Caught in the Current (Pacific Shores Book 2) (10 page)

“No!” Her hands fluttered in frustration. Her next words came out much softer. “And I’m taken.”

He pulled her to a stop as they crested out on the flat where the cabins were built. “Taken by a guy who couldn’t even be bothered to help you when your daughter splattered you with ketchup?”

She huffed. “Dan’s just like that. He knows I can fend for myself. I didn’t need his help.”

“But you deserved it.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. She was totally missing the point. “You deserve a man who will help you even when you can do the job on your own, Marie. A guy who will drive to the store at midnight when you want double chocolate chunk ice cream. A guy who will make sure the oil is changed in your car, and keep your spare tire aired up; who will mop your floors and help you do laundry; do the grocery shopping so you don’t have to after you get home from a long day at work; and get up early on a Saturday to feed the kids so you can sleep in. Not because you can’t do all those things yourself, but simply because he cares enough about you to do them for you.”

She glanced over, her eyes wide. She simply studied him for a long moment. And when she spoke, her words nearly pierced right through him. “This isn’t a fairy tale, Reece. This is real life. And in real life you sometimes have to be happy with less than Disney-cartoon circumstances. Dan might not be all that, but he’s a good guy. And…we’re happy together.”

“So you’re saying you have absolutely no doubt Dan is head over heels in love with you? And you with him?”

She made a little noise of frustration. “Can we just take a look at these cabins?”

Fine. He’d probably pushed her too far tonight anyway. He’d give her some time to think about what he’d said. Maybe he wasn’t the man for her, but he certainly knew she deserved someone who treated her better than Dan did. The guy hadn’t even helped her keep her car running, for goodness’ sake.

He gestured to the cabin farthest from them. “Let’s start over there with that one.”

The cabins were small, the largest having only two rooms, but they were made of log to match the main house and good and sturdy. Mostly finished but still empty of furniture, each had multiple decks that overlooked the ocean and beach below.

Despite the strain still looming in the air between them, Marie sucked in a breath of awe when she walked into the entryway. She took in the cedar-paneled ceiling with the skylight, ran a hand over the cherry cupboards in the kitchen, and trudged up the pine half-log staircase to examine the loft. Throughout the walk through she held her silence, but when she stepped out onto the stone slate patio at the back, she breathed out, “Wow.”

He stepped up and leaned next to her at the rail.

A fog was rolling in. Far out against the horizon, all was a curtain of white, but the rocky coastline and white lines of frothy waves were still clear and sunny. Hot pink wild peas and bright yellow daisies dotted the coastline.

“These places are amazing. Your dad is a genius to have built up here.”

Reece put his back to the view and leaned his elbows against the rail, studying her face.

She had baby-blue eyes that held the power to knock the breath right out of him, long, wavy brown hair, and a pretty mouth that could drive him to distraction at the most inappropriate times. Like right now.

She cut a glance toward him, apparently having felt his study.

He kept his focus on her, knowing that, more than anything, he wanted a chance to get to know her again.

Giving a sharp little shake of her head, she strode back through the cabin. “Show me the other units and tell me what you have in mind.”

The next morning Marie climbed down from Reece’s truck in the church parking lot and helped Alyssa out of her car seat. Since Dan had disappeared at the party last night, she hadn’t gotten the chance to ask him if he could pick them up this morning, and after that it had just seemed easier to stick with the plan and have Reece get them. Now she was second-guessing her decision. The warm feeling of completion it had given her to ride to church with him wasn’t something she should be feeling.

She reached in and snagged the large Tupperware filled with the still-warm cinnamon rolls she’d stayed up late to make the night before and baked this morning.

Reece had come around the truck and now waited to shut the door for her.

“Thanks, Reece.” She grabbed Alyssa’s hand and hustled across the parking lot to hurry down to the preschool wing. She hoped Reece would meet up with Dakota and that she could find Dan and talk him into giving her a ride home. Maybe Reece would forget about his lunch invitation and she could escape the torture of being glared at by his mother all afternoon.

Not to mention the torture of being around Reece. His admiring looks and compliments were trying her resolve to guard her heart from his charm, and guard his heart from her mistakes.

When she’d opened her door to his knock this morning, his eyes had lit up. “Hi, beautiful,” he’d said as he swept a look from her hair to her shoes and back again so quickly she might have missed it if she’d blinked.

That’s when the warm fuzzies had started. And she was still trying to shake them.

He’d inhaled appreciatively and whined conspiratorially with Alyssa all the way to church about how Marie didn’t care enough about either one of them to let them have a cinnamon roll early. And she’d caught herself laughing and slapping his hand as he’d tried to sneak off the lid to the container and steal a roll as he drove one handed.

So, okay, she was lying to herself again that she hoped he would run into Dakota, but it was what she knew was the right thing for him. What she should want.

“Mama, I’m hungry!” Alyssa tugged on her hand.

“Well, you should have eaten the cereal I gave you instead of only eating the cinnamon roll.”

“What!? She got a cinnamon roll?” Instead of letting himself be left behind, Reece kept pace with her. He reached for Alyssa and swung her up, tickling her mercilessly. “You didn’t tell me you’d already gotten one, Superwoman! Your mom wouldn’t even let me sniff them! Now I’m really hurt!”

Alyssa giggled and gave Reece as good as she got. “Mama must like me more!”

“What!” Reece set her on her feet. “You better run, little miss, because when I catch you, I’m going to give you a tickling you won’t soon forget.”

With a squeal Alyssa took off.

Reece caught her in four strides and gave her his promised retaliation.

Marie couldn’t help but chuckle even as she called, “Come on, you two, we’re going to be late!”

Alyssa hadn’t taken two more steps before they were right back where they started. “Mama, I’m hungry.”

