Love Like You've Never Been Hurt (32 page)

Pete’s phone buzzed.

“Do you mind?”

“No, of course, go ahead.”

Pete touched the screen and Holly’s heart sank as the name,
Jack, appeared.

“Hey, Bro. You’re on speaker with me and Holly.”

“Hey Pete. Hi Holly.”

“Hi Jack.”

“You on the way?”

“Sure am, shouldn’t be too long now. Oh and don’t
let me forget, I’ve got those files you wanted.”

“I thought Em got them?”

Pete laughed. “She did, but she was in such a hurry to get
back to you she left them in my office.”

“What do you mean?” Jack’s voice sounded odd.

Holly swallowed. This wasn’t good. It looked like she may
not be able to keep that promise to say nothing.

“When she got the call that her meeting was canceled she was
out the door like a shot. Hoping to get back to you in time for
dinner.”

“She left to come back here? Pete, she’s not here.
She’s not been answering her cell!”

“Oh God,” said Pete, “You don’t think
she’s...”

Holly couldn’t stand anymore.

“She’s OK,” she broke in.

“Where the hell is she?” both men asked at once.

“I think you need to talk to her about that, not me.”

“I would if I could get hold of her!” Jack’s
voice boomed through the speakers.

Pete had pulled over to the side of the road and turned to face
her. He put a hand on her arm and said, “I think you’d
better tell us.” He rolled his eyes toward the phone, “We
need to know.”

Holly felt like she was being asked to toss a hand grenade into
the situation, but she knew she had no choice. She swallowed again
and said, “She spent the night with Ben.”

“What?” Jack’s voice resonated throughout the
truck.

“I mean at Ben’s place,” Holly was aware too
late of what her words had implied.

“Why?” again Jack and Pete spoke in perfect unison.
Under other circumstances it would be quite comical, but there was
nothing funny about this. She still wanted to keep her promise to
Emma.

“Because she was upset.”

“What upset her?” asked Jack.

Holly looked at Pete, not wanting to cause or witness what might
happen between the two men.

Jack’s voice came again, sounding desperate this time.
“Please Holly, could you tell me whatever you know?”

He certainly didn’t sound like a no-good cheat. He sounded
like a man in love. She looked at Pete and mouthed “I’m
sorry.” He shrugged and smiled, nodding encouraging her to
speak.

“She wanted to surprise you last night.”

Jack groaned.

“Do I need to say any more?”

“Probably not, but I think you should.”

As Pete looked at her puzzled, Holly continued, “When she
got back to the house she saw you on the beach with a woman, laughing
and hugging. I don’t think I need to tell you what that did to
her.”

Silence buzzed in the speakers.

“What woman?” asked Pete.

“Laura came up with Dan.” Jack’s voice sounded
hollow.

“Oh, OK. How come?”

“I had her make something for me.”

“You did??”

Yes. But, Holly, why did she go to Ben and not Missy or Gramps?”
Now he sounded agitated.

“I don’t know, Jack. But I really only meant to say
she spent the night at his place not, you know, with him.”

“But do you know that?” It was more of a plea than a
question.

“Take it easy, Bro. I know that.”

“I’ve gotta go. I’ve got to straighten this
out.”

“
Don’t go getting
your wires crossed, I’m telling you there is no way she was
with
Ben.”

There was another long silence before Jack’s voice came
again. “Whatever you say. I need to go find her.”

“Good luck, Bro. I’ll see you soon.”

Holly looked at Pete. He didn’t seem too put out.

“So who is Laura?”

“So why didn’t you tell me?”

They both spoke at once.

“Sorry,” said Pete. “You go first.”

“It’s OK.” She couldn’t look away from the
intense blue gaze that seemed to lock onto her own eyes and pin her
down. “I didn’t say anything because she made me promise
not to. I told her there might be an innocent explanation, but you
know what she’s like. She didn’t want to talk about it,
think about it or deal with it.”

Pete let out a short sigh of exasperation. “Oh, I do know
what she’s like. But this time I can see it from her point of
view, how it must have looked. Just when she’s trying to be so
brave about trusting him.”

“So who is this Laura?”

