Uncharted Waters (16 page)

“She needed a job.”

“She's got enough on her plate. Damn it, she doesn't need to be looking over her shoulder, too.”

“I've got plenty of security. Besides she's only working a couple of days a week. She'll be fine.”

Feeling surly and annoyed and off kilter as hell, Drew reached for his tackle box and hefted it onto the deck. “She's thinking about moving down here.”

“I thought she was living with Rick's parents.”

“The kid has asthma. There's a clinic south of Miami she wants him to be treated at.”

“The Waterton Clinic. She mentioned that.” Seth took the poles from Drew and stowed them beneath the taffrail. “It's supposed to be a good clinic. Maybe you should give Marcus a call and have Faith check it out.”

“I already called Marcus. Faith is going to do some digging and get back to me.” Drew looked over at Kevin to make sure he was fully entertained, then said, “I also talked to Marcus about some shady characters who showed up at Water Flight Tours.”

Seth's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice. “What shady characters?”

“I took out four men who claimed to be developers looking to build a golf course. They wanted an aerial tour. But once we were in the air, they were a hell of a lot more interested in flying over Evans Yachts and the marina. When I asked them why, they said they were interested in developing that area, too.”

Seth's gaze sharpened, hardened. “You know that area is protected, right?”

“That's why I refused and ended the tour. With the contract you're working on for the Navy—and considering what happened last month—I thought you should know.”

“You've already talked to Marcus?”

Drew nodded. “I gave him descriptions. One of the men left a soda can behind. I sent it to Marcus on the outside chance he might be able to lift some prints, run them through the computer.”

“Good work. And thanks for the heads-up. I'll watch my back.”

Drew glanced over at Kevin, then back to Seth. “You heard from Gideon or Brooke?”

“They're being watched over by a couple of Navy guys Marcus recommended.”

“Good. They went through hell when Gideon was under the control of the Coalition.”

“How's your sister?”

Drew thought about Honey Evans Strong and
smiled. “According to Marcus she'd have the baby tomorrow if she could.”

Seth nodded. “When's she due?”

“September. She and Max are in Maryland now.”

“I'm glad they're close to Marcus.”

“Me, too. He keeps me updated.”

The pound of sneakers against the deck snagged Drew's attention and he looked up to see Kevin heading toward them with the speed of a small water spout. “I wanna sit in the chair while we fish!” he exclaimed.

“Whoa there, partner.” Reaching out, Drew slowed him, liking the way his narrow shoulders felt beneath his hands. “First rule on the boat, Kev: no running. The deck can get slippery when it's wet. We don't want you to fall and get hurt, okay?”

Kevin looked from Drew to Seth. “Okay.” He took a breath. “But I still wanna sit in the chair. Can I, Drew?”

“Sure you can.”

“I hear you and your mom are going to move down here for good,” Seth put in. “That's great news.”

“I never get to go fishing at Grandma's and Grandpa's house. And Mommy said if we move here I'll be able to breathe better.”

Seth nodded. “The asthma.”

“Yeah, but I want to move here anyway because I wanna go to the beach every day. But I heard Mommy and Aunt Kimberly talking last night and Mommy said we might not move because Drew doesn't want—” As if realizing he'd said something he wasn't supposed to, Kevin slapped his hand over his mouth and looked at both men with big brown eyes.

Drew tried to reassure himself that Kevin hadn't been about to say what it sounded like he was about
to say. But he got a sinking sensation in his gut. He knew he couldn't let the statement stand without clarification. He just wished Seth wasn't standing there to witness it. “What did your mommy say?” he asked gently.

Without taking his hand off his mouth, Kevin shook his head, moving his fingers away from his mouth just enough to say, “I wasn't s'posed to hear.”

Keenly aware that Seth was looking on with great interest, Drew knelt. “Hey, it's okay. You can tell me, and you won't get into trouble.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Kevin's hand slipped away, and he looked down at the ground. “I was supposed to be in bed, but I sneaked out, and Mommy and Aunt Kimberly were talking about grown-up stuff.”

