Island Summer Love Page 10

  “Did you hear something?” Isabel stepped out onto the porch.

  Allison followed, her heart thumping hard as she followed Isabel’s gaze down the hill. There, striding toward them, the tall grass fanning his muscular thighs, was Brent, his face open in a wide grin.

  “I thought you were going to sleep all morning,” Isabel called. “It’s only eleven o’clock.”

  Brent laughed. “It was all I could do to sleep this long. You know staying in bed after the sun comes up goes against my grain.” He glanced at Allison. “What are you two lovely ladies up to?”

  Allison forced a smile. “Your grandmother was showing me the schoolhouse. I think it’ll be perfect for my play group.”

  “You’re still thinking of that, are you? I thought by now you’d have realized you had better things to do with your summer.”

  “Brent!” Isabel scolded. “Why in the world would you go and say a thing like that? You know how excited she is about this project! What do you mean, she has better things?”

  “I mean her fiancé, Gran.”

  “What has Cabot got to do with it?” Allison asked, her voice oddly thick.

  Brent reached into the back pocket of his jeans and withdrew a folded yellow paper. “A telegram came this morning. Pete Hayes asked me to deliver it to you. No easy task, either, I might add, since you seem to enjoy traipsing all over the island with my grandmother.” He climbed the porch steps in two long strides and held the envelope out to her.

  “We haven’t been ‘traipsing,’ as you call it,“ declared Isabel. ’’Although I don’t see what crime there is if we were. It’s the kind of day God created for traipsing.”

  Allison took the envelope and opened it slowly. She wasn’t eager to read a message from Cabot. She hadn’t written to him at all since her arrival; too much had happened. And she really didn’t want to communicate with him now. She felt uneasy, reading his telegram with Brent looking on. She wondered if her cheeks were betraying her consternation

  RECEIVED NEWS OF MARTHA’S ACCIDENT STOP WILL COME AT ONCE STOP EXPECT ME FRIDAY JUNE TWELFTH STOP I LOVE YOU DARLING STOP CABOT

  “Bad news?” asked Isabel.

  “No—good, actually.” Allison faltered, intensely aware that Brent was watching her. “My fiancé’s coming up here. On Friday.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Isabel said. “He’ll be able to help with the play group!”

  Allison shook her head quickly. “Oh, no, I don’t think so. Cabot’s not the type.”

  “Type?” Brent’s voice was cool, amused. “What type does it take?”

  Her cheeks blazed with embarrassment. “You know. He’s not really that interested in children.”

  She could read Brent’s disgust in the quick shake of his head.

  Isabel clicked her tongue. “Now, that’s enough, Brent. Leave the poor child alone. We have enough to do to get ready for the cleanup on Saturday. You are coming, aren’t you?”

  Brent grinned at his grandmother. “I didn’t know I had a choice.”

  “You don’t. I expect you here at eight o’clock sharp.”

  “You’ve already planned the cleanup?” Allison looked at Isabel in surprise.

  “Gran doesn’t believe in wasting time,” Brent put in. “Word was all over town by nine o’clock this morning that there’s a work bee at the old schoolhouse. Half the women in the village are already baking pies for the luncheon. The whole island’s buzzing.”

  “I didn’t realize things would be happening quite so fast,” Allison said faintly. She couldn’t imagine Cabot joining in a work bee at the schoolhouse, or anywhere else for that matter. He was the most fastidious man alive. And he probably wouldn’t want her to be there, either. She could hear him now, telling her that it wasn’t an appropriate thing for his fiancée to be doing.

  She wished he wasn’t coming so soon. He would disapprove of the whole idea of her being involved with the island children. She’d been hoping for some time to get things firmly established before she had to deal with Cabot.

  “None of us could see a good reason for waiting,” Isabel said, locking the schoolhouse door and going carefully down the steps. “The summer’s short enough as it is. Those kids need a program as soon as possible. But if you’re having second thoughts . . .”

  “Oh no!” Allison assured her. “I haven’t changed my mind.”

  “It’s just that Cabot’s arrival is going to complicate things for Allison,” Brent said.

