Her Summer Crush, page 11
“Sorry to hear that,” Luci said. “But we’re leaving now, and we wanted to thank you for the interview.”
“I hope the article works.”
“Glen must be a good friend of yours to be helping you out like this.”
“Friend?” Mike snorted. “I don’t know about that. But he should want to help. He’s half owner of this place.”
Luci gritted her teeth as she followed Cody to his SUV and climbed in. As he slid behind the wheel, he glanced at her but didn’t say anything. She folded her arms and stared out the window.
Neither spoke until they hit the highway, and then Cody said, “You’re bummed out, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am. I resent Glen using me—and you, too—for his own ends.”
Cody swung into the inside lane to pass a slow-moving truck. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I could quit, I suppose, but I don’t want to. I’ve been looking forward to coming home and working for the chamber. You probably don’t understand because you move around from job to job.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t run into difficult people and frustrations. But that’s life. People aren’t perfect, Luci, even if you’d like them to be.”
“So, I’m supposed to lower my standards. Is that what you’re saying?”
Cody let a few seconds elapse, and then he said, “Here’s what I would do. Forget about Glen and Baxter and their agenda, and concentrate on writing the best article you can. I’ll send you my photos, and when you’re ready, we can sit down together. Like we did with the article on Cranberry Acres.”
Luci allowed a smile to reach her lips. “Well, how can I turn down an offer like that?”
He must have picked up on her teasing tone, because he laughed and said, “Yup, and I don’t make an offer like that to just anyone.”
She rolled her eyes. “Wow, I feel so special.”
“You are, Luci,” he said softly. “You are.”
CHAPTER TEN
LUCI SAT AT her desk, working on the Pine Lake article. Or trying to. Mostly, she’d been staring at the screen. She wanted to follow Cody’s suggestion and forget about Glen and Mike Baxter and concentrate on the writing. Easier said than done.
“What’s the matter?”
Tessa’s voice brought Luci to her senses. She looked around to see Tessa standing behind her. “Working on my article about Pine Lake,” she said, minimizing the file on her screen.
“Writer’s block?” Tessa smiled as though that was something good.
“No!” Luci’s protest came out sharper than she’d intended.
“Use lots of quotes,” Tessa said. “Short sentences and lots of white space. That’s what my English teacher told us. People today have short attention spans, she said.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Luci said. “How are you doing with the files?”
“The files are a mess.” Tessa threw up her hands and sighed.
“Well, now, that’s why we have you, isn’t it?” Her resistance down, Luci had let a note of sarcasm creep into her voice. Then she pasted a smile on her face. “I really need to get back to work here.”
“Okay. It’s time for my break, anyway. All right if I go get a soda?”
“Yes, go. And say hi to Carl for me.” At Tessa’s raised eyebrows, Luci added, “I saw him lounging in the lobby when I came back from lunch.”
“I told him not to look in the window at us anymore.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
As Tessa’s footsteps faded down the hallway, Luci sat back and exhaled. She rested a moment and then read over what she’d written. Her words made little sense. She hadn’t been able to concentrate with Tessa slamming file drawers and shuffling back and forth across the room. That was her excuse, anyway.
What to do now? She eyed the file cabinets. Maybe she should take a turn at straightening the files. Putting things in order gave her a sense of control. But, no, she didn’t want to risk Tessa coming back and discovering her at that task. She put her fingers on the keyboard again. Concentrate, Luci, concentrate.
* * *
“MY DREAM JOB is turning into a nightmare,” Luci said. She sighed and picked at her crab salad, her appetite gone.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Eva said.
Charlie’s Fish House was packed, as usual. Talk, laughter and the clink of cutlery on dishes surrounded them, blending with the hum of the ocean.
Luci had planned to relax and enjoy her time with Eva, but as soon as she sat down she’d started spilling her problems. “I’m sorry to be such a complainer,” she said.
Eva finished a bite of her shrimp. “Don’t apologize. I want to know how your job is going. I like to think I played a role in your career choice.”
“Oh, you did. A big role. I don’t know what I would have done without you—and your father. He was my first mentor, and when he passed away, you came along to take his place.”
“Having you as an intern was great. We had fun doing the fashion shows for the high school.”
“And the article I wrote about it for the Herald was my first published piece of journalism. That wouldn’t have happened without you, Eva.”
“I was glad to be there for you.”
“You seem to have found your dream job.” Luci broke a roll and spread butter on one half. “It all worked out perfectly for you.”
Eva sipped her iced tea and set the glass on the table. “Now, wait a minute, my dear. Life is not a static thing where you reach a goal and then that’s it. Life is a continual process of adjustment and problem solving.”
“You mean your life isn’t perfect?” Luci was teasing again.
“Not by a long shot. Sasha’s going to be a teenager soon. Do you know what that means? Boys—and dating. Yikes.”
