Picture Perfect
Nikki Rittenberry
NJR
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Nikki Rittenberry at Smashwords
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be stored, reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means without express written permission by the author. www.nikkirittenberry.com
Manufactured in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-0615580951
For Jillian, Ashley, and Amy:
My biggest cheerleaders
Thank you for your unconditional friendship and unyielding support. And most of all, thank you for accepting my many imperfections.
“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”
—Anna Quindlen
Picture Perfect
PROLOGUE
“And this is going to be your room”, Ty said as he opened the door.
Olivia glanced around the room for a moment and then slowly walked to the full-size bed positioned in front of the window. She placed her duffel bag on the worn Dukes of Hazard comforter from Ty’s childhood and gradually unzipped it, revealing her most prized possessions.
“The moving truck should be here in a couple days and then we can redecorate this room with all of your stuff.” Ty watched as his little sister carefully unpacked her collection of Beanie Babies, lining them along the edge of the bed against the wall, organizing them in a specific pattern that only she could decipher.
“You’re really going to love it here; we’re only five blocks from the beach. The water’s finally warming up, too. By this time next month the temperature should reach into the upper seventies…”
The duffel bag had become deflated now that the Beanie Babies were freed. Olivia reached into the nylon material and retrieved a framed portrait of her parents. She gazed at the picture for a few long beats and then gently placed the frame on the adjacent oak nightstand.
That simple gesture tore his heart into a million little pieces. No child should have to endure the kind of grief that his little sister had. It’d been almost three weeks since he’d received the dreaded call that both his parents had been killed in a horrific car accident after leaving a restaurant in downtown Atlanta. He’d driven six torturous hours after that call to be by his little sister’s side, all the while trying to imagine how a nine year old little girl would cope with such a devastating loss.
He’d arrived with the expectation that he’d have to comfort a hysterical and emotionally unstable little girl; instead he encountered a child who seemed devoid of emotions almost entirely. At the funeral it was she who’d consoled loved ones and friends of the family. In fact—as far as he knew—she hadn’t shed a single tear. The social worker assigned to their case had assured him that “everyone grieves differently”, and her method—as strange as it seemed—was actually quite common.
It was important to him that Olivia was loved and nurtured. Fearing that she would be thrown into the system, raised by strangers, he’d submitted paperwork to become her legal guardian. It wasn’t exactly the scenario he’d pictured for himself; he’d graduated from the fire academy last fall and had moved to Butler Island, Florida five months ago after he’d been hired by their small fire department. He didn’t make a lot of money, but he had great benefits, a roof over his head, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility for his new circumstances.
“You don’t have a thing to worry about. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you with me and I promise I’ll never leave you…”
Olivia looked up at her older brother and nodded, and then recited a silent prayer that the courts would grant him permanent guardianship. He was all she had and the sudden awareness terrified her. She knew he’d be giving up the one thing that most nineteen year olds’ long for: independence. He was risking the best years of his life to take care of her and she didn’t take that lightly. She’d decided she was going to walk the straight and narrow, refusing to give Ty a reason to regret his selfless decision to take care of her.
“Are you hungry?” she asked in her adorable southern accent. “I can make us a bowl of grits—it’s my specialty.”
Ty chuckled softly under his breath. Her world had been turned upside down and yet she was at it again: attempting to comfort him when it was she that clearly needed comforting. Their parents were dead. Gone forever. But he and Olivia were still very much alive. Somehow, he needed to guide her through this unimaginable time in her life and attempt to restore some sense of normalcy. So if making her specialty grits accomplished that—who was he to argue?
“A big bowl of grits sounds great…”
CHAPTER 1
Olivia Everitt glanced at the interstate sign.
“Thirty more miles”, she mumbled softly under her breath. She’d left her apartment in New Orleans just before rush hour and had pointed her black Mini Cooper east on I-10 toward the Florida Panhandle. It’d been nine long years since she’d been home. She’d left Butler Island two days after she’d graduated high school and never looked back. Her good grades had landed her a full scholarship at a small college in Northern Louisiana where she’d studied her passion: photography.
