Rocky Point Reunion

That was the worst part—the lack of warning. Her heart hurt afresh with the thought of Zack getting cold feet, of regretting he'd asked her to marry him.

“I heard you'd bought the café, and it sounded like you had things going your way. I knew you didn't want to leave Rocky Point. I did it all wrong,” he said slowly. “I'm really sorry.”

She stared at him for a long time, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. Her heart ached at the loss of the love they'd shared, at the dreams shattered. But life wasn't always fair. It didn't always go as she planned.

“So what now?” Zack asked.

“We go on, I guess. What else is there?”

“Can we be friends?”

Tears threatened. She'd loved him so much at one time and now all he wanted was to be friends. Swallowing hard, she nodded. “Sure, friends.”

He reached out and took one of her hands in his. “More than friends?”

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

—
Isaiah
49:16

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

T
he wind blew from the sea, keeping the early summer temperature comfortable. Marcie Winter had her arms full, boxes of hot dog buns stacked precariously beneath her chin, plastic bags of hot dogs ready to cook dangling from her fingers. She paused for breath at the top of the small dune and smiled when she saw the crowd on the beach. It was a good turnout. Yet how could it not be? The first church picnic of the summer and with gorgeous weather.

Two portable barbecues had already been set up. Trestle tables had been erected nearby—already laden with the potluck fare. Children swarmed around, laughing and shouting and chasing each other in makeshift games of tag. An impromptu game of volleyball was in play and younger children were piling damp sand for castles, watched over by mothers and older siblings.

It was the annual Trinity Church picnic and everyone was expected.

Slowly she half walked, half slid down the four-foot dune, arriving on the flat sand without mishap. In moments she relinquished her packages to willing hands.

“Need any help?” one of the mothers asked as Marcie stacked the boxes of rolls near the barbecue.

“I'm good. One more trip will do it,” Marcie said, already hurrying across the sand. It was easier going without balancing things. She couldn't wait to kick off her sandals and walk barefoot on the sand. But not until she'd finished with the gravel parking lot.

As she reached her car, a familiar truck turned into the space three down from her. Catching her breath, Marcie couldn't move for a moment. She felt as if time stood still. It was Joe Kincaid's truck. But he couldn't be driving. Joe was out of town.

It had to be Zack. After ten long years.

She knew Zack was in town. How could she not when she owned the only café in town? No one needed a newspaper in Rocky Point, Maine. They only had to come for coffee, pie—and a bit of town gossip. But no one mentioned he'd be at the picnic. He'd come back to help out at home when his brother burned his hands. What was he doing here?

Marcie held her breath as the passenger door of the pickup opened. She released it when his niece, Jenny jumped out, calling a greeting to Marcie. Her young voice broke the spell. Marcie called back a hello and opened the trunk of her car for the condiments and plastic cups she was also contributing—
and
to shield her for a moment while she regained her composure. She hoped fervently that Zack was only dropping Jenny off for the picnic.
Please, Lord,
she prayed.
Don't let him stay.

“Auntie Marcie, we're here for the picnic!” Jenny called out and ran over to her, hugging her around the waist. “It didn't rain!”

“No, it's a beautiful day,” Marcie said, giving her a quick hug, keeping her back to the truck. She smiled at the young girl whom she'd known from birth. Jenny was seven years old and so full of life she brought a lot of joy to Marcie's
life. The child's mother had died when she was two. Her dad was engaged to Gillian, a new friend of Marcie's, and she wished they were the ones bringing Jenny to the picnic. But they were in Las Vegas, closing Gillian's apartment, preparing for her move to Rocky Point, Maine.

Marcie heard footsteps on the gravel and with each one, her heart seemed to beat faster. She'd tried for years to figure out what she'd do when and if she ever saw Zack Kincaid again. That moment had arrived and she still didn't have a clue.

“Marcie.” He was silent for a few seconds, then added, “Need some help?”

She focused on Jenny, shocked at the wave of longing that swept through her at the sound of his voice. She hadn't heard it in ten years. If asked before this moment, she'd have said she'd be immune. But she wasn't. Hearing him swept her back to her carefree days when she thought they'd marry and live happily ever after. She clung to her composure with all she had, but mostly she wanted to cry—at their lost love, their forever gone chance at a life together. She felt his stare but refused to look at him.

