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He loaded the dog into his truck and drove back toward his house. It was within easy driving distance to the clinic, down a road that was little more than a rough track.
He’d found the house two years before and fallen in love with the location. The property itself had been a little harder to love, and it had taken every day of those two years to transform it into the home he wanted.
With the help of Chase, who had pulled together a team to help both with the design and the construction, he’d knocked down the single-story building and replaced it with a two-story structure with a double-height dining and living area and a wall of glass opening onto the pool.
The house nestled behind dunes that were part of a bird sanctuary, and in the evenings during the renovation he’d often sat on the deck, nursing a beer, watching the gentle sway of the sea grass and listening to the plaintive call of the gulls.
A short drive and he was on the edge of town, but here there was only the whisper of the wind and the rhythmic crash of the ocean. People had been listening to the same sound for centuries, and there was a simplicity to it, a soporific blend of nature that soothed the senses.
His house lacked the palatial feel of his childhood home, and in his opinion, it was all the better for that.
There were no ghosts here, and no memories.
He let Lulu out of the car and stood for a moment, admiring the lines of his new home.
“Got yourself something good here.” The voice came from behind him, and he turned with a smile.
“Chase! I didn’t notice your car.”
“I was right behind you, but you were obviously thinking about something else.”
Not something, someone.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you this week. I thought you were in Manhattan, wheeling and dealing.” He eyed his friend’s board shorts. “You don’t look much like a CEO of a major corporation.”
“What can I say? I’ve discovered the joys of the weekend.”
“It’s Wednesday.”
Chase grinned. “So the weekend has started early.”
“This from a guy who didn’t used to know what the weekend was. Who are you and what have you done with my friend? On second thoughts, don’t answer that. I like this version of you better. I guess that’s what being married has done to you.” Seth closed the car door. “How’s Matilda?”
“Uncomfortable. The heat is bothering her. The baby’s due in four weeks, and I’m working down here from now until it arrives.” He raked his fingers through his hair, looking uncharacteristically nervous. “I’m going to be a dad. CEO of a family. Toughest job yet.”
“Funny, because I would have said Matilda was CEO of your family. You’re just staff.”
“You could be right about that.” Chase narrowed his eyes as he studied Seth’s house. “It’s coming along.”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to admit I was right about the deck?”
They’d argued about the details by email and in person. “You were right. And I owe you.”
“You’re welcome. And you can pay me in babysitting.”
Seth felt a stab of pain under his ribs. “Not my area of expertise. But if Hero ever needs a vet, I’m your guy.”
“He’s bound to need a vet. That dog has no clue about personal safety, and I can tell you he is no one’s idea of a hero. I keep suggesting Matilda rename him—Liability was my suggestion—but she refuses. He’s too big and strong for her to walk at the moment.” Chase frowned. “I don’t suppose you know of any dog-walking companies around here you can vouch for?”
Seth shook his head and then thought for a moment. “Have you heard of the Bark Rangers?”
“Yes, but they’re in Manhattan. It’s run by the Knight twins, but I’m guessing you already know that. We use them when we’re in town, although I’ve never dared confess that to you before. Not sure if it’s sensitive.” Chase looked at him cautiously. “The name Knight doesn’t exactly come up in conversation these days. Is this a topic we should be avoiding?”
“No. And it so happens I just ran into Harriet.” He paused, wondering how much to say. “Her grandmother fell, so she’s here for a while. I’ll see if she can help you.”
“Matilda is friendly with Harriet, but I haven’t seen either of the twins for ten years. Not since—”
“Not since you were best man at my wedding. You don’t have to tiptoe around, Chase. As you say, it was ten years ago.” Plenty of time to adjust and put it in his rearview mirror. People had dismissed it at the time—too young, too fast—so he hadn’t had to deal with shock or surprise. There had been more than a few knowing nods from folks who thought you could judge a relationship from the outside, as if you could get the measure of a house by peeping in through one window.
“I didn’t know you were still in touch.”
“We’re not.”
“This is the first time you’ve seen Harriet since you broke up? That must have been weird.”