The freedom to pack up and leave at a moment’s notice was one of the things she loved most about being a freelance photographer. She answered to no one and only pursued the projects that piqued her interests. Her first big break came three years ago after a devastating cluster of tornadoes demolished a small town just outside of Little Rock, Arkansas in early ‘08. She’d captured a photograph of a little girl with her back turned, standing on a mound of rumble, clutching her filthy baby doll against her side. The black and white photograph had made the cover of Adversity Magazine, well-known for documenting disasters, both natural and man-made. Since then she’d traveled the country, following catastrophe where ever it reared its ugly head.
Olivia down-shifted and steered her car away from the interstate, merging onto the desolate two-lane road that led to the slow-paced life of Butler Island. The winding road carved a path through the colossal pine forest, her surroundings seemingly unchanged since the last time she’d traveled it. This was the segment of Florida that most of the country was unaware of: far from the vain atmosphere of South Beach, hundreds of miles from the tourist traps of Orlando, and secluded from the nightlife of Panama City Beach. Traveling this road gave visitors a glimpse into how the area must have looked to settlers centuries ago: unmarred, serene, divine.
The decision to return home had been a spur-of-the-moment one. During her weekly Wednesday night conversation with Ty the night before, she’d discovered that his estranged wife, Cameron, had served him with divorce papers. It was no surprise to Olivia, but she couldn’t exactly say the same about her brother.
Cameron was what the town called a “part-time local.” Her family visited every year at the beginning of the summer and returned to their real home in Illinois by summers’ end. Six years ago Cameron had been in town for a family reunion and had managed to get the heel of her stiletto wedged between two boards while walking on the pier. She’d stumbled and twisted her ankle just as Ty was leaving the local saloon. Always a perfect gentleman, Ty dislodged her designer shoe and assisted her to her feet. They’d spent the next few weeks together and had made a surprisingly spontaneous decision to marry.
The news of his marriage had come as a shock to Olivia—their brief courtship incapable of predicting their compatibility. He’d overextended himself to make Cameron happy: remodeling their home, installing a pool, purchasing a flashy sports car. In the end his efforts weren’t enough. Several months ago she’d been having coffee with a friend at the local café when she’d spotted a good-looking executive in town for the annual Oyster Festival. The celebration was the island’s only claim to fame, attracting locals and tourists from out of state. She’d had an affair with the visiting businessman and three days later, packed her bags and headed north, leaving behind a farewell letter and her two karat diamond ring.
Olivia knew that he’d been secretly holding out hope that Cameron would return home, however the sudden arrival of the divorce documents painfully signaled to Ty the finality of their separation. His world was unraveling. Although he would never outwardly admit it, he needed his little sister. He’d made a selfless decision to take care of her eighteen years ago and now it was time for her to return the favor.
“Welcome home”, she mumbled as she crossed the Mainland Bridge that led to Butler Island. The town was dark and eerily quiet. She thought about what she’d be doing if she was back in New Orleans: at ten-thirty at night, the Crescent City would just be coming to life. Butler Island took pride in its slow-paced lifestyle: the annual Oyster Festival and Winter Fest were traditionally the biggest news stories of the year. Not so great for a photographer who specialized in capturing tragedy and devastation, but Ty had nonchalantly mentioned there’d been a slew of fires the previous month and a half that had been ruled suspicious. It wasn’t national breaking news exactly, but in her island hometown that was probably as good as it would get.
The vehicle rolled to a stop underneath the covered carport and after taking a deep breath, Olivia emerged from behind the wheel and grabbed her luggage. Once the front door was opened she stepped inside and slid her fingers up the wall in search of the light switch. Flipping the switch upward she let out a gasp… This was the home she’d grown up in since the age of nine and she didn’t recognize this place one iota.
