t resist grabbing a dozen on the way out. Despite having just consumed an ice cream cone, Nelly eyed the bag as she walked up to the counter. She pulled a cookie out of the bag and passed it to her friend.

  “If it wasn’t so hot, I’d hug you,” Nelly said.

  “You could be standing naked in the middle of the Arctic and still be hot.”

  “True. And I know I just had ice cream, but boy these smelled so good.” Nelly took a bite of the cookie and closed her eyes.

  “Yeah, the smell got me too, but why I bought a dozen, I don’t know. You’re going home with some of these.”

  “You don’t have to twist my arm.” Nelly inclined her head toward the stairs. “Do you think she’ll go for it?”

  Bea shook her head. “I don’t know. She said she’ll think about it, but I’m pretty sure she was just humoring me.”

  “You think she’s afraid that people are talking?”

  “Maybe. Probably. Hell, people are talking. Have been since this crap hit the news. You think I haven’t seen the side-eye and heard the whispers when I walk in a room? But no one has the balls to just come right out and mention it. Except Veronica, of course.”

  Nelly frowned. “No one has mentioned anything?”

  “Oh, people ask how Alayna is doing, like they don’t know anything. Fishing for information. But no one will come right out and ask the question they want to ask, which is was she in on it.”

  “Surely people don’t think so. I mean, even the FBI said she was a victim and a witness.”

  “And I think that’s what most people believe, but there’s always a handful of assholes in any community.”

  Nelly snorted. “There’s a handful here just counting the Whitmores.”

  “That’s true enough.”

  “Come on, Bea. You don’t think the gleeful gossip of some hoity-toity snobs would make a difference, do you? People don’t even like the Whitmores.”

  “Maybe not, but they have a lot of pull in this town. Them being against Alayna having a restaurant might be enough for some to stay away in order to avoid crossing them.”

  “Maybe at first,” Nelly agreed, “but once word gets out about the food, don’t you think that would change?”

  “Of course. I think when word gets out, Alayna would have reservations stretched as far as the calendar would process them. But Alayna is still raw, so the talk matters. This whole mess has taken a real toll on her.”

  “She’s strong enough to handle it. Look how well she did after her parents passed.”

  Bea shook her head. “That was different. She didn’t feel guilty about their death. Didn’t feel responsible. She blames herself for not seeing what kind of man Warren was.”

  “That’s ridiculous. He was a con man. Look how long he flew under the FBI’s radar. Alayna’s smart and talented, but she’s a chef, not a cop. What in the world does she think she should have seen?”

  “I know and I said as much to her, but you and I both know that sometimes things cut so deeply they hit a vein. It’s hard to be objective when you’re bleeding out. I think she can be all right after a while, but as long as the trial is hanging over her head, I think it’s going to be tough to put it all behind her.”

  Nelly sighed. “She’s afraid the other shoe will drop.”

  Bea nodded. “And who knows how long it will take to go to trial. It could be years. She can’t live in limbo that long. No one could.”

  Nelly took Bea’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “She’ll figure that out eventually. And she’s going to be fine. You’ll see. Everything is going to work out, even if we have to ramrod the whole situation into submission.”

  Bea smiled. “That’s why I love you.”

  “Of course you do.”

  Bea studied her friend for a moment. “Do you ever wish you’d done it—had kids?”

  “Since Harold and I didn’t meet and marry until we were in our forties, I’m going to go with a hard no on that one.”

  Bea waved a hand in dismissal. “I don’t mean specifically. I was just musing the ‘in theory’ thing. What if you and Harold had met in your twenties?”

  “Then he would have still had a full head of hair and I wouldn’t have known about that genetic flaw that some poor kid would have had to deal with.”

  “I’m pretty sure hair comes from your mother. And you’re not answering my question.”

  Nelly scrunched her brow for a bit, then shook her head. “No. I don’t think age would have made a difference. You know I love my niece to pieces and her daughter is a joy, but just spending an afternoon with her is enough to exhaust me physically and mentally. I don’t think I would have been good at it full time. I’m a much better aunt.”

  Bea nodded. “I can see that. I like other people’s kids in small doses, but I don’t think I would have liked someone there all the time, needing something.”

  Nelly laughed. “You won’t have a husband for the same reason. I can’t even imagine you with a baby. You’re lucky Alayna came housebroken.”

  “God, isn’t that the truth? I can barely get the packing tape gun to work right, and I’ve been using the damned thing for forty years. I don’t even want to know what kind of mess I’d have made of diapers.”

  “Let’s just be glad you didn’t have to try. But Bea, you are a mother. At least, in your heart, where it matters.”

