Finding Love in Forgotten Cove (Island County Series Book 1) (14 page)

I picked up an empty platter and smiled. “I get that sense.”

Walking out onto the deck, I felt the fresh air blast into my lungs as if it had some sort of mystical healing power. I opened the lid on the grill and removed the corn and asparagus. I glanced behind me and saw all the girls talking and laughing, and a part of me suddenly didn’t want to leave this place. I never had this sensation of comfort or belonging in Skaneateles. What I did have was a one-bedroom apartment on the first floor of an 1815 mansion that was filled with dated wallpaper and a kitchen with only one working appliance and it wasn’t the fridge. But it was cheap, and on a teacher’s salary, that was the only way to survive.

The town itself was charming and had a great sense of community. In the winter, carriage rides and roasting chestnuts in the town square were the norm. In the spring and summer, the town was jam-packed with amazing farmers’ markets, and the fall was bursting with pumpkin-carving contests and hayrides. Unfortunately, I wasn’t part of the community and Tanner and his family ensured that would never be the case once I called off the engagement. I tried, but it never quite worked. I often felt like I was stuck inside my apartment, and the world was busily going by on the outside.

But here—inside the home I tried so desperately to forget—it felt as if an entire world existed with me as a central part of it. I was in the action, not watching it from a one-bedroom apartment.

I flipped off the grill and went back inside as everyone began setting the dining table. It was as if we’d done this many times before and it was just another summer night. I set the platter on the table and went into the kitchen where Bethany grabbed me. The others started seating themselves around the table, laughter and chatter echoing through the air.

“Not to freak you out, but Lily says Mason is talking nonstop to Ayden about you.”

I laughed. “Well, I guess that’s a good thing as long as nobody gets hurt.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m still planning on leaving at the end of the summer,” I reminded her.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, pushing me into the dining room. It was moments like these when I felt like we were back in high school, but I loved Bethany regardless of her voracious need to be in the know.

“So, you’ll be coming to the barbeque, right?” Lily asked as I took a seat.

“I think so. As long as Mason still wants me there,” I laughed, unfolding my napkin.

Lily beamed. “My dear, I swear, you’ll be the guest of honor. We’ve all heard so much about you. His parents are dying to meet the one who—”

I saw Gabby’s entire body move at the moment Lily abruptly stopped speaking.

“You kicked her,” I laughed.  “You totally kicked her.”

“That’s a horrible way to behave, isn’t it?” Lily laughed, feigning pain in her ankle. “I’ll be bruised for days.”

“I just didn’t want you to either make Tori go running off or cancel on us. We need another female there since Brandy won’t be at the get together.”

“Brandy won’t be there?” I asked.

“Nope. She’s in Paris with her boyfriend, also known as my brother. He’s got some huge gallery opening at the end of summer so she’s there while he’s preparing,” Gabby informed me.

“And to get away from the trial mess,” Lily muttered.

“Trial?” Bethany asked. She was addicted to all
Dateline
shows and imagined every court encounter to be full of mystery and intrigue, which was anything but the truth. Most court cases were nothing but paper shuffling with the hopes of never making it to trial.

Lily and Gabby traded somber glances.

“It’s a long story, but it’s better if she’s there,” Lily concluded with Gabby nodding.

“Wow. I’m so sorry to hear that.”

I started thinking about how much I knew about Mason, truly knew. He’d told me his parents were hopeless romantics. I gathered he had a very close family, but he never talked specifics. My mind flashed to his reference to guilt and I wondered what in the world he felt guilty about. We’d gotten so sidetracked with my whole life’s history, that I really didn’t feel I’d gotten his. I let him in, but I wasn’t sure he’d totally let me in.

“This is amazing. You’re cooking puts mine to shame,” Tessa said, scooping more asparagus onto her plate.

“Thanks. I enjoy it.” I looked down at my plate, realizing I’d barely touched anything.

“You okay?” Bethany whispered.

“Totally.” I nodded, taking a bite of the corn.

A huge squirt shot across the table and hit Lily in the center of her forehead and Gabby burst into laughter.

“She’s definitely one of us,” Gabby said, between wiping tears and laughing.