“Sweet baby Jesus”, she muttered as she glanced around the redecorated living room. Their old denim-covered couch had been replaced with a sleek, red leather sectional and the white coffee table she’d spent countless hours coloring on as a kid had been replaced with a hefty, glass-top table.
The kitchen was utterly unrecognizable as well: the outdated oak cabinetry was now painted a deep shade of gray, contrasting vividly against the white marble countertop. Appliances were stainless steel and the floor was comprised of slate. The sliding glass door had been replaced by French doors, which led to a covered patio and a rectangular-shaped pool.
Olivia retraced her steps back into the living room and picked up her luggage before making the journey down the hall to her bedroom. She flipped the switch and stood in awe. Everything was… exactly how she’d left it nine years ago.
She smiled in spite of herself. The entire house had received a facelift and yet Ty had purposely left this room untouched. That had most likely infuriated Cameron, but proved to her that Ty was still hopeful that one day his sister would return.
The pink satin comforter was strewn over the antique canopy bed along with a handful of Beanie Babies she’d kept from her childhood. A swell of emotion erupted from the pit of her stomach and she blinked back the moisture as it attempted to escape her eyes. Having been gone for so many years she was uncertain how it would feel to be back. And as she collapsed onto the mattress in front of her she admitted it felt good. Oh so good!
Ty steered his truck onto the deserted two-lane road, the island’s only fire station in his rearview mirror. He’d spent every third night here for the past eighteen years; most of those nights had been peaceful. Unfortunately that was no longer the case.
Four fires—in six weeks… that was no coincidence.
Last night’s fire completely engulfed the abandoned, wood-frame home on Whippoorwill Lane. So far, the arsonist had only torched forsaken structures—and yes, they were most certainly dealing with an arsonist—but what would happen when the pyromaniac ran out of deserted properties to torch?
Lives would be in danger.
After returning to the station early this morning, he’d been greeted by the Mayor.
“If anyone asks, this fire is ‘suspicious’—nothing more, nothing less. Are we clear?” he’d said. “The last thing we need to do is unnecessarily alarm the town’s residents.”
Ty wondered how much longer this charade would last. Sure, Butler Island was a small town with a population of roughly a thousand residents, but they weren’t ignorant. They were honest folks and they deserved to know the truth: there was a criminal among them. But that wasn’t his call to make—it was Mayor Cliffburg’s. So until Ty was told differently, he’d repeat the rehearsed explanation and pray the fire-starter was apprehended before a real tragedy occurred.
His commute from the station to his home on Gulf Court had only taken roughly three minutes, and as he pulled into the driveway, he wondered if maybe the physical and mental exhaustion from last night’s fire was finally taking its toll: a black Mini Cooper was parked underneath the carport. No one on the small island drove that particular make and model, which could only mean one thing: his little sister had finally come home.
“Olivia… Olivia!” Ty shouted as he charged through the front door. The fatigue he’d felt moments before subsided, replaced by an overwhelming surge of anticipation. The revelation of her presence had restored his energy like a liberal dose of caffeine. He’d practically leapt from his truck upon making the discovery and surged through the front door in search of her.
“Surprise”, she announced as she emerged from the hallway. They rushed toward one another and embraced for almost a minute before pulling away, the silence oddly comforting.
“I can’t believe you’re really here!” he finally declared. “You know, you could have told me you were coming.”
“What and ruin this reception?—not a chance!”
“When did you get in?”
“Late last night. I thought maybe I had the wrong house”, she said as she glanced around the room. “Everything looks so…”
“Different”, he offered.
“Well, yeah, but I was going to say urban chic.”
Ty chuckled under his breath. “Okaaay, whatever that means… So, how long are you here for?”
Olivia shrugged her shoulders. “For a good while, I guess.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear that.”
