Seaview Inn (16 page)

“Oh, would you just give it up and let me help,” he said impatiently. “I know you’re strong and capable and that you can do anything you want to do. That doesn’t mean you can’t let me carry some of this for you.”

She sighed and relinquished a few of the bags. She started to ask what he was doing here, but she already knew the answer to that. In fact, to be honest about it, she was a little surprised it had taken him this long to show up.

He gave her a knowing look. “You don’t seem that surprised to see me.”

She shrugged. “You didn’t like the answers I was giving you. Of course you’d fly all the way across the country to try to change my mind.” She gave him a defiant look. “But my mind is made up, Jeff.”

“Okay,” he said simply, and fell into step beside her.

Kelsey halted in her tracks. “Okay? Just like that?”

He grinned. “You’re stubborn as a mule. Arguing with you will only make you dig in your heels.”

“Then why did you come?”

“Because you’re here,” he said.

Kelsey frowned. “What about school?”

“I dropped out for the time being.”

Her jaw dropped. “You’ve left school? That’s crazy.”

“No crazier than you doing it,” he said indifferently. “I can do my computer stuff anywhere, and that’s what’s going to pay the bills for both of us and the baby. I’m having all that stuff shipped here, by the way. Mine and yours.”

“You can’t just show up here and expect to move in,” she protested.

“You live in an inn. I’ll rent a room.”

“We’re all booked,” she told him proudly. “At least as of next week.”

“Then I’ll rent a room until the other guests show up.”

“And then what?”

He grinned at her. “Maybe by then you’ll be used to having me around and you’ll let me move in with you.”

“Under my mom’s watch? Good luck.”

“I think your mom already likes me,” he said.

“You met my mom? For what? Like five minutes?”

“It felt like longer,” Jeff said. “But maybe that’s because she was interrogating me. I think I held up okay.”

“You didn’t meet Grandma Jenny, did you?”

He shook his head. “I think she was standing just inside, though, ready to call the cops if she didn’t like what she heard. At least, she had a phone in her hand.” He grinned. “I never saw her dialing, though, so I must have passed some sort of test with her, too.”

Kelsey grinned back at him. That would be just like Gran, ready to turn Jeff in to protect Kelsey from him.

“So, do I get to stay or not?” he asked, looking around. “This place is kind of cool.”

Despite her trepidation about spending too much time with him, Kelsey couldn’t help sharing her enthusiasm about the inn. “Just wait until I take you on a tour of the inn, Jeff. It’s so amazing. We’ve been working like crazy to get it ready to open. I’ve been trying to pull some of the paperwork so it can be computerized, but I haven’t got it all figured out yet. I want to create a Web site.”

“I could do that for you,” he offered.

“Would you?”

“Of course.”

“I’ve sketched out all these ideas, but I don’t have enough experience to make it look right online. I’ll show you after I’ve given you the grand tour.”

His steps slowed. “Kelsey?”

“What?”

“You really like what you’re doing here, don’t you? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you this excited about anything.”

“I do,” she said. “I feel as if I’m part of something that goes back for generations. I feel this amazing connection to this place that I never felt in California or even in New York.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay, then. I guess you’d better take me on that tour. If this is where we’re going to live, then I should know everything there is to know about it.”

“Jeff—”

He cut her off before she could complete the protest. “No arguments, okay? I’m not going to push for getting married right now, but I’m not leaving, either.”

“Just like that?” she asked, astounded. “You would stay here just because it’s what I want?”

“Of course.”

His response didn’t settle everything, not by a long shot, but it went a very long way toward putting her mind at ease. Maybe there was hope for the two of them, after all. How many men would change their lives at the drop of a hat to please a woman? That had to count for something.

A couple of hours ago, if anyone had told her that Jeff was going to show up and announce he was here to stay, she would have felt nothing but panic. Now, here he was, and what she felt was hopeful.

Hannah was exhausted by the time they’d finished dinner and dessert. She’d sent Gran off to bed and Kelsey and Jeff out to the porch.

“I’ll do the dishes and clean up,” she told them, shooing them out of the house.

