Up to the Challenge (An Anchor Island Novel) (36 page)

“That’s how it started. But—”

“You don’t have to worry about me. I promised I could handle casual and would be fine when it was time for you to leave.” She picked at a spot of loose paint on the arm of the chair. “So it’s a little earlier than we planned. Shit happens.”

Shit happens?
Shit happens?

“You’re right,” he said, a dead weight filling his chest. He’d done it again. Fallen for a woman who didn’t fall back. “We had a good time for a couple weeks. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me.”

The words were cruel. He shouldn’t have said them.

“I have no complaints,” she said, rising out of the chair. He thought he saw her lip quiver, but when she turned his way, her jaw was set, eyes dry. “I mean, there was never any chance of you staying. Right?”

“Right. There’s nothing here for me.” Her chin flexed as if she’d taken a punch. Lucas fought the urge to break everything on the porch. “My life is back in Richmond. That’s where I belong.”

Sid nodded. “I forgot I told Randy I’d help him with something this morning.” She charged down the steps.
“The door is unlocked so you can have someone run you over to the house for your things. You should probably stay here tonight. Get a good night’s sleep so you’ll be awake for the drive.”

She was in the truck seconds later. He wanted to go after her, tell her he was an ass, but what good would that do? He was still leaving. A piece of gravel pinged off his knee when she backed out of the driveway, but Lucas didn’t move. He just watched her drive away.

Leaving him before he could leave her.

He’d never know she pulled off the road half a mile away and cried until she couldn’t breathe.

CHAPTER THIRTY

T
he gut-wrenching cry took a full five minutes before Sid could pull back onto the road. There was still enough drizzle in the air to keep the tourists off the streets, thank goodness. By the time she found herself in the parking lot of Anchor Adventures, she’d pulled herself together as much as possible, blown her nose on some napkins from her glove compartment, and ruled out having Randy kick Lucas’s ass.

Partly because she didn’t believe her brother should fight her battles, but mostly because she knew she’d hurt Lucas as much as he’d hurt her. Maybe this was exactly what they needed to do to get him off the island. No tearful, sappy good-bye, see-you-next-time scene for them. Better to cut it off at the knees and kill it dead.

Which was probably why she felt like roadkill.

Sid slipped in the back door, hoping to reach Randy’s office without encountering anyone else. She may have pulled it together, but she wasn’t stupid. Her eyes were red and puffy, clear evidence she’d been crying.

With great relief, she reached the office unnoticed.

“Morning,” Randy said, pen poised over some papers. “I didn’t know you were coming by today.”

Sid sniffed. “If anyone asks, yes you did.” She didn’t make a habit of lying, which is why she’d driven to Randy’s at all. Because she’d said that’s where she was going.

Randy’s eyes narrowed. “Where is he?”

“Who?” Sid asked, examining the back of her hand as if something new had grown there.

“Is he still where I can reach him, or was he smart enough to hide?”

“If by
he
you mean Lucas, he’s still on the island. For another day anyway.”

“I see.” Her brother crossed the office and wrapped her in his arms.

And Sid fell apart. Again.

Several minutes later, Sid held a bottle of water in one hand and a tissue in the other. Her breathing was returning to normal and Randy sat beside her, patient and silent. He was using his Zen crap on her. She could feel it.

“Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what?”

“Sit there all silent and meditative.”

Randy chuckled. “Would you rather I rage against the walls on your behalf?”

Sid sniffled. “You couldn’t rage if you tried. I’m just not in the mood for deep thought right now. I want to wallow and not have to hear about how I should get in touch with my inner being and find peace with this situation.”

“For the record, all I’m doing is sitting here. But I would recommend you try some steady breathing to stop that hiccupping.” Sid took a deep breath and Randy asked, “Want to tell me what happened?”

Did she? Did she even know what happened? “It’s kind of a long, complicated story.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, crossing his arms, which was a feat considering his chest was nearly as wide as the doorway. “Did you have a fight?”

