Trapped in Tourist Town (7 page)

Okay, so it wasn't like she was emotionally attached to her car. It got her from point A to point B, or at least it had until it bit the dust on the way up to the lighthouse. The car hadn't provided her with any truly memorable experiences. She had run over a skunk (already dead) on her inaugural drive. Every time it rained over the following year, Lucille had reeked with the smell of skunk. Cady had lost her muffler flying over potholes out on Bartlett Road. You couldn't really catch air on those potholes unless you were breaking the speed limit by at least twenty miles per hour. This memory finally put a grin on her face.

In need of transportation, her dad had taken her to pick out a used car from Sergeant Gerry, Chase's boss, who bought and sold vehicles impounded by the town. They'd both tried to talk her into something compact and girly. But Cady had spotted a gray beater pick-up and she knew it had to be hers. Her dad had groused that it wouldn't be fair if she got a truck before he did. Pulling him aside, she promised to take him to McCloskey's field after the next good rain and they could take turns doing doughnuts. He'd promptly told the Sergeant that Cady was buying the truck.

After dropping her dad off at home, Cady drove next door to Chase's and Amanda's house. Sitting in the truck for a minute, she looked to her right. Her parents' white raised ranch was just visible through a stand of birch trees. On the same plot of land, Chase had designed a log home for Amanda, based on pictures she had kept in a scrapbook. It really was stunning. To Cady's left was an acre of forest just waiting for the day she and her future husband would break ground on their dream home. Or at least, that was the plan according to her parents, back when they had bought enough land to share with their children.

Cady felt a twinge of guilt, like she was breaking up a matched set. Oh, that was ridiculous! She shoved open the door of her new-to-her truck then slammed it for good measure.

“Hey, anyone home?”

A mouthwatering aroma led Cady straight into the kitchen, where she found Amanda stirring a giant stockpot on the stove. She took the offered spoon and sampled the beef stew. Closing her eyes, Cady savored the flavor of the thick broth, softened vegetables, and melt-in-your-mouth beef. The bitter tang of turnip tasted so much better in this mixture than it did when her mom mashed it up for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“Doesn't that just hit the spot? It looked like it was going to rain this morning, so I thought it would be the perfect time to make one last batch of beef stew.”

“Only you've made enough for an army, Amanda.”

“What we don't eat today, and you're invited for dinner, by the way, I'll freeze in a few containers. Then when the baby comes we'll have something easy to heat up and eat.”

“Yeah, I suppose even Chase couldn't screw that up.” Cady winked.

She helped herself to a bowl from the cupboard beside the sink and spooned a serving of stew into it. With any luck, she'd be out with Burke at dinnertime, so she'd have to snag some right now. Amanda was right. It may be spring, but Mother Nature hadn't made New Englanders tough for nothing. It was downright chilly out today. Cady tucked into the warm meal.

“Can I help you with anything today?” she asked between bites.

“I thought you were supposed to be helping out Burke with his magazine articles.”

“He's writing right now. We'll meet up later.” Somehow the fact that they weren't meeting up to work on the travel articles, but to shop for jeans, felt too private to share. Even with her best friend.

She hadn't seen him since he'd dropped her off after that kiss. Cady's eyes drifted closed as she remembered the heat of it, and the most embarrassing groan rumbled out of her throat.

She coughed, scraping the last bite of stew from her bowl and swallowing quickly. She took the bowl to the sink, rinsing it out and placing it inside the dishwasher.

“I've got a couple of hours to kill. I could do some heavy lifting, or scrub some floors. What do you say?”

When Amanda didn't respond, Cady turned around. Her best friend stood in the middle of the kitchen. She wore an apron stretched taut across her growing belly and she pulled up a corner of the fabric, twisting it tightly. A single tear rolled slowly down her cheek. She looked scared to death.

“Sweetheart, what's the matter? Are you in pain? Should I call Chase? Come sit down.”

