Seaview Inn (14 page)

“But you said you wouldn’t. You said it was a bad idea,
and you were right,” she said, sounding a little desperate even to her own ears.

He shrugged. “Changed my mind. I’ve done all this thinking about what happens next and the only thing I’ve figured out so far is that I can’t imagine you not being a part of it. Couldn’t we just for one night not think about the complications or what happens next, but just live in the moment?”

She gave him a rueful look. “That’s exactly how my daughter wound up pregnant.”

He chuckled. “I have an entire box of condoms in my room.”

That startled her even more than the pass itself. “You were
planning
this? You intended to seduce me tonight? In front of my daughter and grandmother?”

“I intended to try,” he admitted. He studied her intently. “Are you angry?”

She thought about it. How could she be angry that an incredible, gorgeous guy wanted to seduce her, even if the timing did suck?

For the second time that day, she decided to ignore what was smart and logical and go for what felt good. “You can try,” she told him, giving him what she hoped was a flirtatious look over her shoulder as she grabbed a couple of drinks from Jack and slipped past Luke. She turned back with a grin. “Don’t expect me to make it easy for you, though.”

If Grandma Jenny had pinned him to a chair and threatened him with torture, Luke couldn’t have said why he was breaking every one of the rules he’d made about steering clear of Hannah. There was just something about the way he felt when he looked at her. He felt young again and
carefree, which was ridiculous considering all the baggage both of them had.

Spending time with her now, he couldn’t imagine why he hadn’t been drawn to her all those years ago, rather than Abby. Probably because he’d been young and stupid and more interested in the kind of fun Abby was likely to agree to. Even then, he’d known that Hannah wasn’t someone to toy with, that she was worthy of respect and consideration, something of which he was incapable at seventeen with his hormones on a rampage.

He smiled at the irony. It seemed his hormones were on a tear once again, and he didn’t even have a seventeen-year-old’s good sense about ignoring temptation and keeping his hands off Hannah.

He assured himself he wasn’t going to let this go beyond some heavy-duty flirting, partly because Grandma Jenny would skin him alive and partly because even he knew deep down that it was a bad idea. That didn’t explain why he’d taken the ferry to the mainland earlier to buy those condoms, hoping to avoid the speculation that purchasing them on the island would have caused. Maybe he’d just realized that good intentions could easily go up in flames. Or maybe he knew his resolve wasn’t worth anything when Hannah looked at him with the kind of longing that matched what he was feeling. Every now and again her careful composure slipped away, and he could read the same desire in her eyes that was turning his blood hot. They were adults. Despite what Grandma Jenny obviously feared, they could act on their feelings and do it responsibly. He hoped.

He was relieved when their dinners came and he could concentrate on the seafood instead of the woman sitting next to him.

“I haven’t had shrimp this good in ages,” Grandma Jenny declared.

“Me, neither,” Luke agreed, then caught the expression in Hannah’s eyes as she regarded her salad with distaste and his food with unmistakable interest. “You want a bite?” he offered.

“Would you mind?” she asked, already taking one of the shrimp off his plate. She ate that one and reached for a piece of fish. “This is good,” she murmured. “Really good.”

Luke shook his head and gestured toward Jack, who came over a few minutes later.

“I seem to have lost my claim on my dinner. Could you bring another seafood platter and more fries?” He glanced at Kelsey, who was also eyeing the food with undisguised hunger. “You, too?”

She nodded sheepishly.

“Two more platters coming up,” Jack agreed. “Don’t know why you didn’t order ’em in the first place, at least for Hannah. As I recall she was always stealing food off your plate when she was here with you and Abby.”

“I was not,” Hannah retorted indignantly.

“Were, too,” Luke said, suddenly recalling exactly how she would always order a healthy, inexpensive house salad, then proceed to snatch food from his plate. He’d been so absorbed with Abby, he’d never paid much attention to it. “You’d wait until I had my back turned…”

She gave him an impudent look. “Until you and Abby had locked lips,” she corrected.

“And then you’d take whatever you could get your hands on. I never understood why you didn’t just order the burger in the first place.”

Kelsey grinned. “Because, according to her, women
are supposed to be dainty eaters, so men won’t think they’re pigs.”

Hannah frowned at her. “I never taught you that.”

“Yes, you did. I can’t recall one single meal we ever had in a restaurant with whomever you were dating that you didn’t order a salad and nothing else.”

