Wind Chime Café (A Wind Chime Novel) (34 page)

When Will left, Taylor would be heartbroken.

And it was all Annie’s fault.

Gazing up at the wind chimes and dream catchers that hung from the ceiling, Annie watched them catch the soft lamplight as they spun overhead. She’d agreed to introduce Blake to Taylor first thing in the morning. Most of the islanders probably knew he was on the island by now. This way, they could stay ahead of the gossip and no one could say anything to upset Taylor at school.

But if Taylor wasn’t ready, they could postpone it. She would be happy to postpone it as long as possible. “If you don’t want to meet Blake yet, you don’t have to. It’s completely up to you.”

Taylor picked at a feather coming loose on the edge of her comforter. “I thought he didn’t want us.”

Annie’s heart constricted as she reached for her daughter’s hand. “He didn’t want
me
, sweetie. You had nothing to do with it.”

“Did he change his mind?”

That was a good question, Annie thought. She didn’t know what Blake was up to. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing he could say or do to convince her to give him a second chance. But she would try to be civil, for Taylor’s sake. “I don’t know what Blake wants, other than a chance to get to know you.” She squeezed Taylor’s hand. “But no matter who comes into our lives, it won’t change anything between us. You are, and always will be, the most important person in
my
world.”

Taylor’s troubled eyes lifted to hers. “Did you love him?”

“It was a long time ago, but, yes, I did love him.”

“But you don’t anymore?”

“No.”

“Do you think you’ll get back together?”

“No.”

“Because of Will?”

Annie shook her head slowly. “No. Not because of Will.”

“But I thought you were in love with him.”

Annie felt a slow roll in the pit of her stomach. “Even if I was in love with Will, it wouldn’t change anything. His life is in San Diego, and ours is here.”

Taylor looked down. “I thought…”

“What?” Annie pressed. “What did you think?”

“I thought Will was going to be my dad.”

I
t was official, Annie thought, walking down the stairs the next morning. She was the worst mother in the world. Tying her damp hair back in a ponytail, she crossed the dining room to answer the door. Blake was standing on the porch, dressed in a gray suit and looking far too put together for six in the morning.

“You’re early,” she said.

He smiled. “It’s nice to see you, too.”

She eyed the package tucked under his arm. “What’s that?”

“A present for Taylor.” He looked past her, into the café. “Where is she?”

“Upstairs.” Annie stepped back so he could walk inside. She didn’t like the idea of him bringing Taylor gifts, especially not so soon. His dress shoes clicked over the tiles, echoing through the empty room. Closing the door, she headed back to the foot of the stairs leading up to the apartment. The sooner they could get this over with, the better.

“Taylor,” she called out. “Blake’s here.”

Blake continued to circle the room, taking in the photographs of watermen and workboats, the seashells woven into the netting strung across the wall, the rustic chalkboard listing the day’s specials. He said nothing, but she could feel his disapproval stretching out in the silence between them.

She glanced up when Taylor started down the steps. She’d warned Blake about Taylor’s broom the night before, but seeing her with it now only reminded her how vulnerable her daughter still was. No matter what happened, she would not let Blake hurt her.

Taylor paused at the bottom of the stairs, looking uncertainly at Blake.

Blake smiled. “You must be Taylor.”

She nodded, leaning against Annie.

Annie put her arm around Taylor’s shoulders.

Blake walked across the room to where she stood, holding out his hand.

Taylor took it awkwardly.

“I’m so glad your mom agreed to let us meet.”

Taylor pulled her hand free, looking back up at Annie.

Annie squeezed her shoulder. “Are you hungry?”

She nodded.

“I’ll see if we have any bagels left.” Annie guided her toward the closest bar stool, helping her climb up onto the seat. “What kind do you want?”

“Blueberry,” Taylor said, keeping a close eye on Blake as he slid onto the stool beside her.

“So,” Blake said, reaching for the cream cheese after Annie had spread everything out on the counter. “We have a lot of catching up to do, don’t we?”

Taylor picked at her bagel, putting a small piece in her mouth.

Unfazed by her guardedness, Blake slathered cream cheese over both halves of his bagel. “It must be nice to live above a café. Do you get to sample the desserts?”

Taylor shrugged. “Sometimes.”

He nodded toward the chalkboard, which listed Della’s sweets along with the rest of her specials. “Which one’s your favorite?”

“It’s not on there.”

“Why not?”

“Because Della doesn’t make it.”

“Who makes it?”

Taylor looked at Annie.

Blake lifted an eyebrow. “I’m intrigued.”

Annie added a spoonful of sugar to her coffee. “Turns out, I have a knack for making hot chocolate.”

“Hot chocolate?” Blake’s lips curved. “That’s my favorite, too.”

