Holiday at Magnolia Bay (Southern Born Christmas Book 1) (7 page)

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I only met the Lieutenant Commander yesterday. It’s merely a coincidence that he’s in Magnolia Bay. You’re reading much more into this, Perry.” She clicked on her computer, hoping he’d get the message that their conversation was over. “I processed a Loggerhead strand last night and I need to get Carter moving on the lab work so I can send the report off to Fish and Wildlife. I can take whatever you have up to Miss Evie this morning while I wait for the reports.”

Perry looked as though he wanted to say more, but the fiancée he was ‘test driving’ arrived at Jenna’s office door, study in hand, almost as though she was waiting on her cue.

“I assume you will be able to explain the more technical aspects to her?” she asked Jenna.

“Jenna has her master’s degree and is well versed in the project, Imogene.”

Imogene arched a perfect eyebrow at Perry’s quick defense. “Perhaps that’s best. Without a doctorate, she doesn’t run the risk of getting too technical with the old woman.”

Jenna plucked the report from Imogene’s fingers. “I’m sure I’ll be able to muddle through with my second-rate education. You two enjoy your day. Preferably not in my office.”

Heaving a sigh, Perry gestured for Imogene to precede him out the door. “I’ll light a fire under Carter to get that lab work started. Let us know how everything goes as soon as you get back.” As if the two of them wouldn’t be perched beside her parking space awaiting her return.

Miss Evie peered over her readers to make some notes in the margin before gliding her hand down her cat’s back. Zarah’s contented purr echoed throughout the room. Jenna decided to bite the bullet.

“You’re not serious about the low country boil are you?” she asked, warily.

The older woman looked up from the document she was scrutinizing. “Why, Sugar, I’m serious as a heart attack.”

Which was exactly what Jenna was afraid of. “I don’t understand. This project will cost more than the donations we can collect at a simple barbeque.”

Miss Evie discarded her glasses as Zarah gave a haughty swish of her tail. “It’s a
Lowcountry boil
. Definitely not a barbeque.”

Jenna wasn’t raised in the South—she’d basically grown up all over the world—and she still couldn’t quite understand the etiquette for ordering iced tea versus sweet tea, much less fish fries, boils and barbeques. Miss Evie always forgave Jenna’s ignorance, but today her words were laced with disdain.

“Still, it seems like a lot of work for you. We’d planned on promoting the project during the Christmas Flotilla and Fishing Tournament once all the plans had been finalized.”

“You mean once Crocodile Dundee and his fiancée get my money?” Miss Evie gave an indelicate snort. “What nerve those two have. This has been your pet project for nearly two years. Your dream. Your creation. I told you, Sugar, you were crazy to press the board to bring him here. Didn’t I say he’d steal your thunder? Well not with my checkbook. As far as I’m concerned this project is yours to do with as you wish.”

Relief and a little bit of pride settled in Jenna’s chest. “If you were going to fund the project, why did you suggest the low country boil?”

Miss Evie laughed. “Oh, lordy, did you see that woman’s face when I did?” She laughed harder and Zarah let out an annoyed sigh before leaping off Miss Evie’s lap. “She was just a little too big for her britches, that one. She talked down to me the moment she walked in the door as though she could care less about Magnolia Bay or the people who live here. The hatchery will benefit this whole community, but all she saw when she looked at me was dollar signs. She can jump through a few hoops and ingratiate herself to folks in these parts before she takes my money and heads back to the land of Oz.”

“I certainly hope no one is taking your money, Aunt Evie.”

The husky timbre of Drew’s voice coming from directly behind her caused Jenna to nearly jump from her chair. Part of her had hoped to avoid seeing him.
Definitely not the part that was quivering right now, though.
When she’d last laid eyes on Drew Lanham, he’d been naked, his muscles well-defined within the bright moonlight—not to mention his arousal. Jenna’s mouth went dry just thinking about it and she squeezed her eyes shut fearing Miss Evie could somehow see the erotic mental picture of her godson that was happily flickering about in her brain.

