Caught in the Current (Pacific Shores Book 2) (19 page)

Reece stepped back, and if he felt disappointment, he did a good job of disguising it. Sorrow pierced her. Was she being like Riley? Refusing to let go of things she needed to in order to move on with the life God wanted for her? But she wasn’t doing this for herself. She was doing it for Reece. That made a difference, didn’t it?

She shook her head. If people could read her crazy, mixed-up thoughts most days, they’d lock her in a loony bin for sure.

Reece lifted Alyssa from the couch and nodded to the opposite corner of the living room. “Her bag is over there.”

“Okay, here’s the keys to my car.” She set her mug onto the tray on the coffee table and slipped the keys into his hand. “I’ll just grab her bag and meet you out there.”

Marie headed over and lifted the backpack, but Alyssa had not zipped it, and all the contents tumbled out as the front flap fell completely open. Marie grunted frustration and bent to stuff everything back inside. Zipping the bag, she slung it over one shoulder and turned to head outside.

Mrs. Cahill stood in the middle of the room behind her, arms folded.

Marie gasped and put one hand to her chest. “Sorry. You startled me!” Where had she been a moment ago when she and Reece were talking? As she took note of the decidedly unfriendly expression on the woman’s face, she swallowed. “What’s wrong? Did Alyssa—”

Darlene shot a huff of disgust through her nostrils that cut Marie off midsentence. “Alyssa was fine.” She tossed a glance over her shoulder at the door Reece had disappeared through. “It’s you I’m here to talk about.” Her focus swung to the fore once more and pinned Marie like a bug to a scientist’s display board. “You and my son.”

“Reece and me?” The repetitive question squeaked on exit, making Marie feel even tinier. But she cleared her throat and lifted her chin. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what she might have done to displease the woman.

Darlene tilted her head, and one penciled eyebrow shot toward her hairline like a misbehaving bat. “Listen…I know you already know this, but Reece has been a good boy—a good man—all his life. I just don’t want to see him throw all that hard work away.”

Throw it away? On a woman like her, Darlene meant. Marie’s heart sank. She’d known she felt that way. But until now she hadn’t had any proof. It had all been guesses—pretty good guesses based on the woman’s actions—but guesses nonetheless.

Of course, what mother would want her son to throw his life away on a woman who’d spent her early years sleeping with any man who would have her?

Marie didn’t have one word of defense for herself.

Darlene shifted and dragged one toe along the meandering thread of mortar that held the slate floor together. “I know you are trying to get your life together, but if you care at all for Reece, please let him go.”

Anger bubbled up like an underground lava flow that had finally found a means of escape. Why was it everyone seemed to think she had somehow set her claws into him? “Let him go?” Marie spread her hands. “I don’t have any kind of hold on him. In fact, the very things you’re saying are what I’ve also been saying to him. So trust me, Mrs. Cahill, you’re not telling me anything I didn’t already know.” Marie brushed past her, battening down her anger as best she could. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see my way out.”

Why was she so angry when Darlene was only telling her what she had already been telling herself? Marie loosed a vocal burst of anger that came out part hoarse whisper, part guttural grunt.

Reece had left the front door open for her, and Marie suddenly realized just how fast she was moving. She thrust her hands to the doorposts to stop herself before she burst out the door and Reece witnessed how angry she was. Breathe. Just breathe.

Reece tucked Alyssa into her car seat, made sure her little head was resting comfortably on her blanket, and then closed her door and hurried around to the driver’s door to lean in and start the car. The late evening air was a little nippy, and he wanted to keep the inside warm.

He leaned against the car next to the driver’s door and folded his arms, tipping his head back to study the patterns of the stars overhead. Far down the hill, the ocean’s subtle shushing played an undertone to the evening symphony all around him. Wind in the trees, crickets and frogs, the soft hoot of an owl, and somewhere a coyote baying at the moon.

He’d just realized it was taking Marie a bit longer to follow him out than anticipated, and started to wonder what the delay might be, when she strode around the corner of the house. One thumb hooked in the shoulder strap of Alyssa’s little bag, she kept her gaze to the ground. But there was a tautness about her demeanor that made him stand upright. “Marie?”

She looked up. And he would have sworn the smile she pasted on was as fake as a three-dollar bill. “Thanks again for watching Alyssa.” She made to brush past him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He scooted over a few inches so that when he leaned against the car once more, he prevented her from opening the driver’s door.

Releasing a little grunt, she tilted her face to the ground, but not before he caught the jut of her jaw. Still, somehow he knew the anger wasn’t directed at him. He glanced back toward the house, a furrow forming on his brow. “What is it, Marie?”

Her teeth were still clenched crooked when she finally lifted her face. She rested one hand on his forearms, which were crossed over his chest. And just the gentle warmth of her fingers sent a surge to his pulse. “I’ll be fine, Reece. It just really has been a long day.”

Concern tugged at him. He wasn’t sure she was giving him the whole story, but now might not be the best time to discuss it. Forcing himself away from her car, he turned and opened her door for her. “Do you need me to drive you home?”

She bent and tossed Alyssa’s bag across to the passenger seat, and then touched his shoulder as she sank into the driver’s seat. “No, thanks. I’ll be fine.”

But as he watched her pull out of the drive, Reece wondered if either of them would ever be fine again.

Chapter 15

Wednesday passed in a blur, and before Marie knew it, she’d dropped Alyssa off at her Daisies class and was sitting in the back row of the Wednesday night Bible study. She checked out the slides on the large TVs to either side of the sanctuary and noted the passage they would be in tonight, then called up the correct passage on her iPad and pushed out a slow breath.

Starting tomorrow she would be around Reece for three days in a row. She was all at once thrilled and terrified at the thought.