She wanted the time alone to recover from the tension of waiting for an explosion that had never come between Jeff and Kelsey. Instead, they’d acted as if his arrival were nothing unexpected. Not one word had been said about the future or marriage or the baby. In fact, all of the talk had been about a new Web site for the inn, which Jeff was apparently going to create. The whole meal had been surreal.

When the phone rang, she grabbed it, eager for anything that might distract her from the latest turn of events.

“Hannah?”

Her heart skipped a couple of beats. “Luke, hi. Where are you?”

“At a motel just outside Atlanta. Traffic was awful. I got in later than I expected, so I’ll pick up Nate and Gracie tomorrow morning. Hopefully we’ll be able to drive straight through to Seaview.” He paused. “Are you still sure you’re up for this?”

“Hey, it’ll be a great distraction from our other guest.”

“What guest is that? I thought no one was due to check in until next week.”

“This isn’t that kind of guest. Jeff turned up to plead his case with Kelsey.”

“How’s that going? He’s not pressuring her, is he?”

“Only if kindness counts,” she said. “He’s already pitching in around here. She has him designing a Web site. I gather he’s some kind of computer genius who creates software, something she’d neglected to mention. He’s also heir to a family fortune, which he claims doesn’t interest him. And he looks as if he just rode in with a biker gang, at least until you look into his eyes and realize he’s just a kid who’s wild about my daughter.”

“You like him, don’t you?” he asked. He sounded astonished.

“Yes. I’m actually on his side. He’s smart, too, by the way.”

“You mean because of the whole computer thing?”

“No, I mean because he’s apparently picked up on Kelsey’s love for this place and is making himself a part of it, instead of fighting her. I gather we now have two dropouts on our hands.”

“Maybe you should stop thinking of either one of them as dropouts and think of them as entrepreneurs.”

“An interesting spin,” she said glumly. “I’ll try.” Because she didn’t want to discuss Kelsey and her uncertain future, she turned the tables. “How do you feel about seeing Lisa? Are you nervous?”

“Not nervous. It will be strange. I’ve known her for twenty years, but she’s not the same woman I fell in love with.”

“What about your medical practice?”

“What about it?” he responded, a distinct edge in his voice that should have warned her off, but didn’t.

“Will you stop by? Make any decisions?”

“I’ll never walk into that office again,” he said.

“Luke, you can’t just turn your back on it. I may not know much about the medical field, but you invested a lot of your life in building that practice, I’m sure. It’s not right to walk away with nothing.”

“Which is why I will eventually have to hire an attorney to sort out the dissolution of the practice,” he said. “But I can’t think about that now. Right now, my focus is on the kids. I hope they’re not angry with me.”

“For leaving them to go to Iraq?”

“Yeah.”

“Luke, even if they are angry, they’ll get over it. I mean, what kid can resist being happy with endless hours to play on the beach?”

“I hope you still have that positive outlook a couple of days from now,” he said.

“I will,” she told him. “I promise.”

“I’m counting on it, Hannah,” he said. “I really am. I should get some sleep, if we’re going to get on the road really early.”

“Do you think you’ll make the last ferry?”

“I’m planning on it. I’ll call if we don’t.”

Her heart accelerated in anticipation, which probably wasn’t a good thing. “See you tomorrow night, Luke. Drive safely.”

“Night, Hannah.”

She hung up slowly, then stepped outside to gaze up at the darkening sky. One lone star winked at her. “Let this be okay for him,” she whispered. In fact, let it be okay for all of them.

L
uke arrived at his former home before dawn, anxious to pick up the kids and get on the road. If there had been any way to avoid it, he would have skipped an encounter with his ex-wife, but he could hardly sit in the driveway and honk the horn until the kids came out. Reluctantly he crossed the manicured lawn and rang the doorbell. Since every light in the house was blazing, there was no chance he’d be waking anyone up.

When the door opened, Brad was on the other side, his expression wary. “Luke, you look good,” he said with forced geniality. “Come on in.”

