Home to Seaview Key (A Seaview Key Novel) (8 page)

“I did wait a very long time,” Hannah said. “And it was worth it.”

Abby smiled. “Lucky you.”

“Lucky me, indeed.”

But even as Hannah echoed Abby’s words, a shadow passed over her face.

“Hannah, what’s wrong?” Abby asked.

Hannah forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong,” she insisted. “Didn’t I just say how lucky I am?”

“Not like you meant it, though,” Abby said. “We used to be able to tell each other everything.”

“That was a long time ago,” Hannah said.

“You must know that you can still trust me,” Abby reminded her. “I want us to have that kind of friendship again.”

“I want that, too,” Hannah replied. “I really do.” Her expression turned sad. “I just don’t know if it’s possible.”

* * *

It was late afternoon after a busy day of minor emergencies, when Seth headed toward Blue Heron Cove. He’d dressed for the run he’d missed in the morning, but what he really wanted was to see Abby. He didn’t even try to pretend otherwise.

She was wading along the shoreline, wearing a long, flowing skirt that she held up in a vain attempt to keep the hem from getting soaked. Her tank top revealed skin that had already been gently bronzed by the sun. Seth jogged up beside her, drawing a startled look.

“I didn’t hear you,” she said.

“You looked as if you were lost in thought.”

“Just seeking that Zen-like serenity you talked about,” she claimed. “What happened to you after the press conference this morning? One minute you were there, the next you’d vanished.”

“You noticed, huh?” he said, oddly pleased.

“Well, sure. I thought we were in this together.”

“Duty called,” he said. “I had back-to-back squad calls.”

“Did I see Ella Mae with you?”

He smiled. “You did. After she delivered a firm lecture to chastise me for interfering in her peaceful life, she insisted on coming along to the press conference. She figured it would be a good place to start selling those fish fry tickets.”

“How’d she do?”

He shrugged. “No idea, but she was highly motivated. I think she and Jenny have some sort of competitive thing going on.”

Abby laughed. “Well, that can only work to our advantage.”

She regarded him curiously. “How did you think it went this morning?”

“I’m no judge, but it sounded as if there was a lot of enthusiasm. People seemed to be overwhelmed by your generosity.”

She frowned at the comment, apparently aware of the edge he hadn’t been able to keep from his voice.

“Well, they were,” Seth said defensively.

“But that check made you uncomfortable, didn’t it?” she prodded, surprising him with her insightfulness.

“Getting a donation from the developer of Blue Heron Cove was my idea, remember?”

“That was before you knew it was me.”

“Can’t I just say I’m grateful for the support and leave it at that?” he asked irritably. “What else is there to say?” She looked as if she wanted to argue, but to his relief she remained silent. He seized the chance to change the subject. “What about you? Were you happy with the turnout?”

She held his gaze a moment longer, then shrugged. “The turnout was incredible,” she said, injecting a note of genuine enthusiasm into her voice. “Hannah really did a pretty amazing job, especially with such short notice. She’s vowed to get more media coverage in the next week or two. She’s already talking to some reporters on the mainland. The testimonials from patients whose lives once hung in the balance because we don’t have a fully equipped rescue boat really triggered a lot of interest.”

“Seems as if you two work well together,” he said. “Any sign of friction?”

“Not on my part,” she said at once. “If Hannah has any doubts about me, she’s keeping them well hidden.” She frowned.

Seth studied her expression. “Okay, what’s wrong? Something’s on your mind.”

“She’s keeping something from me. I’d lay odds on it. I asked her about it, but she blew me off, claimed I was imagining things.”

“There’s bound to be a little lingering tension,” Seth suggested. “You were hot and heavy with her husband once upon a time.”

Abby shook her head. “It’s not that. It has nothing to do with Luke. We’ve both been pretty open about what happened in the past. I’m convinced we’ve resolved that or close to it.” She turned to him. “Do you have any idea what else it could be?”

