Cottage by the Sea Read online

  Lennon followed him up the porch steps. His own dog had taken to lying at John-Boy’s side whenever he was allowed in the house. John-Boy trusted Lennon and was less frightened whenever Keaton’s sidekick was there.

  Keaton let himself inside the house and was braced for Mellie’s harangue. He didn’t need words when Mellie used twice as many as he ever would.

  Sure enough, she was waiting for him. From her pinched lips, he could tell she had a lot to say. Mellie had once been a real natural beauty. They were close to the same age, born within a few months of each other, although she looked older now. He never understood what it was that had led to her refusal to step outside the doors of her grandparents’ home. She’d returned after being gone for ten years, moved back into the family home, and refused to leave even for the most mundane of reasons. He hadn’t asked, figuring she wouldn’t tell him even if he did.

  “About time,” she huffed, arms akimbo. “I’ve been trying to get your attention all week.”

  “I know.”

  “You could have returned my calls!” she barked, none too pleased with him.

  He wasn’t inclined to argue. Like he told Annie, he didn’t have the talent to win with words. “What did you want?”

  “Well, first off, I told Annie you could build her poles for the beans she planted. I don’t need you making a fool out of me.”

  “You and Annie talked?” This was an interesting development. It appeared that Mellie’s stance against her tenant had softened.

  Afraid to admit she might be wrong about Annie, Mellie lowered her eyes. “She’s not so bad.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  “You,” she admitted sheepishly.

  This was an even bigger surprise. “Me?”

  “You’re a good judge of character, and you like her.”

  He nodded, because he did like Annie, way more than he should.

  “You going to make those beanpoles or not?”

  “Okay.”

  “I want you to know—I didn’t ask her to plant those green beans,” she insisted.

  Naturally, Mellie wouldn’t want him to think she’d asked for anything; her pride wouldn’t allow it.

  “All I said was that my grandmother grew green beans, and the next thing I knew, Annie is telling me that she’ll plant them. I figured, being good with your hands, that you could help her.”

  “I will.”

  He couldn’t help wondering if Mellie had a hidden agenda in this.

  Following their conversation, Keaton went into the first room off the hallway to check on John-Boy. As soon as the dog heard heavy footsteps, he curled up and started to shake. Keaton feared Mellie was going to need to do a lot of work with him if he was ever going to get adopted. At this point, it looked doubtful. His previous owner deserved everything the law threw at him. The last Keaton had heard from Preston, the man had been arrested for animal cruelty.

  When it was time to leave, Keaton had to whistle to get Lennon to leave his friend’s side.

  “You heading out already?”

  He nodded.

  “Did Preston tell you about the deaf kitten he found?”

  Keaton shook his head. “Hurt?”

  “Abandoned. Tossed on the side of the road. He mentioned it to me. The shelter is at full capacity and Preston felt it was unlikely anyone would want a less-than-perfect kitten. I already have one cat, and with me taking in the dogs, I don’t need another.”

  “I’ll take it,” Keaton said quickly. He knew someone who needed a kitten, and who would cherish one that wasn’t perfect. “I’ll stop by the shelter and collect it later.”

  “You going to tell Preston, or do you want me to do it?”

  “You let him know.”

  A small smile came over Mellie. Keaton wasn’t fooled. Mellie welcomed the opportunity to have a reason to get in touch with Preston.

  * * *

  —

  After leaving Mellie’s, Keaton finished painting the inside of a home that was being prepared for the real estate market. He’d worked a ten-hour day, starting early that morning. By the time he returned to his small house, he was hungry and tired. Lennon was, too.

  Keaton fed his dog while he heated up a can of chili in the microwave. He ate standing at the kitchen countertop while he sorted through the mail, the usual advertising flyers and bills. He needed to check on his father and dreaded the visit, putting it off another day. He should let the old man fend for himself, the way he had done to Keaton. His conscience wouldn’t let him do it, though.

