Long Way Home (19 page)

Her face brightened. “I do.” She loved that the idea occurred to her father. “I bet he would like it even more if you read it to him.”

“Something to consider,” he agreed. He then regarded her carefully, as though he was debating something. “You know, your mother and I have a deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“We both want to be cremated without a big service. Just a small get-together back at the house.”

Alexis’s brow furrowed. “Are you planning to go anytime soon?”

He smiled briefly. “No, but you never know.” His eyes flickered to hers and she realized that her father was acknowledging her loss. Obviously, her mother had told him about Mark. Alexis expected that she would; she just didn’t expect her father to bring it up. Greg MacAdams was not someone who spoke openly on emotional topics. Political ones, yes. Matters of the heart, no way.

“You have wills, right?” she asked. “Morris wouldn’t let Mom get away without it, I imagine.”

“We do.” He hesitated. “We also have another deal that isn’t in our wills.”

“You really need everything in writing,” she advised. “What is it?”

“Whichever one of us goes first, the other one is free to go out and find a new partner. No long-term grieving allowed.”

Alexis stared at her father. “So if mom dies first, you’re supposed to run out and marry the next woman you see?”

He set down his pencil and looked at her. “No. I’m supposed to find someone else who makes me happy, or at least someone whose company I enjoy. Life is too short to spend it alone, Alexis.”

“And Mom will do the same?”

“Yes.”

“And when did you agree to these terms?” she asked archly.

“Our wedding night, nearly forty years ago. Still haven’t changed our minds. We love each other, but one of us can live without the other if that’s how it pans out.”

“That’s romantic,” she mumbled.

“No, it isn’t, but you know your mother. She likes her lists as much as you do. Helps her feel more in control of things she knows damn well she has no control over.”

Alexis bit her lip, her eyes fixed on the tabletop. “And you’re okay with that? The idea of her with another man.”

“I’ll be dead. What do I care?” He shrugged. “Anyway, it wouldn’t erase the love she has for me. If I’m not here to make her happy, I sure would like it if someone else could do the job. God knows she deserves it.”

Alexis nodded, understanding the words that he’d left unspoken — and you do, too.

He returned his attention to the crossword. “I’m glad you’ve been able to reconnect with old friends since you’ve been home. I hear that Tyler is a real nice guy. Good to his folks and his neighbors.”

Alexis couldn’t resist a small roll of the eyes. “Real subtle, Dad, but thanks.” She took her coffee cup and placed it in the sink. “You know what might make Mom happy while you’re still alive and kicking? Cleaning up the kitchen once in a while.”

He raised a scruffy eyebrow but didn’t turn his head. “Have fun at Verde Beach.”

Alexis was nervous about meeting Tyler at his house before they went to Verde Beach. He’d made such a good impression so far; she didn’t want to discover any bad habits now. Nothing turned her stomach like a dirty bathroom.

The house was a real beach bungalow, painted cottage white with a bright blue door and a green roof. The lawn was neatly manicured with a couple of potted plants beside the porch steps. Charming was the first word that sprang to mind.

As she was about to knock on the door, the whirring sound of a lawn mower caught her attention and she glanced next door to see Tyler zipping along the front of his neighbor’s lawn. He waved when he saw her and she raised a confused hand in return. She checked her watch to make sure she had the right time. She did.

He turned off the mower and trotted over to her, sweaty and smelling of freshly cut grass. In Alexis’s mind, a lethally sexy combination.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, bounding up the steps. “The door’s open.”

“I can come back later if…”

He cut her off. “No, no. It’s my fault. Mrs. Addy needed her yard done and I meant to do it earlier, but inspiration hit this morning and I couldn’t get out there until I finished.”

He opened the door and held it for her. Alexis stepped inside and casually surveyed the interior.

“Do you have a lawn business, too?” she asked.

“No,” he said, closing the door behind them. “Her sons are grown and her husband died a few years ago. She can’t manage it on her own.”

Alexis took a good look at him. His yellow t-shirt was like a highlighter for his muscles. She pretended not to notice. “That’s really kind, Tyler.”

He shrugged. “She’s my neighbor.”