Cady wrapped the young woman in her arms, guiding her through the kitchen and into the living room. She helped her friend to the couch and positioned the ottoman to support her feet. By the time she had her comfortable, the poor pregnant woman was sobbing.

“Damned hormones,” Amanda sniveled.

Looking around desperately, Cady snatched a box of tissues from a side table and shoved it in Amanda's lap. She waited for the tears to subside, still unsure whether she should be worried or not. She debated calling Chase to let him know his wife was having a meltdown. She wasn't used to being around pregnant women and didn't know when to raise the alarm. Eventually Amanda's sobbing dwindled to nose-blowing and quiet sniffling.

“Has the crisis passed?” Her voice was gentle, her expression concerned.

“I'm so sorry. I hate acting so foolishly in front of you, Cady. This is so embarrassing.”

“Hey, it's me, remember? I'm here for you, honey.”

“But that's just it. You're leaving. I'm going through one of the biggest moments of my life. I am completely freaking out about what to expect ... and you're going to leave me.” Amanda shook her head like she was disgusted with herself.

“Sweetie, you are going to have that baby long before I leave. You know I'll be right by your side the minute you go into labor, Chase and I both.” Her words didn't seem to have the calming effect she'd intended.

“What about after? What happens when the baby is sick and I get worried? What about when I start talking baby babble and no sane adult can understand me anymore? Who's going to remind me to put on my makeup and comb my hair? How are we going to have our girls' nights?”

Amanda gripped both of Cady's hands tightly in hers.

“I'm scared. You are my anchor, my link to everything that came before motherhood. When you leave, I worry that I'm going to drown. I need you here, Cady. As horribly immature and selfish as that sounds, I need you here.”

Once again, Amanda dissolved into tears, turning to bury her face against the couch cushion. Cady rubbed her friend's back, trying to keep from crying herself. They had talked about this since they were kids. Amanda knew she wanted to leave.

This was emotional blackmail! The whole town represented a support network that would be more than happy to help the new mom. Cady was only one person. Surely her presence wasn't
that
important. She bit her tongue, telling herself that pregnancy did strange things to a woman's emotions.

Chase had complained to her just last month, that his wife had totally flipped out when he brought home the wrong flavor of ice cream. He wouldn't have minded the tirade, except that it had been the
right
flavor, and his reason for running to the store just a short twenty minutes before. At the time, Cady had found the story amusing. She'd reminded her brother that it took two people to make a baby and that his part was infinitely easier.

Realizing that this was one of those moments when she would have to set her own feelings aside, Cady rose to make them both some tea. By the time she brought the mugs into the living room, Amanda's hysterics were through. She waited quietly on the couch, massaging the bump in her belly, as Cady added sugar and cream to one mug and then handed it to her friend. They sat in silence for a few moments.

“It just never seemed as real before as it does now—you moving to the city, that is.”

“What makes now different than any other time?” Cady settled cross-legged in a corner of the couch and sipped her tea.

“I'm not sure. It's something in your eyes, in your face. It's like this powerful determination, like nothing is going to get in your way.”

Except having to shell out 5k of my hard-earned Get Out Of Dodge savings on a new-ish pickup truck
, Cady thought.

Cady wished that her best friend, her confidante since kindergarten, could understand the excitement she felt when contemplating a new life in the city. The thrill of a fresh start. The new experiences that would start the very second she drove over the town line.

Burke would understand. He'd been there. She needed to see him. Their kiss, that delicious kiss, had been interrupted by a couple of stray cats fighting for dominance over the Dumpster. It had made a lovely evening a tad awkward. He'd had enough writing time. He'd earned a break. Maybe she'd drop by.

Heat spread up her neck and across her cheeks as she thought of the brief time she'd spent in Burke's rented cottage, the big cozy bed taking up most of the bedroom. Yeah, it was probably best that she stick to a phone call. It was becoming difficult to remember theirs was a working relationship.