  Lennon ate, did his business outside, and then promptly curled up in his bed. Keaton intended to make a short night of it himself. He’d been up early and on the go since before dawn.

  After washing his dinner dishes, he took a long, hot shower. He’d dressed and combed his hair when he heard a knock on his door. He stiffened; he didn’t get company. Preston on rare occasions, but that was about it. If he was dropping off the kitten, he would have called first.

  Tossing open the door, he stood at his full height, hoping to intimidate anyone who would dare to disturb him.

  Annie gasped and stepped back.

  “Annie?” He was instantly alert, fearing she had come to him for help. Looking past her, he scanned the area. If anyone dared threaten or intimidate her, then Keaton would handle it.

  “I know it’s last-minute…” she blurted out, speaking so fast the words nearly ran together. “You weren’t home earlier. I was wondering if you’d like to attend the high school play with me.”

  “A play?”

  She nodded so hard he was afraid she would hurt her neck.

  “Candi’s daughter has a small part and I told her I’d go, and then I thought that maybe you’d like…you know…to go with me?”

  She was asking him out? Like a date?

  “I should have said something earlier,” she continued, clearly flustered, “but I haven’t seen you in a few days and…time got away from me. We used to meet up at Bean There, but you haven’t been around lately and…” She let the rest fade.

  Keaton was too shocked to respond. He’d stayed away on purpose and never guessed that she’d even notice.

  Looking down at her feet, Annie whispered, “I’ve missed seeing you.” Then, to his utter shock, before he could say anything, Annie reached up and pressed her mouth to his in the most fleeting of kisses.

  He stared at her, dumbfounded, not knowing what to say. When he found his voice, he raised his fingers to his lips. “You kissed me.”

  She mimicked his action, her fingertips against her lips. She looked more than a little shocked at herself. “I did, didn’t I?”

  “Why?”

  “I…don’t know. I’m sorry.”

  He blinked at her several times and felt she should know. “Women don’t kiss me.”

  He remained confused, as she obviously was.

  “I feel like an idiot. Forget I was here. I’ll go, and we can both pretend this never happened.” She started to back away from him toward the porch steps. Keaton knew he couldn’t let her leave. Not like this.

  “No,” he demanded, not wanting her to go and finding it necessary to stop her. Lost with what to do, Keaton splayed his fingers through his hair. He didn’t know what to say, and as so often happened, the words twisted around his tongue, making it difficult, if not impossible, to speak.

  “There’s a play at the high school?” he asked when he was finally able to get the words out.

  “It’s Billy Budd. Candi didn’t think it would draw a big audience.”

  Keaton had to agree with her. “A Herman Melville book; I remember reading it my junior year.”

  “I guess we should be grateful they didn’t decide to do a play based on Moby-Dick,” Annie said and chuckled weakly. She continued to look uneasy. �
�It isn’t important. I just thought, you know, that you might be interested.” She made a show of looking at the time. “I should go now, otherwise I’ll be late.”

  Having her leave was the last thing Keaton wanted. He was hungry for the sight of her, starving for a chance to be with her. Depriving himself of her company had been hard and, yes, he’d admit it, painful. Annie had become like a drug to him. An addiction. Not knowing any other way to stop her, he captured her face between his huge hands. Looking down at her, he saw more than he dared dream in her eyes. For a long moment, all he could do was stare at her. She’d kissed him. He’d thought about kissing her a thousand times a day and feared her reaction.

  “Keaton,” she whispered, moistening her lips.

  Slowly, half expecting her to stop him, he lowered his mouth to hers. Annie’s hand curled around the top of his shoulder as she gave herself to him. Keaton felt her light touch, and it was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Her lips were soft and malleable, and she tasted like what he was convinced must be heaven. With his arms wrapped around her, he had to resist crushing her against him. Compared to him, Annie was petite and fragile, and he feared unintentionally hurting her.