Seth thought of the breast cancer screening Luke had mentioned. That wasn’t his news to share. He did know that it was likely that Hannah could use a friend in her corner. He just wasn’t sure if Abby was the right friend. There was a whole lot of baggage in that relationship. In the end, though, it wasn’t up to him to decide.

“Ask her,” he suggested.

“I did,” she reminded him with evident frustration.

“Ask again.”

She studied him closely. “You know something, don’t you? I just want to be a good friend to her again, Seth. How can I do that if she won’t let me in?”

“You keep trying,” he said. “It could take time, Abby. It might never happen.”

Her expression turned sad at that harsh reality. “I hope you’re wrong about that.”

He smiled and took her hand. “I hope so, too.”

Because he knew that recapturing that friendship mattered more to Abby than being accepted by the entire population of Seaview Key.

* * *

With Seth’s advice still ringing in her ears, Abby headed for Hannah’s on Tuesday morning. She could have made a million excuses for putting off the confrontation, but on her list of priorities for this new life of hers, mending fences with Hannah had moved to the top of the list.

She waited until she was sure Luke would have left for the clinic. She knew she might be interrupting Hannah’s work schedule, but she thought this was too important to be put off. And she was more likely to catch her home if she was working than she would be once she’d quit for the day.

“Hold on, hold on,” Hannah shouted as Abby knocked on the door for a fourth time.

Abby winced. Hannah’s tone didn’t bode well for a casual conversation between friends. Nor did Hannah’s aggravated expression when she finally opened the door.

“You were working,” Abby guessed. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I came by to thank you for yesterday.” She held up the hamper she’d brought. “I come bearing gifts—those cranberry-orange scones made from my grandmother’s recipe. I got up early and baked them this morning. You used to love those. And when I stocked up on my way out here, I found some Devon cream at a specialty store on the mainland.”

Hannah’s expression didn’t mellow, but she did step aside.

“I guess I could take a break.”

“I won’t make a habit of interrupting your work,” Abby promised, following her into the kitchen. “I’m sure it must drive you nuts when people assume they can drop by unannounced just because you happen to work at home.”

“Sometimes,” Hannah admitted. She busied herself making a pot of tea, then poured it. She gave Abby a probing look. “This isn’t just about thanking me, is it?” she asked.

“Of course it is. You did a magnificent job yesterday. The press conference couldn’t have gone any better.”

“Which you told me at the time, and again over lunch,” Hannah reminded her. “Spill it, Abby. What’s really on your mind?”

Abby drew in a deep breath. “Actually it’s more about what’s going on with you. Something is, and I don’t think it’s worry about me and Luke. I know I said this yesterday, but I intend to keep on saying it until you believe me. You can talk to me. Even though we weren’t in touch, I never stopped caring about you. You were like my sister, Hannah. When we drifted apart, it made me sad, especially since I knew I was mostly to blame.”

Hannah looked away. For the longest time, Abby was sure she wasn’t going to open up, but she finally turned back.

“I have a cancer check coming up,” she admitted at last.

“Cancer check?” Abby repeated, taken aback. “You mean an annual mammogram?”

“More than that,” Hannah said. “I’ve had breast cancer. I’ve had a mastectomy.”

Abby absorbed the shocking news. Why hadn’t she heard about this? She reached for Hannah’s hand, held it tightly. “How long ago?”

“Almost two years now. I was diagnosed right before my mom died from a recurrence of her breast cancer.”

“Oh my God!” Abby whispered. “You must have been terrified.”

“You have no idea,” Hannah told her. “To be honest, every screening freaks me out. I don’t like to talk about them, because it doesn’t really help.”

“Oh, Hannah, I’m sorry,” Abby said, feeling for her. The screenings could be scary enough without the reminder of what had happened to her mom in the back of her mind. “I had no idea. If you don’t want to talk, I’ll drop it right now. If you decide you need someone to listen, though, I’m here.”

A faint smile touched Hannah’s lips. “That makes it worse,” she said. “Having you here, I mean.”