“She’s his cousin. More like a little sister really,
they’re close. She lives in San Francisco, designs jewelry. He
set her up with her own studio a couple of years ago and she’s
made quite a name for herself.”

Holly frowned. “He said she’d come because he’d
had her make something for him. You don’t think....?”

“I’m hoping not. I mean he has heard Em’s view
on marriage, but I do know that’s what he wants and he’s
one determined son...” He stopped himself short. Holly
appreciated that it even occurred to him that perhaps he shouldn’t
finish that sentence.

“No need to hold back on my account, Sweetie. I’ve
heard them all and use some of them on the bad days. And you were at
least calling him a son and not a mother.” She enjoyed the
surprise on his face at that. “Let’s just hope he had her
make a nice necklace or bracelet, shall we?”

Pete laughed. “We can hope, but I have a feeling this is
going to be a very long and eventful weekend.”

Holly nodded, wondering just what might be in store.

“I’ll tell you what though. I’m in no hurry to
get there. I’d rather wait until our star-crossed lovers work
this out for themselves. Shall we stop for some breakfast?”

Holly hesitated, feeling she should get to Emma, but then again,
Jack was on that same mission. She wouldn’t be needed for a
while yet. She smiled at Pete, “Why the hell not. I’m
hungry.”

Jack stuck his head back in the RV. “Are you ready Laura?
I’ve got to go.”

She came to the door, bag in
hand. “What’s the matter?” He hurried her out and
ran to the truck. Laura jumped in the passenger seat as he started
the ignition and slammed it in gear. “Jack? What on earth is
the matter?”

Jack couldn’t believe this was happening. He should have
told Emma that Laura was coming. He didn’t need to tell her
why! But no, he’d been so caught up in his plan, he’d
wanted to keep it all secret. Dammit! Why hadn’t he thought of
this, remembered that with Em everything had to be up front and in
the open, even if it was meant to be a surprise! He looked at Laura.

“Emma came back last night. Apparently she saw us on the
beach together and got the wrong idea.”

Laura looked puzzled. “But surely that’s an easy fix?
Once she knows who I am – and especially once she knows why I
came?”

Jack ran his fingers through his hair, adrenaline coursing through
him. “It’s not that easy with Emma, She’s kind
of...” What exactly was she? “She’s scared of
getting hurt. She was married,” he grimaced, “to a real
bastard. He destroyed her belief in men and marriage. So, even when
she knows the truth, seeing us like that, and what she’s no
doubt been thinking all night, she might just...”

He rubbed a hand over his face, not wanting to think what she
might just do. Run back into her mouse hole, never to come out again?
Then there was what she might have already done. His heart pounded
and he grasped the steering wheel with white knuckles as Holly’s
words echoed, “She spent the night with Ben.” She
wouldn’t. Ben was her friend, like Pete. Pete had reassured him
she wouldn’t have, but he couldn’t shift the thought. The
little pang of jealousy he’d felt watching her dance with Ben
that night gnawed at him, threatening to eat him alive if he didn’t
get a grip. He banged his fist on the steering wheel.

“Take it easy, big guy. She might just be relieved that it
was all a misunderstanding.”

He shook his head. “I’d love to believe that, but I
won’t hold my breath on it.” Damn. Now he even sounded
like Emma, wanting to believe in a positive outcome but instead
filled with dread that he’d have to face the worst and deal
with the pain. He needed to find her, explain to her and hope that
she could get past it. He clenched his jaw, and hoped against hope
that she hadn’t already tried to get past it – with Ben!

Arriving in town, he screeched to a halt outside Missy’s.
Laura jumped out.

“Go find her, Jack. It’ll be all right. You’ll
see.”

He drove off without a word, headed for the resort. He parked the
truck and strode into the restaurant.

“Is Ben around?”

The bar tender shook his head. “He’s not working
today, he’s got Joe’s party.”

“Do you know if he’s left yet?”

“Not sure. He was headed down to check on the marina first.
You may catch him down there.”

Jack tried to calm himself as he walked down the pier to the
little office at the end. He mustn’t take it out on Ben, just
find out what the deal is.

“Is Ben here?” he asked a guy who was tying up one of
the rental boats.

