Caught in the Current (Pacific Shores Book 2) (9 page)

Dakota made a dismissive sound. “We all had a lot of growing up to do.”

Dakota was being kind, but Marie just smiled and was thankful for the beginning of a new friendship.

Then a thought struck. Maybe the woman could be the answer to her prayers? Marie tasted the salad, debating whether to forge ahead, then decided she had nothing to lose. “Dakota, do you have a job yet?”

Her eyes sparkled. “Yes, actually. I’ll be working at a local battered women’s shelter this year.”

“House of Hope?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

Doing her best to curb her disappointment, Marie waved her off. “You’ll be perfect for that job. Starting next Monday I’m going to need a sitter. The woman who’s been watching Alyssa is moving. But I’ll figure something out.”

Footsteps sounded from behind her. “I’ll watch her till you find something more permanent.”

Marie’s stomach dropped at the familiar masculine voice.

Reece slid onto the bench between her and Dakota.

If he watched Alyssa, she’d be forced to see him every day. His knee brushed hers, and a pleasant sensation curled through her. Would that be so bad? She gave herself a mental shake. “Oh, I couldn’t ask that of you. You’re going to have plenty to do around here. The last thing you need is a little girl to watch.”

“But I want him to watch me, Mommy! Me and Tawny can play together all day!”

Marie glanced over to see that all Alyssa’s fears where the dog was concerned had apparently vanished. She was currently standing next to the panting golden retriever with her arms wrapped firmly around its neck.

“It’ll be fine,” Reece assured.

Marie chewed her lip, studying him. “I can only pay minimum wage.”

He rubbed a finger over the stubble on his upper lip. “I’ll take it out of your paycheck.”

There was a way he wouldn’t have to pay her at all! Excitement bubbled up in Marie, and before she could stop herself, she blurted, “We could just trade. I’ll decorate the cabins for you in exchange for you watching her while I’m at work. And in the meantime, I’ll keep looking for a better solution.”

Reece’s jaw jutted out to one side. “I think decorators normally get paid a lot more than babysitters.”

“Maybe, but I’m by no means a professional decorator.”

He winked. “And I’m by no means a professional kid sitter.”

She laughed. “You’re sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely.”

Taysia and Kylen dropped onto the bench across the table just then.

“What’s going on?” Taysia asked.

Dakota’s eyes lit up. “Reece is going to watch Alyssa for Marie in exchange for some decorating to the Serenity Shores cabins.”

“Nice.” Taysia eyed Marie’s “new” shirt with a bit of a frown, but when Marie pointed from Alyssa to the ketchup bottle to her shirt, Taysia’s brows rose in understanding, and she covered the mirth which sprang to her lips with the fingers of one hand.

Marie gave her the meanest fake glower she could muster and stuck out her tongue.

Taysia morphed her features into a look of pretend shock.

Marie grinned. And that’s when she noticed Reece sat, hat pushed back, frozen with his cold burger halfway to his mouth, watching them with amusement dancing in his eyes.

Heat filled Marie’s cheeks, and she concentrated on her plate and eating for the next few minutes.

Reece had barely downed half his burger and a couple bites of salad when partygoers started stopping by to greet him and say how happy they were to have him home again. Most of them also included Dakota in their comments to the point that Marie was getting annoyed until she reminded herself that she had just said the very same thing to Reece only minutes ago in the hallway. Everyone else was only seeing what she’d already seen. Dakota would be perfect for Reece.

She swallowed and forced down another bite of her burger.

She was glad for the distraction Kylen and Taysia offered as they visited with her. Kylen’s new PI business was going well, even though it took him away from home sometimes for days at a time.

Partway through their conversation, Kylen and Taysia put their foreheads together, and for a few moments it was like she didn’t exist. They both seemed happy and still so in love at times like this it made Marie’s heart ache to see them together.

She glanced away and caught Reece looking from her to them and back, even though he was having a conversation with Blaine Pittman and Sophia Clinesmith.

Blaine had been Reece’s youth pastor for years, and she’d heard he’d been seeing Sophia lately, hard as that was to believe.

Remorse immediately seized her. Who was she to talk?