“Honey, you just want another cinnamon roll. You’ll get a snack in Sunday school and another in children’s church, and we’ll have hot dogs and chili when we get home.”

“But I don’t like hot dogs.”

“Well, we’ll try to get something different the next time we go grocery shopping.”

“You always say that! And we still eat hot dogs and chili.”

She supposed that was true. Because she always seemed to run out of money in the grocery budget. But this was not the time or place to discuss her finances. Especially not since she could feel Reece studying her with a touch of speculation and understanding as he held one of the church doors open for them. Marie clenched her jaw and kept moving.

Great. Now he probably saw them as a charity case. But would it be so bad to be his charity case? That did it. She was losing her resolve to keep him at arm’s length. And that just wouldn’t do. She needed space to regain her determination. How was she going to ditch him?

She needn’t have worried. Reece’s mom and Dakota stood chatting in the foyer, Darlene smiling and engaged in a way that showed she really liked the younger woman.

“Reece!” Darlene called, gesturing for him to come over.

Dakota looked amazing in a long gypsy skirt and beaded orange blouse that made her tan beautiful against her blonde hair.

Marie waved at her with a smile and took advantage of Reece’s distraction to zip Alyssa down the hallway toward the preschool wing.

“But I wanted to say good-bye to Mr. Reece!” Poor Alyssa was practically running to keep up.

Marie slowed down. “I know, baby. But he’s busy right now. We’ll have to see him afterward to get your car seat. Uncle Kylen and Aunt Taysia are your teachers this month. Won’t that be fun?”

“Yay!”

Marie eased out a breath of relief that her daughter was so easily distracted.

This was another reason for her to stay away from Reece. So Alyssa wouldn’t get too attached to him.

After she dropped off Alyssa, she set her cinnamon rolls in the classroom where her Sunday school class would meet during the second service while Alyssa went to children’s church. She took a moment to scan her notes. Even though it was only a five-minute talk, she was a bit nervous about sharing in front of the whole class. But it was tradition. Everyone who signed up to bring a treat also gave a five-minute mini devotional at the beginning of the class time. At least she’d be able to get it over with quickly. Hopefully what she planned to share would make sense and reach people. Taysia had looked it over on Friday at work and, with tears in her eyes, told her it was amazing.

Marie wasn’t so sure. She chewed her lip and stuffed the paper back into her purse as she headed for the sanctuary. Sure, she’d been able to get it all down on paper, but would she be able to say all the stuff bumbling around in her heart? That was if she could even make herself get up in front of everyone when the time came. Sheesh! She eased out a breath. Lord, I’m going to need a big kick in the seat of the pants when it’s time to share, and maybe an extra helping of peace to take away these jitters would be nice too.

The service had already started when she slid into the back pew. She hadn’t had time to look for Dan, but he would probably find her once he arrived. He was notorious for being late to church. And if she didn’t see him here, she would likely see him at the pickup basketball game the youth usually put together for a few minutes after church. Dan, Kylen, and Taysia were generally the ones who helped the youth pastor, Blaine, supervise the youth.

Even though most everyone was standing, she sank down onto the padded bench. She just needed a moment off her feet. It felt like she’d been rushing for forever. It had been a long week, capped off by a lot of emotional turmoil.

She closed her eyes and pulled in a slow breath, then eased it out through pursed lips. Her thoughts turned to Reece. She clenched her teeth. Lord, I’m really going to need Your help not to be selfish for the next few weeks. Help me to remember to put Reece’s needs above my own. And help Reece to see he’d be better off with someone like Dakota than with me.

Beside her the cushion sank, indicating someone had sat beside her. A fleeting moment of thankfulness that Dan had found her disappeared as Reece’s cologne registered with a pleasant ripple of awareness.

She deflated and kept her eyes closed. Lord? Were You listening?

Maybe He had been. Maybe this was a test.

She turned her gaze on Reece. He was singing, but gave her his attention and quirked a brow as though to ask what she wanted.

He looked different without his Stetson. She’d forgotten how curly his hair was. He had it trimmed close on the sides and a touch longer on the top. Just mussed enough to invite the combing of her fingers. She fisted her hand.

Leaning closer, she whispered, “Dan usually sits by me.”

“If he shows up, I’ll move,” he whispered back.

“What if he shows up and sees you here and gets the wrong idea?”

“If he doesn’t boot me out of the way, he doesn’t deserve you. He better learn to fight for what he wants.”

An elderly lady in front of them turned and shushed them with a scowl.

Reece leaned even closer and spoke right into her ear. “Like I am.”

Marie snatched up her bulletin and dug in her purse for a pen. “What about what I want?!?” she scrawled, giving “I want” three quick underlines. She thrust the paper at him.

He read it, then reached over and took the pen from her hand. “What do you want?” He’d underlined the word “do.”

Marie felt a surge of anger so forceful she almost hucked the pen he handed back to her across the sanctuary. What did she want? She stuffed the pen back into her purse and shoved the bulletin into the case on the iPad Kylen and Taysia had given her last Christmas.

What did she want?

She wanted everyone to be happy. That’s what. Alyssa. Reece. Dan. Darlene. Dakota. Myself. The problem was, there didn’t seem to be a way to make everyone happy in this situation.

But if making others happy curtailed her own happiness a little, so be it.

Now if only the stubborn man beside her would just open his eyes and see what was best for him.

Chapter 9

Marie swallowed hard and smoothed her hands over her skirt as Brad Tolland, the leader of their Sunday school class, closed the opening prayer.

He scanned the room and smiled brightly. “Before we get into today’s lesson, we are privileged to have Marie Sinclair bring us our Sweet Inspirations segment this morning.”