“Sorry. I couldn’t have made that shot if I’d tried,” I giggled.

The Skaneateles me would have been mortified. The Fireweed me laughed about it. I liked the Fireweed me more.

And that was when it hit me what had been missing from my relationship with Tanner. We never laughed. We went to bed together. We woke up together. We commuted. We ate together. We never laughed together.

I glanced around the table and saw something I hadn’t seen in a really long time, happy people, who relished one another’s company. What I left in Skaneateles was a group of people who were active in their community because it looked good on paper, not because they truly enjoyed helping others. My mind wandered to the countless fundraisers Tanner brought me too, his family mostly badmouthing everyone who was expected to be there while on our ride to the function, and his family badmouthing everyone who’d attended on the way from the function. I made myself believe I enjoyed the parties and the people, but I didn’t. I think my father saw that long before I did. Shaking myself out of it, I raised my glass.

“I’d like to do a toast to Gabby for recommending Mason. He’s worked wonders on this house and has made it beyond presentable to put on the market.”

“I second that,” Bethany said, raising her glass. “He’s certainly kept Tori in a better mood since he’s been around too.”

All the girls started laughing and I nodded in agreement. She was right. There was no arguing the fact, but it didn’t mean anything.

“Well, he’s worked so hard to meet and exceed deadlines that I think I’ll actually be able to meet my own and make it back to Skaneateles before the start of the new school year.”

“So you really are planning on moving back?” Gabby asked.

“I am. I have my apartment back there, all my things, my job…”

“I haven’t heard you mention a significant other,” Lily stated.

“No. I no longer have one of those. He didn’t realize that most people appreciate monogamy when engaged. I found him sleeping with my best friend.”

A group gasp erupted around the table and I smiled, rather feebly. I really hadn’t wanted to get into it. But with a group of women and a statement like that, it was impossible to ignore the details.

“We were on his parents’ boat he’d borrowed for a weeklong cruise when I found them. I was literally trapped at sea in a frozen state of hell.”

“Oh, my. God. That is beyond horrible,” Gabby’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

“That’s pretty much how I felt. We were on a sixty-seven foot, two-bedroom cruiser. Tanner and I shared one bedroom and my best friend, Laurie, had the other bedroom.”

“Seems logical,” Tessa replied.

“Yeah. It seemed like a good layout until I walked into Laurie’s bedroom and found Tanner on top of her and she was enjoying every second of it. I screamed and the crew came running to the rescue, not realizing what was actually going on. Before I knew it I’d marched up the stairs and thrown my engagement ring over the bow.”

“It was a huge ring too,” Bethany chipped in.

“It was. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

“Who would be?” Gabby asked, shaking her head.

“I called my dad from the satellite phone and told him everything. He was wonderfully supportive, but I knew he was relieved. He’d never met Tanner, but I could tell he wasn’t impressed. Once he found out he didn’t know how to change oil or stop a leaky faucet, he wrote him off.”

Bethany shook her head. “That wasn’t why he wrote off Tanner. He just didn’t like him.”

“True.” I grinned. “And I don’t think I did either. Needless to say, I was seasick for the next two days straight before we got back to port. It was a nasty experience all the way around. I definitely left my mark on their boat.”

“Ugh. Men can be such jerks,” Lily said. She folded her napkin and sat back in the seat. “But I do know there are still good ones out there. And often they come around when you’re least expecting them too.”

“You know what I find interesting? You’re not wanting to get back to friends or a boyfriend…just your apartment, things inside the apartment, and a job,” Bethany pointed out.

I looked down at the empty plate in front of me, unwilling to admit she had a valid point. Why was I determined to stay in a place I didn’t really consider home?

Because it was safe.

“Food for thought,” she added.

We’d all managed to clear our plates and devoured the food on the platters. If nothing else, this group could eat and that I appreciated. There was nothing more annoying than going to all the trouble to cook for someone and they leave three-quarters of it on their plate.

“I’m completely stuffed and that couch is calling my name,” Bethany said.

“I second that,” Lily said.

One by one we cleared off the table and walked our plates into the kitchen. After a little bit of back and forth, I convinced them to let me handle the dishes when they left. We all refilled our drinks and wandered into the family room.

