Page 1 of Between the Lines

Chapter One

“C’mon, c’mon. Almost there.”

Luca Moretti ran encouraging hands over the wheel of his faithful old van as it rattled and coughed the last couple miles into town. Well,townwas stretching a point: New Milton was little more than a single street of stores selling, at this time of year, flip-flops, cheap bodyboards, and tacky seaside souvenirs. But it was home, or at least it had been.

He parked at the curb behind a sleek black Town Car, beyond ready to stretch his legs after the long drive. Slamming shut the rickety door to his camper, Luca eyed the Lincoln curiously as he walked past—it looked out of place on New Milton’s scruffy Main Street—and then promptly forgot all about it when he caught sight of the bay ahead. Whenever he returned home, the beach was always his first port of call. He didn’t have time to linger, so just strolled down to the boardwalk, standing at the railing and breathing in the salty-seaweed tang of the ocean. There was no surf today, only a couple of guys out paddle-boarding beyond the swimmers, but he’d checked the weather report and tomorrow promised a nice offshore breeze to liven things up. He couldn’t wait to get in the water.

After a few minutes enjoying the sights and sounds of summer, Luca headed back to his van via Dee’s Coffee Shop. Stalling, perhaps, but he needed something to brace himself before he faced the knot of unwelcome feelings waiting for him at home. Reluctantly, he glanced up at the Majestic as he made his way back along the sidewalk. The hotel stood proud on the headland, gleaming and familiar in the midday sun: his home, once, his future, once—and now, neither.

Huffing out a sigh, he looked away and pushed open the door to Dee’s. New Milton’s only coffee shop always did good trade in the summer, but today it was packed. Wall-to-wall teenagers, in fact.

“Luca!” Dee’s rich voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he grinned at his old friend.

Spiky hair, dyed a deep burgundy, and heavy framed pink glasses topped her wide, harried smile. He’d known Dee almost his whole life and reached over the counter to give her a hug. “Hey, how you doing?”

“Busy,” she said. “When did you get into town?”

“Just now. It’s a little crazy, today, huh?”

“Finn Callaghan’s fans,” she explained, indicating the teenagers. “Here for the wedding. God knows we need the business, I’m not complaining.” Her eyes narrowed. “Nowyoulook like you’ll be wanting a Red Eye.”

She wasn’t wrong. He’d hit the road early to avoid the worst of the traffic and felt a little spacy from the short night’s sleep. Smiling, Luca slid onto a stool to wait, watching while Dee made his coffee. Neither of her girls were around, but it looked like she’d taken on a couple of local kids to clean tables and work in the kitchen. When she brought his coffee over, he said, “Lexa and Ali not helping out this summer?”

Dee peered at him over her glasses. “They graduated last year, Luca. Ali’s working in Brooklyn and Lexa’s up in Boston.”

“Yeah?” He sipped his coffee with a grateful sigh. “Outgrown the place, huh?”

“What’s to keep them here?”

No arguing with that, he supposed, not when he’d been on the road himself for the last five years. Except that he’d been forced to leave and, despite everything, New Milton and the Majestic still tugged at him in dangerous ways.

Thoughts of the hotel soured his mood, made him want to get the inevitable meeting over with. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he picked up his cup and stood. “I should go. Mom’s expecting me for lunch.”

“Come back when we’re less busy,” Dee told him, smiling. “I want to hear all about your latest adventures.”

Luca laughed. The adventures of an itinerant surf instructor were a lot less exciting than Dee probably imagined. But, still, it felt good to laugh, to loosen the tension that had coiled tighter and tighter the closer he got to home.

It tightened again as he stepped outside, juggling his sunglasses and coffee, and headed back to the van. And maybe he was preoccupied by his thoughts and not paying attention to where he was going, because suddenly he was face-to-face with a guy. Sleek black hair, office-pale skin, and as buttoned-down as his Oxford shirt, the man scowled as he dithered left and right, trying to dodge past Luca. Their ridiculous dance might have been funny if the guy hadn’t looked so pissed.

Endeavoring to get out of his way, Luca stepped to one side. But the guy surged forward at the same time and they collided so hard he felt the man’s warm lips graze his jaw, his chest thumping into Luca’s shoulder. The startling impact knocked the keys from Luca’s hand, splashing hot coffee over his fingers. “Whoa!” he gasped, shaking his stinging hand. “In a hurry, buddy?”

“Yes, actually.” Not a hint of humor or apology in his clipped British accent. The guy just glared at the spot of Luca’s coffee staining his chinos, dark brow scrunched.

Luca’s patience was already paper thin as he bent to pick up his keys. “Well, try looking where you’re going next time, huh?”

“Me?” The guy’s head shot up and Luca was startled by a pair of dark brown eyes, exactly the sort to set his pulse racing. Too bad they were snapping angrily and glaring at Luca’s coffee-soaked hand. “Youwalked right intome!”

“Uh, I don’t think so.”

The guy scowled. “Fine. Ofcourseit’s my fault. I’msorry.” His sarcasm was thick enough to slice. Unbelievable.

“Well, thankyoufor such a heartfelt apology,” Luca snapped. “I’m touched.”

For a moment the guy looked confused, then his lips flattened into a hard line and he scowled. “Yes, well. Excuse me, I’m on my way to an important meeting and I can’t be late.”

Luca took an exaggerated step to the left. “Don’t let me get in your way.”

The guy didn’t reply, just gave a curt nod and stalked away. Luca watched him go and definitely didnotcheck out his ass in those well-fitting chinos. Arrogant bastard. He didn’t expect to charm everyone he ran into, but what the hell had he done to earnthatattitude? Typical entitled WASP in his Oxford shirt and penny loafers, silver spoon shoved so far up his ass he probably couldn’t sit down. You got a lot of his sort on the island, and Luca hadn’t missed them one little bit. Jeez, the guy hadn’t even had the courtesy to look him in the eye. “Asshole.”

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