  Isabel gave him a puzzled frown. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “You see, Allison’s relationship with Cabot is a bit tenuous right now.” He grinned at Allison, who gave him a furious scowl, but he seemed unperturbed.

  “I didn’t realize you were having problems, dear.” Isabel looked up at Allison. “But I’m sure it’s just a temporary thing. Lovers often quarrel. So don’t worry about it. It’s best that he come sooner rather than late, under the circumstances. That way you can get things all straightened out.” She smiled encouragingly. “Now, we’d better get a move-on. If you and Brent want to be back from the mainland before dark, you’ll have to hustle.”

  Less than an hour later Allison was sitting in the pilothouse of the Blue Lady, watching Brent guide the boat out of the island’s little harbor. To his credit, he hadn’t said a word about her earlier refusal to ride with him. He’d apparently taken it for granted all along that she’d go. She was grateful that he hadn’t made an issue of it. But inwardly it irritated her that he’d ignored her statement and arrogantly assumed that she would change her mind.

  After a time, Allison moved to the stern of the boat, where she could get a better view of the white sea gulls wheeling in the clear blue sky. There was something exquisite about the arcs they made, a graceful but contained energy that spiraled above her head. They seemed to possess a freedom that she, watching them, wanted for herself.

  She held up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun and saw the diamond flash on her finger. She had a sudden fantasy of pulling it off and dropping it over the side of the boat into the ocean. She imagined it falling slowly through the dark water to settle into thick, gray silt. She wondered where that thought had come from. Of course, she would never do such a thing. She could never do anything to hurt Cabot. Besides, she knew how valuable the ring was; she certainly wasn’t going to throw away ten thousand dollars on a whim. She’d been raised to know the value of things.

  Allison returned to the pilothouse. Brent was standing at the wheel, watching the water ahead. She glanced at his rugged profile and tried to imagine him in a courtroom, wearing a suit, delivering closing remarks to a jury. She had never seen him in anything more formal than a clean, knit shirt, and yet she sensed that he was the kind of man who could be comfortable in whatever he chose to wear. His presence in a courtroom would be compelling; he had undoubtedly won many cases.

  She stepped up to the wheel beside him, smiling cheerfully. “It’s beautiful out here,” she said. “I can see why you like it. But I was wondering about what you said last night. Isn’t it kind of risky to give up law to become a fisherman?”

  “Sure.” He glanced at her and smiled.

  She looked down at his hands on the wheel, the brown knuckles and strong wrists. She looked back up at him, suddenly aware that he was studying her carefully. “I’m surprised you didn’t like law. I would think it would be very interesting.”

  He shifted his glance back to the water. “It is interesting. And yes, I did like it. For a while. Then I got caught up, like a lot of people, in earning money for the sake of earning money. I took cases I didn’t believe in. I worked all the time, day and night. I went for the big bucks, just like everybody else. But something was drying up inside me; I was growing hard and cold and bitter.” He paused; his eyes were almost as dark as the sea. “I went to visit my grandparents, and one day, when I was fishing with my grandfather, I just broke down. Cried like a baby right out on the water under the gulls and the sun.”

  Alliso
n stared at him. She had never in her life heard a man admit that he cried. She couldn’t even imagine Cabot crying. Yet somehow she could envision Brent weeping silently against the wall of Abel’s boat, his handsome features enhanced by his tears. She felt something thicken in her own throat. She reached out and touched the sleeve of Brent’s jacket, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

  Brent looked down at her. “Abel’s a smart man; he let me cry, didn’t try to stop me. When I was finally finished, I knew that I had to find a way to get out on the water where I belonged.” He covered her hand with his own. “Abel didn’t say a word, but I don’t think he was surprised when I quit the firm and bought a place on the island.”

  “Do you ever miss the city?” His hand was still on hers. She felt the warmth as a blessing. Part of her wanted to lean against him, slide under his arm.

  He shook his head. “My place is here. I think I knew it even as a kid, only I was too stubborn to admit it.” He smiled down at her. “You see, I believe that there’s a right place for everybody. When you find that place, it’s like coming home, even if you’ve never been there before in your life.”

