Romance: Calmer Tides - A Suspense Romance Novel (Romance, Suspense Romance, Contemporary Romance Book 1) Read online

  “But ya, it's whatever,” Molly continued. “How about you, what are doing here? It feels like it's been forever since we talked last.”

  There was the guilt again.

  “Yeah, I'm really sorry about that.” Abby's cheeks flushed. “I'm just here to visit my grandma. I haven't seen her for awhile and wanted to spend some time with her.” A lie, but not entirely without truth.

  “Oh, I love your grandma! She's so sweet. Except I don't really see her around too much anymore. Is she doing okay?”

  “She's fine, it's just a little arthritis here and there.” Probably another lie.

  “Oh good. Are you planning on staying for a while, then? You know, I think Chuck, down at the Bait and Tackle shop, is looking for some extra hands to help with the summer tourists. Ever since the media blew up that story about the guy who got arrested trying to climb Treasure Rock, we've been flooded with people during the summer. Some say it's good for business and the town, but I'm not convinced.” She paused for a moment, as if deep in thought, then shook her head. “Uhmm... sorry what was I saying? Oh right, Chuck! Yeah, you should go over and talk to him. That is, of course, if you’re planning on staying?”

  “Uhm, for a little while, at least. Maybe I’ll head down there. Thanks for the tip, Molls.”

  “Haha, Molls. Boy has it been awhile since I’ve heard that.”

  Abby smiled back. It felt good.

  “Alright,” Molly said, “so where were you headed? I'll walk with you, and we can catch up.”

  Abby’s smile faltered. She didn't really want to ‘catch up’. Not when it would mean talking about her own past, at least. That was why she’d come here. So she wouldn't have to relive it. Though, she’d probably be safe with Molly. They’d been friends, once, but more than that, Abby knew Molly was better at talking than listening. Which was exactly what Abby needed.

  “I was actually just looking for a good place to eat. Do you know of anywhere?'

  “Do I know of a good place to eat. Abby, I'm insulted. Follow me. I'll take you to the best place in town.”

  With that, Molly started off, and Abby followed a step behind her.

  two

  TO SAY THAT ABBY’S LEG WAS THROBBING would be the understatement of the year. Each step ignited the agony that lay under her left hip. She fought to keep her strides even; she fought not to limp, but she didn't know how much longer she could keep going. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and the sun only made it worse.

  “How much further?” Abby asked casually. Masking the strain in her voice.

  “Not much!” Molly said cheerfully. It would have been good news, except it was the same thing she’d said ten minutes ago.

  Abby had learned a great deal about what Molly had done over the last few years, though, as they walked. Molly had owned three pets: a dog (which ran away); a cat (which got hit by a car); and a goldfish (which she’d overfed within a week). After that she’d left Treasure Bay to give college a try, which had lasted a total of six months, three of which had been spent partying. And then she’d gotten married. And then she’d gotten divorced.

  “What? I didn't know you were married,” Abby exclaimed. Trying to keep her mind off the pain in her leg.

  “Ya... well... it's not like it's something I brag about,” Molly muttered. “The guy was a total jerk, and it was a real spur-of-the-moment type thing. Only lasted a few months. Then he left me. The only thing I regret is that I didn't leave him first.”

  “I'm sorry.” Abby said. And didn’t know what to say next.

  But then Molly turned, grinning, and gave a little flourish. “Anyway, we’re here! Welcome to the best restaurant in town.”

  The words Splash Café hung above the front counter, blue-green paint on a wooden sign. The restaurant itself sat directly in the center of an open platform, surrounded by wooden tables that had been stained and weathered over years of exposure. Everything was positioned over the water, almost as if suspended by magic. A gorgeous view of the entire bay was available for every customer. Seagulls cried and hovered, waiting for dropped morsels of food.

  The cool Atlantic breeze sent goose bumps across Abby's skin.

  “Well if the food's even half as good as the view, then you definitely picked the right place,” Abby said.

  “You haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until you meet Eli, the owner.” Molly gave Abby a cheeky grin.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Oh nothing. Just that he's gorgeous, single, and a bonafide hero.”