After receiving a guided tour of the recently renovated house, she made another surprising discovery: the concrete storage building in the backyard that’d been converted into a darkroom in high school had been left untouched as well. She was moved by his unwillingness to alter her existence from this house and felt a sudden twinge of guilt for waiting as long as she had to return.
The darkroom discovery prompted Olivia to do something she hadn’t done in a while: photograph something other than devastation. She’d driven five blocks and parked her Mini Cooper in the public lot before removing her shoes and reaching for her camera. The air was saturated with salt and as she descended down the wood steps, she inhaled the nostalgic aroma. The warm gulf breeze collided against her body as her toes sunk into the powdery sand and without hesitation, she raised her camera to her face and began snapping pictures of the horizon as she blindly walked forward.
She’d been walking for less than a minute before the first small wave reached her toes and a sudden fiery sensation swept across the top of her foot. Olivia tore the camera from her face and looked down as the plump, translucent jellyfish was helplessly carried away by the receding wave. She stumbled and fell to her knees in pain, almost dropping her expensive camera in the process. One quick look around only further heightened the hysteria—the entire beach was littered with jellyfish. She’d been so distracted by the beautiful scenery that she hadn’t noticed the slimy sea creatures until now. In fact, it was a miracle she hadn’t stepped on one before she’d reached the water.
The pain was becoming more intense with every passing moment, her skin searing from the fiery sting. She cried out in agony just as two strong arms hoisted her to her feet from behind.
“You Ok?”
“Oh, I’m just hunkey dorey!—you?” she asked as the large hands gripped her waist and spun her around. She came face to face with her rescuer… all six-foot, broad-shouldered inch of him.
Grant looked down at the beautiful, blonde stranger he held in his arms and smiled. The thick southern twang in her voice assuring him she wasn’t from around here. “That’s a pretty nasty sting you have there.”
“Yeah—since when did this beach get invaded with those slimy lil’ suckers?”
He chuckled under his breath. Slimy lil’ suckers? “The tropical storm brought them in.”
“But it didn’t even make landfall”, she reiterated.
“It didn’t have to. The winds stir up the current and wash them ashore.”
“Oh.”
“Listen”, he said as he gestured toward her foot, “we need to get you fixed up before all the toxins are released—”
“—Jesus, Joseph, and Mary—you’re not gonna pee on my foot are you? Because if that’s what you’re plannin’, then I’m gonna have to object. I’m not that kind of girl.”
Grant felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a wide grin. She became more adorable and more beautiful every time she spoke. “No—I’m not going to pee on you.” He pointed to the raised beach house behind her. “That’s my house over there. I can have you fixed up in no time.”
Olivia glanced over her shoulder at the beach house and then back at the handsome tattooed-man still holding on to her waist. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because… you’re a stranger. How do I know you’re not an ax murderer luring me to your house so you can chop me up into a bunch of little pieces?”
That did it. He couldn’t contain his laughter any longer and when he met her gaze again, he realized she wasn’t laughing.
“You’re serious…? Honey, this is Butler Island. People leave their doors unlocked, the fruit stand on First Street is on the honor system, and the biggest crime in the town’s history was committed by a teenage girl that took a stolen jet ski on a joy ride years ago.”
The beautiful woman smiled and relaxed a bit in his arms, no longer as tense as she was moments before. He removed one of his hands from her waist and offered it to her. “My name’s Grant Womack and I’m a firefighter—not an ax murderer. I’ve got a first aid kit at the house. We can sit outside on the deck if that would make you feel more comfortable.”
She looked down at his outstretched hand and bit her bottom lip before shaking it. “You can call me Olivia—not honey—and sitting on the deck would be greatly appreciated.”
Grant guided her around the hundreds of jellyfish scattered along the beach and when they reached the deck, she sat with her legs stretched out in front of her on an oversized lounge chair. He disappeared for a moment inside and then re-emerged seconds later with a bottle of distilled vinegar and a mound of gauze. He knelt down in front of her and then poured the pungent liquid over her foot.
