Perfect Wreckage

Catherine Cowles

Contents

Prologue

1. Kenna

2. Crosby

3. Kenna

4. Crosby

5. Kenna

6. Crosby

7. Kenna

8. Crosby

9. Kenna

10. Kenna

11. Crosby

12. Kenna

13. Crosby

14. Kenna

15. Kenna

16. Crosby

17. Kenna

18. Crosby

19. Kenna

20. Crosby

21. Kenna

22. Crosby

23. Kenna

24. Kenna

25. Crosby

26. Kenna

27. Kenna

28. Crosby

29. Kenna

30. Crosby

31. Kenna

32. Kenna

33. Crosby

34. Kenna

35. Crosby

36. Kenna

37. Crosby

38. Kenna

39. Crosby

40. Kenna

41. Crosby

42. Kenna

43. Crosby

44. Kenna

45. Crosby

46. Kenna

47. Crosby

48. Kenna

49. Crosby

50. Kenna

Epilogue

Deleted Scene

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Acknowledgments

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PERFECT WRECKAGE

Copyright © 2020 by The PageSmith LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editor: Susan Barnes

Copy Editor: Chelle Olson

Proofreading: Julie Deaton and Janice Owen

Paperback Formatting: Stacey Blake, Champagne Book Designs

Cover Design: Hang Le

For Grahame Claire.

Thank you for the endless ways you’ve supported me on this journey. The author gig wouldn’t be nearly as fun if I didn’t have you alongside me.

Prologue

Kenna

PAST

I waved frantically, trying to clear the smoke away from the oven with one hand as I attempted to open the kitchen window with the other. My efforts were in vain. The smoke detector let out a wail that was likely to make my brain bleed.

“Blasted oven.” I ran for one of the barstools and tugged it over beneath the shrieking alarm. I climbed up, stretching on my tiptoes until I could just reach the device. I twisted it off and quickly unplugged the wire.

“What in heaven’s name is going on in here? Do I need to get the fire extinguisher?”

“I’m sorry, Harriet. I just…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that statement.

Harriet fought to hold back a laugh as she shook her head, the lines creasing her face deepening with the movement. “Let me get these out of the oven, and you climb down off that death trap before you fall and crack your head open.”

I carefully lowered myself to the seat of the stool and then stood, setting the smoke detector on the counter. “I really am sorry.”

Harriet waved me off as she slipped on oven mitts. “You know you don’t have to apologize for things like this. We have to make mistakes—”

“—so that we can learn,” I finished in tandem with her. My grandmother’s best friend had been preaching this line since I’d come to live with her seven years ago. One of many Harriet-isms that I’d come to know and love.

She lifted the baking sheet up and frowned. “I’m afraid to say I don’t think these will recover. What were you trying to make?”

I took in the charred black rocks on the pan. Just the sight of them had a burn lighting behind my eyes. “Biscuits.”

Harriet’s gaze jumped to me at the sound of strain in my voice. “Oh, sweet girl. We can make another batch.”

“I don’t have time. And I just…I wanted everything to be perfect. I swear I followed your recipe to the letter.” But somewhere along the way, something had gotten mixed up, and my plans had gone up in smoke. If that wasn’t a metaphor for my life at the moment, I didn’t know what was.

“Take a deep breath.” Harriet ducked into the pantry and pulled out a Tupperware container. “I’ve got some crescent rolls from lunch you can take. What are they for anyway?”

“A picnic.” One I’d spent hours preparing for, trying to think of every last detail. “It’s Grant’s and my anniversary.”

Harriet’s expression faltered for a moment as she handed me the container. Her relationship with her grandson wasn’t always an easy one. And no matter what I tried to do to smooth the way for the two of them, it never seemed to work.

Harriet cleared her throat. “I just talked to Clark a minute ago, and he said they were all headed for the mainland. Spending a few nights in Seattle before heading on a trip to Boston.”

Grant hadn’t said a word about a trip with his parents. God, I hoped he hadn’t forgotten. “He texted me just a bit ago and said he was heading into town to pick up a few things. We’re supposed to meet on the beach in a few minutes.”

She patted my hand. “I must’ve misunderstood. You two have fun. Just make sure you’re back by eleven.”

I grinned at Harriet. “Never any curfew extensions from you.”

“I’ve only got you living at home for a bit longer, let me rule those few months with an iron fist.”

“Fair enough.” That was the thing about living the majority of your childhood with a parent who couldn’t care less about you, having a strict guardian made me feel nothing but loved. When classmates moaned and complained about curfews and family dinners, I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Was it really so bad to know that people cared about you? Your safety and your well-being?

I leaned forward and kissed Harriet’s cheek. “Don’t forget, you have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning.”

She chuckled. “Always mothering me.”

“Just looking out for you.” It was the least I could do for the woman who had given me so much. I’d been terrified when I first came to live at The Gables, sure I’d be sent away from Harriet’s sprawling waterfront estate and back to the home where I had been left alone to make myself dinner with the little we had in our pantry or to try and figure out how to use the washing machine so my clothes didn’t smell. But slowly, The Gables became home, and Harriet, my family.

She cupped my face in her hands. “You’re a treasure. The best surprise gift of my life.”

Guilt swamped me for what felt like the millionth time in the past two days. I’d almost blurted out my secret more times than I could count, hungry for Harriet’s wisdom and comfort. I swallowed the words back. “I should go.”

She patted my cheek and sent me off with a shooing motion. I picked up the picnic basket and headed out of the kitchen. I tried to shove the guilt and worry from my mind as I made my way out the front door.

Gravel crunched as I walked away from the large stone house, the rocks soon giving way to thick, lush grass that tickled my feet. The quaint guest house poked up on my right, and I could see Grant’s home in the distance. I grinned, thinking about the time we’d gotten long-range walkie talkies and stayed up late into the night, swapping stories and sharing secrets.

I searched the beach for Grant’s long, lean form, but the shore was empty. I crossed to the large piece of driftwood that made the perfect picnic spot. Spreading out the contents of the basket, I eased down onto the blanket, careful not to get anything on my dress. I glanced down at my watch. He was only a few minutes late.

I took a deep breath and forced my attention to the ocean, hoping the rippling of the water would soothe my frayed edges. I’d written out what I might say to Grant, how I’d tell him, over and over, but nothing seemed quite right. I just hoped that in the moment, the right words would come, ones that eased instead of panicked, that assured him we were in this together.

I thought it all through again, practicing the different things I might say, how I would voice them. Until the rumbling of my stomach brought me back to the present. I checked the time again. Forty-five minutes had passed in the blink of an eye. I looked down at my phone. No messages.

Annoyance pricked at my skin. Grant knew that marking special occasions was important to me. Birthdays, anniversaries, I always did my best to make them special for the people I loved. Probably because my mother had never done so for me, other than the time she’d shown up smashed to my fourth-grade classroom with a dozen stale donuts. Grant knew my wounds better than anyone, which only dug the sting in deeper.

A loud whistle pierced the air, and I turned to see Grant crossing the lawn towards the beach. I climbed to my feet, doing my best to keep the mixture of frustration and hurt in check. His eyes lit with a familiar heat as he approached. “Hey, babe. You look gorgeous.”

“I thought we were meeting at five.” As soon as the words tumbled out of my mouth, I wanted to take them back. My harping on his tardiness would only ruin our night.

Grant sent me a sheepish smile, the same one he always used before trying to smooth something over. “I ran into Joe in town. We started talking, and I lost track of time. I’m sorry, babe.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. “Forgive me?”

The familiar warmth spread through me as I snuggled closer. When Grant held me, it was the one time I truly felt safe and not alone. I wanted to bask in the sensation forever. “You’re forgiven.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small jewelry box and placing it in my hand. “This should make up for it.”

The velvet of the case tickled my palm as excitement lit through me. I opened the box and gasped. The heart-shaped diamond necklace caught the fading sun in a glittering dance. “Grant, this is too much.”

He cupped my face, tilting my head back. “You deserve the best. Happy Anniversary.”

“Happy Anniversary,” I echoed.

His lips met mine in a slow kiss that sent sparks through me. But as I pulled away, an overly sweet smell filled my senses. My nose wrinkled. “You smell like you rolled around in a florist shop.”

Grant stiffened. “I hugged my mom before they left. I think she was wearing a new perfume.” He chuckled. “I don’t think it’s a winner.”

It didn’t smell like something Annabelle would wear. But then again, my tastes were never up to her standards. I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and focused on the boy in front of me. The lock of golden blond hair that always swooped across his face, and the green flecks in his hazel eyes. He was beautiful. And he was mine. “I missed you.”

Grant planted one more peck on my lips. “Missed you, too, babe.” His hand squeezed my butt. “You’ve been working too hard.”

I forced my smile to stay in place. Grant never understood my need to work, to save. How could he when he’d never wanted for a single thing in his entire life. But I needed the sense of security, the knowledge that I could provide for myself in some small way.

“I have the next two days off. But Harriet said you’re headed to Seattle with your parents?” I said it as a question, hoping he’d tell me that he’d only be gone for the day.

Grant’s body seemed to string tight at my words. “Yeah, they want me to fly to Boston with them next week.”

“Another business trip?” Clark often had his family accompany him to various conferences and events.

Grant’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, a sure sign that I wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say. “Not exactly,” he muttered.

“Then what are you going for?” Dread crept through my stomach. I hadn’t sensed anything amiss over the past few weeks, but I read it loud and clear now.

“I’ve been trying to figure out the right time to tell you.” He toyed with the hem of his button-down shirt that hung casually untucked, and my stomach twisted into a painful knot. “I got into Harvard. Dad really wanted me to go. Said he’d get me a sick apartment if I agreed.”

“Acceptance letters come out in April.” It was the only thing I could think of to say. It was the end of July now. Four months. A third of a year. And that whole time, we’d been planning a life together, one that was supposed to start in a matter of weeks. “I didn’t apply to any schools in Boston.”

The wince he gave me was all I needed to know. Grant wasn’t planning on me coming with him. Tears burned the backs of my eyes. “How long have you known?”

He reached out for me, but I retreated, and his hands fell back to his sides. “Not long, I swear.”

The way his eyes shifted to the left told me that he was lying. That lie broke something in me. “Just a couple of nights ago, we were looking at apartments in Seattle online.” My breaths started coming quicker. “Was that some kind of sick joke to you?”

“No, Kenna. Never. I just didn’t know how to tell you. I love you, but…”

His words trailed off as he stepped closer. The scent of the perfume clinging to him had my stomach roiling. “But what?” My voice cracked on the question.

“But I need some time to be free. We’re so young. I love you, but I’m not ready to settle down. We should spend some time apart before we do that. I think we’ll both feel better about it in the end.” He cupped my face, but I couldn’t even feel his hands. I’d gone completely numb. “You’re still my forever, I just need to have college on my own first.”

My breathing picked up speed again as if no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my lungs to fully inflate. My fingers began to tingle as I stepped out of Grant’s hold. Air, I needed air.

“Kenna? Shit, are you okay? Just breathe.”

Grant ran a hand down my back, and I didn’t have the strength to shy away from it. I was too consumed with the effort of trying to catch my breath. “I’m. Pregnant.”

He recoiled as if I told him I had a flesh-eating disease. “Y-you’re what?”

“Pregnant. I’m pregnant.” Just saying the words out loud made my breathing even out, as if they were a call to arms. My baby needed me. I couldn’t lose it now.

“But you said you’re on the pill. Did you lie?”

My head snapped up. “No, I didn’t lie. No form of birth control is one hundred percent effective.”

Grant’s gaze narrowed on me. “But we used condoms most of the time, too.”

Most of the time. My mind circled around the words. “Every time. You had one every time.”

His eyes shifted—that same tell. But this time, it cut deep. “Once or twice, I didn’t actually put it on.”

I stared unblinking at the face of the boy I loved. The one who’d been my first everything. From holding his hand in a darkened movie theater to letting him have the piece of myself I’d held onto for eighteen years. He’d made me feel special, cherished, wanted. And for a girl who’d spent so much of her life feeling like a castoff, being wanted was everything.

“You knew how scared I was of this. Of being like my mother. Of people thinking I’m like her.” I didn’t regret my little bean, not one bit. I was going to love him or her with everything I had in me. But that didn’t change the betrayal of Grant’s actions. Apparently, he didn’t care enough about my fears to protect us both.

He straightened. “If you were truly on the pill, it wouldn’t have mattered if I didn’t use a condom a few times. Hell, maybe you cheated on me. This baby probably isn’t even mine.”

“How can you say something like that? You know me. You know that I would never do anything to betray you.” My heart was cracking. As if the organ had been submerged in subzero temperatures.

The boy I thought I knew better than myself suddenly seemed like a stranger. I’d always known that Grant had a short temper. He was used to getting things the exact way he wanted. But I never expected that he’d turn on me. I was the one who listened when his parents were too busy with work and charity galas. I was the one who explained where he was coming from when Harriet lost her patience with him. I made sure he stayed on top of his schoolwork. I cheered him on at every football game. I’d held him as he’d cried when his grandfather died. How could he forget all of that in the blink of an eye?

Grant began pacing back and forth. “You heard about Lacey, didn’t you? The parties? You think you can trap me?”

I blanched, my mouth falling open, but I couldn’t seem to form words, and my mind rapidly spun. The sickly-sweet scent tickled the back of my brain. Lacey. It was the perfume of the girl who had made my growing up years on the island torture. Throwing my mom’s drunkenness and abandonment in my face more times than I could count. Tripping me in the hallway. Writing nasty things on my locker. The boy who was the love of my life, the father of my baby, smelled like…Lacey.

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the pain slicing at my chest. “How could you?”

He scoffed. “You really think I was going to wait around for years when you were locked up tighter than a drum? Just because you’re the hottest girl on the island doesn’t mean you’re going to lead me around by the balls. God, you’re so damn naïve.”

All it took was one spark. The discovery of one lie that ignited a chain reaction, revealing all of the other deceits. But the worst realization of all was that there was no way Grant loved me. He never had. I was only a pretty face to him. A beautiful possession. That spark sent the future I’d been building in my mind, the home I’d thought would be my forever, up in flames.

Grant began backing away towards the lawn. “I don’t want a damn thing to do with any baby. If it is mine, then get rid of it. Because if you don’t, you’re on your own.”

I reared back as if he’d physically struck me, though that would’ve been less painful. “You don’t mean that.”

“The hell, I don’t.” Those hazel eyes I loved so much hardened with a glint I’d never seen before. “My dad warned me you might try and pull a crazy stunt to get me to stay. Said you’d try to guilt me, to manipulate me. But I never thought you’d stoop so low. You make me sick.” With that parting blow, he tore off, moving up the hillside and towards his house.

My body trembled as I sank to the rocky sand. If I didn’t sit, I worried I’d fall. I pressed my back against the worn wood of the log. This was one of my favorite spots on the estate. A place I’d always found peace. Somewhere that reminded me how limitless the Universe was, and how small I was in it. I’d always found that comforting, as if whatever I struggled with was so tiny compared to the vastness of the sea surrounding me. Now, I just felt empty. Totally and completely alone.

I pictured the ocean rolling up, the waves swallowing me whole and pulling me out and into that expanse. I craved it, letting myself go. I blinked against the sting of the salt air.

I guess I wasn’t so different from my mother, after all. Eighteen. Pregnant. Alone. I gave myself a good shake. No. I’d fight with tooth and nail to make sure that’s where the similarities ended. Even if I had to do it with no help at all.

1

Kenna

PRESENT

“How the hell has she roped us into doing this foo-foo bendy stuff more than once a week?”

Bell laughed as we watched Caelyn ease Harriet into a gentle stretch. “Because you love Harriet more than any other human on this planet, and the foo-foo bendy stuff has been good for her blood pressure.”

I huffed and leaned back on my mat. Bell was right. Yoga had been good for Harriet’s heart and her spirit. Plus, it was an excuse to get outside and enjoy The Gables’ grounds. No matter how much time passed, I never tired of the gorgeous view.

“You’re supposed to be in pigeon pose, Kenna. That looks great, Bell.”

I growled something unintelligible at Caelyn before getting into the posture. “Teacher’s pet,” I groused at Bell.

She grinned and shrugged. “I like yoga.”

I sighed and attempted to relax into the stretch. I did my best to force my mental to-do list out of my mind, to not think about everything I could’ve used this hour and a half to accomplish. It was Saturday, and I was with my favorite people in the world. These women were my rocks. They’d been beacons of light when my entire world had been pitch-black.

And now, years later, we were all back on the island where we’d grown up together. Time had passed, but the closeness we shared hadn’t changed a bit. If anything, it had grown stronger, the bond cementing itself into the marrow of who we were.

“How are things with Henry?”

Bell’s question jolted me out of my memories. I pushed deeper into the stretch, relishing the bite of burn. “They’re fine.”

“Sounds like things are hot and heavy, just full of passion.”

I grabbed the towel at the end of my mat and chucked it at her. “Not everyone gets reunited with their lost love and spends days at a time locked away in their brand-new house in the hills.” But not everyone wanted that either. If I never saw my lost love again, it would be too soon.

The smile fell from Bell’s face, and I wanted to kick myself. “You deserve real love, Ken. Not just the imitation kind that makes you feel safe.”

I focused my attention on switching my pigeon pose to the other side. I didn’t want to think about just how little of a spark I had with Henry. “We’ve only been on a couple of dates. It’s not serious.”

Bell made a humming noise. Years of friendship meant that I could translate the sound to: bullshit. I cleared my throat. “So, how’s the new space coming along?”

It was just the thing to ask. Bell’s eyes lit with excitement, something I hadn’t seen in my own in a decade. “I think it’s going to be perfect. I should be ready to open the shop doors in just a few weeks.”

I twisted to face her. “That’s great. You couldn’t find a more ideal location.” Main Street housed all of the essential tourist stops for our small island of fifteen hundred people, and it was just a stone’s throw from the bar Bell’s fiancé owned. “Is Ford happy?”

“He’s happy I’ll be so close to The Catch, but you know him, he wanted to float me the money to rent the biggest, most extravagant space we could find.”

I chuckled. “Of course, he did.” But Bell would never take him up on something like that. She needed to make her dream of owning a furniture shop full of her painstakingly restored pieces happen all on her own. And I respected the hell out of her for it.

“How are things at number crunchers?”

My lips twitched. Bell had never thought accounting was exactly thrilling. But I loved it. While the world was shades of gray, my job was all black and white. Every problem had an answer, and I could always find it.

But there was a flicker of jealousy whenever Bell spoke about her new shop. I’d considered going out on my own more times than I could count. Thoughts of getting out from under my ogre of a boss and steering my own ship were incredibly tempting. But every time I imagined taking that first step toward owning my own business, I balked. What I had now was what was best for me. A stable salary, health insurance, a 401k.

I gave my head a little shake. “Everything’s good. My client load has eased up now that Karen is back from medical leave—”

A loud whistle pierced the air. “Ladies, what did I do to deserve to be greeted with such a sight?”

I bristled at that low, rumbly tone and immediately straightened from my stretch. “It’s called being a peeping Tom, and I’m pretty sure it’s an offense punishable by jail time in all fifty states.”

Crosby grinned, his whiskey-colored eyes twinkling with mischief. “You wound me, Brown Eyes, and after I went to all this trouble to bring my favorite ladies lunch.”

I scoffed. “Sorry, but we’d rather not be a part of your harem.”

Crosby winked at Bell. “I love it when her sass comes out. Ford sent me over with all of your regular orders.” Bell might as well have melted on the spot.

I elbowed her in the side. “Don’t fall for his winks and charm just because he mentioned your man.”

She laughed. “Sorry, you’re on your own with this vendetta. I like Crosby, and I love the panini that I’m pretty sure is in one of those bags.”

“See, she likes me. It’s only a matter of time before you come around.”

“Look what the tide dragged in, my favorite fella.” Harriet shuffled forward, but Crosby crossed the grass to make it easier for her to reach him, bending so that she could press her lips to his cheek. Why Harriet had chosen Crosby McCoy as her lawyer, I would never understand. And try as I might to get her to consider someone else, she’d never budge. She adored the man-boy.

Crosby held out his arm, and Harriet looped her hand through it. “Let’s go into the kitchen. We can eat in there.”

We started towards the main house, and I mumbled something about slacker lawyers invading my life.

“You just think I’m invading your life because you look for me everywhere.” I jolted at the sound of Crosby’s voice. “Just admit you’re in love with me already, it’ll be much less painful for us both.”

I let out a cross between a scoff and a snort. “Sorry, lover boy, surfer dudes just aren’t really my thing.”

“Paddleboarding. I’m a paddleboarder. Though I wouldn’t mind a trip to Fiji to learn how to surf. I could take you with me. You, me, a little bikini, and margaritas on the beach.”

I glanced over my shoulder. “I didn’t know you liked wearing bikinis so much.”

Crosby let out a stage whisper. “I’ll wear one if you will.”

Harriet chuckled, and I couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped me. The man really would rock a bikini if I agreed to wear one. “Harriet, is this really the person you want representing your legal interests? He’s liable to show up in court in a string bikini.”

She grinned. “It would certainly make legal matters more interesting.”

“I’d pay good money to see that,” Caelyn offered up.

Crosby arched a brow. “See, some people appreciate me. What about you, Miss Harriet? Will you head to Fiji with me so I can learn to surf?”

“Only if you get me one of those cabanas with a young stud to wait on me. And there have to be French fries.”

Crosby squeezed her shoulder. “You’ve got yourself a deal.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a carton of fries. “Just starting off this adventure on the right foot.”

Heat simmered along my skin. “Crosby, she can’t have those. It’s not Sunday.” With all of Harriet’s heart issues, we kept her to a low cholesterol diet every day but Sunday. That was our cheat day. Crosby knew this.

“Oh, lighten up. It’s the kiddie size, it’s not going to send her cholesterol skyrocketing.”

I tightened my hold on my yoga mat, my nails digging into the foam. “You don’t know that. I’ve set a meal plan with her doctor, and we’re sticking to it.”

Crosby met my stare. “At her last checkup, the doctor said she was doing great, right? What’s the harm in a treat now and then? Come on, just because you want to live the same predictable life day after day, doesn’t mean Harriet has to.”

“Now, Crosby,” Harriet warned.

I squeezed the mat harder, the rubber letting out a squeak of protest. I heard the word he wasn’t saying: boring. So what if my life was mostly the same, day in and day out? Predictable was steady, it was safe. I knew what to expect, and there were minimal surprises around the corners. That’s what I needed. Someone who canceled plans, never had set business hours, and got his kicks from dangerous, extreme sports would never understand.

I swallowed back the curses I wanted to level at Crosby and did my best to keep my tone even. “Yes, all of Harriet’s levels look good. Because we’ve been following this plan.”

A grin split Crosby’s face. “Well, I’ve been bringing her French fries every week, so I guess I can keep that up, can’t I?”

I halted mid-stride, and my mouth fell open. I immediately snapped it shut. But when I tried to speak, to say something, anything at all, nothing came out. My gaze turned to Harriet. Her lips twitched. “Sorry, sweet girl, I needed my fix.”

I forced my fingers to relax their hold on the mat, and I started walking again. “If you don’t want my help with the meal planning, that’s fine.” If Crosby were in charge, Harriet would be eating battered and fried foods from The Catch seven days a week, with a beer to finish it off.

Harriet released her hold on Crosby and grabbed my hand. “Don’t be like that. You know I love how much you care.” She shot an irritated glance at Crosby. “I just need my fries every now and then.”

My shoulders slumped. I knew I was holding on to every little thing in my control with a grip that rivaled the Hulk. Any little thing I could manipulate to give Harriet a bit more time, I would tackle like a drill sergeant. But none of it would change the truth. Harriet was dying. And it was only a matter of time before I’d have to say goodbye to the woman who meant everything to me.

2

Crosby

A sharp smack hit the back of my head as the girls disappeared out of the kitchen. “Did someone hit you with a stupid stick this morning?” Harriet asked.

I rubbed the spot on the back of my skull. “That was a little harsh.” Except, it wasn’t. I’d screwed up royally. Kenna had been buttoned-up and exacting since the moment I met her, but it had only gotten worse since Harriet’s health had taken a turn. It didn’t take a psychologist to know that her world was spinning out of control, and Kenna was doing everything she could to hold on to anything within her grasp.

“She’s hurting, Crosby.”

“I know that. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I just like needling her.” Little in my days gave me as much pleasure as seeing pink hit Kenna’s cheeks and hearing her snarky comebacks. Those were the moments I saw her genuinely come alive. I knew what it was like to live life as a half-zombie, following a track I didn’t even remember starting down in the first place. I didn’t want that for Kenna. She had too much life brimming beneath the surface.

Harriet chuckled. “You two are like cats and dogs.”

“She needs someone to call her on her bullshit.”

Harriet sent a pointed stare in my direction as if she were thinking about giving me another smack. “Language, young man.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Harriet. She needs someone to call her on her bull hockey.”

Harriet’s lips twitched. “You’re not wrong.” Her focus went soft as if she were lost in a memory. “She’s had a tough life, my sweet girl. The fates have not been kind to her, and she deserves so much more.”

My chest tightened with a phantom grip. For as much as I tried to pick up stray bits of information from Kenna’s friends, I knew very little about her past. The woman was locked up tight as a drum when it came to discussing anything personal. I hadn’t seen her discuss personal topics with anyone. The only thing I knew was that she had been raised by Harriet. “What happened to her parents?”

Harriet’s lips thinned into a hard line. “I’m not sure if her mother even knows who Kenna’s father is. Or, if she does, I doubt she ever informed him that he has a daughter. The kind word for her would be flighty. She doesn’t have a mothering bone in her body. She’d dump Kenna on her grandmother and then leave for weeks on end. I thought when Carrie passed away, Kenna’s mother would step up, but she didn’t. When I found out she’d left Kenna alone for three days, I filed for custody. Janet didn’t fight it.”

My fingers flexed around my glass. The control, the rigidity, it all made a little more sense now. The majority of her childhood had been full of uncertainty. That changed a person’s makeup. “How old was she when she came to live with you?”

“Eleven.”

Not young enough. The damage had already been done. I found myself wanting to give Janet Morgan a good shake. “I hate that she went through that.”

Harriet patted my hand. “Me, too, dear boy. Me, too.” She took me in with an assessing stare. “What’s your interest in her?”

I held up my hands in mock surrender. “It’s not like that, I swear.”

Harriet scoffed. “I’ve heard that one before, and from far better liars.”

It wasn’t a lie. I was attracted to Kenna, but I’d never go there. I respected her too much, knew that she was looking for something I’d never be able to give her. “I’m not going after Kenna. Trust me.”

“Nothing would make me happier than my two favorites finding partners in each other, but you haven’t exactly been on the hunt for anything permanent. And my Kenna…she deserves a forever kind of love.”

I rubbed at the back of my neck. “That’s why I’m not going there. Our bickering and maybe some friendship, that’s all I’m looking for.”

Harriet shook her head and took a sip of her tea. “That’s your loss. And it’s a great one.”

I had a feeling Harriet was right, but it didn’t change anything. I needed freedom and the ability to do what I wanted, whenever I wanted. I’d never surrender that piece of myself to another again, it was too great a cost. I pulled out my briefcase. “Let’s look over this paperwork.”

“I see you avoiding the topic, but go ahead. Just know you can’t run from the demons chasing you forever.”

Oh, yes, I could. I’d made it my life’s mission, and it was working. I pulled out the papers and set them on the table. Harriet had had me draft a new will for her a few years ago but had called yesterday to ask if we could go over it to make sure everything was in order. “How do you think your family’s going to handle this?”

“Oh, they can suck it.”

I let out a bark of laughter. “Brutal in your old age. I like it.”

She gave a little shrug. “I’ve been more generous with them than I should’ve been. It’s my fault they raised a spoiled-rotten son. Maybe this will be a little wake-up call for them all. But, unfortunately, I think it’s too little, too late.”

Wills, trusts, and end-of-life arrangements carried with them a truth that had a boldness rarely seen at any other time. They showed you who a person loved and loathed. How forgiving they were. And what they valued above all else. The documents sitting on the worn kitchen table in the palatial but warm estate showed just who Harriet Abbot was and what she prized most.

* * *

My phone rang through the speakers of my truck. Glancing down, tension began to gather at my temples. I hit Accept anyway. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hello, Crosby. How are things on that island of yours?”

I bit back a chuckle. She’d called Anchor Island, “that island of yours,” since I’d first moved here years ago, as if I owned the whole thing. I think she hoped it was simply a toy I’d pick up and put down, but it wasn’t. The small isle had become my refuge. “Things are great. I’m just headed back to the office from an appointment.”

“Business is good?”

When I’d announced my plans to move to Anchor to set up shop on the island, my mother had begged and pleaded for me not to. She’d told me if I needed a vacation spot, to go to Martha’s Vineyard or the Hamptons. Only the best for Georgina McCoy’s son. She had not been pleased when I’d gone west anyway.

“Everything’s steady.” There was only one other law office on the island, but the guy who ran it was a bit of a snob. So, slowly but steadily, I’d eaten away at more and more of his business.

“That’s good.” Her tone sounded as if she thought it was a fate worse than death.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “How are things in Boston?”

“We’re on the Vineyard this week, actually. Your father got a couple of days off.”

“That’s great. Hope you guys get some good weather.” I didn’t know why I shared the sentiment, it wasn’t like my mother went for long walks on the beach. She might deign to play a game of tennis or join my father on the golf course, but sand was a no-go zone for her.

“I’m sure we will. Look, I’m actually calling for a purpose.”

That pressure at my temples intensified, building in a steady beat behind my skull. “All right.”

“I ran into Alicia in town.”

My hold on the wheel tightened. “I don’t need to hear about her.”

“She and Brent broke up. She asked after you, so I passed along your new number.”

I let out a slew of curses under my breath. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“She made a mistake, Crosby. None of us is perfect. Surely, you don’t claim to be.”

A mistake was a single lapse in judgement. It wasn’t a two-year affair while my ring had been on the woman’s finger. “Then you go ahead and spend lots of quality time with Alicia. I’ll be passing on that.” It also meant that I’d likely have to change my phone number. “I’ve got to go, Mom. I’m at the office.”

I hung up without waiting for her goodbye. My parents had always loved Alicia and all she represented: that their son was settling down, getting serious about his law career. When we were together, my parents had seemed genuinely interested in me for the first time in my life. I talked business with Dad while Alicia and my mom would chatter on about the season’s galas. I became more like them when I was with her. It didn’t matter to my parents at all that I was slowly dying inside the whole time.

I didn’t make the turn into my office’s small gravel lot. Instead, I headed for the mountain. I needed a taste of the freedom I’d gained that I now so fiercely defended. Today, I needed some one-on-one time with a rockface to drown out all the memories threatening to suffocate me.

3

Kenna

“This blasted piece looks like it should fit, but it doesn’t. I think this puzzle is rigged.”

Harriet chuckled and set down her tea. “Should I have Caelyn come over for another yoga session? It seems you’ve lost your Zen.”

I scowled at Harriet. “You’re a traitor, you know that?”

She gave me an innocent smile. “What? I happen to like the gentle moves she takes me through.”

“Freaking pretzel twisting,” I mumbled. Harriet knew I hated the non-sport, and I think she got some perverse pleasure out of seeing me struggle to sit still for that hour. But it was good for Harriet, and Caelyn could always use the extra money the private sessions brought in. Taking care of her three siblings on a single salary was challenging on the best days.

Harriet only laughed harder. “What did yoga ever do to you?”

“It makes me feel itchy.”

“Itchy?”

“Yes. Like my skin’s too tight for my body or something. Give me a run or a swim over yoga any day.”

Harriet was silent for a moment as she studied me. “I think it’s good for you. You have to be alone with your thoughts.”

I’d always fought the silence. Stillness brought with it a steady stream of memories and self-analysis. I was a little better at enduring it now, but there had been a time I would’ve done anything to escape it.

“You have to face things, sweet girl. Looking away doesn’t make things disappear.”

Harriet had said those words to me time and again as I lay in my bed upstairs, refusing to leave. There’d been an endless cycle of mindless television on my screen. I’d even kept it on while I slept, the little bit of rest I could catch hold of anyway.

“I look at the things I have to.” I hated the worry that lit her features, didn’t want to add an ounce of stress to her shoulders. “I do. It’s nothing like it used to be.”

Harriet placed a hand over mine, gently squeezing. “I know. You’ve worked so hard to overcome your losses. You’re the strongest woman I know. But it’s okay to still mourn.”

I swallowed against the emotion gathering in my throat, the memories trying to claw their way free.

“You never talk about her.”

Her. My baby. My little girl. The one I’d lost just one week after finding out that the little bean inside my belly was a she. One week after I’d begun thinking of names.

I shoved it down. Because if I let it out, pulled that cork free, the emotions would drown me. The ferocity of them was lethal. When they were stirred up, they shredded my insides, and I had to battle to keep them down. But the idea of letting them free had images of my mother dancing in my mind. Hysterical and out of control.

“I can’t. I’m sorry, Harriet. I know you want me to, but I just can’t.” I hated letting Harriet down, disappointing her in any way, but we simply dealt with things differently. Harriet had placed a stone marker flush with the ground on a cliff overlooking the sea. The rock didn’t hold a name, only a beautiful array of intricately carved blooms. She visited it regularly, often asking if I’d like to accompany her. My answer was always no.

I carried my daughter with me every day. She was imprinted into every cell of my body. I didn’t need a stone to remember her or to feel the loss. And if I looked at a physical reminder, that carefully constructed wall, the one that kept the most dangerous emotions at bay, it would be in danger of crumbling.

“I’m worried about you.”

My head snapped up. “Why?” I had built a good life in a beautiful place. One with people I loved and a stable job. I was safe. Secure. The two things I had always wanted to create for myself above all else.

Tears glistened in Harriet’s eyes. “Holding everything inside the way you do…it’s poison. I’m terrified that my leaving this place will be a lethal dose. You have to let some of it out, let it go.”

My chest squeezed in a painful spasm, and I stared down at the puzzle piece in my hand, flipping the oblong shape over in my fingers. “Don’t talk like that. You’re doing better. Your doctor has been so impressed with the progress you’ve made.”

Harriet reached out and laid a hand over mine again, stilling my movements. “Sweet girl, my heart is going to quit on me at some point. It’s no longer about cholesterol or whether I take my walks. It’s just the way things are. I’ve had a long, full life. I’ve loved fiercely and gotten into my fair share of trouble. And you have been such a blessing to me.”

I fought against the tears burning the backs of my eyes. “Is this your way of guilting me into letting you have more French fries?”

Harriet laughed, giving my hand a little shake. She winked at me. “Whatever it takes.”

4

Crosby

I leaned against the tree at the edge of the beach, taking in the show. The woman seemed to be one with the water. Smooth strokes cut through the inlet’s subtle waves. They were both graceful and powerful, restrained and explosive. A juxtaposition so similar to the woman herself.

Kenna made her way towards the rocky shore. Climbing to her feet, rivulets of water traced paths down curves that even her full-coverage, black Speedo couldn’t disguise. She wrung out her hair, and the long, dark sheet sprang up in unexpected curls. They reminded me of that part of Kenna she liked to hide away from the world.

Her movements faltered, and then she swiped her towel up from the beach. “What are you doing here?”

I grinned, pushing off the tree trunk and striding towards her. “Caelyn told me this was a good spot for paddleboarding.”

Kenna mumbled something about her friend being a traitor. “I’m surprised you’re even up this early.”

I gave a little shrug. I had to be at a meeting at ten, so this was the only opportunity I’d have all day to be on the water. “Every day is different.”

“Must be nice to just flit around wherever the wind takes you.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I slid it out. A familiar number, one I wished like hell I could forget, flashed across my screen along with a text.

Hey, Crosby. Can we talk? It’s important.

My face went hard as ice seemed to slide through my veins. Alicia’s gamble hadn’t paid off, and now she was trying to get her second choice back on the line. Not in this lifetime.

A cold hand grazed my forearm, yet somehow, the touch seemed to heat my skin. “Are you okay?”

I gave my head a little shake, plastering on my signature carefree smile. “Just those damn telemarketers. They never give up.”

Kenna’s hand fell away, and she took a step back. “You can just tell me to mind my own business. You don’t have to lie.”

I instantly felt the loss of her heat, the faint buzz on my skin where she’d touched me. “Fair enough.” Kenna kept her gaze locked to mine as if daring me to tell her the truth. I took the coward’s way out and changed the subject. “I like these.” I reached out and took a strand of her hair in my fingers, releasing it and letting the curl bounce.

Pink tinged her cheeks. “I prefer it straight.”

My grin grew wider. “I don’t know, Brown Eyes, I think you should let it run wild.” And what I would give to see this woman free and untamed.

* * *

I silenced my phone as I wove my way through the halls of the Alliance. Alicia had already texted twice more on the ferry ride over to Shelter Island. I took a deep breath, trying to quiet my annoyance in the same way I’d done my phone. Rapping on the open office door, I fought the urge to laugh. Callie was spinning in a circle like a cat chasing its tail. “Come in. Sorry, I just can’t find my pen.”

I pointed to the top of her head. Callie’s hands flew to her haphazard pile of hair, patting it down until she found her pen, pulling it free. “Aha! Victory is mine!”

I chuckled, moving a pile of folders from one chair to another. “How many cups of coffee have you had this morning, Cal?”

She winced, easing back in her desk chair. “Definitely not more than four.”

“I thought we agreed that two was your limit?”

Callie shrugged, patting around on her desk for some unknown item. “I’m pretty sure my blood is ninety percent caffeine at this point. If I stop drinking it, I’ll probably just drop dead.”

My brows pulled together. “I thought they were going to hire you some more help.”

She sighed, sinking back in her chair even more. “We just don’t have the budget for it.”

“Let me see if I can scrounge up some more donations for you.” The woman was only in her twenties, but at this rate, she’d give herself a heart attack before she reached thirty.

Callie’s expression gentled. “You already give us money and, more importantly, your time. I swear we would’ve gone under at least three different times if it weren’t for you.”

Heat crept up the back of my neck. “You know I’m happy to help.” When I left Boston and started over, I’d wanted to change everything about my life. That meant not being solely focused on hoarding money and powerful alliances. I wanted to use my law skills for good. I’d done some research about organizations at work in this small chain of islands off the coast of Washington.

The Shelter Island Child Alliance stood out from all the rest. They gave children in foster care a voice, an advocate in the legal system, someone who would get to know them and speak to the judges in family court on their behalf. It seemed like something I was uniquely qualified for, knowing the legal system inside and out. I’d had to do a little brushing up on family law, but it had all been worth it. There was little in the past few years that had given me more joy.

Callie slid a folder out from under her perilous stack. “I’m glad because I’ve got your new assignment.”

My last pairing, a thirteen-year-old named José, had finally been able to go home with his aunt and uncle after a nasty custody dispute following his mother’s death. The boy had been so closed off, hesitant to tell anyone who he wanted to live with. Family members on both sides began attacking each other, trying to get custody of José. But after some time, it had all worked itself out.

“Who do you have for me?”

Callie handed me the folder. “This is Zoe Parks. Father unknown. Her mother just ended up in jail for the second time after being busted in a meth sting.”

I took in the little girl’s face. She couldn’t be more than eight years old, and even if her mother did get her act together, the chances of her regaining custody were slim. There was something almost familiar about Zoe. She reminded me of a little Kenna, I realized. Maybe it was the dark brown hair. Or perhaps it was the fact that I’d just learned a little more about Kenna’s history. Regardless, my chest constricted for the little girl who was now alone in the world. “Any family in the picture?”

Callie shook her head. “No one willing to step up.”

“Assholes.”

“Not everyone’s equipped for parenthood, Crosby.”

Callie was right about that. My parents had been cold and removed on their best days. As if they’d had a child simply to mark that item off their to-do lists. Their involvement in my life growing up and into adulthood had mostly been about them trying to steer me into what they thought was appropriate. But I’d been safe and never wanted for anything. So many of the children I’d met through the Alliance would’ve given anything for that.

I flipped the file closed. “When do I meet her?”

“We want to give her the weekend to settle into her foster home, get used to a new routine. There have been a lot of folks asking her lots of questions. How about Monday?”

“Sounds like a plan.” I eyed Callie across the desk. “You’ll let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help?”

“Yes. Now, get out of here. I need to get some work done.”

I gave her a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.” I checked my watch. “Just in time to hit up The Burger Barn.”

She groaned. “Your addiction to that place is starting to get concerning.”

“They have the best cheeseburgers in the islands. Trust me, I’ve done my research.”

“You’re going to give yourself heart disease if you exist on burgers alone.”

I pushed to my feet, tucking the folder under my arm. “I like to live dangerously, Callie.” She simply shook her head and waved me out of her office.

5

Kenna

I groaned as I rolled to my back, a crick in my neck making itself known. My alarm sounded, and as I reached to shut it off, I knocked my cup of water to the floor. Muttering a curse, I felt for the alarm button and finally shut it off. I simply lay there for a moment, the warmth and coziness of my bed beckoning me to stay just a little bit longer.

There was a knock on my front door. I glanced at the clock. It was before seven a.m. Maybe Caelyn had stopped by to bring me to breakfast with the kids. I swung out of bed, grabbing my robe and pulling it on as I headed for the door. Opening it, I froze.

Harriet’s nurse, Natalie, stood there wringing her hands, her eyes rimmed in red. My heart seized in my chest, halting then starting back up but at double the speed. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m so sorry, Kenna. Harriet passed.”

Blood roared in my ears, a pounding that deafened everything around me. “No. I—I just saw her last night. She’s only sleeping.”

Natalie grabbed my arms as if to hold me up. “I’m so sorry. She’s gone. Went in her sleep. And when I checked on her this morning, it was too late.”

The world seemed to fade and flicker around me. Everything dulled, the edges blurring. I couldn’t smell the sea or hear the next words that came out of Natalie’s mouth. I couldn’t see the view as Natalie guided me towards the main house. But the feel of her arm wrapped around me jolted me from the mire.

I wouldn’t fall apart. I pictured every brutal piece of pain being stuffed down, beneath my carefully constructed walls. I swallowed hard as I worked to smooth out my features. “What do you need me to do?”

Natalie blinked up at me, shock evident on her face. “I, uh, are you all right?”

“I’ll be fine. Have Fire and Rescue been called?” They handled all medical emergencies on the island, and I assumed they would be called for a death, as well.

“I have…why don’t you sit down?”

Natalie tried to usher me towards a couch in the sitting room, the same place Harriet and I had worked on a puzzle just days before. I pulled out of Natalie’s hold. “I’m fine. But I need to make sure all of these details are handled.”

Natalie took a small step back, worry etching her features. I did my best to keep my face a blank mask. The last thing I needed when I felt a breath away from breaking was to see judgment in anyone’s gaze. I’d seen the looks too many times before. The abandoned daughter of the town drunk. The used and discarded trash of Grant Abbot. The one way to avoid all of those looks was to never step out of line.

I did my best to gentle my expression. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I just need to stay busy right now. I need to make sure Harriet’s taken care of.” My voice started to crack on the mention of her name, but I willed it under control.

Natalie’s expression softened even further. “Of course. EMTs are on their way.”

I nodded. “We should notify the rest of her circle. We can split the call list.” That gave me something to hold on to. A task to complete.

Natalie started for the office. “I’ll get her address book.”

Time came in fits and starts. A blur of painful phone calls where I kept my voice carefully measured as I filled in Harriet’s nearest and dearest. Natalie let the EMTs in while I wrapped up a call with one of Harriet’s bridge crew.

Pine and spice filled my senses as warmth seeped into my back. Crosby cleared his throat. “I’m so sorry, Kenna.”

Sorry. Everyone was sorry. But what did that word even mean? I pushed to my feet and crossed out of the kitchen, Crosby on my heels. “What are you doing here?”

He caught my elbow just as we reached the foyer. “I loved her too, you know.”

“I know.” My eyes burned with the force of holding back my tears. “Do you need anything from me? You have all her paperwork and the instructions for a funeral, right?”

Crosby’s gaze surveyed my face as if looking for the truth beneath the surface. He wouldn’t find it. I kept everything too locked away.

“I don’t think that’s really important right now.”

I opened my mouth to answer when a sheet-covered stretcher snagged my peripheral vision. I froze, the air seeming to solidify painfully in my lungs. The world began to blur around the edges again, and reality hit me with all its deadly weight.

“I’m alone.” The words escaped me in a barely-there whisper.

Crosby gripped my arm, turning my attention away from the brutal truth and towards the hard planes of his face. “You are a lot of things, but alone is not one of them.”

But he was wrong. Sure, I had Bell and Caelyn, but they each had their own lives, their own families. Harriet had been my person. We’d built our own little two-person family. And now, it was gone.

“You have so many people in your corner, you don’t even see it. Bell and Ford. Caelyn and those crazy kids.” He paused for the briefest of moments. “Me. You’re going to get through this.”

Every person Crosby listed felt a million miles away right then. As if I couldn’t reach them no matter how hard I tried.

“None of us are going anywhere. We’re gonna walk with you through this. You’ll never be alone.”

I stepped out of his hold, doing my best to shake off the warmth that had spread through me at the touch, the comfort. Because at some point, he would leave. They all would. That’s what people did, no matter what they wanted or promised. There was only one certainty in life: people left.

* * *

I rolled over, but instead of meeting the mattress, I hit another body.

Caelyn let out a little groan. And it all came flooding back. Why Caelyn was lying on the other side of my queen bed, and Bell was curled up in a sleeping bag on the floor. Because Harriet was gone. A sob attempted to break free, and my body shook with the force of trying to hold it back.

“Oh, Kenna.” Caelyn’s arms were around me in an instant, the feel of them as familiar as my favorite slippers. But I didn’t want her touch, didn’t want the pain in me to ease. I took it anyway, knowing that rejecting her comfort would only hurt her.

Bell shot up. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?” She took in the two of us and pushed to her feet, climbing into the too-small bed and throwing her arms around us both. “I’m so sorry.”

I was really starting to hate that word. I swallowed back my sobs, locking down my muscles so that none could escape. It was the only way my friends would release me. And if they didn’t, I was going to scream. Finally, they let go, and I took a deep breath, pushing myself up against the pillows.

I’d forced the tears down, but the memories of yesterday were on an endless loop. The concerned faces and quiet tones. The news that Harriet had suffered a stroke in her sleep, that it would’ve been painless and instant. That no one could’ve done anything to stop it.

My body shuddered. I should’ve been there. No one could convince me that my presence wouldn’t have mattered. That there wasn’t a chance I could’ve saved her. But instead, I’d been deep-cleaning my cottage, trying to lose myself in busywork so that I wouldn’t think too hard about my conversation with Harriet, the one that had stayed with me for days.

I gave myself a mental shake. I couldn’t think about that right now. I’d just start crying, and then Bell and Caelyn would be stuck to me like glue. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “Crap. I’m late.” I scooted towards the end of the bed, heading for the bathroom.

“Late for what?” Caelyn asked.

“Work. What else? You’re going to be late too, if you don’t get moving.”

Bell pushed up from the bed, creeping towards me as if cornering a feral animal. “We both took the day off. We want to support you, Kenna. You shouldn’t be going into work.”

Bell was wrong. Work was exactly what I needed. Distraction and purpose were the only things that would get me through this day. “I’m going in.” Bell opened her mouth to argue, but I cut her off. “I need this.” I met my friends’ concerned gazes. “Please, just let me get through today. This is how I need to do it.”

Bell’s shoulders slumped. “Okay.”

“Call us if you change your mind. We’ll be here in a flash,” Caelyn added.

A bit of the tension eased out of me. “Thank you. For wanting to be here. And for not pushing.” I loved these women, but around them, I couldn’t don my armor and pretend that my world wasn’t crumbling around me. In one breath, I’d lost Harriet, my home, and the security I’d worked so hard to create. Soon, all I’d be left with was wreckage.

6

Crosby

“Crosby McCoy! You gave me thirty minutes’ notice that you were canceling, and the client was not happy.”

I sighed as I eased my truck down the ferry ramp, listening to my assistant rake me over the coals for making her job a nightmare. “I’m sorry, Penny. But it’s not like they had anything urgent to discuss. We can reschedule for later this week.”

I hadn’t been able to stomach the idea of sitting down with a man who was planning to sue his neighbor because he’d realized that the property line was eighteen inches off and wanted the fence moved.

“Crosby,” Penny growled.

“Sorry, what?”

“I asked if you were actually going to show up to this meeting or if I’d end up covering for you yet again.”

“Harriet died yesterday.”

There was silence on the line for a count of five. “Crosby, I am going to whup your butt.” Penny was maybe fifteen years older than me, but she talked to me like I was her grandson. Now, instead of that familiar tone, tears filled her voice. “Why didn’t you say anything? Of course, you can’t work today. But it would’ve been helpful if I could’ve told the client there’d been a death in the family.”

Family. It was what Harriet had become. And no matter how full and beautifully crazy her life had been, I still hadn’t been ready for it to come to an end. Kenna’s face flashed in my mind. That brief moment when she’d shown how broken and lost she truly was. But just as quickly as her true feelings appeared, they were gone again, an expression of nothingness overtaking her face. When Bell and Caelyn had taken her back to the guest cottage, I’d fought the urge to follow. I wasn’t sure what the hell I would’ve done, but I hated how closed off from the world Kenna had become.

I cleared my throat as I pulled onto the main drag of Shelter Island. “I am working today. I’m headed to the Alliance right now. I just needed this morning to get my head on straight.”

“Cliff jumping or rock climbing?”

I chuckled. “Mountain biking.”

“Did it work?”

“A little.” Not as much as I would’ve liked. But the adrenaline rush, the whip of the air, the jarring of my bones after each jump, it all helped.

“I’m sure Callie would understand if you postponed.” Penny’s voice was full of sympathy. As hard as she was on me, Penny was a big softie at heart.

I wound my truck through town, careful to keep my lead foot to the speed limit. “Callie would understand, but the little girl I’m meeting with would think I’m just another person who’s going to flake on her.”

Penny clucked her tongue. “You’re a good man, Crosby McCoy.”

“Just don’t go spreading that around.”

“It’ll be our little secret.”

I pulled into the parking lot to the side of the Alliance and shut off my engine. “I’m here, and I’ve got to jump if I don’t want to be late.”

“Okay. Let me know if there’s anything that little girl needs and my knitting circle girls will get it for her.”

“You’ve got an ooey-gooey heart in there, Penny.”

“Oh, hush. Get going, you troublemaker.”

I chuckled. “Thanks for managing the schedule. I’ll check back in with you when I’m done here.”

“Sounds good.”

I hit End on my screen and switched my phone to silent. I always made sure the first meeting was free of any and all distractions. Often, it was the first time someone had truly listened to what the child had to say and made them feel like a priority. When they felt important, like I genuinely valued whatever they might share, that was where the magic happened.

I rounded the old craftsman building that housed the Alliance and headed to the back where there was a playground and a small field. A handful of other kids and adults were present for their own meetings and mentorship time. Callie caught my eye and waved me over to a picnic table. “Zoe, this is Crosby, the man I was telling you about. He’s going to help you tell the judge what you want.”

The brown-haired girl at the picnic table was tiny. I’d assumed she couldn’t be more than eight years old, but I’d learned from her file that she was actually nine. The idea that her slight frame could be from malnutrition had my gut twisting.