She hadn’t meant to invade Drew’s privacy last night. But instinct wouldn’t let her leave him alone on the beach. Not after what she’d seen in his eyes. When she’d doubled back after parking the Jeep around the bluff, he’d been standing with his ankles in the surf, looking very much like the wounded warrior Jenna believed him to be. But then he’d charged into the ocean, swimming steady laps parallel to the shoreline for thirty-eight minutes. She knew this because she’d kept watch on the time, twice nearly making her presence known when she felt he should be exhausted—or had punished himself enough. When he’d finally emerged, he looked more relaxed than any man who’d just burned nearly a trillion calories should. She’d watched from her hiding place behind the dunes as he nonchalantly picked up his clothes and strolled up the bluff toward Miss Evie’s guest house.

“Drew!” Miss Evie said. “I’m so glad you joined us. You’re looking handsome this morning. Jenna, doesn’t he look handsome?”

Jenna didn’t want to look for fear she might drool or moan or something worse, but her body was ignoring her brain. He was leaning against one of the round wooden columns that framed the entry way to the wide porch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Dressed in black cargo shorts, with a grey T-shirt advertising a bar in Annapolis, Maryland stretched across his chest, and flip flops, Drew looked better than handsome. He looked edible. All Jenna could manage was a little hum of agreement which sounded embarrassingly as though she’d just swallowed a satisfying piece of Dove chocolate.

Those all-knowing eyes twinkled at her almost like he had a direct line to her thoughts. His hair was still damp and she caught a waft of freshly showered man with an extra helping of testosterone. Jenna shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

“Now, Aunt Evie, there’s no need to fish for compliments for me. You’re making Jenna uncomfortable.” The obnoxious man had the nerve to wink at her. “If you’re trying to evade my question it won’t work. What’s this about someone taking your money?”

“No one’s ‘taking’ my money. I’m donating it. To Jenna. So she can establish a turtle hatchery here in Magnolia Bay.” Miss Evie patted the chair beside hers. “Come sit and she can tell you all about it.” Drew remained where he was while Zarah wound her way between his ankles.

Jenna sprung from her chair. The last thing she wanted was a long coze with Drew this morning. She’d accomplished what she’d come here for and she had lab work to follow up on at the Turtle Center. “I really have to get back to work. I just wanted to drop those documents off.”

Miss Evie slid the prospectus toward Drew. “I’m sure Drew would love to hear all about your hatchery, Sugar.”

“It’s not my hatchery, Miss Evie,” Jenna corrected her as though she hadn’t done so many times before. “It belongs to Magnolia Bay. I’ll just be one of the fortunate scientists who gets to bring it to fruition.”

“As long as those two from Downunder don’t have any say-so.”

Jenna swallowed a sigh of frustration. “I’ve told you before, Miss Evie, we need Perry’s expertise to make this work.”

“Pfft,” Miss Evie said. “You’re smarter than both of them. You just remind them that no money goes to this project until after they make themselves known at the low country boil. It’s going to be a great way to end the summer and announce the plans for the hatchery.”

“Aunt Evie, I think we need to discuss this hatchery project a bit further before you commit to anything.”

Some of the wind left Jenna’s sails with Drew’s words. Maybe Perry was right to be concerned. She still had no idea how Drew fit into Miss Evie’s life or whether or not he could derail their plans for the hatchery. Her heart and her brain told her to keep her distance from Drew, but with the project caught in the balance, that was going to be hard to do.

“That’s what I’m trying to do here, young man. You both need to sit back down and discuss this project.” Miss Evie tapped the prospectus with a well-manicured finger.

*

His godmother was
meddling again. Drew was fairly confident she couldn’t just stroke a check for millions so Jenna could reproduce sea turtles without approval from her trustee, so he sensed Aunt Evie had an ulterior motive: mainly throwing him and Jenna together. Not that his body was complaining. He just didn’t want to hear his beloved godmother complaining when Drew got his mind back on track and left for another tour of duty—without Jenna.

