Lake Magic (31 page)

That night, when she’d stood next to Jared by the edge of the lake, something vital inside of her had changed. Jared wasn’t a man who opened up often—if at all. Yet he’d opened up to her. Told her things she knew, just knew, he’d never revealed to anyone else. That meant something. That meant a lot of somethings.

She picked up a pencil then made the necessary notes in her ledger regarding the day’s charter. She closed the book and rubbed her temples, knowing that her headache had nothing to do with Blue Sky and everything to do with Jared. No matter where she was or what she was doing, he was there. It was as if he had decided to put out an all-strike attack on her senses. And he was winning the battle. She tried to avoid him, but he made that impossible. Twice, he’d caught her in the hall after a shower. She’d thought she was alone, that she was safe to dash the short distance from the bathroom to her room. But the minute she’d opened up the door, covered only in a towel, he was standing directly in front of her. His gaze devoured her like she was a candy store of pure sin, and he wanted to taste every last piece.

And it didn’t end there. Whenever they were together, his body had a habit of accidentally touching hers. Though something told her those were no accidents. His arm would brush against her side as he reached for his coffee. Every so often, he’d show up in her office and lean across her shoulder to see what she was working on. His warm breath fanned across the back of her neck, his chest pressing against her back.

In the evenings, he’d insist on joining her on the couch. As they talked about the business, his shoulder would rub against hers, and the hard length of his thigh would press against her thigh. Each touch was a shockwave that went straight through her. When she finally escaped him and reached the safety of her room, she realized they’d talked very little about the business and more about her. Without her even realizing it, he had a way of steering the conversation until she ended up confiding things to him she hadn’t told anyone else. Not even Steven. She rubbed her hand across her forehead again and closed her eyes. She couldn’t explain it or even understand it. How had he made her open up and let him in that far to her soul?

Except for the night on the beach when she’d held nothing back, Jenny had thought she’d done a good job of hiding her reactions to him. But last night had changed all that. She’d been sitting on the couch when Jared had walked into the room. Earlier, he’d built a fire in the large river rock fireplace. The fire snapped and popped, and rain pattered against the windows. The warm glow from the fire and the single lamp near the couch had been the only light in the room. She’d started to get up, to head to her bedroom, because being near him was her own personal kind of sensual hell. But as she stood, he took hold of her wrist. Gently, he turned her hand over and lightly ran his fingertip across her palm, caressing a scratch she’d gotten earlier that day.

“What happened here?” he’d asked, the firelight softening his strong jaw and warming his blue eyes.

Her heart had beat a little faster, and she’d gotten light-headed as his fingertip traced the outline of the cut. “Nothing,” she said, feeling a pull in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t about to admit to him that the knife she’d been using to cut her sandwich had slipped when she’d heard his voice. That’s all it had taken, just the sound of his voice for her to lose all concentration.

“Looks like it needs a Band-Aid.” And then he’d raised her palm to his mouth and lightly kissed the small sore. The feel of his lips against her skin had nearly sent her over the edge once more. A tingle had started in her palm, then spread up her arms, across her breast, until it pooled deep in her belly. The moment she’d recognized the feeling for what it was—pure, undiluted desire—she’d snatched her hand away.

For so many years, her dreams had been filled with a sandy-haired man with an open smile and twinkling green eyes. But lately, as she twisted and turned in bed at night, Steven’s image was replaced by another’s: a man with hair as dark as the ebony sky, a mouth too sensual to resist, and deep, deep blue eyes that spoke of on open wanting but also hid a world of secrets.

“Jenny? We’re here.”

The sound of her sister’s voice startled her back to the present. Jumping up, she went out to the hallway. There, Anna and Cody waited for her. It was Saturday, and that meant another weekend with her nephew.

“I didn’t hear you pull in.”

“We’ve been hanging outside for a few minutes. Cody wanted to watch the plane take off.”

Jenny smiled at her nephew. “Hi, Cody.”

“Hey, Aunt Jenny.” He looked only marginally happier to be here this weekend.

Anna set his small carry-on-size suitcase on the floor. “When I talked to Mom this week, she said you were so preoccupied at lunch on Wednesday, you hardly said a word.”

“Seems like the two of you would have something better to talk about than me.”

“
You’re
all Mom ever wants to talk about.”

“We both know that is so not true,” Jenny replied curtly.

“I didn’t mean to start an argument.” Anna let out the barest of sighs. “Cody has a another game this Sunday. Can you take him.”

It wasn’t a question. Once again, her sister just assumed that Blue Sky was a recreational pastime. Jenny wanted to refuse, to tell her sister she needed to start understanding that Jenny’s job was just as important as hers.

“Big surprise,” Cody said with more disdain than Jenny thought possible in a thirteen-year-old. “Another game you’re gonna miss.”

“Cody—” her sister started.

“Forget it,” he snapped and stomped off to the family room.

Anna smoothed her perfectly done hair and gave Jenny a smile. “Don’t worry. He’s just going through a stage. The game is at two. Will you be able to take him?”

Jenny looked down the hallway to where her nephew had disappeared. She couldn’t shake the feeling that under all that malcontent was an aching little boy. “Yes, I’ll take him.”

“You’re a lifesaver. The game is on Whitman Field this week.” Anna dug in her designer purse and pulled out a slip of paper. “Here’s the address. And, Jenny?”

“Yes?”

“Please make sure he completes his homework this weekend. He was up until ten last Sunday.”

Not waiting for a response, Anna breezed past her and headed toward the family room. Jenny followed but at a slower pace. Her sister was nothing if not consistent.

“Bye, Cody. I’ll see you Sunday night.”

He didn’t answer, and when Anna leaned down to give him a parting kiss to the top of his head, Jenny saw how he tipped away to avoid the contact.

