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He made a face and grunted. “You serious?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Huh. Okay. I’ll have to take you up on that because I’ve got a lot of renovations to do.” He pointed at the bike. “We better get on the road if we’re going to be at my favorite spot in time.”
She wondered in time for what, but she figured he wanted to surprise her. After closing the garage door from a keypad, he passed her a helmet. She pulled it over her curls and then he helped strap it around her chin.
He climbed on the bike.
She eyed him warily. Not that she minded putting her arms around the hunk, but they had just met.
“I hope this is okay. It’s easier to use the bike rather than the truck to get where we’re going.”
She happened to like bikes and she didn’t want to insult the guy who had done her a favor and fixed her truck. “Works for me.”
He sat down on the massive seat. The sign on the side of the dark blue bike said Harley. She had some regulars at the diner where she’d worked who rode them. The chrome bike was a piece of art. It was customized with some slogans, Semper Fi she recognized, and a symbol she wanted to look up later.
“You can sit back here,” he said, patting the seat behind his. “Be careful of your calves with the exhaust pipe. Keep your feet up on the foot pads and you should be good.”
She did as she’d been told, but considered if her sneakers would have been a better choice, instead of the flip-flops. Though he was wearing flip-flops, so she wasn’t worried. What she didn’t know was where to put her hands. “You can wrap your arms around my chest or hold on to my shoulders. I recommend the chest since it’ll be easier where we’re going.”
He started the bike and the monster rumbled between her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his hard chest. He must work out every day, she thought. Her fingers itched to slide down and feel the rigid abs she knew were only a few inches below.
She was concentrating so hard on him that it was a good five minutes before she realized Matt had already driven them to the beach. The salty smell bit into her senses. She loved the water.
He steered into a burger joint and turned off the bike. “I’ll be right back, I’m going to grab us some dinner. Anything you don’t like?”
She shook her head, still trying to deal with the throbbing between her legs.
“I won’t be long.” Five minutes later he came out with armfulls of food, sodas and bottles of water. He stowed them in one of the side compartments of the bike.
“I could have helped you,” she said as he climbed back onto the motorcycle.
“No problem. I’m pretty hungry so I got a little of everything. We’re heading over there.” He lifted his chin toward the nearby hill and then put the bike into gear.
They rode right out onto the beach. It was slightly elevated and marked private. He stopped the bike and she climbed off.
“Is it okay for us to be here?” she asked.
He pulled a blanket out of the other side compartment and handed it to her. “It’s owned by some friends of mine. They let me use it whenever I want. Their place is up there.” He pointed up the hill again to a stunning beach house. “They’re gone this weekend, or there would probably be a whole crew of people running around. It’s the go-to spot for a lot of us on the base, especially on the weekends. Put the blanket by the fire pit. I’ll bring the food and meet you down there.”
The sun was just above the horizon, and the reflection was unforgettable on the blue water and white sand. The waves were calling to her. “Do you mind if I swim before we eat?”
“That was the plan,” he said as he stripped of his tank and took off his flip-flops.
Oh. My. Those abs. Seriously. She had to stop herself from gasping. They made men well in Texas. Very well.
After he’d gone into the ocean, she took off her top and shorts and adjusted her bikini, eager to cool her too-heated body. The water was actually warm. Still, it was wet and it felt good to ease the tension from her body. She followed Matt out to a sandbar.
“This is my favorite place to watch the sunset,” he said. She could see why. The water was shimmering, as if topped with sparkling diamonds.
“Are those starfish?” she asked.
“Yes. Last winter there was a cold spell and a lot of them washed up on the beach. Volunteers helped get them back out to sea. Marine biologists say their efforts helped save more than half the local population.”
“I’ve always been fascinated by starfish and seahorses,” she said, and she bent down to get a better look.
He cleared his throat. “We have those, as well, though you probably have to snorkel in one of the coves to see them. We also have a great aquarium in town.”
