Salt Water Wounds (Oyster Cove #1) (21 page)

“Why the visit? Is this about the bar?”

“I’d rather you wait and be surprised. Do you trust me?”

He nods. “Yeah, sweetness. I do.”

I stand and let the sheets fall from hiding my naked body. Buck’s eyes rake over me, and I can tell I have his undivided attention. “Let me do something for you this time.” I take a few steps toward him and kiss his tender lips. “Go get dressed. I’m going to need to take a quick shower.”

He grabs my hand and starts pulling me out of the room. I halt him. “Whoa. I’m naked.”

“The house is empty. The boys are working. Bristol is at school. She left twenty minutes ago. That shower sounds nice.”

Against my better judgment, I let him lead me to his master bathroom. I stop when we’re in his bedroom. I hadn’t noticed it when I took a shower the day before. It was dark and I felt weird being in his room. I’m sort of shocked at what I’m seeing.

Layla’s things are gone. There’s new bedding and the curtains have been changed. “Do you like it?”

“You and the kids did this?”

“Yeah.” He walks to the closet and opens it, showing me that half is now empty. “If you need to use some of this space for your shoes or clothes, you’re welcome to it. I own one suit. It’s for weddings and funerals. The rest of the shit is for hunting.”

I back him into the bathroom and we immediately get carried away. It’s like I’m dreaming and don’t want to wake up. I won’t overstep, but appreciate the offer.

Baby steps.

For now, I’m content with some morning sex, and a whole lot of Buck Wallace.

Chapter 23

We get off to a late start after staying in the shower until all the hot water has run out.
Perry retreats to her room to dress, while I throw on a pair of jeans and t-shirt. I have no idea what she’s got in mind, but I trust that she has a good idea. I’m not the most business savvy guy, so I need to trust in her knowledge and hope she wouldn’t lead me in a direction that would put me in major debt.

I’ve been around Nestor my whole life and never harbored ill feelings toward the man, not until now. When I see him greet us at the front door it takes everything inside of me not to haul off and hit him. He let a little innocent girl endure unimaginable abuse and sent the perpetrator off to do it to someone else. I can admire that he raised Perry as his own daughter. I think he loves her, but she’s right. It’s never enough to forgive him.

I grit my teeth as he extends his hand for me to shake. “Buck. I didn’t think I’d be seeing you here with my daughter. I was beginning to have suspicions you two might be involved.”

“We live together,” Perry announces.

I don’t correct her. Instead I stand at her side and take her hand. She’s shaking, telling me she’s uncomfortable, but determined. I squeeze it to remind her she’s not alone.

“We need to talk about the business, Dad.” Perry gets right to it as we enter the home. The generous living room looks out at the bay in every direction. Wall to ceiling windows cover the entire back of the home. It’s a traditional style décor that reminds me of my parents home I grew up in.

Perry takes a seat next to me on a couch adjacent to the seat her father ends up in. He crosses his legs and pays close attention to the fact that her hand is flat on my thigh. I put my arm around her on the back of the sofa and listen to what she proposes.

“Dad, I’m here to do business with you. I know you want to retire. It was your dream to pass on the family business to me and Nick.”

“I’d like to retire, but I’m going to need more time to be able to afford it.”

Perry makes a flippant sound. “Mom wants you to sell the house and buy an RV. You could get a million for this place.”

Nestor looks to me and then back to Perry. “What brought this on? Does it have something to do with Peter?”

“No! This is about me and my future. Buck is looking for an investment. He needs something less strenuous so his boys can run the other company. He’s interested in owning a business and running it here on the island, and since you’ve made stipulations regarding the sale of the bar, I’ve come up with a solution to benefit all of us.”

“What do you have in mind?” He seems to take interest in what she’s saying.

“There’s two ways this can go. Buck and I can go to the courthouse and elope, making him family so I’m able to transfer the business to him, or he can take out a loan and buy your restaurant.”

“He has no experience running a restaurant.”

“No, but I do. Together we’d make it work. We’d keep all the same employees, and he’d pick it up quick. Besides, you barely have to work anymore. Your managers take care of the heavy lifting. You only stop by so you can snatch up fresh seafood. I’ve never asked for much from you. I’ve let you and Mom be a part of Nick’s life, against my better judgment.”