  “Hero?” Abby raised an eyebrow. “What did he do?”

  “Only saved a family from plummeting to their death. Right up there on those cliffs.” Molly pointed towards the Sherlock Mountains on their left. “About two years ago we got hit by this awful storm, tore up the whole town. This poor family lost control up there and almost fell to their deaths. By some luck, or miracle if you believe in that sort of thing, Eli just happened to be passing by and saw them. Hauled them all out of the wreckage with his bare hands, and hurt his ankle pretty bad in the process. He’s got a little bit of a limp now, but nothing too serious.”

  “...Wow.”

  “The craziest part about the whole thing is he didn't even want anyone to know. Told the police not to tell anyone, but someone blabbed, and then the town went crazy. Even big media outlets wanted to interview him, but he refused. Said he wasn't a hero and didn't want people treating him like one. If it was me, I definitely would've gotten my attention, become a celebrity. I mean, it's the least they could do, after risking my life and getting hurt and all. But I guess that’s just me.”

  “That's incredible.”

  “Ya, and he's single.” Molly gave her that look again.

  “Well if he's single then why haven't you gone after him?”

  “Been there, tried that.” She laughed. “Didn't work. He actually used to have a wife, but she died. Cancer, I think. He's never really been the same since. Hasn't been interested in women, at least. But I think someone like that deserves a wife. Deserves a second chance, ya know?”

  “Yeah....” Abby looked down at the water. A second chance….

  Molly leaned forward. “You alright?”

  Abby shook her head, smiled. “Yeah, fine. Just really hungry.”

  “If you say so.”

  They walked back toward the counter. There was no line, but then again it was mid-afternoon. Most people had either just eaten lunch, or weren’t hungry enough for dinner.

  Ding ding ding ding.

  “One second!” a voice called from the back.

  “Oh good, he's working today,” Molly exclaimed.

  A tall figure soon came toward the front counter, and Abby could see what Molly had meant by ‘gorgeous’. He was tall and athletic, clean-shaven with brilliant green eyes. He had a well-defined jaw, and wore his shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly past his elbows, but buttoned all the way up to his neck. His jeans were worn, but not ratty, and a pen sat securely behind his right ear. On his chest, a name-tag read simply: Eli.

  He hastily made his way towards the girls, turning to give Molly a polite half grin he quickly dropped. But when he turned toward Abby, his expression changed. Abby couldn't tell if it was good or bad. She quickly turned her head and checked to make sure nothing was on her face. When she reassured herself her face was clear, she looked back to see the man still looking at her. Not in a creepy I'm checking you out kind of way, but as though he was searching for something. Searching with such intensity that Abby felt as if he could see into her soul. She quickly put out her hand to break the tension.

  Eli stretched his hand out to meet hers, a smile coming over his face. “Who's your friend?” he asked. He was talking to Molly, but his eyes were locked on Abby. She didn't know how much longer she could take it.

  “Oh this is Abby!” Molly said, one hand coming up for a friendly smack on Abby’s shoulder. “She and I used to be best friends growing up, back when she used to visit me.”

  “Did she
now,” Eli said. He was still looking at her, as if Abby was some sort of mystery, a new puzzle he was dying to figure out. “And to what do we owe the honor of her presence today?”

  “She's here visiting her grandma. You know Melody, right?”

  “Sure, Ronnie delivers our clam chowder out to her twice a week. Didn't know she had any kids though—much less a beautiful granddaughter.”

  He looked at Abby again. This time with no expression, just reading her response. The word beautiful flushed through Abby, and she strained not to let it show on her face. She offered a forced half smile. He studied it, then turned away, but she didn't think he bought it.

  “Yup, she does. You gonna take our order though? Abby here is starving.”

  “Don’t be rude,” Abby murmured, but she couldn't argue with the facts. She was hungry.

  “Sure thing, what can I get for you ladies?” Eli’s eye flicked back to Abby. His gaze was like a fishing lure, bright and pulling—she wasn't used to being looked at this much.

  “I'll have the fish and chips,” Molly said. “Extra salt!”

