Chesapeake 10 - A Seaside Christmas (5 page)

“You’re fresh out of time with me,” she said flatly.

But even though her voice was steady, her words unyielding, Caleb found a shred of hope when he looked into her eyes. There, he was almost certain, he saw regret. He was going to use that, as fragile a thread as it might be, to bind them together once again. Heaven knew there was nothing more important in his life right now. And in that instant the song he’d come to plead for became secondary to what he really wanted: Jenny.

* * *

As hard as she tried, Jenny was pretty sure she hadn’t been able to draw in a single deep breath since she’d looked up and straight into Caleb’s eyes. She kept trying to remember that Dillon had been in the room only a moment before, that he was the kind of guy who never would have betrayed her, but it wasn’t working.

She’d had to cling to her anger for dear life to keep from throwing herself straight into Caleb’s arms. Worse, he was saying all the right words, taking responsibility, apologizing with no excuses, asking for nothing, not even forgiveness, if she was reading him correctly.

But when was the last time she’d read him correctly? He’d sworn he loved her—and she’d believed him—just days before those awful pictures had appeared in the tabloids. The irony had been that he’d sworn he had no memory of the incident or the woman. That had made it worse, somehow.

She glanced over and noted that he was waiting patiently beside her, not so much as a muscle twitching to indicate any nervousness. That infuriated her all over again. Shouldn’t he be at least a little anxious? Instead, she was the one whose nerves were shot, who couldn’t seem to catch her breath.

She forced herself to draw in a deep, calming breath, then said quietly, “You need to leave, Caleb. You’ve said what you came to say or at least the only part that matters. I’ve heard you. Now go.”

He glanced sideways at her. “I told you, Jen. I’m just getting started.”

“There’s nothing more I want to hear,” she said, feeling a little desperate to make him leave—the room, the inn, the town—before she did something insane and let him get to her.

He smiled at that. “But there’s so much more I need to say. You can put in earplugs for all I care, but I’m not leaving till I’ve said my piece.”

“Everything always has to be on your terms, doesn’t it?”

He only lifted a brow at that. “Seriously, you did not just say that,” he said. “The entire time we were together, you had me twisted around your little finger. Do you have any idea how much grief I took from the band over that? They thought it was pitiful how much I loved you.”

“Until you didn’t,” she said wearily.

He shifted until he faced her, then tucked a finger under her chin when she would have looked away. “I never stopped loving you,” he said softly, but emphatically. “Never! If you believe nothing else I say, believe that.”

Even as the words warmed her stupid heart, Jenny regarded him with shock. “Putting your hands all over some other woman in public is how you show me your undying love?”

“That was a mistake, one I’ll regret till the day I die. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You weren’t thinking,” she accused. “Wasn’t that the real problem?”

He nodded. “That was the real problem,” he confirmed.

“Caleb, I can’t do this. I’m here to do a job. I have family issues to resolve. I just can’t add you into the mix. It’s too much. Please, go back to Nashville or wherever you’re calling home these days.”

His look was long and steady, maybe even tinged with regret. “I can’t do that.”

“Why?” she asked in frustration. “We’ll get together when I get back to Nashville. We can have that long talk then.” They’d have it, she thought, when hell froze over.

Caleb chuckled. “I know better. Once you’re back in Nashville, you’ll surround yourself with an entire army of people whose sole purpose will be to keep me away from you.”

Sadly, he knew her too well. That was exactly what she’d had in mind.

“So, how do you see this playing out?” she asked.

“We could start with dinner tonight,” he suggested. “What’s that restaurant you used to talk about, the one on the water? Brandon’s? Brady’s?”

“Brady’s,” she replied, surprised he’d remembered. “Sorry. I have dinner plans with family.”

“Breakfast tomorrow at the inn,” he countered.

Though Jenny was thankful he hadn’t suggested that he be invited to join her family tonight, breakfast at the inn was a terrible idea, too. If the two of them were spotted at a cozy table in the inn’s dining room first thing in the morning, who knew what people would make of that. There might not be a lot of paparazzi in Chesapeake Shores, but that was the sort of news that could have the tabloid stalkers here in a heartbeat.