“I want to go back with my mom.” Zoe’s voice was timid, and she didn’t meet either of our gazes. But at least she was telling us what she wanted. Some kids didn’t open up for weeks.

Callie rubbed a hand up and down Zoe’s back. “I know, sweetie, but your mom isn’t well enough to take care of you right now.”

“She probably just needs more medicine. She always gets sick when she doesn’t have it. Maybe the doctor could get her some more.”

There was a burning sensation along my sternum. Drugs. Zoe, not even ten years old, knew that her mother needed drugs to function in any capacity. And her mom had trained her to think of them as medicine. I eased down on the bench. “The medicine your mom has been taking is a bad kind. It’s not good for her, so some people are going to try and help her.”

Eyes wise beyond their years blinked back at me. “They do make her crazy sometimes. Or really sleepy. Sometimes, she doesn’t wake up for a whole day.”

I fought to keep the anger currently coursing through me from showing on my face. “So, it’s good she’s not going to be taking it anymore, right?”

Zoe twisted the end of one of her braids, wrapping strands of hair around her finger. “I guess. But how long is she going to be gone?”

I glanced at Callie over Zoe’s head. “We don’t know that yet. But you’re doing okay with the Calhouns, right?”

Zoe’s little body stiffened slightly. “I want to go home.”

Zoe’s home no longer existed. The trailer her mother had rented was now back in the hands of their landlord. Thankfully, Callie had gotten in to grab a few of Zoe’s belongings before the rest of the items were trashed.

Callie patted Zoe’s knee. “I know being in a new place is scary, but just give it some time.”

Something in the way the little girl had tensed at the mention of her foster parents had concern flashing through me.

Another volunteer motioned for Callie, and she rose from the picnic table. “I’m going to leave you to hang out with Crosby, but I’ll be right over there.”

Zoe nodded and then dropped her gaze to her lap, twirling her thumbs in circles around each other.

“So, what’s your favorite thing to do at recess? Maybe we could play that today.”

Her gaze lifted slightly. I braced myself for her to say “playing house” or something of the sort. I had gotten roped into playing Barbies on more than one occasion at this very picnic table. But I had to admit, I was good at doing the voices. “Soccer,” she answered.

My brows lifted, and a grin stretched across my face. “I happen to love soccer. But it’s been a while since I’ve played. Think you could remind me how?”

Zoe’s little head bobbed up and down. “I’m one of the best girls in my class. The boys only let me and Cindy play with them because all the other girls are too slow.”

I chuckled. “Well, it looks like I found the perfect teacher.”

Her shoulders straightened with pride. “We need a ball.”

“Come on, I know where Callie keeps them.”

For the next hour, Zoe put me through my paces. I was shocked at how fast and agile she was. We ran up and down the small field, worked on dribbling and passing. She laughed herself silly when I took a mock tumble. And through it all, Zoe started to let me in. I saw the little girl who was dying to get out, the one the anxiety and fear of living with an addict mother had been holding back.

I crouched down, pulling a card out of my wallet. I wrote my cell phone number on the bottom of it. “You call me anytime you need. Or if you just want to talk. I’m always here. Okay?”

Zoe nodded, carefully taking the card from me as if it were made of the most precious metal. She slipped it into her pocket. “Thanks for playing with me, Mr. Crosby.”

“You can just call me Crosby. We’re friends now, right?”

She beamed, and those amber eyes that reminded me so much of Kenna’s socked me right in the gut. I had to find a way to make sure this girl ended up with good people who cared for her.

“Zoe, Mrs. Calhoun is here to pick you up,” Callie called.

That same tension shot through Zoe’s shoulders again, and my gaze shifted to the parking lot. A woman wearing a baggy and worn sundress stood next to a station wagon that looked more than a little worse for wear. Mrs. Calhoun smiled and waved. Zoe looked up at me, and my heart cracked at the uncertainty in her eyes. “Just remember, you can call me anytime. If you’re scared or just want to talk.”

“Okay.” The life that had come back into Zoe’s eyes as we played soccer was gone now.

A muscle in my jaw flickered as I watched Zoe walk to Mrs. Calhoun and climb into the station wagon. Callie crossed to me and watched as Zoe and her foster mom drove away. “So? How’d it go?”

“I don’t have a good feeling about her placement. What do you know about the family?”

Callie’s brow furrowed. “I haven’t heard much about them, honestly. I don’t think we’ve had any other kids who were placed with them. But if there had been complaints, I’d know.”

“I think I’m going to make an unannounced visit or two.”

Callie groaned. “Crosby…don’t get us in trouble. The last thing we need is to have foster families complaining about us harassing them.”

“You know me, Cal. I’ll be perfectly polite.” I could turn on the charming bastard when I needed to. It wasn’t a part I relished playing. It reminded me too much of a past that I wanted to forget. But to make sure Zoe was safe, I’d do it without batting an eye.

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and muttered a curse. I had four missed calls from Penny. I gave Callie a quick one-armed hug. “I gotta run. I’m pretty sure my assistant is one missed call away from hiring an assassin to take me out.”

Callie laughed. “You better get going. I wouldn’t want to be on Miss Penny’s bad side.”

She wasn’t wrong. That woman would put salt in my coffee. I tapped Penny’s contact as I strode towards the parking lot.

“Well, it’s about time. I’ve been fighting off the hounds of hell while you’ve been gone.”

I beeped my locks. “Sorry, you know I keep my phone on silent during those initial meetings.”

“I know, I know.”

“Who’s beating down your door? Has your knitting club been accused of murder again?”

“It’s a knitting circle. How many times do I have to tell you?”

I chuckled as I climbed into my truck and started it up. “Apologies. Now, who’s starting fires I need to put out?”

“The Abbots are here.” Penny whispered the words as if the family was standing behind her.

“In the office?”

“No, no. But they’ve called eight times, and I’ve heard they’re already on the island. They’re staying at The Cove.”

The greedy assholes couldn’t be bothered to visit their mother and grandmother more than twice a decade when she was alive, even though they only lived a ferry ride away in Seattle. They’d left her care to Kenna without any offer of assistance. But as soon as she died, here they were, hungry for money, no doubt. My hands tightened on the wheel. “Well, they can just wait.”

Penny scoffed. “I’d agree, except I’m the one who has to answer their increasingly angry calls.”

I blew out a breath. “Fine. Tell them to come in at four-thirty. I have to bring in Kenna first.”

“I’ll give them a call.”

“Thank you.”

I hit End, and my thumb hovered over Kenna’s contact in my phone. I had the burning urge to shelter her from all that was about to come her way. I knew that Harriet had the best intentions, but things were going to get incredibly messy. Hopefully, Kenna could hold on for the ride.

7

Kenna

A string of colorful curses flew through my head as I glanced at my watch for the fifth time. I took a deep breath, trying to find that inner peace that Caelyn was always going on about.

I gave my head a little shake. I wanted to hold on to my mad. If I were angry, the grief couldn’t get a foothold. I glanced up at Penny, who sat behind her desk, studiously avoiding my gaze. “If Crosby isn’t going to have the decency to show up after he called me over here with some mysterious, ‘I need to talk, it’s important’ BS, I’m going back to work.”

Penny winced, her curls bouncing with the action. “He was coming back from Shelter Island. The ferry’s probably just running a little behind.”

More like Crosby probably got distracted by some shiny object or high-risk adventure he just had to try. I let out what almost sounded like a growl. “How do you work for that man and not go crazy?”

Penny chuckled. “He has certainly been an exercise on my patience.” Her eyes met mine with a sincerity that caught me by surprise. “But he’s got a good heart. The best.”

That might be true, but what good was a wonderful heart if it wasn’t present where it needed to be? I pushed to my feet. “I’m sorry, but I’m not waiting any longer. He can reschedule when it’s convenient for me. I’ve already lost too much time today.” Time I needed to stay on top of my pile of paperwork back at the office.

The door to the small, cottage office swung open. “I’m here. And I brought donuts.”

I scowled at the man who was too handsome for his own good. That cheeky smile, one I was sure he used time and again to get what he wanted, only made me angrier. “That’s great for you, but I’m heading back to work.”

I started towards the door, but Crosby caught my elbow. “Whoa. We haven’t had our meeting yet.”

I firmly tugged my arm from his grasp. “You asked for an hour of my time. That hour was up five minutes ago. I have appointments and work.”

“But I got these donuts just for you.” He looked as if I’d just kicked his puppy.

“I don’t like donuts.” Lies, lies, lies. I loved the airy confections, especially the ones from Wholly Donuts on Shelter. They were to die for. But I didn’t want Crosby’s bribe.

“Please. I really do need to talk to you.”

The blood coursing through me heated at his words. “If it was truly important, you wouldn’t have gone to get donuts and missed your ferry. You would’ve been here when you said you’d be.”

Crosby held up his hands in a placating gesture. “You’re right. I got distracted and thought you might like these. They’re my favorites. Please, just give me fifteen minutes.”

I sighed. If I didn’t give him the time now, I’d have to deal with him later. And Crosby would probably be late then, too. “Fine.”

Crosby held out a hand, motioning towards his office. “Right this way.”

I walked through the door, taking a moment to soak in the space. I’d picked up paperwork from Penny for Harriet before, but I’d never been inside Crosby’s inner sanctum. It was both surprising and expected. No photos rested on his desk or hung on the walls, only an impressionistic oil painting of what looked like Anchor Island. On the opposite wall hung a mountain bike, dried mud still on the tires. But everything else was neat as a pin.

I eased into one of the chairs opposite the desk. As I did, anxiety shot through me, a realization of why I was here. I didn’t know why it hadn’t crossed my mind as I sat waiting for Crosby. I’d known I would have to leave The Gables, but I’d pushed the thoughts out of my mind all day. Maybe the Abbots already had plans to sell. They certainly weren’t going to keep the property. My chest gave a painful squeeze as I thought about strangers roaming the estate’s halls. All the precious antiques that told the history of Anchor going to people who wouldn’t appreciate the stories they carried.

Crosby bent, opening a drawer and pulling out a file. Instead of sitting in the chair behind his desk, he took the seat next to me, placing the folder on his lap. “How are you holding up?”

Crosby’s gentle tone had me bristling. “You don’t need to baby me. I’m not going to break. Just tell me how long I have before I need to be out of the guest house.”

He blinked at me. “What are you talking about?”

“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? For you to tell me I need to move out of The Gables? I assume the Abbots are going to sell it.” My lungs seized. Oh God, I really hoped they weren’t planning on returning to Anchor. I didn’t think I could handle their snide looks and comments on a regular basis.

Crosby lifted a hand as if he were going to place it on my knee and then set it back on the folder. “You don’t have to move out.”

“I don’t?”

“No. That’s what I brought you in to talk about.”

“I have to pay rent or something?” I was sure the Abbots would charge me something astronomical that I had no prayer of being able to afford.

“No.”

I made an aggravated noise in the back of my throat. “Spit it out already, Crosby.”

“Harriet left you The Gables.”

My entire body went lax, including my jaw, which fell completely open. “W-w-what?”

Crosby sighed, gripping the folder a little tighter. “Harriet left you The Gables in her will, along with a trust that has enough in it to cover taxes and upkeep for at least three generations to come.”

My mind spun in countless directions, thoughts leapfrogging over each other as they somersaulted through my brain. “She didn’t say anything.”

“Harriet knew you’d fight her on it if she told you.”

Tears stung the backs of my eyes as my breaths came quicker. I stared down at my fingers. Why were they tingling?

“Breathe, Brown Eyes. Just breathe.”

The hand on my shoulder made me jump, and my gaze shot to Crosby. “Why?”

“She loved you as if you were her own.”

A single tear escaped my left eye, and I hurried to brush it away. Harriet was mine, too. My partner in crime. My person. But she was gone. I couldn’t imagine roaming those familiar hallways without her cackling laughter or the faint scent of her rose perfume.

“She left you a letter.” Crosby pulled a creamy white envelope out of his file and handed it to me.

My chest squeezed at the familiar paper. Letter writing is a lost art, sweet girl. I held the envelope up to my nose, inhaling deeply. The faint hint of rose still clung to the paper. How many times had I opened a letter just like this one while I was away at college? They had always been full of island gossip and funny stories. But this one…what would this one hold?

As carefully as possible, I pulled back the envelope’s flap, my hands stilling for a brief moment before removing the thick, folded paper inside. I took a deep breath and gave it a gentle tug, unfolding the meticulously arranged stationery.

My sweet girl,

I hate the idea of writing this to you. But I know if I were to broach this subject now, I’d only have a fight on my hands. We’re stubborn, you and I. And that stubbornness has its benefits and its detriments. But I’m a crafty old broad, and one thing death will give me is the last word.

Take The Gables, Kenna. There is no one in this big, beautiful world, I want to have it more. You’ve always seen it as more than a prime piece of real estate. You saw it for what it should always be. A sanctuary. One full of the tales of the past and with potential for endless stories of the future.

Make it a home again. Bring life and love back to its halls. The Gables has been far too empty for much too long. It should be full of laughter, raucous parties, heartfelt conversations. I want you to give yourself the home you always should’ve had. Build a family there. Fall into a soul-shaking love. Make the life of your dreams.

But to do that, you can’t be afraid to fall, my sweet girl. You always fall before you soar.

I’ll love you forever and always, my greatest treasure.

Love,

Your Harriet

A tear splashed onto the paper, and I quickly blotted it with the sleeve of my blouse. It was the only way I knew I was crying. I couldn’t feel the wetness on my cheeks or the pressure in my eyes.

I’d never felt more loved or more alone. I had no idea how my body could house the extreme intensity of both emotions. It was as if I were exploding out and collapsing in, all at the same time. My very being was at war with itself.

“I need you to say something.”

I couldn’t seem to form words. Didn’t want to move my eyes from the paper in front of me. The last beautifully curved letters I’d ever receive from Harriet.

A hand squeezed my shoulder. “You’re really starting to freak me out. Do I need to call Bell’s dad?”

I jolted at those words, quickly wiping my eyes and forcing my gaze up. “I’m fine. I don’t need a doctor.”

“You’re not fine. No one expects you to be fine. I just want to make sure you’re not going catatonic on me. Maybe you should have a donut, get a little sugar running through that bloodstream.”

I scowled at Crosby. “I told you, I don’t like donuts.”

Crosby’s lips twitched. “Harriet told me Wholly Donuts are your favorite.”

My cheeks heated. That traitor. What else had she told the man sitting next to me? “I only eat them on Sundays.”

“Why in God’s name would you have that rule?”

“I try to eat healthy the rest of the week. Sunday is my cheat day.”

“Your cheat day…”

I straightened my spine, willing away the heat still coursing in my face. “Yes. It’s all about balance.”

“Only letting yourself indulge one day a week isn’t balance, Doll Face.”

“I don’t remember asking your opinion on the matter. And don’t use your patronizing pet names on me.”

Crosby held up his hands. “All right, all right. I’ll stick to Brown Eyes and only bring you donuts on Sundays from now on.”

I bit back the names I wanted to hurl at Crosby. They’d only give him some perverse sense of satisfaction. I forced myself to take a slow, steadying breath. “What do I need to do next?”

Crosby flipped the folder on his lap closed. “I’ll get the deed transferred to you. You’ll have to sign some paperwork, and that’s it.”

A few scrawled lines and the place that had been my sanctuary for most of my life would be my safe space forever. But what Harriet had asked of me, what she wanted me to build in The Gables, that was going to be far more challenging. I glanced down at the letter in my hand, the looping script staring back at me. The vision she had for The Gables, for me, it was far riskier than I’d ever considered. The life of my dreams had always been comprised of one word: steady. People and things that I could count on. Suddenly, that dream felt just a little bit empty.

8

Crosby

I stared at the door for far too long after it’d closed in Kenna’s wake. The emotions that had cascaded over her face as she read Harriet’s letter played on an endless loop in my mind. I’d never seen Kenna so unguarded. It was as if Harriet were the one person who had the keys to unlock all the things she hid beneath her fiercely protected surface.

“So, how’d she take it?”

I jolted at Penny’s voice, straightening from my perch where I leaned against my office doorjamb. “Better than I thought, honestly.” But I hadn’t liked the blank mask that had slipped over Kenna’s face when she finished the letter. It was a façade that seemed to suck every last ounce of life out of her, and I had no idea how to get it back other than to piss her off. Maybe I’d start by having donuts delivered to her every day but Sunday.

“How do you think the Abbots will take this?”

My gut tightened as I glanced at my watch. The family should be here any minute. “I’m guessing not well.” Why was it that some people who had so much, only hungered for more? As if just knowing that they were missing out on one small piece of the pie was enough to send them into a rage, even if they couldn’t possibly eat everything that was in front of them.

Penny tapped her pen against her desk. “Never cared for them. Clark and Annabelle always acted like they were too good for everyone else on Anchor, and they spoiled their son rotten.”

“I’ve never met Grant.” I’d only met Harriet’s son, Clark, and his wife, Annabelle, in brief passing during their last visit to the island a few years ago.

Penny clucked her tongue. “He’s something. Never understood that the answer to one of his requests just might be ‘no.’”

Well, he was about to learn the word. The vast majority of Harriet’s estate had been earmarked for assorted charities. Trusts had been left for Clark and Grant, but Grant’s inheritance had a stipulation. He had to complete five hundred hours of community service at a specific homeless shelter in Seattle before he could access the fund. Harriet had become good friends with the shelter manager and had made sure Grant wouldn’t be able to charm or buy his way out of this one.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Just Harriet’s craftiness.”

A smile stretched across Penny’s face. “She’s gonna try and teach that boy a lesson from the grave, isn’t she?”

“That she is.”

The bell over the office door jingled as it opened. The woman who entered scowled up at the gold bell as if she were offended by its sound. She probably hated Christmas and Santa, too.

“Hello, Mrs. Abbot. Mr. Abbot. And you must be Grant.”

The three people who were clearly related poured into the office waiting room. Clark reached out a hand, shaking mine. “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. McCoy.”

“Please, call me Crosby. I just wish it were under better circumstances.”

“I wish it were in a timely manner,” Annabelle griped.

“Now, Annabelle, the delay gave us a chance to get settled.”

She huffed, muttering something I couldn’t hear.

Grant Abbot extended a hand. “Good to meet you. Thank you for making time for us this afternoon.” The man was much as I had expected, wearing a crisp, button-down shirt and tailored slacks. He was polite but wore an air of superiority that I was far too familiar with.

“Why don’t we head into the conference room? Would you like some tea or coffee? Water?”

Annabelle started ahead of us. “What I’d like is to move this charade of a meeting along so that we can get off this island as soon as possible. I’ve spent too much of my life in this godforsaken place already.”

Grant chuckled. “Can you tell she’s not much for small-town life?”

“Anchor isn’t for everyone.” And I was damn glad I didn’t have to share thirty square miles with this woman. I followed her into the small conference room and motioned to the chairs. “Please, take a seat. The folders on the table are copies of Harriet’s most recent will. I’d be more than happy to have them sent to your attorney if you’d like, as well.”

Clark stiffened in his seat. “What do you mean, her most recent will? Mother has had the same will since Dad died.”

I cleared my throat. “She made some changes to it a few years ago after she was diagnosed with heart disease.”

“Why the hell wasn’t I consulted?”

I met Clark’s increasingly angry stare. This was where the true colors began to show. I kept my tone calm and even. “Because you aren’t my client, your mother is.”

Heat colored Clark’s cheeks. “My mother was not in good health, and probably not in her right mind to make any changes to her will.”

I fought to keep the expression on my face neutral. “I assure you, Harriet was in perfect mental health when she made these changes. She’d had a checkup just the week before, and I made sure to have Dr. Kipton sign off on her well-being at the time of signing.” I’d also given Kipton a call earlier in the day to make sure he’d stand by his findings.

Clark opened his mouth to say something else, but Grant held up a hand. “Dad, let’s just read the will and see what’s what. There might not be anything to get upset over.”

Clark scowled at his son but flipped open his folder and began reading. It wasn’t long before he was muttering curses, and Annabelle was gasping. Her gaze snapped to mine. “You have got to be kidding me. I support my charitable causes as much as the next person, but this is ridiculous.”

I stayed silent. What was there to say? You’re a greedy bitch?

Grant’s head jerked up. His tone remained even, but heat blazed in his eyes. “There’s a contingency on my trust that isn’t on my father’s.”

“That’s correct. It was a wish of your grandmother’s that you get more involved in one of her charities of choice.”

Grant’s jaw worked back and forth. “I am working towards partner at Dad’s law firm. I work fifty hours a week. When do you suggest I put in those five hundred hours of volunteer time?”

“Five hundred hours?” Annabelle gaped.

Clark threw the folder down on the table. “This will is a joke. I’ll get it thrown out in court in a matter of weeks.”

“You can try, but trust me, you won’t succeed.” But what they could do was tie up the estate for years to come, leaving Kenna in a miserable state of limbo.

“You have got to be kidding me. She left her estate to that—that—” Annabelle couldn’t even finish her sentence.

“Be very careful what you say next, Mrs. Abbot.” My fingers closed around my pen, my knuckles turning white.

Grant quickly scanned the pages of the will before his head snapped in his father’s direction. “She can’t do this, can she? That property is worth millions.”

Clark was focused on the papers in front of him. He did his best not to let any part of his expression give anything away, but the small tic in his cheek betrayed him. “I need more time with the document.”

Annabelle’s lips pressed into a thin line. “If you think we will sit by while our family home is taken over by a user who wants nothing more than to bleed our family dry, you are in for a rude awakening.”

I forced my voice to remain even, not letting the rage that was coursing through me erupt. “You mean the home you’ve been to twice in the past ten years? And the woman who has taken care of Harriet from the moment she received her diagnosis. The one who cooked for her, arranged for the house to be taken care of, took Harriet to doctors’ appointments, and made sure that she never, not once, felt alone. That woman?”

“She’s a con artist. Just like her mother,” Annabelle retorted.

I started to speak, but Grant cut me off, his jaw hard. “You don’t know what that woman has put my family through already. She paints a pretty sob story, but she’s a manipulative shark underneath it all. Kenna pulled the wool over my grandmother’s eyes, and she’s doing the same to you. Ask around the island. See what she’s really like. What her mother is like. Then you’ll start to see the truth.”

“This meeting is over.” Clark rose from his seat, motioning for Annabelle and Grant to do the same. “You’ll be hearing from me.”

I sank back into my chair as I watched the miserable crew exit my office. They were going to be more than a headache.

* * *

“You look a little worse for wear. Late night last night?”

I tried to force a grin at Ford as I slid onto a stool at The Catch, but it came out as more of a grimace. “I wish. More like the day from hell.” I’d spent the last couple of hours making sure all the paperwork was in place in case the Abbots did something stupid, like try to contest the will. I’d thought of calling Kenna, warning her what might be on the horizon, but she was already dealing with so much. I didn’t want to add more weight to her shoulders until I knew just what we were up against.

Ford glanced around the bar, making sure no one was paying special attention to our conversation. “Bell’s dad called her. He let her know there might be trouble for Kenna. Did Harriet really leave her The Gables?”

“Kenna didn’t tell Bell?” I figured Kenna’s first call when she walked out of my office would’ve been to Bell and Caelyn. Those girls were like her other limbs.

Ford grabbed a pint glass and began filling it with Guinness. “Nope. Bell tore out of here like the hounds of hell were on her heels, so I’m guessing they’re having a meeting of the minds now.”

That was good. Kenna needed all the support she could get right now. But I hated the idea of her hiding her pain and her fear from the people who loved her the most. Shoving that stuff down only led to bad things down the road.

Ford handed me the beer. “You want a meal, or are you gonna drink your dinner?”

I chuckled. “Thanks. I’d better put something in my stomach. How about the Reuben?”

“Coming right up.” Ford called over to Darlene, one of the waitresses, to put the order in. “So…” Ford met my gaze with an assessing one. “You think the Abbots are going to make trouble?”

I took a healthy swig of my drink. “After spending a total of thirty minutes with them, I’d say it’s likely.”

Ford muttered a curse. “It was always crazy to me that the three of them were related to Harriet. They always thought they were so much better than everyone else.”

“It’s that entitlement thing. They think the world owes them something.”

“Not just something. They think the world owes them everything.”

My beer turned sour in my gut. Ford was right. The Abbots weren’t going to settle for the millions of dollars Harriet had left to them. They wouldn’t rest until they had every last penny.

Ford began pouring two more beers. “Kenna know they’re gonna be gunning for her?”

“I don’t think she’s put those pieces together yet.” I had the sudden urge to go to her, to do whatever it took to shield her from the storm that was about to rain down on her. Harriet had only wanted to care for the woman who had loved her so well. And now there would be a whole lot of heartache before there was healing.

“Just let me know how we can help. You know Bell and I will do whatever we can.”

I knew they would. As much as Kenna refused to see it, she wasn’t alone. People cared for her and had her back. No matter what.

9

Kenna

Pounding sounded on my door. I stayed curled up in my spot on the couch and just stared at the slab of wood. I wanted to be alone. Trying to keep up the façade of having everything together when, really, I was falling apart was exhausting. The banging picked up again. Whoever was knocking was strong enough to make the door shake.

“Kenna Morgan, you have to the count of ten to open this door before I come in whether you like it or not,” Bell called. I didn’t move. “You know I have a key.”

I groaned and pushed to my feet, padding over to the door and pulling it open. “Hey, Bell.”

She pushed right by me. “Why didn’t you call me?”

My brow furrowed as I shut and locked the door. “Was I supposed to?”

“Yes. When something crazy turns your world upside down, you are supposed to call your best friends so we can be here for you.”

I scowled at the floor. Crosby. Always nosing around in things that weren’t his business. “Crosby told you.”

“No, actually, my dad did. But he thought I already knew.”

“Your dad?”

A little of the bluster went out of Bell’s stance. “He gave Harriet a checkup right before she rewrote her will so that if it was ever challenged, they’d have someone’s testimony about her state of mind.”

I blinked back at Bell, my eyes fluttering rapidly as pieces fell into place, each one uglier than the last. “The Abbots are going to fight this.”

Bell edged closer to me, started to reach out, but I stepped out of her path. Bell sighed. “Crosby thinks they might.”

Crossing to the couch, I sank down onto it and pulled my blanket over myself. “Maybe I should just let them have it.” I didn’t have it in me to engage in a battle with the Abbot family. Their cruelty was unparalleled when something threatened whatever it was they wanted.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Bell’s hands went to her hips. “Where is the fighter I know and love? The woman who has worked harder than anyone I know to build a life she can be proud of? The one who would do anything to protect Harriet’s legacy?”

It was the last question that had my spine stiffening. The threads of Harriet’s letter spun in my mind. Bring life and love back to its halls. The Abbots certainly wouldn’t do that. They’d only bring bickering and bitterness until they sold The Gables to the highest bidder. But if I fought them…it would be ugly. And that ugliness would bring back so many memories. Ones I’d stuffed away and hoped would never see the light of day.

“I know you’re right. I just…I’m not sure I can deal with them again.”

Bell sank down on the opposite end of my couch. “I know they put you through hell before. But you’re not the girl you were at eighteen. And you’re not going to fight them alone.”

“I know.” I tried to take her words in, to rest in them, to trust them. But I couldn’t seem to do it fully. It was as if they were made of sand, slipping easily through my fingers.

She eyed me carefully. “How are you holding up?”

I gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I’m honestly not sure.” Raw pain seemed to infiltrate every part of me, punctuated by brief punches of equally excruciating joy. Harriet had loved me enough to leave me her home, the most precious thing in her possession. But she wasn’t here to enjoy it with me. “I didn’t know feeling loved could hurt this much.”

Bell grabbed my blanket-covered foot, squeezing it. “I know this might not be a comfort, but the depth of the pain is a measure of how deeply you loved each other. How much you impacted each other’s lives.”

“It doesn’t make it any easier.”

“No, it doesn’t. It’s going to take a long time to heal. And you’re going to walk with a limp while you’re doing it. But you will get through this.”

I met Bell’s eyes—so much wisdom and understanding and empathy swirled in them. She knew. She was a part of the club that no one joined voluntarily. The one that meant you’d lost someone who was a part of your soul. “The world feels fuzzy. Like I’ve been on one of those tilt-a-whirls that Caelyn made us go on at the fair for too long.”

“It’s shock. It’ll pass. And you’ll start to feel steady on your feet again. I promise.”

I nodded. The action was a bit wooden, but I knew Bell was right. I’d been through worse and had made it to the other side. And those trials had only made me stronger, tougher. “You’re right. I will.”

Bell dropped my foot and gave it a smack. “Damn straight. Now…why didn’t you call me when you got out of your meeting with Crosby?”

I glanced out the side windows of my guest cottage, the ones that looked out over the waves that crashed onto the shore. “I just needed to sort out my head on my own.” I loved Bell and Caelyn, knew they’d be here for me whenever they could, but they were also building their own lives and families. I didn’t want to be a burden to them. I needed to stand on my own two feet. To prove to myself that I could. But I didn’t know how to explain that to Bell without hurting her feelings.

“I get needing time to figure out what you’re feeling, but don’t shut us out. Caelyn and I are your family. We always will be. You can lean on us.”

Emotions, thick and swirling, gathered at the back of my throat. I knew that Bell believed that in her heart. But soon, she and Ford would be getting married, having babies. I wouldn’t be her priority anymore, and that’s how it should be. “I love you too, Bell.”

Her eyes narrowed on me. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

I smiled. She knew me too well. “Fine. I guess I’ll just have to suffer through having you around.”

Bell picked up one of the throw pillows and smacked me with it. “You should be honored that I’d deign to grace you with my presence.”

I held up both hands. “Apologies, Your Majesty.”

“That’s better.” She studied me for a moment. “Has Henry been by to check on you?”

I winced. He’d called after hearing of Harriet’s passing, wondering why I hadn’t let him know what had happened. He sent flowers, wanted to come and see me. “I told him I needed some space. That we should stop seeing each other, at least for right now.”

Bell stilled. “You’re pushing everyone away.”

“I’m not. But I’m not like you and Caelyn. You are fine sharing your emotions with the world. That’ll never be me.” My pain would always be a private thing. Visions of my mother drunk, crying and yelling outside The Gables about how Harriet had stolen her child flashed in my mind. I would never be that.

Bell squeezed my blanket-covered ankle. “You’re allowed to process however you need to. Just don’t hide from the people who love you.”

“I won’t. I promise.” I did my best to force a smile. “But if you’re going to stick around, then the least you can do is feed me.”

Bell grinned. “Firehouse Pizza?” I opened my mouth to argue, but she held up a hand. “I know it’s not your junk food day, but come on, today has thrown you for a loop. I think you’ve earned some pineapple and pepperoni.”

“You’ve got a point.” I’d just add an extra two miles to my run tomorrow to make up for it. “Fine, go fetch me some pizza, woman.”

Bell laughed and pushed to her feet. “I’m picking up Caelyn, too. Want anything for dessert?”

“No, I’m good.” I watched her cross to the door, but just before she reached it, I spoke. “Bell?” She turned, her eyes searching my face. I didn’t look away. I let her see everything I was feeling in that moment. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, sister.”

I stayed curled up on the couch, losing myself in watching the waves crash onto the rocky beach. They were ever-changing but incredibly constant at the same time. I wanted to be like those swells, continuing to come back to shore no matter what life threw at me.

A knock sounded. I pushed to my feet. “That was quick,” I said, pulling open the front door. My heart spasmed in my chest, halting altogether for the briefest of moments before stuttering and tripping back to life. “Grant.”

“Hey, Kenna.”

Two words. That was all it took for my carefully bottled emotions to come crashing out, for the memories, the most painful ones, to sink in their claws.

A vicious twinge in my belly woke me from a dead sleep. My eyes blinked open, focusing on the glow-in-the-dark stars Caelyn had dotted all over our dorm room ceiling. My stomach contracted again, and I froze.

Something was wrong. So very wrong. That feeling wasn’t something I was supposed to be experiencing. I pushed up in bed, and as I moved, I felt a sticky wetness between my thighs.

I fumbled for the light on my nightstand, grasping for the switch several times before I got it. Bell mumbled something in the background, but I couldn’t make out the words past the roaring in my ears. I flipped back the covers and screamed.

Blood. There was so much blood. Bell and Caelyn were by my side in an instant.

“Oh, God, Kenna.” Caelyn grasped my hand. “What’s happening?”

“I-I don’t know. It hurts.” But I did know. Deep in my soul, I knew that I was losing my girl. My little bean.

“We need to get her to the hospital, right now.” Bell moved through our dorm room, gathering shoes and a purse.

“Maybe we should call an ambulance.”

“No!” My hand jerked in Caelyn’s. “No, I just want to go. I don’t want to wait.”

Caelyn brushed back the hair that was damp and sticking to my forehead. “Okay, we’ll get you there. Everything’s going to be okay.”

But everything hadn’t been okay. There’d been more blood and pain, and finally, emergency surgery where my heart stopped on the operating table. My little girl was gone, and I’d been left in wreckage, broken pieces that would never fit together perfectly again.

I blinked rapidly, Grant’s face coming back into focus again. He was different, his jaw sharper, more angular. And yet he looked the same, that familiar swoop of blond hair falling into his eyes. “What are you doing here?” Ice coated my tone, a frigidity born of loss and pain and betrayal.

I saw a flicker of surprise in Grant’s expression. I wasn’t the same girl he’d left behind, no longer naïve and blindly hopeful. Life had hardened me, and I was glad for the shell it had given me now.

He smiled. That was mostly the same too, though it was a bit slicker, more practiced. “I can’t stop by my family home? I wanted to see the estate, remember my grandmother.”

“It would’ve been nice if you remembered her while she was still alive.”

A hardness slipped into Grant’s eyes. “I wasn’t sure I would be welcome.”

The assessment was fair enough. He’d been back once since he left for Boston that summer so long ago. He and his parents had come to visit a few weeks after Harriet had been diagnosed with heart disease. I’d stayed with Caelyn and the kids for the few days they were on the island. I went to work, and that was it, not wanting to risk running into any member of the immediate Abbot clan.

“And whose fault would that be?”

Grant’s expression softened, but everything about it was false, practiced. “I was a kid. You can’t exactly blame me for not being ready to be a dad.”

I hadn’t blamed Grant for being scared. Hell, I’d been terrified. But I could blame him for everything that followed. Legal paperwork demanding a paternity test. A cease and desist letter accusing me of slander. But the worst were the words I’d overheard when Harriet had called Grant and his parents from my hospital room in Seattle. She’d thought I’d been asleep and hadn’t wanted to leave me. But even over the beeping of machines, I could hear Grant’s response clear as day on the other end of the line. “Serves her right for lying about me.”

The words rang over and over in my head. Serves her right. How could anyone be that cruel? To wish that kind of pain on another human being. Tearing. That was the only word that could describe it. There had been a bone-deep tearing sensation in my womb, where my baby had been ripped away. Worse, there had been a soul-deep tearing sensation in my chest, where my heart was, where it would never be the same again. But I wore those scars proudly. They were warrior marks, evidence of the battle I’d fought for my daughter. I might have lost, but I’d never stopped fighting.

“Get out.”

“Excuse me?”

The flustered expression on Grant’s face almost made me laugh. Only he would have the amount of arrogance required to think he could rip someone’s world apart and believe he would still be welcome when he returned. I kept my voice even. “You heard me. Get out. You’re on private property, and you need to leave.”

Grant’s lip quivered, and I knew he was fighting a sneer, that same twist of lips that always appeared when someone didn’t do as he wanted. “This is our family home. It’s belonged to the Abbot bloodline for almost as long as this island has existed. If you think this last-minute will is going to stand up in court, you are sorely mistaken.”

I met Grant’s gaze but didn’t say a word. He wouldn’t get an outburst out of me. He didn’t deserve even one single flicker of emotion.

Heat rose to Grant’s cheeks at my dismissal. “I was trying to be kind about this. My parents want to generously offer you one hundred grand if you sign over The Gables.”

I gave a snort of amusement. I couldn’t help it. The Gables would sell for at least five million, more if a petition for rezoning went through. I said nothing, just kept meeting Grant’s gaze.

A muscle in his cheek fluttered. “Here’s my card. Call me when you’ve reconsidered. One hundred thousand dollars is a hell of a lot more than nothing. And it could go a long way for someone like you.”

He extended the card. Even at a distance, I could tell the paper was thick, the letters and numbers embossed into the cardstock. I didn’t take it. Grant let it slip from his fingers, and it landed on the threshold. “You’re going to want to pick that up.”

My muscles tightened as I watched Grant turn and walk away. I stood stock-still as he climbed into his sports car and drove off. I didn’t move even an inch until the vehicle disappeared from sight. Until the threat was well and truly gone.

I didn’t bend to pick up the card, I simply shut the door over it and flipped the lock. But my hands trembled with every movement.

10

Kenna

I slid the hair straightener over that one troublesome spot. The mahogany lock that always seemed to want to spring back into a curl. Steam rose, and finally, it lay flat. Every strand in place.

Put together. Perfect. That was my armor. I knew it wasn’t the most balanced reaction to life, but it was better than using alcohol to numb the pain the way my mother had, or running away from my problems the way— No. I wouldn’t even think his name. He didn’t deserve space in my head.

But that hadn’t stopped Grant from traipsing around in my mind for the past few days as if he had every right to be there. I leaned closer to the mirror, tilting my head so I could check to see if the dark circles under my eyes were thoroughly disguised. Dark blue patches from three nights of barely sleeping. My brain had been running away with itself, on a track that cycled in a spiral, revisiting all the things I never wanted to think about, and always coming back to its starting position, never making any real progress. When sleep did find me, it was quickly interrupted by dreams that always turned into nightmares.

I blinked rapidly, clearing the image in the mirror. I reached down and plucked up a pearl stud, slipping it into one ear and fastening the back. I repeated the process on the other side. My fingers halted on the beautiful, flawless surface. My Harriet pearls. I’d watched her get ready for years and always loved it when she donned these. They were classic, timeless, and seemed so very elegant.

When I graduated from college, Harriet had given them to me. I didn’t cry often, but I’d burst into tears right in the hotel suite. She had known me so well. Gifts with a story always meant the most.

I inhaled deeply, my breath stuttering as it moved. I would face today, my head held high, for Harriet. I would pretend that Grant, Clark, and Annabelle weren’t even there. I locked eyes with my reflection and made a vow to never once let my armor slip.

A knock sounded on the door, breaking my trance. I quickly grabbed my purse and slipped on my black wedge heels. I flicked off light switches as I moved from room to room, this place that had become my sanctuary. It called me to stay—safe within its walls. But I couldn’t.

I tugged open the door, and Bell immediately pulled me into a hug. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I gave her a quick squeeze and then straightened. “They don’t get to steal this moment from me. They don’t get to ruin it with their hate. I’m going to say goodbye to Harriet.”

The Abbot family hadn’t even bothered to let me know when they’d scheduled the memorial. The pastor of Harriet’s church had informed me. They would’ve put Harriet to rest, not even giving a second thought to the fact that I wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye.

“That’s my girl.” Bell bumped my shoulder with hers. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Ford was waiting at the front of his SUV. As we approached, he stepped forward, wrapping me in a gentle hug. I don’t think I’d ever hugged him before. I’d known the man for almost my entire life, and he’d never wrapped his arms around me. The tenderness of the gesture almost broke me.

“I’m so sorry. We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”

I swallowed back the swirling ball of emotions gathering in my throat. “Thank you.”

The ride to the cemetery was mostly silent. Ford took pity on me and flipped on the radio, letting the soft music cut into some of the awkwardness. I’d known these two forever. Bell had seen me through all of my highs and lows for twenty-some years. So why did I feel as if I wanted to crawl out of my skin?

Ford pulled into a spot at the back of the lot. Caelyn and her siblings, Will, Ava, and Mia, were waiting near their SUV. As soon as I stepped out of the vehicle, Mia flew towards me. When she was a foot away, she launched herself at me. I caught her mid-jump and swung her into my arms, the move startling a laugh out of me on a day when I’d thought a smile would be too much of a struggle.

Mia pressed her face to my chest. “Kenna-Benna. I’ve missed you.”

Guilt lit through me. I usually saw the kids a few times a week, trying to help lighten Caelyn’s load as much as I could. But over the past few weeks, I hadn’t been by as much as I should’ve been. I hadn’t been sure I could keep it together. “Sorry, Mi. How about I come for a sleepover next weekend?”

Her little head snapped up. “Bells, too?”

“Me, too.” Bell stepped in and rubbed a hand up and down Mia’s back. “You gotta tell us what you want from The Mad Baker.”

“Rainbow sprinkle cake.”

I stifled a laugh. As if there were any other answer from my sweet Mia. “That we can do.”

Caelyn moved in close, giving my arm a squeeze. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”

“Just where I like to be.” I smiled at Ava and Will. “Hey, guys, how are you?”

“Good.” The single word Ava spoke was barely audible.

Will straightened, his teenage face looking so grown up in that moment. He and Caelyn both had endured way more than they should’ve had to, at way too young an age. “I’m sorry about Miss Harriet. She was a great lady.”

“She really was. Thanks, Will.”

He ducked his head and placed a hand on Ava’s shoulder. “Should we go?”

Ford glanced at his watch. “It’s almost time.”

Mia squirmed, and I gently set her down, her small hand slipping into mine. The pang that sliced through my heart wasn’t as strong as it had once been. When Bell and I returned from college to help Caelyn with her siblings, time with Mia and Ava had burned. Every giggle. Every first. It all reminded me of the things I’d never have with my little girl. But each day, it got a little easier. And now, the twinges barely registered.

We made our way across the parking lot, cars growing more tightly packed as we went. Heavier footsteps sounded as someone fell into step beside me. “How are you holding up, Brown Eyes?”

I kept my gaze straight ahead, would’ve picked up my pace if I weren’t holding Mia’s hand. “I’m fine.”

“You know,” he drawled, “I’ve always hated that word.”

Mia giggled. “Why?”

He tilted his head down, giving Mia a grin. “People use it when they don’t mean it.”

Mia’s gaze jumped to me. “You’re not fine? What’s wrong?”

I bit back a curse and scowled at Crosby. “Don’t listen to him. Crosby doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Maybe we should get him a dictionary so he can finally master the English language.”

Mia hesitated for a moment as if she weren’t sure who to believe, then she smiled. “A dictionary would be a really boring gift.”

I grinned. “Then let’s get him one for his birthday.”

“Yes, let’s! I’m gonna go tell Cae Cae.”

Mia darted off for Caelyn, and my scowl returned. I pointed it right at Crosby. “You need to watch your words around little ears. Mia’s sensitive. She picks up on everything.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I’ll be more careful next time.”

I blinked in surprise. No smart-ass retort, no biting remark. Crosby actually looked…worried. Guilty. Before I could think better of it, I reached out a hand and placed it on his forearm. The fabric of his suit was luxurious and so incredibly soft. “She’s fine. I promise.”

Crosby nodded, his eyes drifting down to where my hand lay. I snatched it back.

“Are you going to be okay with the Abbots being here?” he asked.

I straightened my spine. “I’ll be fine. This isn’t about them. It’s about Harriet. Remembering her. Honoring her.” I refused to let any other member of this family ruin today.

“A lot of people have your back, Kenna.”

His words branded me. A painful belonging. Claiming. I wanted so badly to lean in to them, but I just couldn’t. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but it doesn’t hurt to have people who want to help, to support you.”

I brushed my hair out of my eyes, surveying the crowd that was gathering on the hillside. “No, it doesn’t.”

Crosby stepped in closer to me as we walked, the warmth of his body seeming to seep into mine. “Then you won’t mind if I stick close.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but, damn, the man had trapped me. And I simply didn’t have the energy to battle with him today. I’d need every last ounce of energy I had to make it through these next few hours. To hold my mask in place and keep the cap on my emotional well firmly affixed. “Do whatever you want.”

Crosby leaned in, his lips just barely grazing the shell of my ear. “I love it when women tell me that.”

I brought my elbow up and back in one swift movement. Crosby let out a muffled grunt. “Keep your lips and other body parts to yourself.”

“You say that now…”

I shook my head and kept right on walking, but I couldn’t help the twitch of my lips.

* * *

“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He look kindly on you and give you peace. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

The minister’s words filtered through the air, his well wishes and a prayer for the mourners before we departed. I couldn’t look at him, I could only stare at the coffin. My hands itched, my muscles strung so tightly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if one snapped. I wanted to throw myself at the foot of the coffin, to hold on to the brass rail and refuse to let Harriet go. Because when they lowered her into the ground, Harriet would truly be gone. There was no coming back.

People began moving around me, headed towards the church for the reception. I wasn’t sure I could make myself turn away.

Warmth pressed into my side. “Do you want to go?”

Bell’s voice was gentle, but I hated the tone. It was one that said she was worried I would break. I said nothing, just kept staring at the glossy wood before me. I could make out the reflection of the sun and clouds in the lid. It was one of those perfect weather days, the ones Harriet lived for.

A hand slipped into mine. Caelyn. “We’re here. Whatever you want to do.”

“Excuse me.” The shrill voice had my head snapping up. The timbre of Annabelle’s voice had always held an edge of meanness, but I’d overlooked and excused it. The truth was, she was a miserable and cruel woman.

I met her gaze, no longer a scared little girl she could push around. “Can I help you?”

Pink tinged Annabelle’s cheeks. “We are about to do the burial. That is family only. You need to leave.”

Caelyn sucked in a sharp breath, and Bell muttered a curse. I didn’t look away from the woman in front of me. The one with evil in her eyes. “You must have an incredibly sad life.”

“Excuse me?” The pink in Annabelle’s cheeks turned to red and spread down her neck.

“Mother, why don’t you go see if the minister needs anything.” Grant steered Annabelle towards Pastor Andrews before turning back to me. “My family is in mourning. The last thing my mother needs is you being cruel.”

Bell let out a scoff. “Please, that woman has ice running through her veins.”

Grant’s jaw worked back and forth. “I can see the company you keep hasn’t improved.”

I wasn’t going to give him the pleasure of a scene. I refused. Every word I gave him, every hint of emotion, was just one more piece he’d have of me. And Grant didn’t deserve a single one. I turned to my friends. “Ladies, how about some ice cream cake? Two scoops cookies and cream on the beach?”

Bell grinned. “That sounds like the perfect way to celebrate Harriet. She hated all this stuffy formal event crud anyway.”

I chuckled, and it felt so damn good. “Let’s go.”

Grant’s mouth opened and closed like a fish’s, so unused to being dismissed. I turned on my heel and started across the cemetery towards the parking lot, where the rest of our crew waited.

Bell and Caelyn hurried to catch up, Caelyn slipping her arm through mine. “I really want to castrate him with a rusty spork.”

We all dissolved into laughter, the kind that had tears streaming down our faces and our bellies aching. The type that would make Harriet smile if she could see us, even if it was at the expense of her grandson’s balls.

11

Crosby

“Has Bell seen much of Kenna lately?” I did my best to throw the question out casually, but from the look Ford gave me, I wasn’t very successful. I might never be an Oscar-winning actor, but it didn’t matter at the end of the day. I was worried.

After the funeral, we’d gone to The Gables, to the beach that was Harriet’s favorite, and we’d had ice cream cake. The kids had changed into swimsuits and played in the waves. We’d shared our favorite stories about Harriet—the funny and the heartfelt. It was just the kind of celebration Harriet would’ve loved.

But in the two weeks that followed, Kenna had gone radio silent. I hadn’t seen her at The Catch or The General Store, where Caelyn worked most days. I hadn’t seen her in town or at her usual swimming spot.

Ford wiped down the bar top but kept one eye on me. “She’s been keeping a pretty low profile. I think she wants to avoid any potential run-ins with the Abbot clan.”

I muttered a curse. Much to my dismay, Clark, Annabelle, and Grant were still on Anchor, taking up a few suites at The Cove. They hadn’t been in touch about the will since our first meeting, but the fact that they were still here did not spell good things.

“Why do they dislike Kenna so much? You’d think they’d be grateful that someone was looking after Harriet all of these years so they didn’t have to come back.” I’d only picked up bits and pieces of the family’s history when it came to Kenna. As open as Harriet was about most things, she was mostly tight-lipped when it came to this. And God knew Kenna wasn’t sharing anything I didn’t pry out of her.

Ford’s movements stilled. “I don’t know the whole story. I just know that none of them treated her well. I think there are a lot of scars there.”

I felt a twisting sensation low in my gut. Ford was holding something back. But I wouldn’t push. The things he knew were likely courtesy of his fiancée, and I didn’t want to make him break that confidence.

“I hate that anyone’s hurt her.” The words were out before I could think better of them. Before I could consider what they might mean. There was just something about Kenna that drew me to her. It was a broken strength. Something that said she’d been through hell and had come out the other side stronger and fiercer than ever.

Ford tossed the rag he was using into a bucket on the floor. “She hasn’t had an easy life. None of those girls have. I think that’s why their bond is so tight. The people in their lives that they should’ve been able to count on were never there the way they should’ve been, so they counted on each other.”

I was glad that Kenna had Bell and Caelyn, that they had one another. Still, the anger simmering in my blood at Kenna’s mother and the Abbots wasn’t cooled by that knowledge. The pain she’d endured, whatever it was, had left a nearly impenetrable shell in its wake.

I pushed to my feet, sliding my wallet out of my back pocket and pulling out a twenty. “Thanks for the meal. Tell Bell I said hi.”

“Will do. You want to hit up some rock climbing this weekend?”

I grinned. I’d gotten Ford hooked on the sport, and we went out a few times a month now. “Just name the time.”

“Sounds good. I’ll shoot you a text.”

I gave Ford a chin jerk and headed out. The dusky twilight of early fall meant I barely needed my headlights to navigate the winding island roads. The air was still tonight. No sea wind shaking the trees. I rolled down my windows, hoping the scent of the salt air would calm the twitchiness running through my limbs.

It didn’t help the way it usually did. I gripped the wheel harder, my hands making the leather squeak. Instead of heading up the mountain toward the bluffs, I turned left in the direction of the sea and The Gables.

Paved roads turned to gravel, and I soon caught sight of the grand main house and its miniaturized counterpart. I pulled to a stop outside the guest house. Before I could think too hard about what I was doing, I hopped out of my truck.

I didn’t bother beeping the locks, just strode up the front walk and gave three quick knocks. I held my breath as I waited, straining to hear any sound within. Just as I was about to rap again, I heard soft footfalls coming from the other side of the door. The lock flipped, and the door swung open.

The light from the lanterns that hung on either side of the door hit Kenna in a way that made her look like an oil painting. Her hair was fixed in a low bun at the nape of her neck. Her skin, smooth and free of makeup, seemed to gleam in the low light. But her eyes… They told the truth. They were dull with none of their usual spark, and they were ringed in dark circles.

She gripped the door frame. “Crosby.”

There was no welcoming note in her tone. “Hey, Brown Eyes.” I hoped for a flicker of annoyance in those amber depths, but there was nothing.

She sighed. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on you.” The words sounded bizarre to my ears. I wasn’t her confidante. I wasn’t even sure she’d classify me as a friend. I was more of an annoying acquaintance.

“Why?” The question was devoid of emotion. Even the word sounded exhausted.

“I don’t know. Just bored, I guess.”

Kenna’s eyes gave a hint of something, just a flicker. “I’m not here for your amusement. Go away.”