Anna straightened, smiled one last time at Jenny, then was out the door. Several long moments passed before Cody spoke.

“Thanks for taking me to the game, Aunt Jenny.”

All of a sudden, he seemed so young and forlorn, she wanted to get up and hug him. But she knew he wanted that as much as he’d wanted to wear the orange life jacket. How many times had he told her he wasn’t a baby and didn’t want to be treated like one? Still, she found it hard to stay seated. “I’m looking forward to it.” She searched for something else to say. Something that would help ease that look of hurt in his eyes. “You packed light this time.”

“Huh?”

She motioned to the backpack next to him on the couch. “Only a backpack and a small suitcase. Where are all the bags of groceries? Or does your mom trust my cooking now since you came home alive last week?”

A tiny crack of a smile appeared and brought out his right dimple. “No. I told her you weren’t doing the cooking, Jared was.”

“And she trusts him, without even trying what he’s made?”

“Yeah.”

“Sisterly love.”

Cody giggled, and his smile made her feel like she’d accomplished something worthwhile for the first time this week.

“Oh. Aunt Jen?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s my turn to bring snacks to the game for the team.”

Thanks, Sis
. “This doesn’t involve cooking, does it?”

Cody laughed harder. “Naw. Just some pop and candy.”

Jenny highly doubted that, but she’d figure it out tomorrow. And the more she thought about Cody’s game, the more excited she actually got. For a few hours at least, she’d be away from Jared and all the emotions he kept stirring awake inside of her.

Sunday morning, Cody woke to the sound of the plane starting. Jumping out of bed, he shucked off his pj’s and pulled on his jeans, T-shirt, and the Mariners hooded sweatshirt he’d worn yesterday. He hurried down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as he could. Aunt Jenny’s door was still closed. Cody sure didn’t want to be the one to wake her. He’d never seen anyone so grumpy in the morning.

The minute he stepped out onto the porch, he sighed in relief. The rain had stopped. His game wouldn’t be canceled. But when he looked to the end of the dock where the plane was anchored, he frowned. The cockpit was empty, and the plane was silent, but he still heard the whirring noise. Looking around, he finally spotted Jared at the far end of the hangar using a Weed Eater.

For a moment his chest hurt like it had when Troy Reed had accidentally nailed him with a fastball. Before Dad had left, he’d mowed their lawn and trimmed around the backyard fence. His mom kept telling Dad he didn’t have to do that; they could hire someone. But Dad had said he liked being outside after a long week of being stuck indoors. Now, ever since Dad had left, a guy in a red truck came once a week and took care of their lawn.

Cody still didn’t get why his dad went away. There were plenty of sick kids here that needed his help. No matter how many times his parents explained it to him, it still didn’t make sense. He sat down on the top stair and picked at a piece of chipped wood.

It wasn’t fair. His mom worked all the time, and his dad was gone. They tried talking on the phone, but there was this funny echo and a lot of static that made it hard for either of them to hear. His dad sent letters, and Cody wrote back, but it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t anywhere near the same.

The small sliver of wood tore free, and he began to dig at another one. As much as he hated how his mom wouldn’t let him stay home by himself, at least Aunt Jenny spent time with him. Even if it was doing the dorkiest stuff. Like last night. Right after dinner, she brought out another one of those board games. Cody smiled, remembering how Jared had winked at him and said they should be spelled b-o-r-e-d instead of b-o-a-r-d. Jenny had told Jared to go clean up his mess in the kitchen and put away the chili that nearly killed them because it had been too spicy. Cody had thought it tasted good, but he kept quiet. In a weird way, he liked hearing them argue. Well, not arguing. No one got mad or yelled or anything like that. They just talked. Like his mom and dad used to. Now, his house was always so quiet.

After dinner, Aunt Jenny had dragged out Monopoly and insisted they all play. Even though the game was so stupid, and he’d never tell Parker or any of his friends what his aunt forced him to do, he kinda had fun. And even Jared had joined in their game last night. He said he’d never played Monopoly before, but Cody didn’t believe him. He’d kicked their butts.

“Hey. You’re up early.”

Jared was at the bottom of the stairs, the Weed Eater in his hand. Cody hadn’t even heard it shut off.

“Aunt Jenny and I have to go to the store and get snacks.” He wasn’t about to admit he’d run outside, hoping to see the plane take off. It sounded lame, even to him.

“That’s right. Your game is today. You must be excited.”

“Sorta.” Cody dropped his gaze. “I didn’t get to practice pitching this week.” And he didn’t want to suck. Not today. Not when there was going to be someone in the stands cheering just for him. “Do you wanna . . .” He dropped his gaze and stubbed the toe of his sneaker against a nail sticking up on the stair. “You wouldn’t want to come to my game, would you?”

Jared was silent for so long, Cody didn’t dare look up. Of course Jared didn’t want to go. “Never mind. It was a stupid idea.”

“I want to finish the yard work today.”

“It’s okay, I understand.”

“If I had an extra pair of hands, it would go a lot faster.”

Cody’s gaze shot up. “You mean you’ll come?”

“You any good with a lawn mower?”

His dad had always told him he was too young to use theirs, but Cody had watched him use it a hundred times. It looked super simple. Besides, he was older now. “Yep.”

“All right then, sport. Have you had breakfast?”

“Yep,” Cody said again, fibbing for the second time. But he didn’t want Jared to send him back inside.

“Let’s get crackin’.”

Cody jumped down all three stairs at once. “If we finish early, do you think . . . do you think maybe I could pitch some balls to you? You know, to warm up for today?”

“You sure you don’t want to ask your aunt?”

“She throws like a girl, remember.”