“I can manage,” she said, turning to pick up the last box, which held the industrial-size condiment containers and stacks of plastic cups.

“I'm gonna see if Sally Anne's here,” Jenny said as she turned and began racing toward the low dunes that separated the beach from the parking lot.

“Marcie?”

“I'm surprised to see you here,” she said, holding the box in front of her as a shield and finally turning to look at him. Zack Kincaid. Six feet tall and filled out more since she'd last seen him. Dark hair and dark eyes that had once held her enthralled. Her mind jumbled with images. He looked older, harder, different. He was not the same
young man she'd known. But then—neither was she the same woman he'd once professed to love. She felt her heart catch, her breathing quicken. He still had that old charisma that had always made her happy in his presence. She did not want to be attracted to him. No, no, no!

“I brought Jenny.”

His dark eyes held her gaze. Her heart beat erratically. She wished she could look away, but she was mesmerized—fascinated to see what the years had wrought. His brother Joe had kept her up-to-date on his career, even when she'd told him she wasn't interested. But hearsay wasn't the same. Zack looked fantastic. She almost groaned with the realization.

“I'll bring her home, you don't need to stay,” she said brightly, wishing he'd vanish as he had before. Only this time her heart wouldn't be broken.

He turned those dark eyes on her. “Thanks, but I'd like to stay.”

“I can't imagine why,” she said, instantly regretting it. She snapped her mouth closed. It sounded petty. She was too flustered to think straight. Of course he'd want to come to the picnic. It was a community tradition and he'd missed so many. This would give him the perfect opportunity to see everyone and catch up a bit. She just wished the timing had been different. That she'd already brought the last box down and was surrounded by friends instead of caught off guard here in the parking lot.

Plus, she hadn't expected to feel anything but hurt and anger when she saw him again.

“Marcie, I'm sorry. Truly. If I could go back in time and change things, I would. I should have handled it differently—better.” He looked contrite, but she dare not let herself forget for an instant the heartache his departure had caused. Not that she could forget the endless days of
tears. The weeks and months of hoping he'd call or come back. Or at least write. Still, it lay in the past. She wanted it to stay in the past, to not have to deal with the pain and sadness that she'd experienced before. They'd been in love, planning a life together. It had ended. There was nothing more to do but move on. “I guess there's no good way to say goodbye,” she said, turning and walking toward the beach.

The wide sandy preserve was perfect for the annual beginning-of-summer picnic. She'd been attending ever since she'd been a child.

Without warning, he lifted the box out of her arms. “I'll carry this.”

“I can manage,” she said through gritted teeth. She didn't want to be around this man. He'd broken her heart a decade ago. Where she had once thought they'd attend Trinity picnics together for years, this was his first since he'd left her at the altar.

For a moment she considered wrestling the box from him. Or dashing to her car and leaving. But too many people had already seen her, and the last thing she wanted was to give rise to the speculation and gossip that had plagued her so much in the past. Raising her head, she silently vowed to brazen it out. She just hoped Zack would stay as far from her as possible.

“I'm home for a while,” he said.

“How nice for you,” she replied. Where was a friend when she needed one? If only someone would beckon her over. Or call with an emergency at the café that she'd have to attend to personally.

“You're looking good,” he said, easily keeping pace with her on the shifting sand.

She stopped at the top of the dune and turned, glaring at him. “Let's get one thing clear, Zack. You left. You made
your choice, so don't come back here and try to make nice. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours.”

With that she stomped down the incline and headed straight for the water. Let him deliver the condiments. She was almost shaking in reaction. Tears blurred her vision as she stared at the sea. She'd loved him to bits and he'd shattered her heart when he'd left with no warning, nothing but a phone call the night before they were to marry. She'd spent the past ten years moving on. She had a nice life now. She did! She did not need Zack Kincaid coming home and causing complications.

 

Zack watched her move across the sand, unable to take his eyes off her. She'd always been the most graceful thing he'd ever seen. She was still a petite bundle of energy. Her long brown hair was pulled back, showing off her dark eyes and pretty complexion. Clearly highlighting the anger in her gaze.

