Buck's Landing (A New England Seacoast Romance) (3 page)

“You got Wiffle balls?” The leader cocked a grin at one of his buddies. “This loser knocked our last one into the ocean.”

“Sure do.” Silas pushed open the shop door. The loser in question was a blond kid who reminded him of himself not so very long ago.

The blond kid grinned. “I was distracted.”

“Yeah, by the redhead in the string bikini,” the apparent leader ribbed.

Silas exchanged a knowing glance with the guys. “Not such a bad distraction.”

The vintage sign outside Buck’s Landing caught his eye as the trio hurried out the door. Unbidden, the feel of Sofia Buck’s muscled legs in his hands crept into his thoughts. Not such a bad distraction. Another time, for certain.

TWO

Sofia had heard other people talk about high school reunions, about how seeing old friends after so long is shocking, how time makes alterations. She’d also heard it said that memory adjusts to accept the new version, and the years melt away.

The Judy who sat across from her at The Sandpiper Grill was three children softer than the lithe, bikini-wearing fawn she’d been in high school, but her eyes still sparkled, ready for the next big adventure.

“Sof, I can’t believe you’re here,” she gushed, flipping her menu closed. “I mean, except for a couple of stops in town during college, I haven’t seen you since that last bonfire on the beach.”

Sofia couldn’t argue, but unwelcome guilt pinched her conscience. She and her best friend had reconnected online a few years ago, but while Judy’s profile shared everything from her kids’ photos to the antics of the family dog, Sofia’s reflected mostly her travel and professional friends from recent years. She hadn’t even publicly mentioned her return to Hampton Beach. Judy, gambling that her father’s death would bring Sofia to town, had left a note at the funeral home, urging her to call.

“What’s good?” Sofia asked brightly, perusing the menu.

“Oh, I get the same thing every time. The Vietnamese Noodle Salad.” Judy slid hers to the edge of the table. “Why didn’t you ever come home?”

“Do you really have to ask, Jude?” Sofia sipped her water. Judy’s smile faltered. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I think I always thought your dad would make it up to you.”

Sofia smiled wistfully. Her optimistic friend was still the same. “Well, he didn’t.” She set her menu down with Judy’s. “But if I’m stuck here for a few weeks, at least I get to see you again.”

Judy reached across the table and squeezed her friend’s hand.

“So,” Sofia began, “tell me everything.”

She leaned back in her seat and let the pleasure of Judy’s company wash over her. Judy had married her college boyfriend right out of school. She had taught third grade for five years; he went to work for the family auto repair business. Then she’d gotten pregnant. Three kids and another five years later, she was getting ready to send her oldest to kindergarten.

“Nothing exciting, really, since Jake was born,” she said. “Unless you count working most of the baby weight off this time.” She giggled and gave her impressive cleavage a little squeeze. “Except these.”

“Those,” Sofia noted, “are exceptional.”

“Enough about my boobs and my boring life. I want to hear about being fabulous in Washington.”

Sofia toyed with her flatware before responding. “Fabulous? I don’t know. It’s good, though. I bought a place two years ago, a condo in Columbia Heights, and I’m managing the event staff now, which means my next career move might take me to a higher end market. DeVarona owns the Luxelle chain in Europe, and I’ve applied to one of the European properties.”

“Oh my god,” Judy gasped. “Like a Greek island? Or the south of France?”

“Got it on your first guess. Santorini.”

“I don’t know where that is,” Judy sighed, “but it sounds like I want to go there.”

Sofia grinned. “Once I’ve got the job, I’ll bring you and Chris over for a second honeymoon.”

Judy snorted. “Try a first. We took a long weekend in Bar Harbor, then Christopher had just started managing the garage, and I had spelling tests to grade.”

Sofia raised her glass. “To a real honeymoon, then.”

“You’ve come so far,” Judy giggled, offering her own glass up. “Since the days of organizing beach parties.”