  He broke away and looked at her, needing to read her reaction. He’d wanted to kiss her from the moment he saw her on the beach right before she’d moved to Oceanside. He hadn’t dared to hope that she would want his touch.

  His eyes captured hers once more. Annie blinked up at him. Her face eased into a soft smile. He smiled back. Life hadn’t given him a lot of reasons to be happy, but unprecedented joy flooded his soul just for the opportunity to hold her.

  After several seconds of doing nothing more than looking at her, Keaton brushed the hair away from her cheek and ran his fingers down the side of her face, loving the feel of her skin against his own. Then, because he couldn’t resist, he kissed her again and again, each kiss becoming more involved and lengthy. If it were humanly possible, Keaton would find a way to keep her in his arms for all eternity. Arousal coursed through him. He sucked in a breath at the tingling sensation. Because most everyone avoided him, physical contact was at a minimum. Her touch was like fire braising his skin.

  Easing away from his kisses, Annie braced her forehead against his chest. He instantly felt the loss.

  “Say something,” he pleaded after a few moments. He needed to know what she was thinking, to hear her say that she had wanted this as much as he did. His inability to express himself with words had never haunted him more than it did at that moment.

  Annie raised her head, sighed deeply, and maintained eye contact. “Does this mean you’ll attend the play with me?”

  He chuckled. Little did Annie realize he’d gladly sit through Moby-Dick if it meant she would be at his side. “Be happy to.”

  Annie braced her forehead against his chest. “You should know. The play is an excuse. Not seeing you didn’t feel right.”

  At her confession, he moved her head up and met her gaze as he struggled to express his feelings. “Missed you, too. Joy.”

  “Joy?” she repeated, as if he’d forgotten her name. “I’m Annie.”

  “Yes, I know. Joy.” He swallowed hard, trying to express himself. “You bring me joy.”

  “You,” Annie whispered in response. “You help me forget.”

  He frowned, and figured his guess was right. Annie had come to Oceanside to recover from a broken heart.

  CHAPTER 14

  Annie was scheduled to work Saturday, as it was her turn for the weekend rotation. Keeping to her morning habit, she stopped for her latte on her way to the clinic. Her brain didn’t function at full capacity without her morning shot of java.

  Britt was back behind the counter. Annie continued to keep a close eye on the teenager. She was deeply concerned about the girl and her family. When she’d discussed Logan’s broken arm and her suspicions with Dr. Bainbridge before reporting the incident to the state agency, he’d mentioned that unless it was a high priority, government agencies often moved at a snail’s pace. Because it was a suspicion rather than a firm case of abuse, it might take the full time allotted by law before the home would be investigated. She hadn’t heard anything back and had to assume no one had been out to interview the family.

  Annie was further concerned because Logan had missed his follow-up appointment. The rumors she’d heard about Carl Hoffert raised Annie’s fears up a notch. People around town said that since losing his job at the mill, Carl had become mean and lazy. He depended entirely on his wife and stepdaughter to support the family.

  Everyone said he drank too much, his temper was well known, and he wasn’t someone to cross. The more time that passed after Logan’s missed appointment, the more concerned Annie grew. She hadn’t seen Britt for a few days, either, which troubled her even more.

  As she neared the counter to place her coffee order, Annie groaned inwardly when she noticed a fresh bruise around Britt’s wrist. The teenager had done her best to disguise the purplish hue with a long-sleeve shirt, but it showed when she reached for a cup to fulfill the order of the woman in front of Annie. Others probably wouldn’t have noticed it, but Annie did.

  “Morning, Britt,” she said. “I’ll have my usual.”

  Avoiding eye contact, Britt reached for the paper cup and wrote out the code for Annie’s latte without making eye contact.

  “I haven’t seen you in a couple days,” she said, hoping to draw the teenager into conversation. “Doesn’t seem the same when you aren’t here to take my order.”

  A hint of a smile touched the edges of Britt’s mouth. “I have a big paper due this week. I needed to stay home and finish it.”