Abby blinked at her candor. How could she have been so wrong about Hannah starting to accept her presence on Seaview Key? “I don’t understand. I thought we’d resolved your worries about me and Luke.”

“It’s not about that, at least not exactly. You’re beautiful. You’re whole. Everything I’m not.”

Abby regarded her with dismay. “Stop that this minute!” she said fiercely. “You’re as beautiful as you ever were. More important, you’re a survivor. Do you know how much I admire you for that? You won the fight, Hannah. And I may not have gone through it myself, but I
know
it’s an outright war. Believe me, I’ve been around a lot of women who haven’t faced it with such courage. I’ve been around a few who haven’t won. You should be so proud of yourself. You should be counting every day as a victory.”

A tear leaked out and spilled down Hannah’s cheek. “Most of the time, I do, but I get so darn scared. Luke’s a saint. He tries to keep my spirits up, but when these screenings come around, there’s only so much he can do.”

Abby reached for her hand. “He’s a guy, for one thing. Look, Hannah, I know it’s not the same for me, but every woman faces a momentary panic when it comes time for that annual mammogram. I have been through that more than once. I know how much harder it must be once you’ve had breast cancer.”

“It’s hell,” Hannah said simply. “Because I know what lies ahead if something turns up on those tests.”

“And I’m making it harder for you,” Abby said.

“Not on purpose,” Hannah said quickly. “It’s just that you’re you.”

“And Luke and I have a history and I haven’t had cancer,” Abby surmised.

Hannah nodded. “And I’m glad you haven’t had it. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

“I can’t change the past,” Abby said. “And I can’t change the fact that I’ve been lucky so far. I can promise you that you have nothing to fear from me. I thought we’d put that to rest, Hannah, but I’ll keep saying it as long as it takes. What Luke and I had, it was so long ago. We’re not the same people anymore. And even if we were, he’s your guy. Period. I wouldn’t dream of even trying to mess with that.” She gave her old friend a long look. “Any more than you would have tried to get between us back then.”

“You sound as if you mean that,” Hannah said. “And I really need to believe it.”

“Then choose to take it at face value,” Abby said. She smiled. “Besides, Luke would tell me to get lost if I even tried anything. You know how loyal he is. He takes commitment seriously and he made his commitment to you.”

Relief washed over Hannah’s face.

Abby squeezed her hand. “Besides, there’s Seth.”

“Yes, there is Seth,” Hannah echoed, her lips curving into a smile at last. “How’s that going? Any updates since we spoke yesterday?”

Abby thought of their conversation the day before. “I’m more convinced than ever that he’s been scared off by the fact that I have money,” she admitted, then added wryly, “I should be grateful he’s not attracted to me because of it, huh?”

“He’s not that kind of a guy,” Hannah said with certainty. “Just give him some time. He’ll put the whole money thing in perspective.”

“I hope you’re right,” Abby said. “It’s not as if I’m going to burn it just to make him feel better.”

Hannah laughed. “I think we can agree that would be crazy.”

Unfortunately, short of using her cash to start a bonfire, Abby wasn’t entirely sure what else might make Seth feel more comfortable. He just might be one of those men who saw money as the tipping point on a scale weighing the balance of power in a relationship. And if that was the case, they were pretty much doomed.

8

“T
he woman apparently has money to burn,” Seth lamented to Luke. It was the first chance they’d had to talk since the press conference. Luke had been on the mainland with a patient for much of that time. “I know you saw the size of her donation.”

“With her twenty-five thousand, we’re well on our way to getting that boat,” Luke said slowly. “Why do I sense that you’re not entirely happy about that? You should be ecstatic. I know I am.”

Rationally, Seth knew he ought to be, but his gut still churned when he thought about the reminder of the vast differences between him and Abby. “I don’t know many people who can write a check for that amount without batting an eye.”

“People? Or women you’re interested in?” Luke asked perceptively.