“Cool. I’ll have to check it out.” It felt a bit strange, hanging out with this man she didn’t know, yet she was more relaxed than she’d been in months. Maybe it was the water, or the pure exhaustion of the day.
Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted something. She reached out to touch Matt’s arm. “Fin,” she said quietly as she backed away and tried to step off the sandbar for the shore.
He took her hand tightly. “Not what you think,” he whispered into her ear. “Watch.” Suddenly, a dolphin leaped through the air, splashing them on the way down.
Chelly let out a strangled laugh. “That totally scared me.” The dolphin leaped again and then there was another one. It was almost as if they were playing a game.
He laughed, too. “They come around this time to play and eat. You do have to watch for sharks, though, but that’s usually later in the summer. We have bull and tiger sharks that can sometimes be aggressive. But the dolphins are here pretty much year round, unless the water cools too much and then they swim south to Mexico.”
Sharks were on her list of things she never wanted to meet, but she trusted Matt to keep her safe. As the sun set, shivers traveled up her arms. He must have noticed because he glanced down to where he held her hand and let go. “You ready to eat?”
“Sure.”
Back on the beach he got a couple of towels from where the blanket had been stored on his bike and he handed her one. They ate their burgers and fries as the sun went down.
But it was far from dark. The moon was a bright globe in the night sky.
“This has been one of the best days I’ve had in a while,” she murmured. “Sitting here, watching the waves, I can almost forget all the crazy.”
“It’s the best place to just be. Sometimes I have trouble with that,” he said. “Sitting and being still. I prefer to stay busy. But this is the one spot where it’s easy for me to catch my breath.”
She had a feeling there was more to that story. What military men and women went through tore at her heart. But, like her, they didn’t appreciate pity, either.
“I have that same problem. Always on the go. I always have too many irons in the fire, but I kind of like it that way. However, I could do without the recent drama.”
Shoot. That just slipped out.
He leaned back on his arms and glanced over at her. “If it helps, you can talk about it. I’d assumed you’re on the run from something or someone.”
She grinned. “So you think I might be a criminal, but you’re hanging out with me, anyway?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You’re a really good salesperson, so I’m not complaining. Hey, the fact is you made me thousands of dollars today and gave me every cent. You refused the cash even though you deserved it for all the hard work you did.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m not on the run from any criminal activities. And I’m not a con man or—con person—or...whatever—” She gave an unladylike snort. “Sorry. That’s just funny to me. The sales thing, well, that’s a passion for old stuff, really. I mentioned it’s my thing.”
“You drove all night from Nashville, why the rush?”
I had to get the heck out of Dodge.
When she didn’t answer right away, he said, “You don’t have to tell me.”
“My ex,” she said. Why not say it? This guy had been nothing but kind to her, and she’d probably never see him again. “We broke up a while ago, but he didn’t seem to get the memo. When he threw a tantrum at the diner where I was working, I realized it probably wasn’t safe for me to be there.”
Matt quickly sat up. “Did he hurt you?” He very nearly growled the words.
“No. He scared me...bad. Frightened me, actually. I wanted nothing to do with him after that. And when I wouldn’t accept his apology... It’s complicated.”
“What happened?”
“He came to the diner again, caused a big scene in front of everyone. I’d been full-time there so a lot of the customers knew me. It was creepy, embarrassing. I took off and never looked back.”
She shifted to her side. Her story sounded like an episode from one of those crime shows on TV. How had her life slipped so far out of control? “That was the second time it had happened, and my boss said if it happened a third time, he was calling the cops. I couldn’t blame him. I was thinking the same thing.”
“I hate jerks who harass women. They should be locked up.”
Yup. She really liked this guy.
“It’s okay, Marine. I told you, I got out of that situation.”
“True. Please, finish your story.”
“We’d only been dating a few months and he seemed really great and attentive. But when he drank, I wasn’t so sure about his emotional stability. And that guy, I wanted nothing to do with him. That’s why I booked it. It was just easier. And Nashville was so not the right place for me. I mean, it’s a great town and all, just not my style.”