Luke’s hands instinctively balled into fists. Lisa hadn’t even done him the courtesy of keeping Brad away as he’d requested. Any other time, any other place, he’d have punched the man out. Because his children were undoubtedly close by, he restrained himself. “No thanks. I’ll wait right here. Are the kids ready to leave?”

“Just about,” Brad said. He hesitated, then added, “Look, I’m sorry, man. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“I don’t want to hear any of your excuses or apologies,” Luke snapped. “Tell the kids I’ll be in the car when they’re ready.”

“Come on, don’t do this,” Brad pleaded. “We need to find some way to co-exist for Nate and Gracie’s sakes. And you and I have a business relationship.”

“Not anymore, we don’t,” Luke said. “Do you think I could ever trust you again?”

“Look, I know this is bad. Lisa and I, we didn’t plan any of this. I was doing what you asked me to do, looking out for them, you know?”

“And by your interpretation that included sleeping with my wife?” Luke inquired.

“Of course not,” Brad said. “It just happened. We certainly didn’t mean to hurt you. You and me, we go back too far to throw our friendship away.”

Luke stared at him incredulously. “You can’t possibly be that naive. As if we could ever be friends again. I don’t even want to share office space with you.” He held up his hands. “Forget it. I’m not having this conversation with you. You’re both adults. You knew exactly what you were doing and what the fallout would be, so don’t pretend to be all broken up about it now. I’ll be in the car. Just send the kids out.”

He whirled around and walked away before he succumbed to temptation and bloodied Brad’s aristocratic nose.

Five minutes later, Lisa emerged from the house with Gracie and Nate trailing behind her, obviously reluctant. For two kids who were normally eager for any excuse to skip school, they didn’t seem especially happy about this unexpected vacation in sunny Florida.

Luke forced a smile for them and opened the back door. “Hop in, guys. This is going to be a real adventure. I can’t wait for you to see Seaview Key.”

Gracie gave him a surprisingly bored look. “Whatever,” she said.

Nate said nothing.

Luke turned to Lisa, who’d rolled two suitcases up to the car. They didn’t look as if they’d hold enough for an overnight visit, much less a week. “You sure they have everything they’ll need?”

“I’ve packed shorts and T-shirts and bathing suits. We’re talking Seaview Key. They won’t be dressing up.”

“No, but they’re kids. They will be getting dirty.”

“Doesn’t this inn have a washing machine? If not, I’m sure you can spring for a few more things from the nearest discount store. They do have some kind of dollar place there, don’t they?”

Her attitude snapped the last thread that was keeping his temper in check. He took a step closer and whispered in her ear, “When did you turn into a first-class bitch?” He made sure his voice was low enough that the kids couldn’t overhear him.

“The day you started making all the decisions for all of us,” she retorted.

“Don’t even go there,” he said, nudging her a safe distance from the car. “We are not having this conversation now. You wanted out of our marriage, Lisa. You got it. Let’s not rehash old news. And maybe, while the kids and I are away, you can come up with some way for the two of us to be civil to each other. And it needs to start with keeping Brad out of my face.”

“How am I supposed to do that? He lives here now.”

“Find a way,” he said grimly. “I’ll have the kids call you once we get in tonight.”

“Any idea what time that will be?”

“Why don’t we just say they’ll call around six? That way it won’t matter if we’re held up. You’ll know when to expect the call.”

“Actually, I’m meeting Brad at six. We’re having dinner with friends.”

Luke kept a tight grip on his patience. “Then they’ll call you on your cell phone. Make sure you keep it turned on.”

He could tell from the expression on her face that she wanted to find something wrong with that plan, too, but she remained silent.

“Okay, then,” he said with forced cheer as he walked back to the car. “I guess we’re ready to hit the road.” He leaned inside. “All set, guys?”

Neither child responded.

“Tell your mom goodbye,” he said.

Nate and Gracie both stared accusingly at Lisa as if she were sending them off to Siberia, rather than to a winter break at the beach. Neither said a word.

“Love you,” Lisa said to them, anyway. “I’ll see you in a week. Have fun in Florida.”