“Not seen him and I don’t really expect to this
morning.”

“I thought he was supposed to be here?”

The man grinned. “Maybe so, but I think he had a heavy
night. Last time I saw him he had his hands full with a hot little
blonde number, taking her upstairs.”

“To his apartment?”

The man nodded and gave him a raunchy grin, “Lucky bugger!”

Jack turned away before he was tempted to wipe that grin off his
face. He ran back up the pier, across the parking lot and up the
stairs to Ben’s apartment. He hammered on the door. “Ben!
Ben!”

One of the band shouted up from behind a van they were loading in
the parking lot. “You won’t find him, no matter how loud
you bang. He’s gone over to set up a party. You can follow us
if you like, that’s where we’re headed.”

“Thanks. I know where it is.” He ran back to the truck
and shot off, tires screeching again.

Emma pegged a bright plastic table cloth to one of the long tables
they had set up. Her head was pounding, but she was determined to
keep busy, determined nothing was going to spoil Gramps’ and
Joe’s party. In that respect, everything was coming together
nicely. Gramps had seemed concerned about her first thing, but she’d
reassured him with a half-truth. She was a little worse for wear
after a whiskey night with Ben. He’d smiled at that, knowing
the tradition and no doubt assuming it was Ben’s sorrows they’d
been drowning. She’d muttered something about Jack having
business to take care of this morning, suffering a wave of nausea as
she thought of the business he’d been taking care of last
night. She really couldn’t afford to think about it, about him.
If he did show his face she’d simply tell him they were done
and she didn’t want to talk to him. Today was about Gramps and
Joe.

She saw Ben pull up. He waved and came down to where she was
decorating tables.

“How you feeling, Mouse?”

“Like I drank too much whiskey.”

“There’s a reason for that.”

“Don’t remind me!”

“Have you talked to anyone yet?”

“I turned my phone off.”

“Emma! You’re going to have to deal with this, you
know.”

“Maybe, but not today. Today we have a party to organize and
nothing is going to get in the way of that.”

Ben shook his head. “And what about when Pete gets here?”

“I’m not going to mention it.”

“Don’t you think he’ll kind of notice
something’s up when you’re not with Jack?”

“I told you Ben, I just can’t deal with it.”

“You’re not going to have any choice though, once
everyone arrives. Jack doesn’t know you saw him, so he’s
going to be looking for you and remember, you don’t really know
what you saw. You might want to check that out.”

“I don’t want to check it out. It doesn’t
matter. Whatever it was, I’m done. I can’t do this!”

“Whatever you say, Mouse.” Ben was clearly
exasperated.

“Please don’t be mad at me, I couldn’t stand
that on top of everything.”

“Come here.” He gave her a hug and she felt tears well
in her eyes again as she hugged him back. “I’m not mad at
you, Mouse. I’m frustrated. I want to see you work this out and
be OK.”

“Will you settle for me being OK? I’ll be OK if we get
everything sorted out here and put on a really good day for Gramps
and Joe.”

“All right then. What do we still need?”

“
I think we’re
pretty much covered. Tables are almost done. Food is sorted.”
She refused to think about the chili Jack was supposed to make.
“Chase and Robin have been setting up the stage and the rest of
the band are on their way over.”

As if hearing his name, Chase stood up from his work on the stage
and came over to them.

“Morning, Ben.”

“Hey. Is everything set?”

“We’re getting there. I may need to run some more
cable, but I’ll handle it. How’s everything else”

“Pretty good, right Em?”

She nodded, “I may need to go to the hardware for some more
helium for the balloons, but other than that we’re good.”

“I could take you?” offered Chase. “I could pick
up more cable.”

Emma thought about it. She’d been aware of Chase watching
her all morning as he’d worked on building the stage. But he
was friendly enough and with her head thumping she really didn’t
feel much like driving. “OK, thanks. Do you want to go now?”

“Yep,” he grinned. “I’ll just tell Robin,
the others should be here any minute.”

Emma climbed into Chase’s truck and they set off for town.
Halfway down West Shore Road she saw Gramps’ truck flying along
in the opposite direction. As it whizzed past them she caught a
glimpse of Jack, face set as he grasped the steering wheel.