Their glasses clinked, and a memory surfaced of her, Judy, and a couple dozen kids they knew driving up to one of the smaller beaches to have one of many illegal bonfires. She’d loved figuring out how to pull it off, down to arranging drivers and riders so they could hide their cars away from police notice.

Their waitress stopped by to take their order.

With their lunches ordered, Judy picked up the thread of conversation. “I guess it makes sense, you doing what you do. You were doing it even then.”

“I was just thinking about that,” Sofia admitted. “I’ve never really looked at it like that before.”

“Maybe the old Brain Twin powers are still there?” Judy touched her temple. “Just dormant until we were together again.”

“I think so.” Sofia said with a nod.

Judy waggled her eyebrows. “Does that mean I can use my influence to make you give up on Europe and stay here?”

“I can barely handle things as they are,” Sofia said. “It’s me, a college student, and a couple of teenagers. I don’t know how my father managed it, honestly.”

Judy took a deep breath. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but he worked his ass off, Sof.” She set her hands down flat on the table. “My Christopher is an alcoholic. Recovering. He knew your dad from AA. Jimmy’s passing hit him hard. Your dad crawled out of the bottle, but he knew how bad he screwed up with you. He felt like leaving you alone was his penance, and nothing Christopher said could convince him otherwise.”

Sofia heard the criticism in her friend’s words. Judy didn’t let up.

“He pulled Buck’s Landing back from the edge, too. He almost lost it. That’s what sent him looking for help. He didn’t want to lose your Grandpa’s property. He spent one whole winter getting sober and persuading the bank to give him a chance. Anywhere but here, that wouldn’t have flown, but people still give a shit here, you know?”

“Yeah.” Sofia was at a loss.

The arrival of their lunch diffused the moment.

“I’m sorry.” Judy tossed the noodles in her salad. “I don’t want to fight. It was just hard, knowing how badly he wanted to make things right, and how proud you both are, and then—“

“And then he died,” Sofia said, spearing a bite of rare steak from her plate. She pushed a spinach leaf and some chèvre on to her fork, but couldn’t bring herself to eat. Her stomach clenched. “And I have to live with that.”

“Oh!” Judy looked stricken. “I’m a jerk. So much for a happy reunion.”

“Judy,” Sofia said. “Stop. You’re just being honest with me. I used to love that about you. You always gave it to me straight.”

Judy set her knife down. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“Okay.” Judy shifted the conversation. “So, you have a lair. Somewhere called Columbia Heights. Anyone you drag there regularly?”

Sofia nearly choked on half of a baby beet. “No. I’m not seeing anyone right now. Not regularly, anyway.”

Judy’s attention zeroed in. “There is someone.”

“Seriously,” Sofia said, “it’s not a thing. There’s a guy I’ve gone on a couple of dates with since the fall. He travels, though. Really.” She pursed her lips. “It’s not a thing.”

“He travels enough that you’ve only gone out with him a couple times in three seasons?” Judy chewed contemplatively. “Is he a spy?”

“No.” No, he’s not, she thought. “He does…um…personal security.”

“Is he good looking?”

“Yeah. Kind of weathered and tough.”

Judy sighed happily. “I need someone to live vicariously through. Tell me a story about him.”

“I met him at the bar of this fantastic French bistrot. I didn’t notice his earpiece, or the rest of the suits, when he came up and asked us if we could relocate. I was awful to him; I tossed my hair and told him he needed to work on his pick-up lines.” Sofia smiled at the memory. “And he flashes a badge and says, ‘Ma’am, I’m going to have ask you to move. Now.’”

“Oh, my god!” Judy squealed. “Secret Service?”

Sofia nodded. “My friend and I got a table, had a few more drinks with dinner, and by the end of the night I was convinced I had to apologize. He was clearly still on duty, so I asked our waiter to slip him my card. I wrote ‘I’m sorry I was rude,’ on the back, and we ran outside, giggling, to hail a cab.”

Judy burst out laughing. “And he called?”

“He did.”