Seth regarded him sourly. “Okay, yes. For about a nanosecond I thought about asking Abby out. I enjoy her company. I’m attracted to her. Now this? Come on. Why would a woman who could buy every one of my assets several times over be interested in spending time with me?”

“Maybe because you’re a decent man with a sense of humor, at least about most things, and a respectable member of the community.” Luke gave him an assessing once-over. “And some women think you’re not bad to look at.”

“Gee, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.”

“If you want warm and fuzzy, see my wife. Personally I don’t see the whole sexy-as-sin thing she talks about.”

Seth stared at him, startled. “Hannah thinks I’m sexy as sin?”

“She does, and from what I gather, there’s a consensus on this among the female population of Seaview Key. It apparently isn’t limited to any particular age group, either. Grandma Jenny is one of your biggest admirers, along with Kelsey. And we know Kelsey’s baby is completely gaga over you.”

“I don’t think we can really count Isabella,” Seth said, but his mood was improving.

“How about my preteen daughter? Gracie is suddenly far more interested in coming down from Atlanta for a visit. She asks about you every time I talk to her, usually in the same breath with asking me to talk to her mom about letting her wear a bra. Frankly, I don’t think that’s coincidental.”

Seth chuckled at Luke’s discomfort. “A bra, huh? That must rattle you.”

“Scares the daylights out of me,” Luke admitted. “She’s still a baby.”

“No, she’s eleven going on twenty,” Seth corrected. “But that’s not the point. And as thrilled as my ego might be by your pep talk, we were talking about me and Abby. You have to admit it’s an entirely different situation.”

“Okay, then,” Luke said, getting back on topic. “What is the point? That you suddenly don’t think you’re good enough to ask Abby on a date? Do you even know Abby’s background?”

“That she’s from here, that her parents didn’t have a lot, that she worked to pay her way through school? Yeah, she told me about all that.”

“And you don’t think that gives you something in common? Her background’s not much different from yours.”

“Not exactly,” Seth said. His parents hadn’t been working class or even middle class. They’d chased the almighty dollar with a vengeance. Their estate might be modest by some standards, but it was sufficient to have his sisters waging war with each other over their shares right now. He’d seen something crazy in their whole value system and joined the army to get away from it. So, maybe he was a little touchy about financial stuff, but not entirely for the reasons Luke thought.

“Then explain it to me,” Luke said.

“Money changes people, and not always for the better.” He gave Luke an earnest look. “The Abby you knew, she was hardworking, grounded, ambitious, right?”

“Sure.”

“Do you really know her now?”

Luke looked momentarily taken aback. “I suppose not, but she’s already anxious to get involved in the community. That’s what this donation was about.”

“It’s a check, Luke. Apparently one she can easily afford. She’s buying goodwill. She’s admitted as much.”

“And I can’t entirely fault her for that. Why do you? I still say this is your pride talking. Since I’ve never known you to display a lack of confidence around women, I don’t get it.”

Seth knew Luke was right. Abby was the first woman maybe ever who’d thrown him so completely. He’d drawn them in all shapes and sizes and from a whole range of income levels, too.

Luke studied him. “Okay, let’s get to the root of this. What’s with the hang-up about money, anyway? I know you’re not particularly materialistic.”

“I told you I’ve seen the way money affects some people,” Seth said. “It certainly has caused a huge rift between my sisters, and they’re not even battling over a mega-fortune, just the relatively modest inheritance from our folks.”

“Have you seen any evidence that Abby is greedy?” Luke asked.

“No, but she is ambitious,” Seth said. “She started a restaurant from scratch and made it a success. Now she’s tackling this development.”

Luke was starting to look increasingly amused. “Now you’re opposed to ambition, too? What next? Does it bother you that she’s smart? How about beautiful? Any objections to that?”

Seth frowned at his attempt at humor. “You think I’m being ridiculous. I get it.”

