Love Like You've Never Been Hurt (6 page)

This time it was Gramps’ eyes that filled with tears. “You
mean it, Mousey?” his voice was hoarse as he asked the
question. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight,
surprised by the raw emotion on his face.

“I mean it Gramps.” As she held him she felt him
tremble. She’d had no idea it would mean this much to him.

“Oh, Em. Oh, my little Em!”

“Toughen up, old fella!” Joe’s voice boomed from
inside the house. Gramps straightened up and dabbed at his damp eyes.

“Quit yer hollerin’ and come out and see my girl!”
he yelled back.

Joe appeared at the front door and gave Emma a big hug.

“Good to see yer, young un. Do yer good to stick around a
while, I’m thinking. Getting too skinny down in that city.
Besides, yer Grandaddy here needs someone to be lookin’ after
him now he’s knockin’ on. Yer can cook for him, make him
cocoa and the likes.

Emma and Ben both laughed as Gramps sputtered.

“I’m not an old codger yet, Joe Bishop! I don’t
need nurse-maiding. Anyways, you’re older than me!”

“By three whole days,” laughed Joe.

“And besides, Emma’s got her own place, she’ll
be staying there.”

Emma turned to look at him; she hadn’t even thought about
that. Gramps stared her down.

“You weren’t planning on moving in here and cramping
my style were you, Mouse?”

“Well, I...”

“Aunt Martha left you that house cos she thought you’d
live in it someday. May as well give it a test run for the summer if
you’re really sticking around.”

Wow. This was all taking shape by itself. The big old house her
great aunt had left her had been used as a vacation rental for years
now, part of a program the resort ran.

“I can switch out any bookings to our other properties, if
you want to do that,” offered Ben.

The house did rent well, but wasn’t one of the most popular,
since although it sat in a wonderful location, right by the water’s
edge with gorgeous views, it really needed renovating and updating.

“Well, I guess if Gramps doesn’t want me under his
feet here,” she knew well enough to play along with his
bluster, “then I’d better go take a look at the old
place.”

“I’ll drive,” said Gramps.

“I need to get back to the resort,” announced Ben,
giving his grandfather a meaningful look, “and I need my truck.
Are you coming?”

“All right, all right.” grumbled Joe.

Pete hadn’t said much since they’d left the Boathouse
and Jack was starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

“You OK over there?”

“Sorry. Yeah. I’m fine. I was thinking about Scott.”

Jack immediately felt bad for assuming that Pete was thinking
about him and Emma.

“What’s the story with him?”

“He’s a good kid. Missy has done a great job of
raising him by herself. I just wish he had a father figure around. I
mean, Missy’s family are great with him. He has her dad and
brothers and uncles, but, well, and this is going to sound awful,
they’re locals.”

Jack looked at him.

“Summer Lake is a small town. Most people who are born and
raised here have a small town mentality. Now, I’m not saying
there’s anything wrong with that, nothing wrong with it at all.
It’s just that it doesn’t help Scott. It’s not what
he needs. He’s smart and he has so much potential. The kind of
potential that’s never going to develop into anything in a
small town like this.”

“People come from worse situations and make good. Look at
Dan.”

“Exactly. I was thinking of Dan. Dan had you. You may be
small town, but no one could ever accuse you of small town thinking.
You supported him, encouraged him. Can you honestly say he’d be
where he is now if it weren’t for you?”

Jack shrugged. He liked to think that Dan had made it on his own.

“There’s no one here that can help Scott like that. No
one really even understands him, what he’s talking about when
it comes to computers, like Missy said. I wish I could do something
for him.”

“Believe me, I get it,” said Jack. “I think Dan
would love to help Scott out. In fact, I think they would be good for
each other. If I stay up here and build you this house, Dan could
come visit and hang out with the kid. What do you think?”

“If you do build me a house, what do you think of this as
the site?”

They got out of the truck and stood looking at the lake and the
rolling hills leading away into the distance. The lot was on a
headland and sloped all the way down to the water’s edge on a
wide cove. Only one house was visible at the other end of the beach.

“Man, it’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t it? Are you serious about staying up here and
doing this? You don’t have to decide right now, you know.”

