His by Christmas Page 17

  “Good for you. I expect to see you in here next Monday for ladies’ night. My sister will be here.”

  “Didn’t know you had one.” Cal suddenly realized he didn’t know much about her at all.

  “I didn’t know about her until a year ago. My dad had a secret.” Her mouth pulled tight for a moment. “But I always wanted a sister and she has a little boy. Owen. I’m an aunt.”

  “Then we’ll drink to that. Family,” Sam said and looked around the table. “That’s why we’re all here.”

  Delanie followed his gaze and noticed the empty chair. “Are you expecting one more?”

  “Our cousin, Logan Hunt.”

  She nodded and looked at Cal. “You’ll have a bachelor buddy.”

  Thank God, he thought. All this marital bliss made him want to put his fist through the wall. The door opened just then and the man in question walked in and looked around.

  “And here he is now.” Cal waved his cousin over, not that he was anxious for backup or anything.

  The man was in his thirties, tall, broad-shouldered and serious. He ran a successful cattle and horse ranch just outside the Blackwater Lake town limits. The only time Cal had seen him in anything other than cowboy boots, jeans, a snap-front shirt and a Stetson was at Linc’s wedding, in a suit and tie.

  There was wariness, not warmth, in his face as he walked over to them. The cowboy looked as if he’d found a knot in his favorite calf-roping lariat. But he’d shown up. That was something, right?

  He stopped at the table and nodded at his cousins, then looked at the bar owner. “How are you, Delanie?”

  “Good. Nice to see you, Logan. Your timing is perfect. Saved me a trip back over here to see what you’re drinking. I’m taking orders now. What’ll you all have?”

  “Before you answer that,” Cal said to the newcomer, “you should know that Sam is buying the first round.”

  Logan didn’t crack a smile. “In that case, I’ll have the lobster.”

  They all laughed and it broke the tension. Until then Cal had been aware only of his own black mood regarding the situation between him and Justine. Damn, there was that knot in his gut again, followed by a sharp pain in his chest.

  “If you want lobster,” Delanie said, “I recommend that fancy new restaurant up at Holden House. Here in my place I’m proud to say you’ll get a really good burger, fries and beer.”

  “I’m in,” Logan said.

  The others agreed, and Delanie brought a pitcher and four chilled glasses before going to the kitchen to order up the food.

  Sam poured, and when they all had a beer he held his up and said, “I’m glad you decided to join us, Logan.”

  The man touched glasses with them but didn’t look too happy about it. “To be honest, I’m not sure why I did.”

  “Look,” Sam said, “it’s no secret in the family that our uncle, your father, is...”

  “A womanizing, treacherous, deceitful jackass is the description you’re looking for,” Logan said.

  “I wouldn’t have put it quite that way,” Sam said diplomatically.

  “Doesn’t matter how you say it. That’s the truth.” Logan looked at each of them, daring anyone to deny what he’d said. “He cheated on my mother and had children with more than one of his mistresses. When my mom had enough of it, she left, even though she had nowhere to go and no money of her own.”

  “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but my father reached out to her. My folks wanted to help her any way they could—money, a place to stay. You’re family.” Sam’s voice was steady but serious.

  This was one time Cal was glad not to be the oldest. Glad to hang back and listen while Sam explained how their parents had reached out to the mother of four children, only to be turned down.

  Logan nodded. “She was proud and humiliated by what he’d put her through. And frankly, she didn’t want anything from Foster’s family. She didn’t trust anyone with the last name Hart.”

  “I get the feeling she’s not the only one,” Linc commented. “And before you get defensive, you should know that Hastings Hart isn’t my biological father. He has many faults, but turning his back on family isn’t one of them.”

  Their cousin looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. “We lived in the car for a while before Mom finally went to my grandfather here in Blackwater Lake for help. It’s why we ended up here, and the old guy had warned her not to marry Foster Hart in the first place.”

  “Sounds rough,” Cal said. Worse than rough.

  There was a whole lot of agreement in Logan’s hard expression. “It’s why I legally changed my last name to my mother’s maiden name. So I’m not particularly willing to claim his family.”

  “That’s the whole point of us being here. To prove we’re not like your father,” Cal said. He looked at his brothers, who all nodded their agreement.

  “How many times have you heard the saying that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?”

  “And sometimes the tree has one bad one but the rest of the fruit is fine,” Sam said. “No offense, but your father is just one bad apple. We want you and your brothers and sister to know that the rest of the family is here for you, man. It’s time to get that chip off your shoulder. Give us a chance to screw up before you cut us out of your life.”

  Logan looked at each of them in turn, taking their measure. Apparently the no-holds-barred words got through to the stubborn man. He nodded and said, “It’s something to think about.”

  Delanie returned with a tray full of food and set identical red plastic baskets containing burgers and fries in front of them. “Ketchup and mustard are on the table. I left onion on the side in case any of you have plans later—if you get my drift.”

  “Rose appreciates that very much,” Linc said. “And we know for a fact that Faith has something in mind. She left Sam a note this morning.”