Luke finally forced himself to meet her gaze. “I’ll take good care of them,” he told her.

Her chin wobbled slightly. “Oh, Luke, don’t you think I know that? I am so sorry…” Her voice shook. “You know, about everything.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said tightly.

He got behind the wheel and turned on the engine to drown out whatever else she might say. He didn’t want to hear apologies or excuses from her any more than he’d wanted to hear them from Brad.

He waved one last time as he pulled out of the driveway, then didn’t look back. What would have been the point? That woman, that house, that life were all behind him now.

Luke hadn’t known what to expect when he picked up the kids earlier in the day, but he definitely hadn’t antici
pated the total silence that had greeted him at the house or the sullen expressions he’d been dealing with ever since they’d hit the road. He wasn’t the one who’d betrayed his family, but clearly he was paying the price for a decision that had been out of his hands. If today was any indication, this was going to be a very long week, and any progress toward healing the rift between him and the kids was going to be made by inches, not leaps and bounds.

“Want to stop for pizza before we go out to the inn?” he asked. Pizza had always been a sure-fire hit. “We have about an hour before the ferry.”

His ten-year-old daughter’s sunny disposition was nowhere to be found in the scowl that greeted his question. Eight-year-old Nate glanced at his big sister hopefully, but then sighed and remained stubbornly silent.

“Okay, then,” Luke said, trying his best to remain determinedly upbeat. “I want pizza, so I guess that’s what we’ll have.”

“I’ll stay in the car,” Gracie said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Afraid not, kiddo. We’re all going in.”

Her scowl deepened. “Well, I’m not eating!”

“Okay with me,” Luke said. “How about you, Nate? Are you hungry? I’m thinking a pepperoni pizza.”

Nate gave an almost imperceptible nod, then looked down as if embarrassed that he’d caved at the prospect of his favorite pizza.

Inside, Luke ordered a large pizza and sodas—three of them despite Gracie’s claim that she didn’t want a drink, either—then led the way to a table by the window.

“Want me to tell you about Seaview Key?” he asked, keeping his attention focused on Nate, who’d shown at least a tiny sign of mellowing. “When I was your age, it
was a great place to live. I spent all summer long swimming and fishing.”

“There are sharks in the water,” Gracie declared. “I’m not swimming with sharks!”

“I’m not scared of sharks,” Nate piped up, shooting a defiant look at his sister. “And I love to swim.”

Finally, a breach in their united front, Luke thought triumphantly.

“Gracie’s just a big baby,” Nate added.

“Hey, that’s not a nice thing to say about your big sister,” Luke scolded. “I’m sure there are just things she would rather do. You used to like to read, Gracie. Do you still go to the library every week? There’s a great one on Seaview. We can go tomorrow and you can pick out some books.”

He thought he caught a glimmer of interest in her eyes, but she shut down almost immediately, her scowl firmly in place.

“I brought my own books,” she told him.

“Well, if you read all those, the library will be there,” he said, still determinedly upbeat.

When the pizza came, Luke maintained a mostly one-sided conversation. Nate ate as if he was starved, but Gracie continued to stare at the food with disdain and flatly refused to touch it or her soda.

“One last slice, Gracie,” Luke said eventually. “It would be a shame to let it go to waste. Are you sure you don’t want some?”

“If you don’t, I’ll take it,” Nate said eagerly.

“And then you’ll hurl in the car,” Gracie retorted, grabbing the slice as if she were determined only to save them all from that fate.

Luke had to hide a grin. Gracie had his pride and her
mom’s stubborn streak, but she’d finally found a way to eat and save face at the same time.

“Okay, you two, when we get to the inn, I want you to remember your manners. These people were kind enough to let us stay there, so let’s not make them regret it.”

“If it’s an inn, that means you’re paying them, so we can treat them however we want,” Gracie said, her imperious tone sounding a whole lot like her mother at her worst.

“No, actually these are friends, and we are not paying them for your rooms. Grandma Jenny insisted that you be her guests.”

Nate looked puzzled. “Is she our grandmother?”

“No,” Luke said.