He’d probably think she was a runner and he wouldn’t be wrong. She hated confrontation, and when things got too tough she did have a habit of walking away. Her parents would be the first to sing hallelujah to that. She’d never stuck with anything for very long and as such was a constant disappointment to them.
But then, they weren’t exactly aces in her book, either. She hadn’t run so much as been pushed out of their house.
“You shouldn’t have had to leave town. Your home. That guy should be taught a lesson.” Matt sounded like he might want to teach that lesson. Did Matt have a violent streak? So far, all indications were he was about as kind as they came.
He was taking her side in all this, that’s it, which was what friends did. And she could definitely use one of those right now.
“I’ll be honest, it wasn’t much of a home. I’d only been there for a year. I’ve been traveling a lot. Roots haven’t been important to me for a long time. That’s why I was working at the diner. Easiest job to find in that area.”
He shook his head. “Wow. That still stinks. I’m sorry.”
She laughed. It was kind of absurd—the last year. It was like the universe was trying to show her something and she wasn’t seeing it. “I’ve developed a few trust issues, it’s true.”
“Who wouldn’t?”
Chelly tried not to hold on to anger and disappointment. They were useless emotions, but sometimes it was hard.
He leaned back again. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad time. I’ve only known you a day, but you seem pretty nice. And no one deserves to be treated like that.”
No pity, just kindness. She appreciated that.
“Thanks. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?” And then she slapped a hand across her mouth. Why did she keep saying such dumb things? “Sorry.”
He frowned. “For what?”
“I keep saying silly things like that around you. I’m sure you’ve had to deal with really serious things—way tougher than anything I might have been through. I mean, nothing compares to what you guys have to endure when you’re deployed. I’ve heard stories from some of the veterans at the diner. I’m always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time—”
“You don’t need to be careful with me,” he said. “My parents walked on eggshells whenever I came home, and it drove me crazy. Mom tried to put whale sounds in my room to keep me calm. Well, I kind of liked the whales. But I do what I do because I like the idea of making a difference. Being a Marine does that for me. And I’ve had it easier than most.
“Mom and Dad always did things their own way. We were never what you’d call normal. Of course, I’d give anything to have them around now to drive me nuts. Just know, with me, you can say whatever you want. I don’t ever think about comparing my life with anyone’s. Everybody goes through tough times. Sounds like you’ve had your fair share.”
Until I met you today. “I had a Sunday school teacher once who said that sometimes we put obstacles in our path, and sometimes they are put there to guide us down the right path. I never really understood that until this year. I don’t know where my path is going, but Nashville was definitely a wrong turn for me. I learned a lot of lessons there, none of which I intend to repeat.”
“I don’t usually believe in all those universe theories, but something good led you to my estate sale today, so I’m grateful.”
Shoot. She was grateful for the change of subject. “That’s sweet. I was glad to help.”
“Can I ask you something?” He shifted from where he’d been sitting.
“Sure. You know the majority of my darkest secrets.” At least the most recent ones.
“Why don’t you do this—the antiques thing—for a living?”
She glanced away from him and stared out at the water. Her dream had been so close to her heart for so long. Each time she thought she might be a step closer, something else happened.
“Hey,” he said, touching her shoulder lightly, and she looked at him. “No judgments. I promise.”
He stared at her intently. She could get so lost in those eyes.
Friend. Keep him in the friend zone.
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
3
MATT LIKED LISTENING to Chelly talk about her idea for a junk repurposing business. She was so passionate about it, and her hands and mouth were going a hundred miles an hour. The towel slipped off her shoulder and exposed her bikini top. Thankfully, those dolphins showed up when they did earlier, or she would have seen his erection. When she’d bent over to touch the starfish, he couldn’t look away from her perfect butt. She was curvy in all the right places and seemed so comfortable with her body. He liked a woman who was confident.
Chelly cleared her throat. “I’m boring you. Sorry.”