Alexis tried to imagine random acts of kindness between neighbors in London. She nearly laughed out loud. She didn’t even know her neighbors’ names. When she went from visibly pregnant back to her trim figure without a baby to show for it, no one around them seemed to notice. Even when Mark died, no neighbors paid their respects. They either didn’t realize her life had changed forever or they simply didn’t care. The thought churned up a bitter taste in her mouth.

“How was Christmas with your parents?” she asked.

“Great. They asked after you.”

“That’s sweet. Mine was more tolerable than expected.” She shook her head, realizing that it wasn’t true. “Actually, it was better than that.”

“Glad to hear it.” Tyler pulled his top over his head. “I just need to change really fast. I reek of lawn care.”

He sprinted down the hall and Alexis heard a drawer open and shut. She admired the artwork on the walls and her gaze lingered over a photo of Tyler and his parents on one of the end tables. They appeared to be on a boat with Tyler and his dad holding up a large tarpon while his mom wrapped a proud arm around her son. Their wide smiles told the story of happy fishermen. Alexis sighed with contentment. Simple pleasures appealed to her more and more each day.

“Is that a silver king?” she called, observing the fish’s excessive size and silver scales on the side. It had to be at least six feet long.

“Sure is. One of my dad’s proudest moments.”

“I can tell.”

“That fish had the fighting spirit, no doubt, but I managed to reel her in.” He emerged in a clean charcoal-colored top and dark jeans.

Alexis swallowed hard when she saw him. “You caught it?”

He ducked his head modestly. “I’m nowhere near the fisherman my dad is, but I got lucky that day. He was ecstatic.”

“Your house is really sweet,” she said, trying to focus on the interior of the house instead of the interior of his jeans.

“Thanks, but I can’t take all the credit. My mom loves to decorate. She brings over her HGTV magazines and goes to town.”

“Well, your mom has good taste.”

“I’ll tell her you said so. Can I get you a drink?” he asked, heading for the refrigerator.

“Is it too early for my medicine?” she asked, only half-joking.

“I don’t have any whiskey,” he said, pouring a tall glass of water. He chugged it down. Lawn mowing was thirsty work.

“Water’s fine for me,” she said.

He poured her a glass and brought it to the coffee table in the living room. This was the room he spent most of his time in; Alexis could see that from the stacks of spiral notebooks and the three guitars leaning against the wall.

“You still write longhand?” she queried, settling down on the couch.

He bent his head in mock shame. “I know, I know. I’m old school. I can’t help it. The words seem to hold more meaning when I form each letter myself.”

“You’re a romantic,” she said simply. “You probably wouldn’t be a very good musician otherwise.”

He relaxed into the couch and nodded. “I take that as a compliment.”

He looked irresistible sitting there, so comfortable with himself and in his environment. She remembered the feel of his hands under her clothes and shifted in her seat.

“Should we get going?” she asked.

“How about a song before we head out?” he asked. “It’s not every day I get to play for a beautiful woman right in my own living room.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Alexis said. She knew plenty of women who would line up outside to have a guy like Tyler strum his strings for them.

He picked up the nearest guitar and rested it on his thigh. His fingers started moving before Alexis had a chance to make a request. He clearly had a song in mind. As Tyler began to sing, Alexis was conscious of her heart thumping inside her chest. She didn’t recognize the song, but the combination of Tyler’s smooth voice and chiseled features was so sexy that Alexis found herself too distracted to listen to the lyrics.

Midway through the song, Tyler lifted his blue eyes from his guitar and met Alexis’s admiring gaze. He carried on singing while keeping his eyes locked on hers. Alexis began to throb in places she’d once assumed would be neglected for the rest of her life. She could see from the bulge in his jeans that the intensity of the moment was having a similar effect on Tyler. He finished the song, still fixated on her, and placed his guitar against the wall without looking away. Alexis reminded herself to breathe.

“What a beautiful song,” she said, her voice catching.

“You don’t know it?” he asked, clearly surprised. When she shook her head, he said, “River by Joni Mitchell. One of the all-time greats.”

“I can see why.”