Nestor looks to me with worry. Then he gets it. He shakes his head and covers his face with his hands.

“He knows you’re my blood uncle if that’s what you’re thinking. Buck knows everything I’ve been through, and he still wants to be with me.”

“Of course he does. It’s a business deal.”

I’m finally able to voice my opinion. “You’re wrong. This wasn’t my idea. Sure, I’d like to have a business to supplement my income so my boys can benefit, but I’d never use your daughter for my own personal gain. I’m a man of my word, and I want to be with Pe… Ally. We’ve been friends for years. I’d appreciate it if you refrained from making false assumptions. Unlike you, I won’t fail her.” It’s a slap to the face. Perry’s eyes widen as she looks from me to her father.

The older balding man sighs and shakes his head again. “I want two hundred grand for the business, and that includes the property. If you can come up with that amount I’ll have my lawyer start drawing up the papers.”

For a prime location and the ownership of the business and property it’s a major steal. Perry has manipulated the man. She’s cornered him with guilt to get what she wants, and I don’t feel bad about it.

He continues. “I love my daughter, Buck. I’ve raised her as my own and done everything in my power so she’d have a good life. I’m not doing this as a favor to you. I owe Perry a lot more than a business. Besides, my wife has been on me for a few years to sell so we can travel. It’s time I give her what she wants.”

I reach over and shake his hand, all while hoping I never have to do it again. This deal could ensure Perry finally breaks free from the parents who left her damaged and afraid.

The business deal takes a few weeks. Between bank loans, underwriting services, and attorney meetings it’s taking forever. In that amount of time, Perry and I have been getting used to living under the same roof. I enjoy having her next to me at night. She’s been taking me to the restaurant and showing me the ins and outs whenever we have the free time to do it.

It’s graduation day for Nick and Bristol. We’re putting on nice clothes and preparing to arrive at the school for the service. Bristol left hours before so she could ride with friends. The boys are giving me a hard time about wearing slacks and a button up. Perry walks out of my bedroom in a form fitted red dress. I take one look at her and then my sons, who all seem to be eyeing her up, even the two with their girlfriends standing next to them. I pull her into my arms, kiss her, and then smile at them. “She’s all mine, guys. Close your mouths.”

They pretend they don’t know what I’m talking about, but they’re my boys, and I know for a fact they have good taste in women.

While we’re driving, Perry fidgets in the seat next to me. “You look like you could use a drink.”

“We haven’t seen or heard from Peter in weeks. I have a bad feeling about this, Buck.”

Of course he’d be there to celebrate with his son, but Perry has nothing to worry about. I take her hand and squeeze it. “Relax, sweetness. He’s never going to hurt you again.”

“He could keep Nick away from me.”

“He could try, but let’s face it, that boy loves you. You raised him alone. He might hold a grudge regarding his father, but he knows who loves him unconditionally. Kids think money is love, gifts buy affection. Then they eventually wake up and realize how hard life is. Doing it alone is damn near impossible at times. If my kids can get along with me for the most part, you have nothing to worry about.”

“I hope you’re right, Buck. Peter is relentless.”

“He’s a coward who takes pleasure in beating women. He may have gotten a few punches in, but I’d tear him a new ass if he tried it a second time.”

I think I’ve gotten through to her, at least until we pull up at the school and she sees her ex-husband walking alongside someone we both know.

Tamara Bellows works at Mr. Paul’s Restaurant. It’s a breakfast establishment that’s known for it’s homemade cooking. They have the best creamed chipped beef, and sausage gravy and biscuits. We’ve been there several times together on Sunday mornings, and even had Brant and West join us on occasion. Tamara is younger than us. She’s probably in her early thirties. I don’t know much about her, except that she lives in a double-wide trailer off Ridge Road. I only know this because she talks too much to her customers at the restaurant.

“What is she doing with him?” Perry asks.

“It’s none of our business.”

My beautiful girlfriend looks to me with worried eyes. “She needs to know he’s a monster, Buck.”