“Don’t be like that. Invite me in. We can play Scrabble.”

Her lips pressed into a firm line. “I think my idea of Scrabble and yours are quite different.”

I grinned. Now we were getting somewhere. A little poke here or there, and I might just get some life back into those eyes. “Dirty words are always allowed when I play. Think you can handle that?”

Kenna rolled her eyes. “Why are you so juvenile? I will never understand what Harriet saw in you—”

The spark that lit her eyes finally did it. The damn thing just pulled me right in, and before I could think better of it, my lips met Kenna’s. I stole the second half of her sentence and swallowed it whole, my hand slipping under the bun at the base of her neck and tangling in the loose strands.

Kenna’s lips, soft and warm, parted on a gasp, and my tongue slipped inside. Her taste would forever be burned into my memory. The mint of toothpaste and something…more. Something I wouldn’t have the words to describe even if I were the world’s best poet.

The buzz of my phone in my back pocket had me jerking back. Kenna blinked rapidly as if trying to clear her vision. The knot her hair had been wrapped in had come partially undone, and her cheeks were a shade of pink I’d never seen on her before.

“Shit. I’m so sorry. That’s not—I didn’t come over here to maul you.” I quickly pulled out my phone, wanting to make sure it wasn’t Zoe calling. I scowled at Alicia’s name and shoved the phone back into my pocket. “I really did just want to make sure you were al—”

Kenna cut off my words when she grabbed me by the back of the neck and brought my mouth to hers. She took with abandon, drinking me in. I gave her everything I had until another buzz from my pocket broke the trance yet again.

“Kenna.” I placed my hands on her shoulders. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

She looked up at me, her eyes just a little wild. “I need to feel something. Anything but this numbness.” I couldn’t handle the pain that called out from those wild orbs. But it was her final word that undid me. “Please.”

I brushed the hair that had fallen free from her bun away from her face. “I can make you feel.”

12

Kenna

My hands had fisted in Crosby’s shirt, evidence of my desperation. I should’ve been embarrassed, mortified, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The only thing I cared about was holding on to that flicker of feeling that had sparked in me when Crosby’s lips met mine. That spark seemed to drown out all of the nothingness I’d been feeling for the past two weeks.

I should’ve been relieved at the numbness. I wasn’t at risk for letting emotion swallow me whole, for being like my mother, for scaring others away. But instead of relishing the numbness, it terrified me. And I would’ve given anything to just feel.

Crosby backed me up, his broad body making its way into my home, pressing against me. I wanted to feel every inch of it. I wanted him to pin me to the bed and not let me up for hours. The hunger flashing through my veins was different from anything I’d ever felt before.

“Bedroom?” Crosby’s voice was deeper somehow, gruffer, and the tone skittered across my skin in the most enticing way. I inclined my head to the left. He paused in his crowding of me, eyes locking with mine. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.” There was a faint tremble in my voice, but whatever Crosby was looking for, he seemed to find because I was swept off my feet in an instant. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as his lips met mine again.

We lost ourselves in the kiss, tongues tangling, teeth nipping lips. Crosby cursed as he ran into a wall, and I burst out laughing. “I missed hearing that sound.”

I stilled as Crosby entered my bedroom. “What sound?”

“Your laugh. The real one.”

Crosby slowly lowered me to the floor, a delicious friction skimming my nerve-endings as he did so. “My real one?” The question was embarrassingly breathless.

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You have your polite laugh. The one you give the world most of the time. But there’s this other one. It mostly comes out around Bell or Caelyn, the kids sometimes. It’s raw and real. You aren’t afraid of being too loud or worried about who’s around. I love that laugh.”

I fought the urge to squirm in front of this man who clearly saw too much. Maybe this was a bad idea. Crosby’s hands skimmed down my neck, dusting over my shoulders. His fingers swept across my nipples, circling them as they peaked and pressed into the thin fabric of my tank top. It might be a bad idea, but I was going to enjoy every second of it.

My hands went to Crosby’s jeans, fingers struggling to get the button free. Crosby tugged his t-shirt over his head in one of those smooth moves I’d only seen in carefully choreographed movie scenes. My hands stilled when his jeans came unbuttoned. “Do you have a condom?” I was on the pill, but I didn’t take chances. Not anymore.

Crosby slipped his wallet from his back pocket and tugged a condom from the fold. I laughed, but it sounded a little manic. “Just like high school, right? I hope that thing didn’t expire a decade ago.”

His lips twitched. “I’m always prepared.”

“A true Boy Scout.”

“Kenna?”

“Yes?”

“How about we have less being a smartass and more touching?”

I raised a brow. “I’m great at multitasking. I’m sure I can handle both.” My hand slipped into the band of his black boxer briefs and wrapped around his shaft.

Crosby bit out a curse. “I stand corrected.”

I grinned. “I like a man who can admit when he’s wrong.” I gave him a few lazy strokes, relishing the feel of smooth skin wrapped around the hardness beneath.

“I’m wrong. So wrong, I’ll never be right. Just as long as you keep doing that.”

I chuckled. “I think we can come up with something a little better.”

Crosby’s eyes flared. In a split-second, my hand was released, and I was airborne, flying back and landing in an undignified sprawl on the mattress. “Damn straight.”

A giggle erupted out of my mouth as I bounced. I didn’t giggle. It was girlie and naïve, but I couldn’t lie and say the sound hadn’t just escaped me. I pressed my lips together to keep another from escaping.

Crosby’s lips twitched as he stared down at me. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul that under that graceful and dignified shell is a woman who giggles.” I scowled at him, and he burst out laughing.

I went to sit up, but he was on me in a flash, lips skimming over my neck and up to just below my ear. “Oh, no, you’re not running away from this.”

I fought to keep my breathing under control. “Then stop laughing and get to work.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Crosby slipped the straps of my tank top off my shoulders, the glide of his fingertips lighting a path of sensation across my skin. He pulled the fabric down, exposing my breasts to the air, then my navel. He grasped the band of my sleep shorts and panties and tugged them free. Then he froze. I had the sudden urge to squirm. “You are so damn gorgeous.”

Heat hit my cheeks. Giggling and now blushing. It was as if I were drunk on the hormones in the air. I hooked my toes in the pockets of Crosby’s jeans that sat loosely on his hips. “Off.”

He grinned. “I live to serve.” In a flash, he was bare to me. I watched in fascination as he rolled the condom over himself. I’d always thought that action to be clumsy, awkward, but Crosby somehow made it sexy. The movement was smooth, self-assured, and my lower belly clenched with want.

He stepped forward, letting his fingers trail up my inner thighs, lighting nerve endings that all seemed to culminate at my core. A single finger trailed up my center.

“Crosby.” It was part reprimand, part plea.

“You want something, Brown Eyes?” He kept stroking, teasing. He seemed to be in no hurry. Yet no touch glanced over that bundle of nerves that would take me where I wanted to go.

“Stop messing around.”

Crosby chuckled. “I could do this all night. The feel of you, so smooth on my fingers. I like playing with you.”

I let out what almost sounded like a growl and circled my legs around his waist, trying to urge him forward. He grinned, leaning over me, his lips a breath away from mine, his tip bumping against my entrance. “Are you ready to feel?”

“Yes.” The word came out before I could even think about the wisdom of it. In one long stroke, he entered me.

My eyes watered at the feeling of fullness, of experiencing something other than the numbness that seemed to have invaded every cell of my being since Harriet’s funeral. “More.” This time, my word was a plea, a demand.

Crosby began moving, slowly at first and then picking up speed. Each glide drove me just a little bit higher, had me reaching for more—the pleasure, the bite of pain, anything that told me I was alive.

My hips rose to meet his, an instinctive dance that would only be ours. A rhythm unique to our bodies and our pleasure. With the smallest shift in our angles, Crosby was suddenly deeper. I felt him everywhere. Each time he hit that spot, sparks ricocheted throughout my body.

“Get there with me, Kenna.”

My name emerged in a growl from his mouth and drove me even higher. My muscles tightened and bunched as Crosby thrust. I strained and searched, calling for the thing I wanted most. A rough thumb stroked across the bundle of nerves at the apex of my thighs. One single motion, scant millimeters of movement, and my world broke apart.

Nothing but sensation surrounded me. I wanted to live in this place forever and never leave. To always know how alive I could be.

Crosby arched, letting out a guttural sound as he came. He collapsed on the bed, rolling us so that I was on top of him. Our breathing matched as we gulped in air. My body still buzzed and tingled as if it were just regaining feeling after being frozen for hours. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to lose the moment.

Crosby’s heart beat against my cheek as he trailed fingers up and down my spine. “I knew you were hiding a hellcat under that smooth, composed surface.”

I froze. Muscles tensing and breath catching. Hellcat. What had I just done? I’d basically begged Crosby to have sex with me. Demanded that he hurry up with the job. What was wrong with me?

“Kenna? Are you okay?” There was nothing but concern in Crosby’s voice as he brushed damp hair away from my face. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

I shook my head.

“What is it?”

“That—that wasn’t me. I don’t—I’m not.”

The smile that split Crosby’s face made me want to punch him. “You’re allowed to do something that doesn’t fall into your ten-year plan. Live a little. You’d be surprised how fun life can be.”

I glowered at Crosby, pushing up and off him, ignoring the wince that wanted to surface at the loss of him. Crosby cursed.

“I live plenty. I like my life just the way it is. And part of that existence does not include sex with random men.”

Crosby sat up, a hint of anger flashing across his handsome features. “I’m not some random person. We’ve known each other for years. And there has always been something between us, a chemistry that burned below the surface. You’ve just been too scared to admit it. To face it.”

I bristled. “I am not scared. Not of you. Not of anything.” It was all lies. I was afraid all the time. Petrified. But I wasn’t going to let this man see it. No one got that piece of me.

“Oh, no?”

“No. In fact, I think we should keep doing this.”

Crosby froze. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. “Doing what, exactly?”

“Having sex.” I did my best to keep my face neutral, but inside, I was screaming, what are you thinking? “Like you said, we obviously have good chemistry, why not keep this going? I’m not scared. Are you?”

Crosby grinned. “I’ll give you all the feelings you want, on two conditions.”

I pursed my lips. If Crosby and I kept this arrangement up, I just might kill the man. “And that would be?”

“First, you go on some adventures with me. You need to live a little, and not just in the bedroom.” At my scowl, he arched a brow. “No adventures, no orgasms.”

“Fine. But nothing that can get me killed.”

“Deal.”

“What else?”

Crosby smiled, but there was a hint of something just a little bit sad that tinged the expression. “This is all we’ll ever be. You can’t ask me for more.”

I rolled my eyes heavenward. “I think I can restrain myself.”

“Then I believe we have ourselves a deal.”

“Good. Then get out of my house. I need some sleep.”

The order was a mistake, because Crosby lunged, grabbing me around the waist and throwing me over his shoulder. “First, we need to shower. Gotta make sure you’re clean for bed.”

He did make sure. And every last inch of me thanked him for it.

13

Crosby

“All of this is for me?”

The disbelief in Zoe’s eyes nearly broke something in me. “It is.”

She blinked down at the pile of items in front of her. There were new clothes, coloring books, markers, stickers, and who knew what else. There was also a backpack and a nice, sturdy duffle bag in bright purple. Penny and her knitting club had outdone themselves, as always.

“I never get brand-new…” Zoe’s voice was soft, as if she were just speaking to herself.

“Well, you do now.”

“I don’t have to use the garbage bag anymore?”

I struggled to keep my expression gentle. So many kids in the foster system had nothing to move their belongings around in, and they were left with only a trash bag. I didn’t even want to think about what that did to a kid’s self-worth. “No garbage bag for you.”

“I love it. Thank you, Crosby.” Zoe struggled to meet my gaze but forced herself to do it. I was so damn proud of her in that moment. It was always like this the first few meetings, a bit of backsliding on the progress you’d made during the session before, but we’d find our way.

“You’re welcome, but it was actually my friend, Penny, and her knitting club that got it all for you.”

“But they don’t even know me.”

My gut twisted at her confusion. “I told them about you and what an awesome kid you are. They wanted to do something nice for you.”

Zoe’s eyes began to water. If she cried, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. “W-will you tell them thank you?”

“You got it. So, what do you think? Soccer today, or do you want to work on your coloring?”

Zoe beamed. “Soccer. Did you see the ball they got me?”

“They got you a soccer ball?”

She dug through the bag and pulled out a brand-new ball. “Now, I can practice all the time.” Zoe frowned down at the ball. “If the Calhouns let me.”

I tensed at the little girl’s dejected expression. “Are they being nice to you?”

She licked her lips and spun the ball in circles in her hands. “They’re fine.”

It sure as hell didn’t sound fine. I didn’t care what Callie said, if Zoe didn’t look happier about her foster placement soon, I was going to make that unannounced visit. “You know you can tell me if you don’t like it there.”

Her head popped up. “And I can go back with my mom?”

“Sorry, Zo. You can’t go back with your mom right now. Not until she gets some help.”

Zoe hugged the ball tighter to herself. “I don’t think I want to play today.”

“That’s all right. We can do whatever you want to do.”

She nodded and stared down at the ball, tracing patterns with her fingertip on the surface. That was how we spent the next hour. I didn’t push, just sat with Zoe. She was mad but didn’t yet believe that I was a safe place for her to express that anger. But I’d sit with her for as long as it took to gain her trust.

As I helped to load her new belongings into Mrs. Calhoun’s beat-up station wagon, I made sure to snap a picture of the license plate. I knew Child Protective Services put foster families through rigorous checks, but it wouldn’t hurt to do a little digging on my own.

“See you soon, Zoe.”

“Bye, Crosby,” she mumbled and climbed into the car.

A sinking feeling gripped me as I watched them go. And I’d learned not to ignore those feelings.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I glanced at the screen. That same six-one-seven area code that had been calling for days stared back at me. Alicia had called and texted six times last night alone. When I’d walked out of Kenna’s guest house at one a.m. and checked my phone, not even a reemergence of my ex could’ve ruined my buzz. But now, in the light of day, hours from when I’d gotten my last hit of Kenna’s skin, her scent, the feel of her around me, it cut a little deeper.

I hit Accept. “When someone doesn’t return your texts or calls, the polite thing is to stop blowing up their phone.”

“Crosby.” Alicia’s voice did that breathy thing it did when she wanted something. I’d always thought it was ridiculous, but four years ago, I’d thought it was adorably ridiculous. Now, it was simply annoying.

“What do you want?” I beeped the locks on my truck and climbed in.

“We need to talk. Can you come to Boston this weekend?”

I laughed, but it had an ugly quality to it. “Only you would think I’d come when you call after you blew my life apart.”

“Crosby…” She was whining now. “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. Isn’t that enough? Brent wasn’t the man I thought he was. But maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. You and I were so good together.”

She made it sound as if she’d forgotten to let the dog out, and it peed on the rug. I’d given my all to this woman. I’d worked endless hours at the firm to make partner because she wanted me to be the best. Now, I could see it was because she wanted the status of being attached to someone at the top. I’d funded endless shopping sprees and vacations. Bought the house Alicia wanted, even though I’d hated it. I’d become a completely different person for her, but even that wasn’t enough.

I’d never forget walking into the Ritz in Boston for a meeting with a client and finding Alicia wrapped around my best friend, their mouths fused as the doors of an elevator closed. It was interesting how one single breath could make a house of cards fall. How you could suddenly realize that the foundation you’d been putting in place was actually set on sand.

Because as soon as Alicia disappeared from my life, so did a lot of other things. Friends had chosen sides, business associates had grown uncomfortable, and the newfound relationship with my parents had gone up in smoke. The truth was that none of what I had built while I was with Alicia was real. Now, I wouldn’t settle for anything less in any aspect of my life.

I gave my head a quick shake, trying to clear the memories. “Don’t call again, Alicia. We’re done. There’s nothing we need to talk about. I want no part of you in my life. If you call again, I’ll block you.” I hit End on my screen and dropped the phone with a satisfying thunk into the cupholder.

I pressed my hands against the wheel, the muscles in my arms bunching and straining as the wheel creaked. I wasn’t wrapped up in that life anymore. I never would be again. I was free. The life I had now had no constraints, no rules. I needed a reminder of that. I glanced at the clock on my dashboard. It was almost five-thirty. Too late to get any decent climbing or mountain biking in, but I had something else in mind anyway.

* * *

An electronic bell sounded as I pulled open the door to Cornerstone CPAs. It was a small building, nothing on Anchor was exactly huge, but it looked as if it housed quite a few offices. A young woman behind the front desk blinked a few times as she took me in. “Hello, can I help you? Crosby, right?”

“Yes, I’m looking for—”

“Mr. McCoy, it’s good to see you. Have you come to talk about bringing your business to Cornerstone? You know I’d be happy to take you on as a personal client.”

I winced at the man who’d stepped into the reception area. Chris Woodward, manager of this branch of Cornerstone, had come to see me not long after I’d settled on Anchor and set up my law office. I had no doubt that he’d heard I’d bought a house on the bluff and came from east coast money. The man had been smarmy and grasping. I’d been planning to find a local accountant, but two minutes with this man had me staying put with my CPA in Boston.

“Sorry, Chris. I’m here on personal business.” I sidestepped the man and headed through the open space dotted with cubicles, weaving through until I found one of the nicer offices with a familiar name on the door. I knocked.

“Come in.”

Of course, Kenna was one of the handful of people still here at a few minutes past six. I pushed the door open, and a healthy dose of lust shot through me at the sight of her. Kenna stood behind her desk, looking as if she’d been organizing papers into stacks. I’d seen Kenna in her work get-up before, and it was always tempting, but today’s outfit might just be the death of me. She’d lost her blazer at some point during the day, and it now hung neatly on a hanger on the side of a filing cabinet. Without it, she was left in a white blouse that dipped slightly in the front, strands of gauzy fabric tied in an oversize bow over her breasts.

All I could think about was what would happen if I gave one of the ends of that material a nice tug. Then there was the skirt. The bottom disappeared below her desk, so it had to go to her knees, but it was one of those deals that cut in, hugging her ass and thighs in a way that had all sorts of images flying through my brain. Fantasies the woman in front of me would surely deck me for.

“Crosby.” Pink hit Kenna’s cheeks. “What are you doing here?”

I swallowed hard, willing myself to get it together. “We’re going on our first adventure.”

She glanced at her watch. “It’s already after six, and I still have a few things to finish up here.”

“It was quitting time over an hour ago. Don’t think I don’t know you get here an hour, sometimes two before everyone else. You can finish up whatever this is tomorrow.”

The glare I loved so much swept across Kenna’s face, the one that seemed to make her amber eyes glow. “Some of us take our jobs seriously. We can’t just come and go whenever the mood strikes us.”

I grinned. “Come on, Brown Eyes. Live dangerously.”

It was the challenge in my voice that did it. The tone that asked, “Are you chicken?”

“Fine.” She bent to open the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet, and I nearly groaned when the fabric of her skirt pulled tight across her ass. She straightened, purse in hand, and grabbed her blazer from the hanger.

“You won’t need that where we’re going.”

She arched a brow. “And where is that, pray tell?”

“I love it when you get all pretentious with me.” I held out a hand. Kenna ignored it and scowled in my direction instead. “Relax, we’re going to The Catch.”

“That’s not an adventure, Crosby. I go there five days a week, at least.”

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She fit so perfectly there, seemed to melt right into my side. “It’s not an adventure the way you do it, but just wait until you see what I have in store.”

Kenna groaned. “I have no desire to drink endless disgusting dark beer and talk rock climbing with Ford.”

“Bite your tongue. Guinness is the drink of the gods.”

“Maybe the gods of hell. That stuff is nasty.”

Kenna slipped out from under my arm as she walked out of her office. I felt the loss of her instantly, her warmth, the pressure of her body against mine. The chemistry flowing between us was throwing me for a loop. Kenna nodded at Chris, who glared in our direction, and waved to the receptionist, who was packing up.

I grabbed hold of Kenna’s hand as soon as we were out the front door, tugging her away from her practical sedan and towards my truck. “I’ll drop you back at your car when we’re done.”

Kenna gave a pull of resistance. “That’s just one extra stop you need to make. It makes no sense.”

I leaned in close. “Sometimes, a nonsensical life is just more fun. And maybe I want more time with you. Or I could just want to feel what’s under that skirt.”

My hand skimmed the curve of her ass, and Kenna swatted it away. “You’ll keep your hands to yourself while we’re driving and in front of anyone we know.”

I reared back. “Why would I do that?”

“So we don’t get in a car wreck.”

“And the other?”

Kenna stiffened her spine. “Because this is temporary. I don’t want our friends thinking it’s something it’s not.”

My back teeth ground together. “Our friends are grownups. They can deal with us having something casual.” I was practically pouting. I wanted my hands on Kenna as much as possible, and this rule would really cramp that.

“You’ve met Caelyn, right? You know, the hopeless romantic who loves Disney movies just as much as her elementary-aged sisters? There is nothing we could say that would convince her that this isn’t some love story fated in the stars. And usually, Bell has her head on straight, but she just got engaged. The sappy hormones have overtaken her brain.”

I burst out laughing and tugged Kenna into a tight hug. “Okay, I’ll try to refrain from sticking my tongue down your throat at the bar.”

I could feel Kenna’s grimace against my chest. “I don’t want you to stick your tongue down my throat ever. Gross.”

“Come on…You know the idea gets you all hot and bothered.”

“If you want to play tonsil hockey, you might want to take a time machine back to high school.”

I released her, a grin stretching my face. “Only if you’re there. I’d love to see what high school Kenna looked like.” I bet fifteen-year-old me would’ve followed her around like a lost puppy.

Kenna’s expression shuttered for a brief moment before smoothing. I stepped closer. “Are you okay?”

She laughed, but it was forced. “Just thinking about you seeing me in braces and my awkward high school fashion. Come on, let’s go to The Catch.”

I watched her head towards my truck, wondering why the thought of high school created shadows in Kenna’s eyes.

14

Kenna

I stared down at the line of ten drinks on the glossy bar top, then threw an irritated glance at Crosby. I had no desire to be hugging the toilet at the end of tonight’s festivities.

Crosby squeezed my shoulders like a coach getting ready to send his boxer into the ring. “Just take a sip of each. I’m not trying to get you drunk, I just want you to try something other than your boring-as-hell vodka soda.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a vodka soda. Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s boring.” Crosby began massaging the muscles between my shoulder blades that had stiffened at his words. My drink choice was like the rest of my life, at least according to Crosby: boring and predictable.

Bell half-heartedly muffled a laugh. “Did you lose a bet or something?”

“Pretty much,” I grumbled. How could I explain to my best friend that I’d made a deal with the devil? Forced, new life experiences in exchange for the high of sex with Crosby. What terrified me was that it wasn’t just the sex that had helped. The numbness and dull pain had begun to slip over me as the day progressed, but when Crosby showed up in the office this evening…suddenly, everything was in technicolor again. Sure, a lot of that color was the fire of my annoyance at him, but it was so much better than the feeling of nothingness.

Ford wrapped his arms around Bell, pressing his lips to her neck. I ignored the flare of jealousy at the tender ease they shared. He drew her closer against him. “Well, I would’ve paid good money to see this, so thanks for making it happen for free.”

Ford held out a fist to Crosby, who bumped it. I growled at both of them. “I’ll dump the remnants of these drinks on your head if you’re not careful.”

Ford held up both hands as he backed up. “Been there, done that, no desire to do it again.”

Bell blushed. “Sorry about that. Again.”

I snorted. The man had deserved it. Sure, he’d made up for the pain he’d caused in the months that followed his return to Anchor, but in my book, Ford still deserved a few more dunkings. Maybe I was just the person to do it.

Crosby tightened his hold on me. “I see that evil glint in your eyes. Don’t even think about it.”

I turned to face him, giving exaggerated Bambi eyes. “Who, me?”

He shivered. “You scare me, woman.”

“Good.”

Bell clapped, bringing my attention back to her. “Okay, what are you going to try first?”

I surveyed the drinks in front of me and winced. There was every size, shape, and color, and none of them looked all that appetizing. Well, maybe the fruity one looked okay. I pointed at that one.

Bell slid it forward on the bar. “How very Sex in The City of you.”

“Cosmo?”

“Yup. I think you’ll like it.”

I lifted the martini glass, examining its contents.

Crosby let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s not going to bite you, just take a drink already.”

“I’m looking for the poison you might’ve slipped in.”

Bell laughed while Ford choked. “You two are my favorite sideshow.”

I rolled my eyes and took a sip. Sweet. Crisp. I took another drink. “This is good.”

“Told you,” Bell said.

Crosby crowded in close. “Just pace yourself, you’ve got nine others to try.”

I took another sip, a larger one this time. “I’m not a child, Crosby, I know what I can handle.”

“It’s true,” Bell chimed in. “I’ve only seen her drunk once in my entire life, and it was actually more like tipsy.”

Crosby scoffed. “Come on, you must have had at least one college bender.”

“Not really my scene.” I’d spent most of my college years trying not to let grief swallow me whole. I’d seen what happened when you used alcohol to numb your pain—it became a crutch while it wrecked your life from the inside out. So, I’d stayed busy. Taking as many classes as I could handle, getting a part-time job. The only thing I’d drawn the line at was joining clubs. I wasn’t exactly a group activities kind of person. I’d stuck close to my comforting circle of Bell and Caelyn, and when Caelyn had to drop out at the end of our junior year to take care of her siblings, it had just been Bell and me. I’d been more than fine with that. I didn’t need a bunch of casual acquaintances. I only needed my tight-knit crew of three.

“Kenna?”

I started at the sound of Bell’s voice. “Sorry, what?”

Concern flashed across her features, and I fought the urge to wince. The last thing I needed was Bell worried and hovering.

“Which drink do you want to try next?” she asked.

I forced a smile, only I could hear Crosby’s voice in my head talking about my real smile, the one I rarely let out. The damn man could see right through me. The knowledge had me wanting to shore up my walls. “You pick.”

Bell looked up at Ford. “What do you think?”

“Scotch.”

“You’re mean,” she chided.

“Why is that mean? Is it awful?” My gaze jumped from person to person.

“Never had scotch?” Crosby asked. “It’s one of my favorites.”

I scrunched up my nose. “You like that god-awful Guinness, so I’m probably going to hate this.”

Bell pushed a glass with amber liquid forward. “You could always hold your nose while you try it.”

“No way,” Crosby interjected. “That’s cheating. She has to taste everything.”

I sighed and picked up the glass. I sniffed. Not appetizing. But I was no chicken. I took a sip and immediately spit it back in the glass. I whirled on Crosby. “That was disgusting! Are you trying to kill me? That tasted like rubber that had been set on fire.”

Crosby chuckled. “It’s an acquired taste.”

I lifted the Cosmo from the bar and took a sip, trying to rid my mouth of the awful taste. “Nothing else that tastes like the fires of hell, please.”

Ford grinned, shaking his head. “I think that was the worst.”

My eyes narrowed on him. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you’re the one who picked that drink for me. I’d watch my back if I were you, Hardy.”

Ford placed Bell in front of him like a shield. “Call her off, Trouble.”

She winked at me. “Now, why would I want to do that?”

The night wore on as I tried drink after drink, always using my Cosmo as a chaser. It wasn’t a ton of booze, but it was enough that I was looser than normal, a low heat running through my limbs. A small, amused crowd had gathered for my taste test, every time voting on whether I’d like the beverage or not. I had not been an easy grader, but I had finally reached the last few drinks. Next up was a shot with whipped cream on top. “What’s that?”

A huge grin spread over Bell’s face. “That, my friend, is a blowjob shot.”

The crowd around us tittered, and I took a step back. “Oh, hell no. I’m not drinking anything with that name.” The eyes on me made my skin prickle. All I could think about was what they might be whispering to each other about me.

Bell’s hands went to her hips. “Come on, don’t be a spoilsport. I’ll do one with you.”

Bell never drank on the job. Her offer meant there was no way I could say no. I groaned. Bell cheered in victory. “Make me one, would you, Cupcake?”

My lips twitched at the nickname. “Yeah, Cupcake, make her a shot.” Ford glared at me, which only made me smile wider.

He poured the shot and added whipped cream to the top. “You know you ladies have to take this one in the standard form.”

Bell pressed her lips together as if holding back a laugh. “Of course.”

My gaze darted between the two of them. They were up to something, and I didn’t like it one bit. “What does that mean?”

Crosby crowded in close, his heat warming my side. “Hands behind your back.”

My face scrunched. “Then how am I supposed to take the shot?”

Heat flooded his eyes. “Mouth only.”

My gaze snapped to Bell. “No way.”

“Come on, Kenna.” She held her hands up in an exaggerated motion, clasping them behind her back. “Don’t chicken out on me now.”

I glared at her but did the same. I followed her lead and wrapped my lips around the shot glass, tipping it back. The small crowd cheered. And the liquid that slid down my throat was the beginning of the end.

15

Kenna

I groaned as my alarm went off. The sound seemed to reverberate around the room and through my skull. I patted my nightstand, searching for the blasted devil machine so I could make it stop. After a few missteps and knocking my phone to the floor, I finally hit the off button.

I rolled to my back, the motion making my stomach pitch and roll. I felt like death warmed over. Was I getting the flu?

“You awake?”

I jolted to a sitting position at the sound of that husky voice, my world going just a bit blurry. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Crosby chuckled. “You don’t remember last night?”

I froze, searching back in my memories. The liquor taste test, the crowd, discovering my love of lemon drop shots…my gaze flew to Crosby. “Did I—?” I cleared my throat. “Did I get on stage and sing that Titanic song with Bell?”

Crosby grinned. “You two sounded like someone was torturing a pair of cats.”

I buried my face in my hands. This wasn’t happening. I didn’t do things like this. I was responsible. I never made a fool of myself. I’d had too many experiences of someone doing that to me. My mother. Grant.

The bed dipped, and a hint of Crosby’s cologne hit my senses. “Look at me.”

I gave my head a shake.

Crosby cupped my face, easing my hands away from where they covered my eyes. “You had fun. You let loose. You and Bell laughed so hard, you cried. Ford’s going to start a karaoke night because of the two of you. The whole bar was into it.”

My stomach dropped. “How many people saw?” The crowd was all a bit of a blur.

“Who cares? You were having fun.”

I shoved his hands away. “You don’t get it. I don’t want anyone to see me that way.”

“What way?”

“Not in control.” I had worked tirelessly to prove to everyone that I wasn’t like my mother. To project nothing but a responsible, respectable image. But in one night, I could’ve ruined it all. People would talk, wonder if I was more like my mother than they thought.

Crosby squeezed my thigh through the blankets on my bed. “It was beautiful to see. And you’ll never be able to control everything.”

“I know that,” I snapped. I knew better than most how little control we actually had over the big picture of our lives. But that just made me hold tighter to the things I could sway. I took a deep breath. “Thank you for bringing me home, for making sure I was okay…” My words trailed off as I took in what I was wearing, an old high school volleyball t-shirt and not much else. “Did you undress me?”

Crosby tipped his face heavenward. “I’ve been inside you, felt every inch of that sweet body, I don’t think changing you out of those hot number cruncher clothes should make you bashful.”

The man had a point. “Fine. You can go now. I need to get ready for work.”

Crosby gave his head a shake but bent forward to quickly brush his lips against mine. “This isn’t over. I’ll have a new challenge for you soon.”

Another challenge from Crosby just might kill me.

* * *

“You’re late.”

Chris’s voice bit out from the entrance to his office at the front of our building. He took that one, even though it was smaller than some of the offices at the back because it meant he could snoop. He faced his L-shaped desk with one side towards the parking lot and street so he could see everyone who might enter, and the other side towards the rest of the office so he knew what his employees were up to at all times.

I fought the groan that wanted to surface. No matter how much coffee and Tylenol I guzzled, my headache wouldn’t go away. And the cab driver’s incessant chatter that I’d had to endure on the ride to work this morning because I’d been without a car hadn’t helped. “It’s eight-thirty, Chris. We don’t open for another thirty minutes.” Only one other person besides the two of us was even in yet.

He straightened, clearing his throat. “I just meant that you’re usually here a lot earlier. Is everything okay?”

Chris Woodward wouldn’t care if I had accidentally lit myself on fire, he was simply trying to exert his dominance in the office. He hadn’t taken it too well when a few of his clients had asked to move from him to me, and he did his best to make me pay for it every time he could. That faint dream of opening my firm flitted across my mind, but I pushed it out. Like always.

“I’m fine. Just had a few things I needed to attend to this morning.” Like trying to cure the hangover from hell.

Chris gave a nod. “All right. Well, get to it.”

I said nothing, simply headed for my office at the back of the building. It was quiet there, and away from prying eyes. It allowed me to lose myself in my work. And it was also why I usually arrived when no one else was here. I often got more done in those two hours before we opened than the entire rest of the day.

I stowed my purse in my filing cabinet and hung my blazer on the hanger on its side, all while sending up a mental plea that this hangover didn’t give me brain fog that swallowed my day whole. My morning went by in fits and starts, spreadsheets and paperwork taking more time than they should’ve. Lunch gave me a little pep, probably because I caved and begged Bell to bring me something greasy from The Catch. But by the time five o’clock rolled around, I was done. I wanted a hot bath and my bed. I didn’t even care about dinner, I only wanted to sleep for a year.

Chris arched a brow as I passed his office, silent judgment for leaving on time instead of an hour after close. I hoped he stepped on an extra-prickly sea urchin.

I pushed open the office door, the cool, early evening breeze a calming balm. Maybe I’d sit out on my porch after I took a bath. I was fumbling in my purse for my keys as I walked, not paying attention, so when I looked up just feet from my car, I startled.

Grant leaned against the hood, all Brooks Brothers business casual and overly coiffed hair. “Kenna.”

A muscle in my cheek ticked. I didn’t have the time or energy for this. “What do you want?”

He stood, holding up both hands in surrender. “Just to talk. We got off on the wrong foot.”

“The wrong foot?” I sounded like a parrot, but I couldn’t help it. The wrong foot was the understatement of the century.

“Yes. I admit I made some missteps when I was younger. I hurt you, and for that, I’m sorry. Can we start fresh? Let me take you to dinner.”

I watched in fascination as Grant’s face made all the right expressions, yet none of them rang true. He was simply an actor trying to play a part.

“I have no interest in going to dinner with you.”

His eyes hardened a fraction. “We need to talk. My parents returned to Seattle today, and my father left me in charge of the matter.”

“The matter?”

“Remedying this whole will and inheritance situation.” Grant waved his hand like a prince greeting his subjects. He looked absolutely ridiculous.

I took a deep, steadying breath, trying my best to keep my temper in check. “I have no interest in helping you with that.”

Grant’s gaze narrowed on my face. “I never thought I’d see the day you’d become so heartless. The Gables is important to my father. And if I get it for him, he’ll make me partner at the firm. You know that’s always been my dream. Even if things didn’t work out between us, I’d think you’d still care about me. Don’t you?”

My jaw fell open. I couldn’t help it. But really, I shouldn’t have been surprised. I’d let Grant get away with everything when we were together. I would’ve given up anything if it meant his happiness. “I stopped caring about you the moment you said losing my child, and almost dying, served me right.”

Grant’s face reddened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re obviously just overly emotional about something that has nothing to do with me—”

“Get off my car, or I’ll call the sheriff and report you for stalking.” I was done with Grant and all of his lies and manipulations.

His shoulders straightened, chin jutting out. “I’m trying to be a mature adult.”

I snorted. “Trying, being the operative word. Your chances of being a mature adult are about as good as mine are to pilot a crew to Mars.”

Grant’s jaw worked. “I can see my parents were correct. There’s no reasoning with someone who can’t act like a respectable adult.” He started towards some fancy car a few spots down.

“Running to Mommy and Daddy always was your solution. Too bad they can’t save you from being a douchebag.”

He whirled on me, taking two giant strides in my direction. “You’ll watch what you say if you know what’s good for you.” I instinctively took a step back at the rage in Grant’s eyes but forced myself not to retreat any farther. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “I could destroy you. One piece of your worthless little island life at a time, Kenna. Remember that.”

Grant turned on his heel and headed for his car. My heart hammered against my ribs. I couldn’t force myself to move until Grant peeled out of the parking lot, and his vehicle disappeared from sight.

I laid a hand over my chest, breathing deeply. I was fine. Safe. Grant was just overreacting to me standing up to him. I said the words of comfort over and over in my mind as I drove home, but each one felt like a lie.

16

Crosby

“Delivery,” Penny singsonged as she walked into my office without knocking. “And it looks fancy.” She placed a package with intricate clear wrapping and an over-the-top box on my desk.

I surveyed the logo beneath the plastic and grinned. My favorite scotch. “Is there a note?”

Penny extended an envelope, but just before I plucked it from her hand, she pulled it back. “You gonna tell me who sent it?”

“I’d have to open the note to know that.” It had to be from Kenna. She must’ve asked Ford what my favorite scotch was.

“I’ll give you the note if you promise to tell me once you open it.”

“You know that you work for me, right? You’re not allowed to hold correspondence hostage because you’re nosy.”

Penny sniffed. “Correspondence. Don’t you put on that fancy lawyer vocabulary with me, young man.”

I grinned. “Hand over the card.”

She slapped it on my desk. “Fine. See if I care who’s sending you whiskey that probably costs more than my television.”

I chuckled as she turned and left, tearing open the card. I had the urge to drop it as soon as I saw the artful script on the thick paper.

Crosby,

I’m sorry. You’ll never know how much. Just tell me what I need to do to make it up to you. Come back to Boston, where you belong. Your family misses you. I miss you. Please.

All My Love,

Alicia

I groaned. I hadn’t heard from Alicia in a few days. I’d thought I’d finally gotten through to her. Apparently, that wasn’t the case. I shoved the card into the trash and pushed to my feet. I paced back and forth in the small space behind my desk. Back to Boston? Was she insane?

And she just had to bring my parents into it. She’d learned to use them as a tool early on in our relationship, realizing that their approval and attention meant more to me than it should have. When I’d considered leaving my law firm and taking a job with a non-profit, Alicia had conveniently slipped that information to my father, who had promptly lost his mind at the idea.

I blew out a harsh breath. As pissed as I was, I really should be thanking Alicia. Her cheating had been the wakeup call I hadn’t known I needed. She’d shown me just how much I was living my life on other people’s terms. Now, I had a life that was mine and mine alone. I wouldn’t give that up for anyone.

Just the suggestion that I return to that old way of existence had me yearning to stretch my wings and take advantage of my hard-fought freedom. I glanced at my watch, an idea forming in my mind. Four-thirty.

I snatched the bottle and grabbed my keys from my drawer. I strode out to reception and placed the gift on Penny’s desk. “Ever wanted to try the best scotch you’ll ever taste?”

Her brows rose as she took in my expression. “Not a fan of the sender I take it?”

“Not in the least.”

She tipped the box back to examine the label. “The knitting ladies and I are always up for trying new things. And we can’t let something like this go to waste.”

“That’s the spirit. I’m taking off for the day. Don’t stay past five. That’s an order.”

Penny shook her head. “And what if someone calls for you?”

“Put them through to voicemail and tell them I’ll return on Monday.” It was four-thirty on a Friday, no one should get their panties in a twist that I was gone for the weekend.

“Sure, leave me to piss them off.”

“Come on, Pen, you can handle anything. That’s why I hired you.”

“Sweet-talker.”

“You know it.” I gave her a wave as I headed out the door. I had two stops to make before five o’clock: my house and the local sporting goods store. If I hurried, I could make both.

I might have broken a couple of speeding laws, but I was pulling into Cornerstone CPAs at five to five. Employees were already trickling out of the building and heading to their cars, but Kenna’s silver four-door was still in the lot, of course.

I parked and headed inside. Chris Woodward was in the doorway of his office as I entered the building. “This is quite a few personal office visits this week.”

I fought the urge to tell him to remove the stick from his ass. “It’s two minutes to five. I’m sure you don’t mind. Right, Chris?”

I ignored the bitter expression that overtook the man’s face and made my way towards Kenna’s office. I knocked twice. “Come in.”

I pushed the door open and took in Kenna behind her desk. Her beauty was a sucker punch to the gut, dark hair piled on top of her head in a meticulous bun, cheeks rosy, eyes glowing. “Hey, Brown Eyes.”

Something flashed in those eyes. “What are you doing here, Crosby?”

“Are we really going to play this game? I told you I’d be back.” It had only been a few days since I’d seen Kenna, but it felt like weeks.

She arched a brow. “You do realize that makes you sound like a serial killer, right?”

I chuckled. “It’s good to have life goals.” Kenna shook her head. “Come on, I have something I want to show you. Do you have your swimsuit here?”

A healthy dose of skepticism filled Kenna’s expression. “In my car, why?”

“Got workout gear, too?”

“Shorts and a running tank. Again, why?”

I glanced out her office window. We still had a few hours of sun left. “Go grab them and change.”

“I’m not grabbing anything. I still have reports I need to finish. Except for first thing in the morning, this is the time of day when I get the most done. Everyone else is gone, it’s quiet—”

I crossed behind the desk and threaded my fingers through Kenna’s hair, tipping her head back. “Maybe I should be the one doing the grabbing then.”

Her eyes dilated. “And maybe I should be the one kneeing you in the balls.”

I grinned. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

Her gaze traveled to my lips. “I guess I could endure it.”

My lips twitched as I lowered my mouth to hers. I almost groaned at the taste of her, mint and that hint of something else. My tongue stroked hers as I took, drinking her in. When I broke away, her eyes were just a little bit hazy.

“Did you endure it okay?” I asked.

She gave a shrug. “I’ll survive.”

I choked on a laugh. “Glad to hear it. Now, go get changed. I want to show you an alternate view of your new property.”

“I told you. I don’t have time.”

“Come on, Kenna. I need this.”

She paused, taking me in, seeing that hint of desperation on my face that I knew was there. “This view you’re so determined for me to see, it isn’t dangerous, is it? You’re not trying to make me go skydiving, are you?”

“No throwing yourself out of a plane. I promise.”

Kenna sighed but pushed to her feet. “Fine. Give me ten minutes.” She started towards the door and then stopped, turning to level her scary stare on me. “Don’t touch anything.”

I held up both hands. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

She rolled her eyes heavenward. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

17

Kenna

I wobbled slightly as I carried the paddleboard out towards the water. Muttering a curse, I straightened my stance and tightened my ab muscles so I didn’t topple over.

“I told you I would carry it for you,” Crosby said as he maneuvered his board effortlessly.

“And I said I could do it.”

“I know you can, but I’m just trying to prevent you from being pissed at me when you trip and skin a knee or sprain an ankle.”

I narrowed my eyes in his direction and then almost fell on my butt. I paused, took a deep breath, and got a better hold of the death contraption under my arm. “Where did you find me one of these last-minute, anyway?”

“I bought it for you at Island Sports.”

I stood dumbfounded and just stared at Crosby. I’d been in the shop on more than one occasion, and knew that these boards could cost as much as three thousand dollars. “Are you insane? Has the Guinness finally pickled your brain?”

Crosby stopped, turning to face me. “What?”

“The boards in that shop are ridiculously expensive. We’re going to return this right now. I haven’t used it yet. They’ll take it back.”

“I threw out the receipt.”

“I’m sure they’ll remember you, it’s not like you bought it weeks ago.”

Crosby set his board on the sand and crossed to me. “I’m not returning the paddleboard. It’s a gift. A little something to celebrate your new adventurous life.”

My lips pressed together in a firm line. “It’s too much.”

“Brown Eyes, I’m not exactly hurting for cash. It’s no big thing.”

The words, thrown out so casually, were like a series of bombs detonating in the waters I was desperately trying to keep calm. It felt too familiar, the ease with which he tossed his money around. “Just because you’re fortunate, doesn’t mean you should be frivolous.”

“Kenna, what’s going on? This is more than your usual shade of prickly.”

“Nothing’s going on.” I started walking. “Are we going to do this or what?” I carried my board to the edge of the water, placing it carefully on the wet sand. The paddle was taller than I was.

Crosby thankfully ignored my outburst and began walking me through the basics. I’d been on a board a handful of times, but it had been years, and the refresher was more than needed. Before long, I was pushing out into the little cove just north of The Gables.

Crosby’s smooth strokes cut through the water as he kept an eye on my progress. “You’re doing great.”

“You sound surprised.”

“You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

“A few times, but it’s been a decade at least.” I had to admit, Crosby was onto something with his obsession with the activity. It was so quiet out here. Only the wind and the birds and the water. I could get used to it.

“You ready to tell me what put a burr up your butt?”

“Excuse me?” I should’ve known Crosby wouldn’t let anything go that easily. He was too much of a nosy bastard.

“Stop pretending to be so offended at every little thing and tell me what’s really going on.”

My mouth pressed into a thin line. He always saw too much. Understood my coping mechanisms, sometimes even before I did. The mask of propriety and perfection were nothing but a shield, but it was one I desperately needed. I couldn’t give Crosby my scars, my secrets. It would give him all the power. I straightened and dipped my paddle into the water. “Have you heard from the Abbots at all?”

Crosby’s movements stilled, his paddleboard drifting as his eyes stayed focused on me. “No, have you?”

I swallowed, my throat sticking on the movement, Grant’s rage flashing in my memory. “Grant stopped by Cornerstone.”

“When?” There was a bite to the single word, ferocity. It was easy to forget that under Crosby’s easygoing surface was a beast. I’d seen it when he took down Bell’s kidnapper.

I cleared my throat, focusing on the water ahead. “Tuesday. When I finished up, he was waiting for me by my car.”

“Wait, Grant? Not Clark?”

I gave my head a little shake. “We have…” God, what was the right word to encompass what lay between Grant and me? “History.”

Crosby studied my face carefully. “What kind of history?”

A hellish one. One that barely let me out alive. “We dated when we were growing up.”

“They never said anything.”

I chuckled, but it was tinged with bitterness. “I’m sure they didn’t. The Abbots weren’t exactly happy that I was dating their son.”

Crosby dug his paddle into the smooth water, bringing his board closer to mine. “What about Harriet?”

Just the sound of her name was a painful squeeze of the heart. “She thought I was too good for him.”

“She was right.”

I looked out to the horizon, the sun hanging low in the sky. God, I missed her. Her unshakable belief in me, in my worthiness. The comfort of her presence. The Gables had been my home for so long, but it was Harriet’s presence that had made the estate so special. “They don’t want me to have The Gables.”

“It doesn’t matter what they want.”

“They’re going to fight me on it. And they always fight dirty.” I could only imagine what they would’ve put my beautiful baby girl through if she had been born. It would’ve been ugly and cruel if their actions during my pregnancy were anything to go by.

Crosby’s board bumped mine, my gaze jumping to his. “They’re not going to get The Gables. They might try to make this ugly, but they won’t win. I promise.”

I gave him a smile. But it was a sad one. He didn’t know the true ugliness of the Abbot family. I did. “So,” I said, searching for a change of topic, anything to steer us away from the ghosts of my past. “What’s on your agenda this weekend? Flinging yourself off a cliff? Running with the bulls?”

Crosby chuckled. “Actually, I have a date.”

I froze. I didn’t want to admit that the heat coursing through my belly might be jealousy. “Do you, now?”

“I do, indeed. Want to join us?”

I reared back, almost losing my balance on the paddleboard.

Crosby dissolved into laughter, trying his best to stay upright. “Oh, God. The look on your face is priceless.”

“You’re an ass, you know that?” I started paddling away from him.

“Wait, don’t be mad. I really do want you to come to the aquarium with me.”

I glanced over my shoulder. “You and who else?”

“Zoe. She’s nine and would love to meet you.”

My paddle stuttered in the water. “You’re friends with a nine-year-old?”

Crosby rubbed at the back of his neck. “I volunteer at Shelter Island Child Alliance. Zoe’s my buddy right now.”

It was one of those moments where your world tilts on its axis. It was just a slight movement but one that allowed me to see things from a completely different viewpoint. “How long have you been doing that?” The Alliance was an amazing organization. They’d helped Caelyn get custody of her siblings and had given all of them the support they so desperately needed in those early days.

Crosby began paddling again, and I followed suit. It was as if he didn’t want me to study him too carefully while we covered this topic. “I started not long after I moved to Anchor, so…almost four years.”

“You never talk about it.” I’d never once heard him mention the Alliance or volunteering. Bell and Ford hadn’t brought it up, so I doubted he’d told them either.

“It just never came up.”

The sudden twisting sensation low in my belly felt a whole lot like guilt. Volunteering for an organization that worked with foster children and families going through custody disputes didn’t exactly fit the picture I’d created of Crosby. An image I was coming to realize may have been a little too tinged by my past experiences with Grant. I knew that Crosby came from a blue blood family back east with oodles of money. Everyone on the island did. I hated to admit that the simple knowledge of his wealth might have blinded me to the truth of who he really was. “That’s really great, Crosby.”

He shrugged, continuing to paddle towards the sun. “So, you want to come with us to the aquarium?”

“I’d love it.” I needed to see this new Crosby in action, the one he hid away from everyone.

“Turn your board.”

“Huh?”

Crosby swiftly navigated his paddleboard so that he was facing the shore. “Turn around. Go slow, though. I don’t want you cursing me if you take a header into the water.”

I glared at him and carefully navigated my paddle through the water, slowly spinning my board toward the shore. When I got myself in position and steady, I looked up. My heart seized. The Gables. Crosby was right; I’d never seen the estate from this angle before. The manor house, the guest house, I could even catch sight of the house the Abbots had occupied for so many years, the one Harriet had sold while I was away at college—too many bad memories for us both.

But the rest of the property? It held nothing but good. I wouldn’t let the shadow of old memories infect it. I wouldn’t let the Abbots take it from me, from Harriet. I was going to do what she’d asked of me and make it into a true home, one full of life and the people I loved. The sun and its late-day amber color seemed to cast a glow over the buildings, the gardens, the beach. It was magical.

“Thank you.” My voice was hoarse as I whispered the two words to Crosby.

“Anytime.”

18

Crosby

Kenna twisted in her seat as we drove off the ferry and onto Shelter Island.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. She’d been fidgety the entire ride over, and quieter than normal. Not even my usual teasing and poking at her temper got a rise out of her.

“Nothing.” Kenna rubbed her hands along her jeans, smoothing invisible wrinkles.

“Stop lying to me, Brown Eyes.”

She let out a little growl. “Am I dressed all right?”

I quickly glanced at Kenna before I pulled into traffic. The woman looked effortlessly gorgeous, wearing jeans that hugged her curves just right, and a tunic-type top in a deep maroon that brought out the amber of her eyes. Shit, I needed my head examined if I was noticing that kind of thing. I cleared my throat. “You look great. This is a casual thing.”

Kenna pressed her lips together and nodded, clearly not believing a word I said. “Is there anything I need to know about Zoe?”

I navigated my truck away from town and headed towards the rolling hills. “She’s nine. Loves soccer. Doesn’t seem to be into dolls.”

Kenna laughed lightly. “All the most important things to know.”

“Her mom’s in jail for drugs. It’s a second offense, so she’ll likely be there for a while.”

Kenna sucked in a sharp breath. “There’s no other family who can take her?”

“They declined to take custody.”

Kenna muttered a curse under her breath. “How long has she been in foster care?”

“A few weeks now.” I looked over at Kenna for a brief moment before returning my eyes to the road. The lines on her brow and the set of her eyes communicated a mixture of anger and pain. “Were you ever in foster care?” I hadn’t even considered what memories this might bring up for Kenna given her history.

