Wind Chime Café (A Wind Chime Novel) (38 page)

He’d taken Colin’s advice and listened to the messages on his phone last night. If what Della had said was true, then Annie couldn’t have been behind the plans for the resort. She hadn’t even been in contact with Blake since before Taylor was born.

He would never forget the look on her face when he’d accused her of seducing him.

All she had ever wanted was to be left alone.

But he hadn’t listened, had he? He hadn’t left her alone—not once. Almost from the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he hadn’t been able to stay away. He was the one who’d seduced her. He was the one who hadn’t been able to take no for an answer.

And, yet, at the first sign of trouble, he’d cast all the blame on her.

His gaze fell back to the ribbon. Waves curled, crashing over the sand. Seagulls circled overhead, their cries piercing the salty air. He heard a child’s laughter gliding over the wind as he slowly began to pull the ribbon apart. The knot gave way, revealing two silver threads hidden inside.

They sparkled, glinting in the fading sunlight.

As bright as the first day his sister had given it to him.

He knew what he had to do.

“This is it.”
Annie thrust several crumpled bills over the seat. “Thanks. Pull over here. Right here’s fine.”

She didn’t bother to wait for the final tally, her left arm already looped through the handle of her overnight bag. She pushed open the door, stepping out. “Keep the change.”

The taxi sped away, leaving her alone on the curb.

She took in the six-unit apartment building in Ocean Beach. Colin had given her Will’s address, but he, like everyone else, had expected her to arrive over six hours ago.

She hadn’t counted on missing her connection in Denver, or on having to wait so long for another flight.

What if she was too late? What if he’d already signed the papers and she’d come all this way for nothing?

Gripping the handle of her bag, she scanned the numbers beside each door, searching for apartment #4. When she found it on the second floor, on the left-hand side, she headed for the stairs. Taking them two at a time, she could smell the ocean a quarter mile away. The freeway traffic hummed in the distance.

By the time she made it to the door, her hands were shaking and her palms were damp. She knocked three times, holding her breath as she listened for the sound of his footsteps.

What if Della was wrong? What if he didn’t want to see her? What if he slammed the door in her face?

The door swung open and all words failed her.

Will’s eyes widened. “Annie?”

He was wearing a white T-shirt and worn jeans. A shadow of stubble covered his jaw. Behind him, inside the apartment, a flat screen TV flashed the highlights of a sports game. The muffled voice of the announcer spilled out the door.

She’d rehearsed her speech a dozen times since last night, but now that she was here she didn’t know what to say. Now that she was here, all she wanted was to walk into his arms and spend the rest of the night there. “I know I’m the last person you want to see right now—”

He grabbed her, yanking her to him. His mouth was on hers before she could get another word out, hot and raw and demanding. Her bag slipped from her fingers, landing on the floor with a soft thud.

Will.

She had come here to apologize, to stop him from selling the inn, to ask him to come back to the island with her. But what did any of it matter as long as he forgave her? As long as he still wanted her?

All her life she had been searching for a place to put down roots, a place to settle in, a place to call home. But what if
he
was her home? What if the only place she and Taylor truly belonged was with him?

Palm tree fronds rustled in the salty breezes as she eased back, looking up at him.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said.

“I would have been here sooner, but I missed my connection in Denver.”

“I’ve been trying to call you for hours.”

“I left my cell phone on the first plane by accident. By the time I realized it, the plane was already gone.” She took a deep breath, gazing up at him. “I’m so sorry, Will. For everything.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“I think I do.” She stepped back. He wasn’t going to be happy when he found out about the inn. She still needed to tell him about the eco-resort. If he’d already signed the contract, he might not be so willing to forgive her. “I heard why you agreed to sell the inn. Grace told me about the new offer. It’s a lie, Will. Blake made it up. There isn’t going to be an eco-resort.”

“I know.”

She blinked. “You know?”

Will nodded slowly. “I knew it was a lie as soon as I read the contract Spencer faxed over last night. They switched a few paragraphs around to make it look like a different document, but they didn’t add in any of the language I asked them to. They probably assumed I wouldn’t read it.”

“So, you didn’t sign it?”

He shook his head, watching her carefully. “Is that why you came here? To stop me from signing the contract?”

“Yes.”

“You flew all the way to San Diego to stop me from selling the inn?”

She looked up at him as a thousand butterflies unfurled their wings inside her, fluttering around her heart. “I came because I love you, and you didn’t give me a chance to say goodbye.”

He pulled her to him, kissing her slowly this time, so slowly and tenderly he didn’t have to say the words for her to know he felt the same way.

“We want you to come back to the island,” she whispered.

“Who?”