“Did you steal their food, too?” Luke inquired, barely containing a laugh. “Is that why you’ve never remarried, because all the men feared starvation because of you stealing their meals right out from in front of them?”

Hannah set the shrimp back on his plate. “I had no idea that taking a couple of shrimp was going to turn into this big a deal. You offered. Do you remember that?”

“I did, and that seafood is yours. Enjoy every bite of it. I have my own on the way.”

“Oh, please, take this one back. I wouldn’t want you to faint from hunger.”

Grandma Jenny chuckled. “Now, children, stop bickering.”

Kelsey gave her great-grandmother a high-five that had Hannah scowling. “Not you, too.”

“Me?” Grandma Jenny asked. “What did I do, except try to bring some order to the table before people start wondering what the two of you are fussing about?”

“Lovers’ spat, that’s what I’m hearing,” Kelsey teased.

Luke watched with fascination as color bloomed in Hannah’s cheeks. “An interesting observation,” he told Kelsey. “What about it, Hannah? Is that what’s happening here?”

“Oh, go suck an egg,” she retorted, spearing each and every one of them with a sour look as she grabbed his entire plate and finished the remaining fish.

Luke heard the edge in her voice and suspected they’d
just tested her patience beyond its limits. Thankfully Jack returned with the rest of the food and the teasing died down as Luke and Kelsey started to eat.

“Jack,” Hannah called after him. “Is there any apple pie left?”

“Just one slice and I was holding it for Luke. I know it’s his favorite.”

“Is his name actually on it?” she asked.

Jack gave Luke an amused look, then turned back to Hannah and shook his head. “No.”

“Then I’d like it, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top,” she said.

“Hey,” Luke protested, then spotted the glint in her eye. “Never mind. Jack, bring the lady the pie.”

“I’ll have peach,” Grandma Jenny said, then glanced at Hannah. “Unless you’re planning to stake a claim on that, too.”

Hannah beamed at her. “Nope, the peach is all yours. Luke, what about you?”

“Nothing for me yet. I’m just starting on my meal. I think I’ll just see how this plays out.”

Jack regarded them all as if they’d gone a little crazy, then went off to fill their dessert orders. When he came back and set them on the table, Luke watched as Hannah dug into the pie with gleeful enthusiasm that he suspected had nothing to do with her love of apple pie.

“Any good?” he asked, losing interest in his food.

“Delicious,” she said. “Best ever.”

He leaned forward until his eyes were level with hers. “Are you going to share?”

“I wasn’t planning to,” she said, deliberately taking another bite.

“How about if I ask nicely?”

Her expression turned thoughtful. “Maybe. Try it.”

He tucked a finger under her chin and kept their gazes locked. “Hannah, please let me have a bite of your pie.”

She swallowed hard, then blinked. “No, I don’t think so.” Another bite went into her mouth.

“Ah, so you want me to beg,” he concluded.

Her eyes lit up. “Begging would be great.”

He opened his mouth as if to beg, then muttered, “Nah. The pie’s probably cold by now.”

“It is not,” she protested. “It’s warm and oozing with vanilla ice cream. It’s perfect.”

He laughed. “You really, really wanted to hear me beg, didn’t you?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.”

He winked at her. “You will eventually,” he assured her. “But it won’t be for pie.”

Kelsey giggled, but Grandma Jenny scowled at him and at Hannah. “Stop it, you two! There are others present.”

“Sorry, Gran,” Hannah murmured.

Grandma Jenny’s stern expression wavered. “Well, all I have to say is thank goodness neither one of you was after my peach pie. I don’t think my heart could have taken it.” She stood up. “I’m going to pay the bill. Try to compose yourselves while I’m away from the table.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Luke said, though his lips were twitching.

“You two are very bad,” Kelsey accused, after Grandma Jenny had walked away. “What kind of example are you setting for the children?”

“And that would be you?” Hannah asked, then laughed. “Apparently I’ve already blown my chance to set a proper example for you. Come on, kid, let’s go outside and wait for your grandmother. Luke?”

“I’ll meet her at the bar and walk her out,” he said. “I need to try to wrestle the bill away from her, anyway. I told Jack earlier I was paying. He already has my credit card.”

Kelsey’s expression brightened. “You and Gran are going to fight over the bill? That should be fun. We should stay, Mom.”

“No. We’re going outside in case there’s bloodshed. It would be bad for the baby to hear your grandmother hitting Luke with some umbrella she grabbed from behind the bar.”

“She’s not going to hit me,” Luke said. “She likes me.”