I noticed a pile of wood in an ornate cast-iron log holder next to the fireplace, and placed on top was a box of matches. I knew I hadn’t hauled those in, but with the chill in the air it was nice to have. I grabbed a few pieces of newspaper and walked over to the fireplace, kneeling on the Flokati rug Mason had purchased to pull the room together. I silently chuckled as I saw the logs already arranged in the fireplace, ready to go. I swiped the match and worked on igniting the logs, which didn’t take long at all.

“Perfect. Now I don’t need to get my sweatshirt from the car,” Tessa said, collapsing into one of the oversized chairs.

I sat in the other one and still pulled a blanket over me in case the heat didn’t reach me.

“I hope we can convince you to stay in Washington,” Gabby said, and Lily nodded in agreement.

“That’s very sweet of you.”

“Hopefully, the barbeque will change your mind.”

“Let’s hope,” Lily agreed with Gabby.

“So is there anything I should or shouldn’t do?” I teased.

“Just be your cute little self and you’ll have a blast. I know his mom will love you.” Lily propped a pillow behind her, and I realized no matter what Mason implied about this barbeque, there was something more going on.

“It seems like Mason and Ayden are pretty close,” Tessa said.

“Twins often are,” Bethany replied, and my stomach knotted.

“The whole family is tight,” Lily offered. “I think it’s killing Mason and Ayden to have Brandy over in Paris, but thankfully he’s got a couple fights he’s training for.”

“He’s a fighter? I thought he ran an energy drink company or something,” I asked, trying to remember specifically what Mason said about him.

“Oh, he does. But his hobby is underground fighting.” Lily twisted her lips. “That sounds healthy, doesn’t it?”

I laughed. “Very healthy and not scary at all.”

“I’m still getting used to it, and I’ve seen him pummel his opponents every time.”

I nodded. “It would be hard to see someone you love step into the line of a fist, no matter how skilled they are.”

Lily nodded. “Ayden is completely addicted to fighting. He’s cut back a little, but I notice he gets more antsy when he hasn’t gotten in the ring.”

“Doesn’t that make you nervous?” I asked.

She nodded. “Totally, but this is part of who he is. I knew it was part of the package when we started dating… and it helps that he’s undefeated.” She smiled and took a sip of her coffee. “And I’d be lying to myself and everyone in this room, if I didn’t admit, I love what it does for his body.”

“Well, you can’t argue with that.” Bethany grinned and wiggled her brows.

I thought back to Mason’s physique, but I had a feeling things had to do less with fighting and more with genetics with these two men. Although, Mason worked nonstop so that probably was the equivalent to getting into the ring.

“What are you daydreaming about over there?” Gabby asked, taking a sip of the fresh lemonade I’d made.

“If I were a betting woman, I’d say Mason.” Bethany grinned far too wide for her face.

“That’s so not true.”

“Sure it’s not,” Tessa seconded.

“Whose side are you on and why is that the second time I’m having to ask since I met you?”

By this time, Lily and Gabby had joined in laughing with the rest of them and were getting far too much of a kick out of the whole ordeal, and I refused to give any of them what they wanted.

“I only happened to be thinking about the papers I needed to correct tomorrow before class.”

“Right.” Gabby nodded, giving me a wink.

“So how did Ayden get into fighting in the first place?” I asked.

The room fell silent, and I immediately realized I’d stumbled into Mason territory, and neither Lily or Gabby wanted to spill the beans so I got a shortened version. Maybe Prince Charming had some skeletons after all.

“It was back in college,” Lily explained.

“Yep, back in college,” Gabby confirmed.

“So he’s been doing it for quite a long time then.” My mind circled to Mason and his casual comment about holding onto guilt. Was it connected to his brother? I knew the only way I’d find out was if I asked him directly, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to press.

“Mason didn’t mention anything about his brother fighting. Maybe, I’ll go check out one of his matches. Is there another one coming up?”

Gabby nodded. “There’s a huge one coming up near Halloween. The rumor is that it’s Ayden’s last fight.”

“Who’d you hear it from?” I asked, propping my elbows on my knees.