Heart of Christmas (Curiosity Bay #4)

4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

MacGregor

Those big, green eyes staring right back at me made me wish for something impossible.

“What are you doing here? The last ferry left twenty minutes ago, and you’re not on it.” She scowled, which only made her cuter.

“I never planned to be.” I shrugged.

“What do you mean? Don’t you have places to be? Things to get back to?”

I took a step closer, and she took one back. “I’d planned on spending the weekend here.”

“Why? Your friend is on his honeymoon.” She rolled her eyes. “Unless Bethany is entertaining you.”

I caught a glimpse of something behind her gaze. I wanted to believe it was jealousy, but my hunch was annoyance.

“Would it matter if she was?”

She scowled and stepped behind the counter. “If she was what?”

“Entertaining me.”

Audrey shrugged. “I could care less. I’m sure you’ve had plenty of women to keep you occupied over the years. It’s your style.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She cocked her head and glared at me.

This wasn’t going well at all. Sure. A little playful banter never hurt anyone, but this didn’t seem playful. Audrey was out for blood.

“You use women and leave ’em.”

My frown deepened as I drank my coffee. “How do you figure?”

She let out a huff and folded her arms over her chest. The red wool sweater clung to her breasts as she tightened her hug.

“You really need me to spell it out for you?”

I shook my head, keeping in a groan of frustration. “I think we have very different versions of things.”

“There are not things .” She held up her index finger. “It’s one thing, and it’s inexcusable.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Unforgivable.”

“So, there’s one thing that makes you hate me.” My brows arched in surprise. “Only one to make you disgusted at the sight of me.”

“What do you mean, only one?” Her arms dropped to her sides. “One is plenty.”

“I tried to apologize earlier and—”

“You didn’t even know what you were apologizing for,” she said, shaking her head. “What kind of apology is that? And I don’t hate you. I don’t hate anyone. Takes too much energy.”

“In all fairness, you blocked me.” I clicked my tongue against my bottom lip and noticed her eyes linger on my mouth.

Her brows lifted. “That surprises you?”

“I couldn’t reach you. And I tried.” I leaned against the counter, setting my drink down.

“Unlikely story.” She eyed me cautiously and moved to the window, looking at the storm outside. “Don’t spill anything on the counter. You ruin it, you buy it.”

I held in a chuckle.

“I can’t help whether you believe it or not. But I did try to get in touch with you.” I walked over to her. “But it is challenging when one person blocks the other.”

I looked around the store and smiled, knowing I’d called the right one all those years ago. “So, did you put your sisters up to not taking my call, or were you on the other end of the phone when I called?”

Her shoulders tensed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I walked closer, stood behind her, and watched the snow fall hard. “I think you do.”

She quickly spun around and nearly bumped into me with a charged look through her gaze.

Audrey pushed her full lips into a pencil-thin line and deeply breathed. Dragging her eyes to me, she tipped her chin slightly.

“Yes, it was me who answered.” She stared at me. “But what did you want me to say?”

I studied her, and my stomach knotted at what I saw. Pain was etched behind her gaze, and she turned back around to look out the window.

She truly wanted nothing to do with me.

“I’m so sorry, Audrey. I truly am. But I honestly wish I knew what I was apologizing for.”

“Why does it even matter at this point? How many years ago was it?” She shook her head. “It’s all ridiculous, and I never would have given it another thought had you not come to Mae and Tyler’s wedding.”

My chest tightened. Had she not even thought about me since that night?

“I don’t believe that, Audrey.”

“You should,” she said softly, giving her stance away. “And now you’ve missed your only way off the island, and I’m forced to deal with you.”

The thrill of seeing Audrey again had been replaced with regret. “I didn’t mean to ruin your day. I seriously didn’t. I thought we were… I don’t know.” I pushed my fingers along my jaw and shook my head. “Kind of like old times where we argued a little for fun.”

She turned around and lifted her gaze to reach mine. “Nothing about this is fun, MacGregor. I told you things I’d never told anyone. I let my guard down with you, and you ruined it. You nearly ruined me.”

I reached for her, and she pulled back. “I’m… I’m so sorry, Audrey.”

The door jingled, and a man stalked inside, stomping his boots on the mat and unzipping his coat.

“You should get going, Audrey. It’s nuts out there. I’ll close up and see—” His eyes met mine, and he scowled. “Who are you?”

“An old—”

“He’s nobody,” Audrey muttered, pushing past me.

The words hurt me more than the morning she’d left me. I nodded and glanced at the guy, realizing he looked like Audrey and her sisters.

“You'd better get going, buddy.” His eyes stayed on mine, and I pushed my lips together. “It’s only going to get worse out there.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, holding my drink.