“Leave the paper, Jenna,” he said as he pulled away from the column. It was better to just appease them both. “I needed some beach reading anyway.”

“But Jenna can explain it
so
much better,” his godmother insisted. “And what if you have questions?”

“I know where to find her.” Drew couldn’t decide if the flush creeping up Jenna’s cheeks was a good sign or not. He wouldn’t mind another late night trip to the beach house at the end of Bayshore, though, even if it was only to discuss the sex lives of turtles.

“I have a better idea,” Aunt Evie said as a touch of dread settled in his gut. “Jenna can come back for dinner and we can all discuss the project together.” Subtlety was not in his godmother’s repertoire. Not only that, but she had Jenna exactly where she wanted her; if she wanted her hatchery, she had to dance to his godmother’s tune. “Sugar, you know I like to eat early, so come around six. Come here now, Zarah and let’s go see what kind of treats we have left from breakfast.” Leaving Jenna no chance to object, she scooped up her cat and dashed toward the kitchen faster than a woman her age ought to move.

Drew couldn’t help but grin at his godmother’s tenacity. Aunt Evie had actually done him a favor. He needed to know more about this scheme Jenna and her Aussie friends were pitching before things got out of hand. Spending time with Jenna—even chaperoned by his dotty godmother—was an added bonus. Unfortunately, Jenna wasn’t seeing the humor in any of this. She looked as though she’d rather eat turtle than have dinner with Drew. “Don’t look so worried, I’ll try to keep my questions simple for you,” he joked.

“Asking simple questions shouldn’t be too hard for a guy like you.”

“Score one for the turtle goddess.” Drew gestured toward the doorway his godmother had disappeared into. “She eats alone every night. The least we could do is humor her.”

“On the contrary, I eat here at least once a week. I’m quite partial to the shrimp and grits her cook makes.”

“I’ll be sure and request some for dinner then. As long as you hold up your end of the bargain and answer my questions about Aunt Evie’s involvement in this hatchery because I will have questions. Detailed questions.”

“I told you last night, I’ve got nothing to hide.” She headed for the porch, her chin held high.

“About last night…” he said as he followed her down the porch steps toward the driveway.

“Forget about it.”

“I can’t.” Not only that but he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

“You were overcome at the loss of a beautiful sea creation. It happens. I would have thought a big bad Navy SEAL could have held it together better.” She shrugged. “But, hey, maybe you guys aren’t robots after all.”

His lips curled up at her response. He admired her ability to regroup and move on when other women might have been crying foul. Maybe she wasn’t as tender-hearted as he believed her to be. He knew from watching her work last night that she was tougher than she looked. Perhaps he needed to rethink his hands-off-Jenna policy.

“And you? What were you overcome with last night?” he dared to ask, immediately regretting it. A part of him was fearful that her answer would be the pity he suspected of her. She stopped abruptly and Drew watched her face as her mind warred with how to respond. “Lust,” she said finally, surprising the hell out of him. “It had been a pretty crazy day,” she added as an excuse.

Drew rocked back on his heels, an unabashed smile breaking out on his face. “Well, I’m glad I was able to facilitate your stress relief.”

“Don’t make it sound like it was something more for you,” she said before squeezing her key fob to unlock her car door. “It was just a kiss of compassion. It didn’t mean anything.”

“And yet you came back for seconds.”

That stopped her in the process of opening her car door. She at least had the decency to blush from her chest to her forehead.

“Tell me,” Drew couldn’t resist goading her. “Did you like what you saw?”

“I…you—” she stammered. “How did you know?” she asked breathlessly.

“It’s my job to know. In my line of work, not knowing is what gets people killed.”

She shoved a stray strand of hair off her face. “I—”

Drew pressed a finger to her lips. They trembled beneath his touch and it was like a shot to the groin. “You don’t have to say anything. Although, you do owe me my own private peep show as payback.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over the shell of her ear. “And I promise the performance will have a much more satisfying ending.”