Because he didn't want to pump the kid too hard—and because he wasn't sure he even
wanted
to know what Alison and her sister had said about him—Drew remained silent for several long seconds. Kevin finally saved him the embarrassment of having to ask a second time.

“Mommy told Aunt Kimberly you don't want us to move down here,” he blurted. “Don't tell.”

Drew stared into Kevin's innocent brown eyes, speechless and feeling like a son of a bitch because he'd done the one thing he swore he wouldn't do: hurt this little boy. “That's not true, Kevin. You know that, don't you?”

He nodded, but Drew could see that the boy's eyes had filled with tears. Damn it. He hadn't meant to make him cry.

“Yeah,” Kevin said. “But I don't think Mommy
does. And there's another breathing place in California and Mommy said we might move there instead. San Deego. I don't wanna move to San Deego. I wanna stay here.”

San Diego. Damn. Drew scrubbed a hand over his jaw, trying to decide how to handle this. “How about if I have a talk with your mommy, sprout? Just to let her know I think she should move to wherever she wants.”

“You gonna tell on me?”

“Not if I can avoid it.” Feeling like an ogre, Drew rose and set his hand on Kevin's shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze. “How about if you stow my tackle box in that cabinet over there?”

With the enthusiasm only a child could manage, Kevin hefted the too-big box and started toward the cabinet. Drew watched the little boy drag it across the deck, then turned to find Seth's eyes on him.

“You're an ass,” Seth said without rancor.

Drew sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

“Alison's a terrific girl, Drew. What the hell's the matter with you?”

“Leave it alone, Seth. You don't know the whole story.”

“I heard enough from that kid to know you've been a jerk.”

Drew cursed under his breath.

“I've got to go.” Seth touched his shoulder, his gaze seeking Drew's. “Do yourself a favor and make it right.”

Drew stood in the center of the deck and watched his cousin leave, wondering how he could make things right with Alison and Kevin without making everything else infinitely worse in the process.

* * *

Alison looked at the clock above the kitchen stove for the umpteenth time and told herself she wasn't nervous. Drew had made it perfectly clear how he felt about her. That should have been a relief considering a man was the last thing she needed in her life. He'd let her down easy; she should be thanking him instead of moping around the house like a teenager in the throes of her first breakup.

I think we ought to cool it for a while...

But his words stung. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he didn't want her around, that he didn't want Kevin around. She told herself it didn't hurt, that the rejection hadn't cut her deeply. But she knew it was a lie. Drew's cool dismissal of her, of her son, had hurt plenty.

It had taken her most of the morning, but Alison had finally realized why her friendship with Drew wasn't going to work. He was too caught up in the fact that she was Rick's widow. It was obvious he had issues with that. Frankly, she did, too; there was nothing even remotely easy about any of this. But evidently her reluctance to get involved was to a much lesser degree. Because while Alison had been able to grieve and heal and move on with her life, Drew had not.

She wasn't sure what to do about it. Maybe nothing, because she wasn't sure those kinds of feelings could be fixed. All she could do was keep her distance and hope he would someday be able to put Rick's death behind him. Maybe then she and Drew could be friends. But not now, she realized. Not now because for the first time since her husband had died, Alison was able to admit she wanted more. Evidently, more than Drew was ready to give.

Standing alone in her sunny kitchen the realization was no comfort whatsoever.

Snatching up the kitchen towel, she rubbed at a nonexistent smudge on the counter. She and Kevin would get along just fine without him, she assured herself. They'd gotten along without him for the past four years. They would continue getting along without him.

Maybe all the way from San Diego.

Alison didn't want to move—she loved Emerald Cove—but she was considering San Diego. In fact, she'd already called the clinic there. They'd asked her to forward copies of Kevin's medical records, which she would do first thing in the morning. The doctors had come very highly recommended. Her brother had even offered the extra bedroom in his house until she and Kevin could find a small house or apartment near the clinic.