Instead of going out the front door to the sidewalk, I decided to go through the coffee shop again. After the last few minutes, I needed another one.

The barista eyed me and grinned as the door chimed behind me. I turned to see Becky… or was it Bethany… wave in my direction.

Damn, this small island.

“Fancy seeing you here,” she said.

“Yeah. I was thinking the same thing.”

“I had to stop by the physical therapy office to cancel tomorrow’s appointments and decided to grab a java before I head home.” She stepped a little closer. “You know, that offer is still on the table.”

I laughed and shook my head, stepping to the counter to order. I ordered some holiday drink and scooted away from my admirer.

But she caught right up to me and waited for her drink, glancing not so subtly in my direction.

“Are you a changed man?” she asked.

“How so?” I shook my head, and she chuckled. “I’d like to believe I’ve grown. Sure.”

“Good for you.” She patted my back.

This was a weird conversation. What was wrong with this island?

“So, you’re a receptionist at a PT clinic?” I asked. “That’s awesome.”

“No. I’m a physical therapist.” She cocked her head and laughed. “A lot changes in a decade. I was a receptionist while I went to school when you knew me.”

“Ah, gotcha. That’s really awesome.” I nodded, but all I could think about was Audrey. The pain in her eyes, the hurt in her voice.

It didn’t make any sense unless I had said or done something I didn’t remember because I was the one who had been completely blown off. She vanished, not me.

Nothing about this made sense.

“Yeah, it’s been pretty great. I love living on Marigold Island, and being centered in Curiosity Bay is awesome.” She pouted. “But it’s not great for dating.”

“I bet.” I glanced toward the door between the coffee shop and the antique store. “So, how do you know Audrey?”

“Oh, she broke her ankle about three years ago. It was a funny story, actually. You should ask her about it.”

I nodded, grinning. “I would, but she’s not speaking to me at the moment.”

She narrowed her eyes, and I noticed the badge dangling around her neck—Bethany. This time, I would remember her name.

“And why’s that?”

The barista called out my drink, and I happily reached for it to get out the door.

“I honestly don’t know. I’ve tried apologizing, but…”

She grabbed her drink and cocked her head in confusion. “How can you apologize if you don’t know what you’re sorry for? Doesn’t seem very genuine to me.”

“Thanks for that, Bethany.” I laughed, shaking my head. “I know, but she won’t talk to me to tell me what I did, so I thought something was better than nothing.”

“Audrey is the sweetest girl I’ve ever met apart from Mae, so if she’s not speaking to you, it must be bad.” She raised her shoulders and let them drop dramatically. “I mean, I knew what I was getting into with you way back when, but maybe not everyone has the playdar.”

“What?”

“Playdar. I coined it. The player radar.”

“I’m not a player.”

“Okay, buddy. Whatever you say.” She winked at me. “Anyway, if Audrey’s mad at you, I can only imagine what you did. I wouldn’t even bother.”

I let out a deep sigh. “Yeah. I gathered that.”

Bethany smiled. “You like her, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say that. I haven’t spoken to her in years…” Not because I didn’t want to, but because she wouldn’t take my calls, blocked me on social media, and sent a clear message. I had no plans to tell Bethany that.

“You do. It’s written all over your face.” She nodded slowly. “Figures. All the Evans sisters get the good ones. I pray for the day Audrey finally marries so I’ll have a shot at her scraps.”

I chuckled. “You’re awesome, successful, funny,” I told her. “You should have men falling at your feet.”

“Yeah. But my charms didn’t work on you.”

“Only because I’m preoccupied.”

She rolled her eyes. “Listen, I just went through this with Mae and Tyler. I can see it happening with you now, too.”

I laughed. “I can assure you, nothing is happening.”

“We’ll see.” She held her cup in her hand and smiled. “Since the ferries are canceled, you’re obviously staying overnight. You’re more than welcome to come over for dinner. I promise I won’t bite, and the offer from last night is off the table. You’re mentally taken, and that is a big turn-off.”

“Kind gesture, but I’ve got some work to do back at my hotel room.”

“On a Sunday?”

“What can I say?” The truth was that I hadn’t had work to do in about six years since I left my brother’s firm, and I couldn’t exactly do ranch work from an island, but Bethany didn’t need to know any of that.

She chuckled and waved before wandering out the door, but I didn’t follow. I liked being close to Audrey, even though she was on the other side of the wall.

I found a table near the coffee shop's corner window and sat with my latte. The view was beautiful with the falling snow, the sidewalks dusted with white, and the streetlights wrapped in garland.

