Finding Haven (9 page)

H
E STARED
at the phone. It didn’t ring as much as it did when he first arrived, but that was
because he had talked to everyone but her. They all knew he was hiding out, and except
for a few extra calls from Allan, his team seemed to respect his decision to take
some time off. What they didn’t realize was that the time off wasn’t temporary.

He watched the steam swirl from the coffee cup, and then glanced back at the phone.
When he woke up this morning, he hadn’t even thought about her, but once he settled
into the camper’s red vinyl booth, she was all he could think about it. He knew it
was time. He opened the missed calls on his screen and tapped her name. It was at
the top.

“Evan? Oh my God, Evan.” Her voice was frantic.

“Hey.” He picked up his coffee and sipped. He felt steady and calm, something he wasn’t
expecting when he heard her voice on the other end of the phone.

“I’ve tried to call and I left messages and texts. Why didn’t you answer any of them?
It’s been like two weeks.”

The waves rolled onto the shore. These questions were bound to come up. He knew she
would have tons of them along with excuses. “Because, Emmy, I didn’t feel like talking.”

Words tumbled from her mouth. “I know you saw the pictures. And it was a mistake.
I promise. Nothing else happened. I was in Hawaii, we had all this down time, and
it didn’t mean anything. I swear, Evan. I didn’t know the paps were following me.”

He found that hard to believe. When wasn’t Emmy picture ready? Her explanations didn’t
matter. He needed to get this over with.

“What you need to know is that I’m not mad at you. That’s not why I called.” He was
already going off script. He had a planned speech, but given the circumstances, it
seemed kind of stupid to use.

“But you don’t sound like yourself. I totally get why you’d be mad at me. You have
to know the whole thing is a mis—”

“Emmy, would you just listen?” He cut her off more harshly than he intended.

“Ok, ok, why did you call? I’m listening.” She exhaled into the phone, and he knew
her full lips were pouting wherever she was.

“I called to tell you I’m sorry. Sorry about everything that happened.”

“I-I don’t understand.” Her voice slowed.

He couldn’t expect her to know the layers behind his words. She hadn’t been along
for his soul-searching journey.

“I can’t blame you for spending time with someone else when I wasn’t around. Ever.
I checked out a long time ago, Emmy. That wasn’t your fault.”

“But you
were
around. It is my fault. Totally my fault. I’m sorry you saw the pictures. Can we
just talk in person? I’ll come to wherever you are. Let’s just talk about this. Please,
Evan.”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s a good idea, darlin’.”

If he even considered trying to put the relationship together again, it was always
going to end up this way. He wasn’t in love with her, and he knew it was because he
had never given her the time or the chance she deserved. Now with the pictures and
the headlines, he wouldn’t be able to get past it long enough for a do-over.

“Now I’m really confused.” She sounded shaky.

He thought about the time they spent together. How the only reason they dated was
to play up the romance in
Masquerade
during the premiere month. Both of their publicists had pushed the idea. It was supposed
to end there, but he and Emmy had fallen into a pattern of going out together, posing
for pictures, eating in hot-spot restaurants, and spurring the paparazzi frenzy until
they couldn’t have pizza delivered without suspecting the pizza guy had a camera in
the box. It was a relationship created to fuel their careers, and it had put them
both in a fishbowl they couldn’t swim out of. The only difference was that Emmy thrived
in the fishbowl. She loved every flashing camera and autograph request. Evan only
wanted to get a cup of coffee without women tearing at his jacket or giggling profusely
when he said hello. It was all too much.

“Emmy, I think it’s best if we just call this what it is. Over.” He dumped his coffee
in the sink and reached in the mini-fridge for a beer.

“But I miss you. Like really miss you. I’m sorry, really sorry.” Her voice cracked
and he winced at the sound. He didn’t want to be someone she missed.

He tried to think if he missed her. There was no denying she was beautiful—gorgeous
by any man’s standards—but he knew even after the dating had turned from publicity
stunt to voluntary that there was something missing. He couldn’t help but think Emmy
was with him to toss her star a little higher in the sky. Her love for him always
seemed the brightest when a camera was nearby.

“I’m sorry. I called to tell you that and to let you know I’m not mad. I don’t want
you to think I’m mad.” According to the grocery store headlines, he was in hiding
with a broken heart, plotting a comeback with a bombshell supermodel.

“Can’t you give us another chance? Just talk about it at least? You told me you wanted
to take me home to meet your family. We were supposed to go to Texas. Let’s do that.
We can go to the ranch and get away from the cameras. I’ve always wanted to see where
you live. As much as you talked about Texas I always felt like I’d actually been there
with you. We need to be alone. Just you and me.”

It was hard to hear. He didn’t expect it. She wasn’t supposed to fight him on it,
but for some reason, Emmy was grasping at straws and clawing for memories and promises
that shouldn’t have been made.

“Darlin’, we both know we were only together for the movie. Don’t spin it into something
it wasn’t.”

Although, he was starting to doubt what it was they had. Was Emmy more genuine and
sincere than he realized? Maybe he was the one doing the spinning. Everything was
muddled and blurry. It didn’t matter. They couldn’t start over. The media would always
be the third person in their relationship, and he was done living his love life on
the front page.

“Dammit, Evan. It was not just a publicity tactic. That trip to Cabo? The night in
San Francisco? Really, that was all for our images? There were no cameras; it was
you and me. You’re a real asshole, you know that!”

He took a swig of the cold beer. At least if she was mad at him, she would stop trying
to stir up feelings. “I just needed to say it. Set things straight. Ok?” He paused.
“Take care, Emmy. Maybe we’ll run into each other again.” This was not the time to
tell her he had walked his last red carpet. That would really set her off.