  Allison shivered at the sudden memory of her initial reaction to Harper’s Island. She remembered seeing the little village for the first time and experiencing a strange, delightful feeling of being in the right place. It was something she’d never experienced before, and she had dismissed it quickly at the time. But now she recognized the experience in Brent’s quiet words.

  She was suddenly aware that Brent was gazing at her with an odd, haunted expression on his face. She withdrew her hand from his sleeve and tucked it down into the pocket of her slacks. “What’s the matter?”

  “Do me a favor,” he said quietly.

  “What?” She looked up at him warily.

  “Take that ribbon out of your hair. Let it go free. It’s too beautiful to tie up that way.”

  Her hands went slowly to the back of her neck and she loosened the ribbon that held her hair. Immediately the wind caught it, lifted the dark red curls into the air and sent them spinning around her face.

  “That’s much better.” Brent reached out and caught one of the strands between his fingers. “You look like a goddess in the sunlight—regal, and at the same time wild.”

  She could think of no reply. She licked her lips and tasted a delicate film of salt.

  He frowned. “When I woke up this morning, I had every intention of apologizing for my behavior last night. Now . . .” He shook his head. “Allison, I might as well warn you that I find you very attractive. I’m also very aware that you’re engaged to Cabot, so I’ll do my best to keep my hands off you. But it won’t be easy. Especially since I know how little you really feel for the man.”

  She backed away from him, bumping into the pilothouse wall. “You don’t know anything about how I feel,” she said hoarsely. “I’ve told you that I love Cabot. Why can’t you believe me?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Because you’ve only told me that with words. Your heart isn’t saying that.”

  “You don’t know anything about my heart!”

  “Your body, then. It’s saying something else entirely.”

  She felt her legs tremble. She was grateful to have the wall to lean against.

  “But I didn’t start anything with you, Brent! You’ve taken advantage of me! First, you told me there was some silly tradition about kissing the captain on a boat—”

  His expression darkened. “There is. And if I wanted to take advantage of you, Allison, I’d have done a lot more than give you a few kisses.”

  “It’s obvious that you don’t want to hear my side of things!” She felt hot tears rising, and her voice shook with frustration. “You won’t believe me no matter what I say, so why should I bother?”

  “Because it’s very important to you to convince me. Then maybe you can convince yourself.” He gazed at her, his eyes clear and penetrating. Allison felt an ache in the pit of her stomach. “Only it won’t happen, Allison. You don’t love him, and all the talk in the world isn’t going to change that.”

  “And I suppose you know all about love! I suppose your affair with Tracy Lawton has made you an expert on the subject!”

  He flushed suddenly. “All right,” he said quietly. “You win. I’ll pretend along with you and everybody else that you really love Cabot Wilder. On one condition.”

  “What’s that?” She knew her words had upset him, and she felt strangely remorseful.

  “That you let me be the first to know when you come to your senses.”

  She stared at him, her face reddening with anger. For a moment she couldn’t find words strong enough to shape a reply. How could she have felt sorry for him just a moment ago? He was quite clearly trying to manipulate her feelings, as if she were a naive child. She lifted her chin. “You’re the most arrogant man I’ve ever met!” she hissed. She turned and stalked out of the pilothouse, vowing to herself that this would be the last time she’d ever ride aboard the Blue Lady.

  She didn’t speak to Brent again for the duration of the trip. When he tied up at the large mainland wharf, she deliberately looked in the opposite direction. And when he held out his arm to help her onto the dock, she pointedly refused his hand and climbed clumsily over the gunwale on her own.

  She ignored his chuckle and marched ahead of him up the ramp to the sidewalk, her head high. Let him think what he liked; it made no difference to her. Her life was her own, and she could certainly live it without Brent Connor’s approval.

  When she entered Martha’s hospital room, Allison was struck by how much better her friend looked. Martha was sitting on the edge of the bed, eating an apple, chatting on the telephone. When she saw Allison and Brent, she hung up and threw open her arms.

