Page 39 of Sweet Love at Bayside
Rick spun around, sure his eyes were casting daggers. “What?”
“Why do you think you’re fighting moving back here with your family, where you belong?”
“I have a business to run. I don’t have time to mess around on the water like you do.” Rick held his brother’s stare.
“You did that, Rick. You make yourself work all the time.”
No kidding. Think I want to talk about it?“Why is it perfectly acceptable that you own music stores off the Cape and travel for them, but my business being out of state is an issue?”
“Because I didn’t stop doing one of the things I loved most when Dad died.”
Something inside Rick snapped. He closed the gap between them, and years of rage and hurt came flying out. “You’re right. I haven’t gone sailing. Big deal. Is that the measure of a life well lived? If I’ve freaking sailed or not? I can’t help it. It sucks, but every time I think about going on that boat, on any freaking sailboat, I remember how much he loved it, and itkillsme.”
“Rick…” The concern and love in Drake’s eyes warred with the ghost swimming between them, and there was nothing his brother could do to slay it.
Only Rick could do that. “I don’t have time for this.” He needed to get Desiree’s drawings done.
He pushed past Drake, descending the stairs at a fast clip, and stormed down to his cottage. Memories of that awful night lurked like villains as he worked on the drawings late into the night.
Still wired from the conversation several hours later, he rolled up the completed designs, hopped in his truck, and drove down to the marina, determined to do something, though he didn’t exactly know what. He noticed Desiree’s sandals on the floor of the truck, and his chest constricted.
It was after midnight. The restaurants and shops were closed. A few stray cars were parked by the pier. A couple stood by the boathouse kissing, and Rick’s mind sped straight to Desiree. She’d texted earlier.Hope you’re having fun with the guys. Miss you!She’d made his night and distracted him from his argument with Drake for a little while. But even thoughts of his brave, beautiful girl couldn’t quiet the ghosts as he crossed the parking lot, shoulders rounded, hands pushed deep in his pockets, eyes locked on the pavement, andI can do thisrunning through his mind like a mantra.
That awful night came rushing back in an angry flash of the boom carrying his father overboard, and Rick froze. With his heart in his throat, he turned back toward the truck, determined to outrun the memories.
You chicken fool.
He grimaced, uttered a curse, and headed for the marina again. His pulse raced so fast he thought he might pass out. Sweat beaded his forehead despite the cool air as he forced his legs to carry him forward. He was vaguely aware of the couple he’d seen kissing driving away, leaving him alone in his tortured state. More memories crashed over him—Drake holding him back, their voices disappearing in the rain as the angry sea swallowed their father.
He paced, pushed both hands into his hair and clutched his head in a futile attempt to stop the memories from flooding in. He took three long strides toward the truck and stopped.
His mind reeled back in time again as he stood there shaking, unable to move forward. He’d stood here before. First a number of years ago and then again a few months ago. He’d stood in this same place, staring down the ghosts of his past. He hadn’t been able to face them then. Why did he think he could do it now?
Life takes you where you need to be, when you need to be there.
He started as the memory hit him. He’d almost forgotten the woman who had said that to him. She had been sitting on the dock drawing the night he’d come out a few months ago. They’d talked for a long time about what it was like to miss the people they loved. And he’d made a comment about not knowing why he’d thought he could deal with it. It was her response about timing and life that brought Drake’s voice back to him now.
Why do you think you’re fighting moving back here with your family, where you belong?
Why, after all this time, was Drake pushing him so hard?Why am I pushing myself?He knew those answers. They were easy compared to the turmoil of uncertainty consuming him. For the first time in years he’d spent long stretches of time with his family and friends, instead of hiding behind mounds of work miles away. He’d laughed more over the last several months than he had in a decade. He’d gotten a chance toliveagain, and he’d met someone who touched him in a way that made him want to slow down. Only slowing down on the Cape meant dealing with his demons, and he wasn’t sure who he’d be when, or if, he came out the other side.
He spun around one more time, staring down at the boats tethered to their moorings. They were imprisoned, just as he was shackled to his past. He shifted his eyes to the other side of the marina, thinking of Desiree. Wasn’t his confession enough for one twenty-four-hour period?Confessions, he reminded himself. Being honest with Drake would surely cause his touchy-feely brother to want to talk about it ad nauseam. He wasn’t any better prepared for that than he was for what he’d set out to do tonight.
Grinding his teeth together, he stalked over to the pier, staring out at the jetty where he’d first seen Desiree, and tried to catch his breath. He filled his mind with her. Her smile, her touch, her blushing, beautiful face. And when his breathing calmed, and his heart was so full of her it no longer ached, he climbed in his truck and took the long way back to the resort.
He pulled over on the side of the road, picked a handful of tiger lilies, and scoured his truck for paper, but couldn’t find any. He stopped at the resort office to write a note for Desiree, and rolled it up as he had the drawings. He eyed the decorative bottles on the windowsill, smiling as an idea came to him.
When he finally collapsed for the night, visions of Desiree followed him into his dreams.
Chapter Eleven
DESIREE HUMMED TO the music streaming from her phone as she cooked breakfast Friday morning. She’d risen with the sun, or rather, with Cosmos, who had claimed the foot of her bed as his own last night. She didn’t mind. She’d missed Rick, and she’d woken up excited to see him. And, she realized, to face the day. Yesterday she and Violet had broken new ground when they’d realized they were on the same page with regard to the renovations. Who knew two sisters who grew up on opposite sides of the world could agree on something so big so easily? They were in complete agreement with leaving the structure of the house intact, but as they’d found out last night while they were shopping, their decorating tastes were still miles apart. Desiree preferred bright colors like coral and white, while Violet went for purple and black. They’d have to deal with that at some point and come to a compromise for the kitchen and bath renovations, but for now Desiree was holding tight to their budding kinship.
Her heart skipped a beat as she glanced at the note Rick had left on the front porch, tucked inside a bottle and tied with twine. She’d nearly tripped over Cosmos when they’d found it on their way outside this morning. He’d also left an array of gorgeous tiger lilies, the renovation drawings, and the sandals she’d left in the truck. She’d taken a picture of the beautiful way he’d laid it all out and sent it to Emery with the message,Hot Jet Ski guy is the most romantic man I’ve ever met!Emery had replied,If he has a brother who is single, I’ll be there tonight!which had sparked a phone call that had lasted almost an hour.
It had taken Desiree a solid twenty minutes to get the note out of the bottle, and she’d been beaming ever since. She read it for the umpteenth time.
Good morning, beautiful,