“Ouch! Are you sure you know what you’re doin’?”
“Count to ten and I promise it’ll get better. The vinegar only hurts for a few seconds and then it’ll begin neutralizing all the toxins the stinger released… Better?”
Olivia took a deep breath and exhaled slowly though her mouth. “Yeah, a little.” She studied him for a moment, which given his good looks wasn’t a hardship what-so-ever. “So, the peeing thing is—”
“A myth. You’re better off rinsing the sting in the ocean than you are peeing on it.” He watched as she nodded her head, retaining the information just in case she needed it for future use. “I haven’t seen you around here before. Are you new in town?”
“Not exactly.”
“Not exactly… Do you mind elaborating a little bit on that one?”
“Yes, actually, I do mind”, she answered playfully.
Grant let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. She was a witty little thing and he liked it—he liked her. The women he’d dated on the island—if you could even call it dating—were quick to throw themselves at his feet. They were eager for a few beers and a roll in the hay, but truthfully he’d grown tired of it. It’d been a long time since he’d been intrigued by a member of the female species and the woman sitting in front of him certainly sparked his curiosity. “So, do you have any plans tonight? There’s a poker tournament at my buddy’s house. Some of the guys bring their wives and girlfriends…”
“Are you asking me on a date?”
“That depends, are you interested?”
“Actually, I already have plans tonight with the man in my life ”, she explained.
Ouch! Grant lowered his head for a moment before meeting her green-eyed gaze again. “Well, he’s a lucky man.”
“Yes, he is”, she said smiling. “I’ll make sure to pass your message along to him.” Olivia swung her legs over the side of the lounge chair and stood up.
“Do you need a ride?” he offered.
“No thanks, my car’s right over there in the parkin’ lot”, she assured him as she gestured toward her car. “And by the way… thank you.”
She started down the wood steps that led to the beach from his expansive deck. “Maybe I’ll see you around”, he called out as he watched her move toward the sandy shore.
“It’s a small island—I’m sure you will.”
CHAPTER 2
Poker night was a once a month tradition, hosted by Grant’s lieutenant, and best friend, Ty. It was an opportunity to bond with his fellow “brothers” at the fire department and it was an excuse to drink a boat-load of beer, too. He arrived at Ty’s house a few minutes late, the boys steadily hassling him over the game delay. The guys were already seated at the large dining room table as he walked to the fridge to snag an ice cold beer. He glanced through the window pane and saw the women huddled around the patio table—exchanging gossip no doubt. Not wanting to disturb their whispering campaign and cause further delay from the tournament, he gave a quick wave and then joined the guys at the dining room table.
“Glad you could make it”, Ty announced dryly.
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss taking your money for the world, bro.”
Ty began shuffling the cards and then swiftly distributed five cards a piece to his self, as well as the seven guys sitting at the table. After everyone had an opportunity to take a look at their dealt hands, Eddie Yates placed the first bet, tossing his poker chips into the middle of the table. “I have to tell you, Ty: that was one hell of a surprise”, he said.
“Yeah, did you know she was coming?” Jimmy Phillips asked.
“Nope—I was just as surprised as the rest of you.”
“What the hell are you guys talking about?” Grant interjected.
“My sister’s in town.” Ty placed his cards face down on the table and then stood from his chair. He walked to the French doors and asked his sister to come inside whenever she had a moment and then sat back down at the table.
Grant was busy studying his cards, oblivious to the silhouette walking toward him—that is until the silhouette opened her mouth to speak.
“Alright boys, this had better be good—I’m not playin’ waitress tonight!”
Grant immediately looked up from his cards. That adorable southern accent had been distracting him all fucking day.
“Grant, I’d like you to meet my baby sister, Olivia.”
Olivia reached her hand toward Grant. “It’s a pleasure to meet you… Grant, right?” she asked smiling.