“Is she yours?”

“No, it’s just what she likes to be called. She does know your grandmother and grandfather, though, from when they used to live in Seaview Key.”

“Well, I’m not calling her that,” Gracie said. “I have three grandmas already.”

“Three?” Luke queried.

“Uncle Brad’s mother wants us to call her Grandma, too,” Nate explained, making a face. “You know, once he and mom get married.” He sighed dramatically. “But she’s mean. She’s not a very good grandmother. She has too many rules. Does Grandma Jenny have a lot of rules?”

Luke honestly didn’t know the answer to that, but he had a suspicion that once Grandma Jenny saw how unhappy his children were, she was going to do everything she could to spoil them both rotten. Probably best, though, if these two master manipulators didn’t know that.

“I’m sure her rules are the same ones you’re already familiar with,” he told them.

“Like what?” Nate asked.

“Like no running in the house,” he began, then winked at him. “And no putting frogs in your sister’s bed.”

“Oh, gross,” Gracie said. “Are there frogs?”

“Well, I have to admit that I haven’t seen any since I got there, but you never know.”

“What other rules are there?” Nate asked worriedly. “Do we have to go to bed early?”

“Not while you’re on vacation,” Luke assured him. “But that doesn’t mean you can stay up half the night. We’ll figure that out once we’re there and see how tired you are after playing on the beach all day.”

“The sun’s bad for my skin, so I won’t play on the beach, and I’m going to bed at nine, like always,” Gracie said. “Mom said so.”

“I don’t think your mom will mind if you stay up a little later, since it is vacation,” Luke said. “But if you’re tired at nine, then it’s fine to go to bed. And we’ll slather you with sunscreen for the beach.”

“Do we have to eat vegetables?” Nate asked.

“I’ll bet there’s spinach every day,” Gracie said with resignation. “Or collard greens or something yucky like that.”

“Haven’t had any so far,” Luke said. “But I have had some strawberry-rhubarb pie. Most days we take a walk and get ice cream or frozen custard in the afternoon.”

Nate’s eyes widened. “Really? Every day?”

“Just about.”

“Cool.”

“Mom would be really mad if we ate ice cream that much,” Gracie predicted.

“Vacations have different rules,” Luke insisted. “Just remember that when you’re in Atlanta, Mom’s rules have to be followed.”

“I think vacation’s going to be fun,” Nate announced, glancing defiantly at Gracie.

She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled back at both of them. “We’ll see.”

Luke bit back a laugh. What was it about the women in his life lately? They all seemed intent on tossing challenges his way. He just prayed he was up to meeting this one.

Hannah stood on the steps of the inn and watched as Luke’s children emerged from the back seat of the car. The boy—Nate, if she remembered correctly—took one look at the beach across the street and let out a whoop of pure joy. He was about to dart across the road, when Luke snagged the back of his shirt and hauled him back.

“Hold on, son. Let’s get our stuff inside and then I’ll take you to the beach.”

“But, Dad, it might be dark by then,” Nate protested. “I really want to see the ocean.”

“It’s not the ocean. It’s the Gulf of Mexico,” Hannah corrected, then grinned at Luke. “And he’s right, it will be dark very shortly. If you expect to do any wading, now’s the time.”

“Thanks for backing me up,” Luke said dryly. “Nate, Gracie, this is Hannah. Her family owns the inn. She grew up here, just like I did.”

“But I don’t live here now,” Hannah said a little too quickly. “I live in New York.”

Gracie regarded her with a spark of interest. “We went to New York once. My mom took us to see the ballet.”

Nate rolled his eyes. “I liked that history museum better.”

Hannah laughed. “Yes, well, New York does have things to do for just about every taste.” Glancing across the street, she noted that the sun was about to slip below
the horizon. “Time’s running out, guys. Anyone want to see the beach?”

“I do,” Nate shouted eagerly.

“Gracie, what about you?”

The little girl looked torn. Hannah suspected she’d resolved not to enjoy anything on this trip.

“I guess,” she finally said, as if she were granting them all a favor by agreeing.