  “I figured it was something like that. Is Logan doing okay? He missed his follow-up appointment.”

  “He’s fine,” Britt said quickly. Too quickly. “He had his friends write on his cast. Thanks again for your help.”

  Annie was deliberately slow in removing the cash from her purse. Although she was nervous venturing into this topic, she felt she needed to ask. “Is everything okay at home?” She handed over the ten-dollar bill instead of using the app on her phone. This way, Britt had to make change, delaying the transaction a bit longer.

  “Sure. Home is fine,” Britt said, counting out the returned cash by hand.

  Reluctantly, Annie moved aside to wait for the barista to complete her order. She recognized the young man behind the counter as Britt’s friend…Jimmy, if she remembered correctly. When he finished, he handed her the hot drink. She reached for it, but he didn’t release it until she looked up. “Britt isn’t okay,” he whispered, leaning forward over the counter, his look troubled. “I don’t know how to help her.”

  “I was afraid of that,” Annie said with a sigh. “I saw the bruise on her wrist.”

  “She keeps telling me she’s clumsy,” Jimmy continued. “I know she’s lying. I believe her stepfather is hurting her.”

  “I think so, too,” Annie confessed.

  The rest of the way to the clinic, Annie’s head was swimming with troubled thoughts about Britt and Logan.

  “Did you get home late after the play?” Candi asked, standing in front of the coffee machine, waiting for it to finish brewing. “I really appreciated you coming.”

  “I enjoyed it,” Annie assured her coworker, and she had, but mostly because she was with Keaton.

  Candi laughed. “You’re a true friend to suffer through that play. I appreciated it, and I know Amanda did, too.”

  It took a moment for her friend’s comment to register. When it did, Annie struggled to hold back a smile. “Actually, I had a wonderful night.” When she’d left for work that morning, she’d found another one of Keaton’s gifts on the step leading into the cottage.

  They were little signs that he left for her, she’d realized, to let her know he was thinking of her. It was easier for him to leave he
r small gifts than to say it with words. Recently, she’d found a worn piece of green sea glass. By far, Seth Keaton was the most thoughtful man she’d ever known.

  In California, her Friday nights would have been spent dancing and having fun. Other than a few financial concerns, Annie hadn’t a care in the world. She wore the proverbial pair of rose-colored glasses back then. It took losing everyone who was important to her for her to appreciate her family and what she’d once had. Her life had been forever changed. It would never be the same again, and she was okay with that. She was no longer that person. Her priorities were different. The way she looked at life and its meaning had been altered. The girl she once was had completely vanished.

  “There’s a message for you on your desk,” Candi told her.

  Taking her latte with her, she went back to her office and found the report from the state. The social worker had completed the home visit and concluded that nothing was amiss. Annie read the report twice and was shocked. She didn’t know what had persuaded the state to overlook what in her mind was abuse. Leaning back in her chair, she released a slow sigh. Well, that was that. She’d done what she could and she had no further recourse.

  * * *

  —

  The clinic on Saturday was busy, as usual. Annie barely had time for lunch. By the end of her day, she felt dead on her feet. Finishing up all of her paperwork, she reread the report from the state. Annie didn’t feel right about the conclusion. Britt’s bruises and Logan’s missed appointment were telltale signs that there was more to what was happening than others knew.

  With Britt and Logan heavy on her mind, she decided to make a friendly visit to the Hofferts’ home to check to see if Logan’s broken arm was healing properly. She found the address from his paperwork. If anyone was to question her, she had a ready excuse. Britt’s mother cleaned houses, and Annie was looking to hire a housekeeper.

  Once she was finished with the last of her documentation for the day, Annie walked back to the cottage to get her SUV. She noticed Mellie watching her out of the window. Annie paused and waved, and was delighted when Mellie waved back. This was progress. Annie was elated with each small sign of a budding friendship with her landlord.