Alison wasn't proud of the fact that she'd chosen Emerald Cove over San Diego because of Drew. The snap decision was going to cost her plenty. Maybe even their friendship. She shouldn't have let that happen. Now that he'd made his feelings clear—and she was so uncertain about her own—she figured the move would be best for everyone.

The doorbell rang three times in quick succession—Kevin's trademark ring—and she knew he and Drew had arrived home from their fishing excursion. Setting the towel on the counter, Alison took a deep breath and headed toward the door. She could hear Kevin laughing and smiled, but at the same time felt a profound moment of sadness. Her son cared for and respected Drew so much. It hurt knowing she would be taking that away from him. On the other hand, if she didn't put an end to their budding relationship now, Kevin could
end up getting hurt. He didn't need any more losses in his young life. Frankly, neither did she.

Alison opened the door to find Kevin and Drew standing on her porch with big grins and sunburned faces beneath sweat-stained caps. She looked down at her son and thought she'd never seen him look so utterly adorable.

“Mommy! You shoulda seen the fish I caught!” He stretched his arms as wide as they would go. “It was this big! It was so big Drew had to get out the net and help me reel him in.”

“Wow,” she said, impressed despite herself.

“Fourteen-pound grouper,” Drew put in.

“Yeah! A groucher!”

“That's grouper, sprout.”

“It sounds like the fishing mission was a success.” When she could no longer put it off, Alison finally looked at Drew. He gazed back at her steadily with an inscrutable expression. She sensed him holding back. It seemed he was always holding back, she thought, and the realization only strengthened her resolve about the move to San Diego.

“I need to talk to you,” Drew said evenly.

Her heart gave a couple of hard raps against her ribs before she willed it to slow. From his tone, she sensed he wanted to talk to her privately, away from the sensitive ears of her son. Just what she needed: a lecture from Drew on all the reasons he wanted to “cool it.”

Kneeling, she tugged on Kevin's T-shirt. “How about a hug for your mom?”

Grinning from ear to ear, Kevin threw his arms around her.

“Did you have a good time?” she asked.

“Yeah! I wanna do it again tomorrow.”

She chuckled. “You smell a little fishy.”

“Do not!”

Easing him to arm's length she touched the tip of his nose with her finger. “And you're sunburned, too.”

“It doesn't hurt.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah. Hey, maybe Drew can stay for dinner, Mommy! Wouldn't that be great?” He squirmed away from her. “Drew, do you want to stay for dinner?”

Alison closed her eyes briefly, then glanced over at Drew. “Drew probably has things to do, honey.” Gently grasping Kevin's shoulders, she guided him toward the bathroom. “Let's get you into the tub and scrub that fishy smell off you while I whip up some dinner, okay?”

Kevin made a halfhearted attempt to escape the horrors of bath time, but in the end Alison got him into the tub with his mini jet ski and a boatload of bubbles. Leaving the door open so she could hear him, she walked into the living room to find Drew standing near the door, looking out through the front window.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” she asked.

He turned to her, but he wasn't smiling. In fact, he didn't even look friendly. “Kevin thinks I don't want you here in South Florida. That's crap, Alison, and you know it.”

She felt the words as if he'd struck her. “I don't know why he would think something like—”

“He overheard you talking to your sister.”

Remembering the conversation she'd had with Kimberly, Alison turned away from him, not wanting him to see the quiver of pain that ran the length of her. “I didn't realize he'd overheard.”

“Yeah, well, he did and he's upset. I'd appreciate if you'd set the record straight. I don't want that boy thinking I don't want him here.”

No, she thought, it would be her job to break the news to him. “I'll talk to him.”

“What's this about your moving to San Diego?”

Alison needed a moment to catch her breath, but he wasn't cooperating. “There's a clinic in San Diego,” she said. “I told you about it.”

“You told me you had decided to settle down here.”

She stared at him, wondering if she really wanted to get to the heart of the matter. If she wanted to put that much of herself on the line. Or if they were both better off just letting it go. “Look, Drew, some things happened between us. I didn't plan it, but it happened nonetheless.” Feeling at a loss, she shrugged. “You made your position perfectly clear.”