Luci grinned. “Oh, you poor thing. But she’s always been a good daughter. And I bet Elijah is growing to be a good son. He’s how old now?”
“Going on four and quite the little man already. But let’s get back to you. You say Tessa is Glen’s niece?”
“Yes, and I can understand her not wanting to be here.” She explained Tessa’s family situation. “But we have a job to do. I thought maybe I could mentor her, like you did me, but I lose patience.”
“It might help if you could find something she’s especially good at, or give her jobs with more responsibility, where she can be successful. Keep trying. But remember, too, that you’re the boss.”
They stopped talking while the waiter refilled their glasses with iced tea. When he left, Eva said, “How are you and Cody getting along? If you want to talk about it.”
Luci’s stomach tensed. “That’s another problem.”
“I’d be glad to listen. But I suppose you have a lot of people to serve as a sounding board. Your family is so close...”
Luci looked away, idly watching two girls scamper hand in hand across the sand. She and Francine used to play like that when they were little, she thought with a rush of sadness. And now they barely had time for each other.
She turned back to Eva. “Some problems are hard to talk about, even to the people who are closest to us.”
“That’s true enough. So, I’m listening.”
“Thanks, Eva.” Luci took a deep breath and said, “He’s always made it clear that we’re only friends. But there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to give up hoping. I wish I could turn off my feelings, but I don’t seem to be able to.”
“Those kinds of feelings are the hardest to control. They’re either there or they aren’t.”
“And when Glen hired him as photographer and made it clear we were supposed to be a team, I was back to square one, so to speak.”
“Thank you, Glen Thomas.”
“So here I am struggling just like I did in high school and college. Trouble is, I can’t tell if my feelings are still a crush or if I’m actually in love with him.”
Eva sat back. “Wow, you do have a dilemma.”
“Plus, our styles are so different. I like to have a plan and he’s spur-of-the-moment. How did you ever put up with him when he worked for you?”
“We pretty much let him do his own thing. But all the traveling and job-hopping he’s done since then may have made him even more independent. But you and Cody aren’t the only ones whose work styles clash. When Mark and I first met, we were at odds over how to run the newspaper.”
“And now you’re perfect together. How did you get to be such a good team?”
Eva’s eyes twinkled. “Our relationship outside the office may have had something to do with it.”
“No chance of that with me and Cody. He’ll be leaving at the end of the summer, and I’ll be staying here in Willow Beach. This is where I’ve always wanted to be.”
The waiter brought their checks. “This has been nice,” Eva said as she pulled her wallet from her purse. “I’m glad we could get together.”
Luci paid her bill and left a tip for the waiter. “So am I. But I feel like I dumped all my problems on you.”
“And I didn’t solve any of them.” Eva stood and pushed in her chair.
“You listened, though. I appreciate that.” Luci joined Eva as they crossed the deck to the stairs leading to the street.
“I’m always here to listen,” Eva said.
When they reached the sidewalk, they hugged and promised to lunch again soon. Eva turned toward the Herald’s office, while Luci went in the opposite direction toward the chamber.
What a good friend Eva had become. In ways, Luci felt closer to her than her own family. More and more, her family was turning into strangers.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“SO WHAT DO you think of my place?” Cody stood aside while Luci walked around his apartment. He hoped he hadn’t missed anything when he’d cleaned up for her visit. Photography magazines neatly stacked on the table? Check. Kitchen sink free of dirty dishes? Check. Groceries stowed away? Check.
Uh-oh, there was a towel on the floor. He snatched it up and slapped it on the towel rack. Then he propped his hands on his hips and focused on her again. She’d changed from her work outfit into jeans and a T-shirt and left her hair loose instead of pulling it back into its usual ponytail. He liked her casual look.
Finally, she said, “It’s so...so you.”
He frowned. “What exactly does that mean?”
She looked at him with earnest eyes. “I meant it as a compliment. It’s the kind of place I would expect you to have. You’re surrounded by everything that’s important to you.” She waved at the shelves displaying his cameras, lenses, tripods and other equipment.
“How do you like my photos?” he said. “That one I took in the Alps. And that’s from my gig in Alaska. Check out the antlers on that moose.” He went around the room, giving her a tour.
When he’d finished, she said, “We’d better get to work.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I tend to get carried away.”
He hadn’t invited her over to brag about his work. He’d thought it would be easier to collaborate with his computer set up. Cody had several screens that were bigger than those at the office or at her place.
If he had any other motive for having her here, he refused to think about what that might be.
“We’ll put your article on that screen,” he said, “and my photos over there and see what we’ve got.”
That accomplished, he scrolled through her article and then sat silent.
“You don’t like it,” she said.
“No, I’m thinking. Go back to the part where you talk about families having fun.”
She found the place. “I was trying to honor Mike’s request that we emphasize the family angle.”
“And you did. And so did I.” He flipped through his photos until he came to the one he wanted. “What do you think of this?”