She stared out the window towards the ocean as we drove. “One week. It was more than I’d wish on anyone.”

My hands tightened on the wheel. “Bad foster parents?”

“Not bad. Just…exhausted. Too many kids in one home. And I was terrified of what was going to happen to me.”

“But Harriet got you.”

A small smile tipped her lips. “She did. I’d live through that week a hundred more times if it meant I ended up with her.”

“You two were good for each other.”

Her smile widened, it was that unguarded one I so rarely got but craved with every part of me. “We were, weren’t we?”

I pulled into the driveway of a house that looked a little worse for wear but not too bad. Zoe was sitting on the front step with her new backpack, Mrs. Calhoun in a rocking chair behind her with a baby on her lap.

Kenna’s hand reached out and grabbed my thigh as I put my truck in park. “That’s Zoe?”

“Yup. She’s gonna love you.”

Kenna blew out a breath. “Let’s make today really fun for her.”

A grin spread across my face. “That we can do.”

* * *

Kenna had absolutely no reason to worry, she and Zoe became instant friends in all of about two minutes. By the time we made it to the aquarium, I was simply a tagalong on their adventure. They talked nonstop. When we wrapped up our morning’s excursion and headed for lunch, I felt as if I’d learned more about the two of them in those few hours than in the entirety of the time I’d known them.

“Did you know that the Pacific Ocean is more than thirty-five thousand feet deep at its deepest spot?” Zoe had been rattling off random facts all morning.

Kenna looked up from her menu. “That is pretty crazy.”

“I wouldn’t want to go that deep in the water.” Zoe gave an exaggerated shiver.

“Me, either,” Kenna replied. “I’ll stay firmly on the surface, thank you very much.”

Zoe grinned. “I’ll stay on the beach.”

“I like swimming too much for that.”

Zoe looked down, becoming incredibly interested in studying her hands.

“What is it, Zo?” Kenna’s voice was gentle but not babying. She’d been striking that perfect balance with Zoe all day, interested and engaging but not pushy. It was as if she had this sixth sense for when to move forward and when to give the little girl her space.

“I don’t know how to swim.” Zoe mumbled the words so they were barely audible.

Kenna gripped my knee under the table, and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. We lived on a chain of islands. How had her mother not gotten her swimming lessons? They gave them for free through the school system because it was incredibly dangerous to live where we did and not know how to swim. Kids could get into too much trouble when they played in and around water so often.

“Would you like to learn?”

Zoe’s head snapped up at Kenna’s question. “You could teach me?”

Kenna’s lips curved. “I’d love to teach you. We can start next weekend if you want.”

A shadow passed across Zoe’s expression. “I have to ask Mrs. Calhoun, but I really want to.”

I laced my fingers through Kenna’s under the table. She gave a small jerk in surprise but then eased into the contact. I gave her hand a squeeze of thanks. “We’ll figure out a way to make it happen.”

Zoe’s eyes reddened. “Thanks for being so nice to me, you guys.”

Kenna squeezed my hand even harder. “Thanks for hanging out with two old dorks.”

I turned on Kenna in mock-outrage. “Hey! Speak for yourself. I’m young and hip. Right, Zoe?”

She giggled. “You’re pretty cool…for an old dude.”

I clasped a hand over my chest. “You two wound me. Shots straight to the heart.”

Our waitress stepped up to the table. “Back again, Crosby? But you brought pretty company this time.”

“What can I say? I’m a lucky man today, Susie.”

She chuckled. “Do you guys know what you want?”

“The Burger Barn has the best burgers on all the islands, so we all have to get burgers, no salads.” I eyed Kenna to make my point.

She rolled her eyes. “Wouldn’t dream of getting anything different. Can I do the cheeseburger with caramelized onions?”

“Sure thing, hun.”

Kenna glanced at Zoe. “Want to split a milkshake?”

Zoe nodded. “Do you like strawberry?”

“It just so happens to be one of my favorites.”

A foreign feeling invaded my chest, a warmth that seeped into every corner. Kenna rarely ate like this, but she was trying to make sure Zoe ordered a lot of food, and that she had whatever she wanted from the menu.

Zoe looked up at Susie. “May I have a hamburger with no tomato, please?”

“Of course, sweet thing.” Susie turned to me. “I already know what you want, but how about to drink? Guinness or Coke?”

“Coke, please. Thanks, Susie.”

“Coming right up.”

Zoe toyed with the straw in her water, glancing back and forth between Kenna and me. “Are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend?”

Kenna had just taken a sip of her water and promptly began choking. I patted Kenna on the back. “I’m gonna try and not take that reaction personally, Brown Eyes.” I turned to smile at Zoe. “No, we’re just friends.”

“You should ask her out, Crosby. She’s pretty, and she’s nice. You don’t always get both in one person.”

Truth from the mouths of babes. Kenna was stunning, but it was the beauty that she hid away, the heart that cared so deeply, that stole my breath. “I think you’re right, Zo.” I turned to face Kenna. “What do you say? Can I take you out on the town?”

The look Kenna gave me was one that spoke of a slow and painful death. “Sure,” she gritted out.

Zoe let out a little squeal. “We have to pick the perfect place for you to go. It has to be romantic and beautiful and—and—I don’t really know what else. But special.”

“How about The Cove? That’s pretty romantic.”

Kenna stiffened beside me. “Anywhere but The Cove. Or skydiving.”

I grinned, but it was forced. Kenna was scared of running into Grant there. Shit. I needed him gone from Anchor. Now. “You’re right, The Cove is too stuffy. I’m gonna think of the perfect place to take you.”

I only hoped she didn’t murder me when we got there.

19

Kenna

“You gonna toss me overboard if I hold you to that date?”

I glanced away from the wake the ferry was churning up and towards Crosby. “Come a little closer and find out.”

Crosby’s eyes seemed to twinkle as he stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me to him. He ran his lips lightly up my neck until he reached the shell of my ear. “Would it really be so bad, spending an evening with me?”

It wouldn’t be. And that was the problem. I fought to keep my breathing under control as my nerve endings flared to life. It wasn’t like I’d been celibate since Grant and I had imploded. I’d gone on dates, had relationships. But there was just something about this man’s touch that always seemed to bring me to life. “It depends on what we’ll be doing.”

“I can think of one or two things to keep us busy.”

He gave the lobe of my ear a playful nip, and I responded with an elbow to the stomach. “Don’t bite me.”

The mischievous tilt to his lips had my stomach hollowing.

“You like it when I give you little nips.”

“Not in public.” I glanced around, but no one seemed to be paying us any mind.

Crosby released me and held up both hands. I felt the loss of him instantly. His heat, the life force that seemed to thrum through him, spilling out into the air around him. Into me. “I promise—” Crosby’s phone started to ring. He slipped a hand into his back pocket and pulled out his cell. Taking a moment to study the screen, he scowled and silenced it.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.” He shoved it back into his jeans. “Now, where were we? Ah, yes. I can taste your skin in private but not in public.”

The dismissal shouldn’t have burned, but it did. I hadn’t shared everything with Crosby, not even close, but I’d shared pieces. More than felt safe. His phone started to ring again. He muttered a curse, repeating the same steps as before. This time, however, he flipped the switch on the side to put it on silent mode. The carefree man of two minutes ago was gone.

“Who was it?”

Crosby glanced up, giving his head a small shake. “No one important.”

I simply met his gaze. “If the amount of tension that just ran through your shoulders is any clue, it was someone important.” Crosby broke our stare and looked out at the ocean, at Shelter Island getting smaller in the distance. “You don’t get to have it both ways, Crosby.”

He flicked a quick glance in my direction. “What do you mean?”

“You can’t poke and prod and want to know things about my life and then not answer a simple question like who’s calling your phone.”

A muscle in his cheek ticked. “Fair point.”

I gripped the railing, leaning into the wind. “You get to choose which way this plays out. We either talk, or we don’t. We can keep the physical and leave the rest behind.” That’s what I should’ve wanted. To get the high of sex with Crosby without the complication of him knowing things that I didn’t want to divulge. But, somehow, the idea made me incredibly sad.

Crosby’s eyes flared with a heat that seemed to make them almost glow. “Poking at you is too fun to let it go. You’re the most fascinating woman I’ve met in a long time. Maybe ever.” He sighed, rubbing at the scruff along his jaw. “It was my ex-fiancée.”

My body gave a swift jolt. Crosby had been engaged. It didn’t match up with the man I’d thought him to be. He was too reckless, never thought about the future, lived only in the moment. But I’d realized over the past couple of days that what I truly knew about Crosby would fit in my pinky finger. “Do you know why she’s calling?”

Crosby returned his gaze to the ocean. “My closest friend, the one she cheated on me with, dumped her. She expects me to come crawling back.”

I let out a low whistle. “Do you want her back?”

“I’d rather take a header off the back of this boat and aim for the propellers.”

Now there was a hint of the Crosby I knew. “She’s not taking ‘no’ too well?”

“I don’t think she’s ever heard the word before.”

My mouth curved. “Maybe we should set her and Grant up, they seem to have that in common.”

Crosby turned towards me. “He cheated on you?”

“He did.” Once word got around that Grant and I were done, the lovely Lacey Hotchkiss had shared that they’d been sleeping together off and on since the ninth grade. I knew there were others, but the fact that he’d been intimate with someone who had been so cruel to me had almost been more than I could take. But things only got worse from there. “I can’t really bring myself to care about the cheating. But he was my first love—what I thought was love, anyway. Those relationships always carry their own special brand of scars.” Mine were just deeper and uglier than most.

“I guess Alicia was my first love. We met while I was in law school at some charity gala. That should’ve been my first clue to run for the hills. But she was beautiful, charming, fragile. I liked being the one she leaned on. But I never had enough of what she needed.”

“And what was that?”

“Money, success, power. Those were her drugs of choice. She has this pathological need to be at the top of the food chain. I just didn’t see it until it was too late. Have you ever had one of those moments that changes the entire way you view the world?”

“I’ve had two of them.” When Grant left me. And when I lost my girl. I thought I’d never hurt worse than when Grant walked away without a care in the world. But the Universe had a funny way of showing you just what was important. I’d never known what true pain was until the day I lost my daughter.

“I’m sorry.” Crosby had gotten close without me even noticing it, that vital heat seeping out around him. “I’m sorry so many people have let you down. Hurt you.”

“I’m not.” I slipped my hands into the pockets of Crosby’s fleece, bringing us even closer. “It showed me what was truly important in life. Who I could really trust.”

“That’s a high price to pay for those gifts.”

But Crosby was wrong. My mother being a crap mom, disappearing and never even bothering to send a birthday card, Grant breaking my heart and spitting on the pieces…that hurt, but it was a teaching kind of pain. I was grateful for it. But losing my girl before she even had a chance to breathe her first breath? Nothing would ever cost as much as that unfulfilled promise.

That life stolen.

20

Crosby

The weekend kept playing over and over in my mind. Not even a lunchtime ride down the toughest trail on Mount Orcas seemed to clear the image of Kenna’s face from my mind, her eyes filled with a pain that I could only describe as soul-deep.

I wanted to know everything. Every last person and event that had put that agony there. But Kenna would only give me so much. We’d spent Saturday evening tangled in her sheets, but then she’d kicked me to the curb. It was as if she had this invisible countdown clock when it came to time with me, while I always wanted more. And it wasn’t just more time touching her skin, losing myself in her body. I wanted Kenna everywhere and in any way I could have her.

The thought tweaked an itch beneath my skin, the one that wanted to drive back to the mountain and do the ride all over again. The energy that seemed to hum beneath the surface of my skin, growing twitchy at the idea of wanting more with anyone. My hands tightened on the steering wheel. The woman was mysterious, intriguing. That was all. We’d have our fun, and then we’d leave it as friends. Kenna wasn’t exactly giving me any signals that she wanted more, quite the opposite actually.

I smiled as a vision of Kenna popped into my mind, hair mussed and sleepy-eyed, telling me I needed to leave so she could get the eight hours she needed. She’d refused to even get out of bed, telling me there was a spare key in the cabinet by the door so I could lock up. I’d done as instructed, but I was keeping the key.

My phone rang through my truck’s speakers. I braced myself to see a Boston number on the screen, but it was Penny. “Hey, Pen.”

“What is this message you left me? You want me to reschedule all of your afternoon appointments?”

I winced. “Sorry, something came up. It’s important.”

I heard the sound of our office coffee maker in the background. “Important like you decided you needed to go climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, or important like someone’s in trouble, and you need to help?”

I grinned at the windshield. “More like the latter, but Kilimanjaro isn’t a bad idea. Maybe I’ll see if I can talk Ford into training for that.”

“Crosby McCoy, if you even think of trying to climb a mountain that people have died on, I will put salt in your coffee for weeks.”

“All right. No Kilimanjaro.”

“Is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure.” After spending most of Saturday with Zoe, I was still concerned about her foster placement. Something wasn’t sitting right, and it was time I did a little nosing around. I’d come up with an excuse to stop by unannounced, some paperwork that I needed to go over with Zoe. I just hoped my concerns were unfounded. Seeing and hearing about the worst in people sometimes made me a touch suspicious. But I’d rather that paranoia than letting a child be hurt or neglected.

“You make sure that girl’s okay.”

“I’m doing my best.”

“You’re a good boy, Crosby.”

I chuckled. Apparently, I was eight years old in Penny’s eyes. “Gotta go, getting off the ferry.”

“All right. Call to check in when you’re done.”

“Will do.” I disconnected and navigated the stream of cars disembarking from the ship. Slowly, we made our way down the ramp and onto Shelter Island. I mentally ran through what I’d say to the Calhouns when I arrived. Reminded myself to be charming and not an asshole so they’d grant me access.

I wove my way through familiar island roads before pulling to a stop in front of the house. There were two cars home this time. The station wagon and a pickup truck. Maybe I’d get a feel for Mr. Calhoun, as well.

I climbed out of my truck and made my way up the crumbling walk to the patio and rang the bell. I could hear a tv blaring through the door. I waited. Nothing. I was just about to ring the bell a second time when the door opened, and Mrs. Calhoun appeared, baby on her hip and looking harried. “Mr. McCoy, what are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry to intrude, but I have some paperwork to go over with Zoe, and a few things I need your take on. Do you have a few minutes?”

Mrs. Calhoun glanced behind her towards the sound of the television. “Now’s not really a good time—”

“Who the fuck’s at the door, Meg?” A man stumbled towards the house’s small foyer. His clothes were rumpled, and the scent of alcohol hit me from four feet away.

“This is Mr. McCoy. He’s Zoe’s advocate from the Alliance. He needs to talk to her.”

Mr. Calhoun sneered at me. “The fancy lawyer. The one who bought her all that shit. You know, now our blood kids want to know why they don’t get that stuff.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Calhoun. But I really do need to speak with Zoe.” My hands tightened at my sides, the papers in my left hand crumpling.

“She can’t come to the door right now. It’s study time.”

The girl was nine. I highly doubted she had hours of homework. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist.”

Red crept up Calhoun’s neck and into his face. “This is my house. You can’t demand shit.”

“Brian,” Mrs. Calhoun pleaded.

“Shut up, Meg.”

I pulled out my phone. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to call the sheriff. You’re inebriated, and I have reason to be concerned for Zoe’s welfare.”

“For fuck’s sake, she’s in the closet. She’s fine. And I just had a few beers after work. It’s a man’s right.”

“Did you say she’s in the closet?” My blood began to heat, and I let the papers I was holding fall to the ground. I needed both hands free in case this escalated.

Brian charged down a hall and pulled open a door. I followed without considering whether or not it was a smart to do so. All I could think about was sweet Zoe, scared and alone. The sight that met me had me struggling to keep my composure. Zoe was huddled in a corner with a flashlight and the backpack I’d given her. On the opposite wall of the small closet was one of those potty-training toilets. How long did they keep her in here that they needed a toilet?

“Crosby?” Zoe’s voice trembled, and I saw red.

“Come on, Zo.” I reached out a hand and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s go.”

When Brian closed in, cursing and saying he wanted his money for taking care of Zoe, I picked her up, covering one ear and pressing the other to my shoulder. She didn’t need to hear any more of his spewed hatred. I strode as quickly as I could without running. Placing Zoe in the passenger side of my truck, I secured her and then jogged around to the driver’s side to jump in.

I started up the engine and immediately headed for the sheriff’s office. “Are you okay, Zoe? Did they hurt you?”

“No. They just make me stay in the closet after school until bedtime. Am I in trouble?”

My heart shattered on her question and the fear in her voice. “No, Zo. You did nothing wrong. It’s the Calhouns who are in trouble.”

* * *

“Tell me both of those assholes are going away.”

Sheriff Raines met my stare, the set of his jaw hard. “I’ve got two deputies en route to pick them up. A social worker is meeting them there to take custody of their children.”

The Calhouns didn’t deserve to have any children under their care, even if they didn’t lock their own biological kids in a closet. My gaze flicked to Zoe. She was huddled between Callie and a social worker, nibbling on a snack. “They had one of those toddler toilets in that closet, Parker. She said they made her stay in there after school until bedtime.”

“We’re gonna get justice for Zoe.”

“What we’re gonna get is a foster placement that I approve. One that is down with random checks whenever the fuck I want and whenever the social worker wants.”

Just as I finished my tirade, the glass door to the sheriff’s office lounge opened, and the social worker came out. She was young, too young to know what she should be doing. “Sheriff, have the Calhouns been detained?”

Parker took a step forward. “We’re in the process now, Harper.”

“Something that wouldn’t have been necessary if you’d done your damn job,” I added.

The woman flinched. “I’ve done two home checks since placing Zoe with the Calhouns. Nothing was ever amiss.”

“Let me guess, announced visits.”

“I had no reason to believe there was a need for anything else.”

I scoffed. “Not everyone is living in a fairy tale land where people are good just because they claim to be.”

Parker put a palm on my chest, giving me a small shove. “Crosby, back off. You’re out of line.”

I bit back a curse, running my hands through my hair and tugging on the ends. “I’m sorry, but you didn’t see her in that closet.”

“No, but I did just hear all about it.” Tears glistened in Harper’s eyes before she quickly wiped them away. “I’ll do whatever I can to make sure she’s safe. I’ve already lined up placement with a couple I’d trust with my life.”

“I’m getting her a cell phone. You need to make sure she can have access to it and that the foster parents won’t take it away.”

“I think that is a great place to start to make Zoe feel safe. She has a fondness for you and your friend, Kenna. She talked about you both quite a bit. She trusts you.”

A mixture of warmth and pain filled my chest. Pride and terror. I’d do whatever it took to make sure this little girl was safe. “We care about her.”

Harper nodded. “That much is clear. She’s lucky to have you both.”

My shoulders relaxed a fraction. “I’m sorry I was such an ass.”

“Understatement,” Parker muttered.

Harper gave me a small smile. “It’s all right. You’re protective. Zoe needs people like you in her life.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Sliding it out, I stole a quick glance at the screen. “Sorry, I need to take this really quick.”

“Go right ahead,” Harper said. “We have a few minutes before I need to take Zoe to the Wilsons.”

I hated the idea of Zoe being shuffled off to yet another foster home, but it wasn’t like I could take her. “I want to meet them.”

“Sure, you can come with us if you want,” Harper offered.

I gave a jerk of my chin and then stepped away to answer my still-ringing phone. “Jones, what’s up?”

Michael Jones was a clerk at the courthouse. We’d bonded over rock climbing, and he sometimes passed along tidbits of information he overheard in the halls. “I got something you might be interested in.”

“What’s that?”

“That douchebag lawyer, the one you stole a lot of clients from on Anchor?”

I groaned. “I didn’t steal them. They sought me out. But, yeah.”

“Whatever, man. Anyway, he was chatting with this preppy dude, and they were on their way to file some stuff. Contesting a will.” My body went rigid as Jones continued talking. “I heard a name. Harriet Abbot. That’s the sweet old lady who met you for lunch at the courthouse sometimes, right?”

“That’s the one.” My teeth ground together. “Do you know if they filed, or were they just discussing it?”

“I think they filed. I’m sorry, Crosby.”

I muttered a litany of curses that would’ve had Harriet smacking me for sure. “Not your fault. Thanks for the heads-up.”

“Anytime. Hey, you want to hit up Black Rock this weekend? Do some climbing?”

“Depends on what is about to blow up in my face.”

“I hear you. Let me know what you decide.”

“Will do.” I hit End on my screen and strode back towards Harper and Parker, who were deep in conversation. “Do you think we could go meet the Wilsons now? I want to make sure Zoe’s comfortable there.” I wouldn’t leave her if she wasn’t, but I needed to get to Kenna, too. This wasn’t exactly something I could tell her in a text. If Ben Hotchkiss was working with the Abbots, they weren’t going to pull any punches.

And Kenna’s worst fears just might become a reality.

21

Kenna

I adjusted my spandex shorts as I slipped my feet into flip-flops, grinning as I went. How was it that leaving work at five o’clock, the legitimate end of the workday, made me feel like such a rebel? Chris had given me a dirty look as I headed out with the majority of the staff, but thankfully, he’d kept his mouth shut.

I needed a hit of that peace I’d gotten with Crosby out on the water. I wasn’t going to ask him to go with me, that would be completely crazy. But he’d left my paddleboard in the boat shed with the kayaks. I was going out to find that damn peace for myself. Because Crosby wouldn’t stick around forever. The allure of whatever he thought was so intriguing about me would fade, and I’d have to be okay on my own. Just like always.

A knock sounded at my door, and I checked my watch, wondering if Caelyn was stopping by with the kiddos. Maybe we could all go out on the water. “Coming.” I headed for the door, pulling it open without even thinking of looking through the peephole first.

A man in his mid-fifties stood before me in slacks and a polo shirt. “Ms. Kenna Morgan?”

“Yes, can I help you?” I felt suddenly exposed. The Gables was set far away from any other houses. I’d gotten so used to having Harriet and her nurse close by, I hadn’t thought much about how isolated this property really was. If I screamed, no one would hear a sound.

The man reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “You’ve been served. You are required to appear in court at the date and time stated in these papers. If you do not appear, there may be a default judgment against you. Have a good day.”

I stood in my open doorway, unable to move. The paper, just run-of-the-mill white, seemed to burn my fingers. I had the sudden urge to run to the ocean with it, to submerge my hand in the water, and beg the tide to take it away. But that wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t change a thing about the reality in front of me.

My hands shook as I opened the papers. The words blurred, but I could see enough to get the gist of it. The Abbots were contesting Harriet’s will. Challenging whether she’d been of sound mind when she made the changes. And if they were taking this to court, they were going to do everything in their power to win. They always did.

I slowly slid down onto my front step. If I didn’t sit, I’d fall. I met the stone with a jolt that rattled my spine. All I could remember were the papers I’d been sent before, the ones demanding a paternity test, the one that came next demanding that I keep my mouth shut. A dark part of my mind wondered if the stress of it all, of trying to keep it together amidst my heart breaking and the assault of the demands from the Abbots, had been a part of me losing my baby.

My body shook as I remembered the pain. I saw the bloody sheets in my mind, felt the terror as if it were all happening again. I couldn’t see the gravel drive, the grass that lay beyond that. I couldn’t feel the breeze or smell the sea air. I was back in that dorm room, in the bed where my baby ceased to be.

“Brown Eyes.”

The voice was familiar but so far away, as if I were under water, and he was on the surface, calling out, trying to find me.

“Kenna, you’re scaring the shit out of me right now. Answer me.”

I blinked rapidly, my vision slowly coming into focus, the dorm room slipping away as Crosby appeared in front of me.

“There she is.” His forehead pressed against mine, and I realized he was on his knees in his suit.

“You’re going to ruin your slacks.” There was a rasp to my voice as if I hadn’t used it in days.

“Don’t give a fuck about my suit.” He pulled back, cupping my face, studying me, assessing me for damage. There would be too much for him to catalogue if he knew the truth. “Are you okay?”

“Not really.” I handed him the papers. It took a second for my arm to obey the command of my brain. Sluggish, almost as if I were drugged. Crosby let out a colorful string of curses. “I don’t think Harriet would care for that language.” I almost choked on her name. Harriet. I couldn’t let her down. Couldn’t let her greedy family steal The Gables and turn it into something she’d never want, either by filling it with their hate, or selling it to the highest bidder.

Crosby slipped a hand under my fall of hair, squeezing my neck. “They aren’t going to win.”

My breath hitched in my chest as I shoved the sob down. Down to the place where I pushed every other emotion that had the potential to make me break. “You don’t know that. They won’t give up. Not because they especially want The Gables or because they need the money, but because they don’t want me to have it. I could lose my home, Crosby. The only place I’ve ever truly felt safe.”

The words had bubbled out before I could stop them. But the truth in them was undeniable. I’d given everything I had to create a sense of security for myself. Working harder than I’d thought possible to get back on track in college, to graduate on time with the rest of my classmates. I’d gotten a good job. One that was steady and would always give me enough money to live on. I didn’t take risks—or I hadn’t until this thing with Crosby. I’d done everything I could to give myself the life I didn’t have growing up. But it was Harriet and this place that had given me the most. And now, all that could be taken away.

Crosby’s thumbs stroked over my cheeks as he kept hold of my face. The pads of those thumbs were rough with calluses, likely from all of his many adrenaline-fueled hobbies. But the feel of them was hypnotic, calming in a way that shouldn’t be possible, not from this man. “You might think I’m a slacker, but I’m a damn good lawyer. I’m not going to let Clark and his family take your home.”

Crosby’s words startled a laugh out of me. “I know you’re a good lawyer. Probably the best in the islands.” I’d heard people talking about Crosby before, how he’d won them what they thought was a hopeless case. I’d also heard that he helped in cases where the client couldn’t pay his normal rates. God, I’d held so tightly to my view of this man, even when the evidence laid before me clearly pointed to a different picture, a more complex one. “I trust you.”

The words surprised even me. But as I searched inside myself, I found that they were true. I may not have completely let down my guard, but I trusted Crosby to give his all to save my home, my safe place. “I do.”

Crosby rose, grabbing my hands and lifting me with him. “Let’s get inside. I’ll make you some tea.”

“You hate tea.”

“I didn’t say I was going to drink the stuff.” He moved around my space as if he belonged there, opening cabinets, pulling out a mug and my kettle, going in search of tea bags.

I slipped onto one of the three stools at the counter and watched the man move. He was tending. And something about that knowledge caused warmth to spread through my chest. “You know your way around a kettle.”

His lips tipped. “One of my nannies, the one who was there longest, she loved tea. I’d always watch her make it.”

“Were your parents not around much?”

Crosby chuckled but it had a hint of bitterness to it. “Rarely. I mostly spent time with them when they needed a child as an accessory.”

The knowledge burned something inside me. Crosby and I had more in common than I’d thought. It didn’t matter if a child had every toy in the world or just three. It didn’t change the pain of being ignored. “I’m sorry, Crosby.”

He shrugged, moving the kettle off the stove just as it began to whistle. “I was safe, warm, cared for. There are so many children out there who would kill for that.”

He was right, of course, and it was good…healthy to have that perspective. But it didn’t change the fact that the absence of parents hurt, no matter the circumstances. “That’s why you volunteer with the Alliance. It puts things in perspective for you.”

Crosby poured the water into the cup with ease, dunking the tea bag three times before it fully submerged in the water. “It’s a good reminder, sure. But I also wanted to use my skills for good for once.”

I took the mug from Crosby, placing it down on the counter. “What do you mean?”

He continued to move about my kitchen with some uncanny knowledge of where everything was placed, grabbing a sugar bowl, a small spoon, then moving to the refrigerator for the milk. “For so long after law school, after meeting Alicia, I had this insatiable hunger for more. More money. More power. Nothing was ever enough. I blamed Alicia, and sure her need to be at the top of the food chain—for me to be at the top—didn’t help, but it triggered something in me. Nothing was ever enough. And the cases I worked…I was rarely making a positive difference in the world.”

Crosby set the sugar and milk in front of me. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’m some bleeding heart now. I take all kinds of cases. But I like that some of them change people’s lives for the better.”

I spooned some sugar into my tea. “I know you’re making Zoe’s life better.” Crosby flinched, and I straightened on my stool, my fingers tightening on the handle of the mug. “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”

Crosby’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “She’s going to be fine, but she was removed from her foster home.”

“What? Why?”

He rounded the counter and pulled out the stool next to mine, sinking down onto it. “I didn’t have the best feeling about her foster parents. The way she talked about them just didn’t sit right. So, this afternoon, I made a surprise visit.” Crosby’s knuckles bleached white as he settled his hands on the countertop. “They had her in a closet. They made her stay there after school until bedtime so she was out of the way.”

The rage that lit in me blazed bright and fierce. I stood, nearly knocking my stool over before Crosby caught it. “Where is she? What is wrong with social services that they approved people who have the potential of doing something like that?”

I was moving before Crosby could answer, heading for my bedroom. Pulling open a drawer in my dresser, I grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. I didn’t even think about the fact that the door was wide open, I simply shucked my spandex shorts, leaving me in nothing but my thong and workout tank.

“Whoa. Not that I don’t love the show, but what are you doing?”

I whirled to face Crosby, who leaned against the door, his gaze trained on where my ass had been a second before. “You’re going to take me to wherever Zoe is right now. I need to see her. I want to make sure she’s all right.”

Crosby crossed to me in three long strides, his hand slipping under my hair, tugging at it so that I was forced to meet his gaze. “That fierce exterior, it’s guarding the most tender heart, isn’t it?”

Air constricted in my lungs. “I care about her.”

“I know you do. Love that Zoe has that in you. But we can’t go see her right now.”

I stepped out of his hold. “Why the hell not?”

“Her social worker and I just got her settled before I came here. This place…I got nothing but good vibes. The parents are caring, attentive, but they don’t push. They’re doing everything they can to make Zoe feel safe. You showing up, ready to set fire to the world, is only going to freak Zoe out.”

I took a deep, steadying breath. Crosby had a point. But desperation clawed at my insides, a need to see Zoe, to make sure she was okay. “Do you think I could see her tomorrow?”

Crosby’s expression softened, and he pulled his phone from his pocket, typing out a text. Within a few seconds, there was a ding that said there had been a return reply. “The Wilsons would love for us to join them for breakfast tomorrow morning. We can see Zoe before she heads to school.”

My shoulders relaxed a fraction. “Okay.”

Crosby stepped closer, and I let my head fall to his chest. “She’s going to be okay. We’ll make sure of it.” I nodded against his sternum. Crosby trailed a hand up and down my spine. “You okay?”

“Yes.” The vital warmth that radiated off Crosby seeped into me now, heating the places I’d never thought could feel warm again. It should’ve terrified me, but I only wanted more. I pressed myself closer to him, my arms going around his waist.

Crosby’s hands dipped lower, ghosting over the curve of my ass, sending the most delicious sparks of sensation across my skin. “Do you need me?”

“Yes.” My answer came out breathy, but I didn’t care one bit. I was beyond the point of pride. I needed to feel alive again, to forget all of the bad things that were swirling around me, and lose myself in sensation, in the buzz of energy that only Crosby could provide.

Before I knew what was happening, Crosby sank to his knees. My head snapped down, the sight in front of me so enticing that my muscles clenched. The top of Crosby’s head, his dark hair gleaming, his eyes focused solely on the apex of my thighs. His finger slipped beneath the lace at my hips. “I’m partial to you in lace. I might just have to keep these as a reminder of this picture. So damn pretty.” He rubbed the tip of his nose over the lace covering my center. I couldn’t hold in my gasp.

“And you smell so damn good.” Crosby tugged at my thong, moving so slowly I burned with each drag of his fingers down my thighs. As the lace fell to the floor, Crosby lifted one of my legs and then the other. He took the panties and shoved them into his back pocket. I opened my mouth to protest, but he gripped my thighs. “I need to remember this moment.”

I swallowed but nodded my assent. Crosby kept a firm grip on my quads as if holding me in place. But for a moment, he only stared, taking in every detail of that innermost part of me, seemingly burning it into his memory.

One hand moved, skimming up the inside of my thigh, sending the most pleasant shiver up my spine. His fingers parted me, one dipping inside, just slightly, taking the wetness gathering there and spreading it. He explored and teased, leaving no part left unattended except that most potent bundle of nerves. “Love the way you feel. The softest silk.”

I let out what sounded almost like a mewl.

Crosby chuckled. “You need more?”

“Please.” I would’ve begged at that moment.

Crosby’s hands moved, gripping the backs of my thighs and pulling me to him. My hands flashed out, gripping his shoulders as his tongue met my flesh. This was no teasing exploration. This was a hungry attack. His tongue went straight for my clit, the one place so desperate for touch that I worried one stroke would send me over the edge.

One hand left my thigh. Suddenly, two fingers filled me just as the tip of his tongue flicked that bundle of nerves. My legs shook, and I had to focus on keeping myself upright. My fingers dug into Crosby’s shoulders, a silent plea for more.

Crosby began stroking in a motion that had him hitting that hidden spot inside that made me tremble more violently. My breathing picked up its pace, my heart hammering against my ribs as he pushed in deeper.

I gasped as Crosby’s lips surrounded my clit, sucking hard as his fingers stroked faster, curling just right. It was all I could handle. The world seemed to fall away. Blood roared in my ears. But I could do nothing but feel. Everything went silent. Still. It was my own Universe of sensation.

And I never wanted it to end.

22

Crosby

Watching Kenna straighten her hair was hypnotic. The smooth, downward strokes, the flick of her delicate wrist. I still hated it. It was as if she were hiding some part of herself away. And what she hid was the part of her that called to me on some primal level.

“Why do you do that with your hair?”

Kenna’s lips thinned. She had this dainty little vanity thing in her bedroom, and I had the perfect view of her reflection from my spot on her bed. She’d let me stay the night this time. Well, not so much let since we’d nearly collapsed after last night’s festivities, and she’d passed out before she could utter the words “get out.” But I was still taking it as a win.

She moved the hair tool over another section of her mahogany locks. “I told you, I like it straight. It’s easier to deal with that way.”

More like it was easier to control. To fit into that neat little box she was determined to mold herself into. But Kenna couldn’t be contained by any rigid rules or boundaries. She just hadn’t seen what a gift that was yet. That her strength, her fire, her empathy, they weren’t things to hide away. They were the most beautiful things about her. “One day, I’m going to get you to rock the curls.”

“Don’t hold your breath.” She set the tool down, clicking it off and then unplugging it. Moving on to makeup.

“When’s the last time you wore it wild?”

A shadow passed over her eyes, a signal that she was shutting down. “I don’t know. Probably when I was sick or something.”

There was a tone to Kenna’s voice when she lied, a slightly higher pitch that gave her away. Why she’d lie about that, I had no idea. I tensed. “Did Grant like it curly or something?”

Kenna’s hand, holding a makeup brush, froze halfway to her face. “No. He liked it straight. Why does it matter what he liked or not?”

“It doesn’t. I just—trying to figure out that shadow that’s in your eyes sometimes.”

Her movements were stiff as she continued applying eye shadow. “Just woolgathering. You know better than most that not all my memories are the best.”

But I wanted to know even more. That was a lie. I wanted to know everything. Yet it felt as if I were walking through a minefield. One wrong step and I’d blow us both sky-high. We’d never recover.

I pushed up in bed, swinging my legs over the side. “I’d like to hear more about that.”

A battle waged beneath the surface of her skin as if there were two halves of her—one who wanted nothing more than to unburden herself, and the other holding tight to every secret she’d ever locked away. “Okay.”

It wasn’t the thing she guarded so fiercely, but it wasn’t a denial either. “That request has no expiration date.”

“Thank you.”

I could’ve given her an out. Told her that there was no pressure. But that would’ve been a lie. I wanted her secrets because it felt wrong to have pieces of her hidden from me, especially if it caused her pain. I knew every inch of her body, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted every inch of her soul, too. The thought had me rearing back. What the hell was going on with me? Kenna wanted the white picket fence and a stable, predictable man in her life. I was not that. But maybe underneath it all, Kenna didn’t need that. I’d just have to find a way to get her to accept it. That might be as difficult as getting her to open that vault she’d locked up so tightly.

* * *

“Kenna!”

Zoe flew at Kenna with a speed I worried would knock her over, but I should’ve known not to underestimate my girl’s strength. Kenna swung the little girl up in her arms with an ease that was beautiful to watch. “Missed you, sweet girl.”

Zoe ducked her head. “Missed you, too. I’m glad Crosby brought you.”

Kenna laughed, setting Zoe down. “Brought me? I hounded him to bring me over last night, but he made me wait till this morning.”

“You did?”

“Ask him. I was super annoying.”

Zoe grinned at me. “Was she annoying?”

“The absolute worst.”

Zoe giggled, and Kenna gave one of her braids a tug. “How are you holding up?”

Zoe rolled her lips together before answering. “I like it a lot better here.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are a lot nicer, and I have a whole room to myself. I don’t have to share with anyone. And Daniel isn’t mean, he even let me play Xbox with him.”

“Daniel is Mr. and Mrs. Wilson’s son,” I explained to Kenna.

“I’m so happy to hear that.” Kenna wrapped Zoe in another quick hug.

“Sorry about that,” Ingrid Wilson bustled back into the living room. “Five or fourteen, there’s always something that boy has misplaced. This time, it was his math homework. Think the teacher will believe that Loki ate it?”

A huge smile spread across Zoe’s face. “Loki is Daniel’s ferret. We got to play with him last night, and he’s really cool.” She looked up at Ingrid. “But I don’t think he’d eat a bunch of paper.”

Ingrid chuckled. “I thought it might be worth a try.” She turned her attention back to Kenna and me. “Please, come on into the kitchen. I’m not the best cook, my husband is more the chef around these parts, but I have mastered the art of toaster waffles and cutting up fruit.”

Kenna studied Ingrid carefully. If the middle-aged woman could tell she was under the microscope, she didn’t seem too bothered by it. But then again, she and her husband had put up with the third degree from me the day before.

We settled at the large, worn kitchen table that had enough chairs to seat eight. The scratches on the surface spoke of many meals held in this spot, and no one too overly concerned about a ding here or there. Ingrid placed a large platter of waffles, a bowl of mixed berries, and some whipped cream on the table.

I began pouring Zoe a glass of orange juice. “This looks amazing.”

Zoe nodded, a look of wonder on her face that had me cursing the girl’s mother and her earlier foster parents.

Kenna cleared her throat. “Thank you for letting us come over before school. I know it was last-minute.”

Ingrid gave Kenna a gentle smile. “I completely understand. I’m glad Zoe’s got two such caring champions in her corner. As I told Crosby, you’re welcome to come by anytime. And I’ll give you my cell number. You can text me if you want to check in.”

The set of Kenna’s shoulders eased a fraction, and I knew Ingrid was winning her over in the same way she had me. These were good, caring people, who worked with the foster system for all the right reasons. “Thank you. That would be wonderful. And if you and your husband ever need a date night, I’d be happy to babysit.”

Ingrid laughed as she sat. “Careful what you offer up. We might be calling you more than you’d like.”

“Gross, Mom,” Daniel muttered as he scooped berries onto his waffle.

She ruffled his hair. “You’re taking a few girls of your own out these days.”

“That doesn’t mean I want to hear about you and Dad going out.”

Ingrid rolled her eyes heavenward. “You should hear him when we kiss.”

Daniel made a gagging noise, and the rest of the table dissolved into laughter.

The remainder of breakfast went by in a blur of Ingrid and Daniel sharing funny stories about their family. Zoe was quiet as if she didn’t entirely trust this place to be as good as it seemed, but I knew she’d ease in here over time.

Ingrid rose from the table. “Zoe, let’s go get your backpack and make sure you have everything you need for school. Daniel, will you clear the table?”

“We’ll help,” Kenna immediately offered.

“Thank you.” Ingrid led Zoe back towards her new room.

Kenna and I began gathering cups and plates while Daniel took the platter to the counter. He turned back and paused to take us in. “They’re good parents.” I stilled, Kenna going motionless beside me. “I overheard them talking last night. They said that Zoe was in a bad foster home.”

Daniel’s cheeks reddened. “I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but I wanted to know what happened to her. My parents are good people. I was in five different fosters before I came here. A lot of them were really shitty. And I was a jerk when I got here, but Mom and Dad…they never gave up on me, no matter what I did. And then, after a year, they asked how I’d feel about joining their family forever.”

Kenna’s hand slipped into mine, squeezing the life out of it. Daniel swallowed, his eyes shining with the threat of tears. “It was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

I cleared my throat. “Thank you for telling us. We’ll be able to rest easy knowing that Zoe’s in such good hands.”

Daniel gave a chin jerk that belonged to someone much older than his fourteen years. “And I’ll look out for her.”

Kenna released my hand and moved to the sink with her pile of dishes. “She’ll be lucky to have you.”

We finished cleaning up and said goodbye to Zoe, making plans to see her in a few days. Ingrid and Kenna exchanged phone numbers and, to my surprise, hugs. Then we were off.

I glanced over at Kenna as we waited in a line of cars to get back onto the ferry. “Do you feel better?”

Kenna startled as if she’d been in another world. “What?”

“Do you feel better about where Zoe is?”

She nodded, pressing her lips together. “Much. Ingrid is amazing. I just…I can’t stop thinking about all of the kids who are in crappy foster homes. Truly bad ones, and even ones that are just overtaxed.”

My girl with the tender heart. God, I loved it when she let it shine through. When she gave me those glimpses of who she truly was. “That’s why there are organizations like the Alliance. To make sure these kids have a voice in what happens to them. Maybe you should think about volunteering there. I know Callie always needs more hands.”

Kenna nodded thoughtfully, but I didn’t miss the shadows that flickered in her eyes. Something was holding her back, and it was tied to that pain in her past. Maybe it was too painful for her, a reminder of what she’d gone through leaving her mother’s home and going to live with Harriet. “Is it hard for you to be around Zoe?”

Kenna jerked as if I had struck her. “No, why would you ask that?”

“Those shadows, Brown Eyes. They came out to play again. And I started thinking about everything you went through with your mom—”

Kenna made a sound of frustration low in her throat. “If Harriet was here right now, I’d be giving her a very stern talking-to about being a blabbermouth.”

My lips twitched. “She shared very little, even with all my prodding.”

Kenna’s gaze cut to me. “You’re a nosy bastard. You know that, right?”

I shrugged, my smile spreading. I’d always be a nosy bastard when it came to her. My phone buzzed in my cupholder, and I swiped it up, checking the screen.

Mom: You need to return Alicia’s call. I didn’t raise my son to be so rude. She is extremely distraught.

Alicia had pulled out the big guns and called my mother. Too bad my mom’s guilt trips didn’t work quite as well as they used to. I dropped the phone back into the cupholder with a thud.

“The ex again?”

I shook my head. “Worse.” Kenna arched a brow in question. “My mother.”

She let out a bark of laughter. “Good to know someone can still put the fear of God in you.”

“You have no idea.”

Kenna glanced down at her lap, her laughter fading. “We haven’t talked about the lawsuit.”

I hadn’t wanted to talk about it because I didn’t want to see the pain and worry in Kenna’s face—the way it was flickering to life now. I’d wanted to simply take this away and deal with it myself. But that was impossible. “The first court date is next week.”

Kenna’s fingers twisted in her lap. “Is it usually that fast?”

“No. The system generally moves at a snail’s pace.”

“So, Grant must’ve thrown his weight around.”

A muscle in my cheek ticked. It shouldn’t have been surprising that Grant had found a way to jump the line, but I was still shocked at how quickly he’d managed to get on the court docket. “I guess those relationships run deep, even though they’ve been gone for over a decade.”

“Or their pockets run deep,” she muttered.

“Do you think they’d try to bribe court officials?”

Kenna looked up at me, her gaze full of a mix of pain and determination. “I think they’d do whatever they had to do to get what they want.”

23

Kenna

The trembling in my fingers was the only thing that gave me away. That tiny little shake as I smoothed my hands over the gray pencil skirt I wore. Everything else was a carefully crafted lie that said I had it all together.

“You look beautiful and business-like. I promise.” Caelyn gave my elbow a little tug. “We need to get going.”

I let out a shaky breath. A week had flown by. After work each day, I split my time between visiting Zoe and giving Crosby every last morsel of information that might be helpful in his fight against the Abbots. Every night, Crosby and I ended up tangled in my sheets, and I lost the will to ask him to leave. His presence, when so much else was up in the air, was calming. The feel of his body wrapped around mine was the only thing that seemed to lull me to sleep.

“Kenna?” Bell waved a hand in front of my face. “Earth to Kenna?”

“Sorry, what?”

She grinned at Caelyn. “I said I had to fight Crosby pretty hard to be the one to drive you to the courthouse.”

I stiffened as I took in my two best friends, who both wore cat-that-got-the-canary smiles on their faces. “He probably just wanted to go over what would happen today.” Despite the time Crosby and I had been spending together, we hadn’t been overt about it. And that was by design. I didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea about what this was between us. But even as I had the thought, something inside me rebelled against it. This thing between us…it was already turning into more.

“You two have been spending a lot of time together,” Caelyn hedged.

I gave a shrug that I’d intended to look casual but was far too forced to be convincing. “We’re just hanging out.”

“Hanging out, huh?” Bell drummed her fingers against her lips. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

I groaned. I should’ve known that I’d never be able to hide something like this from these two. “I might’ve misjudged him a little.”

Bell’s brows flew up. “That’s a hell of a one-eighty from calling him a slacker lawyer.”

I winced at how hard I’d been on Crosby. How wrong I’d been. He was nothing like Grant, growing up in privilege and believing the world owed him everything simply because he existed. Believing there were no consequences to his actions. Crosby might live his life on his own unique terms, but he showed up for those who were important to him. Always.

“He’s a good man.”

Caelyn’s hands flew to her mouth. “Holy snickerdoodles! You’re sleeping with him.”

My cheeks heated, and I couldn’t meet Caelyn’s gaze. And that was all Bell needed for confirmation. “I knew it! Pay up, Caelyn.”

My mouth fell open. “You bet on whether I’d have sex with Crosby?”

Bell shook her head. “No, we both thought you’d eventually at least hate-bang each other. We bet on when. I had by the end of the year.”

Caelyn pouted. “I thought it would take a little longer. Your restraint is legendary. Dang it, now I’m out twenty bucks.”

“You’re both assholes. I think it’s time for me to put an ad out for some new friends.”

Bell and Caelyn both pounced, wrapping me in one of those group hugs we hadn’t had in far too long. I let out an exaggerated groan, but really, I loved it.

“Suck it up, buttercup. You’re stuck with us.” Bell grabbed my side in an especially ticklish spot.

Caelyn squeezed me even harder. “Just try and get rid of us.”

“I could always file a restraining order.”

Bell pulled back slightly. “Nah. I’ve got Sheriff Raines in my back pocket. He’d never let it go through.”

A throat cleared from the doorway, and I looked up to see Ford with an amused smile on his face. “As adorable as this is, we have to get going if we don’t want to be late. I’m guessing being late when you’re called to testify wouldn’t be a good thing.”

All the warmth that had filled me fled in an instant. It was time. There was no avoiding Grant any longer. A small shudder ran through me at the memory of his rage in the parking lot. His threats.

“You’re stronger than they’ll ever be,” Bell whispered in my ear.

Caelyn slipped her hand into mine. “And you’re not alone.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded. “Let’s do this.”

The car and ferry rides seemed to take forever. Not even the sea breeze and the presence of the people I trusted most seemed to ease me. I tugged at a loose thread on my clutch as I climbed out of Ford’s SUV, twisting the string so tightly it finally popped off. I stilled my movements. No. I couldn’t give any sign that Grant or these proceedings had any effect on me. If I gave the Abbots that, they’d only push harder. And I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

I took a slow, deep breath, picturing ice sliding through my veins as I did. Cool, calm, collected. They would get no reaction from me.

Bell came up next to me. “Ready?”

“I’m ready.”

“She’s got the scary face on. She’s definitely ready,” Caelyn piped up.

Ford grinned at the three of us. “I wouldn’t want to mess with you.”

My cheeks itched to smile, but I quickly pushed the feeling down. I looked up at the brick building. It was quaint, with a nod to times of the past. I’d always thought it was beautiful, but now, it terrified me. I wouldn’t let that show. I climbed the stone steps, one at a time, my friends beside me. I caught sight of Crosby as soon as I entered the main hallway.

He crossed to me quickly, weaving around people waiting to be let into various rooms. Crosby grabbed my arms, and I could see the war in him. He wanted to kiss me but knew it was a bad idea, given the circumstances. His gaze traveled over my face, taking inventory. He scowled. “I hate the ice mask.”

I blinked in surprise. But surprise shouldn’t have even been in my vocabulary when it came to Crosby anymore. “I need it. I have to block him out.”

Crosby’s hand slipped to the small of my back. “I get it. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” The growl in his words had me fighting a smile. “Oh, it’s funny, is it?”

“Maybe a little.” I took a deep breath. “What should I expect?” Crosby had been over what was about to happen more than once over the past few days, but I needed to make sure there were no surprises.

“The judge will hear initial arguments from both parties. There are no juries in probate cases, so it will just be the judge making the ruling.”

I gave a small nod. “The judge we got, what do you think?”

Crosby came to a stop outside a courtroom. “He’s tough but fair. Judge Moore is on the conservative side, so he might lean in the Abbots’ favor, but he has no tolerance for drama. If Grant or his lawyer pushes him or acts out, he’ll slap them down.”

I silently wished for Grant to lose it. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d pitched a fit when he didn’t get his way. “Okay. Do you think they’ll call me to the stand?”

Crosby rubbed a hand up and down my back, the warmth and comfort of the movement seeping into my bones. “I don’t think so, but you never know. Just stay calm and tell the truth.”

I nodded just as the large, wooden doors to the courtroom opened. My stomach pitched. There was no sign of anyone on the Abbots’ side of the room, yet that only amped up the adrenaline running through my system. Crosby ushered me forward, keeping a hand on the small of my back. He motioned for the rest of the crew and me to sit on a bench behind the little fence that separated the onlookers from the lawyers, judge, and the other staff.

Ford, Bell, and Caelyn slid into the front row, but I found myself not wanting to leave the warmth of Crosby’s presence. I gave his hand a quick squeeze. “Good luck.”

He winked. “You know I don’t need luck, darlin’.”

I scowled at him. “Don’t call me that. I have a name.” But inside, I was fighting back a laugh. The man was trying to piss me off so I’d forget about being worried and find my mad.

“All right. Brown Eyes, it is.”

I gave my head a little shake and took a seat next to Caelyn, who immediately grabbed my hand. I was grateful for the reassurance. To not be sitting alone in the courtroom. The sound of shoes on the tile floor had me straightening in my seat.

Grant gave a snort of derision as he passed with his lawyer. “She’ll be out of The Gables in no time.”

Caelyn gripped my hand harder at his words. I kept my gaze focused straight ahead, pretending that I couldn’t hear or see him. But it didn’t stop the anxiety that took root in my stomach. Crosby had warned me the judge might require me to leave my home while the trial was underway. Where I’d go if that happened, I had no idea.

“All rise.” A bailiff’s voice cut through the murmurs in the room, and I rose on instinct. This time, I couldn’t help it when my gaze drifted to the other side of the room, to the person trying to take my safe place away from me. Grant stared right at me. I couldn’t decipher what it was I saw in his expression. Part pity, part disdain likely. But whatever it was, it sent a shiver down my spine.

