Her Firefighter Hero (17 page)

Worthless. Good for nothing. Ruined everyone's life.

Amelia—one hand around the back of Max's scrawny neck and the other squeezing the tender underflesh of Honey's arm—hauled the pair of miscreants toward them.

“Ow, 'Melia.” Honey wrested free. “Let go. You're—” Her forward momentum carried her to within an arm's reach of Sawyer.

Honey teetered in her powder-slathered heels. Her eyes flicked toward Sawyer and then to her toes. She clenched and unclenched her hands at her sides.

Sawyer's heart pounded at her proximity.

Beatrice “Honey” Duer was the loveliest woman he'd ever known. As beautiful in her kindness and generosity as her beautiful honey-colored hair and chestnut brown eyes. Seeing her again, despite the circumstances, was both a pleasure and a stabbing ache he'd never quite managed to rid himself of.

He'd never understood until face-to-face now with Honey how one person could inspire within him—all at the same moment—such joy and pain.

This newly embittered, enraged Honey was entirely Sawyer's own fault. A product of his previous misjudgment in allowing the twentysomething Shore girl to get close to him that spring. His father's words—though the man was long dead in a state penitentiary—reverberated in his mind.

Whatever—and whomever—Sawyer touched, he ruined.

Sawyer straightened. “I take full responsibility for what happened here, Chief. My mess. I'll clean it up.”

Honey's eyes flickered to his.

Sawyer looked away and focused over her shoulder to the mounted wall map. With his eye, he mentally traced the outline of the Delmarva Peninsula. Delaware. Maryland. Virginia.

His Coast Guard family and his career were the only things he'd ever succeeded at.

Sawyer kept his posture tall and his feet pointed toward Braeden. “I also want to compensate the Sandpiper owner for lost revenue and supplies, Chief.”

Honey bristled.

Sawyer sneaked a glance her way before resuming his perusal of the framed map.

The Atlantic Ocean. The Chesapeake Bay. Highway 13. Chincoteague. Onley. Nassawadox. Willis Wharf. Kiptohanock nestling on the Great Machipongo Inlet.

His Coast Guard family and career were also the only things in his life he'd not ruined or self-sabotaged. Until now.

Sawyer steeled himself. “I understand you'll have to file an official reprimand in my service record. And if I'm demoted and transferred—”

Honey's breath hitched. “Wait. This wasn't his fault.” She caught hold of Braeden's sleeve. “I started it. Not him. I'm to blame. He shouldn't be punished for defending himself.”

Sawyer angled. “You don't have to...”

Her face clouded. “Actually, he was defending me. I'll reimburse Dixie and the owner for lost wages. I'll clean—”

“You're
all
going to clean up this mess, baby girl.” The jean-clad Seth unwound from where he leaned against a booth. “You, Guardsman Kole here and—” He harpooned Max with his hand and reeled him closer. “And my grandson, Max, too.”

Mutiny written across his features, Max squirmed. “But I'm s'posed to go with Mimi and Dad for Mimi's doctor visit.”

The very pregnant Amelia sidled next to her husband, Braeden. “Granddad's right, Max. Every action has consequences. Time for you to own yours.”

“But—but...”

“No buts.” Braeden bent to Max's level. “A good Coastie learns to accept responsibility for his actions.”

He speared Sawyer with a look. “You've got major damage control to take care of here, Kole. Not to mention prepare for a late season storm threatening landfall anywhere between Delaware and Charleston, South Carolina, over the next few days.”

Sawyer nodded. “Affirmative, Chief. The cafe will be shipshape by the time you and the missus return this afternoon.”

“I'm counting on it.” Braeden straightened to his full height. “I know I can also count on you and Honey to supervise my boy, Max, until I return. Giving him an example of what integrity looks like.”

Seth moved toward the door. “I've got a short charter this morning, but I expect a full report from you, XPO Kole, when I return midday. Me and you are going to have a chat. Long overdue, in fact. You roger that?”

“Daddy... This has nothing to do with you.” Honey frowned. “Why are you always trying to ruin my life?”

Sawyer went ramrod stiff at the echo of his own thoughts. “Roger, Mr. Duer. I'll be waiting for you on the harbor dock.”

Honey's father exchanged glances with Braeden and Amelia. “I'm not trying to ruin your life, baby girl. Can't nobody do that to you but you.”

Flushing, Honey drew a circle in the confectioner's sugar with the toe of her shoe.

Heading out, Seth settled his ball cap firmly about his graying head and adjusted the brim. “Something you ought to ponder as you're cleaning up this mess the two of you made.”

Copyright © 2016 by Lisa Carter