Beside a Dreamswept Sea (40 page)

“He’s my son.” Anger again roiled in Bryce’s stomach. “I’m not supposed to be upset?”

“Upset, yes. But not feeling as you do. You might as well have a sign on your forehead, darling. One that says Rotten Dad. And that you don’t deserve.”

Suzie came in, took one look at his face, then turned to Cally. “Can I go with Frankie to Miss Millie’s? She’s gonna show us some pictures of my island from fifty years ago.”

Cally glanced at Bryce. He shot her a why-not look.

“Sure, but be back”—she glanced at the clock—“no later than five, okay? And nowhere else, not without first calling home.”

“Okay.” Suzie dropped a kiss to Cally’s cheek, then turned to him. “Daddy, I didn’t know about Mrs. Wiggins slapping Jeremy, either. I felt really bad about it until I talked to Tony. He said that we can’t know everything, and what’s important is that, when we find out, we do something. I think he’s right. And I don’t think you ought to be mad at yourself. Jeremy’s not. He’s not mad at me, either. So it’s okay now. We fixed it, and she won’t hit him anymore.”

Tears stinging the backs of his eyes, Bryce hugged Suzie hard. “Thanks, sweetheart. And thank Tony, too. Okay?”

She nodded, then skipped out the back door.

“She’s an amazing kid, Counselor. So wise and so beautiful.” Cally watched Suzie through the window, running toward Frankie’s full-speed down the stone walkway. “Sometimes I look at her and she’s so beautiful I could just cry.”

Bryce’s throat went tight and his heart melted one more time at the simple complexities that comprised Cally Tate. And in his mind, he smelled the narcissus. It smelled exactly like her perfume. Soft, subtle, sexy. He had to be the luckiest man in the world. “Thanks, Cally.”

She looked back at him. “What for?”

“Being you. And for standing firm for Jeremy against Mrs. Wiggins.”

She came around the table, circled his head with her arms, then drew him to her chest. “Oh, Bryce.” Bending down, she pressed a comforting kiss to his crown. “It really is okay.”

He burrowed his face between her breasts and hugged her tightly, needing her strength, wanting her comfort.

She held him for a long few minutes then, as if sensing he’d gotten an emotional grip on this, she kissed him again. Longer. Deeper. Giving the father in him a rest, and awakening the man.

“Mmm, nice.” He cupped her bottom and pulled her closer. Standing between his thighs, she bumped her knees against the seat of his chair. “I’m hoping your firing the battleaxe was a declaration that you’ve accepted my proposal.” She’d been magnificent. Defending the M and M’s like a lioness protecting her cubs. That they were his cubs made him appreciate her protection even more.

She tilted her head in that adorable way. “Well, I suppose that since I’ve fired the only
constant
from the kids’ lives, I’ll have to accept.”

“Really?” A lie, of course. But one she needed. One that was easier to admit than confessing they’d both blown their agreement to hell and back before they’d officially started it. He certainly wasn’t going to complain. She might change her mind and, truthfully—he took a long look at his own motives—he, too, still needed the lie.

“What else can I do?” She shrugged in that teasing, Miss Tate manner, but her eyes were glossy and overly bright.

“You can do whatever you choose.” He didn’t want her feeling trapped into marrying him.

“Then I choose to be the constant in our kids’ lives.”

Our
kids. Well, that said it all. Nearly giddy, he bit a smile from his lips. “Can we seal this yes in—er, that was a yes, wasn’t it, Miss Tate?”

“It was, Counselor.”

Immensely satisfied, he hiked a brow. “Can we seal it in our contract with a kiss?”

“Absolutely. I know you lawyers like everything tied up all legal like.” She raked her fingertips through his beard.

They were cold from touching her glass, yet warmed him far beneath the skin she touched. “Exactly, Miss Tate. And to be binding, consideration must be exchanged.”

“In this case, a kiss.”

“Actually, two kisses.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Hmm, interesting.”

“I’m feeling magnanimous, and I don’t want a reputation as a miser in these negotiations.”

She looped him with her arms, kissed his eyelid, his brow, then purred against his throat. “Generosity becomes you, darling.”

He circled her waist, let his hands roam her back, shoulder to thigh. “Yeah, I like the way it feels.”

“I’ll remember that, too.”

He felt certain she would. “Before you kiss me and I can’t think straight—”

She laughed, low and husky. “I’m definitely going to remember that.”

He nipped at her neck. “Don’t even think about blackmail, Miss Tate.”

“Counselor, would I do that?”

Damn right, she would. “Let me finish so I can have my kisses.”

“By all means. You go right ahead.” She dipped her nose to his skin, teased and taunted.

How was he supposed to think straight with her doing that? “Um, I think we should, um, wait to tell the M and M’s the day before the wedding.”

“Excellent idea. About twenty-four hours of ‘Is it time yet?’ is a reasonable max.” She nibbled her way down to the soft hollow of his throat, then over to his earlobe.

Bryce nearly came up out of the chair. He groaned and tightened his hold on her. “When Miss Hattie gets back with the kids, we’ll go talk to Pastor Brown. I like the idea of a Thanksgiving wedding. For Tony. Is that okay?”

She scraped his neck with her teeth. “It won’t give our families time to get here.”