“Not exactly.” If anything, they’d had an anti-fight. Agreeing with each other while saying cruel things. “Lucas is going back to Richmond tomorrow. I’ve known since Thursday, only he didn’t know I knew.”

“How did you know?”

Sid pulled her legs up and hugged her knees. “His boss called the restaurant looking for him. Left the message that if he wasn’t in the office on Monday, then he shouldn’t bother coming back at all. I gave the guy my home number because I thought Lucas might be there and he was, only when I asked him if the guy found him, he said yeah and that it was nothing.”

“Ah,” Randy sighed. “So neither of you told the truth.”

When he put it that way. “It’s not like we lied. Well, I didn’t lie. I just omitted a bit of information.”

“And he omitted the same bit of information.”

“Whose side are you on?” she asked, twisting to face him.

“I’m always on your side. You know that. So what happened today?”

Sid blew her nose, then took another deep breath. “We all had breakfast at Tom and Patty’s place so Joe and Beth could announce they’re engaged.” Wait. Was that supposed to be a secret. “Maybe I wasn’t supposed to mention that.”

“I knew,” he said. “Go on.”

“Oh.” Of course he knew. Randy was Joe’s best friend. “Anyway, they’re planning a dinner tomorrow night to
celebrate with everyone else, at Dempsey’s, and that’s when Lucas announced that he wouldn’t be there.”

“How did they take it?” Randy asked.

Sid flashed back to that moment in the dining room. “Not well. It looked like Joe assumed it was because of the engagement, but I don’t think Lucas is pining for Beth anymore.”

Randy reached for another tissue and passed it over. “I would hope not. Considering.” He raised one brow and she had to admit he had a point. Had she helped Lucas get over Beth?

“I just realized,” Sid said, “he never told them why he had to go back. Never mentioned the ultimatum or the threat of losing his job.”

“What does that matter?”

“They couldn’t be mad if they knew he didn’t have a choice.”

Randy shook his head. “He had a choice.”

Sid dropped her feet to the floor. “No, he didn’t. They threatened to fire him.”

“Lucas wouldn’t be the first person ever to lose his job,” Randy said, returning to the chair behind his desk. “From what I’ve heard, he’s excellent at what he does. Some other firm would take him on.”

Loyalty pushed her to defend him. “You don’t know that would happen.”

“And he doesn’t know that it wouldn’t.” Randy leaned back in his chair, eyes cutting to the wall on his right covered in pictures. “Why do you think I settled down here?”

Sid felt an old guilt tighten her spine. “Because of me. You couldn’t drag a fourteen-year-old around the globe and up every mountainside.”

He smiled and leaned forward. “You were only part of it, Sidney. Aunt Roberta offered to take care of you. I could have continued chasing the next ride, the next climb. But I chose you and this island.”

Her body loosened. Tears threatened again. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that?”

“There wasn’t a reason before. You’re my little sister and I love you. You were more important than the life I had at the time.” His brown eyes, identical to hers, held her gaze. “I’ve never regretted that decision. Every man has a choice, Sidney. Even Lucas.”

She thought about those words as the tissue in her hand turned to a pile of shredded fragments between her feet. “I don’t blame him for choosing Richmond,” she finally said, knowing to the tips of her toes that she meant it.

Randy picked up his pen. “Maybe someday you should tell him that.”

Lucas couldn’t bring himself to ask anyone to drive him back to Sid’s house. He’d had a hard enough time explaining why she’d left. Unwilling to endure the disappointed looks coming his way, he opted to walk.

Packing didn’t take long, even though he’d had to remove Drillbit from the duffel bag three times. She seemed to be the only creature in his life who didn’t think he was a piece of shit at the moment. Maybe he’d get a cat when he got home. His own little ball of fur to keep him company.