“You’re so beautiful, Alexis,” he told her, sliding onto the couch beside her. “It isn’t fair to all the other girls.”

“Tyler,” she said by way of objection. Her flaming cheeks didn’t escape his notice.

“I won’t bite,” Tyler said. “Unless you want me to,” he added with a sly grin. Boy, did he want to. He wanted to bite and lick and nibble every inch of her.

He still smelled like freshly cut grass and Alexis resisted the temptation to caress his chest. “First blindfolds, now biting. Whatever next, Tyler Barnes?”

Tyler kissed her forehead gingerly before standing up. “Okay, have it your way. Since everything’s packed and ready, we’d better go because if I sit on this couch with you one more minute, I might not be able to control myself.”

Alexis exhaled deeply before lifting herself off the couch. She understood the sentiment all too well.

Verde Beach was an isolated spot on the north end of the island that was popular with fishermen. Thanks to conservation laws, the north end remained relatively unspoiled and spotting wildlife was pretty much a guarantee. Algae were commonplace in the shallow part of the water, which was how the beach originally got its name.

They towed Tyler’s yellow dinghy behind the golf cart and made the twenty-minute trek to the beach.

“Are there still eagles here?” Alexis asked as they approached the beach.

“This time of year, especially. When it gets too cold up north, they nest here. One of the most amazing sights on the island. They’re partial to those tall pine trees over there,” he told her, gesturing toward a cluster of trees. “I brought binoculars in case they decide to make an appearance.”

Alexis was impressed with Tyler’s planning. He came fully prepared with a blanket and a backpack crammed with food, bottles of water, binoculars, and a change of clothes in case they got wet.

As Tyler rolled out the dinghy and set to work, Alexis took time to admire the surroundings. Verde Beach was so different from other beaches on the island, it seemed to belong someplace else entirely.

“Shouldn’t we have gone out early if we want to see fish?” she asked.

“We haven’t come to see fish.”

“Oh.” Alexis’s interest was piqued.

“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I packed plenty of food. I thought we could have a picnic on the beach.”

“What’s the dinghy for then?” she asked.

He gave her a sidelong glance. “Were you the kind of kid who peeked at your Christmas presents before the big day?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll be good.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I didn’t say I want you to be good.”

She felt that familiar tingle between her legs, the one Tyler seemed to be capable of calling forth with a mere look, and fought the urge to launch herself into his arms. She imagined herself pushing him back onto the sand and straddling him. Her blush grew deeper and she cleared her throat.

“Shall I spread the legs…I mean, blanket?” She was certain that her entire face was scarlet.

“Feel free to spread anything you like.”

“We’ll get a decent sunset here, I would think,” she observed, changing the subject as quickly as humanly possible. She pulled the rolled up blanket from the cart and unfurled it across the sand.

“We will. We’re far enough to the west of the island to get a good view.”

It seemed fairly isolated. Looking around, Alexis wondered whether anyone would stumble across them if she decided to do something rash. She was so torn between holding on to Mark and reaching for Tyler with both hands. When she was with him, she felt better about herself, about everything. Her usual bravado was born out of her abilities. Tyler, however, infused her with a confidence unrelated to her intelligence or her work ethic. It was like he’d glimpsed her very essence and declared it worthy.

“You seem far away,” he commented, unwrapping two sandwiches and handing one to Alexis.

“I’m getting closer,” she replied with a smile. “Promise.”

“Closer is a word I like to hear from your lips,” he said before taking a hungry bite of his sandwich.

“Tuna?” she asked as she scrutinized the sandwich.

He nodded and swallowed. “My mom’s secret recipe. I can’t tell you what the special ingredient is.”

“Love?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

“Are you making fun of my mother?” he asked with mock indignation.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I hate to ask, though. Shouldn’t these be shaped like hearts? Did your mom not love you enough to use cookie cutters on your sandwiches?”

“Now you’ve done it,” he said, tackling her. His sandwich flew to the blanket as he began tickling her. She fell backward on the blanket, laughing so hard she couldn’t keep her eyes open. That wicked laugh of hers was going to be the end of him.

“And she left the crusts on,” she continued between gasps of laughter. “You were truly neglected.”