Taylor’s gaze flickered up. He’d finally caught her attention. “It is?”

Unbelievable, Annie thought. Taylor could have said anything and Blake would have said it was his favorite, too. Had he always been this see-through? Probably. She’d just been too young to realize it before.

Blake leaned toward Taylor conspiratorially. “What do you think my chances are of getting your mom to make me a cup of hot chocolate?”

“Zero.” Annie slid a mug of black coffee across the counter to him. “This is as close as you’re going to get.”

Blake picked up the coffee, winking at her.

Annie sent him a withering look. She’d underestimated how thick he would lay on the charm this morning. She should have done more to prepare Taylor so she wouldn’t get caught up in it.

Blake turned back to Taylor. “Would you like to open your present now?”

Taylor paused, her bagel halfway to her mouth. “You brought me a present?”

Blake nodded, handing her the package.

Taylor set her bagel down and reached for the gift.

“Open it,” he urged.

She peeled off the wrapping and stared at the object inside.

Blake waited a few beats. “Do you like it?”

“It’s a doll,” Taylor said.

“That’s right.”

Taylor lifted the plastic box with the doll inside and set it on the counter.

Annie bit back a smile. The doll was wearing a green velvet gown and a tiara. She had long red hair and carried a sparkly wand.

“I thought it looked like your mom,” Blake ventured.

Taylor continued to stare at the doll for several long minutes. “It doesn’t look like my mom.”

“They have the same color hair,” Blake said.

Taylor looked up at Annie, then back at the doll. Frowning, she started to open the box.

“Wait,” Blake said.

Taylor paused. “What?”

“It’s a Collector’s Edition.”

She blinked up at him. “What does that mean?”

“It means it’ll be worth more later, if you don’t open it.”

“You gave me a doll I can’t play with?”

Blake looked helplessly at Annie, then back at Taylor. “I guess you can open it.”

Taylor tore into the box, pulling the doll out. She studied her from several different angles, then carefully pried the tiara off her head. She slid the wand out of her hand and pushed both objects across the counter to Annie. “We could make a wind chime with these.”

Blake gaped at Taylor when she laid the doll back in the box and pushed it aside. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t like dolls,” Taylor said simply.

“But I thought all girls played with dolls.”

Taylor shook her head, climbing down from the stool. “Mom, can we go watch the sunrise at the marina?”

“Sure, sweetie.”

Taylor walked over to the hook by the door to get her coat.

Annie smiled at Blake. “I think that went well.”

Will didn’t usually
do goodbyes, but he wanted to catch Della before she headed to the café for the day. She’d left over a dozen messages on his voicemail asking him to give Annie a chance to explain. He knew his aunt meant well, but there was nothing she could say to change his mind now.

He’d said goodbye to Becca and Ryan last night. He’d asked Ryan to pass on a message to Grace—that he would try harder to stay in touch this time. But he honestly didn’t know if that was true. It might be easier to cut them all off again. Start fresh. Put the past few weeks behind him.

The first hints of sunrise broke over the horizon as he passed the marina, where a few watermen were preparing their boats to head out for the day. In the passenger seat, Riley pressed her nose to the glass, whimpering. He tried not to think about the fact that this would be their last drive together. Glancing out the window to see what had caught her attention, he swallowed, hard, when he saw Annie and Taylor turning the corner to the marina.

What were they doing up so early?

Riley craned her neck to keep her eyes on them as Will drove past. In his rear view mirror, he caught a glimpse of Blake crossing the street to catch up with them. His muscles clenched, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as he turned onto Della’s road. If there’d been even a shred of doubt left in his mind that Annie had planned this, it was gone now.

The first woman he’d let himself fall for in over ten years, and she’d played him. He shook his head, pulling to the curb outside his aunt’s house. Screw it. In twelve hours he’d be at the airport, boarding a flight back to San Diego. He wouldn’t have to see her or think about her ever again.

Cutting the engine, he stepped out of the SUV and held the door open for Riley to jump out. Her paws had barely grazed the pavement when the first gunshot went off. It tore through the quiet morning, echoing over the water. Geese honked frantically, beating their wings against the surface as they took off, flying away from the sound.

A block away, he heard Annie yell, “Taylor, wait! Stop!”

A second shot rang out, followed by an explosion of rapid fire and Will slammed the door. “Riley,” he called as he took off, cutting through Della’s yard to the marina. The dog ran ahead of him, racing over the fallen leaves and crushed oyster shells.

The shots were behind him now, coming from the mainland. He rounded the neighbor’s shed, getting a clear view of the marina across the parking lot of Rusty’s where Taylor was struggling with Blake.

Blake had one hand on her broom, the other fisted in her jacket, trying to stop her from running away. Taylor jerked free, hesitating for only a split second when she realized he wasn’t going to let go of her broom.