She turned her eyes to the round stained-glass window near the peak of the gable. Lord, I just don’t want to be the reason for anyone’s life to be messed up. I’ve messed up my own life enough. So help me to know what to do. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. His mother certainly seems to think I’m not the right woman for him.

She felt someone slip into the seat to her right.

Had Reece said he was coming? She hadn’t been expecting him. She glanced over and blinked.

Riley looked at her hesitantly and then tucked a strand of her red-blonde hair behind her ear uncertainly. Her blue eyes held a bit of trepidation. “I hope this is okay?”

Joy trilled through Marie. “Okay?” She threw her arms around the woman. “It’s fabulous! I’m so glad you came!”

Riley seemed to relax. “Oh, good. I wasn’t sure if it was okay to just show up. I was so happy to see you the second I walked in.” She gave a sheepish stretch of her lips.

Marie squeezed her hand. “We’re just about to start, but can I get you some tea or coffee? There’re cookies too.”

Riley’s brow furrowed. “Are we allowed to eat in here?”

“Yes.” Marie stood. “Which do you prefer?”

Riley glanced around like she was realizing for the first time these were real down-to-earth people she sat among. “Coffee, I guess. One cream. No sugar. And yeah, I’ll take a cookie.” Her cheeks pinked, and she laid one hand over her rounding belly.

Marie patted her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

Marie grabbed herself a cup of coffee and a cookie also, so Riley wouldn’t feel self-conscious, and then hurried back so she wouldn’t be alone for too long. When she stepped through the sanctuary doors, it was to see Reece sitting in the space next to hers and a broad-shouldered blond man she didn’t recognize sitting next to him. Reece was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and hands clasped together, and chatting quietly with Riley.

Marie squeezed past him and his friend and handed Riley her cup and napkin with a cookie, then sank onto the bench. She glanced between the two of them. “I see you two have met?”

Reece shrugged one shoulder. “Actually I saw you get up and walk away, so I figured I’d just keep your friend company while you were gone.”

He sat back and gestured to his friend. “This is my former boss, Justus Teague. He had a couple of weeks’ vacation coming to him and decided he had nothing better to do than help me with repairs at Serenity Shores,” Reece teased, but there was appreciation in the tilt of his lips.

“Nice to meet you, Justus.” Marie stretched a hand past Reece, and Justus shook it with a firm grasp.

“Likewise.”

Marie then sat back and swept a gesture to Riley. “And this is my friend Riley. This is her first time here tonight, so thanks for keeping her company.”

Reece stretched a hand in front of Marie to shake Riley’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Sorry I didn’t think to introduce myself sooner.”

Marie went soft inside. He was so thoughtful to make Riley feel welcome and included.

Riley still had a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights look as she shook first Reece’s hand and then Justus’s. She deflected his concern with assurances all was fine. But then she turned to look at Marie. “The bouquet guy?”

Reece’s warm chuckle accompanied the heat that flared through Marie’s cheeks and the arching of Justus’s brows.

Reece stretched one arm along the back of the pew behind Marie and held out a thumbs-up to Riley. “Yes, I am the bouquet guy. Those were nice, weren’t they? A guy should get a lot of credit for bringing something like that to a woman’s work, shouldn’t he?”

Riley grinned, the first true happiness Marie had seen from her since she walked in. “Oh no you don’t, Slick. I’m not going to gang up with you on Marie. If you can’t win her on your own merit, then you don’t deserve her.”

Justus guffawed and slapped Reece on the back at that. “She’s got your number.”

Reece only laughed and squeezed Marie around the shoulders. “Wow, I’m going to have to find you some nicer friends.” But there was no animosity in the words, and Riley’s tinkling laughter proved she’d taken the teasing well.

“You better watch out for this guy, Marie.”

“I know.” Marie eyed Reece, feeling a warm contentment momentarily override her concern for his reputation. Would it be so bad to let this wonderful man fully into her life?

Movement across the room drew her attention to the Blackburn twins, who spoke low with a small group of women. Several of them kept casting not-so-subtle looks in her direction. One of the twins actually rolled her eyes at Marie, then shook her blonde hair over one shoulder and plopped down on a bench.

A cold chill stole Marie’s contentment, and she leaned forward, hoping Reece would take the hint and remove his arm from behind her.

Slowly he did, as the study leader stepped into the podium. But when Reece leaned forward onto his elbows, a hard lump had formed in his jaw and his gaze was fixed in the direction of the Blackburn twins.

It was only a moment later that he leaned close and whispered, “I see the pearls, Marie. If others can only see the sand, it’s their loss. Please don’t make it mine.”

Marie closed her eyes, willing away the agony washing through her. Why did this decision have to be so hard? Why did it bring Reece pain no matter which path she took?

Reece pulled his truck to a stop in the garage, yanked the keys from the ignition, and sank his head against the headrest as the electric door trundled its way closed. Why was it that church people could be some of the most uncaring, uncompassionate people on the planet?

Pain sliced into his palm, and he eased up on the strength with which he fisted the keys.

His feet felt heavy and weighted as he swung them to the cold cement and banged the truck door shut. A press of the fob chirped the locks into place, and he pushed wearily into the house.

The worst part was, it hadn’t only been the Blackburn twins. Mom had been there too. In another part of the building with her own Bible study group, but at the end of the night when she’d walked by them as they were talking in the foyer, she had given Marie such a disdain-filled glower that he’d wanted to grab her and make her apologize right then and there.

Marie had stiffened noticeably, and been distant for the rest of what remained of the short evening.

Dakota arrived and Marie introduced her to Riley, and the three of them chatted, and since Justus excused himself soon after, Reece felt like a fourth leg on a three-legged stool. But he wanted one more chance to talk to Marie before the night ended.

After Dakota and Riley left, Marie bid him a rather frosty good evening, but not before she asked him once more not to make any more grand gestures.