Sophia had given her heart to the Lord not long after Marie had, and there had been a definite change in her life. And in a small town like Marinville, Marie knew from personal experience how hard it was to be liberated from who you were in the past.

Lord, forgive me. She rubbed her forehead. I of all people have no right to think such things about her. Help her and Blaine to be happy together.

Blaine was holding Sophia’s son by the hand. Marie had heard his father had been killed in a car accident a couple years before. He was only a little older than Alyssa.

Taysia and Kylen stood. “We’re going to help clean up.” Taysia squeezed her shoulder. “See you tomorrow. Ky and I are on preschool duty.”

“Oh, okay. See you then.”

After Alyssa got a small piece of cake and ice cream, a pen and paper kept her happily drawing stick figures.

Marie felt out of place waiting so long for Reece, but since Dan had disappeared, he was her ride home, and he still needed to show her the cabins he wanted her to work on. She hoped she would be up to the task of decorating them.

As she waited for Reece and Dakota to finish chatting with the elderly Mrs. Murton, who lived down on Second, she turned her gaze to the never-ending surf that battered at the shoreline. Large rocks, some of them the size of houses, broke up the flat flooring of the water, and atop one a large sea lion sunned himself.

She certainly wouldn’t lack for decorating inspiration in this place. She supposed they were all rather spoiled by such vistas around here. The sea lion lowed and turned over, and Alyssa didn’t even lift her head. Especially during the summer, the colony that lived offshore was a common sight.

Finally Mrs. Murton said her good-byes, clutched both Reece and Dakota’s hands, then tottered off. Her ancient Cadillac would be parked somewhere along the street in the shade with all the windows rolled down so her Pomeranian would be comfortable. He never jumped out, and no one ever dared reach into the car. The dog might be small and old, but the couple of teeth he had left could still draw blood quicker than a surgeon’s blade.

Dakota said something quietly to Reece, and he responded in kind. Did Dan ever talk to her like that? Marie wished he would have at least let her know where he was going.

She pressed her lips together and tried to focus on the undersea picture Alyssa was drawing and make herself invisible. She didn’t want to get in the way of whatever was building between them as they talked quietly.

Okay, that was a lie. She bit the inside of her lip. She shouldn’t get in the way of it.

Marie realized with a start that Alyssa had drawn the scene in the bay, but with the sea life underwater also showing. It was a bit crude, but she could see the rocks in the bay, the lump she assumed was the sea lion, and even a passable likeness of the driftwood log she could see down the beach a ways—but Alyssa had drawn it floating on the water. Her undersea creatures included a couple of chubby fish and a starfish.

Marie was kind of impressed. But it was probably just her mother pride shining through. She rested a hand on Alyssa’s head. “Your picture’s really nice, honey.”

Alyssa beamed. “Maybe Mr. Reece will want to put it on his fridge!”

“I sure will!” Reece twisted on the bench and gave his attention to Alyssa.

Marie looked up to see Dakota gathering her things.

“Bye.” Dakota waved with a friendly smile.

“Bye. And if it’s alright, I’ll call you to talk sometime later this week?” She held her breath, knowing the offer of friendship was coming a little too late from her.

But Dakota beamed and gave her a thumbs-up. “Sounds good.” The slim blonde bustled across the lawn, and Marie wondered if she did anything slowly.

She looked back to find Reece studying her from beneath the brim of his hat.

She blinked and returned her attention to Alyssa’s work in progress, but she could still feel him studying her. She looked up again. “What?”

He held his silence for a beat, but the studiousness around his eyes softened. Finally he answered, “Just enjoying the view.”

Even though her face heated, she pretended to misunderstand him. She turned her focus toward the panoramic vista before them. “You really do have a great view from here.”

He made a sound, half grunt, half humor, but only said, “Where’s Dan?”

She shrugged. “He may have had to rush off to work.” Which she highly doubted, but hoped it didn’t come through in her tone.

“I see.” He said it like a whole world of understanding had just been opened up to him.

Marie wanted to argue that no, he didn’t see. That she and Dan didn’t have any problems. But since she knew that wasn’t really true, she instead let it drop. “So…I need to get Alyssa home to bed here soon. Can we look at the cabins now?”