“Yes.” Weird wasn’t the word he would have chosen, but he went with it.
“Maybe it’s easier that it’s just Harriet.”
“Maybe.” Seth didn’t expand on that. “Anyway, she’ll be walking her grandmother’s dog, so I’ll ask her if she’ll walk yours, too.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Chase changed the subject. “So when are you moving in? And, more importantly, when’s the housewarming? Are you here for the Fourth or are you going away?”
“I’m here. Working and on call over the holiday weekend.”
“That’s tough.”
“Honestly? Not really.” Seth rescued Lulu, who had managed to wedge her head in a hedge. “The rest of the family are spending it in Vermont.”
“Having a change.” Chase nodded, understanding. “How’s your mom doing?”
“Considering everything, she’s doing okay. But she wants to sell Ocean View.”
“And how do you feel about that?”
Seth looked at his new home, at the smooth lines, the deck, his view of the dunes. He wouldn’t swap it for anything. So why wasn’t he more motivated to sell the house? “I think it’s the right thing to do, although I’m not sure about the timing.”
“The timing is perfect. It’s summer, the house will show at its best. Trust me on that. I may not know a thing about babies, but I do know about real estate.”
“I wasn’t talking about the timing for the market, more the timing for my mother. I’m worried it’s too soon and that she’ll regret the decision.”
Chase put his hand on Seth’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’ll ask you again—how do you feel about it?”
As always Chase was observant. And sensitive. It was one of the reasons they’d been friends for so long.
“Conflicted.”
“I can imagine.” Chase sighed. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think hanging on to things necessarily eases the pain. Maybe it even makes it worse.”
“Intellectually I know that. Emotionally, I seem to be having trouble with it. We spent every summer there from the year I was born. It feels as if I’m not just selling a house, I’m selling memories. And Mom always loved it here.” He paused as Chase’s phone rang. “You should get that. It might be Matilda.”
“It is Matilda. Damn—” His friend fumbled with the phone and almost dropped it. “What’s wrong, honey? Is it happening? Is it now? What do I need to do? Who do I call?”
Seth watched, amused, as his friend went from calm to agitated. He waited for him to end the call and raised an eyebrow. “Well? Do we need to put the midwife on alert?”
“No. She wanted me to buy peaches from the farm stand. Peaches! Look at me. I’m a wreck. What the hell is wrong with me?” Chase pocketed his phone and shook his head. “I run a successful corporation—”
“—which has nothing to do with delivering babies.”
“True. I’m not good with that stuff. I prefer my problems numerical. If it can’t be analyzed or put on a spreadsheet, I’m clueless.”
“We both know that’s not true. There’s not a job in your company you can’t do.”
“Maybe, but being able to caulk a window isn’t going to help me if the baby comes early. If that happens, I’m going to be calling on you.”
“I’m a vet,” Seth said mildly. “I’ve delivered puppies, kittens, foals and even a camel—”
“A camel?”
“Don’t ask. I’ve never delivered a human, but don’t worry. This baby is not going to come early. First babies never do.”
“You’d better be right about that or I’ll sue you. And then I’ll bring the baby to our poker nights.”
Seth gestured toward the house. “Do you need something to calm your nerves? I haven’t stocked the fridge yet, but I might be able to find a beer.”
“That is tempting, but my pregnant wife wants peaches, so I guess I’d better find her peaches.” He flashed Seth a smile and strolled to his car. “One day this is going to happen to you, Seth Carlyle, and that will wipe that grin off your face. In the meantime, if you could ask Harriet about walking Hero, I’d be grateful.”
Holding his smile in place, Seth bent to give Lulu a belly rub, watching as Chase reversed the car and headed down the lane toward the main road.
Lulu whined and licked his hand, understanding that something wasn’t right.
It was lucky for him Chase wasn’t so perceptive.
And lucky for him Chase needed help with a dog.
He told himself that offering to ask Harriet about dog walking had everything to do with helping his friend, and nothing to do with creating another opportunity to talk to Harriet.
CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_6a11a3ba-ceaa-56ca-ac61-31cfe6fbe9a6)
SEA BREEZE.