Seeing the island at a standstill, with only a few people bundled up walking along the sidewalks and a few shops closing up, sparked something inside me—a calmness. I could see why Tyler loved Marigold Island growing up. I’d known he had some issues at home, but the island always seemed to call to him. Or maybe it was more Mae than Marigold.

That seemed to be what was happening to me. I wish I could tell Audrey I was baffled, confused, and remorseful about what transpired between us, even though I didn’t know exactly what it was. But I could tell by our last encounter that it wasn’t happening.

I thought we’d shared an incredible connection. We could talk about anything, and we did. She told me so many things, and I revealed my dreams and hopes, and it all happened so fast.

And then she was gone.

It was over.

As if it had never happened at all.

I tried to contact her, but every avenue I attempted was blocked. There comes a point when, as a guy, you know not to keep going.

This wedding was my last shot to see her, to feel whether that connection was real.

I sipped my drink and kicked my feet out as I stared through the glass.

The sensation was more than real.

Seeing her again was intoxicating.

“Stephanie, I wish you had something to put in the coffee besides caffeine,” Audrey’s voice echoed through the coffee shop, and I craned my neck to see her beelining right for the register.

The barista giggled. “That great of a day, or still trying to heal from last night?”

“I’m not even sure any longer.” She touched her temples and rubbed in a circle.

“You seemed okay this morning,” the barista offered.

Audrey laughed. “Just don’t forget what I told you about trying to find someone in college. It’s just too nuts at this age.”

“We’re in the middle of a snowstorm. What could have possibly happened between this morning and now?”

She groaned, and I turned in my seat to get a better glimpse of Audrey.

“Short version,” she started.

My heart hammered in my chest.

“I fell hard for a guy. Really hard. Like I imagined things with him that I never have since. I opened up to him…” Her voice trailed off, and my chest tightened. “Remember how I told you I was shy?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, with him, I wasn’t. I could just be me. But the whole thing was over in an instant.” She shook her head, and I slowly turned to face the window. I didn’t want her to see me, but I wanted to hear more. “There were times when I wondered if it had ever even happened.”

I needed to hear more.

“No way,” the barista said softly.

“Yes, and then he popped in at the store this morning. He’s so aggravating, so annoyingly infuriating, and yet all the feelings…”

I cleared my throat, not wanting her to say something she’d regret if I were around. Part of me wanted to hear it all, soak it in, and pretend there was a shot, but the other part knew better.

She’d just be humiliated, and I never wanted that.

“MacGregor,” she nearly shouted. “Why are you still here?”

I turned around and held up my drink. “I was thirsty.”

“This morning feels like I’m stuck in a revolving door with a turtle,” she groaned. “Everywhere I go, there you are.”

“Don’t worry. I’m seriously leaving this time. Headed over to my hotel.” I walked to the door and glanced over my shoulder.

She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes on me. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

I chuckled and glanced at her again before pushing open the door. “You’re seeing it now. Oh, and Happy Holidays.”

“Bah, humbug,” she shouted as the door swung shut.

I laughed, walking along the sidewalk to the hotel facing the water. I’d checked out earlier because I’d planned on leaving, but once the snowstorm hit, I knew it would have been too much of a struggle to race back to my hotel, grab my luggage, get my rental car, and try to make the ferry back to Seattle.

The hotel’s automatic doors slid open, and I entered the grand lobby. A large fireplace anchored the seating area, and the counter across the way had a few people lined up. An enormous Christmas tree hovered near the windows overlooking the water.

I patiently waited my turn, sipping my coffee, and let the jolliness of the season infect me. Or maybe it was because I’d heard Audrey’s conversation.

She still felt the chemistry.

I knew it.

“Sir, how may I help you?”

I looked up, realizing she’d been waiting for a few seconds, and walked up to the counter.

“I checked out earlier, and you have my bags, but—”

“Oh. I’ll grab those for you,” she offered, starting to turn.

“Actually, I was hoping for another night or two with the snowstorm.”

“Oh, no.” She shook her head and grimaced. “I’m so sorry, but with the storm, we sold out.”

My jaw dropped open. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. We gave the last room away about twenty minutes ago.”

Karma is real.

“Do you know of any other places that might have a vacancy?”

She shook her head. “Unfortunately, I’ve made the calls for another guest, and all the hotels, motels, and B&Bs are booked.”

“How about a closet?” I laughed, only half joking.

“I’m sorry, sir.” She glanced behind her and pointed. “But I can go grab your bags.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Bethany’s offer popped into my head, but I pushed it right out. I knew better than to fall for just dinner. I didn’t need any more complications right now.

I sipped my latte and laughed to myself at the turn of events. I never expected my stunt to make me homeless during a snowstorm, but at least the parking spot I had gave me a view of the water.