“I know, but you’re right, this place does have a
magic about it. I feel at home already.”

Pete turned to him, looking him straight in the eye. “And
what about Emma?”

“What about her?”

“She doesn’t get up here too much you know.”

“I know, and if I’m honest, she’s the only
reason I’m still thinking about staying in the city. I may as
well come clean, I’ve asked her to come to dinner with me on
Thursday and she said yes.”

“Wow! I wondered how much you’d tell me. The way you
were watching her at breakfast kind of gave you away.”

“I’ve got it bad,” admitted Jack with a grin,
“But she’s made it clear she’s not interested and,
to be honest, I didn’t know what you would think. So maybe
coming up here out of the way is best all round. And anyway, she does
come up here some weekends, right?”

Pete smiled. “Yeah, she does, but be warned, I’m
usually with her.”

“Hey, I never thought, you don’t... you haven’t...
you’re not?” He didn’t know how to put it. “I
mean I know you guys are all close, and I’d know if you were
actually seeing her, but...”

“Me and Em? No, not like that, no worries there, Bro. You
wouldn’t be stealing my girl, it’d be more like you were
dating my little sister.”

“Whoa. I imagine you would be one hell of a protective big
brother!” Jack was only half joking.

“You can bet your ass on that.” Pete smiled, but it
didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Though you know she doesn’t
really date much so it’s probably not an issue anyway,
especially if she’s said she’s not interested.”

“What have you often described as my best quality?”

“Uh-oh, you’re going to subject her to the Benson
persistence, are you?”

Jack grinned. “So where does that leave us?”

“It leaves you deciding if you want to spend the summer up
here. It leaves you deciding if your intentions towards my ‘little
sister’ are honorable. And it leaves me hoping that your
answers are yes and yes. In which case you can call your brother and
introduce him to my godson!”

“Ok, then. Yes, I’ll build your house. Yes my
intentions are honorable, and to prove as much I’ll stay up
here out of the way and give her time to get to know me, instead of
chasing her all over LA. Therefore I will call Dan this afternoon and
talk to him about Scott.”

“All sounds good to me. Now tell me what you think of this
lot. I’ve got three more to show you before we decide, but I
really like this one.”

Emma let herself into Missy’s house and found Scott on the
sofa playing a video game.

“Happy Birthday, Bud! Let me know when you can pause so I
can give you your pressie.” Scott smiled and continued zapping
bad guys. Emma wandered into the kitchen to find Missy surrounded by
cupcakes, balloons and all kinds of party supplies.

“What can I do?”

“Hi Sweetie. I think I’ve got it covered for now. Have
you seen Scotty?”

“I didn’t want to disturb him. I told him to find me
when he can pause the game.”

Missy smiled. “That’s why you’re his favorite,
you know. The rest of us just talk at him, mistakenly believing that
he’s here with us. You’re the only one that understands
that you have to leave a voice mail for him to call you back when he
rejoins planet earth.”

Emma grinned, thrilled to think that she was his favorite. “He’s
such a good kid, Miss. He’s a credit to you.”

“Aw, thanks, Em. He is a sweetheart. I hope he has a good
time tonight. You know he’s not exactly sociable normally, but
he wanted this party. His whole class is coming and I’ve done
it all the way he wanted – pizza and cupcakes and gallons of
Mountain Dew.”

“I’m sure he’ll have a great time. He really
doesn’t mind us oldies being around though?”

“It’s funny. He said he couldn’t imagine a party
without you guys. Anyway, you know what it’s like up here, the
generations all party together. Always have, no doubt always will.”

Scott stuck his head around the kitchen door. “Hey, Auntie
Em!”

“Hey! Am I allowed a birthday hug?” She didn’t
want to embarrass him, but needn’t have worried.

“Course you are!” He bounded over to her. He was a
wispy kid with his mom’s dark hair and eyes.

“You want to guess what your birthday pressie is?”

“I’d rather just have it.”

“Scott!” Missy gave him a scowl.

“Hey,” said Emma, winking at Scott, “haven’t
you always taught him to tell the truth? And now you’re going
to tell him off for doing just that? Shame on you!”

“Yeah, shame on you, Mom!” laughed Scott.