As I turned away from Grant’s cold glare, I caught sight of the Abbots’ lawyer. I wanted to laugh at the incestuous nature of it all. Ben Hotchkiss was none other than Lacey’s father. I wondered if my high school boyfriend’s side piece would show up in court. Maybe she’d get her claws into Grant, after all.

I shifted my focus to the judge, a man who looked to be in his fifties with salt-and-pepper hair. His gaze held shrewdness as he studied the people before him. I only hoped that meant he could see the truth.

The opening remarks came and went, and once Crosby and Ben Hotchkiss got into the details of the case, I began to lose some of my understanding of what they were saying. The terminology sounded like an entirely different language. Grant sat at the table with their attorney but did none of the speaking, simply whispered in Ben’s ear.

“All right,” Judge Moore said. “I think I’ve heard enough for today. Mr. Hotchkiss, are you ready to proceed with the trial?”

“Yes, your honor. We wish to move through this process as quickly as possible.”

The judge nodded. “What about you, Mr. McCoy?”

“We’re ready, your honor.”

“Good. I’m placing you on the docket for next week. Any arguments?” Judge Moore lifted his gaze to meet Crosby’s and Ben’s. Neither said anything.

“We need to make a motion to have Kenna removed from The Gables during the trial and have a freeze placed on the trust.”

Grant whisper-hissed the words to Hotchkiss, but the judge didn’t miss a thing. “No talking out of turn in my courtroom.”

Caelyn stifled a giggle next to me, and I squeezed her hand hard. I didn’t want the man’s attention focused over here. But that’s precisely what happened. Judge Moore turned his eyes to me. “Ms. Morgan, you are currently living in the guest quarters, correct?”

“Yes, Your Honor.” My voice was steady, even though my hands trembled.

“I’m ruling that Ms. Morgan may stay on the property. There will be no removal of any of the belongings in the main house or any of the outbuildings. If you need to access the trust for any repairs or insurance payments, those will have to be approved by the court.”

Air rushed into my lungs as I took the first breath since the judge’s gaze had zeroed in on me. “Thank you, sir.”

Grant mumbled a complaint to Hotchkiss, but it was low enough that the rest of us couldn’t hear, and the judge chose to ignore it.

“Court is adjourned.” Judge Moore rose and headed for his private entrance.

Caelyn wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. “That was good, right? I mean, it would’ve been better if he had kicked those greedy buggers to the curb, but at least you don’t have to find a new place to live.”

“It’s good.” I looked up at Crosby, who had turned to face us. “Right?”

He nodded, his lawyer expression still in place. “It’s a good start.”

My muscles eased a fraction. “Let’s get out of here. I need to try and make it into the office this afternoon.”

Bell reached out and grabbed my shoulder. “Haven’t you earned an afternoon off?”

I wished. But Chris was already pissed that I’d taken this morning off with less than a week’s notice. “I can’t. Too much to do.” I pushed to my feet, turning to step into the aisle, and stopped dead as I came face-to-face with Grant.

“You’re making a mistake, Kenna. I think I could convince my parents to still give you a settlement if you sign over The Gables. You were never stupid. You have to know that if you fight this, you’ll end up with nothing.”

Bell scoffed, and my spine straightened. “I would never go against Harriet’s wishes for her home.”

Grant’s eyes narrowed. “You mean my grandmother? The one you manipulated? I tried to keep this from getting ugly, but you never listen. You’re giving us no choice.”

“Watch what you say, Grant. You’re dangerously close to making a threat in front of multiple witnesses.” Crosby’s voice held a tone that I’d never heard from him before. Low, menacing, one that had chill bumps rising on my skin.

Grant glared at Crosby. “It’s not a threat. It’s the truth. She’ll be ruined when my family’s done with her.”

And just like that, I remembered precisely whom I was fighting with. I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do that would allow me to win against these people.

24

Kenna

My arms cut through the water, my legs helping to propel me forward. The shocking cold was just what I needed this morning, along with the burn flaring in my muscles. I pushed myself harder, calling up every last bit of strength I had.

The harder I pushed, the quieter my mind got. And I desperately needed that silence. The voices running around in my brain had been way too loud these past few days. Full of Grant’s ominous warning and memories of the past. I needed a break from it all.

Almost a week had passed since our first court date, and Crosby was due back in front of Judge Moore tomorrow. That knowledge had given me an extra dose of anxious energy—just one more thing to burn off with my swim. We hadn’t heard a word from Grant or any other member of team Abbot, but I’d also been avoiding any place Grant might be. I didn’t need the memories that seeing him brought. And I didn’t need to be reminded of how little the entire family thought of me, how they might again affect the community’s view of me.

With a few more hard strokes, I began to ease off my chase, to slip into smooth, gliding movements. I flipped to my back, taking in the early morning sky with its clouds tinged with light pink. The heaving in my chest slowed. No matter what happened, no one could take the serenity of this place away from me. The Abbots might take my home, and it would destroy something inside of me if they did, but I would survive. And I would still have Anchor. They couldn’t take the water and the beaches and the peace. That was something I’d hold inside of me forever.

I flipped back to my stomach, sliding into an easy breaststroke back to shore. Climbing to my feet, the bite of the air against my wet skin had me muttering a litany of curses. I hurried to my pile of belongings. I pulled one towel around my body and the other around my hair. The chill in my bones, even after such a hard workout, told me that my days of swimming in the inlet were numbered.

I grimaced, thinking about having to brave the gym during the winter months. It always felt so claustrophobic. I secured one end of the towel at the base of my head and froze. A figure leaned against the large pine tree at the edge of the parking lot. But this time, it wasn’t Crosby with his smirking grin, waiting for a paddleboard session.

I didn’t move for at least a count of thirty, but neither did she. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to bend down and pick up the tote bag I’d hidden between my towels. Harriet had called her when I was in the hospital, when they weren’t sure I was going to make it. But she hadn’t come. My own mother couldn’t be bothered, even when her only daughter lay dying.

The burn of that knowledge slid through my body like lava. I headed for the parking lot, ignoring the woman who may as well as well have been a stranger. She didn’t deserve my acknowledgment.

A puff of smoke hit me as I passed. “What? No hello for your mother?”

I kept walking. She wanted a scene. It’s what she always wanted. A vision of Janet showing up drunk at my middle school one day, screaming about how Harriet had stolen me from her, and that she wanted me back danced in my head. The kids had been viciously cruel about it. Well, they’d been cruel until Bell had punched one of them in the nose. Then, they’d quieted down. Everyone but Lacey. She worked it into conversation all the way through high school.

I pulled my keys out of my bag and beeped my locks. A hand locked on my elbow. I whirled, jerking free. “Don’t touch me.”

Janet’s eyes widened a fraction before she schooled her features and took another drag off her cigarette. “I just want to talk. You don’t have to be a bitch about it.”

“What do you want?”

She tapped the cigarette and let ash fall to my beautiful beach. Just her presence was enough to pollute it, but then she had to add her nasty cancer sticks to the mix. “I told you, I want to talk. To see how you are.”

I eyed her carefully. Janet Morgan never showed up unless there was something in it for her. She’d been an unapologetic opportunist for as long as I could remember. A light dawned. “Who told you?”

Janet pulled on her best mask of innocence. “Told me what?”

“Cut the shit. Who told you that Harriet left me the house?” She must still have ears on the island. I could’ve sworn she’d burned every bridge she’d had on Anchor. It was why she’d left, after all. But, apparently, someone was still willing to feed her information.

Janet grinned, but it had an ugly edge to it. “That handsome boy you used to date called me. What did you do to screw that one up?”

Ice slid through my veins at her words. The Abbot games had begun. It was only their first shot, and already, it felt like a death blow. “You need to leave. You’re not welcome here.”

Her lips thinned into a hard line. “You want me gone, it’s gonna cost. You’ll have to give me some of that money that stuck-up bitch left you.”

“Don’t.” The single word was a warning. I’d put up with a lot, but never this woman calling Harriet ugly names.

“I want twenty grand.”

I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing. “You think I have twenty grand lying around? You’re crazy.”

Janet’s gaze narrowed on me. “Sell some of the crap in that monstrosity of a house. I’m sure there’s more than enough baubles in there to get me my money.”

This was the woman I’d come from. Someone who thought the world owed her something. No, that the world owed her everything. God forbid she actually work for the things she wanted. “The house and its contents are wrapped up in legal filings right now.” I caught her gaze and didn’t look away. “But even if they weren’t, I’d never give you a cent.”

Janet let her cigarette fall to the ground and then stomped on it. “Looks like I’m here to stay, then. Think of all the fun we’ll have, Kenna. The party’s just getting started.”

25

Crosby

“How are you feeling about tomorrow?”

I took a sip of my Guinness before answering Ford. “We’re as ready as we can be. You just never know what people like the Abbots will throw at you.”

Ford’s brother, Hunter, let out a sound that was a cross between a scoff and a grunt. “They always were assholes.”

I felt like there was a large part of the Abbot picture that I couldn’t see. More than just Clark and Annabelle being unhappy that their son had dated Kenna. More than the whole family being bitter about Harriet leaving Kenna The Gables. I was missing some piece of the puzzle.

Ford filled a glass from the taps in front of us. “They treated Kenna as less than from the moment that girl moved in with Harriet.”

Hunter twirled a French fry between his fingers. “You mean the parents did. Grant wanted in her pants from the moment Kenna got boobs.”

I reached out and smacked him upside the back of the head. “Careful.”

“What? It’s true. The guy was obsessed with having the hottest girl at our school. Too bad after he got her, he treated her like shit.”

I straightened on my stool, eyes zeroing in on Hunter. “What do you mean?”

Hunter popped the fry into his mouth. “He cheated on her. Repeatedly. Kenna was always one to play by the rules. She didn’t party, barely hung with anyone but Bell and Caelyn. So, Grant pretty much had free rein at parties.”

Ford slid a beer to a customer a few stools down. “I didn’t know that.”

“You were already gone when his partying got really out of control. It wasn’t really my scene, but I heard about it plenty.”

I forced myself to release the death grip I had on my glass. “Kenna didn’t know? Her friends?”

Hunter shrugged. “It was mostly rumor at the time. I think she thought it was girls acting jealous and making stuff up.”

My urge to find Grant Abbot and deck him was increasing by the second. Sure, we all did stupid things in high school, but cheating on a girl whose trust was so fragile? It was cruel. “He’s an asshole.”

“He’s gotten everything he’s ever wanted in life. It would be impossible for him to turn out any other way,” Hunter said.

But Hunter was wrong. I’d had just about anything I ever needed or wanted, too. Other than parents who actually gave a damn, anyway. But I guessed Grant was in the same boat there. I didn’t use people the way he did, though. Didn’t crush them to get whatever it was that I wanted. Affluence as a reason for bad behavior was just an excuse.

Ford began wiping down the bar. “His parents always made any repercussions for his bad behavior disappear.”

Now that was something my parents didn’t do. When I screwed up, I had to face the music. “That can make a kid an asshole teen and young adult, but he’s in his late twenties now. Blaming his behavior on Mommy and Daddy is just an excuse.”

“You’ve got a point there,” Ford agreed.

The stool next to me scraped against the cement floor. “Looks like it’s my lucky day. Three handsome men to keep me company.”

I turned at the sound of the husky voice. The woman looked to be in her fifties, but it was hard to tell for sure. Her hair was dyed a red that was in no way natural, and the makeup caked on her face just made her wrinkles stand out more. “Ma’am.”

“Please do not call me ma’am. That’s reserved for my mother.” She scooted in closer, and I could smell a hint of alcohol and cigarette smoke on her breath. Apparently, she’d already been hitting it hard today.

“Fair enough,” I agreed. “Miss, it is.”

The woman held out a hand with red nails that matched her hair. “I’m Janet. It’s nice to meet you…”

“Crosby. I’m Crosby, and this is Hunter and Ford.” I did not want to be singled out by Janet, but at the same time, I found myself fighting a chuckle. I had to admire her fearless game.

“Well, fellas. What do you say to some shots?”

Ford held up both hands. “I’m working.”

Janet pouted. “Spoilsport. What about you two?”

Hunter shook his head. “I have to be on a job site at six tomorrow morning.”

“Sorry, Miss Janet, I’ve got an early day, too. Looks like you’ll just have to party for the four of us.”

Bell appeared behind the bar. “But you’ll have to do it somewhere else. You’re not welcome here. Get gone, and don’t come back.”

I was instantly on alert at the look of rage on Bell’s face, and Ford took a step closer to his fiancée.

Janet let out a dramatic gasp. “Well, I never. Who the hell do you think you—?” She froze for a moment. “Isabelle Kipton?”

It was a sign of the progress Bell had made that she didn’t wince at her full name or pour a beer over the woman’s head. “It’s Bell, and this is my bar. The best part about that is that I get to say who stays and who goes. You will never be welcome here.”

Janet pushed to her feet. “You always did think you were hot shit. Turned my Kenna into thinking she was the same.”

I stiffened as Kenna’s name fell from the woman’s mouth. Her Kenna? No. There was no way this was Kenna’s mother.

Ford wrapped an arm around Bell as Janet stormed out of The Catch. “Your bar, huh?”

She grinned up at him, but the action didn’t ring entirely true. Anger and worry still tinged her expression. “You’re marrying me, aren’t you? What’s yours is mine.”

Hunter chuckled. “Careful, brother. You step out of line, and she’ll take you for all you’ve got.”

Bell pressed a kiss to Ford’s jaw. “And don’t you forget it.”

“That was Kenna’s mom?” My mind was still swirling around everything that had happened in the past five minutes. The woman looked nothing like Kenna, and she certainly didn’t act like her. My gut soured. That was what Kenna had been forced to live with for the first eleven years of her life.

Bell straightened. “That woman is a lot of things, but a mother isn’t one of them.”

I couldn’t argue with the assessment. “Did you know she was back?”

Bell shook her head, her lips pressing together. “I wonder if Kenna does.” The last thing Kenna needed was to be blindsided by her mother. I stood, pulling out my wallet and tossing a few bills down to cover my dinner and beer. Bell eyed my movements. “You going to her?”

“What do you think?”

A war of emotions flickered across Bell’s face, a battle between hope and fear and a few other things that passed too quickly for me to identify. “Be careful with her, Crosby. She comes across strong, but she’s been hurt. Bad. She’s more fragile than she’ll ever admit.”

I gripped the side of the bar. “You gonna tell me about that hurt?”

“I can’t. It’s not my place.”

My back molars ground together. “If you’re not going to tell me, then quit with the cryptic warnings.”

“Crosby,” Ford warned. “Watch your tone.”

I bit back the words I wanted to let free and headed for the door. I knew Bell was just worried about her friend, but she wasn’t helping anything. I blew out a breath as I stepped into the night air. It wasn’t Bell’s fault. I was pissed because there was so much flying at Kenna, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it.

26

Kenna

The knock on the door jolted me out of my blank stare. I was pretty sure I’d read the same paragraph about ten times. I set the book on the side table and pushed to my feet. Crossing to the door, I stopped a few steps away. What if it was Janet, back for round two?

“Open the door, Brown Eyes. I know you’re in there.”

Something in me eased at Crosby’s voice, warmth spreading through me. The fact that somewhere along the line, he had come to signify safety was concerning. I pushed the thought from my mind and opened the door. “Hey.”

Crosby pushed by me and into my space as if it were his own. Typical. “I need to give you a heads-up on something.”

I turned, shutting the door behind me. “Case-related?”

“Family.”

I fought the wince that wanted to surface. Crosby’s presence here with a familial warning could only mean one thing. “You met Janet.” My voice was flat, images of my mother making a fool of herself in front of Crosby flashing in my mind.

He leaned against the bar that delineated the kitchen from the living room. “She showed up at The Catch.”

The pictures flying through my mind now included a drunk Janet. This would likely be the beginning of the end for Crosby and me. Now that he’d seen what I came from, what he’d have to deal with if he were involved with me in any way, he’d slowly start to pull back. I didn’t blame him. I’d want to pull back, too. But I wanted one more night. One more time to lose myself in Crosby’s touch. To feel.

I strode towards him, grabbing him by his button-down shirt and pulling him towards me. The kiss was more attack than seduction, a desperation borne of the knowledge that I would lose him soon, lose this release that I’d come to depend on. I nipped Crosby’s bottom lip. His mouth opened, and I took full advantage, slipping my tongue inside.

We lost ourselves in the kiss, but when I went for the button on Crosby’s jeans, he pulled back. “Whoa.” His gaze surveyed my face, looking for something. “Not that I don’t love the enthusiasm, but I mention your mom, and you attack me? What’s going on, Kenna?”

Kenna. He’d used my actual name. If that wasn’t evidence that things were already changing, I didn’t know what was. I stepped back, out of his circle of warmth. “Thanks for the heads-up. You can go.”

“I can go?” The words were more of a growl than a question.

I nodded. “You’ve done your due diligence. You don’t need to be tangled up in this mess anymore.”

Crosby took two long strides towards me, eating up the space between us, destroying the invisible wall I’d erected. His hand slipped under the fall of my hair, giving it a tug so I was forced to meet his gaze. “And if I don’t want to go?”

I swallowed against the emotion gathering in the back of my throat. “You will.”

His expression softened. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I kind of like having you around.”

“You won’t when my crazy mother shows up drunk or high or decides that three p.m. on a Wednesday is the perfect time to do a striptease on top of a bar. And don’t forget to add in the trouble Grant and the Abbots might cause.”

Crosby brushed my hair away from my face and swept his lips across mine. “Worth it.”

A sob was dying to break free of my chest, but I forced it down. “This is just sex.”

A flash of something that looked a lot like pain skittered across Crosby’s features. “I’m not built for settling down, but this isn’t just sex either. It never has been.”

I studied the man in front of me. The man who was offering a half-promise of more. I should’ve told him to get lost, but some little voice in my head told me that he was offering everything he had to give. And I couldn’t imagine walking away from that gift. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

Crosby arched a brow, and I laughed. “This is going to end in disaster.” I shouldn’t have been laughing, because the truth was that Crosby had the potential to hurt me. He wouldn’t mean to do it, but when he walked away, it would kill. I had spent so much of my life trying to avoid the very pain I was walking straight towards if I kept on this path with Crosby. But I was so damn sick of running away, of avoiding so many things. For the first time, I realized just how much I might be missing out on by playing it safe.

Crosby’s lips twitched. “It might, but it’ll be worth it.”

My fingers went to the top button on his shirt. “You’re going to have to earn that promise.”

Crosby’s hands closed around my wrists. “Dammit, woman, stop trying to get me naked.”

I burst out laughing. Crosby released me as I doubled over. “I never thought I’d hear those words out of your mouth.”

“Yeah, well, I never thought I’d be saying them,” Crosby grumbled.

I straightened, trying to pull myself together. “What did you want to do if we don’t get naked?”

“Oh, I’ll be getting you naked later. But, first, we need to talk.” He inclined his head to the door. “Let’s go sit on the swing.”

My throat caught at the idea of sitting on the swing that Harriet had put in overlooking the beach. She and I had sat in that very spot countless times to watch the sunset or have one of our heart-to-hearts. I hadn’t visited since she passed.

Crosby wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips to my temple. “She’d want you to use it.”

I nodded against his chest. “Let’s go.”

We walked in silence. The twilight sky held the promise of a clear, starry night. When we reached the swing, I paused for a moment. Crosby gave my hand a gentle tug, pulling me down next to him. My breath stuttered as I sat, but the comfort of the worn wood and cool, sea air was a balm I hadn’t known I needed.

Crosby wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Cold?”

“No. It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Sometimes, we just need a gentle push.”

He was right. But I wondered what it was that Crosby needed a gentle push towards. “Harriet and I solved a lot of life’s problems from this spot.”

His fingers toyed with strands of my hair. “I don’t doubt it. When I suggested that she and I sit out here one afternoon, she wouldn’t let me. She said this was her special spot with her ‘sweet girl.’”

I chuckled, picturing Harriet rejecting Crosby. “I bet you pouted.”

“I don’t pout.”

“Don’t worry, it’s a very manly pout.”

Crosby shook his head. “Think this spot has it in its magic to solve one more of life’s problems?”

“Let’s hope it does. Janet or the Abbots?”

Crosby began twirling a strand of my hair again. “I’m wondering if the two aren’t related.”

I turned to face him. “Janet said Grant called her.”

Crosby’s expression hardened. “It seemed like convenient timing.”

Thoughts churned in my brain. “I haven’t seen her for years.” Since before I left for college. And if anyone knew the kind of injury my mother could inflict, it was Grant. I’d laid bare all the wounds she’d inflicted on me, so, of course, he’d use the knowledge to his advantage. “But what good does it really do him to bring her back?”

Crosby shrugged. “It messes with your head. It’s another warning that he can make your life miserable if he wants to.”

My spine straightened. “But he can’t. Sure, he can make trouble for me, but I refuse to let him steal my joy or my peace. He won’t stop me from fighting tooth and nail for The Gables.”

Crosby gave my hair a gentle tug and pressed a kiss to my head. “That’s my girl.”

It terrified me how much I wanted to be just that.

27

Kenna

My feet pounded against the pavement, the early morning sun fighting off the chill the sweat dotting my skin had created. I was almost back to the start of my ten-mile loop, but I felt like I could do another ten. The thrum of anxiety I felt was the perfect fuel for my muscles. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time before I needed to be at work.

“Geez, Kenna. This is early, even for you.”

I startled at the sound of Caelyn’s voice cutting through the early morning air. Bringing my cool-down jog to a walk, I made my way towards her. “I could say the same for you.”

She held out a set of keys, jangling them. “I told Mr. Walters I’d open today. Why don’t you come in? I’ll make you breakfast.”

I glanced at my watch. “I have time for something quick.”

Caelyn’s lips pursed. “I can make you a scramble really quick, but you need to eat more balanced meals. No more living on that sugar-free coffee crud and energy bars.”

I chuckled. Caelyn had mama bear ingrained in her system. “Those energy bars make life easy. But you know I never turn down your delicious concoctions. Unless it involves those carob chips you’re so fond of. I don’t care what you say, they do not taste like chocolate.”

“Quit trying to sweet-talk me and get inside.” Caelyn unlocked the door to The General Store and flipped on some lights. “Head on back. I have to get a few things from the walk-in.”

I made my way through aisles I knew like the back of my hand. Caelyn, Bell, and I had ridden our bikes here for popsicles or candy bars countless times while growing up. And it was still my preferred grocery store of choice, even after we’d gotten the bigger chain one.

I rested my hands on one of the stools and began to stretch. The last thing I needed was to pull or tear something.

“You’ve lost weight.”

The worry in Caelyn’s tone had me cringing. “I’ve just been busier than usual.” And stressed to the max, worrying about Grant, The Gables, and now Janet.

“You need to take better care of yourself.”

“You sound like Crosby.” After we’d had our talk on the swing last night, he’d taken me back to the house and put one of my frozen meals in the oven, telling me he was withholding all orgasms until I ate a proper dinner. I wasn’t sure a frozen spring pasta counted as proper, but I’d eaten it anyway.

Caelyn arched a brow as she began chopping vegetables. “Crosby, huh?”

I snapped my mouth shut. I should’ve known better than to mention his name to the hopeless romantic of our group. “He’s just…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence.

“He’s looking out for you. Cares about you.”

I couldn’t disguise the flinch at her words. Because they rang true, and if I were really honest with myself, I wanted more. From the man who had been clear that he couldn’t give it.

Caelyn’s chopping stilled. “You’re falling for him.”

My head jerked up. “Am not.”

Caelyn’s grin spread. “You so are. Come on, would that really be so bad? You haven’t let your walls down for any man since Grant.” Her voice gentled. “Don’t you think it’s time?”

“It can’t be him.”

“Why not?”

I slid onto the stool, then picked up a napkin and began to tear it apart. “He’s made it clear that he’s not built to go the distance. With anyone.” His ex had hurt him. Deeper than maybe he even wanted to admit. I knew what it was to have the past mark you, to have it change what was possible for your future. But I also knew that no matter how much pain I endured, I still wanted to reach for forever with someone. To create a family.

I’d just been careful about who I considered to assume that role one day. All of my romantic partners since Grant had been like Henry: stable, predictable…boring. Crosby had shown me what it was like to be with someone who made me feel alive. But I couldn’t have him. Not in the way I truly wanted.

Caelyn opened a carton of eggs and began cracking a few into a bowl. “He just needs the right woman to show him what a true partnership could be.”

It was such a Caelyn thing to say, but her belief that you could change someone had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion. The broken seemed to be drawn to her empathy and caring nature, but so often, she gave and gave, getting little in return.

I gathered the napkin bits into a pile. “I can’t force him to take a step he doesn’t want to take.”

“But you want to take it.”

I bit down on my bottom lip. I couldn’t seem to say the words out loud. If I gave voice to them, it somehow made the desire real. “He’s more than I thought he was.”

Caelyn whisked the egg mixture together with the veggies, some cream, and cheese. “How so?”

“Did you know he volunteers for the Alliance?”

Caelyn paused her work, looking up. “No, Callie never mentioned it. But then again, she doesn’t know we’re friends.”

The Alliance had helped Caelyn when she was trying to get custody of her siblings and still provided them with support now and again. And Caelyn and Callie had become good friends. “He’s one of the advocates. God, Cae. You should see him with those kids. There’s this little girl that he’s working with. Zoe. He’d do anything for her.”

There was a sheen to Caelyn’s eyes as she poured the scramble into a skillet. “He’s a good man.”

“I’m beginning to realize that he’s the best kind of man.” I’d let so many of my past wounds blind me to who Crosby truly was. Now, though, my eyes were fully open. He wasn’t perfect by any means. But the core of who he was, consisted entirely of kindness and protection.

“Then you should fight for him, Kenna.” Caelyn’s voice whipped out, stronger than I’d heard it in a long time. “Show him what a life with you could be like.”

“I don’t know…”

“I didn’t think my best friend was a wuss.”

I snorted. “I’m not, I just…” I was terrified to let myself completely go there, to go after what I wanted with the knowledge that I might get hurt in the end. “Let me take it one day at a time.”

Caelyn pointed her spatula at me. “Just as long as you’re not running away.”

“I’m not. I promise.”

The screen door slapped against the wood frame as someone entered. Heavy footsteps sounded against the worn floors. Caelyn’s eyes lit up as a deep voice sounded. “Breakfast sandwich to go.”

I turned, taking in the hulking form behind me. He was handsome, there was no doubt of that. Even the scar that bisected his brow and cut down his cheek seemed to add to his beauty somehow. “Hey, Griffin.”

He gave me a chin jerk and a grunt. That was talkative for the man. Griffin took off down one of the aisles to do what I assumed was some shopping. I leaned over the counter. “Real chatty, that one.”

Caelyn glared at me. “Don’t be mean. The rest of this island is small-minded enough when it comes to Griffin.”

I held up both hands. “I’m not. He’s just a little odd. And he’s got that I-could-crush-you-with-my-bare-hands look about him.”

“I think he’s handsome.”

I chuckled. “You’ve made that abundantly clear. You and the rest of the female population of this island, who isn’t terrified of him.”

Caelyn set my scramble down in front of me and placed her hands on her hips. “Given everything he’s been through, I think it’s natural that Griffin has some walls up. But he’s always been perfectly polite to me.”

My brow rose. “Tell me, how does one grunt politely?”

Caelyn tried to fight her laughter, but it soon escaped and had me joining in. It was just what I needed to start my day. But as I finished eating, I couldn’t help but worry that my friend with the most tender of hearts might be developing a crush on the last man she needed to be fixated on. Who was I kidding? I was doing the same damn thing. Except I’d already surpassed the crush phase and was precariously close to so much more.

28

Crosby

I tugged off my tie as I walked through the door of my office.

Penny looked up from her desk. “That bad?”

I tugged the choking fabric free. “The Abbots are not good people.” It was the understatement of the century. It was only the first day of the trial, and Grant was already playing dirty. He and Hotchkiss were doing their best to convince the judge that Kenna, Dr. Kipton, and I were in cahoots in the hopes of stealing The Gables from Clark and Annabelle. It didn’t matter that there was no proof; they were spinning a convincing tale with conjecture alone.

Penny sobered. “Do you think they’re going to win?”

“Not if I can help it.” I’d do whatever it took to help Kenna keep her home, the refuge that Harriet wanted her to have. It just meant that I’d be looking for some additional witnesses to make our case.

“Glad to hear it. A few things came for you in the mail. I put a pile on your desk.”

“Thanks, Pen.” I made my way into my office, taking a moment to remove the uncomfortable suit jacket and hang it behind my door. I eased into my chair and began flipping through the mail. Bills and junk mostly, with one lone padded envelope.

I pulled scissors from my drawer and sliced the seal. Dumping the contents onto my desk, I froze. The photo that stared back at me felt like a lifetime ago. It was on a beach in front of my family’s house on the Vineyard. Alicia wore a red bikini and a large, floppy hat. I grinned down at her, my sunglasses perched on the top of my head.

It was the weekend I’d proposed to her. My parents had been over the moon. For the first time, I’d truly felt their love and approval. But it had all been conditional, dependent upon me playing a role I didn’t actually have any interest in. Partner at the firm. A vacation home down the beach from my parents. Alicia and two-point-five kids. But none of it was real. Hell, Alicia had already been cheating on me. She’d promised me forever while screwing my best friend.

A muscle in my jaw ticked as I picked up the card. It was like passing a car crash on the side of the road. I knew I would only see ugly devastation, yet I couldn’t help but look.

Crosby,

I know I messed up. I’ll do whatever it takes to fix things between us. Please talk to me.

Yours always,

Alicia

I let out a snort at the signoff. She’d never been mine, and she never would be. The difference was that seven years ago, I would’ve given anything for her to be mine. Now, I’d give anything for her to go away. Blocking her number had stopped the calls and texts, but you couldn’t block the United States Postal Service. I pulled out my phone and typed out a message.

Me: Tell Alicia to stop sending shit to my place of business.

I guess I should’ve been glad that my mother didn’t have my home address. Alicia probably would’ve shown up in person by now.

Mom: Don’t use that language with me, young man. You need to hear Alicia out. That’s the least she deserves.

Alicia didn’t deserve a damn thing from me, except maybe a taste of her own medicine. But Brent had already given her that. An old colleague from the firm had sent me an email letting me know that Brent had cheated on Alicia, and she’d found out in a very public manner. What could I say? Karma was a real bitch.

I paused for a moment before typing out my next text, trying to think of something—anything—that would get my mother to stop Alicia’s campaign for forgiveness. The knowledge that the woman had destroyed my life certainly wasn’t reason enough for Mom.

Me: I’m seeing someone. These messages and gifts are inappropriate.

It wasn’t a lie. Kenna and I were in some sort of pseudo-relationship. Just the knowledge of that had me fumbling with the top two buttons on my shirt. I took a deep, steadying breath. It wasn’t the kind of relationship I’d had with Alicia. It was raw and real, and it required no promises of diamond rings and houses that I hated. In fact, Kenna hadn’t asked me for anything.

Mom: Anyone you met on that godforsaken island isn’t worthy of you or our family.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by her reaction, but somehow, I still was. The outright snobbishness of it all.

Me: Call her off.

Mom: You’re going to have to sort this out yourself. But think about how nice it was when you two were together. Your father and I miss having you both in our lives.

That was the way it worked for my parents. If I didn’t play by the rules, follow what they wanted for my life, I might as well not exist at all. My best hope was that Alicia would get bored with these games and find someone in Boston to sink her teeth into.

The bell over the main door jingled as someone entered. “Hello, Miss Penny. Is Crosby in? I have some paperwork for him from my dad.”

The high-pitched voice had me rubbing my temples. Apparently, today was the day for unwanted women invading my office. I pushed up from my desk and crossed to the reception area. If Lacey Hotchkiss made it into my personal office, I’d never get her to leave. “Miss Hotchkiss, what can I do for you?”

Lacey tossed her hair over one shoulder and batted her eyelashes. “I’ve told you time and again, call me Lacey.”

Using the miss in her title was my way of putting a professional distance between us. A separation Lacey wanted nothing to do with. “All right. What can I do for you?”

“My dad wanted me to drop this off for you.” She moved in much closer than was necessary, handing me the papers.

I quickly flipped through them and muttered a curse. It was an offer from the Abbots to settle out of court for an insultingly low sum of money in exchange for The Gables. Apparently, the family wasn’t as confident as they appeared. But that could only mean two things: they would give up, or they’d get desperate. And desperate people were dangerous.

29

Kenna

The bell jingled as I pushed open the door to Crosby’s office. I’d waited about as long as I could for news about how the first court session had gone. So, I’d decided to make a trip to The General Store for lunch, knowing I’d be able to see if his truck was at his small building behind the store. It was.

I tried to tamp down my annoyance that he hadn’t called or texted with an update. “Hi, Penny. How—?” I froze mid-sentence. Crosby was there, all right, with Lacey practically pressed up against him.

His gaze flicked up from the papers in his hand. “Hey, Brown Eyes.”

“Crosby.”

The coolness of my tone had him blinking and assessing his surroundings. He wisely stepped out of Lacey’s dry-humping range. “You’re right on time for our lunch date.”

I opened my mouth to ask him what lunch date when I realized his plan. Instead, I muttered something about him needing to pray I didn’t poison it. Penny choked on a laugh. I guessed my mutters were loud enough for her ears.

“You’re—you’re taking her to lunch?” Lacey spluttered. “For the case, right?”

“Nope. I happen to be partial to her body and smartass tendencies.”

I narrowed my eyes at Crosby, and he laughed. Lacey did not find the exchange amusing. “But you’re a McCoy, and she’s—she’s trash.”

Crosby’s expression went glacial. “You can leave now, Miss Hotchkiss. And if your father has further paperwork for me, tell him to send another associate. You won’t be welcomed back.”

“Crosby—” Lacey tried to reach out for his arm, but he sidestepped her. “You don’t know her like I do. She’s a gold digger and a liar. She uses people.”

I snorted. “I think you’re talking about yourself there, honey.” I kept my tone light, but inside, I’d turned to stone. The taunts I’d heard for weeks before leaving for college. The photos of her and Grant that Lacey had sent to my email. She’d twisted the knife at every opportunity. But I wouldn’t let her know that her blows had hit their target.

Lacey turned to me, her pretty features twisted in a sneer. “He’ll figure out the truth about you. And when he does, he’ll leave you in the dirt just like Grant did.” She flounced out of the office, but not before shoulder-checking me on the way.

Penny let out a low whistle. “I don’t predict happy things for that one’s future.”

I grinned at Penny but knew it wasn’t a smile that rang true. “We can only hope.”

“Kenna.”

Crosby tried to wrap an arm around me, but I ducked out of the way. “I’ve got to get back to work. I was just stopping by to hear how this morning went.”

“You’re welcome here anytime. You don’t need an excuse.”

“It wasn’t an excuse, it was the reason for my visit. But this lovely scene ate up too much of my time, and now I have to get back.”

I turned and headed for the door, but Crosby caught me by the elbow. “Not before we talk. Come on.”

Instantly, I was being guided and maneuvered out the door and towards the docks. By the time I came to my senses, we were halfway to one of the picnic tables overlooking the water. I ripped my arm out of his hold. “I am not some bimbo you can just move around as you please. I told you, I don’t have any more time.”

He grinned. “You’re jealous.”

My temper spiked, cranking up my internal temperature. “Of what? A woman with the IQ of a raisin?”

Crosby’s smile widened, and he took a step closer. “What do you have against raisins? They make a great snack.”

“Then why didn’t you chase after your snack. I’m sure she’d be more than willing to take a tumble with you.”

Crosby straightened, all humor fleeing his expression. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You actually think I’d mess around on you while we’re exploring this thing between us?”

My heart thudded in my chest at the idea. And it was in that moment that I really understood how much it would hurt when he walked away. “You haven’t made me any promises. Maybe you’ve been sleeping with other people this whole time. You’ve made it clear that I don’t exactly have a right to ask.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I said that I wasn’t a man for marriage and family, not that I’d disrespect you by sleeping with someone else behind your back.”

The anger lighting Crosby’s eyes seemed to make the brown glow almost gold. I wanted to curse. Even his ire manifested in ways that made him look gorgeous. “Well, how am I supposed to know that? I’m not a mind reader.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe not, but I thought you knew me better than that.”

All of the anger and frustration went out of me in an instant at Crosby’s words. He was right. He’d shown me time and again the kind of man he was, and it certainly wasn’t a cheater. “I’m sorry. Lacey…she just brings stuff up for me. I don’t always think clearly after encounters with her.”

Crosby studied me carefully. “Grant cheated with her, didn’t he?”

I turned my gaze out to the docks, to the fishermen and tourists loading and unloading. “He did. And she sent me photos of the two of them in compromising positions for almost a year after we broke up. I’d block one number, and then they’d start coming from another.” The girl hadn’t had any idea that she was sending me those delightful gems during the worst time in my life. I’d hidden my pregnancy from everyone except those closest to me, but I wasn’t sure she would’ve cared either way.

Heat and energy swirled as Crosby stepped closer. He slid a hand along my jaw, turning my face towards him. “I’m sorry. So damn sorry she put you through that.”

I shrugged. “I was already going through a rough patch, so it impacted me more than it might’ve at another time.”

“No one deserves that shit. Especially not you.” Crosby pressed his lips to my forehead. “I could come up with something we could sue her for.”

I chuckled. “Bell reported her for underage drinking and got her thrown in jail for the night.”

Crosby pulled back so he could look me in the eyes. “She didn’t.”

“I think the sheriff’s department was so sick of her and her dad’s antics that they kept her overnight out of spite.”

Crosby barked out a laugh. “I’m not surprised.” He pulled me tighter against his body. “I’m in this for as long as it lasts. I might not be able to give you forever, but I’ll give you all of me while we’re here.”

Having all of him meant that it would hurt that much more when it was over. But I couldn’t seem to force myself to walk away.

30

Crosby

“Oh, hell no. Are you insane, Crosby? You climb this?”

I chuckled as Kenna peered over the side of the rock face. We’d hiked up the opposite side of the mountain, but this face was one of my favorite natural climbing walls. “I take it you won’t be going climbing with me anytime soon?”

“Not with that kind of drop.”

“You wear a harness. It’s completely safe.”

Kenna’s gaze turned away from the cliff’s edge and back to me. “Ropes can break.”

“Not if you care for them properly. Check for any wear or snags, and they are one hundred percent sound.”

Kenna gave an exaggerated shiver. “You go ahead and put your life on the line. I’ll stick with hiking, thank you very much.”

I grinned and tugged her to me, giving her a quick kiss. The warmth of her body pressed up against mine felt so comfortable, it should’ve scared me. Instead, I only wanted more. I turned her around so that we were both facing the view. “What do you think?”

Kenna eased back into me. She didn’t fight my casual affection anymore, she welcomed it. And the knowledge lit something deep inside my chest. “It’s breathtaking. I can’t believe I’ve never been up here before.”

“It’s my favorite spot on the island. It feels like we’re on top of the world.” The sea spread out in front of us, other islands in our small chain dotting the waters. It was impossible to stand at this point and not feel free, to feel like anything was possible and life could be whatever you wanted it to be.

“It’s so quiet. Almost like the world has gone still around you.” Kenna was quiet for a moment, just staring out at the view. “I missed so much.”

I pulled her tighter to me at the sound of regret in her voice. “What do you mean?”

Kenna reached up and held onto my arms that were wrapped around her. “I’ve been so worried about building this perfect, secure life that I forgot to enjoy the world around me. I was too consumed with trying to control it.”

I pressed my lips to her hair. The scent of something floral and uniquely Kenna filled my senses. “It’s understandable. A lot of your life wasn’t exactly stable.”

Kenna let out a sound of agreement. “I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to enjoy the life I’ve been given, everything about it, even when it’s messy and hard and painful.”

“Some of the most beautiful things don’t fit into a mold of perfection. Hell, I’d say perfection is pretty damn boring. Look around us. None of these islands are perfectly symmetrical, the ocean isn’t one color, that tree is growing sideways. It’s the imperfections that make them beautiful.”

Kenna squeezed my forearms. “Who knew you were such a poet?”

She was trying to make light of her realization, of our discussion, but I wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily. “If you really want to live your life to the fullest, you have to let go of who you think you should be and let yourself become who you truly are.”

“What if I don’t like that person?”

The uncertainty in Kenna’s voice almost brought me to my knees. “Impossible.”

She turned in my arms, the fire I loved back in her voice. “How do you know?”

“Because you’re amazing. You let your true colors show when those walls come down a little. You’re strong and kind and fierce in your care of others. No one hurts the people you love and gets away with it.”

A slight tinge of pink hit Kenna’s cheeks. “There’s a lot of other stuff mixed in there, too. I’m stubborn. I don’t let people in. I’m judgmental as hell. Look how I treated you. I made assumptions about the man you were, and I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

I chuckled. “But it was so fun sparring with you when you thought I was a slacker asshole.”

Kenna shoved at my chest. “It’s not funny. If the roles had been reversed, I would’ve read you the riot act the first week we knew each other. I would’ve laid out a twelve-point argument about how wrong you were.”

I shrugged and pulled Kenna back into my arms. “I’m done proving myself to people. I’ve done it for most of my life. Tried to be the son my parents wanted, the fiancé Alicia needed, the most dedicated employee. But along the way, I lost touch with what I wanted. Trying to be so many things to so many different people meant I didn’t stay true to myself.”

“I’m sorry you went through that.”

“I’m not. It was a gift. It showed me how I never wanted to live again.” Life would now only be on my terms. I wouldn’t be someone I wasn’t to win the approval or the love of another person. “I have to be content with who I am. Never again will I mold myself into what someone else needs me to be.”

Kenna tipped her head back to look into my eyes. “I wish I had your fearlessness.”

“You do. I see it in you every day.”

Kenna had no idea just how much strength she had at her fingertips. How much that internal fire could feed the fearlessness she hungered for. She just had to let all the rules and walls she’d set for her life fall away.

Doubt flickered across her features. “I guess I just need to grab hold of it a little more firmly.”

“You will. Now, what do you say we hike back down and go visit Zoe?”

Kenna grimaced. “I want to see Zoe, but going down this mountain might kill me. My butt is going to be so sore tomorrow.”

“I’ll massage it for you if you ask real nice.”

She snorted and shook her head. “Just do me a favor and don’t start massaging in public, okay?”

My hands slid down to her ass, kneading the muscles there. “There’s no one around now…”

Kenna shoved at my chest. “If you think I’m having sex with you on the side of a mountain when anyone could come along or we could get carried away and roll off, you’re crazier than I thought.”

“What happened to wanting to be fearless?”

“That doesn’t mean I have a desire to get dead or arrested.”

I released my hold on Kenna but grabbed her hand, leading us away from the cliff’s edge and back towards the trail. “Aw, Brown Eyes, you never want to have any fun…”

31

Kenna

I took a long drink from the glass of water Ingrid had given me. “I can’t keep up with those two, they’re putting me to shame.”

Ingrid laughed, turning her eyes back to the soccer scrimmage Crosby and Zoe were engaged in. “She’s something to behold. I finally got her connected with one of the rec teams.”

I eased into one of the patio chairs, fighting a wince. I would be in pain tomorrow. “That’s great. Is she liking it?”

“Zoe loves playing. She’s still a little unsure about the other kids, but I think that will ease over time.”

It would be impossible for Zoe to be anything but unsure. Her life had been turned upside down repeatedly in her nine years on this Earth. “Is she letting you in?”

Ingrid turned towards me, raising her sunglasses so they balanced on the top of her head. “It takes time. I’ve gotten peeks at the little girl under the armor, but she hasn’t let me in yet. That’s okay, though. We have all the time in the world, and I’m patient.”

“She’s really lucky to have you.” I let out a whoop and a cheer as Zoe dodged Crosby and shot the ball into one of the mini-nets Ingrid had set up. “Go, Zo! You show him!”

Crosby shot me a mock scowl. “I can’t believe she’s cheering for you over me.”

“Girls have to stick together, Crosby,” I called. Zoe laughed, and when I held out a hand, she jogged over to give me a high five. “You show him who’s boss.”

“He is pretty old, it won’t be hard.”

Crosby gave an exaggerated moan and fell to the grass with a dramatic flourish. “They’re killing me.”

Ingrid laughed as Zoe ran over to Crosby and helped him back up. “You two are really good with her. Do you want some of your own?”

It had been so long since I’d gotten the question, it was like a sucker punch to the solar plexus. No one had asked me because I had erected walls and Do Not Enter signs all around me. But when those walls started to crumble, when I let new people into my life, they were bound to ask things. The questions weren’t careless; the people had no idea they’d just detonated a bomb in the memory center of my brain.

I cleared my throat. “No plans right now. But maybe someday. My best friend has custody of her siblings, though, and I help her out quite a bit.”

Ingrid smiled, showing no signs that she noticed me barely hanging on. “Well, you’ve got the touch. Some people are just born with the gift to reach children that’ve been hurt. There’s an innate empathy in them that lets the children know they’re safe. Callie with the Alliance, she has it. And so do you.”

My chest warmed at Ingrid’s words. I knew if what she said was true, that empathy was born of my own rough start and the gift that was Harriet’s gentle patience as I grew older. I loved the idea that my own pain could be turned into a blessing, something I was grateful for. It certainly helped me to understand what Zoe might be going through right now. “I hope she feels safe with me. Seen.”

Ingrid reached over and squeezed my hand. “She does. And having you guys stop by and hang out with her has really helped her settle in here.”

“You know we’ll do it as often as we can.” I loved spending time with the little girl. And seeing how Crosby lit up around her was something to behold. If I had an empathy Zoe could recognize, then Crosby had a child-like energy that was impossible to ignore. He brought Zoe out of her shell with a playfulness that had me grinning like a fool.

“You and Crosby should think about fostering.”

My head snapped back in Ingrid’s direction. “What?”

She laughed. “I take it you haven’t ever considered it. You should. I won’t lie, it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but it’s also the most rewarding. To create a safe place for a child for as long as they’re with you.”

I swallowed against the prickling feeling at the back of my throat. A safe place. Wasn’t that exactly what Harriet had given me? And it was the greatest gift I’d ever received. One I’d never be able to repay. Not to her anyway. But perhaps I could pay it forward… I gave my head a shake. “Crosby and I aren’t together like that.”

Each word seemed to grate against my skin like barbed wire. Because I wanted us to be together like that. But if I tried to push it, I’d be no better than Alicia, attempting to force him to be someone he wasn’t.

Ingrid’s brows rose. “Really? I just assumed.”

“It’s complicated.”

She gave me a gentle smile. “It always is. Especially when they look like that.”

A startled laugh escaped me. “You’re not wrong.”

Ingrid eyed me thoughtfully. “There are more and more single foster parents. It used to be hard to get approved, but that isn’t the case anymore.”

Heading into parenthood alone, even temporarily, wasn’t something I’d considered since I’d lost my little girl. When I was pregnant, and Grant had cast me off like a pair of ratty shoes, I’d been scared. Absolutely terrified to raise my baby on my own. After college and settling back on Anchor, I’d always planned to find a responsible man to share my life with. One who was steady and stable. A person who wouldn’t run, no matter what came our way.

Maybe that plan had been a mistake. I’d already realized just how much I was missing out on by sticking to my strict and narrow path, this preconceived notion of what a safe life would look like. That no one would walk away from me if I could just be perfect. But maybe I’d missed the most important thing of all. That I had what I needed inside of me, and it had been there all along.

“What’s the approval process like?” The question was out before I could hedge my statement.

“Well, there are classes. Background checks, of course.”

Ingrid kept speaking, but I started to zone out, the words going a bit fuzzy around the edges. Would my miscarriage show on my background check? My absence from college surely would. CPS would have questions. Would they wonder if I was trying to replace my baby? Was I trying to replace my little bean?

My stomach clenched at the thought, my hand going there immediately. There was forever the feeling of a void in my womb. It ebbed and flowed. Often, I didn’t even notice it, but other times, it was a painful, vicious emptiness. But I never wanted the feeling to disappear altogether. Because I never wanted to forget my little girl.

“Kenna? Are you all right?”

I blinked rapidly, coming out of my spiral. “Sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts.”

Ingrid smiled, but it was hesitant. “I know how that is. Tell you what, I’ll send you an email with some resources to check out.”

“Thank you. That’s very kind.”

We slipped back into casual conversation, but the whole time, I was dying inside.

32

Kenna

“You’ve been in another world tonight.”

I jolted a bit at Crosby’s words. “What?”

He chuckled, but there was worry in his eyes. “I said that you’ve been in another world tonight.”

“Just thinking about some things Ingrid told me.” I’d been thinking of nothing but those words and the memories they’d unleashed since we left the Wilson home. I’d barely uttered two words during dinner, and now I’d missed half of the movie we were supposed to be watching.

Crosby hit pause on my remote. “What did she say?”

I lifted my tea from the side table and took a sip. “She said I should think about applying to be a foster parent.”

Crosby’s brows rose. “That’s a high compliment coming from her. Would you consider it?”

“I don’t know that I’d get approved.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

I couldn’t read Crosby’s tone. He seemed to be holding something back. “It’s not as easy for single caregivers to get approved. Ingrid said as much.”

Crosby picked at the label on his beer. “I see plenty of single-parent fosters come through the Alliance.”

“Maybe. I’d have to think about it a lot before I pursued it.” Understatement of the century. I’d probably be going through a nervous breakdown or two before then, as well.

“There’s something else.”

My heart picked up its pace, thrumming against my ribs. “What do you mean?”

Crosby eyed me carefully. “Some other reason you’re holding back.”

I wanted to curse. It was as if he had radar for all my bruises and scars. He wouldn’t stop until he tended to each one. But Crosby didn’t understand that the more he pulled out my secrets, the more he was a shoulder to lean on, the harder this would be in the end. “There are lots of reasons it might not be a great idea. Or I might not be ready. Maybe it’s something I’ll do when I’m older.”

Crosby set his beer down on the coffee table. “I thought we were past this.”

“Past what?”

“Your walls and half-answers. You know it all, Kenna. All my wounds and ugly truths. But you’re still holding back from me. If we can’t be honest with each other, then what are we doing?”

My teacup rattled in the saucer as I set it down. “It’s not as easy for me as it is for you.”

A muscle in Crosby’s cheek ticked. “I know. That’s why I haven’t pushed until now. But you were the one who wanted open and honest. You’re the one who pushed for my past on the ferry. Don’t you think I deserve the same in return?”

“Not if you’re going to leave.” The words were out before I could stop them.

Crosby froze for a moment. “What are you talking about?”

I toyed with the edge of a pillow, my gaze focused on the way the individual threads wove together. “At some point, this is going to end. What we want is too different. But the more I tell you, the harder it will be when you walk away.”

Crosby cupped my face, turning it towards him. “We might not always be this, but I’m never going to walk out of your life.”

I stayed quiet, unsure if I could give him this. Rip open my pain for him to see. Crosby shook his head, pushing to his feet and grabbing his cell phone and wallet from the coffee table. He was almost to the door when I blurted out, “I was pregnant.”

Crosby stilled, turning around slowly. “What?”