“Not at all. So you take the old furniture, like my mom has in the garage, and turn it around and sell it for a profit?”
“Your mom’s furniture, at least what I saw of it, you would never touch. Painting or staining those things can ruin the value of the piece. But like that one desk we sold today—the school desk? It’s something that I could paint or do a fun pattern on or switch it into something else and it would bring in more money than the original would.”
“And you want to sell online?” He was getting the gist and trying to think of a way to give her a hand. That was something his mom had instilled in him. When you could do something nice for someone, you did it.
“To start with, yes. Someday I’d love to also have a storefront. And my ultimate goal is to build up my cash reserves so I can buy a retail warehouse. I never want to be in debt, so I’d save up first. I’m thinking solar panels for the roof to get off the grid as much as possible and save on costs and spare the earth. I know it’s probably a long way off, but a girl’s gotta dream. I like being self-sustainable.”
“I get it,” he said. And he did. An idea began to form in his mind. “So what if...and it’s okay for you to say no.”
She bit her lip. He noticed she did that when she was worried. “What did you have in mind?”
“We might be able to help each other out and in the process get your business started.”
Her eyes widenened. She asked, “How?”
“It’s clear that I have no clue what to do with all of my parents’ belongings. Some of those furnishings I want to save for my place, which I’m going to start building, but the rest I need to sell. Maybe you could assist me with that. I could give you a percentage and then anything that you might be able to repurpose, you could have for your business. I’d only be taking those items to the dump or giving them to charity, anyway.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’d help you for free,” she said. Still, she wouldn’t look at him. He’d pay big bucks to know what she was thinking just then.
“Nope. I need an expert and this only works if I feel it’s fair. You made me over six thousand today. I realize I keep saying that, but it’s so much more than I ever imagined. You get that I have no experience at this, and you’d be protecting me, as well. Making sure I get decent prices. You could build up an inventory. I bet that’s important. My mom used to have a store, which is why we have all this crap in the first place.”
“She had an antiques store? Now it makes sense. Everything was from different time periods and styles, and I couldn’t figure out how she would fit all of that in one house.” She smiled then, and her gaze met his. “It’s not crap, by the way. She had exquisite taste.”
“See? That’s why I need you.” He did.
“Do you do this with everyone you meet? Try to fix them? Sort out their lives? Is that, like, your thing?”
He crossed his legs and sat up. “What do you mean?”
“Saving damsels in distress. You’re a Marine. You’re probably wired to rescue people.”
Maybe he was, but it started a long time before the Marines. “You don’t really seem the type that needs to be rescued. I was thinking more of you being the one to save me, which is why it’s okay if you say no. There won’t be any hard feelings on my part.”
She shook her head. “You’re kind of a wonder, Matt. I’m not sure what to think.”
Given what she’d been through, she probably was a little shy about trusting anyone. He had the same problem, and he wasn’t quite sure why he was inviting her into his life. Over the past few months he’d done little except focus on work and make lists about what he wanted in his new house. Thinking of building it was the only light he had at the end of the tunnel.
He’d been forcing himself to go out with his friends, but more than anything he wanted to be on his own. To live peacefully. Get everything organized so he could move forward. He liked things ordered.
He had a feeling chaos followed Chelly, but there was something special about her. Something that called to him. The last few hours on the beach had been some of the most peaceful he’d experienced.
“You said you wanted to sell your family home. Can I ask why?”
That caught him off guard. “I have some river property not far from here, where I’d like to build a place. With the sale of Mom and Dad’s house I can afford it. I’m not much of a suburb kind of guy. I like my privacy. I’ve been meeting with an architect the last few weeks, but I really have to get my parents’ home and furnishings settled first.”
She seemed to consider this. “You mentioned you wanted to save some of their possessions for your place. What kind of a place? A cabin?”
“Nah. Can I show you?” He got out his phone, opened a real estate app and presented her with a photo of the iconic Texas river house he wanted. “It’s called a Texas T. Family room and kitchen in the center with hallways off to other rooms. And I want limestone floors and whatever else makes it fit into the landscape naturally.”