  “Okay.” The bar owner grinned. “Then I’ll just leave and let the four of you have this testosterone zone all to yourselves.”

  Defiantly, Cal put the onion on his burger with a flourish and took a big bite. Take that, Justine Walker. He was a free man and didn’t have to think of anyone but himself. But then he felt the emptiness open wider inside him. Taking a deep breath, he counted, then forced thoughts of her out of his mind. As he chewed, he watched Delanie working the room to check on her customers, polishing glasses behind the scarred bar. He thought about her testosterone remark.

  “Do you think she’s a spy?” he asked, still watching the bar owner.

  The other three men looked at him as if he’d sprouted wings and a beak. But it was Sam who asked, “Are we talking Chinese or North Korean?”

  “I meant for the women of Blackwater Lake.” Cal had thought it was obvious. “Does she eavesdrop on male conversations and pass the information on to the ladies?”

  “Now that you mention it...” Logan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the bar owner.

  “Whether or not she is passing off secret information,” Linc said reasonably, “if you don’t say anything you wouldn’t want repeated, there’s nothing to worry about.”

  Sam finished chewing a fry. “Exactly. Anyone who wants to can listen in while I talk about being the luckiest man in the world. There’s only one woman in my life.”

  “What about Phoebe?” Logan said.

  “Okay,” Sam amended. “Two women in my life. And that little girl is something. I’m proud that she chooses to call me Dad.”

  “You should be.” For the first time since walking in the door, Logan smiled. “Phoebe is a tough crowd.”

  “That’s right. Faith told me she went out with you,” Sam said.

  “Yeah. Just a couple of times. We’re just friends. There was never a chance of anything serious between us,” their cousin said.

 
Having so recently been shut down for his aversion to marriage, Cal detected a certain tone in the other man’s voice. “Why is that? How did you know for sure?”

  “Because I proposed one time, to the mother of my daughter. She laughed in my face. The thing is, I didn’t take offense. It was a relief and proof that it would have been a mistake. I don’t ever plan to get married.” He took a sip of his beer then smiled at their shocked expressions. “It’s all good. She understood me and knew we were better off as friends. And now she’s engaged to a great guy and I wish them all the happiness in the world.”

  Cal held up his half-empty beer glass. “I’ll drink to that. A woman who understands.”

  “No female entanglement.” Logan touched his glass to his cousin’s.

  Cal took a drink, sealing the male bonding vow to avoid messy man/woman situations even though he knew his reaction was for nothing but show.

  Studying him, Sam had a skeptical expression on his face. “What did you do on vacation?”

  “I was away from here.” Cal wasn’t sure whether or not his tone was defensive.

  “Can’t argue with that,” Sam said. But he didn’t look convinced that nothing had happened.

  That’s because something had happened. Cal had a sneaking suspicion that a month on the island had entangled him. He could drink beer, swear up and down that he was happy as a clam alone and put onion on his hamburger until hell wouldn’t have it. But none of that changed anything.

  When Linc and Sam left here tonight, there were women waiting at home for them. And Sam had something in writing to put a twinkle in his eyes. The truth was that when he and Logan got home they would be alone. It cut him deep and he realized how much he missed Justine.

  Looking at his cousin was like looking in a mirror, and Cal didn’t particularly like what he saw. A man who put restrictions on the future without giving the present a chance. Justine was right about Cal. He had a feeling he’d blown it with her big time and there was nothing he could do about it.

  For a man who was into fixing things, that was a bitter pill to swallow.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After work, Justine bustled around her cute, cozy apartment, putting last-minute touches on dinner for her friend Shanna. The evening would be bittersweet—catching up and saying goodbye. She decided to think about the sad part later and focus on the excitement of a girls’ night and not missing Cal so much it hurt. After being with him 24/7 for the last month, there was a big hole in her life. It had been two weeks since that night at Blackwater Lake Airport, and any day now this acute emptiness would go away. She was sure of it. He’d wondered once if her being so optimistic was draining, and right now she would give him a resounding yes to that question.

  Just in the nick of time there was a knock on the door, saving her from a pity party. She had one every night, but company coming meant it would have to be postponed.

  She opened the door and her friend was there, holding a bottle of red wine. “Hi, you. Come in.”

  Tall, brunette Shanna bent to give her a hug. “I’m going to miss our girls-only dinners.”

  Justine wagged her index finger, a warning gesture. “No goodbye-ing until absolutely necessary.”

  “There are rules now?”

  “My bad.” Justine figured she’d learned from Cal. He was the one who put up roadblocks before the marathon started. “It’s just that I don’t want to say goodbye at all and putting it off works for me.”

  Shanna made a sad face before handing over the wine so she could take off her coat and hang it on the freestanding rack beside the door. “It’s not like I’m going to the moon. California isn’t so far away. When you’re sick of the snow here, hop on a plane. In a couple of hours you can be on the beach.”

  The word beach made Justine think of the villa, helping Cal to hop over to the lounge in the sand, walking hand in hand by the ocean, making love in the pool. As always, a beautiful memory of him was quickly followed by an ugly stab of pain. She forced herself to focus on Shanna. This night was about her.