God help him, he was going to melt. Or to embarrass himself. “I know, but they were at the first ones. This one I want special. Just for us without any reminders of the past. I guess that sounds selfish, but—”

“It sounds perfect to me.” She let out the sexiest growl he’d ever in his life heard and ran her hand down his chest. “Just us and the kids. Private.”

She understood. He’d known that she would. “Hmm, Cally?”

“Mmm?”

“I’m thinking you’d best give me three kisses.”

“Three?” She reared and looked down at him, her eyes smoky. “That’s extortion, Counselor. Reeks of greed.”

He gave her a negative nod. “Only two are for me.” They had the house to themselves, and it appeared his Miss Tate wanted more than a kiss to seal their contract. He’d oblige her of course and, with luck, they’d make it upstairs before he obliged her.

“Then why three?”

His eyes sparkled. “We’re lacking an official notary.”

“Ah, I see.” She lowered her gaze to the hollow at his throat, setting his pulse to leaping. “Will a mere kiss suffice in lieu of a notary? Seems to me that’s a very import—”

“No, Miss Tate. It will not.” He caught her behind the knees, then stood up, bringing her with him.

She locked her knees around his waist, her arms around his neck. “Then we’d best do whatever’s needed to avoid loopholes, Counselor. Right away.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Tony smiled down on Cally and Bryce,
watched them leave the kitchen in a dead run for the stairs, laughing like children. It did his heart good. They walked the cliffs and kissed under the special oak, and sat on the same kitchen chair and necked, drunk on love
—
just like Tony and Hattie used to do. Now, they were planning a Thanksgiving wedding.

Of course these two would choke before admitting they were drunk on love, but they both recognized love for what it was. Sooner or later, they’d admit it. If they had Tony’s experience—which he’d wish on no man or woman, not even Batty Beaulah or the battleaxe—they’d trip over their tongues to give each other the words. But they didn’t. And he couldn’t tell them. To fully understand, that experience had to be lived firsthand.

So they’re planning a Thanksgiving wedding.

Sunshine. Where had she been hiding?
Yes, they are.

And what about Suzie?

He withheld a frown by the skin of his teeth.
She’s still dreaming.

I know that. Just as I know you’re still interceding so she won’t be alone in those dreams. They’re not very pleased with you upstairs about that, Tony.

I gave her my word. That means something to me.

Yes, it does. How is Hattie handling the knowing?

That we’ll be separated after all?

Yes.

About like you’d expect. She’s devastated. Putting up a front for the kids and Bryce and Cally, but she’s crying herself to sleep every night, and she’s having some wicked dreams.

I’m sorry to hear that. She’s a lovely woman.

The best.

I have to say I admire you. You’ve handled your situation well. You and Hattie have helped a lot of people who would have been lost without you.

That’s our purpose, isn’t it?
Tony chided himself for letting his less than charming attitude leak out. Sunshine was invading his turf. He still didn’t like it, but some sixth sense so deep he didn’t want to acknowledge it—because it brought that
powerless
memory to mind—warned him she had to be here. Focusing on that powerless feeling usurped his confidence, so he shunned those thoughts and buried his attitude, determined to be cordial. It’s been fulfilling. I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t. But sometimes I wish I had just one more day with Hattie. Just one more night.

A chance to say all the things you’ve regretted not saying, mmm?

Her understanding didn’t surprise him. And he felt it wise not to think about why it didn’t.
Yeah, exactly.

I’m not supposed to tell you this, but swamping yourself with guilt is sidetracking you something awful. So I’m going to do something I’ve never done before. I’m going to break protocol—and pray I don’t regret it.

Surprise shimmied through Tony’s chest. The woman sounded wary. Actually, scared stiff. So why would she be willing to do this for him? He’d been as
grouchy as a bear with a thorn in its foot.
What?

I’m going to tell you the truth, Tony. Even if you’d died on that battlefield and not vowed to never be apart from Hattie, even if you’d gone on and never returned to Seascape Inn, even if she’d never had any idea that you were near, Hattie Stillman never would have married another man. She’d never have given her heart to anyone else.

She might have.

She couldn’t. Think about it. It’s so simple really—if you look at it with your heart and not your head. Hattie could never give her heart to anyone else because it was no longer hers to give. She’d already given it to you.

He wanted to believe it. Needed to believe it. And the ferocity with which he needed to believe it shamed him. What about Hattie? What she wanted? Needed?
Maybe with time—

No, Tony. Never. Not ever. For Hattie there never has been, nor ever could be, anyone but you. Don’t you see? You’re lifemates.

Lifemates. Cally had told Bryce she wanted him as a lifemate.
An antenna rose, sparked a whole new line of thinking. One that shook Tony to the core.
From the start, had Bryce and Cally’s relationship been inevitable?

It’s best I don’t answer that.

There had to be something valid in the thought. But what? And why didn’t he understand the mission? He’d never before been kept in the dark.
Why?

I have my reasons.

Sunshine had taken a big risk to put his mind at ease. Truth to tell, guilt about what he’d done to Hattie in staying with her had kept him off balance and not focusing fully on the job at hand. He was second-guessing himself, his decisions, fearing her reaction to their being separated.
Thank you for telling me, Sunshine. I suppose I should regret Hattie’s devotion and, inside, a part of me does. But there’s another, bigger part of me that feels relieved that I haven’t ruined her life. I worried making that vow had robbed her of her dreams.