From This Moment On: Heartwarming Contemporary Romance (Windswept Bay Book 1) (7 page)

“Oh, we will,” they said in unison.

Cali didn’t bother to answer them but instead gave a wave over her shoulder as she headed into the hallway and down the stairs.

Horace Finley, the maintenance man, looked down from the ladder where he was repairing a light fixture. “Smile, Cali girl. You look like you just smelled bad fish.”

She laughed. “Gee, thanks, Horace.”

“Oh, no thanks needed. Just telling it like I see it. But, see’n how you’ve got that look on your face already, maybe I might as well break the bad news to you. The AC unit is on its last leg. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

Cali’s shoulders slumped. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve patched it again, but it ain’t holding refrigerant and the motor’s ancient. It’s probably not going to make it through the busy season.”

Just what she needed. When she’d agreed to go in with her sisters and take over running the resort, her dad had warned them that there were some major expenses coming because of the age of the place. This was one of them. It would be thousands of dollars to put in a new central unit on the main building. And then there were the rooms with their aging units. “You did warn me, Horace,” she said, weakly. “Um, thanks. I guess.”

He shrugged. “If it ain’t one thing, it’s another.”

“Thanks, Horace. That’s a true comfort.”

“Just doin’ my job, little lady. I’ll keep her running as long as I can—you just need to know the end is coming. Sorry.”

“I know. It’s not your fault. You do a miraculous job and we appreciate it. Dad has always called you Superman. And he’s right.”

He bowed out his chest. “Not quite filling out my uniform like I used to back in the day.”

Despite the news he’d just handed her, she smiled up at him. “You might be seventy but you look every bit of fifty.”

He huffed. “Now you’ve gone to flat-out lying and I know for a fact that your mom taught you better.”

She laughed. “True. I’ll see you later. And I’ll start looking into air conditioners.” Trying not to think of the dollars she was going to have to find somewhere, somehow, she headed outside to the pool area but Grant wasn’t there. Then she headed out to the exterior wall. As Jillian had told her, the scaffolding was erected but Grant wasn’t on it. She stared at the water for a moment and fought off the burden of the monstrous central unit she was about to have to buy. It felt as though it was sitting squarely on her shoulders. Shaking it off, she strode back to the lobby and stopped at the house phone to dial Grant’s room.

He picked up on the first ring. “Oh, you’re there,” she said.

He chuckled. “I’m here. Am I not supposed to be?”

“Sorry.” She rubbed her temple. “I didn’t mean to snap. I’ve just been looking for you. I should have tried your room first.”

“It’s okay. Why don’t you come up? I just got back from a jog. I found some great spots that I sketched and if you have some time, I’d like to show them to you.”

He’d been jogging. She hadn’t jogged this morning in case he’d needed her. “Sure. I’ll be right there.”

So, he’d made progress. That was a good thing. The sooner he was done, the quicker she could advertise; maybe with luck, the place would fill up during the slow season and help pay for the air conditioning. He hadn’t sketched at all yesterday but now he’d said he made sketches. Did that mean he hadn’t really been inspired by the waterfall? Then again, they’d been talking so much that he hadn’t really had a chance to pull out a sketchpad.

They’d given him a suite on the top floor of the resort. It was spacious, with windows that overlooked the bay. She wondered whether the view of the blue water and the sailboats had inspired him like it always did her. She liked the blue waters and the dock down the beach where the boats sat. Sailing was a big thing around the island.

She reached the fourth floor and walked down the hallway to his suite. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she knocked on his door. Almost before she finished, it opened and there stood Grant…in nothing but jogging shorts and a towel draped around his neck.

Chapter Seven

Cali’s jaw dropped and she couldn’t speak as she found her eyes locked on his damp chest. Muscled and defined, that chest made it apparent that though he was an artist, the man worked out. Of course, her brother Cam was a lean, powerful guy from all his work on the ranch so why was she surprised by Grant’s muscles?

Lean, mean working machine
…the old quote echoed in her mind—or was it fighting machine…he wasn’t a fighter or mean so it didn’t fit, so why was she even thinking this? She shook herself and forced her gaze off his lean, strong marvelous chest and up to meet his penetrating, blue gaze.

“Good morning.” He gave her a perfect smile as he rubbed his damp hair with one side of the towel. “Sorry, I was just about to get in the shower when you called.”

“Morning,” she squeaked. “You stay in shape.” The statement was out before she could pull it back.

“I try.” His dazzling smile widened and he stepped aside so she could enter the room. “Come in.”

She’d seen a million men without their shirts on—okay, maybe not a million but she’d lived on a beach and had seen a bunch. Men went shirtless as a lifestyle on the island, so why was she feeling as if his was the only chest that mattered? That stood out? That— She inhaled and forced her thoughts from his perfect torso to his face and prayed she wasn’t as pink as Shar was always telling her she was around him.

No, she was probably as red as a Red Hots candy because she sure needed a cool breeze to blow in right now.

“I’ll just be a few minutes. Come in and make yourself at home. This room is fantastic, by the way.” He led the way toward the wide windows. The dining table was to the side and he had laid out some drawings. “Take a look at those while I’m gone and see if anything strikes your fancy.” He shot her a grin and then detoured into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Cali breathed a sigh of relief and fought the urge to fan herself. “
You
strike my fancy,” she muttered as she turned away from the closed door to stare at the table. She was in so much trouble. Little over twenty-four hours and she was a gone girl. Unable to hold off, she fanned her hot cheeks as she walked to the table. What she saw had her gasping.