  “I suppose I am. But it’s times like this I really miss my sister. I keep thinking she would have known better how to handle this or if she hadn’t died, maybe it wouldn’t have happened at all.”

  Nelly grabbed Bea’s hand and squeezed. “Don’t you even think like that. You’ve done a fine job with Alayna. This mess is no one’s fault except that criminal, and when it’s all over, our girl will come out on top. I just know it. Your sister was a wonderful woman, but she wasn’t a superhero any more than you are.”

  The bells on the door jangled and Nelly hurried off. Bea took a big bite out of a cookie and looked out the window at the people strolling down the street. They all looked happy, and why
shouldn’t they be? Some were on vacation. Others were on a day trip from the mainland. They’d left their cares behind and were enjoying their lives in this little strip of paradise.

  Bea prayed that one day Alayna could do the same.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Alayna waved at Mark as he drove away, then turned to admire her new paddleboard before hefting it up and carrying it to the back of the house. Mark had offered to tote it for her, but she’d refused, telling him she might as well get used to carrying it around or she wouldn’t be using it very often. She placed it on its side against the house, figuring no one would bother it and she didn’t want to have to haul it in and out of the storage shed each day. Maybe she’d get some of those brackets that allowed you to hang it on a wall. If Bea was okay with it, of course.

  As she turned around, she spotted Luke walking out of the surf onto the shore. It looked like a scene from a James Bond movie. The man was simply gorgeous. And just one glance sent her heart racing into overdrive and other parts of her revving their engines.

  Friends, remember?

  He looked up, caught sight of her, and lifted his hand in a wave. She waved back because anything else would be rude. At least, that’s what she told herself. But the smile as he approached crept involuntarily onto her face and her tingling body belied her carefully laid plans.

  “I got a board,” she said, gesturing to the turquoise-and-white board leaning against the house.

  “That’s great,” he said and smiled. “So I guess you really enjoyed it. You weren’t just saying so to make me feel good.”

  “Oh, I would never do that.”

  “Make me feel good?”

  The blush crept up her neck and she rushed to explain. “No. I mean, I would never say I liked something when I didn’t mean it. Well, that’s not entirely true. If you were wearing a completely hideous shirt but were on your way to a funeral and asked me how you looked, I’d say you looked great.”

  His smile broadened. “You’ve really thought this out.”

  “I have a tendency to overthink things. Some people find it annoying.”

  “Only some?”

  “Okay, most. But you don’t have to rub it in.”

  He laughed. “That’s a good-looking board. Great brand. And good for flat water or a bit of surf.”

  “That’s what Mark said—the guy who owns Island Surf Shop.”

  Luke nodded. “I know Mark. I mean, as well as you know someone you’ve talked to a time or two. I like his shop and he’s really informed on his equipment. When it comes to sporting goods, I prefer to deal with someone who has intimate knowledge of his product and he fits the bill.”

  “He’s definitely enthusiastic about paddleboarding and surfing. I think he wishes we had bigger surf here.”

  “Mark was a pro surfer for a few years and was on the fast track to top tier. Then he had a bad wipeout during a practice and never went back. I don’t know why exactly and it’s not the sort of thing you ask.”

  “No. I don’t suppose you do. It doesn’t surprise me that he was a pro. He sounds wistful when he talks about Hawaii.”

  “We chatted about surfing at the North Shore for a bit. When the big surf is rolling in, it’s definitely a different experience.”

  “I think I’d be scared to death to get in it. I’ve seen competitions on television, and I’m amazed at the size of the waves. It’s a wonder more people aren’t injured.”

  “Most of the best grew up on the water. They know how to handle getting out of the big waves and they can hold their breath for far longer than the average person. In the pro ranks, at least. But every year, someone who thinks he’s ready and isn’t gives the big ones a try. The outcome usually isn’t what they’re hoping it to be.”

  “I think I’ll stick to being a spectator.”

  “Maybe one day you’ll take a trip there. See one of the competitions in person. Maybe even the Eddie.”

  “That would be awesome, but timing would have to be perfect for me to just happen to be there when the waves just happened to be high enough for the event to be called. Have you ever been?”

  He nodded. “I was there in 2016. It’s an incredible event. A once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing. Unless you live there, of course. I was stationed there for a while and kept hoping it would happen and I would be able to get away when it did. I got lucky.”

  “I’ll bet that was something to see. If you were stationed there, then you’re used to the big surf. You must find the surf here underwhelming.”

  “If I were cleared to surf, I might, but since that’s not an option right now the surf here is just fine. Besides, the beach is beautiful. The sand’s the whitest I’ve ever seen and with the crystal-clear water and lack of tourists, it’s bordering on perfect.”