“Everyone—Della, Joe, Grace, Ryan, Becca, Colin, Taylor.” She eased back. “But I know how much being a SEAL means to you. I know that your career is here, that this is where you have to be. Maybe we could split our time between the two places. Maybe we could find a way to make it work.”

He touched his forehead to hers. “I put in for a transfer to Virginia Beach today.”

“Virginia Beach?”

He nodded. “I don’t know if they’ll accept it, but I talked to my CO this evening and told him everything. I am going out with my team tomorrow, Annie. But it’ll only be for six weeks. And it’ll be my last time overseas.”

A glimmer of hope stirred inside her.

“My CO’s going to make some calls while I’m away. He’s going to try to find me a position on base in Virginia Beach until my contract with the Navy is up next summer.”

Annie held her breath. “Then what?”

“Then I’m coming home.”

“To Heron Island?”

“To you and Taylor.” He brushed a thumb gently over her cheek. “If you’ll have me.”

She pressed her lips to his, pouring her answer into the kiss.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He laughed when they broke apart. “And by the way,” he said, lifting her into his arms and carrying her into the apartment. “I love you, too.”

Six weeks later…

A
re you sure you’re ready for this?” Annie asked, squeezing Taylor’s hand.

“I’m ready,” she said bravely.

Standing outside the entrance to Taylor’s old school, Annie struggled with a rush of conflicting emotions. She didn’t want to be back here. She had never wanted to set foot in this building again. But Taylor had wanted to come.

Ever since they’d heard that Mount Pleasant Elementary had reopened two weeks ago, three months after the shooting in September, Taylor had been asking if they could make the trip.

Her counselor had said it would be a good idea, that it would give Taylor closure. She’d be able to visit with some of her old friends and teachers and see that everyone was getting back to normal, or at least a new kind of normal—one that included two security guards stationed outside the doors.

They nodded to Annie, stepping aside so she and Taylor could walk through. Looping Riley’s leash around her wrist, Annie was glad they’d decided to bring the dog. Not that they’d had much choice. Riley rarely left Taylor’s side now.

When Annie had mentioned to Ryan that she was thinking of getting Taylor a dog from the shelter, he’d laughed and told her he’d given up hope of ever getting Riley back weeks ago. Taylor wouldn’t know that Riley was officially hers until Christmas Day, but it was clear the dog had chosen her own family.

A few steps into the school, Taylor paused, gazing around in wonder. Sparkly garlands hung from the ceiling. Strings of paper snowflakes were strung along the walls. A huge paper mache snowman wearing a top hat and a goofy grin stood outside the entrance to the auditorium. Every locker had been painted a different shade of winter blue.

At the sound of footsteps, Annie turned to see Taylor’s old principal walking toward them.

“Taylor.” Sally Vaughn opened her arms to give her a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

Taylor hugged her back, the ribbons tied to the end of her broom brushing over the floor.

“I see you brought a friend.” Sally pulled back, patting Riley on the head.

“Her name’s Riley,” Taylor said.

“I bet I know a few people who’d like to meet her.” Sally smiled, straightening and giving Annie a long hug, too. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

It was amazing, Annie thought, how much she’d dreaded this moment. And, yet, now that she was here, she felt a strange sense of peace. Every person in this building had been affected by this tragedy, and they had all managed to walk back through the doors, return to their classrooms, and slowly begin to pick up the pieces. Together they were facing down this evil, and finding the courage to move on. She pulled back, smiling up at Sally. “The hallway looks beautiful.”

“Wait until you see the classrooms.” Sally waved for them to follow her. “We had volunteers working around the clock.”

They made their way down the hall, passing several classrooms filled with students, until they came to the last room on the right. A huge banner hung across the top of the door with the words: “Welcome Back Taylor!”

A lump formed in Annie’s throat as they stepped into Taylor’s old classroom. Comfortable couches and armchairs had replaced the rows of desks. A colorful woven rug stretched across the linoleum floor. Blankets and beanbags were piled up in the corner beside a shelf overflowing with books. The walls were covered in student artwork. A Christmas tree twinkled in the far corner, decorated with white lights, sparkly ornaments, and seventeen paper angels—one for each of the students who’d been killed.

“We wanted to honor their memory,” Sally said quietly, “but at the same time we wanted to create a place where we could come together—parents, children, teachers. A safe place where we could say anything, and there would always be someone to talk to.”

Speechless, Annie could only nod. There were a few other parents in the room, along with a handful of students. The counselor—the same woman who had been with them from the beginning, and who they still spoke with once a week on the phone—rose from the couch where she’d been talking to one of the parents and came over to give Annie and Taylor a hug.

“This is…” Annie swallowed, trying to force the lump back down her throat. “It’s…”