I threaded my fingers together, running my thumb across the flesh of my opposite palm, digging deeper with each swipe. I focused on the rhythmic action so I wouldn’t have to look at Crosby’s face or see his reaction to my words. “The summer before I left for college, I found out I was pregnant.”

Crosby’s footsteps sounded as he came closer, but I kept staring at my hands. “I was so scared. I thought we’d been careful. I was on the pill, had taken it religiously. But there I was, eighteen and pregnant.”

The couch cushions shifted as Crosby sat. “What happened?”

I dug my thumb deeper into my palm. “The fear passed. I started to get excited. Grant had always promised me forever—the baby was just a little sooner than we’d expected. I’d planned it all out. A romantic picnic on the beach. I knew he’d be freaked at first, but I really and truly thought he’d come around. I never thought he’d be cruel. He accused me of trying to trap him, of cheating on him. He told me if I kept the baby, I’d be on my own. And then he left. Went to Harvard and never looked back.”

I looked up, meeting Crosby’s stare and refusing to look away. “You want to know why I was so scared of the Abbots fighting me? It’s because I’ve been through it before. They drowned me in endless legal filings and attempted gag orders. Anything so their son wouldn’t have a kid and a teenage mother hanging over his head.”

Crosby’s jaw was granite. I’d never seen such intensity in those light brown eyes before. “Did they win?”

“They didn’t have to.” Tears gathered behind my eyes, burning to get free. “I lost my little girl at sixteen weeks.”

“Kenna…”

Crosby reached out, tried to take my hand, but I couldn’t handle his touch just then. I pushed myself farther back against the side of the couch, pulling my knees up to my chest, a wall of flesh and bone. “I’d gone to college with Caelyn and Bell. Thought I could get one semester in before I had to leave. No one but the two of them even knew I was pregnant at school. But one night, I woke up with my stomach cramping so badly, I knew something was wrong. I could feel something wet and sticky between my thighs, but I didn’t want to believe that it could be blood. That I could be losing my little girl.”

My fingers dug into my calves as I pulled my legs even tighter against my chest. “It’s all kind of a blur after that. The girls got me to the hospital, but it was too late. She was gone, and I was hemorrhaging. I almost died. In the months after, there were days that I wished I had.”

“Don’t say that.” Crosby’s eyes flared with a mix of pain and anger.

“It’s my truth. You can’t change it. I’m so damn glad I pushed through, but it doesn’t change that some days, I lay in bed wishing I could just cease to exist. It destroyed something in me, Crosby. I’ll never be the same. I don’t want to be. My baby took a piece of me with her, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“God, Kenna. I’m so sorry.”

He moved quickly then, too fast for me to fend off his comfort. In a matter of seconds, he had me lifted onto his lap as he cradled me. My first instinct was to fight it, to scramble to my feet and move away. This pain had always been mine. I’d never talked about it after those sessions with a therapist Harriet had forced me to see. But the warmth of Crosby’s body, the comfort of his arms, they called to something deep inside me, and I found I didn’t want to fight the solace of his hold. I wanted to sink into him and never come up for air.

He held me tighter. “I can’t begin to imagine. I wish I had the right words, but everything I can think of is so damn lacking.”

I swallowed against the burn in my throat. “This is enough.”

Crosby simply held me, occasionally pressing his lips to my hair or rocking me back and forth. Soon, the tears were building again. This larger-than-life man was so incredibly tender under the façade of the carefree adventurer. It was that gentle tenderness that broke the dam.

The first tear spilled over, and then the next. They came faster and faster until my body was wracked with sobs so violent, I thought Crosby might lose hold of me for sure. But he just kept hanging on. Amidst tremors and tears and ugly, snotty cries, he held me.

“Let it out. You’ve been holding too much in for far too long. Let it all out. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

His words only made me cry harder. In my ugly, imperfect, broken mess, he was staying. People underestimated the gift of holding steady, of just being present. But I knew the truth. To stay was the greatest gift of all.

33

Crosby

“Stop tiptoeing around me like I’m going to shatter into a million pieces.”

“I’m not.” But that was exactly what I was doing. I’d been moving around Kenna’s kitchen this morning like any wrong step could send her hurtling across the point of no return. She’d broken last night. And as much as I knew that she needed to let all of that pain out, I never wanted to see the sight again. Never wanted to hold Kenna as her body convulsed against mine.

“I’m okay, really.” Kenna took a sip of her coffee as if that would prove the point.

I slid onto the stool next to hers and pulled her closer to me. “You don’t have to be fine, you know.”

Kenna’s lips pressed into a firm line. “A lot has happened over the past month. It was bound to bring up some hard memories.” She looked up and met my gaze, uncertainty in her eyes. “Thank you for staying with me last night.”

I couldn’t help the scowl that took over my features. Of course, I’d stayed. I wouldn’t have left Kenna alone in her pain. My scowl eased a bit as I realized where her statement had come from. I’d never stayed over on a night when we hadn’t had sex. Because that’s what this thing between us had always been: sex with a healthy dose of friendship and a side of bickering banter. But somewhere along the way, things had changed. Lines had blurred, and now I had no idea where we stood. But I knew that I wanted Kenna with me, that I never wanted to see that stark pain in her eyes again. I loved the feeling of curving myself around her in sleep.

“You don’t have to thank me for that. I wanted to be here.” And the fact that I never wanted to leave had anxiety pricking my gut. I picked up my coffee and took a sip, forcing myself to breathe deeply.

Kenna reached out and squeezed my thigh. “I want to thank you. It meant a lot.”

“Okay, thanks received and appreciated.”

She laughed. “Man, you really aren’t good with gratitude.”

I set my coffee cup down. “I guess not. But feel free to compliment my sexual prowess, I have no trouble accepting that praise.”

Kenna shook her head and took a bite of a bagel. “What’s on your agenda today?”

“I was going to see if you wanted to go paddleboarding with me again.”

“Don’t you have to prepare for tomorrow?”

I was back in court at eight a.m. tomorrow, and it was Kenna’s first time being called to the witness stand. “I’ve got a few things I need to look over this afternoon, but I’m ready.” Truthfully, I didn’t want Kenna out of my sight today. She said she was fine, but I didn’t want grief to attack the moment she was alone.

Her eyes brightened. “I’d love that.”

“Looks like someone’s got the bug. Funny after all the shit you talked about my love of the activity.”

That adorable pink hit her cheeks. “I’m sorry about that…”

“Uh-huh…” I eyed Kenna for a moment and then dove for her sides, tickling the tender skin there. She shrieked and whirled, practically throwing herself from the stool.

Kenna held out her butter knife. “Don’t you dare…”

My lips twitched. “Who would’ve thought prim and proper Kenna was so ticklish.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You better keep that information to yourself.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t want anyone else to steal my fun.” I dove for her again, and the sound of her tear-filled laughter was music to my ears.

* * *

“Crosby, look.” Kenna spoke in a hushed whisper as though her voice might scare away the majestic creature just cresting out of the water.

“He can’t hear you from here.”

Kenna scowled in my direction. “An Orca’s hearing is actually very acute under the surface.”

I dipped my paddle into the water, bringing me closer to Kenna. “Well, Miss Know-It-All, we’re above water.”

“Yeah, yeah. Stop interrupting my whale watching.”

I reached my paddle out and gave Kenna’s board the slightest little shake. She froze, holding out her arms for balance. “If you send me into this freezing water, I will give you the worst case of blue balls of your life.”

I barked out a laugh. “You’re brutal, woman.”

She pointed her paddle at me. “And don’t you forget it.”

We cruised around the inlet for another hour, watching the whales farther out at sea, joking and laughing. Seeing the spark come back into Kenna’s eyes caused the tension in my chest to release a bit. She would be just fine. I, on the other hand, would have to fight not to deck Grant Abbot when I saw him in court tomorrow. That family had put Kenna through hell, and now they were doing it all over again.

“Earth to Crosby…”

I turned at Kenna’s call. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to grab lunch at The Catch before we head home.”

Home. The word had a battle erupting within me, a war between anxiety and joy. I loved that, in some part of her subconscious, Kenna viewed her home as mine, as well. But I didn’t want to be trapped there. I had my own house. One that sat on the bluffs of Anchor, with a killer view and everything just the way I liked it. And didn’t it make me an asshole for thinking that way? I wanted life both ways: free with zero commitments tethering me to the Earth, but I also wanted to come back to Kenna anytime I pleased.

I cleared my throat. “I would never say no to a Guinness and fried food.”

Kenna rolled her eyes heavenward. “It’s a miracle your cholesterol isn’t through the roof.”

I patted my flat stomach. “Healthy as a horse. Come on, let’s head back, now I’m hungry.”

Kenna laughed and started back towards shore. When were we about twenty-five yards away when she muttered a curse. I glanced her way. “What’s wrong?”

She’d stopped paddling and stared at the shore. “Janet.”

Kenna rarely, if ever, used the words Mom or Mother when talking about the woman. But why would she? From the little I knew, Janet had done nothing to earn the terms. The best thing she’d ever done for her daughter was to sign her rights away to Harriet. “Do you want me to ask her to leave?”

“No.” The word came quickly and harshly. “I’ll deal with her. You shouldn’t have to see this mess.”

“Life is messy. I’ve had my share. She’s not going to scare me off.”

Kenna’s jaw worked as she stared at the figure sitting on the picnic bench. “You haven’t experienced one of Janet Morgan’s scenes.”

There was nothing I could say to that. I’d just have to let my actions speak for me. But as we drew closer to shore, I couldn’t help but imagine a little girl whose mother’s episodes constantly embarrassed or scared her. By the time we reached the beach, I had a decent mad going. “Leave the boards here. We can get them after we deal with her.”

Kenna nodded woodenly, setting her paddleboard down beyond the reach of the tide. When she straightened, she gave an almost imperceptible roll of her shoulders. Preparing for battle. I had the sudden urge to stand between her and the woman at the picnic table, but I knew it wouldn’t be appreciated.

Kenna strode towards Janet but stopped a few feet away. “You’re drunk.”

“Whaths it to ya?” Janet slurred as she pushed to her feet. She wobbled and stepped to the side, revealing a tipped-over bottle of Taaka vodka. I winced. She might as well have been drinking jet fuel.

“Please tell me you didn’t drive.”

Janet took a shaky step forward. “I walked, but it’s none of your business. You’re too fancy for your mother now. Harriet thook you, and now you think you’re hot shit. But you’re nothing.”

I stiffened. “Ms. Morgan—”

Kenna held out a hand to stop me. “Do me a favor and grab our stuff, would you?” I didn’t want to take a step away from Kenna. I didn’t trust Janet not to attack her. “Please, Crosby?”

I nodded and jogged to our towels, grabbing them and my keys quickly.

“Got yourself a new fancy boyfriend, huh? Bet this one leaves you, too. Just try not to get knocked up this time.”

Kenna kept every reaction from her face. It was only her clenched hands, knuckles bleached white, that gave away how that blow had landed.

“Go wait in the car.” My thumb had already hit a contact in my phone, and the other line was ringing.

“I’m not going anywhere. Who are you calling?”

“Parker.” The sheriff could deal with this horrible excuse for a human being.

“Oooohhhh,” Janet stumbled back against the bench. “He as hot as you? We gonna have a threesome?”

Parker answered on the third ring. “Hey, Crosby.”

“Any chance you got someone on Anchor?” The chain of islands shared sheriff’s department officers for most of the year, the smaller islands like Anchor only having dedicated deputies during the high-traffic summer months.

“I’m on the island, actually. Just finishing up lunch at The Catch. What’s going on?”

“Can you come over to Brookings Inlet? We’ve got a bit of a situation.”

“That’s all you’re going to give me?”

“That’s all I can say right now.” I worried if Janet figured out in her drunken brain that we were calling the cops on her, she’d become even more belligerent.

Parker sighed. “I’m on my way. Be there in five.”

“Thanks, man.” I hit End and turned back to Janet, who was spewing even more hatred at her daughter. “Sit down and shut up.”

Janet stumbled back a step at my tone, the bench of the picnic table hitting the backs of her knees and forcing her to sit. “Well, thas not very nice.”

“You treat other people like garbage, that’s what you should expect to get in return.”

“Crosby…” Kenna’s hand squeezed my arm gently.

“No. She doesn’t deserve your defense.” Janet deserved nothing but sitting in the drunk tank for a few hours and then getting booted off this island to go back to whatever hole she’d crawled out of.

“I was trying to give her one last chance.” Janet’s eyes narrowed to slits as she spoke.

Unease pricked at my skin, and Kenna tensed. “One last chance for what? Family bonding? I think I’ll pass.”

Janet snorted. “To give me my money.”

“I’ve told you, I don’t have any money to give you. And even if I did have extra cash floating around, it wouldn’t be going to feed your addictions.” Kenna’s voice remained calm, but the pink in her cheeks spoke of a mix of anger and embarrassment.

Janet pushed shakily to her feet once again. “You’re gonna regret that, girlie. I’ve got other ways to get what I want.”

Just as I was about to ask what the hell she meant by that, the sheriff’s SUV pulled up. At the slam of Parker’s door, Janet glanced over her shoulder. She let out a string of curses that would’ve made a sailor blush. “You called five-o on me, you cocksuckers?”

“That’s what happens when you break the law,” Kenna said evenly.

“I’ll show you breaking the law.” Janet lunged for her daughter, fist raised and screeching. I caught her around the waist at the last second, pulling her back as she thrashed. “Let me go, asshole. Thas my girl. I gotta teach her some respect.” My gut soured at the woman’s words.

Parker jogged over. “What the hell is going on?”

“A little help here?” I asked. Janet was remarkably strong for a woman who likely subsisted on mostly booze and cigarettes.

Between the two of us, Parker got her cuffed. “Sit down, or I’ll have to tase you.” That shut the woman right up. Parker looked between Kenna and me. “Who is she?”

Kenna cleared her throat. “She used to be my mother.”

Parker cursed. “She’s drunk, and she attacked you. Do you want to press charges?”

Kenna shook her head. “No charges. But can you take her in until she sobers up?”

Parker’s face gentled. “Of course. If you change your mind about the charges, just let me know.”

“Thank you. I appreciate you handling this.”

Parker gave Kenna’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “That’s what we’re here for. You take care of yourself.” He turned to me. “And you look out for this one.”

I forced a grin. “I’ll try, but she’s quite the troublemaker.”

Kenna gave a small laugh just as I hoped, and Parker chuckled. “I’ll see you guys later.” With that, he escorted a visibly deflated Janet to his SUV.

“Come here.” I opened my arms, and Kenna walked into them. No hesitation like there would’ve been just a few weeks ago, simply open acceptance. “I’m so sorry.” I wrapped her tightly in my arms, wishing with everything in me that I could erase the pain the past twenty minutes had caused, obliterate the agony of a lifetime of having Janet as a mother.

Kenna burrowed her face in my chest. “It’s not the first time. It won’t be the last.”

I pressed my lips to her hair, inhaling the mix of sea air and hints of something feminine and alluring. “You don’t deserve the hate and ugliness she was spewing.”

She tipped her head back so that her chin rested on my sternum. “You’re right, I don’t. But people live with far worse. I’ll survive.” Her eyes closed a fraction. “I just hate that you and Parker had to see it.”

I pulled Kenna tighter against me. “You don’t apologize for that. For her. That’s not your burden to take on.”

Pain flitted across Kenna’s features. “She never loved me. It was always about what I could get her. Money from the state. Anything else having a kid might afford her.”

“It’s her loss. She missed out on the greatest blessing in her life. One day, she’ll realize that. But you’re already gone.”

“I’m not holding my breath for that day.” Kenna turned her face towards the ocean, resting her cheek on my chest. “She used to show up at The Gables occasionally. She’d demand that Harriet give her money because she’d stolen her daughter.”

Tension thrummed through my muscles. “You’re more than a check. The gift your life is to the people who love you is priceless. No amount of money could ever cover that.”

“But that’s what I’ve always been. A check from the government to keep me alive. A check from the Abbots to get rid of my baby. A check to give up my home. Someone always wants to write me away with a flick of the wrist. I kept thinking that maybe if I was perfect enough, they wouldn’t throw me away.”

I pulled back, taking Kenna’s face in my hands. “Don’t let other people’s ignorance influence your value. You’re so much more than they could ever see. And you’re never more beautiful than when you let me get a peek of who you truly are, imperfections and all.”

There was a battle warring in her eyes, I could see it. “Okay.”

“Good.” I took Kenna’s mouth in a slow kiss, her taste imprinting on my tongue. One day, this woman would see herself as I did. Strong because she’d been broken. Loving because she’d been hurt. Perfect in all of her imperfections.

34

Kenna

“Are you sure you don’t want something? A juice, at least?”

I gave my head a shake as Bell rubbed a hand up and down my back. If I ate anything, I’d just end up barfing when I reached the stand.

“You look really pale…”

“Gee, thanks.” I’d taken extra time with my appearance that morning, straightening my hair to within an inch of its life, applying a layer of understated makeup, I’d even done an internet search for court-appropriate attire. But there was nothing that I could do about the fact that all the blood had drained out of my head.

Bell stopped rubbing my back and took one hand in hers as we sat on one of the courtroom benches. “Sorry, I’m just worried about you.”

I gave her hand a squeeze. “I know. Sorry I’m being bitchy.”

“Not bitchy, just sarcastic. And I know your sarcasm comes out when you’re feeling scared.”

Something in me warmed at her words, and I had the sudden urge to cry. What was going on with me? Ever since I’d had my breakdown with Crosby and had told him about losing my girl, my emotions had been all over the place. It hadn’t helped that my mom was lurking around, along with Grant. I took a slow, deep breath. In a few weeks, everything would go back to normal, and my body and heart would no longer feel as if they were going haywire.

Crosby glanced over his shoulder from where he was seated at the front of the room and gave me a wink. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d still be around in the same way he was now. My heart gave a painful squeeze at the idea of things going back to the way they were before. In a status quo where we bickered but didn’t know anything below the surface about each other.

Bell bumped my shoulder with hers. “How are things there?”

I gave a little jolt at her words, totally lost in my own world. One where I was staring very intently at Crosby McCoy. “Things are…complicated.”

“I’ve found that things almost always get that way before they get good.”

“Or before they get bad.”

Bell turned towards me. “Have a little faith.”

Having faith wasn’t my strong suit. I was more of a prepare-for-the-worst sort of person. I’d been through too much to have a Pollyanna outlook on life. And thinking of every possible thing that could go wrong meant that I could be prepared for them all. But it also meant I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Bell let out a small growl. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“I know what you’re thinking. That nothing ever works out for you. But that’s not true.”

The stuff that worked out for me were mostly things that I willed into existence by my hard work and refusal to give up. Being the first person in my family to go to college. Finishing on time even after taking a leave of absence. Getting my accounting degree. Climbing the ranks at my job. “You’re right, there are a lot of good things in my life.”

“Like Caelyn and me. Ford and the tiny terrors. Crosby.”

My heart did a little stutter step at his name. He had brought a lot of good into my life, but that also meant he could take it when he left. And I was getting used to the energy, the vitality that he seemed to infuse my days with. It was corny as hell, but he reminded me of all the beauty that was in the everyday.

I cleared my throat. “There’s a lot to be grateful for.”

“And there will be even more once this case is settled, and you can officially make The Gables yours in every way Harriet wanted you to.”

A wave of apprehension skittered across my skin. I hadn’t been brave enough to enter the main house yet. I knew all the memories I’d shared with Harriet would assault me as soon as I walked in the door. And I would break. I wasn’t strong enough to face it yet. But I would. Once the house was truly mine, I’d find a way to make it into the home Harriet had always wanted it to be, the one her family had never been able to give her.

Voices and footsteps sounded, and I turned to take in the newcomers. Grant and Lacey led the way. She was pressed tightly against his side, and the sight had bile swirling in my stomach. The photos she’d sent me of the two of them played in my mind on an endless loop. The nausea had nothing to do with my feelings for Grant. Those had died a fiery death a long time ago. It was simply a sickening reminder that he was another person I’d loved, who had betrayed me in the worst ways imaginable. Lacey sent a sneer in my direction and looped an arm through Grant’s. Her father trailed behind the group.

Bell leaned in closer and whispered in my ear. “One day, that girl is going to get what’s coming to her.”

I wasn’t going to hold my breath. Lacey should’ve been hit by the Karma train a hundred times by now. But she always seemed to artfully dodge it.

There was movement at the side of the courtroom, and then a bailiff appeared. “All rise.”

Judge Moore strode in, his steps eating up the distance quickly. His gait was as no-nonsense as the rest of his persona. And I hoped that served me well. He called court into session. Soon, the lawyers were going back and forth in that language where I only recognized every fourth or fifth word.

Mr. Hotchkiss rose. “We have a last-minute witness.”

Crosby pushed to his feet. “Objection, Your Honor. I was not notified of any additional witnesses and have not had time to prepare for possible cross-examination.”

Grant turned and gave me a wink. The action had my stomach roiling. There was so much evil in his eyes. How had I missed it all those years ago?

Mr. Hotchkiss kept his face a mask of apology. “The witness just came forward this morning. I’ve barely had any time to prepare either. But I feel her testimony is vital to the case.”

Judge Moore’s gaze narrowed on Hotchkiss. “I’m not a fool, Mr. Hotchkiss. And I don’t appreciate these kinds of antics in my courtroom.”

“Your Honor—”

Judge Moore held up a hand. “Quiet until you’re called upon.” His gaze focused on a paper on his desk. “Who is the witness?”

“Janet Morgan, Kenna Morgan’s mother.”

Bell sucked in an audible breath, but I was stone. She’d warned me to give her what she wanted. Now, she was making good on her threats. And Grant had been the one to deal the blow he knew would be the most painful—to have my mother turn on me, yet again.

“Your Honor,” Crosby began. “Janet Morgan has not lived on the island for many years. She has had no contact with her daughter unless you count a scene yesterday where the sheriff was forced to remove her for public drunkenness.”

“Irrelevant,” Hotchkiss argued. “Ms. Morgan was distraught over her daughter’s cruelty towards her and some information she’d recently discovered.”

Judge Moore held up a hand and looked at Crosby. “How much time would you need to prepare for this witness?”

“It’s hard to say, Your Honor. At least a day or two.”

Moore nodded and turned to Hotchkiss. “You may call your witness now. But Mr. McCoy will have as long as he needs to prepare for cross.”

“Your Honor—” Hotchkiss started.

“That’s what you get for trying to manipulate my courtroom. Let that be a warning to you.”

“What does that mean?” Bell hissed in my ear.

“I have no idea.”

The door at the back of the courtroom opened, and heels sounded on the tile. I braced myself and glanced over my shoulder. There was Janet. She wore heels that were better suited for a night out at a club, and a skirt that was about four inches too short for any sort of professional engagement. Her gaze met mine, and she grinned. It was ugly, malicious, and I knew in that moment that she would do whatever she could to make my life hell.

Mr. Hotchkiss held open the little wooden gate so she could enter and make her way up to the witness stand. She was sworn in, and then took a seat.

“Ms. Morgan. How do you know Harriet Abbot?”

Janet did her best to fight her grimace but was only partly successful. “She took custody of my daughter when I wasn’t in a place to care for her.”

“And why couldn’t you care for her?”

“Kenna was always a troubled child. She created problems around the home. Got in trouble in school.”

Crosby leaned forward at his table. “Objection. Relevance? This has nothing to do with our case, and the witness is stating her opinion, one that has no basis in fact. The witness has a strained relationship with her daughter, and just yesterday threatened to make trouble for her.”

“Sustained. I’ll note that, and you will have your chance to question Ms. Morgan as a hostile witness.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

Judge Moore motioned at Hotchkiss. “Proceed with a new question, Counselor.”

A muscle in Mr. Hotchkiss’s cheek ticked. “Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Morgan, when did you return to Anchor Island?”

Janet pursed her lips. “I’m not exactly sure. Maybe a week or two ago.”

“And when you did, what did your daughter share with you?”

My stomach roiled. I hadn’t shared a damn thing with Janet other than my wish for her to leave and my refusal to give her any money. But my mother could lie with the best of them.

Janet arranged her features in concern. “She said that Harriet had left her The Gables, and as soon as the paperwork went through, she was going to sell the property to a developer. I asked her how she could do that since I knew how much it meant to the old lady, but Kenna said she didn’t care. She just wanted the money.”

My fingernails dug into my palms so hard I could feel the skin break. But I needed the pain to stay silent. To stop me from jumping up from my seat and screaming “liar” at the woman who was supposed to care for me but had seemed to hate me from the day I was born. Why? I had no idea. The only thing I’d ever wanted was her love and care. But even that desire seemed to breed her hate.

My vision went blurry, and the voices in the room turned fuzzy. I couldn’t hear Crosby’s objections or the rest of my mother’s testimony. I could only stare at my knees. The stockings I’d painstakingly put on today, so incredibly careful not to get a single snag or tear. I’d thought if I had my armor in place, nothing could hurt me. How wrong I’d been.

I went through the motions when I was called to the stand and repeated after the sworn statement. I answered Crosby’s questions and then the ones from Hotchkiss. I wasn’t sure how. I forgot what they asked the moment after I answered. The only inquiries that stuck with me were the ones Crosby asked about my childhood. He asked them with a silent apology in his eyes, knowing that I didn’t want the world to see what I’d worked so hard to hide. But it didn’t matter. Everything would be exposed now. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

When court adjourned, Crosby and Bell hurried me out of the room and the building, guiding me down the steps and into Crosby’s truck. When we were all firmly situated inside, Bell let out a sigh. “Well, that was seriously messed up.”

Crosby gripped the steering wheel, even though the vehicle wasn’t in motion. “They’re upping the game. Playing dirtier. I just wish I knew what their next move was.”

“I told you this was going to happen.” My voice sounded dead, even to my own ears.

Bell leaned forward between the seats. “You’re not going to stop fighting, are you?”

A part of me wanted to. I wanted to run fast and hard. I made enough at my job to rent a decent place in town, maybe even buy something. It would be mine and mine alone. There would be no threats or memories hanging over my head. But I couldn’t do that to Harriet. She wanted The Gables to be a home full of messy life, the ups and downs of it, but with joy through it all. I was going to find a way to make that happen for her. But not just for Harriet. For myself, too. Because I deserved a life full of that messy joy. I wasn’t sure what it would look like just yet, but I’d figure it out along the way.

“She’s smiling,” Bell whispered.

Crosby chuckled. “I think that means she’s planning.” He tucked a strand of hair that had fallen free of my bun behind my ear. “You okay, Brown Eyes?”

“No. I’m not okay. But I will be.”

35

Crosby

I let out a growl of frustration as I pushed back from my desk. I’d been digging through Janet Morgan’s arrest record, reaching out to Kenna’s old teachers who were still on the island, neighbors from the house Kenna had spent the early years of her life in, anyone who might help convince a judge that Janet was a manipulative liar. Judge Moore was no fool, but I wasn’t sure we had enough for him to discount Janet’s testimony completely. I wanted a slam dunk, and that seemed nearly impossible when all I had were sworn statements that basically amounted to opinions.

“You need to take a break.”

I looked up to find Penny leaning against the doorjamb of my office. “I don’t have time for a break.”

She made a tsking sound and gave me her patented mom stare. “You’ll make a lot more progress if you give your brain a rest. Get up and go outside. Breathe some fresh air, feel the sun on your face. Take a walk and get some lunch. You’re no good to anyone if your eyes are crossing.”

She had a point. I’d read the same page of a police report three times in the past ten minutes. “How’d you get so wise?”

“Raised three boys who gave me gray hair before I turned forty.”

I chuckled. Those boys doted on their mother, but she loved to bemoan all the torture they put her through in their childhood and teen years. “I think they keep you young.”

Penny rolled her eyes heavenward. “More like give me weekly heart attacks. Now, come on. Get up and get going.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I gave a little salute as I pushed to my feet. My back muscles protested the action—too many hours in one position. A walk to loosen everything up was just what I needed. I had the urge to head towards Cornerstone, to check in on Kenna and see how she was holding up. I could couch it in an offer to take her to lunch, but I knew she’d see right through it. And Kenna would see the check-in as me thinking she was weak. Fragile. But that wasn’t the case, I was simply worried.

I grabbed my sunglasses, wallet, and phone from my desk drawer and shoved them into my pocket. “You want anything from The Catch?”

Penny’s lips pursed. “I brought a salad for lunch, but I wouldn’t mind some onion rings to go with it.”

“Coming right up.” I headed out into the sunshine, slipping on my sunglasses and starting the trek to The Catch. As soon as my feet were moving, my mind was filled with thoughts of Kenna again. The look on her face when her mother was called to the stand. How she’d turned off every emotion as I asked questions about her childhood in open court. And she’d been just a little bit distant since then.

I was sure some subconscious part of her was angry at me for my questions. Kenna was a private person. Understandably so. And I had made the childhood she was so embarrassed by a matter of public record.

I scrubbed a hand over my jaw and fought the urge to kick something. I hated any hint of distance between Kenna and me. The realization had my steps faltering. How long had it been since I’d spent the night away from her? I’d lost track. My days felt off when I didn’t check in at least once or twice to see how she was doing or vice versa. Whether my evenings were spent paddleboarding or watching mindless tv, they just weren’t as fun if I wasn’t with her. Without me knowing it, I’d somehow slipped into an actual relationship.

I waited for the panic to come. That suffocating feeling of being hemmed in by responsibility and expectation. It never took root. Kenna didn’t make me feel restrained. She made my freedom even sweeter. Hell, I was falling for the woman. The knowledge of that truth, the power of it, had a small flicker of anxiety lighting in my gut. I tamped it down, refusing to let myself go down some future trip of what-if.

I started walking towards The Catch again, a riot of emotions zinging around in my body. My eyes narrowed as I got closer. A woman was getting out of a Mustang so new it didn’t have license plates. A woman I recognized. “Good afternoon, Janet.”

Her head snapped in my direction, and her chin jutted out. “Mr. McCoy.”

“New wheels?”

Her expression faltered for the briefest of moments before she smiled. “I think she was made for me, don’t you?”

The cherry red of the car matched Janet’s talon-like nails. “I certainly see some similarities. When did you get it?”

Her lips thinned. “Today. A little present for myself after everything I was put through yesterday.”

Everything she was put through? I had the sudden urge to pull out my keys and rake them down the side of that pristine paint job. It seemed Janet never had to feel the consequences of her actions; it was always her daughter who paid the price. Janet could lie and manipulate, but still somehow walked away with a brand-new set of wheels. Meanwhile, Kenna was sent reeling and forced to relive some of the most painful moments of her past.

I gave Janet a smile, but I could feel the feral edge of it. “I’m pretty sure you’ll get exactly what’s coming to you one of these days.” I could only hope it was true.

Janet gasped, but I ignored her, pushing on towards my destination. I pulled open the front door, the muted sounds of seventies rock and the smell of fried food greeting me. It was usually a balm, the familiarity giving me a sense of peace. But today, it barely registered. Not with the exchange with Janet circling around in my brain.

“Hey, man,” Ford greeted from behind the bar.

“Hey.” I pulled out the stool next to Bell, who sat eating what looked like a BLT with cheese.

She paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth. “Are you okay?”

I blinked, trying to clear my thoughts. “I just ran into Janet. She was driving a brand-new Mustang. What do you think the chances are that she just saved up for that car?”

Bell dropped her sandwich to her plate. “I’d say slim to none. That bitch.”

Ford slid a beer down the bar to another customer. “You think Grant paid her off?”

“I doubt there’s any paper trail, but I think it’s likely.”

Bell’s hands gripped the edge of the bar, her knuckles going white. “I want to drop-kick that entire family to Antarctica. But first, I’d like to knot Grant’s balls so tight they pop off.”

Ford choked. “Geez, Trouble. Remind me not to piss you off.”

Her gaze jumped to him. “You only know the tip of the iceberg of what he put her through. That family has ice-cold blood running through their veins. How they came from Harriet, I’ll never know.”

I gave Bell’s shoulder a squeeze. I sympathized with her desire to see the Abbot family pay. But by the time court had finished yesterday, my jaw had ached from holding myself back. “They deserve worse than Antarctica.”

Bell surveyed my expression, searching for something. “She told you.”

I nodded. “She did.” I didn’t offer anything else. It was clear that Ford didn’t know the full story, and it wasn’t my place to enlighten him. What Kenna had shared with me about losing her baby and all the turmoil that had surrounded the loss was a most personal and intimate gift. I wouldn’t share it with another person.

“I—I can’t believe she told you. She doesn’t talk about it. Ever. Not to me. Or Caelyn. Or even Harriet. She’s locked it inside for so long.” Tears filled Bell’s eyes, and Ford was immediately rounding the counter to wrap her in his arms. “I’ve been so worried about her for so long. She stuffs it all down. Thinks she can control the emotions that way. But I know it’s been slowly eating away at her. You—you’ve been so good for her.”

I shifted on my stool, the praise suddenly making my skin feel too tight for my body. “I was just there at the right time.” And I wouldn’t let her shut me out. I felt a little guilty for how I had pushed, threatened to leave. But I didn’t regret it. Knowing the full picture of who Kenna was, hearing how strong she was at the worst of times, seeing into that tender heart…it had made me fall for the incredible woman.

Bell shook her head fervently. “No. You two have something special. But I see that fear in your eyes, Crosby. Don’t hurt her because you’re not ready to make the leap.”

I had already made the leap, whether I wanted to or not. I was gone for the woman with her amber eyes and shields of stone. I just hoped I survived the fall.

36

Kenna

The phone on my desk rang, and I let out a muttered curse. It was one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. I’d almost poked my eye out with my eyeliner that morning. I’d spilled coffee on my skirt. And I’d been working on the same payroll accounts for far too long. Logically, I knew that it would take some time to shake off the events of yesterday. But I didn’t do well with not working at an optimal level.

I picked up the phone. “Hello, this is Kenna Morgan.”

“Kenna, it’s Chris. Would you please come to my office?”

My stomach sank. What did he want to chew me out about now? I’d followed my time off requests to the letter. Sure, I was leaving at five p.m. like the rest of the office more often lately instead of staying until seven or eight. But, so what? “Of course. I’ll be over in just a minute.”

I hung up and pushed to my feet, attempting to flatten the wrinkles in my skirt. Thankfully, the material was black, so the coffee stain didn’t show, but I knew it was there, and just the knowledge seemed to throw me off my game. “Get it together, Kenna. Show no fear.”

I held my head high as I wove through cubicles to Chris’s office at the front of the building. I gave a light knock on the open door. Chris waved me forward. “Come in. And close the door, would you?”

My palms dampened as I shut the door. It was rare that we required privacy for meetings. Usually, doors were wide-open, and voices never hushed. I eased into one of the two chairs opposite Chris. “What did you want to talk about?”

An expression of concern filled his face, but it was as fake as the stomach pains a kid moaned about the morning of a big test he hadn’t studied for. “It seems like you’ve been struggling lately.”

My shoulder blades drew together as my spine stiffened. “I have some personal things going on, but I don’t believe I’ve let that impact my work.” In fact, I’d made up every hour I missed.

The expression of concern melted into one a bit sterner. “Unfortunately, I can’t agree with that assessment. You’ve missed more days of work than ever in your history at the company—”

“You mean I’ve taken the personal days allotted to me instead of letting them go to waste?” I wasn’t going to let Chris get away with twisting and turning my actions into something they weren’t. I’d allowed my mother to manipulate the truth yesterday, there was nothing I could do about that. But we weren’t in a courtroom today.

Redness seeped into Chris’s cheeks. “It’s highly unusual for all of your personal days to be used within a week or two.”

“But it is allowed, correct? I read through our company policy, and it didn’t say anything about the days needing to be spread out.”

“It might not be in the company handbook, but it is frowned upon.”

Meaning Chris frowned upon it. Because he was always looking for some way to cut me down or prove that I wasn’t as good of an employee as the higher-ups thought I was. “I have made sure to log some work hours at home. Everything that needed to get done has been completed.”

Chris straightened in his chair, a gleam in his eyes. “Then why have several of your clients asked to be reassigned to a new accountant?”

The blood drained from my head. I could feel it slipping from my face, down to my toes. “Who?” It was the only word I could think to utter. In all of my years at Cornerstone, not a single client had asked to be reassigned. In fact, I’d always had a waiting list of people wanting to get on my docket.

“The Cove, the marina, and Island Sports all requested a switch.”

My mind reeled. It spun in circles until the truth hit me like a Mack truck. Grant. The Abbot family had strong ties with the owners of all three establishments. My mother taking the stand against me had been a brutal blow, but losing my job, my sense of security…I wasn’t sure I could stand it. And Grant knew that. I’d always held so tightly to every job I’d ever had, forgoing date nights with him to work extra hours, being an exemplary employee so I’d never be let go. Because having a job, a way to provide for myself, had always made me feel safer. If everyone around me left, I’d still be okay. I’d be able to take care of myself.

I cleared my throat. “I believe this is because of the current legal case with the Abbot family.”

Chris made a tsking noise like I was a naughty child. “It really doesn’t show a lot of wisdom on your part to antagonize such a prominent family. You should probably reconsider that legal battle.”

My hands fisted in my lap, my nails digging into my palms where the skin was still tender from yesterday. “I don’t believe that is any of your concern.”

Chris’s eyes narrowed on me. “It is when it affects this company. As manager of this branch, I spoke with the board this morning. They agree with my assessment. We’re going to have to let you go. You’ll have two weeks to transition your replacement.”

My jaw fell open. This wasn’t happening. I’d worked so hard to become the best accountant possible. I’d given my time and energy, everything I had to this job. My chest squeezed at the knowledge of how disposable I was to Cornerstone. How easily I could be cast aside.

I wouldn’t give Chris the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurt me. That the words he’d so casually thrown out may as well have been a death blow. “I’m sorry to hear you feel that way. I have two weeks of vacation stored up, so I think I’ll be using that starting now.” If he thought I was going to sit by and help him make screwing me over easy, he had another thing coming.

The redness in Chris’s face was back, a deeper shade now. “If you leave without training your replacement, you won’t be receiving any sort of recommendation from me.”

I let out a snort. Like I would ever ask this man for a reference. It would likely be a letter cataloguing all my perceived shortcomings and none of my attributes. “I think I can live with that.”

I stood, not waiting for another word from him. I didn’t want to hear it. The world seemed to tunnel, everything going a bit blurry around the edges as I made my way back through the maze of cubicles to my office. I surveyed the space. There was so little I wanted to take with me. Two framed photos sat on my desk. One of me, Bell, and Caelyn. The other of Harriet and me. There was a potted plant Bell had given me that I’d managed to keep alive for years. That was it. Nothing here spoke of the person I was. If you looked at this office, I might as well have been a mindless drone.

A burn surfaced at the back of my throat. That’s not who I wanted to be. I wanted to be a woman who saw beauty in the world around her and took the time to relish it. Someone who loved freely and without reservation. A person who wasn’t constantly afraid that the world would crumble away beneath her. But I had no idea how to step into that kind of existence.

I moved as quickly as I could, gathering up my meager belongings. The photos went in my purse, along with my personal laptop that had all of my records. I tucked the plant under my arm. As I made my way back through the building, people whispered. A few tried to stop me to talk, but I kept right on walking. I wasn’t truly friends with anyone here. They simply wanted the scoop on what had gone down, or maybe to complain about what an asshole Chris was. It wasn’t as if the man was well-liked.

I dumped all my belongings into the backseat of my Civic. At least my car was paid for. No one could take that away from me. I made the drive back to The Gables on autopilot, and when I parked in front of the guest house, I realized it was a miracle I’d made it back without getting in an accident.

I climbed out of my car but left all my stuff in the backseat. I’d deal with it later. Right now, I needed my comfiest sweats and to wrap myself in my coziest blanket. So, that’s precisely what I did. I curled myself in the overstuffed chair that had the best view of the ocean and simply stared out at the water. I watched the waves riot the way I wanted to, screaming at how unfair life could be. I lost myself in the rhythm of it all, trying to let it soothe all my frayed edges.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when someone knocked on my door. I didn’t move or make a sound. Hopefully, whoever it was would take the hint and leave, assuming I’d gone for a run or something. Another knock sounded, this one a bit more forceful.

The sound of a key in the lock hit me seconds before the door opened. I muttered something about nosy friends and pushed to my feet. “Hey,” I greeted, my voice a little hoarse.

Caelyn cast a worried look at Bell. “We’ve been calling you for the past two hours.”

I winced. “I think I left my phone in the car.”

Bell shut the door carefully. “We were worried.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” After everything that had happened to her a few months ago, we’d been a bit more cautious with our personal safety. Leaving my phone in the car when I didn’t have a landline wasn’t something I’d typically do.

“When you didn’t call us back, we went by Cornerstone,” Bell began. Oh, crap. “They said you’d been let go. Why didn’t you call us?”

Her voice was gentle, but the hurt on Bell’s face had guilt leaving a sour taste in my mouth. “I just—I needed a minute to wrap my head around everything.” Mainly the fact that my life was crumbling around me.

Caelyn moved in closer. “I get that. But we want to be here for you.”

There was a pull inside me at her words, a tug of war between wanting to lean on them and wanting to stand on my own two feet. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I really do. My head is a mess, and I was just trying to sort it out before I called anyone.”

“You’re trying to keep us out,” Bell said. “When you’re hurting, you want to keep everyone at arm’s length.”

I opened my mouth to argue, anger lighting in my belly. But before I could get the words out, a realization hit me. When something sidelined me, I went turtle on the world, crawling into my shell and not letting anyone close. If I didn’t let anyone close, then they couldn’t hurt me worse than the pain I was already experiencing. But I didn’t want to be that way anymore. “You’re right. I don’t mean to do it. It’s just second nature.”

Bell glanced from me to Caelyn. “Did she just admit I was right about something?”

Caelyn grinned. “I think she did.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get too excited. You’re still wrong about plenty.” Another knock sounded on the door. “Who now?”

Bell looked sheepish. “I might’ve called Ford, and he probably called Crosby.”

My eyes closed. I didn’t want Crosby here right now. He’d seen me at my lowest too many times already. Yes, I’d begun to let my guard down around him, but that didn’t mean I had no pride left. I was so tired of falling apart.

The door swung open before anyone could say another word. Crosby strode in, eyes blazing as they swept the room, zeroing in on me. The intensity of his gaze seared me to the spot. His long legs ate up the space until he was pulling me roughly into his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

Crosby’s embrace was like the rest of him: uninhibited and free. He held me so tightly, I was probably losing blood to my extremities. But I didn’t care. I needed that touch of ferocity right now. It was as if his arms might be able to hold me together. Keep me from breaking when the world was falling down around me.

I burrowed my face in his chest, inhaling deeply. The faint scent of ocean air clung to his tee. But underneath, it was all Crosby. As I let his essence fill me, soothe the day’s pain, the last bits of the walls I’d been clinging to tumbled to the ground.

37

Crosby

Kenna’s body gave a small shudder, and I pulled her tighter against me, resting my chin on her head. Her body melted into mine in that perfect way. I wanted my embrace to be enough to protect her from all the bullshit that had been thrown at her lately. She’d endured more than any person should have to in these past few months. How she was standing and not rocking in a corner somewhere was beyond me. But one thing was for certain: my girl was strong. Tough as nails. She’d get through this, too.

“Not to interrupt this tender moment,” Bell began as Ford wrapped an arm around her. “But what the hell happened?”

I pressed my lips to Kenna’s hair and scowled at Bell. “Give her a minute, would you?”

Kenna wiggled in my arms, trying to get free of my hold. I reluctantly released her, feeling the loss instantly. Kenna motioned towards the living area. “Come on. We might as well sit down.”

I pulled Kenna down next to me on the couch, needing whatever small touch I could get in the moment. The rest of the group settled on chairs, and Caelyn opted for the floor. I gave Kenna’s hand a squeeze, and she returned the gesture. “My boss is an asshole.”

Caelyn choked on a giggle, and Bell rolled her eyes. “Not a newsflash. He’s had it out for you since day one.”

I hadn’t gotten a good vibe off the guy, but the girls’ statements just solidified my feelings. I might be paying Chris Woodward a visit. Or making his business life on Anchor very uncomfortable.

Kenna toyed with the string on her sweatpants. I’d never seen her in clothes like these. Even her normal loungewear was somehow put-together. These sweats looked as if they were three washes away from disintegrating altogether. “He’s been looking for a way to get me out for years. But he’s never had any leverage. The Abbots gave him what he needed.”

My fingers dug into the arm of the couch. “What do you mean?”

Ford leaned forward in his chair. “The Abbots don’t do business around here. I don’t think they’re clients of Cornerstone either.”

Kenna kept knotting and unknotting her sweatpants’ string. “But they do have relationships with some of my clients. The Cove, the marina, and Island Sports all asked to be reassigned.”

“What the hell?” Bell pushed to her feet and began pacing. “What is wrong with people? You’re the best accountant on this whole island. You’re a true local. And a good person. And these jerks are willing to throw all of that away because the Abbots aren’t getting what they want?”

Kenna gave a small shrug. “You know their influence.”

“And who knows what Grant promised them.” I wanted to break something. Preferably something heavy…over Grant’s head. I’d seen ugly tactics during legal battles in Boston, but nothing like that had ever happened during one of my cases on Anchor. Leave it to the Abbot family to bring this island low.

Bell paused in her pacing and turned back to the group. “Did that boss of yours even bother to ask the rest of your clients what they thought of your service before jumping all over you?” Kenna started to answer, but Bell kept right on going. “Of course, he didn’t. Because he’s a pompous, jealous dingleberry!”

The room went silent. Then one by one, laughter overtook us all. Kenna pushed into my side, and I wrapped an arm around her, simply enjoying the feel of her body shaking with amusement instead of grief.

Ford wiped a tear from his eye. “Tell us how you really feel, Trouble.”

Her cheeks heated. “I don’t like that man.”

“I can tell.” Ford arched a brow. “Dingleberry?”

“I was flustered. It just popped out.”

Caelyn coughed. “It’s a good word.”

Kenna nodded. “In fact, from now on, Chris will only be referred to as Dingleberry.”

Bell pressed a finger to her lips in an exaggerated thinking pose. “It does have a certain ring to it.”

I shook my head and pulled Kenna closer against me. These women were goofy as hell, but it did my soul good to see some of the heaviness leave Kenna’s shoulders. Unfortunately, I had to put it right back on. “We need to think about where they might hit next.”

Kenna stiffened. “What else is there? They’re trying to take my home. They already took my job. You guys know what they’re doing, so it’s not like they’ll be able to turn you against me. What else is there?”

I heard a desperate edge to Kenna’s voice. One that said she was at her wits’ end. I didn’t blame her. “I’m not sure where they might strike next, but I want us to be prepared. To cut them off at the knees.”

Ford tugged on Bell’s hand, pulling her into his lap. “Crosby has a point. Do you have any loans? I’m pretty sure Clark is tight with the local branch manager.”

Kenna let out what almost sounded like a growl. “No. My car is paid for, and I don’t have anything else that required a loan. But what if I get kicked out of The Gables and want to buy a house? How much do you want to bet that loan gets denied?” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m so damn tired. This is just like before. The Abbots beat me down into exhaustion with a million smaller attacks.”

She had a point. From what Kenna had told me about the time she was pregnant, the Abbots had tried to grind her down. I was sure they thought that if they threw enough at her, she’d agree to not put Grant’s name on the birth certificate. I didn’t even want to think about them possibly pressuring her to get an abortion.

“This isn’t going to last forever. The case will be settled within a matter of weeks, and we have the truth on our side.” I was actually taking these new attacks against Kenna as a good sign.

Caelyn spoke from her spot on the floor. “They know they’re going to lose, don’t they? That’s why they’re pulling all of this crud.”

“How is any of this even legal?” Bell asked.

I rubbed the back of my skull, where a headache was starting to form. “So far, he hasn’t done anything explicitly illegal. We could file a complaint with the courts, but it might do us more harm than good.”

Bell’s gaze met mine. “Why?”

Kenna answered first. “Because Grant and Hotchkiss will twist my complaint in their favor. And I’ll come across as a whiny brat.” She turned to me. “Judge Moore wouldn’t like that, would he?”

I shook my head. “He’s not a fan of squeaky wheels or anything that appears to be personal drama. I think Grant was counting on us filing something.”

Kenna straightened. “Then that’s exactly what we won’t do. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he rattled me.”

I pressed my lips to her temple. “That’s my girl.” Tough as nails. But that knowledge didn’t stop the urge I had to lock her away and stand between her and anything that might cause her pain.

Kenna pushed to her feet. “I need my laptop and my phone.”

“What for?” Bell asked.

“I’m going to call every single one of my clients and tell them I’m putting out my own shingle.” The color had come back to Kenna’s face, and with this new sense of purpose, an energy that I hadn’t seen in days.

Ford grinned. “You know, I’ve been thinking about getting an accountant for the bar now that Bell is focused on her shop. I hate doing payroll. Think you got a spot for The Catch on your roster?”

Kenna was silent for a moment, the kindness of the gesture seeming to take her by surprise. “You’re my first official client…Thank you.” She looked around the room. “All of you.”

38

Kenna

“Thank you so much, Mr. Carpenter. I really appreciate your confidence in me.”

Mr. Carpenter’s gritty laugh sounded over the line. “I’ve told you before. Call me John. And I’m always down for anything that will stick it to The Man. Plus, you’re a damn good accountant.”

I grinned down at my papers that were sprawled across the coffee table. “Well, no matter your reasoning, I appreciate it.”

“I’ll see you next week, Kenna.”

“Next week, John.” I hung up with a sigh. But a happy one.

“That was the last one?”

I looked up to see Crosby removing what looked like takeout from Rocco’s out of a bag. He’d made Bell and Ford stay with me while he ran out to grab a few things, but now, it was just the two of us.

“All done.”

He plated two heaping slices of lasagna along with some Caesar salad. “Verdict?”

“Everybody except one person is staying with me.”

Crosby beamed, the smile hitting me right in the belly or maybe the heart. It was devastating. “That calls for a celebration.”

I pushed to my feet and stretched, my back stiff from hunching over the coffee table. “I’d say you’re right.”

As soon as I was within snatching range, Crosby pulled me to him and slid into a hungry kiss, his tongue tangling with mine and leaving me just a touch breathless. “I’m proud of you.”

I pushed the hair away from his face so I could see his eyes a little better. Eyes that had somehow become my safe place—maybe even more than The Gables were. “I’m proud of me, too. I never would’ve been brave enough to strike out on my own when I had the safety of the firm to fall back on. It would’ve felt too risky. But I’m going to make a heck of a lot more money working on my own.”

“Well, you’re taking me out on the town tomorrow, then.”

I gave Crosby a quick kiss. “I’ll keep you fed.”

He chuckled, the sound sending pleasant vibrations through me. “Are you going to work out of the guest house, or try to find a spot to rent in town?”

“I think I’d like to find a place in town. It’s more convenient for clients. And I’ll have to get an assistant at some point.” My lips twitched. “Maybe I can bribe Penny away from you.”

Crosby released me, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t even think about it. Without her, the wheels fall off my whole life.”

“All right, all right. I’ll leave Penny be.”

Crosby opened a bottle of red wine that smelled heavenly. Soon, we were discussing all the plans I had for my new business while we devoured our delicious food. I didn’t think about the fact that the meal was way too decadent for a weeknight or what Grant might be planning to cause me more trouble. I just enjoyed being with a man who was just as excited about my dreams and plans as I was.