“I think you’re scared because you have feelings for her and don’t want to,” Luke corrected. His expression turned serious. “Look, after what happened with Cara, it makes sense that you want to take your time before getting involved with someone new. But don’t start manufacturing excuses to avoid someone who could be the right woman. Not that I’m saying Abby is,” he added hurriedly. “Just as you said, I don’t know her that well anymore. I can’t say if you’re well suited or not. Time will answer that.”

Seth took the advice to heart. Luke knew the pain he’d been through when Cara had been killed in Afghanistan. Maybe his hesitance with Abby was about that and not about money at all. Maybe the whole money thing was just the excuse he’d needed to avoid getting involved. He couldn’t be sure.

“Okay, let’s say I go for it and ask her out,” he said. “Where would I take her? She’s obviously used to nice places. It’s not as if I can afford some fancy restaurant.”

“Which works in your favor, since fancy is in short supply on Seaview Key,” Luke replied. “Maybe you should just worry about getting to know her. You have the perfect opportunity with this fund-raising drive. You’ll be together all the time.”

“Yeah, thanks for that, by the way. Real subtle.”

Luke laughed. “After listening to you yammering on just now, I’m thinking you need all the help you can get.”

“Bite me,” Seth retorted, getting to his feet and heading out.

Why he’d expected understanding from the one man on earth he’d always trusted to have his back was beyond him. Then, again, maybe he’d gotten exactly what he’d come here for, a much-needed kick in the butt, and a reminder that he was making excuses for not going after Abby, rather than seizing an opportunity that had unexpectedly come his way.

Seth was on his way to The Fish Tale to grab lunch and hopefully a glimpse of Abby when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, then sighed.

“What’s up, Meredith?” he asked his oldest sister, thinking the timing couldn’t have been more apt given his conversation with Luke just now.

“It’s Laura,” she said predictably, referring to their middle sister. “You have to talk to her, Seth. She’s going to drag me into court over Mom and Dad’s estate.”

“Not my fight,” he stated quietly. In fact, he was determined to stay out of it. It had gotten ugly the minute Laura had realized that his parents had left Meredith in charge of doling out their inheritances. They’d done it wisely, in his opinion, since Laura tended to squander every penny that came her way.

“Please, Seth. I need you to make her see reason,” Meredith pleaded.

“Can’t be done,” he told her. “You know Laura when she thinks she’s being mistreated.”

“You mean when she’s being greedy,” Meredith corrected. “You get why Mom and Dad did what they did. Why can’t she?”

“Because it was aimed directly at her,” Seth suggested. “I don’t need a dime from the estate. I figure anything that comes my way is a bonus. Laura is convinced that she’s entitled to every penny and she wants her share now. It’s ironic in a way. Mom and Dad raised her to feel entitled, then did this when they saw how she turned out.”

“I can’t cave in on this. She’ll blow everything before the end of the year,” Meredith said in frustration.

“You can’t stop her from living her life the way she wants to,” Seth reminded her. “I’m not sure why Mom and Dad thought they could control her from the grave, even though they had the best intentions. All they did was put you in the middle.”

“If we go to court, the lawyers will end up with more money than any of us.”

“Remind Laura of that,” he suggested. “Maybe that will get through to her.”

“You do it,” she said. “She won’t listen to me. If I say the sky is blue, she’ll argue with me even with the evidence right over her head.”

Seth chuckled, knowing it was true. “I’m not the best peacemaker,” he told her, then gave in. “But I’ll try.”

“Thank you.”

“You could just defy Mom and Dad,” he suggested. “Give her the money.”

“And have our parents haunt me from the grave? They would, you know.”

Seth smiled. “Entirely possible,” he agreed. “I suppose I wouldn’t take any chances, either.”

“So you will call Laura?”

“Yes,” he agreed reluctantly.

“Now, before she gets a lawyer involved?”

“As soon as I hang up with you,” he promised.

“And you’ll let me know what she says?”

“I’ll give you the censored version,” he told her. He suspected Laura was going to give him quite an earful.