“Take care? Who am I even talking to? Why didn’t you just text me a break up?”

He sighed. “It’s not even a break up. You moved on weeks ago. This is more of a good-bye.”

“I told you I was sorry about Hawaii. Evan, come on. Tell me where you are. You’re
sounding crazy and not like yourself at all. Say something that makes sense. Say something
that sounds like Evan Carlson!” The desperation in her voice had picked back up.

He closed his eyes. This had to be it. Everything there was to talk about had been
said. There wasn’t any reason to drag it out. The longer he stayed on the phone, the
longer Emmy had to surprise him with more memories they shared. He didn’t want that.

“Bye, Emmy.” He slid the phone across the table and finished off the beer.

It was over. She wouldn’t call or text anymore. If she did, it was her own damn fault
for not listening. This was all for the better. One day she would realize it. Evan
hoped, for her sake, it didn’t take her two weeks on a lonely beach to figure it out.

T
HE WATER
was calm again today. Evan didn’t know if it was normal for the ocean to be like
this two days in a row, but he had a feeling he should make the most of it.

He opened the door to the campground office. “Good morning, Shug.”

“Well, hey, Jay.” She thumbed through a gardening magazine and glanced in his direction.

“I’m headed into town. I was hoping you might be able to tell me if there’s a place
to rent those kayaks I keep seeing out there.” He pointed to the orange and blue boats
drifting near the shore.

“Kayaks? You mean you’re not going to sit and drink on the beach all day?” She cleared
her throat and flipped to a page on summer gardenias.

Evan shoved his hands in his pockets. He hadn’t cared much about what people thought
about him. He didn’t want them to think about him at all, but Shug’s accurate description
stung a little. From a distance, he could see where people might get the wrong impression
of him.

“I thought I should see the beach from the waterside.” He laughed, trying to charm
her with his usual finesse, but Shug was one woman who wouldn’t take the bait.

“They rent them out there at Owen’s General Store. Behind the store, there’s a stand
on the docks.” The gardenia feature must be fascinating, although Evan knew they couldn’t
grow anything at the campground. There wasn’t any soil, only sand.

“Thanks, Shug. I appreciate it.” He turned for the screen door.

“How’s that book of yours coming along?”

“Book?” Evan froze. “Oh yeah, it’s going. Taking me a little longer to write than
I expected.”

“Good thing you’re here for the whole summer, I guess.” Shug placed the magazine on
the desk.

Evan couldn’t help but think she saw right through him and his flimsy cover, but if
she did, she didn’t mention it.

“Tell Harry I said hello.” Evan knew he was down on the beach surf fishing. He was
out every day with a pole and a chair.

“Will do.” She picked the magazine up.

Evan closed the door behind him and strolled to his Jeep. He had left it running in
front of the office. It was a small campground, and other than Charlotte, he thought
most people stayed only a night or two before moving on. It made sense Shug would
know his habits.

He felt a little guilty about the drinking. The last thing he wanted was to be known
as the campground drunk. His mother would not be happy with him. He turned onto the
road that led to the village and vowed to cut back on the beer. Five o’clock was an
acceptable cocktail hour—no more beer for breakfast. He leaned over, cranked up a
song on the radio, and let the wind blow through his hair.

He hadn’t returned to the general store since his first morning on the island. The
grocery store had more produce, and despite the beer runs, he did like to have fresh
fruit. He only wished the bananas weren’t so spotted. As he pulled into an open parking
space, he noticed the docks behind the store for the first time. Just as Shug described,
there was a wooden stand with Rentals written in blue. It looked like the store carried
kayaks, canoes, snorkel sets, and fishing gear.

Evan hopped on the boardwalk and strolled to the boat slips where the rental stand
sat.

As he walked closer, he overheard parts of a disagreement. He kept his hands in his
pockets and hung back close to the corner of the store. Whoever was talking needed
a minute to figure things out.

“Trav, you can’t be serious. You are quitting?”

“Yeah, why is that so unbelievable? You think you know me so well. Didn’t see that
one coming, did you?” He smirked.

Evan recognized the clerk who had helped him with the beer. That guy had seemed a
lot nicer in the store, and there was the girl who wrote notes on the register paper.
He had forgotten how pretty she looked. Right now, she looked mad.

“Don’t be such an ass. There is no reason to quit.” Her hands were on her hips.

“I don’t want to work here anymore. I don’t want to see you at the store everyday.
I’m tired of covering for you, and I got another job.”

“Another job?” Her voice was shrill. Evan watched as the guy walked from behind the
counter, out onto the pier. He was starting to think this wasn’t the best time to
rent a kayak. Maybe another day.

“Yeah, Haven. Another job.”

“Don’t leave like this,” she pleaded.

“What’s this, son?” A deeper voice emerged in the discussion. “You’re leaving?”

Evan peeked around the corner. The two store clerks had been joined by a man probably
in his fifties. This was getting more awkward.

“Mr. Owen, sorry for you to hear this way, but I’ve taken another position.” Travis’s
voice might have cracked.

The man glared at the pair. “Let me guess, this has something to do with Haven.”

“Dad, that’s not fair. I had no idea Travis was leaving.”

Evan watched as the man turned his back on the girl. “Travis, I’m sorry for whatever
has happened. What can I do to keep you on?”

“Mr. Owen, you’ve been really great to me over the years.”

“That doesn’t sound like I have a chance to change your mind.” He sighed. “I hope
we can come to an understanding, but if we can’t, I can count on you to work until
I find a replacement?”

“No, sir. I’m sorry, but this is my last day at the store. I start tomorrow.” There
was an air of triumph in the announcement.

“Trav, what are you talking about? Where are you going?”