  She took the wine into the kitchen and set it on the granite counter top. There was an electric opener and she used it to get the cork out of the bottle. “How far will you be from the beach?”

  “Sand and ocean are Mark’s backyard. He showed me pictures. So did his family. They all live nearby, very close-knit.”

  “It sounds perfect.” She put a lot of enthusiasm into her voice, and that wasn’t easy when her own life was a train wreck.

  “Not perfect,” Shanna said. “But really good. I don’t want to be one of those friends. Someone who makes it sound as if she has it all. I know nothing is perfect.”

  “Hey, this is me. I’m your friend.” Justine took two stemless glasses from the cupboard and poured wine into each, then handed one over. “You’re telling me about a very wonderful turn in your life and I’m glad for you.”

  “I know there will be bumps in the road. Life isn’t idyllic all the time. Stuff happens.” She tilted her head as a sympathetic expression slid into her brown eyes. “Look who I’m talking to. You know this better than anyone.”

  “I do.” Justine nodded. “Which is why I have a unique perspective that gives a lot of weight to the unsolicited advice I’m about to give you.”

  “I’m listening.” There was an eager, intense look on her friend’s face.

  “Don’t apologize for being happy. Embrace the moment and revel in it. Maybe stuff will happen. Or maybe you’ve been sprinkled with fairy dust or sneezed on by a unicorn and your life will be magically free of problems.”

  Shanna made a mocking sound. “Yeah. Right.”

  “The point is, enjoy this wonderful time and share the details with me. I want to know everything.”

  “Like?”

  “Start at the beginning. How did you and Mark meet?”

  “At the muster drill, before the ship sailed.” She sipped her wine. “All passengers have to attend a meeting about what to do if there’s an emergency. Mark and I were seated together. And we got into trouble.”

  “At a drill to avoid trouble? Sounds like you,” Justine teased.

  “I know, right? This is going to sound really corny, but when I saw him it was like being struck by lightning. Later he told me he felt the same way. We started talking instantly and didn’t notice the announcement coming over the public-address system. We kept chatting and passengers around us gave us the hate stare.”

  “No surprise. Life and death.”

  “Yeah. A crew member chewed us out and we had to stay after school for a private tutorial.”

  “Then what?”

  “We got a drink and were inseparable the rest of the cruise.”

  Justine gave her a look. “And by that you mean...?”

  “He was either in my cabin or I was in his suite.” She giggled. “Mostly his because—hey—it was the best cabin on the ship.”

  Justine pictured a villa on the ocean and the luxury that had awed her. She’d be lying if she denied it was nice, but that’s not what made her heart hurt. Waking up with Cal was perfect, and not doing that now showed her the difference. This was one of life’s crappy times.

  “And now that you’re home?” she asked her friend. “How do you feel being away from him?”

  “Like part of me is missing.” In spite of the words, Shanna still glowed. “But he feels that way, too. Three days after the cruise ended, he flew into Blackwater Lake to see me. He said he missed me terribly and he has a private plane, so there was no point in being miserable.”

  “I see.” But the truth was that two people didn’t have to be separated by geography to be unhappy. She and Cal lived in the same town, worked in the same building. Apparently he was avoiding her as much as she was him because their paths hadn’t crossed. There was no way to know how h
e felt, but she was in misery up to her neck.

  “I know what you’re thinking.” Shanna caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

  Justine sincerely doubted that, but asked anyway, “What would that be?”

  “You’re thinking that we hardly know each other. That quitting my job and moving to California is a big risk and there’s no safety net. That he might talk a good game and break my heart after I’ve given up everything to be with him.”

  “Actually, I wasn’t thinking any of that.”

  “No?”

  “I don’t have to because you already have. You made your decision and you’re one of the smartest people I know. So I was thinking that you are courageous for going after what you want. That’s to be admired.”

  “Thanks.” Tears sparkled in her friend’s eyes.

  Justine rounded the bar separating the apartment’s kitchen from the living room and hugged the other woman. “Be happy, my friend. No one deserves it more.”

  “Back at you.” Shanna sniffled.

  She wanted to add that Shanna would never be alone because Justine would be there for her no matter what. But that would imply doubt about the move she was making and it’s not what she meant. Justine would be there in good times or bad. Friends supported each other that way.

  The timer over the stove sounded. “Dinner’s ready.”

  “Smells good.” Shanna sniffed. “Garlic. Something Italian.”

  “Good nose. Lasagna.”

  “Yum. What can I do?”

  “Toss the salad while I make the bread,” Justine said.

  “Aye, aye.” She saluted, obviously still in a nautical frame of mind.

  A few minutes later they sat across from each other at the small round table in the nook adjacent to the kitchen. Their plates were loaded with food and Justine had refilled the wineglasses. She held hers up. “To a bright future.”

  Shanna tapped her glass and sipped, then picked up her fork and took a bite of salad. After chewing she said, “I’ve been going on about my news. Sorry.”