It took calls to Laura’s house, her office and then her cell phone, but he finally caught up with her. She was the middle child and he sometimes wondered if that wasn’t why she had all these issues with Meredith and, at times, with him.

“I suppose you’re calling to tell me why I shouldn’t sue the pants off of Meredith to get what’s coming to me,” she said as soon as she picked up.

“Lovely to speak to you, too,” Seth said.

It took a minute for his sarcasm to sink in. “Sorry,” she said eventually. “It’s just that she makes me so darn mad.”

“You do know she didn’t make these rules,” he suggested.

“Yeah, Mom and Dad were looking out for me, yada-yada-yada
.
”

“You do have a nasty habit of spending beyond your means,” Seth suggested. “Isn’t that why Jason divorced you, because you kept piling up credit card bills he couldn’t pay and refused to listen when he told you it had to stop?”

“Is that what he said?” she demanded furiously. “Of course he’d want to get you on his side. Men always stick together. Crazy me for thinking my brother might back me up.”

“Was he lying?” Seth asked patiently, knowing perfectly well that he hadn’t been. Jason had shown the bills to Seth when Seth had tried to mediate before the talk of divorce had gone too far. He’d been completely thrown by his sister’s lack of control.

“Okay, no, he probably had a valid point,” Laura admitted. “But he’d told me he wanted me to be happy. Shopping makes me happy.”

Seth nearly groaned.
That
was precisely the attitude about money that made him crazy. “Look, that’s over and done with. Surely you can understand, though, why Mom and Dad wanted Meredith to manage the estate? You can’t be trusted to handle money.”

“What about you? Do you think it’s fair that she’s in charge of your inheritance, too? You could join in this suit with me.”

“I’ve never cared about the money,” Seth told her. “It’s nice knowing it’s there. It’s a good little nest egg. I’m living okay on what I earn now.”

“Well, it’s my chance to get out of debt and maybe make things right with Jason,” Laura said, a hitch in her voice. “It could be the only chance I have.”

Seth was startled by her admission that she wanted her husband back. It was yet another of her delusions. After talking to his former brother-in-law, he knew the likelihood of that was practically nil. It wasn’t up to him, though, to tell his sister that.

“Have you told Meredith that?” he asked instead. “Maybe she’d give you an advance, maybe help you pay off the bills, if you explained why that matters. Otherwise, you’re risking spending more on an attorney than you’ll ever see from the estate.”

“You don’t think I stand a prayer of contesting the will, do you?”

“I don’t,” he said gently. “Mom and Dad had valid reasons for their concerns. I think any judge will understand that.”

“And you’ll side with Meredith in court, won’t you?” she said accusingly.

“If it comes to that, I’d have to,” he agreed.

“You are so blasted saintly and self-righteous,” she accused, but she was starting to sound resigned.

“Will you at least think about what I said?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure. How can I not? The two of you always did gang up against me.”

Seth smiled at that. “Meredith and I never ganged up against you,” he said. “I was so much younger, neither of you wanted a thing to do with me. I was just a nuisance and, worse, an embarrassment.”

She finally chuckled. “Yeah, that’s true. What teenager wants to think about her parents having sex. Yet you were the living proof that ours did. Ugh!”

“I love you just the same,” he teased.

“I suppose I love you, too,” she conceded grudgingly.

“Call Meredith,” he prodded. “Work this out.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said again.

Seth figured that was the best he could hope for. He hung up before she took back her promise.

The two conversations, though, had been stark reminders that money could tear people—even families—apart. It made his hesitance to get involved with Abby seem more reasonable than ever. He glanced over at The Fish Tale, spotted Abby once again in that same booth by the window, and turned right around and walked away.

* * *

Abby had been watching Seth pace up and down the sidewalk outside The Fish Tale. She’d also been aware of the precise moment when he’d spotted her. The fact that he’d taken off, rather than coming inside, was just more evidence of how they were drifting apart, rather than getting closer. It seemed odd behavior from a man who’d declared only days ago that he envisioned them sleeping together.