  “I’ve been so lonely! You can’t believe what it’s like here! You are absolutely the most wonderful friends!”

  Martha embraced each of them warmly and then turned excitedly to Allison. “Have you heard from Cabot?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued. “Never mind, I know you have. Would you believe he called here and talked to me this morning? Twice? He says he’s coming Friday! You must be thrilled! You see, everything’s going to be fantastic, just like I said.”

  Allison was all too aware that Brent was leaning against the wall, watching her with a look of pure amusement on his face.

  She forced her brightest smile. “Yes, I just got his telegram this morning. I’m so happy! I can hardly wait until Friday. I’m staying at Isabel’s now—”

  “Oh, I didn’t tell you! Friday’s my big day, too! They’re letting me out of here!” She sent Brent a pleading look. “I’ll die with embarrassment if I have to use a wheelchair on the ferry!”

  “I’ll pick you up,” he offered, still smiling. “Maybe we can even beat the ferry, so you’ll be there to welcome Cabot, too.”

  “That would be wonderful! You won’t believe how excited I am! Of course, I’m sure it’s nowhere near as excited as Allison . . .”

  “Oh well, you know Allison,” Brent drawled. “She’s hardly been able to contain her enthusiasm since she got the telegram. Have you, Allison?” He looked at her directly, challenging her with his eyes.

  She glared back at him. “You can come along with me Friday, you know,” he continued. “I’m sure Martha would appreciate it.”

  “No,” she said stonily.

  “Of course not,” he nodded. “You’ll need to prepare yourself for Cabot’s arrival.”

  “Wait until you meet Cabot!” Martha put her hand on Brent’s arm. “He’s the most charming man! And thoughtful! Who else would drop everything and come to Maine just because of his fiancée’s whim?”

  Brent smiled. “Oh, I don’t imagine he’s as rare as all that, Martha. After all, look who his fiancée is.”

  Allison blushed hotly and turned away.

  “Look, you’ve made her blush! You bad boy!” Martha giggled and slapped Brent’s arm playfully.

  “If o
nly it were possible to make you blush as easily. Let’s see—”

  “Don’t even try!” Martha squealed. “Now get out of here, and let me talk to Allison alone.”

  He gave her a mock bow. “As long as I get equal time.”

  Allison saw the color rise in Martha’s cheeks. She couldn’t forget Martha’s declarations of love for Brent. It was all too obvious how she felt about him. She wondered what her friend would think if she knew of Brent’s behavior in Isabel’s kitchen last night. Or his blunt words about Martha’s infatuation with him.

  “I’ll go get some coffee, then. And don’t worry, I’ll take my time. I know Allison has a lot to tell you.” Brent grinned wickedly at Allison as he left the room.

  “What is it?” Martha turned to Allison eagerly, her eyes round with curiosity.

  Allison shook her head. “Brent’s exaggerating. I had an idea about starting a play group for the island children, and it seems to have taken off before I really expected it to.” She went on to describe her plans. “The thing is, it’ll mean I’ll be staying through the whole summer, instead of just a month,” she finished. “I hope that’s all right with you.”

  “That’s wonderful!” crowed Martha. “But do you think Cabot will go for this idea? I mean, won’t he want you to spend most of your time with him?”

  Allison shrugged. “Maybe you can keep him company while I’m with the children.”

  Martha nodded. “Kids are definitely not his thing. I’ll be glad to help out with Cabot. It’ll give me someone to talk to while I’m laid up.” She laughed and patted her leg.

  “Thanks. I’m really excited about working with the kids. And you were right about Isabel and Abel—they’re both wonderful. They’ve taken me in and treated me just like family.” She got to her feet. “Now I’d better get out of here and give Brent a chance to talk to you. I’ll see you Friday.” She hugged Martha and went into the hall, walking so swiftly that she collided with Brent, who was standing a few feet from the door with an empty plastic cup in his hand.

  “Good thing this wasn’t full.” He steadied her with his hand as he tossed the cup into the waste bin beside the door. “You don’t need a nasty burn to add to your list of grievances against me.”