Once she'd looked at him as if he'd hung the moon. Now she wanted nothing to do with him. He'd caught a glimpse of the hurt in her eyes. He'd done that. To someone he'd loved. He felt lower than low. He needed to make things better between them.

What did he expect? He'd caused the breach. Deliberately and without thinking things through. It had haunted him all these years. In the early days he'd fantasized that he'd return home for her and she'd be waiting. That he'd sweep her off her feet and take her with him, despite her avowal when they were growing up that she never wanted to live anywhere but Rocky Point.

He'd dreamed that she had accepted his apology and forgiven him. That dream evaporated. She was still angry. She had every right to be. But he had hoped.

He carried the box to the food area, conscious of the stares and whispers as people recognized him. It had been a mistake coming today. He'd resisted, but his niece had wanted to come so badly, he'd acquiesced. Now he wished he'd made arrangements for someone else to bring her.

“Zack Kincaid? Hey, I didn't know you were visiting,” a friend from his school days greeted him. Instantly two other people joined them.

“Zack, back for a visit?” the woman asked. He recognized her but couldn't recall her name.

“I can't believe you're back, man,” another old friend said. “You haven't been back in years. Call me, we'll get together for a coffee or something.”

“Hey, Zack, good to see you!” Pete Marin came over and took the box. Several others called a greeting. He should have expected it, he thought as he nodded to those who called. Everyone knew everyone in Rocky Point. “I heard you were back in town,” Pete said. “We missed you in church this morning. You'll have to come next Sunday.” Pete's easy manner helped Zack get his bearings. There were others in town besides Marcie Winter. And he'd been avoiding them all since he'd been back. For no good reason now. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased to see him. He'd have to stop being a hermit if he was serious about moving back home.

“Good to see you, Pete. What have you been up to?” Zack asked.

He listened as Pete talked about his accounting business, but Zack's mind was on Marcie. Shifting slightly, he could see her standing at the water's edge. She looked so alone.

Zack nodded where appropriate, impatient to leave and go to the water's edge. A couple of others called a greeting.
He smiled and gave a short wave. Plenty of time to catch up on what others were doing. If he stayed. Which was the plan.

He took the cola someone offered, chatted a moment with two other men he'd known as a teenager, then headed where he'd wanted to go since he chased her away. Marcie stood a dozen yards or so to his left. Should he try again?

Suddenly Jenny and several of her friends ran over to Marcie and soon all the little girls were talking a mile a minute. He'd wait.

Marcie looked up and straight at him. She didn't acknowledge him and quickly turned back to the girls.

It was no more than he deserved, but it hurt. He wanted to make things right. Barring that, he at least wanted peace between them. He'd messed up big-time. There wasn't much excuse for it, either. Ten years ago he'd seen a chance for his dream and taken it. Never looked back. Ever since he could remember he'd wanted to race cars. He'd done his fair share around Rocky Point, mostly illegally. When the opportunity had turned up, he'd gone for it. Only, he didn't realize until later the true cost of that decision.

He'd looked back plenty of times and never seen the way to regain her trust. At the time he'd thought the decision best. Hers and his. He hadn't wanted to tie her to a man who was racing in Europe. She never wanted to leave Rocky Point. He'd wanted to go. Could they have reached some kind of compromise? Now he was home. He'd missed her for ten solid years. Never found another person he related to as he and Marcie had when they were teenagers, planning their lives together. He had not come back with the hope of regaining her trust or her love. He figured he'd shattered that for all time. If he had the chance to do it over, he'd handle it differently.

Taking a breath, he started walking toward her. If anything was to change, he'd have to start it. He hoped he'd find the right words.

 

Marcie glanced again across the short distance of beach and her heart stopped, then began to race. Zack was heading her way. His dark brown eyes narrowed as he focused solely on her. His strong jaw signaled determination and resolve. What was he coming to say? Another attempt at apology? It was way too late for that.

What she really wanted was an
explanation
that would erase the pain and hurt of the past and give her understanding of why he'd done what he'd done. Except she knew that answer already and it never helped.

She took a breath and focused on the girls around her, hoping he'd take the hint and stay away. He'd been back for several weeks, but he picked this picnic as the first time they'd meet. Why? Why had he waited? Why hadn't he sought her out before?