“I don’t think so,” she responded flatly.

“Then you tell me,” he said.

“Nashville,” she repeated, though without much hope that he’d agree to postpone this conversation he was so dead-set on having.

“Try again.”

Jenny caved in. He clearly wasn’t going away anytime soon, at least not without this chat that had brought him to town. “Lunch here tomorrow,” she said eventually. “Have Jess’s chef at the inn pack up something or stop at the pizza place up the street. I don’t care.”

“In other words, you don’t want to be seen in public with me,” he said, clearly amused. “Don’t you think if people around town recognize me, they’re going to put two and two together anyway? Why else would I be here, if not to see you? Or were you thinking I should stay in my room and avoid all contact with the public?”

“I suppose that would be asking too much,” she said, unable to keep a wistful note from her voice.

“Yes, it would. As long as I’m here, I want to see the town you were always talking about. I’d like to meet your family, too.”

She regarded him with dismay. “Why? They don’t like you any more than I do right now.” Or at least they surely wouldn’t if she made her case to them.

“Exactly why I’d like the chance to change their minds. I made a mistake, Jenny. A terrible one, but I’m not evil incarnate.”

She knew that all too well, at least about him not being evil. That was the real problem, wasn’t it? If he stuck around here long enough, she might start to remember all his good qualities—his sensitivity, his kindness, his humor and, okay, the way he’d once made her toes curl with little more than a look.

And that, she thought with an edge of desperation, simply couldn’t happen.

“If I agree to this talk tomorrow, you have to promise that you’ll leave,” she told him.

He shook his head. “I’m not going to lie to you, Jenny. Leaving’s unlikely.”

“But why? You always claimed to feel claustrophobic in small towns like this. You said they reminded you of all the tiny bars and low-rent honky-tonks you played when you were scrambling to make it.”

He shrugged. “Chesapeake Shores doesn’t feel that way,” he claimed, then met her gaze. “Maybe that’s because you’re here and this town means something to you.”

“Stop it!” she ordered. “Stop trying to charm me or seduce me or whatever it is you’re trying to do.”

He laughed. “It would only upset you if it were working.” He stood up, dropped a quick kiss on her forehead, then headed for the door. “See you tomorrow. I’ll be here at noon.”

Jenny watched him leave, her pulse racing in a way that was all too familiar. She tried blaming it on annoyance, but she knew better. He’d gotten to her, all right. Blast the man!

Regretting that she didn’t have her cell phone with her, she went in search of Bree and borrowed hers. Without thinking of the possible consequences of being overheard, she found the number for Jess’s private line at the inn and hit speed dial.

“You let Caleb stay at the inn?” she said to Jess without preamble.

“He showed up in the middle of the night,” Jess confirmed. “It was freezing outside. What was I supposed to do?”

“Tell him to go jump in the bay,” Jenny suggested. “That might have solved a lot of problems.”

Jess started to laugh, then stopped herself. “You know you wouldn’t have wanted him freezing to death on your conscience. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted it on mine. However, if you want me to kick him out today, I will. Something tells me, though, he’ll just find someplace to stay outside of town. I don’t think he’s going far until he’s accomplished whatever he came here to do.”

Jenny sighed. “Yeah, that was my impression, too.”

“So, does he go or stay?”

“One more night,” Jenny said reluctantly.

“I’ll hold the room for him indefinitely,” Jess said. “I know you didn’t ask for my opinion, but maybe you should give him a chance to explain what happened. Maybe that will at least give you closure if you decide it’s not going to work out.”

“It’s not going to work out,” Jenny said emphatically. She simply would not allow herself to take that kind of risk with her heart again, not with a man who’d already proven he couldn’t be trusted.

Chapter Five

N
o sooner had she handed Bree’s cell phone back to her than Jenny realized Bree had overheard every word of her conversation with Jess. It was clear she had a million questions on the tip of her tongue.

“Caleb’s here? In Chesapeake Shores? And he was here to see you a few minutes ago?” Bree said, her expression stunned. “Why? No, scratch that. We all know why. He’s here to win you back. How do you feel about that?”