“She also likes getting her own way,” Hannah told him. “My money’s on Gran winning this one. She’s known Jack longer.”

Sure enough, by the time Luke reached the bar, the bill had been paid—by Grandma Jenny.

“What can I say? She threatened me,” Jack said.

“Here’s your credit card, you sneaky man,” she said, handing it over. “Now, give me your arm. That beer has made me a little tipsy.”

Luke tucked her arm through his and walked her out.

“Who paid the bill?” Hannah asked as soon as they emerged from the restaurant.

“I did, of course,” Grandma Jenny responded.

Hannah immediately turned to Kelsey and held out a hand. “You owe me five bucks.”

“You bet against me?” Luke asked indignantly as Kelsey handed over the money.

Hannah beamed at him. “No, I bet on a sure thing, but if you play your cards right, maybe I’ll make it up to you before the night is over.”

“Don’t tease if you don’t mean it,” he warned.

Suddenly the entire clan of Matthews women seemed
to be dedicated to making him edgy. And when he was, there was no telling what sort of outrageous thing he might do just to seize the upper hand once more. Lately he’d rediscovered the impetuous, reckless side of his nature, and something told him that he was about to give it free rein.

“M
om, the phone’s for you,” Kelsey called from the bottom of the stairs. “It’s Dave.”

Hannah froze in mid-stride. She hadn’t counted on her boss calling the inn directly, rather than her cell phone, but of course he would. No doubt he’d tired of being ignored. Patience had never been one of his strong suits.

“Mom!”

“I’m coming,” she shouted back as she left her room, then walked slowly down the steps to where her daughter was holding the portable phone.

“How does he sound?” she whispered.

“Ticked,” Kelsey whispered back.

Hannah sighed and took the phone. “Good morning,” she said cheerfully. “How are you?”

“I’m unhappy, that’s how I am,” Dave grumbled. “Don’t you ever check your messages?”

“I lost track of my cell phone,” she fibbed. “I know it’s around here somewhere, but we’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to hunt for it. What are you doing working on Saturday, by the way?”

“I’m trying to pick up the slack caused by having you take an unscheduled vacation,” he said.

“I thought Carl was filling in,” she said.

“Yeah, well, that hasn’t worked out, just as you predicted. I spend half my time cleaning up his messes. I’ve had enough. I’ve given him two weeks’ notice.”

“Which is why you’d rather be in the office on a Saturday, instead of at home,” Hannah guessed. “Just how furious is your wife that you cut her nephew loose?”

“Don’t even go there,” Dave said. “Bottom line, I need you back here this week. You are coming back on Monday, right? If I fill you in now, you’ll have time to rough in some thoughts on these new projects and be ready to hit the ground running first thing Monday morning.”

“Actually, I need to talk to you about that,” she said, wincing at his uncensored curse, but plunging on, “I need more time.”

“Hannah, no! Two weeks, that’s what we agreed to. How long can it take to pack up your grandmother’s things and move her?”

“A lot longer than I’ve had,” she said dryly, “especially when she refuses to go.”

Dave was a decent guy who’d been her friend almost as long as they’d worked together. Now he said, “She’s not going into a retirement community? I thought that was the whole point of you rushing down there.”

“Me, too, but she’s flatly refused to go. I can’t make her. She’s not incompetent.”

“So, what does that mean?”

“It means she’s going to reopen the inn next week.”

The announcement clearly stunned him into silence. When he finally spoke, there was a cautious note in his voice. “Has she dragged you into that?”

“I’m helping out a little. So is Kelsey.”

“Kelsey’s there? What about school?” he demanded,
sounding more like a protective parent than an exasperated boss. He’d always taken a special interest in her daughter, treating her as if she were one of his own kids.

“She’s decided to take some time off.”

“Hannah, are you okay with that?”

“It seems I don’t have a choice about that, either,” she said. “I’m trying to adjust to the idea.”

“No wonder you sound a little dazed. I hate to add to the pressure, but I really do need you back here ASAP. When you’re not here, things fall apart.”

“It’s lovely to be considered indispensable, but we both know better. Dave, this is your business. You have plenty of competent people on staff. You just rely on me, because I’m usually handy. I’ve always been as much of a workaholic as you are.”

“Exactly,” he said. “I count on you, Hannah. Are you telling me you don’t want the responsibilities anymore? Because if I train someone to take your place, there’s no turning back. I can’t dangle a promotion in front of someone else on the team, then yank it back once you decide you’re ready to put in the time again.”