Grant chuckled softly under his breath. Earlier in the day he’d had his hands on her waist when he’d rescued her on the beach. And on those incredibly sexy legs when he’d knelt in front of her while applying first aid to her foot. “Yeah… Same goes.”
She removed her hand from his and took a step back. “Alright, now that I’ve managed to meet all the new faces at this table—you can proceed with your silly lil’ Go Fish game!” She gave Grant a wink and then turned and walked away.
“It’s not Go Fish—it’s poker!” Ty shouted over his shoulder.
“Same difference”, she countered before joining the women back on the patio.
Olivia closed the French doors behind her and walked toward her seat.
“So, it looks as though you just met Butler Island’s most eligible bachelor”, Lana Phillips announced.
Olivia took her seat and glanced around the table at six pairs of eyes staring back at her. “Did I miss something? Why is everyone staring at me like that?”
“Oh c’mon, Olivia—did you see the way Grant just looked at you?—like you were the prime rib at an all-you-can-eat buffet?” Jenny Carson asked.
Olivia tucked her honey-blonde hair behind one of her ears. “Alright, look—please don’t take this the wrong way, but you ladies need to get out more. And by ‘out more’, I mean something far more excitin’ than poker night and preferably off of Butler Island.”
The group of women got a good laugh out of that. Most of the locals had never even left the state of Florida, let alone the county. They had no idea about what life was like beyond the Mainland Bridge. Olivia did, though. She’d traveled all over the continental United States for her career. She’d witnessed real life firsthand; experienced it with open arms and had the scars, both physical and emotional, to prove it.
“I’d give anything for that man to look at me like that”, Tonya Woods mumbled.
“Oh, please—you’re married!” announced Jenny. “Does Mark know about your secret crush?”
“Are you kidding me?—like I would just come right out and say it: ‘Here’s your dinner, honey. How’s your meatloaf? And by the way, did you know that my mouth drops open like an idiot whenever Grant walks into the room?’”
Laughter erupted from around the patio table and when they finally settled down, Olivia’s curiosity finally got the best of her. “So, tell me about him. What’s his story?”
“Well, he’s been at the fire department for about five years—”
“And let’s not leave out the most important part”, Jenny interjected. “He’s great at friendship, but he’s a lousy boyfriend.”
“What do you mean?” asked Olivia
“She means he’s a die-hard womanizer—a serial dater. A player. I heard from Jimmy that Grant’s never had a serious relationship before and judging by his previous dating record, he probably never will”, Lana shared.
“Hmm, that’s very interesting…” Very interesting indeed. Olivia had never had a serious relationship either. Oh, she’d certainly come close a time or two, but every time her previous boyfriends’ began dropping subtle hints that they were interested in something more serious, she’d panicked. She was completely aware that her fear of love and commitment set her apart from the other ninety-nine percent of the female population, but she did have her reasons.
Losing her parents at such a young age had deeply affected her. She’d never felt so grief-stricken and vulnerable in her entire life, before or since that dreadful night. Aside from her brother, Ty, she kept all relationships with the male species at arm’s length. Her biggest phobia—other than heights—was to revisit the kind of pain she’d endured then. To allow her heart to become accessible, leaving her weak and defenseless. She liked to have complete and utter control of her life; just thinking about losing it made her panic.
But she had to admit, she was incredibly intrigued by Grant. Looking at him was certainly no hardship. His light brown hair dared her to run her fingers through it; his eyes were ice-blue, but there was nothing cold about them. His long lashes were borderline envious. And those lips…
Okay, she was admittedly curious—even more so by his playboy reputation. He wasn’t looking for anything serious and neither was she. She only planned on being in town for a few months and spending time with a drop-dead-gorgeous fireman would give her a sense of adventure in this slow-paced island town.
Grant glanced at the shrinking stack of poker chips in front of him and then at his cards. Damn it! There was no doubt about it: he’d been dealt a very shitty hand this round.
“So, what brings your sister to town?” he asked, hoping the conversation was enough to distract Ty from winning yet another round.