“How do you think I feel?” Jenny asked. “I want him gone. But he says he’s not going and Jess says he’s booked himself into the Inn at Eagle Point and that he seems to be here for the long haul unless I tell her I want him gone. She doesn’t think he’ll leave the area even if she does kick him out. Unfortunately, I think she may be right. When we talked just now, he seemed pretty determined to stick around. He wants to prove he’s changed.”

“Oh, my,” Bree said.

Jenny gave her a wry look. “Oh, my, indeed.”

Bree’s expression turned thoughtful, usually a sign of her creative mind kicking into high gear. Then she got a glint in her eyes that Jenny didn’t like one bit.

“I wonder,” Bree began, her tone a disturbing combination of nerves, caution and excitement as she studied Jenny, clearly watching closely for her reaction. “I mean, if Caleb is determined to stay, of course, I wonder if maybe he’d—”

Jenny figured out exactly where Bree was heading and cut her off before she could overcome that very bad case of nerves and complete the sentence.

“Oh, no,” Jenny declared forcefully. “Bree O’Brien Collins, you are not getting Caleb Green involved with this Christmas play. Please tell me that idea did not cross your mind for one single second.”

“But—”

Jenny resorted to the only threat she thought might work. “No way, not if you expect me to write the songs,” she warned her. “Or to spend the holidays here. Or ever to speak to you again, for that matter.”

“Come on, Jenny,” Bree cajoled. “Just think about it. If Caleb would agree to sing just one or two songs, imagine the publicity we’d get. I could get this show seen by producers in New York. It could become a staple of the Broadway Christmas season. You know they’ve been trotting out
White Christmas
the past few years. How dated is that?”

If Jenny hadn’t already steeled herself against any and all arguments, she was forced to admit that Bree’s enthusiasm might be a little contagious. Broadway would definitely be a new world for both of them to conquer. But she couldn’t say yes. She just couldn’t, not and have a moment’s peace of mind. The few minutes she’d spent with Caleb earlier had proven just how susceptible she still was to him. Being forced to see him day after day would ruin the tiny bit of hard-won serenity she’d achieved.

“
White Christmas
is a classic,” Jenny argued hurriedly, determined to blast holes in Bree’s scheme. “It deserves to be revived. It puts people into the holiday spirit. They leave the theater humming.”

“They’ll leave this theater humming your songs,” Bree countered.

“Nothing against this play of yours, but even if I knock these lyrics out of the park, it’s not the same thing.”

Bree lifted a brow. “Did you just insult my play?”

Jenny winced. Inadvertently, that was exactly what she’d done. “I didn’t mean to. I was talking about my music as much as the play.
White Christmas
summons up memories of Bing Crosby and songs by Irving Berlin. It’s a holiday tradition, like
Miracle on 34th Street
or
It’s a Wonderful Life.
”

“Old traditions were new once,” Bree argued. “And if one of the best lyricists in country music—that’s you—were to team up with one of the biggest country talents—Caleb, especially if he’s making his big comeback—this show would be the talk of Broadway next season. Backers would be lining up to produce it. It would be a guaranteed sellout.” Then, with a decidedly wistful expression that couldn’t be faked for effect, she added, “And I’d finally have my shot on Broadway.”

Jenny sighed heavily. The woman did not play fair. Still, she had to resist.

“I hate to burst your bubble, Bree, but Caleb’s not exactly reliable. Even if he were to say yes to this crazy idea, there’s a very good chance he’ll vanish before opening night. Then where would you be? And if the man can’t be trusted for a few weeks now, who knows where he’ll be a year from now. You’d have a show with an understudy and crowds demanding their money back. Ask his managers about the kind of fallout there was when he bailed on his last tour after showing up late or not at all for three concerts in a row.”

Bree, the perennial optimist, clearly wasn’t deterred. “But you said he swears he’s turned over a new leaf.”

“That doesn’t mean I believe it,” Jenny said. “You shouldn’t either, especially for something that’s this important to you.”

Bree gave her a knowing look. “Okay, I hear you,” she said solemnly. “And if you tell me not to talk to him, I won’t.”

“Haven’t I just said that half a dozen different ways?” Jenny asked in frustration. “You’re as bad as Jess, forcing me to be the bad guy. Can’t you just make the decision yourself because you know I’m right?”