The threat that she would lose her place in the hierarchy was unmistakable. She waited for sheer panic to set in, but it didn’t. She had no idea why. Maybe it was because she thought he’d never follow through on it. Or maybe the real reason was within her. Maybe she honestly didn’t care as much as she once had.

“Dave, you know I love you and the company, but right now being here has to be my priority,” she said. “It won’t be for much longer, but I know you can’t run a business with that kind of uncertainty. Put me on unpaid leave and if and when things settle down here, we’ll talk. If you don’t want me back, then, well, that’s just the way it will have to be.”

“Hannah, you don’t mean that!”

Her own amazement seemed to exceed his, but she didn’t want to take the words back. “Actually I do,” she said.

“Come on, let’s talk about this. You need another week, even two, we’ll manage.”

“I can’t promise that will be enough, and I don’t want to let you down again,” she said, her mind made up. Until things in Seaview seemed settled, until she saw whether or not the inn could operate without putting too much of a strain on her grandmother and Kelsey, she needed to stay here for her own peace of mind. If there were reasons beyond that, she didn’t want to think about them now.

“How about a month?” he said, suddenly sounding desperate. “You can take a month’s leave with pay, as long as you agree to consult by phone and e-mail when we need you.”

The offer was more than she’d ever anticipated, proof of her worth to the company. She should have felt triumphant or at least gratified, but all she felt was more pressure. She knew exactly how it would turn out. Her days would be consumed with dealing with crises long distance. Her time wouldn’t be her own. She’d be little help to Kelsey or to Gran. Her days of taking walks on the beach or doing something just for the sheer fun of it with Luke would be over as well.

“Come on, Hannah, it’s a good offer and you know it. Say yes,” Dave pleaded.

“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling oddly euphoric as she uttered the words. “I can’t, Dave. I’ll call as soon as things are under control here and we’ll talk. If you need to move on in the meantime, I’ll understand.”

“Dammit, I am not letting you quit!”

“I don’t believe I ever said anything about quitting,”
she reminded him. “I’m on an unpaid leave of absence with my return subject to negotiation.”

“Oh, spin it however you want to,” he grumbled. “You’re not coming back. I can hear it in your voice. I don’t know what’s going on down there, Hannah, but you’re losing your edge. You need to get back here before it’s gone for good.”

She laughed at his frustration. “How can you possibly say I’ve lost my edge? You just made me a dream offer, one you never would have considered when you made this call. I’d say that gives me the upper hand, even though technically I’m not even negotiating.”

“Whatever,” he muttered, then fell silent. When he spoke again, there was real concern in his voice. “Hannah, is this about the cancer? Are you suddenly scared that you don’t have time left? Is that what this is about? Are you trying to make the most of every minute?”

“No, Dave, it has nothing to do with the cancer,” she said honestly. “It’s about my family. Right now, they need me and I need to be here for them.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

He sighed heavily. “Okay, then. Call me when you’re ready to come back.”

“I will,” she promised.

“I love you, babe. Forget anything I said before. There will always be a place for you here.”

Suddenly her eyes filled with tears. “Thanks, Dave.”

“I’ll be in touch. I’m not going to let you forget about us and the fact that I want you back.”

“Bye,” she said, because her voice was suddenly too choked to say anything more.

She clicked off the phone, then sank onto the bottom
step. Kelsey suddenly appeared, which made Hannah wonder how much of the conversation she’d overheard.

“Mom, are you really okay?” she asked, sitting down beside her. A worried frown knit her brow. “You weren’t lying to Dave, were you? Your cancer’s not back, is it?”

Hannah draped an arm over her daughter’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Nope. This is just where I belong right now, that’s all. While I was talking to him, I just saw it all so clearly, that you and Gran need to be my priorities right now.”

Kelsey leaned into her. “I saw things more clearly once I got here, too. Isn’t it weird how things turn out sometimes?”

Weird
wasn’t the word Hannah would have used.
Ironic
was the one that came to mind. Never in a million years would she have imagined herself choosing Seaview Key over New York, even for a minute, much less weeks, but she just had. And even though it was temporary, it didn’t make the decision any less unexpected or disconcerting.

Kelsey set out for her afternoon walk with her mom at a brisk pace. For one thing, the doctor she’d seen had told her that walking on the beach was good exercise, but she liked it because she could clear her head out here. It was as if the sea breeze blew away the cobwebs and let her see things more clearly. She wondered if her mom had suddenly realized the same thing and that’s why she was staying in Seaview for the time being. Had she started to appreciate Seaview in a whole new way?