Crosby tugged my stool closer to him, his hands sliding up my thighs. “Am I allowed to stay tonight?”

I pursed my lips and glanced to the side. “I’ll consider it…”

Crosby leaned in, his lips lightly trailing up my throat. “What do I have to do to convince you?”

“I’d say you’re off to a good start…” Just the brush of his lips against my skin had my body coming alive. I’d never had as much sex with a partner as Crosby and I seemed to find time for. And the activity levels had seemed to train my body’s response. The skim of his fingers, the touch of his mouth, and my body knew exactly what was coming next. But it was more than that. My body had let Crosby in. Trusted him. And my heart was following suit.

I couldn’t deny the bite of fear that thought brought on, but at the same time, the incredible comfort it delivered. I wasn’t going to play my usual games, trying to micromanage or predict the future. I was going to let myself fall.

“I need you.”

The words were barely audible but seemed to send an electric current through Crosby. He was on his feet in a flash. I wrapped my legs around him as he lifted me, going gladly. He was through the door of my bedroom in a handful of steps. But instead of his typical playful toss, he lowered me to the bed slowly as if he were soaking up the experience.

Crosby stared down at me, my hair in a messy array around my head, and I could feel his gaze like a physical caress. Every point he touched with his sight seemed to brim with energy and heighten the pull towards him. My eyes. My hair. The apples of my cheeks. The slope of my neck.

Crosby cupped my face. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

I fought the blush that wanted to surface. Instead, I reached up to touch his cheek. The longish stubble on his face pricked at my palm, sending a new riot of sensations down my arm. “You’re beautiful, too.”

His eyebrow arched. “Not my usual compliment. But I’ll take it.”

“It’s true. And not just this.” I placed both palms against his cheeks. “But in here.” I slid a hand down to hover over the left side of his chest. Crosby had one of the best hearts I’d ever known. All he did for Zoe and the kids at the Alliance. Everything he’d done for Harriet. And the endless gifts he’d given me.

“I love you” was on the tip of my tongue. I knew it wouldn’t be received like the gift I wanted it to be. Crosby would see it as chains attempting to tie him down, when all I wanted was for the words to make him soar.

“You’re an incredible man.” It wasn’t what I wanted to say to him, but it’d have to do.

“Kenna.” The single word was almost guttural as if torn from him. But no words followed. Only actions. Each movement was painstakingly slow, almost reverent. From gently pulling my sweats from my body to tenderly sliding inside me.

The pace Crosby set was a love letter without words. Sentiments he might never say aloud but gave with his body. Each stroke seared those silent emotions to my flesh. My hips rose to meet him, seeking more, because with Crosby, I’d never have enough.

His thrusts picked up speed, golden muscles bowing and flexing as he moved. It was beautiful to watch. Crosby palmed one of my breasts, his fingers tracing my nipple, then teasing and toying. The action sent sparks through my nerve endings. But still, I needed more.

My legs hooked over his hips, heels digging into his ass. I needed him deeper. So deep, the imprint he left would never disappear. Crosby seemed to silently understand, changing his angle and his speed again. Suddenly, he was everywhere, each thrust reverberating in every muscle.

My back arched as I welcomed him, trying to grab hold of what it was to feel him like this. I never wanted to forget what it felt like to be wholly his. And as I came apart, I knew I never would.

* * *

I came awake slowly as if emerging from a year-long coma. I blinked at the brightly lit space. What time was it? I glanced at the clock, and my mouth fell open. Ten a.m.? I hadn’t slept that late since I was in college. But I had to admit, it felt good. My rest the past few weeks had been rocky, to say the least.

I rolled onto my back and stretched. Apparently, I’d needed the solid eleven hours. And I wasn’t going to feel guilty about it, even if there were a million and one things that needed doing. I pushed up to a sitting position, the rush of blood making me feel dizzy for a moment. Geez, I felt as if I’d been drugged.

I gave myself a moment before standing and grabbing my slippers and robe. I made a quick pit stop in the bathroom to brush my teeth and then headed for the kitchen. The heavenly scents that greeted me stopped me in my tracks. Crosby moved around the space with complete ease, as if he owned every last inch of it. Gray sweatpants hung low on his hips. A plain white tee stretched across his muscled chest. I fought the urge to lick my lips.

Crosby’s gaze locked with mine as he turned. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. I was worried I would have to break your spell with some magic kiss.”

I laughed, rounding the island and wrapping my arms around him. That phantom energy that always followed Crosby swirled around us. “I haven’t slept that long in years.”

He pressed his lips to my temple. “You needed it. You’ve had a long few weeks.”

“What are you still doing here? Don’t you need to be at work?”

Crosby tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m not due back in court until tomorrow, and I’m prepared. I can take a few hours off this morning.”

I burrowed farther into his chest. “I’m not going to argue with that.” It should’ve terrified me that I relished his company so much. But I was sick of being scared all the time. I just wanted to live in the here and now. My stomach growled—loudly.

Crosby chuckled. “All that sleep got you hungry?”

“I guess so. What did you make me?”

He made a Vanna White gesture at the stove. “Bacon, eggs, and biscuits.”

It looked amazing. I wasn’t usually a huge bacon fan, but even that smelled delicious. I guessed that’s what happened when you slept half the day away. “Load me up.”

“Happy to.”

Crosby released me and dished us both up heaping plates of breakfast. We chatted about nothing important as we ate, and before long, I’d consumed every last bite of food. I patted my stomach. “Thank you. That was perfect.”

Crosby leaned over and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Anytime.”

“Have you talked to Zoe recently?” With all the craziness, we hadn’t been out to visit her lately, and I didn’t want her to feel as if we’d abandoned her.

Crosby nodded as he set his coffee mug down. “We video chatted yesterday. I told her a CliffsNotes version of what’s been going on. She gets that things are going to be busy for a while. She seems to really be settling in at the Wilsons’. Ingrid said she even had a friend from her soccer team sleep over.”

Warmth spread through my chest. “That’s a great sign. I still want to get over there as soon as we can.”

Crosby gave my thigh a squeeze. “We will. I don’t think this trial will last more than another week or two.”

My stomach twisted at his words. The trial would be over, but did that mean I would be out of a home? I let my eyes fall closed and took a deep breath. I had to stay positive, send out every hope that the judge would see through the Abbots’ concerned family act to their grasping greed.

Crosby’s hands cupped my face. “I’m optimistic. I really am.”

I pressed my lips to his. “You’ve done an amazing job with this case.” He’d searched out teachers and neighbors I never thought he’d find to cast doubt on Janet’s testimony. He’d found medical experts to support Dr. Kipton’s statement of Harriet’s state of mind. He’d given everything he had to try and help me keep my home. “I love you” was on the tip of my tongue again, but I held it back.

“Thank you.”

One of his hands slid down my face to squeeze the back of my neck. “Anything for you.”

Not quite. I hated that the thought even entered my mind, but it didn’t make it any less true. Crosby would give me anything but a promise of a future. A family. And there was a little voice inside me that wondered if I could live with that. I pushed it aside, opting to kiss him instead.

“I’ll take that as payment for legal services any day.”

I laughed and began gathering up our dishes. “Isn’t that against the rules somewhere?”

“I could get disbarred, but it would be worth it.”

I grinned down at the dishes as I crossed to the sink. “You’re incorrigible.”

Crosby followed behind me, pressing a kiss to my neck. “And that’s just how you like me.”

It was true. The boyish energy that used to drive me up a wall was now one of the things I loved most about Crosby. It was as if he saw the world as his playground in the best way possible. He wanted to see and experience everything. And he could turn the simplest of activities into the grandest of adventures.

“So, what are your plans for the day?” he asked.

I rinsed our plates, sticking them into the dishwasher. “I’m going to head to the realtor and see if there are any office spaces for rent in town. Hopefully, I can check a few out.”

Crosby handed me our empty coffee mugs. “Sounds good… Be careful, okay?”

My hands stilled in the sink. “You’re that worried about Grant?”

Crosby scrubbed a hand over his stubble that had grown to the point of almost being a short beard. “I’m probably being overly cautious, but I’d rather be too careful than reckless. He’s going to get more desperate the worse this case gets for him.”

I shut off the water and wrapped my arms around Crosby’s waist. “I’ll be careful. I’ve got my phone. I’ll call if he shows up anywhere.” And if Grant gave me any more trouble, I had a nice can of pepper spray in my purse just for him.

39

Crosby

“I’m going to grab a sandwich from The General Store. You want anything?” I wasn’t even that hungry after Kenna’s and my monster breakfast, but I needed a break. I’d gone over and over my cross-examination for Janet, the questions I had for the other witnesses who would be on the stand tomorrow. I needed some fresh air to clear my head.

Penny looked up from her computer. “I’m good, hun. Got the world of leftovers from everything I made for the knitting circle last night.”

My lips twitched as I eyed Penny. “You struggling today? I know how wild and crazy those ladies can be…”

“Oh, hush, you.” She chuckled at my look. “Okay, I might’ve had a little too much of your fancy scotch last night, but the meeting was at my house, so I didn’t have to drive.”

I grinned at my assistant. “Want me to pick you up a little hair of the dog?”

Penny made a shooing motion. “Get out of here before I paddle you.”

I arched a brow in her direction. “Kinky. I like it.”

“Crosby McCoy, I will tan your hide, and there will be nothing pleasurable about the experience if you don’t stop that talk right now.”

I held up both hands in surrender as I backed out of the office. “I’m on my best behavior, promise.”

Penny shook her head. “You wouldn’t know best behavior if it bit you on the butt.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t.”

I headed out into the afternoon sun, the fresh air and the verbal sparring session with Penny already doing wonders to clear my head. Gravel crunched under my feet as I walked across the parking lot to the store. My steps faltered as I took in a figure getting out of a ridiculously expensive vehicle. A muscle in my jaw ticked as I forced my gaze away from Grant Abbot and towards the store. The last thing I needed was an altercation with the opposing side of a case. I picked up my pace and headed for the store’s entrance.

“Crosby.”

The voice alone had my blood heating. All I could see in my mind was Kenna’s tear-soaked face. All I could feel was the way her body had shook as she sobbed. This man had put her through hell once before and was eager to do it again. I turned on my heel. “Yes?”

“Good to see you.”

“I wish I could say the same.”

Grant’s brows rose. “Can’t we be civil? We’re not in the courtroom, after all.”

I forced my hands to stay relaxed, to not give anything away. “I have a hard time being civil to someone who has hurt the people I care about. Someone who’s a miserable excuse for a human being.”

Grant’s eyes flared. “I see Kenna is telling her lies again.”

“And what lies would those be?” I was curious what tale Grant had invented to cover his bad behavior. I wondered if he’d even convinced himself the story was true.

He straightened. “She has a few different ones that she likes to tell, so I can’t be sure what she’s filled your head with. But you should know, this isn’t the first time she’s tried to swindle money out of my family.”

“Oh, by that, you mean asking you to be a responsible father for the daughter you helped to create?” The person in front of me was the worst kind of excuse of a man. One who never took responsibility for his actions and didn’t care who he crushed to get what he wanted. Nothing mattered to Grant but himself.

Heat crept into Grant’s cheeks. “It was never proven that the child was mine. She was likely cheating on me with someone else.”

“You know that’s not true.” Anyone that Kenna let in knew the fierce loyalty of her nature. She could no more cheat on someone than sprout wings and fly to the moon. “She loved you. Trusted you. And you broke her. Worse than that, you let your vicious parents at her when she was scared and alone. You don’t deserve to breathe.”

A sneer stretched across Grant’s face. “I’m pretty sure that was a threat, Counselor.”

“What are you going to do? Crawl back to Mommy and Daddy? Beg for them to make all of your problems go away? Isn’t that always what you do?”

The redness in Grant’s face intensified to the point where I wondered if he might have a stroke. I wouldn’t rush to call nine-one-one if he did. “I see someone’s been spreading her legs along with her lies. That’s how she always gets wealthy men to bend to her will—”

I saw red. Before I could think, I lunged. Two sets of arms pulled me back before my fist could connect with the asshole’s face.

“Don’t give him any more ammunition than he already has. You’ll hate yourself if you’re the reason Kenna loses her home.” Ford gave my arm a stern shake for good measure. His brother, Hunter, held steady.

“I’m fine,” I growled. “You can let go.”

Grant stared down his nose at the three of us as if we were bugs he wanted to stomp on. “But she is going to lose her home and anything else my grandmother was stupid enough to give her. No one wins against the Abbots. Kenna should know that by now.”

“You’re wrong.” Caelyn’s voice sounded from the stairs to the store. “She’s not a young girl you and your family can terrify anymore. She’s strong. And she’s gonna take you down.”

Grant scoffed. “You’re trash, just like she is. And trash always thinks they can elevate their station in life by threats and blackmail.”

Caelyn jutted out her chin. “If you think Kenna’s trash, I’m honored to be called the same. But this trash is the new manager of The General Store, and that comes with some perks. Perks like refusing combative customers. You’re now banned, Grant.”

His eyes narrowed on Caelyn. “Tell me, Caelyn. How are those parents of yours? Still enjoying their time in jail?”

Color leached from Caelyn’s face, but before she could say anything, a figure appeared out of the corner of my vision, taking a few long strides towards Grant. In a blur of motion, he decked the asshole, sending him collapsing to the ground.

Caelyn squeaked, and Hunter hooted. The assailant looked to Caelyn for a brief moment. “No one should speak to a woman that way.” And with that, he headed into the store.

I let out a low whistle. “I wouldn’t want to mess with him.”

“I don’t think it’d be a smart move,” Hunter echoed.

Grant sat up and then stood, a little wobbly on his feet. “Who was that? I demand to know. I’ll be pressing charges.”

Somehow, I didn’t think any of us were going to give him Griffin’s name. The guy might be surly, but this wasn’t the first time he’d helped out when we were in a tight spot.

Caelyn leaned against the rail. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You tripped over the tassel on your shoes.” She gave a little shrug. “Who knew it was so dangerous to dress like a douchebag?”

40

Kenna

I stepped out of my car, a bag full of Crosby’s favorite fried meal in one hand, a couple of beers in the other. Closing the door with my hip, I beeped my locks.

“Hey, Kenna.”

I looked up to see Penny making her way to her vehicle. “Hey, Penny. You done for the day?”

She swung her keys around her finger. “I am. And I’m looking forward to a long, hot bath and my book.”

“Sounds like a good evening to me. He still in there?”

Penny nodded. “Huddled over some papers.” Her eyes twinkled. “Go right on in. The door’s still unlocked.”

“Thank you.” I gave Penny a wave and headed up the walk. The little bell jingled as I pulled open the door, but Crosby didn’t call out. I headed towards his office and stopped in the threshold.

Crosby sat bent over his desk, scrawling on a legal pad, pausing to refer to some papers every few moments. He was so focused on his task that he didn’t notice me at all, so I took the time to drink him in. The man needed a haircut and a shave, but I liked him a little rough around the edges. It seemed fitting.

The scent of one of his favorite meals must have roused him because he seemed to sniff the air before looking in my direction. A smile curved his mouth. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? And did you bring me a Reuben?”

I held up two bottles. “And beer. I couldn’t get Ford to put a Guinness in a to-go cup, but he said you like this local ale, too.”

Crosby leaned back in his chair. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“You must’ve been a very good boy in a previous life.”

“A previous life?”

I grinned. “Come on, you’ve been nothing but trouble in this one.”

“You have a point.” He looked me up and down. “Come here.”

“Why?” I asked. Crosby looked like he was up to no good.

“I need your mouth.”

That, I could give him. I crossed to him without hesitation, bending to meet his lips. One of Crosby’s hands wrapped around the back of my neck, tangling in my hair. I almost lost my balance as he took my mouth in a hungry kiss. When I pulled back, I felt a little dazed. “Are you okay?”

Crosby squeezed the back of his neck as if trying to relieve some of the tension there. “It’s been a day.”

I set the food and beers on an empty chair and leaned against Crosby’s desk. “I heard.”

Crosby absentmindedly traced a pattern on my jeans-clad thigh. “I almost decked him.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

He looked up to meet my gaze. “You still care about him?”

I let out a very unladylike snort. “I hope he falls in a mud pit full of very hungry pigs.”

Crosby’s lips twitched. “I’m taking that as a no.”

“I care about you.” I would never forgive myself if Crosby had gotten arrested or disbarred because Grant had succeeded in egging him into a fight. And Grant knew how to push people’s buttons better than anyone I knew. He had this innate ability to discern what would flip someone’s switch.

I reached out and began massaging Crosby’s shoulders, then his neck. The muscles might as well have been carved from stone. “Don’t let him get to you.”

Crosby let his head fall to my stomach. “I don’t think someone’s face has ever made me so mad. Just looking at him, knowing what he and his parents have put you through, I couldn’t take it.”

I kneaded deeper into Crosby’s muscles. “Well, it sounds like he’s going to have a nice shiner. I don’t know about you, but that should make it easier for me to look at him.”

Crosby’s head lifted. “Griffin came out of nowhere. I don’t think he liked how Grant was talking to Caelyn.”

I stiffened. “What did Grant say to Caelyn?” Caelyn was tough, but she was also sensitive. Words could hurt her more than most.

Crosby’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “He called you two trash and said something about her parents being in jail.”

My stomach twisted. “Her mom’s in jail. Her dad skipped town. That’s why she has custody of her siblings. But it’s a tender topic for her. For all of them. They’ve been through so much, the last thing Cae needs is some asshole throwing it in her face. God, I want to blacken Grant’s other eye.”

Crosby grabbed my hands as I released my hold on him. “Slow down there, Rocky. Caelyn stood her ground and rubbed his tumble in pretty damn well.”

Anxiety pricked at my skin. “She shouldn’t have done that.” Grant didn’t react well to being made a fool of. The last thing I wanted was for him to zero in on Caelyn. She had no fallback plan if she lost her job or home. I tried to remember if the Abbots had any sort of relationship with Caelyn’s landlord. I didn’t think so.

Crosby squeezed my hands. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I just—I don’t want Grant to go after Caelyn.” I let out a sound of frustration. “I’m so sick of this. Worrying about what his next move might be. Trying to prepare for an attack when it could come from any direction. It’s exhausting being on high alert all the time.”

“Come here.”

Crosby gave me a gentle tug into his lap. I went easily, curling myself around him. His warmth and energy engulfed me. I couldn’t help the thought that it felt like home. When we were together like this, I never wanted to move. Because here, I was safe. Protected. Cherished. Here, everything would always be all right. “Can we just block out the rest of the world?”

Crosby smiled against my hair. “I don’t think that’s a bad plan.”

“Maybe we could make a fort in here and never leave.”

“I’ve got a better idea for a little escapism.”

I lifted my head to meet his eyes. “And what’s that?”

That familiar devilish grin stretched across Crosby’s face. But instead of speaking, he took my mouth in a scorching kiss, one that spoke of an insatiable hunger. I met him in a duel of lips and tongues. With a nip of my bottom lip, he pulled back. “Let me have you.”

The desperation in his expression had me searching his eyes. For what, I wasn’t sure. “You have me.”

“Let me take you, then.”

I wanted to give him everything. Every last bit of my heart and soul. My mind and body. But a flicker of doubt plagued me. I was so used to playing it safe, and sex in an office where anyone could walk in at any moment wasn’t exactly in character.

“Please.”

It was the beseeching tone in his voice that broke my resolve. “Yes.”

Crosby moved in a flash. Hands on my waist, lifting me to stand. Fingers deftly unbuttoned my jeans. I shivered as he pulled them down my legs along with my thong. His gaze became intently focused on my center. “Heaven.”

I squirmed in place, the dampness between my thighs from his kisses intensifying at his words. He trailed a finger through my core, sending sparks of sensation throughout my body. “Turn around and grab the desk.” His tone was one I’d never heard from him before. Carefully measured and demanding.

I turned and gripped the edge of the glossy wood. I stared ahead, my breaths coming faster. The sound of a zipper filled the quiet room. The tear of a foil packet.

Crosby’s heat was at my back, his fingers sliding through my center. Teasing, toying, making sure I was ready for him. I pressed my hips back against him, silently asking for more. He slid inside me in one fluid glide, seating himself fully.

I sucked in a sharp breath. It was so much deeper like this. Crosby began to move, and each time he did, he seemed to hit that phantom spot. I couldn’t hold in my moan. The sound seemed to spur him on. His thrusts grew fast, impossibly deeper. But there was something more that I needed.

“Are you with me?” he growled in my ear.

“I’m with you.”

His hand slipped under my blouse, over the thin lace material of my bra to find my nipple. He rolled it between his fingers. The warring sensations drove me higher. And as Crosby thrust deeper inside me, he pinched the flesh between his fingers. I came apart with a nonsensical shout, Crosby following close behind.

I sucked in air, slowly coming back to myself as Crosby slipped out of me. I winced as the movement caught my tender flesh in the most wonderful way. He kissed the side of my face. “Too much?”

I gave my head a little shake. “Perfect.” That was the thing about Crosby. He made me feel safe to explore things I’d never thought to do.

“Well, I’m pretty sure I’m never going to look at this office the same way again.”

Neither would I.

41

Crosby

I pounded the steering wheel to the beat of my music, grinning to myself. Seeing Grant have to sit in court with his eye turning a nice shade of purple had made my day. Kenna was right, it had been a hell of a lot easier to look at him with that shiner. The look the judge had given him had been the icing on the cake.

The case was winding down. I imagined the judge would be hearing closing arguments in a matter of days. Something that felt a whole lot like hope stirred in my gut. The only thing the Abbots had on their side was blood. But the fact that they were trying to cut an adopted daughter out of her inheritance just made them look like the greedy assholes they were.

I steered my truck around the bend of the hillside and checked the clock. I wanted to get to Kenna, but I was in desperate need of some fresh clothes. More and more of my belongings were slowly making my way into her closet. The idea should’ve freaked me the hell out. Instead, I found I liked the feeling. As if my socks mixed in with Kenna’s somehow left my mark on her space.

I turned off the main road and into the Bluffs neighborhood. I’d always loved this part of the island and knew it was the perfect place for me to make a home that would be mine. The gray and white craftsman had a killer view and easy access to mountain biking trails and climbing cliffs. But it didn’t hold a candle to the history and the memories The Gables contained. It had nothing to do with how large and extravagant the grounds and home were, and everything to do with the heart it contained.

I pulled into my half-circle drive and frowned. There was a BMW sedan sitting in front of my house. The plates said Washington, but I didn’t know anyone from the islands who drove a car like this one. My skin prickled as I shut off my engine and glanced around my property.

My gaze froze on a figure sitting on my front steps. Blond hair gleamed in the late-afternoon sun, perfectly straightened and arranged to accent the expertly tailored blouse and slacks. Pearls decorated delicate ears. And a simple necklace adorned the woman’s throat.

I couldn’t seem to move. This wasn’t happening. The last thing I wanted was for this poison disguised in beautiful packaging to infest the place that had become my home. She’d ruined Boston for me. I wouldn’t let her do the same to Anchor.

I pushed open my door and climbed out of my truck. Alicia took in my vehicle, scowling in disgust before quickly hiding the emotion. “Crosby, you’re finally home.”

I blinked a few times as if that might clear the absurdity of the moment. Alicia acted as if I were late for some dinner we’d planned, not that she’d shown up on my doorstep uninvited.

“What are you doing here?”

Her red lips pursed in a pout. “I wanted to see you. I thought you’d appreciate me going to all of this trouble. I had to hire a private investigator just to find your address.”

“And I told you I had no interest in seeing you or hearing from you. Was blocking your number not a clear enough message?”

Alicia pushed to her feet, brushing off her black pants. “Please, Crosby. I need you to listen. To give us a shot to work things out.”

“Working things out would mean you not fucking my best friend when my ring was on your finger. Working things out would mean you not then being with that man for years.”

She moved towards me, extending a hand, but I sidestepped it. She winced. “I hurt you. I know. But I’ll do anything to make amends. Do you want me to get on my knees and beg? I’ll do it.” Tears glittered in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Crosby. I made a terrible, terrible mistake. You gave me so much. You were so kind and caring. I didn’t realize until it was too late that I focused on the wrong things. Please, give me a chance to make this right.”

The tears cracked a piece of my armor. “I’m glad you’re getting some perspective on your life. But that doesn’t change anything between the two of us. We’re done. Some things can’t be mended. And the truth is, I don’t want them to be. I was never the man you wanted me to be. If we had gotten married, we both would’ve been miserable.”

I could see it as clear as day as soon as I had a few weeks to lick my wounds. Alicia and I had never been meant to be. The only reason I’d stuck it out for so long was because she’d given me a sense of family that I’d never had. For the first time, my parents had accepted me, spent time with me. But what good was that if I wasn’t being true to who I really was? “The truth is, you did me a favor when you cheated.”

Alicia blanched. “Don’t say that. We were together for so many years. We owe it to each other to try and make this work. To get to know the people we are now.”

“It’s too late for that. I’m sorry you came all the way out here, but we’re done.”

Hurt flared in Alicia’s eyes. “Are you with someone?”

I bit back a curse. If there was one thing Alicia hated, it was losing. It didn’t matter if she’d already thrown away the thing that she’d lost out on, she’d fight tooth and nail to get it back. “Whether I am or not doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t want to be with you either way.”

Alicia’s jaw worked back and forth as if she were trying to figure out the best plan of attack. “I can’t believe that.” She edged a little closer, and I dodged her again. “You can’t have forgotten how good we are together. Maybe you just need me to remind you.”

My stomach roiled at the thought. “I have no interest in a repeat of an over-exaggerated performance.” It was cruel, but it was true. And I was sick of Alicia’s bullshit. She didn’t want me. Hell, she didn’t even know who I was anymore. She just wanted the security that came with a relationship with Crosby McCoy and the trust fund I’d come into at thirty-five.

Heat lit Alicia’s green eyes. “You’re angry so I’ll let that one pass. But you need to be honest with yourself. You miss your old life. Boston. Your family. Me. Things could be different this time around. Get a job with that non-profit you loved so much. Go on your camping trips. But come back to me. Come home.”

My jaw clenched. Sure, I missed the Sox and some of my favorite restaurants, but that was it. I didn’t even miss my parents because they didn’t know who I was either. “I’m not going anywhere. Anchor is my home now.”

Alicia gave her head a little shake. “Lie to yourself if you must, but I’m not going anywhere. I’ve checked into The Cove. I’ll be waiting when you’re ready to talk.”

I let out a litany of curses as Alicia strode to her rented BMW, hips swaying as if that would bring me to heel. I eased down onto my front steps, watching as she tore off and away from my house. I rubbed at my temples.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out.

Kenna: What time are you heading over here? I was thinking I’d make chicken stir-fry for dinner.

My throat was suddenly dry, making it hard to swallow. I hadn’t told Kenna that I was coming over tonight. Sure, we’d spent the nights together for the past few weeks, but I hadn’t made any promises. But all of those nights came with silent expectations. Responsibilities I wasn’t sure I could follow through on. Seeing Alicia had been a cold reminder of what could happen when a person fell for someone else. They could convince you to play a role you never wanted to play. I tapped out a text.

Me: I’m gonna stay up on the bluff tonight. I’ve got some stuff I need to do, and I have to be up early.

Guilt ate at me as I waited for a reply. But tonight, I needed only one thing: to remind myself that I still had freedom at my fingertips. I’d don my brightest headlamp and tear down a few mountain bike trails. That would get my head on straight. And maybe a little distance was just what both Kenna and I needed.

42

Kenna

I flipped my phone over for approximately the twentieth time in the past hour. Nothing. I’d even stooped so low as to call Caelyn and ask her to text me, thinking my phone might be on the fritz. Good news, I wasn’t going to have to shell out the cash for a new cell. Bad news, I hadn’t heard anything from Crosby since last night.

When I’d driven into town this afternoon, his truck was sitting front and center at his office, so I knew he was done with court for the day. But still, not a peep out of him. I stared down at the little device in my hand, willing it to ding with some sort of explanation for Crosby’s disappearing act. Sure, it had only been one night, but something didn’t sit right in my gut. And I had learned to listen to that voice over the years. If something felt wrong, it usually was.

What was eating at me now were the millions of what-ifs running in circles through my brain. Crosby could be off-kilter because of something that had nothing to do with me. Or something could’ve gone wrong in the case with the Abbots, and he didn’t want to tell me. Or maybe Crosby was done playing house.

That idea had nausea sweeping through me. I’d slept horribly the night before, tossing and turning, worrying about Crosby and terrified for my heart that I’d placed in his hands when he hadn’t even asked for it. Now, I was exhausted. It had taken more than one coat of concealer to disguise the dark circles under my eyes.

“Kenna.” My realtor, Corrie, waved as she headed toward me. “Sorry I’m late.”

I gave her a warm smile, but it was forced. “You’re not. I’m early. Just excited to get these papers signed.”

Corrie had found me the perfect little space on one of the adorable little foot traffic streets that jutted off Main. It had room for a waiting area, an office, and even a small conference room. Plus, there was a kitchenette in the back that would allow me to make simple meals any time I didn’t want to eat out for lunch.

Corrie motioned me towards the street that my new rental was on. “It really is the perfect space.”

“I think so, too. Now I just have to think about furniture.”

She grinned at me. “I bet Bell can help you out with that.”

I was sure Bell would give me a screaming deal on any furniture pieces in her new shop, but I didn’t want to take advantage. I’d already promised myself to check the price tags before she quoted me any discounts. “She’d have the whole thing decorated in twenty-four hours if I let her.”

Corrie laughed. “That’s a good friend right there.”

“The best.”

Corrie pushed open the door to my new office. “Hello, Wendel. It’s good to see you again. I’ve got the paperwork all ready to go.”

Wendel looked a bit nervous, his gaze jumping from me to Corrie and back again. “I’m afraid we might have a problem.”

My stomach sank, and I felt the sudden urge to cry. I wasn’t a big crier, but I had hit my limit of things not going my way.

Corrie straightened. “And what might that be? We came to a verbal agreement during the showing.”

Wendel toyed with a loose thread on his button-down shirt and cleared his throat. “The property is no longer available.”

“And why is that when it was available yesterday?” There might as well have been steam coming out of Corrie’s ears.

“I, uh, something came up.”

I took a step forward. “Would that something have the name Grant Abbot?”

Wendel blanched, and I knew I had my answer. The older man looked terrified, and I honestly felt bad for him. But I was also exhausted, tired down to my bones. And I was done fighting this family. “Come on, Corrie, let’s go.”

“But—” She snapped her mouth closed at my look, but then turned to Wendel and spoke again. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to do business with you anymore. I don’t deal with people who kowtow to bullies.”

The older man spluttered. “But—but you’re the best real estate agent on the island.”

“Should’ve thought of that before you screwed my client over for a bunch of greedy outsiders,” Corrie tossed over her shoulder as she followed me out of the office. She let out a frustrated growl. “I want to kick that Grant creep where the sun doesn’t shine.”

My lips tried to form a smile but failed miserably. “I’m sorry you wasted your time on this.”

Corrie turned to me, her eyes hard. “You have nothing to apologize for. That family is just despicable.” She took my hand and squeezed. “I’m making it my personal mission to find you something even better for your office. And the landlord will be someone who will be happy to stick it to the Abbots.”

“You don’t have to do that. Really, I—”

Corrie cut me off with a look. “This is my job, and I love it. It makes me very unhappy when someone messes with my clients. It will be my pleasure to find you the perfect place.”

I gave her hand a squeeze and released it. “Thank you.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

I wanted to laugh but knew it would come out just a little bit hysterical and would probably turn into a crying jag of epic proportions. I held it in. “I’ll be fine. I’m just going to grab a coffee and head back to The Gables.”

Corrie looked as if she wasn’t sure she believed me. “Okay. Drive safe. I’ll call you as soon as I have a space for you to look at.”

I nodded, and Corrie took off back towards her office, a woman on a mission. I appreciated her care and determination, but right now, I had the strongest urge to give up. All I wanted to do was curl up into a ball. And I wanted to do that in Crosby’s arms.

The backs of my eyes burned as I stared down the street. Crosby’s truck gleamed in the afternoon light. I inhaled deeply. I was a big girl. If I wanted something, I needed to ask for it. I started towards The General Store and Crosby’s bungalow office that sat just behind it.

My hands began to tremble as I walked. The idea of exposing my need for Crosby sent waves of fear through me, but I pressed on. By the time I reached his office, I felt as if I were going to come out of my skin. I pulled open the door, and the bell jingled.

Penny looked up from her desk, her smile faltering as she took me in. “Oh, honey, what’s wrong?”

“Is Crosby here?” My voice shook slightly as I spoke.

“Of course, go right in.”

I crossed to his office door, and by the time I reached it, Crosby had stood from his desk. His expression hardened as he took me in. “What happened?”

“Grant.” I didn’t know what else to say.

Crosby opened his arms, and I walked right into them. The strength and warmth of his hold was everything that I needed. Just to know I wasn’t alone. I didn’t want Crosby to fix my problems, but I wanted to know that he was with me while I went on the journey. He rubbed a hand up and down my back. “Tell me what happened.”

I turned my head to the side so my cheek rested on his pec. “They got to the landlord I was going to rent an office space from. I found the perfect little place just off Main. Corrie and I negotiated the lease yesterday, but today, it was suddenly unavailable. When I asked if it was because of Grant, all of the blood drained out of the landlord’s face.”

Crosby muttered a curse. “I’m so sorry.”

“When is this going to end?”

“Soon.” He pulled back but took hold of my shoulders. “I promise. We have closing arguments in a few days, and I think we’re going to win. Grant and Hotchkiss know it, so they’re pulling out all the stops.”

“But will they stop after they lose?” I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever be free of that twisted family. Grant seemed hellbent on making sure my life was as miserable as he could make it.

“Grant can’t stay here forever. He might make a stink for a few days, but then I think he’ll head back to Seattle and lick his wounds.”

God, I hoped so. I slipped my hands into the front pockets of Crosby’s jeans, pulling him closer. “I just needed to see you. To let all of this out.”

Something flashed across Crosby’s face too quickly for me to identify. “I’ll always have your back. You know that.”

I studied him carefully. Something was off. “Are you okay?”

He released his hold on my shoulders, stepping back. My hands slipped out of his pockets. “I’m fine. Things have just been crazy busy, juggling this case and my other load. It’s more than I usually have at once.”

Guilt swamped me. Crosby was getting paid by Harriet’s estate to defend the contested will, but he still couldn’t let his other clients slide. And it didn’t help that I’d been a drama magnet lately, and he’d been sucked into helping me every step of the way. “Why don’t I make you dinner tonight? You can relax, and we can watch whatever you want. Even Star Wars for the eighty-millionth time.”

Crosby winced. “I actually told my friend, Michael, that I’d go climbing with him in a bit. We were going to grab dinner afterward.”

“That sounds like fun. Want to come over after?” I was feeling especially vulnerable after the events of the day, and there was nothing more I wanted than Crosby’s arms around me as I fell asleep.

Hesitation flickered in his eyes for the briefest of moments. “Sure. I can do that.”

He could do that. But it didn’t sound like he wanted to. “Okay. I’ll see you later, then.”

Crosby pressed a kiss to my hair. “See you tonight. Be there around eight.”

I walked out of the office, wondering when the last time was that he hadn’t kissed my lips when we parted.

* * *

I glanced at my phone again. It was well after midnight, but I couldn’t sleep. The only message was an outgoing one from around nine-thirty.

Me: Everything okay?

There had been no answer. I hugged my knees to my chest as tightly as possible, as if that pressure might stop my heart from aching. I tapped out another text, this time to Bell.

Me: Are you at The Catch?

I nibbled on my lip as I watched the three little dots on my phone appear. How had I become the girl trying to chase her boyfriend down? Hell, he wasn’t even my boyfriend. He was some undefined entity that I had no rights to.

Bell: Yup. What’s up? You okay?

I was anything but okay. I was coming apart at the seams, and I hated myself for it.

Me: I’m fine. I was just wondering if Crosby was there?

I cringed as I sent the message. It sounded desperate and needy. But I was worried. What if Crosby had gotten hurt climbing. I had no idea where he’d gone. My heart rate picked up. Oh, God. What if he was hurt and cold and alone right now? I swung my feet out of bed, moving to pull on sweats. My phone buzzed.

Bell: Yup. He and his friend are entertaining the entire bar. Why? Is he supposed to be with you? Want me to kick his butt out of here?

I stared at my phone for a long moment. He was fine. And I was the last thing on his mind.

Me: No, he’s fine. I just hadn’t heard from him after going rock climbing and wanted to make sure he was okay. You know my paranoia about extreme sports. Let him have his fun.

I wasn’t going to be the one who tried to pull him back. I wasn’t going to be another Alicia in his life, trying to control and change him. But it didn’t change the fact that Crosby might not be what I needed. I didn’t want to question where the man in my life was late at night. Didn’t want to wonder who he was with. I’d been through that before, and I had no desire to revisit it. And more than anything, I wanted to feel like a gift in someone’s life. Never again did I want to feel like a burden.

43

Crosby

I took another long sip of my coffee as the owner of The Mad Baker set down my donut. Jules gave me a long once-over. “You’re looking a little worse for wear.”

I forced a grin that I knew fell short. “Nothing one of your bacon maple bars won’t cure.”

“You’re too old to be tying one on like that.”

“I’m a twenty-one-year-old at heart. Doesn’t that count for something?”

She shook her head. “The older you get, the steeper the price for a night out on the town.”

I winced. She wasn’t wrong about that. I glanced down at my phone. Nothing from Kenna. I’d texted her at one a.m. when the bar closed and hadn’t heard a peep in response. She’d probably been asleep. I’d fucked up royally. I hadn’t meant to. But Alicia had gotten another phone after I’d blocked her number and had begun texting me around six, demanding to meet. I’d put my cell on silent and shoved it into my pocket. I’d then proceeded to have one too many drinks with Michael, conveniently forgetting about all of my problems—Kenna, along with them.

By the time I’d sobered up, it was five hours past when I was supposed to be at her house. I’d texted her immediately. Apologizing profusely. It was after eight a.m. now. She was definitely awake. I cringed. It wasn’t a good sign that I hadn’t heard from her. Maybe I could grab her a muffin and her favorite coffee to ease myself back into her good graces. She loved the hazelnut lattes here.

The bell over the bakery rang, and I looked up. I had the sudden urge to hide under the table. My brain could not deal with Alicia this morning.

“Crosby,” she bit out. “You haven’t returned a single one of my texts.”

“Why would I?”

Alicia’s cheeks reddened. “I’ve had just about enough of this. You’re throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled little boy. I messed up. I’ve apologized. You need to get over it so we can return to Boston and get back to our lives. It’s been four years. That should’ve been long enough for you to lick your wounds.”

Now, this was the real Alicia. The one who demanded everything to be her way, on her timetable. The woman who had no concept of how her actions might affect other people. The person I hadn’t recognized for far too long. “I am over it. What’s amusing is that you think that after four years, you have some magic hold over me. You’re poison, Alicia. And I won’t let you infect the new life I’ve built here.”

But she already had. Her presence alone had thrown me for a loop, made me question everything that I had with Kenna. It’d sent me into a tailspin where I’d done the last thing I wanted to do—I’d caused Kenna pain.

Alicia rolled her eyes. “Always so dramatic.”

I pushed to my feet. “By dramatic, do you mean that I have a heart? I know it’s a foreign concept to you. But most people find it an asset. You wouldn’t because you’re a vampire. You suck the life out of everyone around you. You take and you take until they have nothing left to give, or you find someone else who looks like they have more. I’m done playing your messed-up little game. If you don’t leave this island in the next twenty-four hours, I’m filing a restraining order. I’d say your string of text messages and showing up unannounced on my doorstep would give me a pretty good case.”

It would be embarrassing as hell to have to present that case to a judge, but I didn’t care. I was done letting this woman ruin my life. Through allowing her to twist my mind.

Alicia blanched. “You wouldn’t.”

“Test me.” I’d do whatever it took to finally be free of her.

Tears filled her eyes. The thing was, they were tears because she was losing her fallback meal ticket, not because I’d hurt her in any real way. She moved quickly before I had a chance to sidestep her, throwing her arms around me. “Please, Crosby, I’m so sorry.”

The bell over the door rang again. Great, a witness to this display. I froze, my eyes connecting with amber ones that looked right into my soul. Fuck. I pried myself out of Alicia’s hysterical embrace. “Brown Eyes.”

The pain that lanced through Kenna’s expression at my words almost brought me to my knees. Total and complete devastation. I moved to her, but she took a step back. “I, um, I don’t have time for this right now. I’m supposed to meet Corrie to look at a new office space.”

“Wait, please.” I wanted to touch her, but Kenna clearly wanted no part of my skin on hers. My hands fisted at my sides. “Just give me five minutes.”

There was heat at my back. “Who is she?” Alicia’s voice was ice-cold, no hint of any of the tears or emotion that had seemingly plagued her a second ago.

“She is none of your damn business. You need to leave, Alicia. Go back to Boston, now.”

Kenna stiffened at the name. That pain flaring back to life in her eyes. “It sounds like you two have some things to hash out. I’ll talk to you later, Crosby.”

Alicia sneered at Kenna. “Or not.”

I whirled on her. “Have you been drinking crazy juice? I’m not going back to Boston with you. My life is here. It always will be. And even if it wasn’t, there is nothing in this world that could make me want a life with you.”

Alicia’s face was the shade of a tomato. “You’re going to regret this. You’ll realize that this island and that woman are nothing more than cheap imitations of what you really want. But by then, it’ll be too late.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” I muttered. Alicia flounced out of the bakery, making sure to glare at Kenna on the way. I rubbed my temples. “Jesus.”

“She’s, uh, interesting.”

I scoffed. “That’s one word for her.” I surveyed Kenna’s face. Her mask was firmly in place, the same one she used to keep the world out was now being used to keep me at bay, as well. I wanted to kick myself. “Kenna, please.”

I reached out for her, but Kenna stepped out of my path. “I really don’t have time, Crosby.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m already late.”

“Will you come to my office after your showing?”

Kenna pressed her lips together but nodded. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll be waiting.”

“Okay.” Without another word, she turned and left.

I watched as Kenna walked down the street, keeping my eyes trained on her until she disappeared from sight.

I just hoped she wouldn’t vanish from my life, too.

44

Kenna

My breaths came quicker and quicker as I power walked down Main Street. I shoved down the sobs that wanted to surface. I had to hold it together. I could feel Crosby’s stare on my back. I didn’t want him to know that I was falling apart. Going to pieces because I loved a man who didn’t love me in return. You didn’t forget about the people you loved. You didn’t hide things from them. At least, that wasn’t the kind of love I wanted.

I rounded the corner onto Bay Street where I was supposed to meet Bell and Corrie to look at this new office space. I doubted it was in my price range. All of these buildings had ocean views. I tried to focus on crunching numbers in my head, going over how much rent I could afford. It wasn’t working. I kept seeing Crosby’s face in my mind. Alicia with her arms wrapped around him. Nausea swept through me.

When I caught sight of Bell, the tears I’d been holding back began to fall, spilling over quicker and quicker in silent tracks down my cheeks. As soon as Bell could make out my face, she started jogging over to me. In a matter of seconds, she had me wrapped in her arms. “What is it? Grant? What happened?”

I shook my head against her hold. “Crosby.”

Bell let out a very creative string of curses. “What did he do?”

“He—he doesn’t love me.”

Bell pulled back, grasping my shoulders. “Did he tell you that?”

“He didn’t have to. He said it loud and clear with his actions.”

Bell looked doubtful. “Come on. Corrie sent us a text and said she’s going to be fifteen minutes late. Let’s go sit on the beach.”

I followed Bell towards the water. I needed a few minutes to get myself under control. But that wall I’d meticulously built to seal away all my emotions didn’t seem to work anymore. Crosby had eaten away at it with his challenge to experience everything life had to offer. And now I couldn’t put it back together, no matter how hard I tried.

Bell tugged me down onto a worn log. “Tell me what happened.”

I walked her through it all. How Crosby didn’t want a forever kind of relationship, no marriage, no family. How Alicia had wounded him. I told her that I’d fallen in love with him despite it all. How he made me see the world differently. I shared how he’d been pulling away for the past few days, and who I’d found him with this morning. “I love him, Bells. But I can’t live like this. It was crazy for me to think I could. I’m always going to want more, and that’s not fair to him. Or to me.”

Bell laced her fingers through mine and squeezed. “I think you need to let him make that choice.”

I shuddered at the thought. I wanted to close myself off to him before I’d given us the opportunity to talk things out. But Bell was right. He deserved to know how I felt. What I wanted. Even if I didn’t think it would change anything. “I’ll talk to him. But it’s going to hurt.”

“Sometimes, you have to hurt before you can heal. Ford taught me that.”

I gave her a small smile. “I’m glad you guys worked through things.”

Bell’s eyes searched mine. “You and Crosby might, too.”

“I don’t think so.” It killed something deep inside me to say those words aloud, but they were the truth.

“Even if things don’t work out, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. He changed you, Kenna. Opened you up to experience life again. That will always be a gift.”

And I would be grateful for that for the rest of my days.

* * *

I rubbed my hands down the legs of my jeans. The past couple of hours had been a blur. Corrie had found me the perfect office and for a screaming deal. How she’d managed to work that magic, I had no idea, but I was grateful. I wished I could soak in the joy of the moment, but I was numb. Totally and utterly dead to any feeling other than the anxiety thrumming through me.

Before I reached the bottom step to the law office, the door swung open, and Crosby appeared. He looked miserable, but it didn’t stop my heart from doing a little flip and roll. That would probably never end. I was cursed to feel that free fall whenever I ran into him on this tiny island. I pushed the thought from my head and managed a, “Hey,” but it came out a little hoarse.

“Hey, Brown Eyes. Walk with me?”

The nickname twisted something in my chest. Would he still call me that when this was over? What would feel worse? Being greeted with Brown Eyes or my given name that meant I’d been returned to the role of casual acquaintance?

We headed across the grass and towards the water. It wasn’t until our feet hit the gray sand that Crosby spoke. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. Alicia showed up two days ago and really threw me for a loop. I just needed some time to get my head on straight.”

I focused my gaze on the beach, knowing that if I looked at Crosby, my resolve would melt away. “I understand needing space, time to process, but you could’ve told me what was going on. What you needed. Instead, you ran away and left me wondering what the hell had happened.” I risked a quick glance in Crosby’s direction. His jaw was set as hard as the stones scattered across the beach. “I was worried. I thought you might’ve been in a rock-climbing accident. I had to text Bell and see if you were at the bar. Turns out, you were too busy yucking it up with a buddy to let me know your plans had changed.”

Crosby stopped walking. “I fucked up. I know it. Alicia wouldn’t stop texting me, so I put my phone on silent. I had a little too much to drink and lost track of time. It was careless. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

I bent to pick up a small, smooth stone and traced its edges with my finger. Crosby freaking out and blowing me off could be forgiven, but the wakeup call it was couldn’t be forgotten. I looked up and met his gaze, it pleaded for me to understand, but I wasn’t sure I could. “What do you want this to be?”

It was really the only question I needed an answer to. Everything else could be smoothed over and figured out as long as we were on the same page with this. I couldn’t help the hope that bubbled to life in my belly, the deep yearning for this man to have changed his mind about what he wanted his life to be.

Crosby’s expression grew guarded. “What do you mean?”

“Us. You and me. In your perfect world, what does this relationship look like?”

He stepped closer, his hand reaching out and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. I’d let it go wavy today, free in the way Crosby had always encouraged me to be. He twisted the strand around his finger before letting go. “I want us to be exactly what we were before I messed things up. I love going on adventures with you, forcing you to watch Star Wars with me.” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against him. “I love touching you and making you come alive.”

I loved all of that, too, but it didn’t change that I wanted more. “Is that all you’ll ever want? No building a home together, making a family?” I didn’t need a ring, but I did need him. And in a way where he was fully present and in it with me.

Crosby stiffened. “I told you when we started this that I’m not a forever and picket fences kind of guy. It’s not what I want for my life. But I do want you.”

Pressure gathered behind my eyes. “I don’t care about picket fences, but I do care about forever.”

Crosby’s hands around me spasmed. “Can’t we just take things one day at a time? Why do you have to put all of this pressure on me all of a sudden?”

I stepped out of Crosby’s hold, his words stinging. “It’s not pressure. It’s telling you what I want, what I need. If you get to express what you want out of life, then so do I. But we have to be real with each other. What each of us wants might not match up.”

A muscle in Crosby’s cheek ticked as he rubbed the back of his neck. “This feels a hell of a lot like an ultimatum. Sign on the dotted line for marriage and babies, or you’re gone. How is that fair? I care about you, Kenna. I—”

Crosby stopped short, not finishing that thought. It was the symbol of all we were. He might love me. But he couldn’t say the words. He wanted me in his life. But he always had to have that escape hatch. It tore at something deep inside, not only for myself but also for Crosby. I had played the wishing game before, hoping that a man would change his ways. It hadn’t worked out well for me then, and I refused to do it again.

I reached out, lacing my fingers with Crosby’s, his rough palm against my smooth. The juxtaposition had always soothed something in me. I looked into his endless brown eyes. “Life is messy and terrifying, but it is also crazy beautiful. You taught me that. You showed me that my wreckage could be perfect in its own way, that all those little cracks in my soul just made me stronger, more beautiful. Truly and authentically me. You taught me what it means to truly live.”

I held his hands tighter, not giving him a chance to let go. “But even with all your striving to live life to the fullest, you’re only living a half-life.” Crosby’s hands jerked in mine, his eyes blazing. I just held on harder. “You repel down the side of a mountain but refuse to let yourself truly fall in love. You tear down trails that would give me a heart attack, yet you won’t let yourself have a family. You let people close but not all the way in. Not to where they have the chance to hurt you.”

It had taken me a long time to realize this truth. Crosby had always seemed so open, welcoming anyone into his circle, his life. But there was a wall around the core of who he was, and Crosby wouldn’t let that down for anyone.

“I let you in. Don’t say I didn’t.” Heat and anger lit Crosby’s features as he spoke.

I gave his hands a squeeze, silently begging for him to hear me, to understand, to let me in. “But not all the way.”

He tore his hands from mine. “Why can’t what we have be enough for you? I need the freedom I’ve built for myself, and I won’t give that up for anyone. Not even you.”

His words were a physical blow, landing in my stomach and chest. “I’m not trying to steal your freedom.” Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. “I never want to chain you down. I just wanted to give you more life to experience.” Partnership. Family. But I wouldn’t force that on him.

Tears began to spill over now. Apparently, I was a crier, after all. “I don’t want to resent you. I don’t want you to hate me for putting pressure on you. And that’s exactly what will happen if we keep this up. Look at us, it’s happening already.”

And that knowledge broke my heart. I inhaled a shaky breath. “I love you, Crosby. I always will, but that means I have to let you go.” Each word cut as I spoke it, but it didn’t change the necessity of the release. “If we walk away now, we still have a shot at friendship.” God, it would kill to have him in my life but know that he wasn’t mine. But it would be far worse to pretend we were strangers.

“Friends? Are you seriously having the let’s-just-be-friends conversation with me right now?”

The anger in Crosby’s gaze was still flickering, but underneath, I saw the hurt. I swallowed hard. “I want you in my life. I don’t want to lose you completely.”