“Nope,” Bree said. “There’s more at stake here than the play and you know it. I want to hear you flat-out tell me to send him away, that you don’t want him here. If that’s what you really, really want, I’ll back you up and drop this.”

Jenny opened her mouth, sure that the dismissive words would come easily, but for the second time in just a few short minutes she couldn’t seem to force them out. Either she was completely nuts, or Caleb had somehow managed to bewitch her in the fifteen minutes they’d been in the same room earlier.

“Talk to him,” she bit out reluctantly. “If he says yes—and I can’t imagine why he would want to be in some little local Christmas show, rather than performing a concert in some huge amphitheater—I’ll figure out how to work with him.” Her expression turned sly. “In fact, I might insist that you be our go-between. I wonder what Jake would think about that.”

“Jake would want me to do whatever it takes to have the success I want,” Bree declared confidently.

Jenny had her doubts, but she caved. “Okay, then. I guess you’re talking to Caleb,” Jenny said, fighting the desire to sigh heavily.

To her dismay, the instant she agreed to letting Caleb stay there was no mistaking the immediate flutter of anticipation that stirred in her stomach. Blast love! It wasn’t supposed to outlast heartbreak.

* * *

A few hours after his visit to Jenny, Caleb sat in the lounge at the inn and listened to Bree O’Brien’s proposition with a sense of wonder. She was offering him the chance to work with Jenny, giving him the perfect excuse to stick around Chesapeake Shores. And she was doing it with Jenny’s blessing, at least he assumed she was. Given his own encounter with Jenny, this woman had to have some powerful mojo going for her.

“Jenny’s okay with this?” he asked, just to be sure.

“She has reservations,” Bree admitted. “But she’s also smart enough to see the potential of the two of you collaborating again.”

“Really?” Caleb said, finding that hard to believe. She hadn’t even wanted to be in the same room with him a few hours ago.

“Okay, she’s going along with it for my sake,” Bree conceded. “She knows having you in the production will drag producers from New York down here. I have connections, of course, but this could take my theater credentials to a whole new level. I’m convinced we could get this produced on Broadway for the holidays next season. You’d have to commit to that, though.”

There was very little Caleb wouldn’t agree to if it meant working with Jenny again. “Draw up a contract. I’ll get my agent and manager to take a look, but it won’t be a problem. I want this.” He knew perfectly well they’d see what a boon this could be to kicking off his comeback.

Her eyes lit up. “Fantastic!”

“Jenny must really owe you,” he said. “I’m still a little stunned that she’s willing to sacrifice her own comfort to do this for you. I’m sure you’re well aware that I’m not her favorite person.”

“Believe me, I know. I had to do some pretty fast talking to convince her.” Her expression suddenly turned fierce. “So help me, Caleb Green, if you do one single thing to hurt that girl again, especially in this town, there won’t be any place on earth you can hide. The entire O’Brien clan will descend on you like a pack of vultures.”

Caleb nodded, hiding another smile. Jess O’Brien had said something very similar an hour ago when she’d reluctantly agreed to let him check into the inn for an undetermined length of time during the increasingly busy holiday season which had already started picking up just since he’d arrived. He’d noticed that she seemed to take a certain amount of devious pleasure in tucking him into an out-of-the-way room with no charm and faulty heating.

“Duly noted,” he told Bree as he had Jess. “I’m not here to upset Jenny. I want to make peace with her.”

“Then we understand each other,” Bree said, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.

“Perfectly,” he agreed. “I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

She looked surprised. “You almost sound sincere.”

“I am sincere,” he assured her. “I know my reputation stinks these days. You’re taking a chance on me. I appreciate that.”

“You’re grateful for the chance to sing a couple of songs in a local Christmas play?” she asked, her doubts still plain. Then understanding apparently dawned. “Or is it for the chance to spend more time with Jenny?”

“Both,” Caleb responded without hesitation. “I have to start my life and my career over somewhere. Why not in Chesapeake Shores? As for the possibility of Broadway a year from now, that could be an unexpected bonus. I’ve always been open to new challenges.”