I raise her hand and kiss it. “Wait until after the ceremony. Pretend it doesn’t bother you for one day, sweetness. Besides, he’s left us alone. It’s been nice.”

“Yeah. I still don’t want him hurting someone else. Tamara is a sweet girl. She’s got a daughter.”

I sigh. Perry is stubborn like me. She’s going to do what she feels is right, and I admire her for it. “Do you want company?”

She grips my hand. “It can wait, babe. Let’s watch our children walk across that stage. We deserve this.”

“Yeah, we do.”

The island is small, as is the graduating class. We purposely sit across the gym from Peter to avoid confrontation. Perry holds her camera, snapping pictures like crazy while I search the seats for her ex-husband. Sure enough, he’s staring at us. I nod and smile, letting him know I’ve got my eye on him. Then I lean over and kiss her on the side of the head just to make sure he knows where I stand.

The ceremony begins. People speak. The graduates start to make their way up on stage individually.

They called Perry’s son first. “Nick Hawkins.” She stands and whistles, me following her lead. She’s crying and emotional, while I’m steady watching Peter, fixated on making sure he’s aware I’ll never fear him. A few minutes pass and then I hear what I never thought was possible. “Bristol Annalise Wallace.”

I’m not sure where all her brothers have sat, but the whole gymnasium erupts in celebration. Perry is capturing it on film, while my eyes begin to burn. She catches my grimace and leans against me. “I bet Layla’s watching, Buck. She wouldn’t miss this.”

It’s been easy falling for Perry, because unlike other women, she knows I’ll always have a place in my heart for Layla, and she appreciates it. She wants to keep her memory alive. Last week she repainted her name on the back of the sailboat so it would show up more clearly from far away. She’s rearranged family photos, including new ones we’ve started taking together, surrounded by the old ones including my late wife. She even took Layla’s precious collectibles and put them in her curio cabinet so they’d stay clean. Perry has made our house a home again. When I walk inside I’m no longer tied to memories that cripple me. There’s something about her that reminds me of Layla. It’s not their looks, or the fact that we grew up in the same place. They have the same generous heart. I don’t look at Perry and see my wife. I never compare them. It’s not necessary. She’d never want that. Neither of them would. When I hold Perry in my arms it feels right. She belongs there.

As the ceremony finishes, the crowd of locals begin to exit. Perry sees Tamara duck into the ladies room and sets off to warn her, while I wait searching for Peter. Our eyes meet and he’s already on his way over to me. Brant and Weston see what’s going on. They don’t come in my direction, but remain waiting to be my back up. For some reason I pull out my phone and turn on the recorder. I feel like this could be the chance to get rid of him. Besides, I’m going to have to give Perry a blow by blow of the conversation to calm her down.

We’re face to face. “Let’s get something straight right here and now. You may have been able to threaten Alice in the past, but it’s never going to happen again.”

“Why? Do you think she’ll stick with you? Alice doesn’t settle. She’s fickle. She’ll sleep around, probably with me if I let it happen.”

I clench my fists in my slacks, hoping to God I can hold in my anger. “You know nothing about her. That’s what I find so interesting. You never once took the time to really know her. Instead you held her past over her head like it was a weapon. You tortured her for years, first mentally until it got physical. Did it make you feel good to beat on a woman? When you woke up with sore fists did you ever consider you were a monster?”

“Fuck you. I don’t have to stand here and listen to this.” He goes to turn around only to come face to face with not one, but all five of my sons.

Weston speaks for them all. “I don’t think my dad is done talking.”

Peter rolls his eyes and turns, disgusted and pretty blindsided. “You did a hell of a job on her, messed her up and made her afraid. You’ve lied to that boy, which to me should be a crime. That boy needs his mother. She’s been his one constant.”

He interjects. “He’s a fool, just like his mother.”

I watch Perry stepping out of the restroom, immediately finding Nick. They hear the voices and turn in our direction, and something won’t let me stop.

“You’re using Nick to get to Perry, and it’s not going to work. She’s happy. She knows he’ll figure you out.”

He retorts. “I doubt it. That kid has a screw loose. He’ll do anything I say, like taking the blame for the moped. He worships the ground I walk on.”