“But Mommy! I’m drawing!”

“I know, honey. Bring your paper and pen. You can draw some more up at the cabins.”

“Okay.” Alyssa sighed as though she was making a big concession for them.

Marie pressed her lips together and noticed Reece doing his best to hide a smirk as well. Marie rested a hand on Alyssa’s head as they all rose from the table. “She loves to draw.”

Darlene emerged from the house to grab the last two bowls off the buffet. She rested one bowl on each hip and eyed them with concern. “Where are you going?”

Reece seemed to ignore her question. “Mom, did you even get a chance to eat?”

Her lips pursed, and her gaze darted to Marie and then back to her son. “I’m fine. Where are you going?”

Reece directed a thumb Marie’s way. “Marie is going to help me get the cabins finalized so we can start renting them next month.”

“And I’m gonna draw!” Alyssa held up her pen and paper.

To her credit, Darlene smiled at the little girl. “That sounds like fun.”

“In fact”—Reece squatted down by Alyssa’s side and secured her attention—“how would you like to draw at the dining room table with my mom while she eats something?”

“Yay!” Alyssa dashed into the house before Darlene could offer any disagreement.

Marie started after her, but Darlene cut her off. “It’s fine. I do need to eat something, and I’ll enjoy her company.”

Uncertainty quaked in Marie’s middle. “If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure.” Darlene turned to her son then. “I invited Dakota for lunch tomorrow. She’s a wonderful Christian girl. You should get to know her better. Please plan to be here.” Darlene tossed Marie one last pointed glance and headed back toward the house.

Marie pressed her lips together and studied the ground.

Yes. She’d gotten the message, loud and clear.

Chapter 8

Reece gritted his teeth. There was no need for Mom to talk like that in front of Marie. She could try to set him up with Dakota all she wanted, but after what he’d seen of Dan and Marie’s relationship, he had renewed hope that he might have a chance with her, if she would have him.

He called after Mom, “You won’t mind if Marie and Alyssa join us, will you?”

Beside him, Marie hissed something under her breath.

Mom spun back toward him, and he folded his arms and waited for her response, knowing what it would be.

“N-no. That would be fine, dear.”

He nodded in satisfaction. “Good. We’ll plan on it, then.”

Teeth clenched, he placed a hand to Marie’s back and guided her toward the narrow trail up to the three cabins Dad had built on the bluff.

As soon as Mom was out of sight, Marie spun on him. “What was that all about? What if I have plans for tomorrow?”

Her blue eyes had a certain glint to them that let him know he was living perilously close to the edge. His heart rate kicked up a notch, because he suddenly realized how inviting that edge really was. In fact, if it meant getting to look into those blue eyes every day for the rest of his life, he wanted to dive off and pull her with him. Dad had said sometimes a guy had to fight for what he wanted. He would take things slow. But he was pretty sure if she had changed in all the ways it appeared she had, she was definitely going to be a woman worth fighting for. “Do you?”

“Do I what?” She threw up her hands.

He folded his arms and settled into his heels, resisting the urge to take her in his arms and confess that all the years of trying to suppress his feelings for her had vanished like smoke in the wind the moment he’d laid eyes on her in the grocery store this morning.

Heaven help him, she was beautiful.

So much for slow. A smile begged for release, but he kept it in check. “Do you have plans for tomorrow?”

“Well…” She spun away from him and shoved her fingers into her hair as she strode up the path. “No, I guess I don’t.”

He hurried after her. “Good. Then will you come to lunch with me?”

“Reece, can’t you see? It’s obvious even your mother knows Dakota is the right woman for you. She’s trying to set you up. And she doesn’t want me here. And she’s right. Dakota is a wonderful Christian woman any man would be blessed to get to know better.”

“So are you.”

“I’m not available.” There was a note of near desperation in her tone. Was she trying to convince him? Or herself?

He swallowed and angled himself to where he could see her face again. “I think a man should get to decide what woman he wants to spend time with, don’t you?”

She picked up her pace and put her back to him again. “Yes. I suppose. But some men don’t seem to know what’s good for them.”

He grinned, strode out in front of her, and walked backward so he could see her face. “And…you’re not good for me?”