Missy shook her head at them.

“Here you go.” Emma handed him a plain white envelope.

“Thanks!” He took it from her and tore it open. “Oh,
wow! Thanks so much Auntie Em! This is great!” He gave another
big hug. “Awesome!”

Missy looked at Emma. “New Egg?”

Emma nodded, confirming that it was a gift certificate for the
online computer parts retailer.

“
So, how much did you
get?” asked Missy. Scott looked at Emma, who in turn looked at
Missy, folded her arms and said, “Private! That’s need to
know information and
you
don’t need to know!”

“You’re the best, Auntie Em! Mom, can I get online and
start shopping? Please, please, please?”

“Go on then,” she laughed. Scott scampered off to his
computer.

“You really don’t mind?” Emma had made light of
it, but she still felt a little uncomfortable about the uneasy
arrangement she had with Missy. She didn’t want to spoil Scott,
but she knew that computer parts were expensive. There were so many
things Scott needed to build his systems and really challenge himself
and she knew that often things were quite tight for Missy.

“Honey, you won that argument years ago remember and you
were right. All I’m going say is thank you, just thank you.”

“The pleasure really is all mine and you know that. I wish I
could do more practical stuff with him, but he’s so much
smarter than me. I have nothing to offer him there, but I can finance
whatever he wants to build. It would be great if Jack’s brother
does get in touch with him, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I do. That was so kind of him to offer. I hope
something comes of it.” She took a sly look at Emma. “So,
what’s the story there?”

“Well, as you know, he’s Pete’s partner, he’s
been in LA for a while...”

“Cut the BS,” laughed Missy. “I am your oldest
friend and you show up here with a gorgeous man drooling all over
you, looking like he’s going to scoop you up and carry you away
at any moment, so don’t play Miss Innocent with me!”

Emma blushed.

“Wow! Pink cheeks!” Missy grinned. “This should
be juicy.”

“There’s really nothing to tell.”

“Not yet maybe, but there is something and it’s enough
to make you blush, so tell.”

Emma told her about their first meeting at Pete’s office.
“But you know what I’m like. He’s so darned sexy
and I reverted to mushy little romantic mode. I can’t do that,
Miss, it only ends badly for me.”

“Oh, come on, Em,” Missy echoed Holly’s words.
“That was once and it was a long time ago.”

“I know, I know. But I promised myself I would stay out of
Mr. Benson’s way.”

Missy raised an eyebrow, “And how’s that working for
you?”

“OK,” Emma smiled, “you win.” She told her
friend all about the night in the cabin.

“Only you,” giggled Missy, “could promise you’re
going to stay away from a man and then within a week end up naked in
his bed without him even knowing you’re there! I’m sorry,
Hon, but between the way he was looking at you this morning and your
success rate so far at staying out of his way, I’d say that
this is going to get very interesting, very soon.”

“Well, you’re wrong. Though I am having dinner with
him on Thursday...”

“See, I knew it!”

“No, no, no! Let me finish. I’m having dinner with him
Thursday, but after that I won’t be in the same city as him for
anything to happen.”

“Oh,” Missy’s face fell. “Where’s he
going?”

“Don’t be sad. You’re going to love this.”

“What?”

“He’s not going anywhere. I’m coming up here,
for the whole summer!”

“Oh, Em. That’s wonderful, we’ll have so much
fun!” The two of them were jumping up and down like little
kids. “Will you stay with Gramps?”

“No, he wants me around, but not under his feet. We’ve
just been to look at Aunt Martha’s house. I think it’ll
work out great. I’d forgotten how much I love that old place.”

“Do the guys know?”

“Ben does. I only decided for certain when we got to Gramps’
this morning. I haven’t seen Pete yet to tell him, but I’ll
probably see more of him here than I do in LA anyway.”

“This going to be a great summer. Come on, help me get all
this over to the Boathouse for tonight. Now we’ve got an added
reason to celebrate.”

Missy stood leaning on the rail of the Boathouse’s upper
deck. Inside Scott’s party was going wonderfully. She was so
pleased to see him laughing and even dancing with his friends.

“Mind if I join you?” Jack Benson appeared at her
shoulder.