Fliss parked and stared at the house. It hadn’t changed. Same weathered clapboard, same gravel drive that had skinned her knees so many times. Juniper and cypress lined the driveway, and clusters of Rosa rugosa bushes erupted with delicate pink blossoms.
Right now she didn’t feel as if she’d changed much either.
What had happened to her confidence? The grit and drive that had propelled her this far?
She couldn’t stop shaking. Not because of the dog, but because of Seth.
She’d been prepared for everything except bumping into him.
She’d told herself that she’d built it up in her head, but in the end seeing him in person had been worse than she’d imagined. She hadn’t anticipated the powerful jolt of chemistry or the sudden frantic fluttering inside her. It seemed that time could heal a lot of things, but not the strange, indescribable pull that drew her to Seth Carlyle. It would have been easy to dismiss it as sexual attraction. Easy, and incorrect.
None of which explained why she’d been stupid enough to pretend to be Harriet.
Frustrated with herself, she grabbed her small suitcase, retrieved the key from under the flowerpot and let herself in.
Calm descended like a comforting blanket. Apart from the odd occasion when their father had joined them unexpectedly, this was the place she’d always been happiest.
She stood for a moment, drinking in familiarity. The large seascape on the wall had been painted by her grandfather. The basket on the floor, stuffed with boots and flip-flops, had been there forever. There were towels, neatly folded, ready to mop sand and mud from overeager dogs because here, at the beach, there had always been dogs.
It had been a place of noise, chaos, chatter and laughter.
No one had to tiptoe. No one had needed to watch what was said.
Summer in the Hamptons.
She stepped forward, and the planks creaked under her tread. How many times had her grandmother scolded her for running into the house with sandy feet?
She pressed down harder, feeling the wood give a little beneath the pressure. Right there. That was where she and Harriet had hidden their “treasure.” Fliss knew about the loose floorboard because she’d been careful to tiptoe around it whenever she’d sneaked out to meet Seth. Harriet had returned from one of her many trips to the beach, her pockets stuffed with shells and stones rubbed smooth by the ocean. She’d wanted to take them back to the city, as a memory, but they both knew their father would throw them out, so Fliss had found a box and tucked them out of sight under the floorboards.
They were probably still there.
She stared down at the floor, lost in memories of happy times. And, despite everything, there had been happy times. And perhaps those times had been all the happier, even more precious, because of the tough times that surrounded them. The good moments shone brighter because of the dark.
She strolled through the house, and the years fell away. She remembered the camps they’d built, the games of hide-and-seek they’d played, the hours spent splashing in the waves and digging in the sand. In this place, Fliss had seen her twin sister blossom. The tortured, tongue-tied silence that punctuated their days in New York had been replaced by conversation. Reluctant at first. Tentative. A trickle of words. And then the trickle became a steady stream and the stream became a torrent, like a surge of water escaping past an unwanted obstruction. Harriet’s stammer had reappeared only on those rare occasions their father visited.
That was all in the past now.
These days there were no unexpected visits. He stayed out of all their lives.
Pushing aside that thought, Fliss shoved the door closed and walked into the kitchen.
It had all the signs that the occupant had left in a hurry.
A pan lay unwashed on the stove, a carton of milk on the countertop.
Fliss threw the milk away and washed the pan.
Domesticated? She could do that if she had to. And maybe she’d even ask her grandmother for a cooking lesson while she was here. That would surprise Harriet.
She moved through the rest of the house, checking everything. The back door was locked, so presumably whoever had helped her grandmother from the garden had taken the time to secure the house. She went upstairs and checked her grandmother’s bedroom. The window was secure, the bed made.
She wandered past the room her brother, Daniel, had occupied whenever they’d stayed and took the stairs up to the attic room she’d shared with her sister. Instinctively she stepped over the fourth step with its telltale creak, and then realized what she’d done and smiled. She knew a hundred ways to sneak out of this house undetected. She knew which stair would betray her, which window would stick and which door would creak.
She pushed open the door of the bedroom, remembering how she’d oiled the hinges.