  “Alright.” Eli said as he took the pen from behind his ear and scribbled something onto a notepad on the counter. “And how about you, stranger?”

  Suddenly both of them were looking at Abby. Waiting for her to speak. Abby opened her mouth, but she felt frozen. Caught. What with Eli and his staring, she hadn't even had time to think about what she wanted to eat.

  “Uhmm... I'm not sure. It all looks good.” She squinted at the menu, stalling, but what she wanted more than anything was to get out of there. To get away from Eli.

  “Tell you what, Abby. How about I whip you up something special, and if you don't like it, it's on me.”

  As though they were old friends. Abby stared at him, balking. She never made friends easily, but his casual charm and intensity got her back up. The last time she’d given up control with someone it had nearly gotten her killed. No, never again.

  Blindly, she pointed to a random item on the menu. “No, it's okay. I'll have that.”

  Eli turned to see where she was pointing. Even she couldn't really tell.

  “The crab medley?” He looked at her as if she was crazy. Maybe she was. “You sure?”

  Abby nodded. “Positive.”

  “You're a brave girl,” he said, and shook his head.

  * * * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Abby's stomach growled and groaned mercilessly. At this point she’d east anything. Crab medley, fish and chips, the uncleared leftovers at the next table.

  Molly was doing a great job of distracting her from her pain. Telling her story after story. Just when Abby thought she was done, Molly pulled another one from her sleeve. So far she had learned about Molly's wisdom teeth surgery, and how “awfully impacted” they all were. The long history of boys she’d dated before, and after, her short marriage. The inspiring journey of her first 10K race. And finally, her latest obsession, surfing.

  Personally, Abby couldn't imagine Molly out there in thunderous waves, and figured it probably had more to do with the surfers than the surf boards, but Molly told a good story.

  When their food finally came, Eli brought it out himself. He carried two dishes in his left hand, and a massive platter in his right. He was limping a little, but if she hadn't known she might not even have noticed; the confidence in his stride nearly overpowered it. But it was there. Though there was something about Eli. Something about the way he carried himself. He moved as though he was sure of himself, and as though that self-assurance was all that mattered to him.

  Abby couldn't remember the last time she was sure of anything, much less herself.

  Eli reached the table, placed Molly's fish and chips, with an absurd amount of salt, in front of her.

  “Mmm, smells delicious,” Molly said, digging in immediately and with gusto.

  Eli looked at Abby, then slid the crab medley in front of her.

  Now that she saw what the dish looked like, she could understand why Eli was skeptical of her choice. She wished he would have warned her it was going to be so large and... raw. Though she’d probably have ignored whatever advice he gave her anyway.

  Before she could decide how she to proceed, Eli placed a second dish slightly off to her right.

  “Just in case you're still hungry after the medley.” He smiled, and gave her a brief wink, heading back toward the kitchen.

  It was a warm bowl of clam chowder. Exactly what she wanted to eat. Abby couldn't believe it.

  “Did you see that?” Molly said, voice muffled by a mouthful of fish.

  “See what?”

  “See that flirting going on. I think Eli likes you!”

  “What? No. He was just being polite.”

  “No way. I've seen Eli talk to girls for years now, and I’ve never seen him act like that. Dude's got a serious crush on you girl. Lucky,” Molly took another bite of her fish, and chomped down loudly. Abby's thoughts blocked out the noise.

  Could he really like me? No, of course not. Not me. Not if he knew.

  Abby barely heard a thing Molly said for the rest of the afternoon, going over her interactions with Eli again and again in her head.

  By the time Molly walked her back to Melody's, Abby didn't want to do anything but sleep. She dragged herself straight to her bedroom, which Melody had set up perfectly while she was gone, and fell dully onto the bed. Drifting off to sleep, thinking….

  If he only knew....

  three

  THERE WERE BIRDS SINGING outside eli’s window. the sun had already risen and sat full and glowing above the fence line. Join us, the birds called, but for the time being Eli refused. This wasn’t the first time they had woken Eli up, but if it wasn't the birds then it was something else. He’d never had a use for alarm clocks, hating being violently woken up, but he’d also much rather be awake than asleep. The night brought terrors with it. And since trips to the bar usually did more harm than good, he’d finally decided to give up trying to rid himself of the memories and accept them.