His hands fisted at his sides, knuckles going white. “Well, I’m not sure you get to make that decision.” Without another word, he turned and strode back towards his office.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Crosby as he walked away. Each step seemed to tug at the cavity of my chest a little more. I bit down on my lip, using the pain as a distraction, a reminder that I couldn’t run after him. If I did, I’d only be courting a greater heartbreak. And I wasn’t sure I’d recover from the one already tearing me in two.

45

Crosby

“God, you look pathetic.”

I glared at Hunter over my Guinness. “Thanks for that.”

Ford glanced up from filling a pitcher of beer. “He’s not wrong. You are looking a little rough.”

I knew they were right. I felt like death warmed over. But that’s what happened when you barely slept for three days. It turned out I’d gotten used to having Kenna’s body curled into mine, her adorable little snores and mumbles in her sleep. Now, all I had was my cold bed and sleepless nights.

Ford handed the pitcher to one of the new waitresses. “You rethinking your life choices?”

I popped a French fry into my mouth but barely registered the fried tastiness. I was rethinking everything. I’d been an asshole to Kenna when she ended things, and we hadn’t spoken since. I needed to make that right, but I knew that facing her would bring it all back. I wanted her more than my next breath, so why couldn’t I let myself go there? The minute I considered it, my chest tightened, and I couldn’t seem to get a full breath. Kenna was right, I was running scared. And didn’t that just make me feel like a pansy-ass?

Hunter held up his empty bottle to his brother, silently asking for another. “I think that quiet brooding over there is definitely a sign of some regret.”

“You two are worse than nagging grandmas. Hell, you’re worse than Penny.” She’s been harping at me to set things right with Kenna since the moment I walked back into the office and threw a stapler at the wall.

Hunter scowled at me. “I’m not a nag. I just know a good woman when I see one. And I know not to waste that shot.”

My hand tightened around my glass. Hunter knew too many good women. “You just don’t know how to hold on to them, right?”

He turned to face me. “Well, maybe it’s time I changed that. If I ask Miss Kenna on a date, should I take her to The Cove or Rocco’s?”

The fierce desire to throttle Hunter shocked the hell out of me. He was just giving me shit. But I knew that it wouldn’t be long before some asshole did ask Kenna out. Maybe that smarmy accountant she’d been dating would come back around.

“Uh, Hunt,” Ford started. “I wouldn’t poke the beast if I were you.”

“Why the hell not? Someone’s gotta make him realize he’s throwing away something good.”

I held up a hand. “Just stop already. It’s not meant to be.” The words tasted like the lie they were.

Bell sidled up to Ford, his arm going around her. “I should be pissed as hell at you. But honestly, I’m just sad. You’re missing out on something amazing.”

My chest constricted at her words. I was well aware of everything I was missing out on. It wasn’t the big things that were killing me, either. It was the little ones. Kenna’s grumbles as she woke up. The adorable bleary eyes she gave me until her coffee kicked in. The way she absentmindedly traced patterns over my torso as we watched tv. But most of all, I missed the sense of home I felt every time we were together.

I needed to get over my hang-ups. Figure out a way to have Kenna and my freedom. My ribs gave another painful squeeze. I needed her in my life in whatever way I could have her. Even if that meant just being friends.

I met Bell’s probing gaze. “I’m going to make things right between us.”

Her shoulders slumped. “But not in the way they should be.”

“We’re too different. It just doesn’t work.”

Bell opened her mouth, but Ford gave her shoulder a squeeze, and she shut it again. I gave him a grateful look. I couldn’t take much more of this inquisition. “So, got any pie back there?” I’d barely touched my Reuben, the last thing I wanted was pie. But I’d do anything to steer us away from the topic that was currently ripping my insides to shreds.

* * *

I balanced the potted plant in one arm while holding the hazelnut latte in the other. This was dumb. No, what was worse than dumb? Idiotic? I kept walking anyway, rounding the corner from Main Street onto Bay. I could make out the little bungalow that was Kenna’s new work home. I couldn’t imagine a space better for her. It had that charming cottage feel and a killer view of the water.

My steps slowed as I got closer. Don’t be a pansy. I pushed forward and towards the front door. There was a wrought-iron post that jutted out over the entryway, and I could just imagine a sign hanging from it in delicate script with Kenna’s name. I turned the handle, and a bell over the door jingled as I pulled it open.

“Be out in a second.”

Just the sound of her voice had my nerve endings waking up from the deadened state they’d been in since I’d walked away from this woman. I glanced around the front room. It housed a desk and a couch, but it still looked like there was some work to be done. The walls needed art, and the space could use a few more chairs.

“Crosby?”

My head snapped in Kenna’s direction at the sound of my name. Her tone was a powerful swirl of emotions, joy and pain, hope and fear.

“Hey, Brown Eyes.”

Lids lowered over that amber gaze for the briefest of moments before rising again. “Hey.”

I swallowed, searching for the right words. “This place is perfect.”

Her mouth curved. It wasn’t the full, uninhibited smile I loved so much, but it wasn’t the false one either. It was something altogether new. It was authentic, I realized. Kenna wasn’t hiding. Her hair was tied back in a loose braid, but the strands held a wave she rarely let free. She wore jeans and a casual t-shirt instead of a more formal blouse.

“I got pretty lucky.”

“I’d say.” I wanted so badly to pull Kenna into my arms, inhale her scent, to feel that sense of home. “I brought you an office-warming gift.” I held out the potted plant. “Bell said you like these.”

Kenna grinned, taking the pot from my hands. Our fingers brushed briefly, and it sent a shot of energy up my arm. From the look on Kenna’s face, she’d felt it, too. “I do, but only because they’re one of the few plants I’ve managed to keep alive.”

I chuckled. “Hard to kill is a good quality to have in a houseplant.” I lifted the drink in my hand. “Thought you might need a hit of hazelnut to keep you going.”

She set the plant down on the desk. “You’re a godsend. I feel like I’m running on fumes at this point.”

There were dark circles under Kenna’s eyes, ones I hadn’t seen before because I’d been too distracted by her eyes’ amber glow. “Can I help with anything?”

She accepted the offered latte and took a sip, letting out a little moan that went straight to my dick. “This is helping more than you know. And don’t you have court?”

I felt like the world’s biggest asshole in that moment. I hadn’t even kept Kenna up-to-date on the case. “The judge is ruling tomorrow.”

Kenna had stayed away from court for the past three days, but closing arguments had been made this morning, and Judge Moore had told us he would rule tomorrow. Hotchkiss had made a compelling statement to wrap things up, but I was still hopeful.

“Wow, I can’t believe this might finally be over. What time?”

“Nine a.m. Do you need a ride or anything?” I wanted her to say that she did. Any excuse for a little more time with her.

Kenna shook her head. “I can take my car. Or Bell or Caelyn might want to go, too.”

I wasn’t in her trusted circle anymore. I’d wanted to be the person who never let her down. I’d failed completely on that account. But maybe I could prove to Kenna that I was worth having in her life, even if it wasn’t in the way I wanted. “I’m sorry.”

She blinked a few times. “For what?”

“Being an ass on the beach the other day. You deserve to be happy. To have everything you want. I just wish I could be that guy for you.”

46

Kenna

“I’m sorry. He said what?” Bell dropped her spoon into the open container of ice cream.

I worked at my cookie dough with my spoon, trying not to let the tears escape. “He said that he wished he could be that guy for me.”

“Holy swoon, Batman.” Caelyn collapsed against the couch. “That is so romantic.”

Bell pointed her spoon at Caelyn. “It’s not romantic. He needs to get his shit together and be that guy for her.”

“He’s not there yet.” He might never be. But I did have hope that if Crosby ever got to the place of wanting more, he’d let me know.

Bell turned to me. “And where does that leave you? Waiting around, hoping he’ll pull his finger out of his butt and realize that you aren’t his bitch of an ex, and that building a life with you isn’t living with a ball and chain?”

Caelyn screwed up her face. “Why is his finger in his butt? I really don’t get that saying.”

“Ugh, it doesn’t matter,” Bell groaned. “What matters is that he’s still stringing Kenna along. She needs to move on and find someone worthy of her.” Bell glanced at me. “Just not another snooze-fest accountant, okay?”

I grimaced down at my ice cream. I did not want another Henry. I wanted Crosby. And I had a feeling that no other man would ever make me feel alive in the same way, cared for and safe, but without clipping my wings. “I’m not looking to jump back into the dating pool anytime soon.”

Bell sent Caelyn a look. “She’s still holding out hope.”

“Wouldn’t you?” Caelyn argued. “Crosby is perfect for her.” She turned to me. “I really think he’s going to come around. Just give him a little time to realize what he’s missing.”

“Don’t listen to the hopeless romantic. You need to move on. You know how the saying goes, the best way to get over one guy is to get under someone else,” Bell argued.

I cringed at the thought. Every cell in my body revolted at the idea, and I started to feel a little nauseous. “Don’t push, Bell. I need to heal in my own way, in my own time.”

Bell groaned. “She’s going to become a hermit.”

“I am not. I’m setting up my new business. I have you, Caelyn, and the kiddos. I’ve even started to come around on that sketchy Ford character.”

Bell snorted. “Who would’ve thought we’d ever see the day?”

I felt a trickle of guilt at the reminder of how tough I’d been on Ford when he came back to town. He loved my best friend with a ferocity I hadn’t thought possible. “I think he’s worth keeping around.”

My stomach twisted again. This time, I felt like I was sailing on an especially rough sea. I set my ice cream down, taking a deep breath in through my nose and letting it out of my mouth.

“Kenna, are you okay?” Caelyn was instantly by my side.

“I’m not feeling so good all of a sudden.” I was clammy, and the nausea was only getting worse.

“Come on, let’s get you to the bathroom, just in case.” Caelyn helped me to my feet, Bell taking my other arm to steady me.

“Geez, you were fine a second ago. What brought this on?” Bell asked.

“I don’t know.” It might’ve been all the talk of moving on from Crosby, my body’s way of vetoing that idea, but I didn’t want to admit that to Bell.

As soon as we were in sight of the bathroom, my gut pitched. I hurried inside just in time to empty the contents of my stomach into the toilet. Bell held my hair back as I heaved. I heard water running and then felt a cool cloth being placed on the back of my neck.

When there was nothing left in my stomach, I sat back on my haunches, flushing away the evidence of my sickness. God, I felt awful.

Caelyn looked worried. “I hope you don’t have the flu. Maybe it’s food poisoning. What have you had to eat in the past day?”

I thought back, searching my mind. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Bell was quiet as she stared at me. “You’ve been sleeping more than normal too, lately.”

“I guess so.” I had been tired recently, needing a little nap in the afternoon or going to bed super early. But that made sense with everything that had been going on. I was worn down. Emotionally and physically.

Bell’s lips pursed. “I think we need to get you a pregnancy test.”

“What? No. There’s no way.” My brain was going a million miles a minute. My period had never been exactly regular, so there was no point in tracking it. But it had been longer than usual since I’d had one… “No. It’s not possible. I’m on the pill. We used condoms.”

“Every single time?” Bell pressed.

“Yes.” Every single time—except that once in the shower. “Shit.”

Caelyn pushed to her feet. “The grocery store is still open for another thirty minutes. I’ll be back in ten.”

Blood rushed in my ears, making me feel like I was in a tunnel. “People will talk if you buy a pregnancy test.” It was one of the curses of living on a small island.

She shrugged. “Who cares. People talk about me anyway.”

Caelyn’s words made my heart clench. The last thing she deserved was people gossiping behind her back. But they had since before she’d taken custody of her three siblings all those years ago. “Thanks, Cae.”

“Anytime, sister. Be back in a flash.”

Caelyn was gone, and I leaned back against the cold porcelain of the bathtub. This wasn’t happening.

Bell gave my arm a squeeze. “Want me to help you up so you can brush your teeth?”

I nodded woodenly. I went through the motions of cleaning up in a daze, nothing really penetrating my brain. When I was done, I sat right back on the tile floor. The coolness of it seemed to help my nausea and my panic. And the last thing I wanted to do was puke on my living room rug.

I counted to ten repeatedly. I sang the alphabet backwards in my head. Anything to keep myself from going crazy with what-ifs. It wouldn’t help anything to play that game. I might just have food poisoning.

Ten minutes felt like ten hours, but eventually, Caelyn bustled back through the door. “I got three different brands so we have the best chance of accuracy. Do you think you can pee?”

I nodded. I’d force it from my body if I had to. I needed to know. Caelyn handed me a small paper bag and gave me an encouraging smile. It was the same one she gave to Ava before her soccer games, even though Ava had yet to make a goal or catch a pass. The thought made me want to laugh, but I knew I would only sound hysterical, so I choked it back.

I closed the bathroom door and searched through the bag. My hands trembled as I opened each box and struggled to hold the directions steady. I did my business, capping each test and resting them on the side of the bathtub. I opened the door and met my friends’ nervous gazes. “Can someone put three minutes on their phone?”

Bell pulled hers out and tapped the screen a few times. “Got it.”

“Thank you.” We all stood in the hallway, just staring at each other.

Caelyn reached out and twined her fingers with mine. “Are you okay?”

“Not really. I can’t think about it until I know for sure one way or the other.”

She nodded, and we were all silent again. I fought the urge to pace up and down the hall, knowing it would just drive my anxiety higher.

Bell’s phone let out a cascading set of dings. “Time.”

I swallowed against my suddenly dry throat. “I don’t know if I can look.”

Caelyn moved in close. “We’re with you. No matter what. You’re not alone.”

Bell nodded. “You’re never alone.”

Tears burned the backs of my eyes. “Thank you.” The two words came out on a hoarse whisper. I moved into the bathroom and picked up the first test with shaky hands. A bright pink plus sign. I moved to the second. Two distinct blue lines. And the last. A very clear pregnant in black lettering.

My breath left me in a whoosh, my hand instantly going to my stomach. Pregnant. There was a child growing inside me. My brain and heart jumped from emotion to emotion, not knowing where to land. Fear. Hope. Panic. Joy. They all clawed for dominance inside me.

“Kenna?” Caelyn asked tentatively.

The tears that had been gathering spilled over. “I’m pregnant.”

Bell looked slightly panicked. “Are those happy tears or sad ones? I can’t tell.”

“Happy and terrified out of my mind tears,” I said on a choked laugh. I was going to have a second chance at being a mom. How could I not be overjoyed at that? Something I worried might never come. Doctors had told me I might have trouble getting pregnant, but apparently, Crosby had super sperm.

I froze. “Crosby.” I said his name on a whisper, my chest constricting in a painful squeeze as my hand went to my still-flat belly. He didn’t want children. But would he still feel that way when he knew we’d created a human being together? My eyes fell closed as I sent up a silent prayer that he would love this child as much as I already did. That he would want to be in his or her life.

“Come on.” Caelyn gently guided me into the living room and helped me settle on the couch. A few seconds later, she pushed a glass of water into my hands. “Take slow, small sips.”

I did as instructed. The cool water tasted like heaven on my abused throat. “I have to tell him.”

Caelyn eyed me cautiously. “You do…but you have time. You don’t have to run over there tonight. Take a few days to process it yourself first.”

She was right. I needed to get my head on straight before I told Crosby. And what if I lost this child like I had before? My chest constricted in a tight squeeze. I wasn’t sure I would survive it. Because I knew one thing for certain…I already loved this baby beyond measure.

Bell’s gaze hardened on me, misinterpreting the fear in my eyes. “If he’s an asshole about it, screw him. We’ll be the best aunties this little bub has ever had. We’re so awesome, there’s no need for a dad.”

I choked on a half-laugh, half-sob. “I’m so lucky to have you both. Thank you for everything.”

Caelyn eased down next to me on the couch. “We’re here for you. Always.”

And I would be forever grateful for that fact. But it didn’t stop my heart from hoping that Crosby would find a way to be there, too.

47

Crosby

Grant Abbot looked smug. Too smug. And the smarmy smirk on his face set my nerves on edge. I didn’t think Judge Moore could be bought or threatened into a particular verdict, but everyone had a breaking point.

I glanced back at the gallery. Kenna’s eyes were shut as if she were praying or meditating or just trying to find a moment of peace before the chaos that was to come. God, she was beautiful. Even without being able to see those amber eyes that pulled at my soul, she was the most gorgeous creature I’d ever seen. It wasn’t her smooth, golden skin, or her rich, mahogany hair that hung in loose waves around her face. It wasn’t the perfect cheekbones or those luscious, berry lips. It was the way she glowed from the inside out. The light that radiated from within called to me, smoothed all my hard edges and calmed the frenetic pace of my internal energy. She balanced me in the best possible ways. And I knew I did the same for her.

Emotion clogged my throat as Kenna opened her eyes, those amber orbs staring straight into me as if she knew it all and accepted me anyway. I loved this woman. And she loved me. Just as I was. She wasn’t going to try to change me or force me to live a life I didn’t want. Kenna simply wanted an existence where we were together.

I could see it in a way I was afraid to reach for before. Growing old together, adding to the beautiful history of The Gables. I could picture Kenna chasing children around that grassy yard, providing a home for kids in the foster system. None of that would keep me from my moments of freedom. From chasing the high of a rock-climbing session or the thrill of barreling down a mountain on a bike. It would simply give me a place and a family to come home to.

Kenna hadn’t looked away, our connection a live thing pulsing between us. Kenna had been my home from the moment she truly let me into her world. And I had thrown that aside like a toddler who hadn’t gotten his way. God, I was an idiot. Worse than that, I’d been careless with the person who meant the most to me in this world. I had been so caught up in making sure I couldn’t be tied down by anyone or anything that I’d lost the most amazing thing to ever happen to me.

I stepped forward, opening my mouth to say something, I wasn’t even sure what, when the bailiff spoke. “All rise.”

Kenna’s eyes flickered with something that looked a lot like hope, and I had to force myself to turn away from the emotion and face the front of the courtroom. I felt as if I’d been sucker punched in the ribs, unable to focus or take a full breath. All I could think about was how I was going to fix things with Kenna.

I gave my head a good shake, trying to get my eyes to zero in on Judge Moore. The pissed-off look on the man’s face had me snapping out of my haze. I gave a quick glance over my shoulder. Kenna looked worried now. I felt a clawing urge inside to go to her, to comfort her. But I couldn’t, not now. She had her support crew. They’d come in full force. Bell, Caelyn, Ford, and Hunter. Even Bell’s father, Dr. Kipton, who had been Harriet’s doctor, was in attendance.

I forced my gaze back to Judge Moore. When he sat, the rest of the court followed suit. He cleared his throat, studying all the faces in the courtroom, one by one. “I apologize for the delay in today’s proceedings, but unfortunately, the sheriff had to be called out to my home this morning.”

I stiffened, glancing over at the Abbots’ side of the court. Grant and Ben Hotchkiss shared a look, but it was a wary one. As Grant turned his gaze back to the judge, a muscle in his cheek ticked. What the hell was going on?

Judge Moore’s gaze hardened as he looked around the room. “I do not take attempted bribery lightly.”

Someone who sounded a lot like Caelyn let out a gasp behind me. My stomach sank. Grant was messing with the system. If we were lucky, he’d tried to influence the judge in his favor. But if he was really clever, he might’ve sent a false message from our camp, leading the judge to believe that we were trying to influence the outcome of the trial.

The judge kept speaking. “As we speak, sheriff’s deputies are collecting evidence, and we will find whoever tried to exert undue influence over this court. And they will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Moore directed his stare at Grant and Hotchkiss as he spoke, and my shoulders eased a fraction. But even as they did, my blood began to heat. This prick thought he could buy the ruling he wanted, just like he’d bought everything else in his life. His family solved every problem by throwing money or power at it. But I had a feeling that would come to an end today.

I grinned at Grant, knowing my smile was just a bit feral. His gaze narrowed at me, the purplish-green bruise around his eye making the action look ridiculous. For the first time in his life, Grant Abbot was going to hear the word no.

“I’m ready to make my ruling.”

“Your Honor,” Hotchkiss began. “Given these new developments, should we consider postponing the ruling?”

“No,” Judge Moore stated with finality. “Unless you are calling into question my ability to be objective. Are you calling that into question, Mr. Hotchkiss?”

“No, of course not, Your Honor.”

“Good. Then let’s get this over with. I’m about done with this whole farce.”

I fought to hold in my chuckle but could hear a quiet snort from Bell’s direction directly behind me. Apparently, Judge Moore was done with the Abbots and all of their bullshit.

Moore clasped his hands and set them on his desk. “On the validity of Harriet Abbot’s last will and testament, I find with the defendant. The will holds.” Grant looked about ready to throttle the judge. “If it were up to me, I would have you and your parents stripped of the inheritance you are getting. But I don’t have that kind of authority. What I am ruling is that you will cover all of Crosby McCoy’s legal fees.”

Judge Moore turned to face me. “Mr. McCoy, please submit your billable hours to the court and Mr. Hotchkiss by the end of the week.”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“Court is adjourned.”

With a snap of the gavel, it was all over. I pushed to my feet, turning to see Kenna enveloped in hug after hug. I stood back with a smile, watching the woman who meant everything to me be surrounded by love and support. And now, she could keep her home, her safe place, as well.

As the final well-wisher released Kenna, she turned to me. I rounded the small wooden fence that separated the courtroom and pulled her into my arms. I didn’t care that we hadn’t sorted things between us, I needed to hold her. “It’s yours, Brown Eyes. No one can ever take it away.”

Her hands circled my waist, fisting in my suit jacket. “Thank you, Crosby. For everything.” Her voice was hoarse, barely audible over the emotion crowding her words.

“Anything for you.”

Kenna pulled back, searching my face for the meaning behind my words. I couldn’t give her that here. But I would, as soon as possible. I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Can we talk later? I can come over to The Gables.”

Kenna nodded. “I’ll be home. I’m just going to stop and get some boxes on the way. I want to declutter my house before I even think about moving into the main estate.”

I chuckled. “Your place is neat as a pin. I doubt there are more than three superfluous things in that house.”

Kenna grinned, releasing me. “You’d be surprised. My clutter is just organized.” She paused for a moment, a look of uncertainty overtaking her face. “See you later?”

“I’ll be there.” I pushed all of the assurance I could into those words, begging her to read the hope she should have in them.

“I’ll be waiting.” She pushed to her tiptoes and pressed her lips against my stubbled cheek. “Thank you again.”

“You bitch.”

I jerked at the fury in Grant’s voice, turning and instantly putting myself between him and Kenna. “You’re going to want to take a step back before you’re arrested for harassment. Or worse, assault.”

Grant glared at me, his hatred twisting his features. “That money-grubbing whore stole what belongs to me.”

Bell peeked around Kenna and me before Ford could stop her. “I’m pretty sure the only money-grubbing whore around here is you.”

“Money never could buy you class, Isabelle,” Grant retorted.

“Oh, go take a long walk off a short pier,” Bell shot back.

Ford wrapped an arm around his fiancée’s shoulders. “All right, Trouble. You’ve said your piece.”

“I don’t know,” Dr. Kipton interjected. “I was kind of enjoying watching my daughter put this greedy bastard in his place.”

Our group laughed, but Grant turned a startling shade of red. “Watch your backs. All of you.”

Kenna stiffened behind me, the tension radiating out of her muscles and into mine. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t listen, there’s nothing else they can do.”

Hotchkiss stepped forward, ushering Grant down the aisle. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Kenna sighed, collapsing into me. “Will this never be over?”

I turned, cupping her face in my hands. “It is over. Grant is pissed, but I bet anything, come Monday, he’ll be on the first ferry out of here. If not sooner.”

She looked over my shoulder to where Grant and Hotchkiss had disappeared. “I hope you’re right.”

48

Kenna

I hauled the box off the kitchen counter and set it on the floor. Harriet’s kitchen was stocked to the gills with the best gadgets and gizmos money could buy. I wouldn’t need duplicates of everything I already had, so off to Habitat For Humanity it was going.

I picked up a platter from the island, smiling down at it. There were two sets of handprints. Mine and Harriet’s. She’d taken me to the paint-your-own-pottery place in town not long after I’d moved in with her, wanting us to do something special to mark the occasion. We’d made this platter, where our handprints had been turned into flowers.

The paint job was sloppy. The leaves looked more like blobs, and the bee looked more like a rabid bird. But Harriet had told me that the mess was part of the fun, that we were making a memory, and that’s what mattered. I lifted the plate, hugging it to my chest. “I wish you were still here. God, I could use one of our swing sessions right about now.”

I wanted to tell her about the baby and ask for her wisdom on how to break the news to Crosby. But most of all, I wanted the comfort of her presence. I closed my eyes, hugging the platter harder as if that might make her come alive. I sighed as my eyes opened. I couldn’t bring Harriet back. But she was all around me. In her favorite garden beds and the antique treasures she’d collected to celebrate the island’s history. In the scarred butcher block in the kitchen, where each nick told the story of time spent together or in care of the ones she loved. But most of all, she was in the bones of every structure of this estate, the safe place she had created for a girl who’d had no real home. Her spirit would live on in this home and in me.

I grinned down at the plate, setting it back on the counter. Part of Harriet’s wishes were already coming true. I was going to build a family here. My hand went to my belly. “You and me, B. It’s going to be a hell of an adventure.”

A knock sounded at the door, and I glanced at my watch. It was too early for Crosby, but my stomach did a flip nonetheless, wondering if he’d wrapped things up ahead of schedule. I pulled the door open to find someone who was definitely not Crosby. “Janet. What are you doing here?”

She tossed her red hair over one shoulder. “I just came to tell my baby girl goodbye. I’m heading back to the mainland. This island is too claustrophobic.”

I blinked back at her. It was always the same, she’d come tearing through my life, destroying things left and right, and then act as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t worth it to try and get into the pain she caused or attempt to make her see the consequences of her actions. It would be a waste of energy and precious time. “Drive safely.” I glanced past her to see a cab idling. “Wait. What happened to your new car?”

Her lips pursed. “I might’ve spent some money before I should’ve. I had to return it.”

Apparently, Grant’s bribe came with a money-back guarantee. I grinned. Served the woman right.

Janet looked over to the main house. “Don’t you want to get rid of this monstrosity? You could get a great condo in a Seattle high-rise.” She flashed me a grin. “Maybe get me one across the hall…we could hang all of the time. Really reconnect.”

I swallowed back my snort of laughter. “I think I’ll pass.”

Janet shrugged. “I had to give it one more try. I’ll see you around, Doodle Bug.”

I cringed at the nickname she’d called me throughout my childhood, but Janet missed the reaction, already heading back to the sedan with a wave of her fingers. I stared as the cab disappeared down the gravel drive. I’d never understood how I could’ve come from her. Janet was careless with her affections and her animosity, flitting back and forth between the two like a tennis player trying to cover both sides of the court.

I would never be that. My friendship, my care, my love, they would always be steadfast. Especially to the little being growing inside me. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, silently sending all the love inside me towards my little one, wanting it to be the first thing he or she felt from me.

My eyes popped open at the sound of tires on the gravel once again. This time it wasn’t a cab that made its way down the drive. My spine stiffened, but I stood my ground. I wouldn’t run from this, and Grant would learn that I, like the judge, couldn’t be paid off.

He brought the sportscar to a screeching halt in front of my guest house. He looked ridiculous climbing from the vehicle that was so low to the ground, the gravel had probably injured the undercarriage. “Kenna, we need to talk.”

I raised my chin. “I’m pretty sure we have nothing left to talk about.”

Grant’s jaw hardened as he crossed to my front door. “You need to stop with this ridiculous charade and give The Gables back to my family. It’s ours.”

A laugh bubbled out of me. I couldn’t help it. I had hit my limit on people who were out of their minds trying to steal my happiness, my peace, my home. “Have you gotten a head injury lately? I’m not giving you or your parents The Gables. It’s not what Harriet wanted. What she wanted was for you to grow up and take some responsibility for your life. To have to earn something instead of having it handed to you on a silver platter. So, you have to do some volunteer work before you get the money she left you. So you’re not getting every last dime she had. Deal with it!”

Grant’s hand struck out so fast, I barely registered the movement before the slap snapped my head to the side and sent me stumbling back a few steps into my guest house. Shock and the pain blooming on my cheek froze me. The truth in front of me didn’t compute. Grant was an entitled asshole, but he’d never been violent towards me.

Before I could make sense of what was happening, another blow landed. This time, a fist to my ribs. “It looks like someone needs to remind you of your place in this world.”

All the air was forced from my lungs by the blow. I struggled to suck in a breath. I turned, trying to protect my stomach, my baby. This was not happening. Another punch landed around my kidneys, sending me to my knees.

I quickly scrambled back up, darting around furniture to place the coffee table between us. “Get out of here, Grant! Before I call the cops.” Except I didn’t have my phone. It was lying on the counter, and Grant was between us.

A sneer stretched across his face. “This podunk island? It would take them too long to get here. And who would believe you anyway? A nice, high-priced defense attorney and this all goes away.”

The gleam in Grant’s eyes that accompanied his words had ice-cold dread sliding through my veins. He’d done this before. And he’d gotten away with it. My gaze darted to the front door and to my bedroom.

“Try and make a run for it. I dare you,” Grant taunted.

Tears burned the backs of my eyes, but I refused to look away from the man who had cost me so much. He wouldn’t destroy my shot at happiness, at true joy. Not now. I charged, hoping the move would stun him, and I could get free, move into the open. I’d run to the water and swim away. Grant had always been slow in the water.

Grant’s hand latched on to my hair, yanking violently. As my body snapped back towards him, I twisted, bringing my knee up in a swift kick to his balls.

“You fucking bitch!” he screamed. His fist swung out, making contact with my temple. The world flickered around me.

And then there was nothing but blackness.

49

Crosby

I pulled to a stop in front of Kenna’s guest house. The late-afternoon sun seemed to make the whole estate glow with a golden hue. And now it was all Kenna’s. Forever. I hoped that knowledge gave her some peace. But most of all, I hoped she’d let me back into that world of hers.

I picked up the bouquet of brightly colored blooms that rested on the seat next to me. I hadn’t spoiled Kenna the way I should’ve, taking her on dates and making gestures both big and small that let her know she was on my mind. That changed now.

I climbed out of my truck and headed for her door. I forced myself to keep my grip on the stems light when nerves had my hand wanting to snap them in two, just for a sense of relief. It didn’t matter if Kenna was hesitant to believe me at first, I’d just wait her out, proving that I was here to stay.

I stepped up onto the front porch and froze. The door was open just an inch or two. “Kenna,” I called.

No answer.

My heart rate picked up speed as I slowly pushed the door open another few inches. “Kenna?” Maybe she’d made a run over to the main house with some of her belongings? I glanced over my shoulder but saw no signs of life over there.

Screw it. Kenna could yell at me later for invading her privacy, but I needed to know that she was okay. I pushed the door open all the way, stepping over the threshold and instantly halted in my tracks. The space was a mess. Chairs overturned. Random items thrown about.

My gaze caught on something on the floor. No. This wasn’t happening. My chest convulsed in a painful squeeze as I crossed the room in three long strides, the flowers in my hand falling to the floor.

“Kenna!” I knelt next to her fallen form, hands hovering over her crumpled body. God, no. I pulled her hair away from her face and sucked in a sharp breath. Her cheek was swelling, and there were tears in the skin. My hand shook as I pressed two fingers to the side of her neck. The steady thump against my fingertips had air expelling from my lungs on a whoosh.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed three numbers.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”

My voice remained remarkably calm as if it didn’t belong at all to the man whose insides were currently being shredded by fear and pain. “My girlfriend. I just got to her house, and she’s been attacked. She’s unconscious, but her pulse is strong.”

“Okay, sir. I’ll dispatch EMTs immediately. What’s your address?”

I rattled off the address of The Gables, instructing her to direct the medics to the smaller guest house. “What do I do? Should I roll her onto her back? She looks like she’s in pain.” Panic was edging into my voice now. I wanted to help her. My Brown Eyes. She looked so small and broken, and I had to fix it.

“Please don’t move her, sir, we don’t know if there’s been a spinal injury. Wait for the EMTs.”

I stayed put, laying a gentle hand on Kenna’s shoulder. The t-shirt she wore was torn, slipping off slightly so that my palm made contact with her golden skin. She was warm. That had to be a good sign, right?

My eyes closed on a silent prayer. Please. Don’t take her from me.

* * *

I paced up and down the hospital hallway. It had been hours, and I still had no answers. No updates on Kenna other than that she’d been in and out of consciousness. No information from the police. Only endless questions. When I’d bitten Parker’s head off for the third time, he’d finally given up, telling me that he’d call with any news.

I didn’t care about that right now, all I cared about was the woman I loved and making sure she was okay. Safe and whole and looking up at me with those amber eyes so full of love and acceptance, I couldn’t breathe. I spun around and dug my knuckles into the cold hospital wall. I ached to punch it, to distract myself from the agony in my chest with a different pain in my fists.

A firm hand clamped down on my shoulder. “She’s going to be okay.”

I let my head fall against the plaster of the wall. “You don’t know that, Ford. The doctor still hasn’t been out to give us any updates, and it’s been two hours.”

“The girls are talking to someone at the nurses’ station now, trying to get news. These kinds of things take time. Kenna’s in the best place she could be. They’re taking good care of her.”

I pushed off the wall. Ford was right. I needed to stay positive. Kenna had been airlifted to Seattle Memorial. The EMTs had worked as fast as possible to get her stabilized and moved. But I’d never felt more powerless than when I’d sat back in that helicopter and watched them work, struggling to catch as many words as I could to make sense of what was happening.

A woman with gray hair tied back in a low bun appeared in the hall. “Kenna Morgan’s family?”

I straightened, blood roaring in my ears. “I’m her boyfriend, Crosby McCoy. This is her friend, Ford Hardy.” It wasn’t the truth, but it wasn’t a lie either. I was going to be Kenna’s everything, just as soon as she opened those pretty eyes.

“I’m Dr. Castor. Mr. McCoy, can I speak with you in private for a moment?”

I nodded, stepping away from Ford, my heart sinking. “What is it? Is she going to be okay?” Did the woman want to get me alone to tell me something was wrong? That things were worse than we’d expected?

Dr. Castor gave me a kind smile. “We are optimistic that Kenna is going to make a full recovery.”

My shoulders slumped on an exhaled breath. “What’s wrong with her? Can I see her now?”

“Kenna had a bad break in her left arm that required an orthopedic surgeon to set, that’s what took us so long. She also has a fairly severe concussion. That compounded with low blood sugar is why we had such a hard time bringing her around. She’s sleeping now, and we’ll be bringing her to a room soon to get her settled.” Dr. Castor paused for a moment before continuing. “Her pregnancy looks stable. We think the baby is going to be fine, as well.”

The entire world seemed to slow as if I were seeing and hearing everything from under water. Pregnant. Kenna. A baby. My mind snapped, speeding back up with a hundred different questions, but only one mattered in the moment. “The baby”—my voice cracked—“it’s okay?”

“Yes. We had a specialist come and check Kenna and the baby over. Heart rate and all other levels are good.”

“I need to see her.” I needed to touch her, touch them, assure myself that they were okay. A baby. The idea that Kenna had faced this news alone for the second time in her life made me want to throttle myself. But she wasn’t going to be alone any longer. And that meant not waking up to an empty room. “Please,” I begged the doctor.

“Come on, I’ll take you up myself.”

We walked back down the hall. Bell and Caelyn were standing with Ford, looking wrecked and…nervous maybe? Something clicked in my head. “You knew?”

Bell glanced at Caelyn. “She just found out a couple of days ago. She was going to tell you today.”

“You should’ve told me!” I roared. “The second you walked into this hospital, that should’ve been the first thing out of your mouth. What if I’d lost them both and had never known?”

Caelyn shrank back, tears falling from her eyes. “We told a nurse, but we thought Kenna should be the one to tell you.”

Ford stepped forward. “I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re not going to speak to them that way.”

“Kenna’s pregnant,” I snapped at Ford. His mouth fell open in response.

Bell held up a hand at Ford. “He’s right. We should’ve told him. I’m sorry, Crosby.”

I shook my head, not having time to deal with this right now. “Let’s go,” I told Dr. Castor.

She turned away from our dramatic scene, leading me through a maze of hallways and up in an elevator. When we finally reached the open door to a room, I froze. There she was, my fierce, tender-hearted girl. She looked so incredibly frail hooked up to a bunch of machines.

Dr. Castor cleared her throat. “Go on in. She’s just asleep, not unconscious.”

I nodded woodenly and slowly made my way to her. The chair screeched against the floor as I pulled it closer to the bed. I eased into it and took Kenna’s hand, careful to avoid the IV and the oxygen monitor.

I pressed her hand to my lips, just holding it there. “Brown Eyes…” Tears gathered in my eyes, spilling over and tracking down my cheeks. “You have to be okay. You and our little gremlin. We’re gonna be a family. And I’m going to be there for you every step of the way.”

I searched her face for any sign of wakefulness. There was none. I rested her arm back on the bed, keeping her hand in one of mine. With my other hand, I slowly reached out, careful to avoid her casted arm and any tubes, and rested my palm gently on her belly. “I love you, Kenna.”

Warmth spread up my arm and into my chest. We’d created a living being. And this little miracle was already so incredibly strong. “I love you, too, little one. I’m going to be the best dad possible. I’ll probably mess up a whole hell of a lot, but you’ll never have to question how much I love you.”

I let my eyes fall closed, sending up more silent prayers. Please don’t take my life away from me when it’s only just begun.

50

Kenna

We’re gonna be a family. I love you. The phrases floated around in my mind, but I couldn’t seem to grab hold of any of them. Behind it all was a faint beeping. That and pain. I let out a little moan.

“Kenna? Are you awake? Open those pretty eyes.”

Crosby’s voice tugged at me, but so did the call of sleep.

“Please, baby. I need to know you’re okay.”

The sheer agony in Crosby’s voice had me fighting to flutter my eyes open.

“There she is. God, you scared the hell out of me.”

He looked ravaged as if he’d lived a hundred lifetimes in the time I had been asleep. I tried to speak, but my throat screamed. “Water?” I could barely get the single hoarse word out.

Crosby moved like lightning, grabbing a pink cup with a straw. “Here. Just a couple of small sips in case you feel sick.”

I started to nod, but the action made my head throb. I took a cautious drink. The cool liquid was heaven on my throat. I released the straw and tried again. “What happened—?” I froze, everything coming back to me in a flash of images and the feeling of fists against flesh. I lashed out with my free arm, gripping Crosby’s hand, tears springing to my eyes. “The baby. Is the baby okay?” I hoped against hope, knowing that it was unlikely for a pregnancy that early on to survive the kind of violence I remembered.

“The baby’s just fine. You’re going to be all right. Everything’s okay.”

My tears flowed more freely. “I was going to tell you today. But then Grant…”

Crosby’s entire face hardened in an expression I’d never seen before. “It was Grant?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

Crosby pulled out his phone with one hand, fingers flying across the screen. “I have to let Parker know. I’m sure he’ll need a statement, but that can wait.”

“I’m so sorry, Crosby.”

“No, Kenna.” Crosby pressed his lips to my palm. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad you and our little gremlin are okay.”

A sob hiccupped out of my chest. “Our little gremlin?”

A small grin pulled at Crosby’s lips. “That’s what I’ve been calling him or her. We’ve been getting acquainted while you slept.” He set his phone on my mattress and placed a gentle hand on my belly, drawing circles with his thumb.

“You want this baby?” I sucked in a breath, holding it, not able to let go until I heard the words.

“I want you. I want our baby. I want to build a home and a family. I want everything.”

My tears came faster as my shoulders shook. “Really?”

Crosby stared into my eyes. “Really. I was coming to your place to tell you that this afternoon. God, Kenna. I messed up so bad. I was terrified, and I didn’t even realize it. I was holding so tightly to this messed-up idea of freedom, when all it was were walls to keep people out. Barriers so I wouldn’t get hurt again. But it doesn’t matter because you snuck behind them anyway.” He lifted my hand to his lips again. “I love you with everything I have and everything I am. Please let me love you.”

“I love you, too. With everything I have. I don’t want anyone but you.”

Crosby leaned in, careful not to bump my casted arm, and brushed his lips across mine. “Forever.”

A knock sounded from the other side of the room. “We heard someone was waking up.” Ford held the door for Bell and Caelyn, who rushed inside.

Caelyn burst into tears the second our eyes met. “Oh God, Kenna. I was so worried. Are you okay? Are you in pain? Can we get you anything? Should I call a nurse?”

“Slow down, speed racer.” Bell threw an arm over Caelyn’s shoulders. “If she’s kissing her surfer boy, I think she’s going to be just fine.”

I grinned at my friends. “Love you guys.”

Bell reached out and squeezed my foot that lay under the pile of blankets. “Always, sister. You gave us a scare there.”

“I gave myself one, too.” I couldn’t fight the shiver as an image of Grant’s face, so full of hate, filled my mind.

Crosby’s phone buzzed, and he swiped it up from the bed. “Parker already arrested Grant. He and his family are raising holy hell, but they got him.”

A bit of tension in my muscles eased. I was safe.

Bell gripped Ford’s hand tightly. “I can’t believe he did this.” As much as we all knew that Grant was an asshole, none of us had thought he’d go this far.

Caelyn nibbled on her bottom lip. “He’s not gonna get away with this, right?”

Crosby scanned his message from Parker. “Grant has split and swollen knuckles. And we’ll have Kenna’s testimony. That’s a strong case.”

“We don’t even need any of that.”

Crosby looked up at my statement. “We don’t?”

“No. Harriet had a bunch of those cameras that record everything installed outside all the entry points to our houses last year. He should be on the recordings. Probably even the first time he hit me because we were on my front porch.”

Crosby looked away for a brief moment, his jaw working. I squeezed his hand with as much strength as I had. “I’m okay. And he’s not going to hurt me ever again.”

Crosby turned back towards me. “No, he’s not.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead. “You’re so fucking strong. For yourself, for our baby. I love you.”

I’d never tire of hearing those words. “With everything I am.”

Epilogue

Kenna

TWO WEEKS LATER

“Zoe, this is beautiful! Thank you so much for making it for me.” I eased back against the couch as I took in the get-well card creation full of glitter and stickers and everything girly.

Zoe nibbled on her bottom lip. “You’re welcome. You’re feeling better, right? You’ll be okay?”

My heart cracked for the little girl who’d already lost so much. It hadn’t been easy for her when she’d heard I’d landed in the hospital. We’d spoken on the phone a few times since my attack, but I was finally getting some quality time with my girl. “I’ll be one hundred percent in a few weeks. I just have to pack around this ugly cast in the meantime.” I held up my plaster-covered arm. “Think you could help me decorate it?”

A small smile appeared on Zoe’s face, and she nodded.

I picked up a few markers from the coffee table. The action made my head spin, but I kept a smile on my face, not wanting Zoe to worry. The concussion still gave me some nasty lingering side effects, but they were lessening each day. I patted the seat next to me. “Come on over.”

Zoe made her way to me as Ingrid and Crosby watched from chairs across the way. She carefully lowered herself to the sofa and picked up a marker. “How about some flowers?”

“That sounds perfect. Flowers will brighten up this cast for sure.”

Zoe was quiet as she worked, and I gave her time, knowing she’d open up when she was ready. She drew blooms of pink and purple and orange, creating a green vine that connected them all. Still focused on her work, she asked, “They got the bad guy, right?”

My chest gave another squeeze. “They got him, Zo. He’s going to jail for a long time.”

The footage from the camera right outside my door had been a slam dunk. Between that and the statements from my doctors, Grant had been charged with attempted murder. It would probably get lowered to aggravated assault when we went to court, but Grant wouldn’t get away this time. He was going to pay for his actions.

Annabelle and Clark had shown up on the island briefly but had fled back to Seattle to lick their wounds and try to figure out a way to get their son off without prison time. It wasn’t going to happen. And the entire island had been happy to see them go.

The most surprising revelation had been that Lacey had helped with the attempted bribery of Judge Moore. They’d found her fingerprints all over the briefcase of cash that had been left at his home. Prints that had been on file from when Bell had gotten Lacey locked up for underage drinking. She probably would avoid actual jail time, but Lacey was going to be on probation at the very least. It seemed like Karma was finally paying a visit to those who deserved it.

Crosby had been by my side through it all, my rock. But when he’d had to sit through the footage of Grant striking me, I thought he might lose it. Luckily, Ford and Bell had been at the station with us. Ford had taken Crosby outside, and whatever he’d said had seemed to help. That and having me in bed next to him every night. I never felt safer than when I was in Crosby’s arms.

While I was in the hospital for a few days, Bell and Caelyn had rushed to get one of the downstairs guest rooms in the main house ready for me to stay in. Avoiding stairs for these first few weeks of my recovery had been key. And I had no desire to remain in the place where I’d almost lost it all. I would reclaim the guest house eventually, make peace with what had happened there, but there was no rush. And I wanted to make the main house my own first. Our own. The place where Crosby and I would raise our family.

I placed my hand over my belly and grinned at Crosby. His light brown eyes seemed to twinkle as he smiled back at me.

“I’m glad they got him.”

Zoe brought me back to our current conversation and out of my daydreams. “Me, too.”

She snapped a cap back on her marker. “All done. Like it?”

I lifted my cast to examine her doodles. “It’s perfect. I think you might have a future as an artist.”

Zoe blushed. “Can I be a professional soccer player, too?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Ingrid pushed to her feet. “Speaking of soccer, we need to get going so you’re not late for practice.”

Zoe glanced back to me. “Do you think you could come to my game next weekend?”

“I’d love to come. You just tell me where and when.” Being around Zoe and seeing her thrive put a lightness in me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Maybe ever. The little girl gave me hope. That no matter our circumstances, we could heal.

“Awesome.”

I pushed slowly to my feet, my ribs still twinging a bit at the movement. Crosby was by my side in a flash. “Careful.”

I threw him a mock scowl. “Stop clucking over me like a mother hen.” Crosby might as well have tried wrapping me in Bubble Wrap for how paranoid he was about me further injuring myself.

Ingrid smiled at the two of us as she wrapped an arm around Zoe’s shoulders. “He clucks because he cares.”

Crosby let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t cluck. I’m just cautious.”

Zoe giggled. “It sounded a little clucky to me.”

Crosby’s eyes narrowed on the girl. “I’m gonna remember that the next time we play soccer. No more going easy on you.”

She shrugged. “You could try, but I’ll still leave you in the dust.”

“That’s my girl.” I held out a hand, and Zoe high fived me.

Crosby and I watched as Zoe and Ingrid loaded into her car and headed down the gravel lane. I leaned my head against Crosby’s shoulder. “I’m so glad I got to see Zo.”

“Me, too. She was worried about you.”

“I hate that. But I think she’s at ease now, don’t you?”

Crosby twirled a lock of my hair around his finger. “Definitely.” Pressing his lips to my temple, he asked, “Are you up for a stroll to the swing?”

I pulled back slightly. “You’re actually going to let me walk around outside?”

Crosby grimaced. “I’m not that bad.”

“You kind of are.” For the first week, he hadn’t even let me go to the bathroom alone. He walked me there and then sat outside the door, making me call out to him every thirty seconds that I was okay.

Crosby cupped my face in his hands. “I almost lost you. You can’t blame me for being a little extra-cautious.”

I melted at the mix of fear and love in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” I stretched up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his. “I love you. And I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m counting on that.” Crosby led us slowly towards the swing that overlooked the water, one of my favorite places on the whole property.

By the time we reached the spot, I was a bit winded, but the fresh air had done me good. “I can’t believe this gets to be our home.”

“We’re pretty damn lucky.”

“We really are.”

Crosby and I sat in silence as we gently swung back and forth. Everything about the moment was perfect. The smell of the salt air, the sunshine wrapping around us, the peace and comfort of being with the one I loved.

Crosby lifted my hand to his lips, kissing the center of my palm. As he set it on his thigh, he began tracing nonsensical designs over my fingers. “I love you, Kenna. More than I ever thought possible.”

I looked up at Crosby, drinking in the emotion on his face. “I’m pretty glad about that.”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Did I tell you that Harriet left me something in her will, too?”

I straightened on the swing. “No. What was it?” I loved that Harriet had thought to include Crosby. Their relationship had been special too, and I knew that whatever it was, he’d hold it dear.

Crosby pulled something out of his pocket that I couldn’t see. “I gotta be honest, when I first saw it, I was confused. And when I read her letter to me, I thought she might be a little crazy. I was damn certain I wasn’t going to fall in love again.”

My brows pulled together. “What did she leave you?”

Crosby opened his hand, and on his palm was a gold band with a massive emerald-cut diamond. “This was the ring her Richard gave to her when he asked Harriet to marry him. Harriet said in her note that she knew I was going to find someone to trust with my heart again, and she wanted me to have this ring that already held so many years of love.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart picking up a riotous rhythm in my chest. Crosby met my gaze, so much love in his eyes. “Will you wear this ring, Kenna? Be my wife, my partner, the mother of my babies, my home.”

“Yes,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes.

Crosby slipped the ring onto my finger, the sunrays making rainbows dance out of the stone and shine around us. He took my mouth in a slow kiss. When he pulled back, I met his gaze, searching, hoping. “If Zoe’s mom relinquishes her parental rights, I want to adopt her.”

Crosby grinned. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Everything inside me warmed at his words. He sobered, seeming to look even deeper into my eyes, my entire being. “I love you, Brown Eyes.”

I felt everything that went into those words, joy and pain, triumph and struggle, hope and fear. He was giving everything to me, and I’d give it all right back to him. I brushed my lips against his for a second time. “With everything I am.”

THE END

Want to know what happens when Caelyn and Griffin’s worlds collide? Find out in Wrecked Palace. Available for purchase by tapping HERE.

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Acknowledgments

To my family and friends. Thank you for supporting me on this crazy journey, even if you don’t read “kissing books.”

Thank you to all the wonderful authors who have helped me along the way. From sharing wisdom and encouragement to laughter when things get tough. You prove that the internet isn’t always a scary place, after all. And an extra special thank you to Emma and Grahame…I’m so grateful to have you in my life!

To my fearless beta readers: Angela, Emily, and Trisha, thank you for reading this book in its roughest form and helping me to make it the best it could possibly be! And to Lucy, for answering a million legal questions so that I could make this story as accurate as possible.

The crew that helps bring my words to life and gets them out into the world is pretty darn epic. Thank you to Susan, Chelle, Janice, Julie, Hang, Stacey, Jenn, Sarah, and the rest of my team at Social Butterfly. Your hard work is so appreciated!

To all the bloggers who have taken a chance on my words…THANK YOU! Your championing of my stories means more than I can say. And to my launch and ARC teams, thank you for your kindness, support, and sharing my books with the world.

Ladies of Catherine Cowles Reader Group, you’re my favorite place to hang out on the internet! Thank you for your support, encouragement, and willingness to always dish about your latest book boyfriends. You’re the freaking best!

Lastly, thank YOU! Yes, YOU. I’m so grateful you’re reading this book and making my author dreams come true. I love you for that. A whole lot!

Also Available From Catherine Cowles

Further To Fall

The Sutter Lake Series

Beautifully Broken Pieces

Beautifully Broken Life

Beautifully Broken Spirit

Beautifully Broken Control

The Wrecked Series

Reckless Memories

Perfect Wreckage

Wrecked Palace

About Catherine Cowles

Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing, she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

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