• • •

That evening, after insisting Burke slip into one of the new pairs of Levis they'd picked up at the outlet mall the next town over, Cady introduced him to one of the town's lesser-known attractions. Brownie's was a tiny ice cream stand, only open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. They didn't even have indoor seating. Everyone placed their orders at the screened-in window and took their frozen desserts to a scattering of picnic tables and benches scattered on the grass. The shop was at the top of a winding road and the picnic tables were placed in full view of the lighthouse and the powerful surf that slammed against the rocks below.

The sun was beginning to set and Cady lifted her face, the last lingering rays stroking her cheeks like warm fingers. Her grin crooked, she realized the sky was painted the color of rainbow sherbet. She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the moment, then turned her full attention back to her companion.

“Mm ... ice cream therapy. Just what I needed.” Cady swirled her tongue through her triple-chocolate double scoop, closing her eyes as the sweet flavor danced across her tongue. Yeah, it didn't get much better than this.

“Rough day?” She looked over to find Burke watching her, his eyebrow cocked in interest.

“You could say that.” She smirked. She hadn't intended to dump on him. She'd just needed a break from her loved ones.

Then he scooted closer. The late evening sun brought out golden flecks in his eyes. He was inviting her to open up. She'd be crazy not to take advantage of a unique opportunity like this. Cady blinked, curious as to his motives. Darting her tongue out to lick the perimeter of her sugar cone, she saw the moment his expression changed from interested, sympathetic even, to hooded and—hungry.

Burke grasped her wrist, holding it steady while he leaned down and pressed his open mouth to her ice cream. His eyes never left hers.
Oh my heavenly Lord!
It didn't take a very great leap to imagine his mouth in other places. Warmer places that he could melt just as easily. The only physical contact between them was his hand on her wrist—but she couldn't help shivering.

“Hey, you've got your own!” She laughed, her voice shaky, breathless.

“But yours is so good,” he growled.

Working relationship. Theirs was a working relationship. Cady pursed her lips and blew out slowly. Oh, the things she wanted to do to this man!

“Tell me what prompted this ‘ice cream therapy' field trip.” He let go of her wrist and focused on his own dessert.

“Ugh. Family. It's nothing. I'll be fine after a healthy dose of chocolate.” She rolled her eyes and waved her free hand in the air.

He caught her hand in his own, squeezed it before drawing it onto his thigh and holding it there.

“I wouldn't have asked if I didn't genuinely want to know.” Burke took a couple of largish bites from his ice cream. Cady waited for him to wince when the brain freeze hit, but apparently it never did.

“Sometimes you have to look elsewhere for support. Family can be more of a hindrance when you're trying to chase down your dreams.”

“Exactly!” She sat up straighter. “I mean, it's not like this is a surprise to any of them. But suddenly it's all about them. Chase is upset that I don't want to live in town. Amanda has made it all about her—I'm leaving her, she says. I'm leaving her to raise her baby all on her own. Really?

“What about ‘We're so proud of you, Cady'? Or, ‘You must be nervous, taking this monumental next step in your life. How can we help?'”

“They love you. They don't want to lose you.” His voice was gentle.

“But they aren't losing me! They're trying to hold me back. Staying here would be like living in a cage—a roomy cage the size of a town—but a cage, nonetheless.”

“They want you to live the life they'd like for you, not the life you need in order to be happiest.” His voice drifted off, thoughtful.

“They don't care about my happiness.” Chocolate was no longer working. Disgusted, Cady pitched her ice cream cone in the trash bin beside their wooden bench.

“No, that's not it. Believe me. Your family loves you. They want you to be happy. They want to be with you. They want to be part of the exciting memories you make. They want to belong in your life.” He let his words hang, while frowning into the dying rays of sun.

Cady shook off the pity, trading it for a healthy dose of shame. Her family loved her. Of course she knew that. From what Burke had told her of his parents, she had no right to complain.

“Are you living your dream? Traveling, I mean? Telling the world about the places you visit? Is that what you want to be doing?”

She studied his profile. His jawline was hard, as though he were gritting his teeth. His nose long and angular. He had eyelashes any woman would envy. And he looked so profoundly sad.