The rest of lunch passed easily enough. Judy was full of stories of their old friends, some still in the area, some scattered. Sofia loved the telling. Judy’s humor and ease with the memory of their shared youth put a shine on each dramatic tale of cheating boyfriends, scandals, births and marriages, crimes and secrets.

Judy protested when Sofia took care of the check, but Sofia was adamant.

“Tell me you can take another hour,” Judy said, wrapping up her stories. “I’ve got my sitter until three and I desperately need a pedicure.”

Amy could handle the Landing for another hour. Sofia collected her purse. “Where to?”

“Oh, yay!” Judy clapped. “There’s a cheap little place in the Walmart strip mall that does paraffin for thirty-five bucks.”

Sofia hummed in anticipation. “You had me at paraffin.”

~~~

Silas hated strip malls, but they were a necessary evil. Houdini had a serious catnip addiction, and in their short time together, he found that he was expected to provide a steady stream of burlap mice for the small assassin to eviscerate. The upside to his kitten’s vicious appetite was that the little pain in the ass stayed at home if he was busy stalking herb-stuffed prey.

He hopped out of the Jeep and headed for the pet store. Two women were walking ahead of him, and he indulged in the sidewalk-devouring stride of the shorter, dark-haired woman. Her swishy skirt flirted with lean, strong calves, and shampoo-commercial curls bounced against her back.

The taller woman fluffed a perky blond ponytail, and turned to open the door to Nailz Plus, which boasted a “spa pedicure,” whatever that was, for ONLY $35. She was softer through the hips, Silas noted, but stacked. Some days, he thought, being alive in the world was a beautiful thing. The brunette turned as well, and his lecherous thoughts kicked into overdrive.

Sofia Buck. He should have known that rearview. He jogged ahead and took the door from Sofia’s companion. “Ladies.”

“Thank you.” The ponytailed friend had a million-watt smile.

“Silas.” Sofia nodded.

Her friend stuck out a hand. “Judy Dunaway. I went to high school with Sofia. You know,” she grinned, “last year.”

“You’re not both seniors?” He laughed. “Sofia had me convinced.”

Judy’s answering laugh was bell-like and musical. He liked her immediately. “Silas Wilde, proud owner of the Atlantis Market.”

“Oh, perfect,” Judy said. “You’re neighbors!”

“That we are,” he replied. “I’ll let you two get to your pampering. Judy, it was a pleasure. Sofia, I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“I’m sure,” Sofia said, and followed her friend inside. Regally, he thought.

He tipped an imaginary hat as they entered the salon. The chemical-and-air freshener scent that whooshed out behind them stung his eyes.

As he headed for the pet store, he wondered idly if Sofia’s friend was related to the Chris Dunaway who fixed his Jeep. His thoughts wandered to Sofia. She was so aloof, but there was something vital and warm about her. He filled a shopping basket with a wide variety of catnip toys. He understood his cat’s obsession. He found he wanted to get past Sofia’s tough outside, was convinced the good stuff was there under the surface.

Shaking his head at his own train of thought, he paid for Houdini’s treats and headed to the Jeep.

~~~

“Silas Wilde, hmm?” Judy dropped her feet into the soaking tub and fiddled with the remote for her massage chair.

“Arrogant,” Sofia said, fishing in her bag for a ponytail holder. She wrapped her hair up into a messy bun. “I met him last week. He came by the Landing looking for his lost cat.”

“He’s got a cat?” Judy arched a brow. “He doesn’t strike me as a cat guy.”

“And yet,” Sofia said lightly, “he has one. A gray kitten. Whom I rescued twice that day.”

“Oh,” Judy smiled softly. “A kitten. That’s cute.”

“Yes, well,” Sofia said dryly. “He got a good look at my ass while I was attempting to get the thing down from the Easter Island head on the seventeenth hole, and the little monster just climbed down to go to Silas.”

To the amusement of the nail tech, Judy broke into snorting laughter.

Sofia attempted a half-hearted glare. “I’m glad you’re amused.”