Whatever her reasons, though, Kelsey was glad her mom was going to be around for a while longer. She liked taking these afternoon walks with her. Sometimes
they never said a word, like now. Sometimes they talked about the past, all the things—good and bad—her mom remembered about living here as a child. At those times, Kelsey felt the ties to her ancestors in a way she never had before coming here, especially when she surprised her mom with stories that she claimed she’d never heard. Kelsey suspected she’d always been so anxious to leave, she’d never really listened to all the reasons that Seaview was someplace worth staying.

“You’re awfully quiet today,” Hannah said, glancing her way. “Is there something on your mind?”

“Not really. I was just thinking about how glad I am that you’re staying longer.”

“Me, too.”

“Really?” Kelsey said. “I figured you were doing it because you felt obligated or something.”

“That’s part of it, I suppose,” her mom said. “But like I told you earlier, it seems as if this is where I belong right now. Maybe I need to get in touch with the person I used to be.”

“When you knew Luke?” Kelsey asked, curious about the relationship. It was plain as day they were attracted to each other, but she had no idea if they’d been involved years ago. “Did you used to date?”

“No, he dated my best friend.”

“But you liked him, didn’t you? Those sparks between the two of you now can’t be something totally new.”

“He was the hottest jock in high school, so I suppose I was just as infatuated with him as every other girl in school. But he only had eyes for Abby. He never even gave me a second glance.”

“Well, he’s glancing now,” Kelsey said. “And then some.”

Even though her mom hadn’t admitted that there was
anything between them, Kelsey couldn’t miss the pleased expression on her face.

They continued on in silence, Kelsey stopping every so often to pick up a unique seashell or a piece of sea glass to add to the collections she was creating for display in the inn.

“Sweetie, can I ask you something?” Hannah said, sounding surprisingly hesitant.

“Sure.”

“Have you talked to Jeff lately?”

Kelsey bit back a sigh. “I finally called him back last night,” she said.

“How did it go? Did you tell him you’re staying here?”

“I told him,” Kelsey said.

“And?”

“He was pretty angry.” She glanced at Hannah. “I didn’t expect that. I thought once I explained everything, he’d get that this was the best decision. Usually he’s this really laid-back, go-with-the-flow kind of guy, which is one of the things I love about him. He’s like the anti-Dave, if you know what I mean.”

Her mom grinned. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“Well, he wasn’t like that last night. He started issuing all these ultimatums and telling me he wasn’t going to let me give his child away to strangers.”

“How did you respond to that?”

“I told him he wasn’t the boss of me and hung up,” she admitted with a rueful grin. “Real mature, huh?”

“No, but understandable. It’s obvious, though, that you two do need to see each other and work this out face-to-face.”

“I already told you I can’t do that. I’ll cave.”

“I think you’re stronger than you give yourself credit
for. If you cave, as you put it, it will be because on some level it’s what you want. Maybe there’s a compromise you haven’t even thought of yet.”

“I don’t think so. I think he’ll win because he’ll just wear me down.”

“You could invite him to come here. You’d have all of us as moral support,” Hannah suggested.

“No,” Kelsey said at once. “I don’t want him here.”

“Well, if you change your mind, it would be okay with Gran and me.”

“You’ve talked about this?” Kelsey asked, suddenly indignant. “What are you doing, plotting behind my back? Are the two of you picking out wedding dresses or something?”

Her mom just stared at her as if she’d gone off the deep end.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hannah said finally. “If either of us wanted to plot behind your back, we’d have called Jeff ourselves and invited him here. I’m just saying that we’ll support you, no matter what you decide about asking Jeff for a visit or about putting the baby up for adoption or anything else, okay?”

Kelsey’s temper cooled at once. “Thanks. Sorry I snapped at you.”

“It’s okay. It comes with the territory.” She linked her arm with Kelsey’s. “Now, we’d better get back before Gran decides to climb a ladder to change light bulbs or something.”

Kelsey grinned. “You caught her doing that, too?”

“Oh, yeah. The woman doesn’t know when to quit.”

“Tell me about it.”

At least that was one thing they could agree on, she thought as they turned and headed home.

From the front porch, Luke watched mother and daughter walking on the beach. They’d been doing the same thing for days. He couldn’t help wondering what mother-daughter secrets they shared on those walks, but he never asked. Since until recently he’d kept more than enough secrets of his own from Hannah, he could respect their right to theirs.