Of course, the bigger challenge was going to be Jenny. That’s the one he intended to devote himself to 1,000 percent.

* * *

Sitting in his sister’s living room, Jake regarded his wife with dismay. “Let me get this straight, Bree. You encouraged that no-account scumbag Caleb Green to stay in town by asking him to perform in the Christmas play?”

Jenny recognized the sparks of anger in her uncle’s eyes and saw an already tense evening at her mom’s going downhill in a hurry.

“Uncle Jake, it’s okay,” she said quickly. “Bree and I talked about it first. If it will be good for the production and draw the kind of attention Bree’s work deserves, I’m okay with this. I can make it work.”

“Oh, sweetie, are you sure?” her mother asked, her frown every bit as deep as Jake’s. “It seems to me as if this is just asking for trouble. Even though you swore to me you were fine, I could hear the pain in your voice after Caleb betrayed you in public the way he did.”

“And I know you listened to her crying her eyes out more than once,” Jake said to his wife. “This is nuts!”

Bree remained astonishingly calm in the face of their doubts. “Caleb will be making his comeback on my stage, in my play, singing Jenny’s songs. Do you have any idea how much attention that will bring to this production? It’s going to be a huge win-win for everybody.”

“Except Jenny,” Jake complained bitterly. “You need to send him away, Bree. Nothing is more important than Jenny’s peace of mind.”

“And I’m saying I can work with him,” Jenny repeated. “Let it go, Jake. I appreciate the backup, but it’s a done deal. Nobody’s going to get hurt. I’ve taken my shots. I’m immune to Caleb’s charm. Honest.”

Okay, so that was a big fat lie, but she had to say something before this situation caused a huge rift between Jake and Bree. It wasn’t worth that. Her mother was looking none too pleased with Bree at the moment, either. If things got out of control, the situation could put quite a damper on the holidays, with tension coming from every direction.

Bree faced both of them down. “You heard her. Jenny’s a strong woman. She can handle this. If she couldn’t, she would have said so. And if she had, I wouldn’t have spoken to Caleb about staying. Jess wouldn’t be allowing him to remain at the inn, either.”

Jake’s expression turned incredulous. “He’s staying at the inn, too? I thought O’Briens put family above all else. What’s Jess’s angle? Is she hoping the presence of a big celebrity will boost reservations?”

Bree scowled at him. “The inn is already sold out for the holidays and for most of the spring and for next summer,” she replied. “Jess doesn’t need the attention. The man showed up on her doorstep in the middle of a freezing-cold night. She took him in.”

“If the inn was sold out, where’d she put him?” Jake asked. “I don’t suppose she told him to sleep in the stables.”

Jenny bit back a laugh. “The inn doesn’t have stables,” she reminded him. “Jake, you need to settle down. I know you’re just trying to protect me, but give it a rest, okay?”

He scowled at the request, but he did fall silent just in time to have Thomas walk into the room. He dropped a kiss on his wife’s lips, then glanced around, his expression instantly filled with concern.

“Okay, what’s the problem?” he asked.

Jenny’s mom gave his hand a squeeze. “Don’t worry, this isn’t about you. It seems Jenny’s ex, Caleb Green, has turned up in town and Bree hired him to be in the Christmas play.”

Thomas nodded slowly, his expression vaguely confused. “Sounds like a smart move to me.” When Connie poked him sharply in the ribs, he added, “But I gather it’s not.”

“Of course it’s a smart move,” Bree said. “Everybody’s just a little freaked that Jenny won’t be able to deal with working with him.”

“But I am totally okay with it,” Jenny said. “Mom, is dinner ready? Now that Thomas is home, maybe we should eat.”

“Good idea,” her mother said, jumping up eagerly. “I made pot roast.” She gave Thomas an apologetic look. “I know Nell’s probably making it on Sunday, but it’s Jenny’s favorite.”

Thomas winked at Jenny. “You can never have too much pot roast, if you ask me.”

Jenny managed a weak smile. “I couldn’t agree more.”

When Bree and Jake followed her mom toward the kitchen to help get dinner on the table, Thomas beckoned for Jenny to stay behind.

“Thank you for agreeing to this dinner, Jenny. It means the world to your mom. To me, too.”