Seaside Heartbeats: A Sweet Romance (The Seaside Hunters Book 2) (19 page)

She went downstairs to make the strongest coffee possible. Maybe she would go shopping with Cora or her mom, or distract herself playing with Nolan and Ryder. If only she could get the skull out of her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, that's what she saw.

The smell of fresh coffee tingled her nose. Someone had already made some—hopefully it'd be strong enough. Lana was sure she had bags under her eyes.

Her dad sat at the dining room table, sipping from a mug. He didn't look at her, but Lana knew he had to have heard her. She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured the coffee. It smelled divine—dark and rich. She took a sip and cringed. Too bitter.

Lana added some milk and honey and sat across from her dad. He still didn't acknowledge her. Her heart ached. "Dad."

"Morning," he muttered, holding a plan in front of his face.

"Please don't," Lana said. "Can we talk about this?"

"I'm giving you space to think. That's what you want, isn't it?" He shoved the paper onto the table, staring at her.

"You don't have to ignore me."

"Who said that's what I'm doing? I'm giving you space."

She stared at him. "Call it what you want. It doesn't change anything."

They sat in silence. Lana waited for him to say something, but he just continued looking at the papers in front of him.

"We need to talk about this, Dad."

He looked at her, eyes wide and nostrils flared. "What's to talk about? You agreed to work at the firm, and now you're thinking about backing out—going back on your word. Leaving everyone hanging."

"
Everyone
will be fine without me. Even if I decide to work somewhere else or take some more time off before starting my career, I'll still see you. Probably more than you saw me when I was in school."

His face softened a little. "I really enjoyed the time you interned. We got to spend a lot of time together, and we make a good team. What could be better than a father-daughter team?"

"I had a really good time, too. We do make an unbeatable team, but I might want more variety than just mansions."

He snorted. "
Just
mansions. What are you looking for?"

Lana shrugged. "Maybe an urgent care clinic. Things like that."

Understanding washed over his face. "Are you getting serious about Brayden?"

"I think I am. He's the most amazing guy I've ever met." She sighed. "After you, of course."

The corners of his mouth twitched. "Thanks, hon. Well, I suppose you do have a lot to consider, and I don't want to make it more difficult on you than I'm sure it already is. The position is there for you until September. There's nothing I'd like more than having you there, but I'll live if you're not."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I know what it's like to be in love. There's nothing I wouldn't do for your mom—you know that. Your uncle Andy didn't like me at all, and he constantly tried to push us apart. I think it actually only helped to push us together."

"So you hope by backing off you won't send me to his arms?" Oh, Brayden's embrace. That was her favorite place to be.

"I want you to make the choice you need to. Who am I to stand in the way of love? It'll be an adjustment not having you there, if that's what you decide. I won't lie and say it's going to be easy, but I understand. More than anything, I want you happy, and nothing can make you happier than being with the one you love more than anything."

"Aw." Her mom came around the corner. She gave him a hug and a kiss. "You still feel that way after all these years."

"You know I do."

"Do I? It can be hard to tell with your long hours at work and you bringing it home. And on vacation."

He frowned. "But you and the girls have always had everything you ever wanted."

She sat on his lap. "Sometimes I just want a little more of you."

"Really? I didn't think about it like that. Want to try a new restaurant in town tonight? I'm sure the kids can fend for themselves for a night."

"I'd love that, and I'm sure they can."

Lana couldn't take her eyes off them. That was exactly what she wanted…and she could easily see herself with Brayden years down the road, still adoring each other.

Twenty Three

Brayden wiped spaghetti sauce from his mouth and looked across the table at Lana. It warmed his heart to see her at his parents' dinner table. She talked easily with them, laughing and joking. They seemed to genuinely like her, and he didn't realize how much their approval meant until he saw it in action.

It had been a full week since they had gone to the caves. None of them had brought it up since then. They'd all been skittish, even Cruz, who was almost never rattled by anything, but after a few days with no more break-ins—and their parents' new security system—the three of them had relaxed.

On Brayden's last day off from work, he'd taken Lana to a concert on the beach and then out for ice cream. It had been the perfect light-hearted date. He'd seen her every day he could after work. One day, when she'd had a follow-up visit in his clinic, with a new doctor, she insisted on waiting ninety minutes until his lunch hour so they could eat together.

"When do I get to meet the other brothers?" Lana asked.

"Actually," his mom said with a curious tone that caught Brayden's attention, "Zachary's going to be on his way back soon. He's going to drive, and expects to return in the next week or so."

"He's moving back in with us," his dad said.

"Now we just need to convince Rafael to return home, and we'll have all our boys back." His mom beamed.

"Zachary's
moving
back?" Jake asked.

"Things aren't working out in the Big Apple?" asked Cruz.

"We're not entirely sure," his mom said, "and I wasn't about to question it. I've been getting his room ready all day."

Everyone spoke excitedly, talking over each other. Brayden looked back over at Lana. She smiled at him, warming him to the core.

Soon, the meal was over and everyone helped to clean. It was a tradition his mom had begun when Brayden was young. With so many people eating meals, she refused to be the only one to clean up. As much as they had all moaned and complained in their teen years, now they enjoyed it. It had turned into an extended part of the feasting experience, practically becoming a game to see if they could get everything cleaned up faster than the last time.

"Who wants to play a board game?" his mom asked, once the kitchen sparkled.