  “Just bordering?”

  “Well, at the moment I could use a cold beer. That would make it a perfect ten.”

  She laughed. “I could get you a cold beer, but I was about to make myself a frozen margarita and sit outside for a bit, enjoying this afternoon breeze. If you don’t have plans for the evening, you could rescue me from drinking the entire blender of margaritas by myself.”

  “I wouldn’t want to put you in danger that way. I suppose I’ll have to do my part by consuming a drink or two.”

  “Would you like to come inside while I make them?”

  “No. I don’t want to track water and sand all over your house. I’ll just wait out here.”

  “Okay. I’ll be back in a few.”

  She popped inside, her heart beating entirely too rapidly for it to just be the heat. What had she been thinking, waving to him, inviting him for drinks? She’d told him they could only be friends, but she felt as if she were sending mixed signals. No. That was stupid. A woman and a man could have a margarita together without it meaning they were going to jump into bed.

  Good Lord! Where had that come from?

  She tossed the ingredients in the blender and fired it up, then busied herself by arranging some cheese, crackers, and fruit on a plate. Might as well have a snack with the drinks. The only thing she’d had that resembled lunch was the ice cream, but she hadn’t felt like cooking when she got home. Some yogurt and granola would probably top off her night before she called it bedtime. She shook her head. What an exciting life she led.

  It could be exciting. If you gave your sexy neighbor a chance.

  No. No. No.

  That line of thought simply wouldn’t do. She grabbed the plate of snacks and hauled it outside, then hurried back in and snagged the pitcher of margaritas and two glasses. Luke was snacking on a cracker and cheese when she stepped back outside.

  “This is great cheese,” he said. “What kind is it?”

  “That one is blue cheese. The island market has a decent supply of groceries, but I still need to get over to the mainland for a bigger shopping trip.”

  She poured the drinks and pushed a glass over to Luke. He lifted it and took a big drink.

  “This is great. Man, before you came, I drank beer and ate chips out of the bag. You’ve really classed the place up.”

  She laughed. “I don’t think you were breaking any rules with your beer and chip habit. That’s sort of the norm here.”

  He nodded. “It’s definitely a casual vibe. The day I arrived on the island, I thought it was beautiful, but the lack of noise bothered me. I was used to hearing men training, planes overhead, equipment moving…not that it’s completely silent here but it’s quiet, you know?”

  “I do. Compared to New York, the island is on mute.”

  “The better to relax in, right?”

  “That’s what they say. How’s that going for you?”

  “It gets a little better every day. A Navy buddy of mine is vacationing just down from us right now and we’ve been able to get together. And since you’ve arrived, I’ve gotten to distract myself with moving boxes and paddleboards.”

  “And accosting women in storage sheds with a gun.”
r />   He laughed. “That story is never going to die, is it?”

  “Doubt it. Aunt Bea will keep it going for years. You’ll be a legend on the island before she’s done. One of those tales told over a campfire and s’mores.”

  “Not the sort of thing one wishes to be famous for.”

  “It could be worse,” she said, her thoughts flashing to Warren. “At least in that tale, you’re not the villain.”

  “Why not? I could have given you a heart attack.”

  “The way Bea sees it, you’re nothing short of her personal bodyguard, ensuring her property is protected from the nefarious among us.”

  “That’s because it wasn’t her that I accosted. She might feel differently if she was the one who’d had a gun held on her.”

  “She’d feel differently if she was the one who’d seen you in your boxers. I’ve got news for you—she wouldn’t have tried to get away.”

  He looked a little afraid. “Ah…wow. I’m not sure what to say to that.”

  “You should be flattered. Bea’s picky. It’s part of the reason why she’s never married. And maybe you should be just a little scared. Well, scared enough to have a shirt handy when she’s around. I think she’s made me describe that scene to her ten times already.”

  “Seriously?”

  Alayna nodded. “She thinks it sounds like the opening to a Hallmark movie.”

  He grimaced. “Those cheesy love stories?”

  “I can tell by your expression that you’ve seen one.”

  “More than one. My doctor loved that channel. She’d turn it on in my room every time she came to change my dressing or do some PT on my knee.”

  “Why didn’t you tell her to put on something else?”

  “She outranked me.”

  Alayna laughed. “I guess recovery in a military hospital gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘following doctor’s orders.’”

  “It is a different sense of urgency.”

  “So I guess since you’re renting the cottage, you aren’t stationed here.”

  “Not officially. I’m a bit in between at the moment. I’ve been stationed a couple different places—Hawaii, as I said before, and most recently Virginia. But I’m deployed out of the country a lot of the time.”