Though with his hours, the animal would be alone most of the time. Based on Holcomb’s tone on the phone, he’d have to bust his ass even harder to get back in the good graces. The partnership wasn’t even a consideration until he straightened this mess out.

Not that he regretted a moment he’d spent on the island. His family needed him and he was there. He’d done his duty, and now was leaving the restaurant in capable hands to return to his life. Earlier than planned, but that couldn’t be helped.

When he stepped outside, pulling Sid’s front door closed behind him for the last time, Lucas was surprised to see Beth standing in the driveway.

“If you’re looking for Sid, she’s not here.”

“I know,” Beth said.

“Then why are you here?” he asked, tossing his duffel bag into the car.

She ignored his question. “You didn’t have to walk. I’d have driven you over.”

“I didn’t want to bother anyone.”

Beth propped a hip on the front corner of her Civic. “I don’t blame you,” she said, pinning him with her eyes. “For leaving that is. They ordered you back, didn’t they?”

Why couldn’t anyone leave well enough alone? “There’s a big case. They need me.”

She nodded. “Right.” Her eyes slid toward the water. “Sid has a nice spot here. I’ve always liked it. Very peaceful.”

“Sure,” he agreed, looking out to the waves, spotting a seagull swoop down for a meal. “Probably one of the nicest spots on the island.” There had to be a point to this
conversation. A reason Beth had followed him. “I doubt you came over here to admire the view.”

“She loves you, you know.” Beth kept her eyes on the water. “She doesn’t let many people get close. See how vulnerable she is.” She pinned him again. “But she’s different with you. Open. Trusting. And I think she could make you a better man.”

Beth obviously didn’t know her new friend as well as she thought. Sid didn’t love Lucas.

“That’s a nice speech. I’ll try not to be insulted.”

“Don’t try on my account.” Beth slid the sunglasses from the top of her head onto her nose. “You’re still the sweetest and smartest guy I’ve ever met, Lucas. How you can be so stupid at the same time is such a mystery.”

He watched her drive off. She had the nerve to wave from the road as if they’d just exchanged recipes and made plans for tea. This had to be some kind of record, even for Lucas. The two women he’d had the misfortune to fall for had both cut him at the knees in less than an hour’s time.

Maybe he’d been a douche bag in a former life. He made a mental note. Any future pet would be of the male variety.

After the encounter with Beth, Lucas had no desire to head back to his parents’ place so he sat in his car and debated where to go. Whether out of habit or due to newly developed masochistic tendencies, he chose Dempsey’s as his destination. Might as well settle things with Will to make sure the restaurant would be good without him.

His early departure should have no effect on the business. As Will had proven more than capable, he had no concern on that front. The visit was more his version of closing a case. Tying up loose ends so he could put the file away without a second thought.

Right. As if he’d ever be able to file away the last three weeks and forget about them. This visit to Anchor had changed him. For better or worse he had yet to decide. The corner office and fancy gadgets seemed less important now. He’d lived on Anchor for three weeks without his atomic clock, cell service, or a golf course in sight. And he hadn’t missed any of it.

Quite an unexpected development.

“I was wondering if you’d show up today.” Will turned her eyes to the clock. “About time. Sid called off so I pulled Annie in to cover.”

“I’m just here to make sure you have everything you need.” He started pulling chairs off the tables. “Have Beth or Joe talked to you about tomorrow?”

“You mean about you leaving?”

Lucas nearly dropped a chair on his foot. “No,” he said, counting to ten to keep from throwing the chair out the window. “They’re planning an engagement party tomorrow night. Here. The staff needs to know. I’m sure they’re all invited, but someone will have to cook and serve.”

“Beth didn’t mention it,” Will said, stacking glasses. “I’ll call Lola’s later to get the details.”

They worked together in silence for fifteen more minutes. Until Lucas decided Will didn’t need him and he didn’t need the “fuck you” vibe she was sending. It seemed every woman on this godforsaken island intended to make him feel as low as possible.