"I do," Lana said. "I haven't played one in years. What do you have?"

Before long, they were sitting back at the table, this time around a
Scrabble
board. Everyone coupled off, except Cruz who seemed happy working on his own.

After a couple rounds, Jake and Tiffany had to go because Tiffany couldn't stay awake. Brayden's mom gushed over her, sending her home with more food, insisting that she eat a lot for herself and the first grand-baby. She couldn't have been more excited about being a grandma.

It brought Brayden joy seeing her eyes light up again. They hadn't done that since Sophia's passing, and Brayden had worried that he would never see that side of her again. He knew that his sister watched from somewhere, smiling at their mom's newfound happiness.

"We should go, too," Brayden said. "I want to take Lana to see something."

"You'll be back soon, right?" his mom asked.

"Of course. Let me know when Zachary arrives, and I'll stop by to give him a proper welcome."

Her face lit up. "It's so good to have everyone returning to Kittle Falls. I'll have to call Rafael. Maybe he'll at least come up for another visit."

Brayden gave her a hug. "I'm sure he'll return, too."

Everyone exchanged hugs, and soon he and Lana climbed into his car.

"Your family is great," she said. "I can definitely see how you turned out so wonderful."

"I think you're pretty fantastic yourself." He started the car and put it in gear, but didn't pull out of the spot.

"Where are we going?"

"Nowhere in particular. I just wanted you to myself." He looked over at her, seeing her cheeks flushed. "Is there anywhere in town you want to go? A dessert place you've never tried?"

"Anywhere I can keep looking at you is fine by me."

He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I couldn't agree more—about looking at you, that is."

Lana rubbed his palm. "Do you have any suggestions? You know this place better than me."

"You've been here a while. More than most tourists."

She stared into his eyes. Brayden got the feeling she wanted to say something, but held back.

"Well, actually," he said, "if you really don't mind, I'd like to stop by the abandoned hardware store. I haven't been there in a while and I keep thinking about it being the perfect location for my clinic."

"I'd love to. I've been thinking about the urgent care layout, and I have an idea that I think you'll be excited about."

She'd been planning for his clinic even more? His heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He put the car in park and pressed his lips against hers. She smelled sweet and he wanted more. He couldn't wait around and let this relationship go the way of every other tourist-local one. Somehow, he had to win her over so she would stay in Kittle Falls. He'd move mountains if he had to.

He pulled back, getting lost in her deep blue eyes. "You're perfect, do you know that?" he asked. "You couldn't improve in any way."

"Oh, stop." Her cheeks darkened.

"I mean it, Lana. My life is so much better with you in it. I can't imagine it without you…and I hope you feel the same way."

She stared into his eyes. He wanted her to say something—anything—after he'd put his heart out there like that. She leaned forward and grazed her lips against his. Then she pressed harder, leaning closer to him. Brayden's heart sped up. He ran his hands over her silky soft hair.

After only a moment, she pulled back and looked at him adoringly. "I feel the same way. I'm the luckiest person alive because of you. I'm actually glad I had that SVT episode. I'd go through it all again just to make sure I met you."

If she kept talking like that, they might not end up going anywhere else for their date. He put his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her again, this time deeper, while simultaneously making sure she didn't jam her side into the gear shift. Lana's hair fell into his face, tickling him, but Brayden didn't move it out of the way.

A knock on the window startled him. They both sat back in their own seats. Cruz stood outside Brayden's door. "Get a room!"

Lana laughed and Brayden waved Cruz away. He put the car in gear and pulled out onto the street. "To the hardware store?"

She ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah. I want to tell you about my plans."

They went to the rundown building, and Brayden parked across the street. The night sky was light enough to see everything they needed to see. She pointed here and there, explaining her ideas for the waiting room, reception area, and everything else. He could barely pay attention—all he could think about was their kiss and how badly he wanted more.

She said something about two waiting rooms and he snapped to attention.

"The way I look at it," she said, "is that there are basically two kinds of emergencies. Those that are contagious, and those that aren't. There could be an entrance for sick people—those with flus and colds, and then another one for broken bones, heat exhaustion, and other ailments that no one can catch. What do you think?"

Brayden thought about it. "Actually, it's brilliant. I don't know why no one has thought about that before."

She beamed and talked more about what they could do with the building, and even how they could make it child-friendly. "I like the fountain at the hospital. Something like that would be helpful because it provides a nice distraction from whatever people are there for."

He stared at her, unable to speak. She was better than perfect and he would do anything to keep her in town. He wrapped his arm around her and they shared ideas until the sun hid from sight.

"I should get back," she said. "I could stay here forever with you, but I promised my parents I'd spend some time with them."

Brayden didn't want to take her back. As selfish as he knew it was, he wanted to be greedy with her. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "No problem. I'm just glad you're taking such an interest in my dream."

"It's such a wonderful idea." She stood on her toes and kissed him. Brayden pulled her close, enjoying their final moments together for the evening.

Before he knew it, Brayden found himself walking back to his car after another mind-blowing goodbye kiss at the front door of her house. Absentmindedly, he pulled into the street and headed toward his condo. His gaze kept wandering to the stores along the road—a pancake house, a grill, a family restaurant, a shop full of knick-knacks…

A jeweler.

That was it. He pulled into the nearest empty parking space and ran to the jewelry store. The owner inside turned off the lights. Brayden ran through the door. "Wait!"