  Sometimes, on bad nights, he would find himself gasping for air. As if the terror inside could manifest in a noose around his neck. He woke crazed, wrapped in his sheets, soaked in sweat from head to toe. Often it took hours to calm down, and he could never fall back asleep. Those were the bad nights.

  Other days, like today, he woke to the birds singing, and the glorious sun streaming through the blinds. No rushing. No stress. Just a sense of calm and pure serenity.

  Eli sat up, massaging the skin around his eyes. His fingers trailed down his jaw line, continuing down his neck until they reached the rough edges of the scar he wore like a cheap, permanent necklace.

  He’d lived life so passionately, once, and so blissfully ignorant to how awful the world could be. Ignorant to how something you dearly loved could be ripped from your arms without warning or explanation. Leaving you to wonder if you could ever feel again.

  Off to his left lay the medal the mayor had given him two years ago. ELIJAH WAITERS – HERO written on it, and coated in gold.

  Eli didn't care for it. Nor did he care for those who asked him about it. He wasn't a hero. He was a coward, and hated how those lies haunted him. He didn't go looking for them but they found him anyway, and now they were stuck, papered over by other words like hero and brave and the gold leaf on the medal with his name on it. Scratching and clawing to find a way out. He couldn’t let them, though. The cost would be too severe.

  Above the medal, he also had a few posters. Some classical, some of nice cars, and one of Michael Jordan mid-flight from the free throw line. On the other side of the room sat his dresser, and on his dresser sat a single picture. A woman. His wife, Hannah. It had been nearly three years since she’d passed but some days he still struggled to believe she was really gone. They had been so happy together. So perfect. So in love. He’d imagined his whole life in front of him, spending every waking moment with his best friend and soul mate, and now that dream was gone foreve
r.

  It was like trying to put a huge jigsaw puzzle back together, only to find he was missing a few pieces. They might not have seemed like much in the grand scheme of things, but they kept his life from ever feeling truly finished. It lacked just enough to satisfy, leaving him frustrated and angry, even though he’d given up trying to find those pieces a long time ago.

  Besides the dresser, posters, and medal, there wasn't much else in Eli's room. It was simple, quiet, and neat. Just the way he liked it. These days he needed order, not more turmoil, and his room was a perfect place to give himself that comfort. Everything in its place; everything for its purpose. Nothing left to chance.

  Usually he'd already be up and about, dressing, combing his hair, having breakfast. Granola with a little milk, the same thing every day, eaten fast enough that he didn’t taste it. Hannah had used to try to get him to eat it, for his health, and since she died it had become one of his favorite meals. Then he'd be off to Splash to open up. But today was Tuesday, and usually the slowest day of the week. The regulars would show up, sure, but Kirsten could handle them on her own. She’d been wanting more hours anyway, and Eli was trying to ease her in to see if she could handle the place by herself for a few hours. He’d take Rudy for a walk in the morning, maybe to the beach, and then once lunch time rolled around he’d head in to help with the grill and fryers, since they could get a line during lunch even on a slow day. Kirsten was driven, but got distracted easily. Eli had been more than aware of this when she approached him looking for a job right out of high school, since she’d constantly interrupted the conversation to point out the most random of things. A wave crashing in the sea, or a bird flying overhead. She meant well though, and was fantastic with the customers. Her upbeat personality was a real hit with the locals, even if it meant waiting in line a little longer while she chatted with the people in front of them.

  Ricky, on the other hand, was Eli's ace. He had been there from the very beginning, four years ago, back when Hannah and Eli moved to Treasure Bay, and decided to flip the old run-down café. In fact, he’d been an instrumental part in resurrecting the place. His heavy Mexican accent and quick wit always brightened up Eli's day, and he was about the only one who’d truly been there for Eli when Hannah passed. It was Ricky who’d waited for hours and hours with Eli in the hospital while the doctors did their tests. And it was he who Eli had collapsed into when he finally got the news. He’d been so dazed he’d only picked out a few words, but they were enough.