There were drawings of the waterfall, and of the cliff with the old lighthouse gleaming. She picked up the sketch and was mesmerized by the beauty of the drawing. Glancing down at the others, a sketch partly hidden beneath another drawing caught her eye. Was that a wisp of long hair? She slowly drew the sketch free from the others.

She stared at herself. Her breath caught at the detail.

The breeze was blowing her hair away from her face as she looked toward the gorgeous waterfall in front of her.

He’d not drawn yesterday while they were together, but somehow he’d captured every detail on this paper. It was more than a little intimidating. It was amazing. Truly amazing.

How had he gotten every facet of her so right without at least a photo to copy?

The way he’d drawn her tugged at her gut and a longing deep inside her. There was a determination in her jaw, a gleam of excitement in her eyes, and there was peace too.

A lump formed in her throat. He’d captured a gleam of something she hadn’t felt in a very long time and something she never thought she’d feel again. All three emotions had felt lost to her for good. How had he looked past the dulled expressions of the way she felt since marrying Paul and seen what she’d once looked, or at least felt, like? Or had she ever truly looked that way?

She placed the photos on the table, strode to the sliding glass door and slipped out onto the balcony. A tear rolled from the corner of her eye. She brushed it away and stared out across Windswept Bay. Her heart clutched as more tears gathered in her eyes.
Go away.
She willed the tears to go away, but to her horror, more slipped down her cheek as she thought of the person that picture depicted…so long lost. The woman she’d lost in the last few years. The one she feared she’d never find again.

She wiped at her eyes and yet the tears continued to flow slowly down her cheeks. She dabbed them with the corner of her shirt and sniffed.

“Cali, are you all right?”

Quickly, she swiped at the tears with trembling fingertips. No one—not her sisters, her parents, or her best friends—had seen her cry since she’d come back to the bay. She was determined they wouldn’t. But as she shook her head and remained facing the water, she knew that she couldn’t hide the tears from Grant.

And she was right. He was behind her instantly; his strong hands cupped her shoulders as he turned her to face him. His expression clouded with concern. Of course, a tear she’d missed rolled down her cheek. Instantly, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly; it felt so wonderful she wanted to cry harder.

“Why are you crying? What happened?”

She couldn’t speak at first, she was so overwhelmed by everything. The fresh showered scent of soap and shaving cream enveloped her and her knees went weak. Her heart pounded against his and she was overwhelmed by him. By the picture, by everything.

He gently rubbed her back. “Take your time,” he urged.

“You sketched me,” she finally managed.

“And that made you cry?” He leaned back; his intense eyes blazed. “I’m sorry. You told me not to but I didn’t know it would make you cry.”

Despite her distress, a laugh escaped. She was so embarrassed that he’d caught her crying and on top of that, she was in his arms.
Dear goodness, but it was amazing.
She couldn’t think straight with the feel of his strong arms around her. And the feel of his chest against hers. “It’s not what you think. I loved all of your drawings. I…you just captured something in my expression that I thought I’d lost. Did you just draw that or did you see that?”

She needed to know the answer to her question. Had he simply been drawing and that was the way it came out…not really anything she was portraying, just the slight of his hands and meaningless? Or had there been more to it—had he somehow looked at her and seen what she couldn’t see any longer?

“I drew you as I saw you. As I captured you in my mind’s eye in that moment in time. The way you looked was burned into my memory.”

Her heart caught at his words and she tilted her face to look up at him.

He lifted a hand and with the pad of his finger, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Don’t cry, Cali. I feel like you’ve been massively hurt and you’re afraid to let it go. But yesterday, in the Jeep and at the falls, something sprang out of you that I don’t even think you knew was there.”

Hope hammered through her. He’d seen it, seen her the way she’d once been, and he’d captured it on paper so that she could see it. Feel it.

She wanted desperately to touch his cheek. To run the pad of her finger across his lips and then to feel those lips capture hers.

Her stomach felt bottomless as the thought sent warmth through her entire body. His eyes darkened and his hands tightened on her back as he tugged her closer.

She felt his strong body tense against her and, unable to help herself, she let her hand move to his jaw. He was going to kiss her.

He dipped his head and then brushed a kiss against her temple. “Cali, you’re a gorgeous woman. But, you’ve been through a lot.”

Yes, she had. Her good sense came back with a jolt. She stepped away from him. Her hand went to her earlobe and she tugged on it as she turned away and grasped the railing. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“You’re all right. No problems on my end of the deal. I could hold you all day and all…” He let his words drift away.

Cali knew instinctively that he’d almost said “all night.”

She needed a subject change. “How did you remember those places and me with such detail?”

“I have a photographic memory when it comes to things I like. Almost like an internal camera.”

She was glad of the new topic. It was highly fascinating to her and gave her time to step outside her emotions and focus on him. Getting back to a professional relationship was what she needed. Gaining that distance but appreciation for his work was where she needed to be. Not falling all over him, thinking about kisses and more.

Both of which were totally not professional.

“That is amazing. Have you always been able to do that?”

He nodded. “I have. I might not be able to recall every conversation that I’ve had in my life or every page of a book, though I can get close. But I can remember everything in a room after being there momentarily or scenery but only if it captures my creative mind. It’s been very useful in my line of work.”

She’d captured his creative mind.

The knowledge curled warmly inside her and touched a dark corner of her heart.

“That’s crazy impressive,” she managed, glad to sound almost normal.

He chuckled. “It’s a gift the good Lord gave me—I can’t take any credit for it. It was there when I was born. But since the crash, I haven’t felt inspired creatively by anything.”