She leaned forward to look. “The couple with the little boy. I remember them. Okay, he’s digging in the sand and the mom’s spreading a blanket and the dad is setting down the picnic basket.”
“Notice the background?”
“The rowboats.”
“I was showing as much going on as I could without faking it,” Cody said.
“I think you succeeded.”
They continued on, mixing and matching text with photos. Presently, there was a knock on the door.
Luci looked up. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“No, I’m not.” Cody went to the door and opened it to find his mother standing there. She held a napkin-covered tray.
“Thought you two might like a little snack.” Without waiting to be invited in, Olive stepped past Cody and headed for the kitchen area, pausing to nod at Luci. “So good to see you. And welcome to the chamber, by the way.”
“Thanks, Olive.”
“I hope this one isn’t giving you a bad time,” she said.
Luci laughed. “Not so far.”
“When you get hungry, dig in to these sandwiches and veggies. And chocolate cake for dessert—baked today.”
Olive fussed with the food, arranging and rearranging the dishes. Finally, she said, “I’ll be going now. Let me know if you want seconds on anything.”
“Will do, Mom.”
He had to smile as he saw his mother to the door. When he’d told her Luci was coming over, she’d clapped her hands and said, “Oh, joy.”
“Not what you think,” he’d told her. “It’s a work session.”
“I’m glad you work well together.”
“We don’t. That’s the point. I’m trying to get the job done with as little pain as possible.”
But she’d just smiled.
After his mother left, he turned to Luci. “What can I say? She’s a mom.”
“She’s sweet,” Luci said.
They worked for another half hour and then stopped to eat.
When they were finished, she carried their plates to the sink.
“Just leave them,” he said, “and we can get back to work.”
“Actually, I’d better go.” She kept her back to him as she stood at the sink.
“What? We’re not done.” He went to stand beside her, and she stepped away.
“I should go,” she repeated, her head down as she rinsed the plates.
“Why? Do you have a date?”
“No,” she said, annoyance coloring her voice. “Do you?”
“This is the best date I’ve had in ages!” He expected her to laugh at his joke, feeble though it was, but her face took on a stricken look. Oh, man, had he hurt her feelings? He hadn’t meant to. He was about to tell her he was only teasing, but before he could, she’d shut off the water and hurried to the worktable.
“I’ll download what we’ve done so far and take it from here.”
He wanted to protest, but her decisive tone told him to back off.
After she left, he stood there staring at the door and listening to the sound of her car starting up and pulling out of the driveway.
* * *
LUCI PARKED, CUT the engine and sat there, barely noticing the spectacular sunset. What was wrong with her? Why had she let Cody’s remark set her off?
Was it because deep down she wished they had been on a date?
Whatever the reason, she’d had to get out of his apartment. Being there with him was too personal, too cozy. They needed to work together at the office, where she could keep her distance—physically and emotionally.
Inside her apartment, she switched on a table lamp, and her gaze fell on the yellow bowl her mother had given her. She sat on the sofa and picked up the bowl, running her fingers over the smooth surface. She put it down and paged through the album Cody had made her. Everyone looked so happy celebrating her return to Willow Beach. Who would have guessed that barely a month later, her family—and her dream—would be falling apart.
* * *
CODY DROVE THROUGH town looking for a place to park. He’d been working at home sorting through pictures and had become restless. So he’d put on a jacket, grabbed a camera and jumped in the car. He thought about driving out of town but nixed that idea. He needed to be at work tomorrow at the chamber. Willow Beach would have to do for tonight.
Driving along Main Street, he spotted an empty space at the curb and pulled into it. He cut the engine and sat there staring out the windshield. What was he doing? What did he want to do? Just get out of the car, an inner voice commanded. So he did. He locked the car and stood on the sidewalk wondering where to go. Have a cup of coffee? No, he’d had enough coffee at home. Have a beer? Sitting on a barstool didn’t hold much appeal, either.
Okay, just walk.
Hands stuffed in his jeans pockets, he started off. A twilight glow rolled over the buildings. He should be out on the beach, where he might pick up a shot or two, but he didn’t really feel like it. Something had put him in a funk.
Gradually the stores and other businesses thinned out. Last on this block was Toby’s Bar and Grill. Their neon sign glowed against the darkening sky. As he passed by, the door burst open and, along with a blast of rock music, a couple stumbled out. They were laughing and talking, and the man grabbed the woman and kissed her hard.
Cody felt like an intruder. He would’ve walked by, but they took up most of the sidewalk. The couple broke apart, and the woman peered at him in the dim light. “Cody?”
He took a step closer. “Sylvie?” His gaze switched to the man. “Ben?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s Sylvie and Ben,” Ben said, swaying a bit.
Sylvie’s black hair was in a messy topknot and her clothing had the usual ruffles and flounces that made her seem to float when she walked, which she was doing now, drawing Ben toward Cody.