She flipped through the pictures. “Wow. This is incredible.”
He wasn’t sure why it pleased him that she liked it so much, but it did. “Here, I’ll show you the view from where I’m hoping the family room will be.” He took the phone and opened a new file of photos and handed it back to her.
She blinked. “That’s your view? Looking right out on the river? It’s totally incredible. And those cliffs. It looks like something on a postcard.”
That’s what he’d been thinking. When he was a kid he used to play in the woods around there while his dad and uncle fished in the river. Where the house sat was up on a rise, but there were a hundred acres, most of that on the riverfront. He’d been offered top dollar for it, but it was one of the most quiet, peaceful places on earth, and no way was he giving it up.
“You said you picked out an architect? Do you have a designer?” Her words came quickly now, her excitement was contagious.
He smiled.
“I hadn’t thought about a designer,” he answered. “One of my friends, Brody, is marrying a designer. She looked over the plans for me and told me how to—what did she say?—oh, to maximize the view. I guess I figured I could just ask her. Though, Brody says she’s busier than ever these days.”
“Or I could do that. Help you, I mean.” She worried her bottom lip. “Sorry, it’s just when I saw what you wanted, and where it’s going to be, I had all these visions in my head. Like you should use river rock for the fireplace. And I’d do limestone in the kitchen, but you have to make sure it’s sealed really good. You might think about using bamboo flooring for the rest, though. It’ll be a little warmer in the winter and it wears really well. If you’re running around barefoot all the time, the limestone might be a bit rough on your feet. And the wood will give the place a homier feel.”
He’d never thought of that. He did like wood flooring.
“Or not,” she continued just as quickly. “Like I said, I tend to jump into things pretty fast. That’s why I wasn’t so sure about your offer with the business. It’s been my experience, especially lately, that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Whether that be business or men.”
He didn’t blame her. “I get that. So in the spirit of being honest, before we get started you should maybe know that I like things done a certain way, and it’s hard for me to let go of that.”
“I’m kind of the opposite. If we’re going to do this, you’ll have to trust me to handle the details.”
A long moment passed before he said, “I guess it won’t hurt to try. I’d be willing to draw up a contract for you to organize, sell and repurpose my parents’ stuff. How do you feel about a sixty-forty split?”
“If I’m getting the forty, I can roll with that.”
He’d been thinking the split should go the other way, since she’d be doing a hundred percent of the work. “Okay, if that’s what you want. But it would be fairer if you took the bigger—”
“I take forty,” she interrupted. “I’d be happier with thirty. Forty seems really high.”
“Nope. That’s where I draw the line. I’d feel like I was taking advantage of you.”
She shrugged. “I’m guessing this is how nice people do business.”
They both laughed.
“For help with the river house, come up with a flat fee to charge me for your design ideas and dealing with the architect. I know what I like, but getting that across to folks—I’m not always the best communicator.”
She snorted and then clapped a hand over her mouth. He kind of loved that she did that. “That’s so not true. You’re easy to talk to. Maybe it’s the other people who are doing the bad listening.” She grinned.
“You might be right. So, good. Oh, and there’s one more thing.”
The grin disappeared.
“I know how to build a website. I did one for my mom’s business several years ago.” His friends called him a geek, but he was the go-to guy when computers, phones or anything else broke. He’d always liked tinkering with things, machines in general. He was a pilot, but he was also a fully vetted helicopter mechanic.
“Now you’re scaring me,” she said. And he could see that he really did. “You’re a little too perfect. Definitely an ax murderer, right?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m far from perfect. Just ask anyone who knows me.” On the base he’d been reamed for not playing well with others. But he just liked to keep to himself. Though, he really had been trying to do better. The CO’s team-building events had forced it on him, but they’d also helped him to not be a complete loner, which was probably a plus.
“Honestly, ax murderer or not, I can’t wait to get started.” Then her face fell again.