“Hell if I know—Olivia is… spontaneous and adventurous by nature.”
“Spontaneous and adventurous…?”
“Yep, I raised her from the age of nine and two days after she graduated, she up and left and hasn’t been back until now. Her being gone is partly my fault, though.”
“Why’s that?” Grant asked curiously.
“Well, let’s just say Olivia didn’t hide the fact that she wasn’t a big fan of Cameron and Cameron felt the same way about her. I traveled to New Orleans a couple times to visit, but she’d always declined to come back home.”
“Ah.” He was beginning to like her more by the minute. He wasn’t a big fan of Cameron either. In fact, he was probably the only one on the entire island that saw through her innocent guise.
Grant placed twenty dollars worth of chips in the center of the table; the only chance he had to win this game was to rely heavily on distracting and bluffing his opponents. “Any idea how long she’s staying?”
Ty met his twenty dollar bet and raised him fifteen. “I have no idea. She didn’t give me a departure date. But knowing her, she won’t be able to stay idle for long…”
After Grant reluctantly removed himself from the tournament, he grabbed another beer and headed outside for a breath of fresh air. He ambled toward the pool where Olivia was sitting with her pants’ legs rolled up to her knees; her legs swishing softly in the chilly water. He settled down beside her, removing his flip flops and rolling his jeans, submerging his feet into the cool water as well. “So, the man in your life you spoke about earlier was…?”
“My brother, Ty”, she said smiling.
“And you didn’t feel the need to tell me that the ‘man in your life’ was also a fireman because…?”
“Because you didn’t ask”, she responded playfully.
Grant chuckled under his breath and then gestured toward her injury. “How’s the foot doing?”
Olivia straightened her leg, lifting her foot out of the water. “Well, it’s a lil’ tender, but I’m a tough girl.”
“I don’t doubt that for a minute”, he said as he flashed a heated smile.
Oh, yeah. Spending time with the island’s most eligible bachelor was going to be fun. “I take it since you’re out here flirtin’ with me and the rest of the guys are still inside, playing cards, means you didn’t do so well tonight.”
She’s good—real good. “Flirting? Is that what I was doing?” he asked, grinning.
“Uh-huh. That’s precisely what you were doin’.”
Grant put his hands up in surrender. “Ok… guilty! And to answer your first question, the game didn’t go very well for me tonight. I was sort of distracted.”
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” she asked curiously as she took a sip of red wine.
“Because… I was too busy staring at you.”
Spoken like a true player, she thought. This was going to be fun. He was probably used to women falling at his feet, melting into a willing puddle of lust at the sight of his sinfully suggestive smile, but he hadn’t had the pleasure of crossing paths with her yet. Make no mistake, her extremities felt like a heaping mound of overcooked noodles every time he looked at her with those eager, ice-blue eyes—the same blue eyes sweeping across her mouth right now—but he certainly didn’t need to know that. Guys like Grant enjoyed “the chase” and judging by the reactions from some of the women earlier, he hadn’t engaged in a challenging pursuit of the opposite sex in quite some time.
“Aw, I’m flattered—you’re worried about me. That’s really sweet.”
Sweet? He’d been called a lot of things in his thirty-three years, but “sweet” wasn’t one of them. Grant laughed in spite of himself. For some strange reason, she had that effect on him. “So, are you going to be around for Ty’s annual Halloween party next weekend?”
“Are you kiddin’ me?—of course! I love Halloween.”
“Yeah? What’s your costume?” he asked.
Olivia leaned her weight back on her hands. “Hmm, I don’t know yet. Any suggestions?”
“Oh, I don’t know… nudist colony member?” he suggested as he winked at her.
She felt her bones beginning to melt into that willing puddle of lust she thought about moments earlier. It was a good thing her feet were submerged in the chilly water; if the conversation continued much longer she might be forced to submerge her entire body. He was slick, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of showing him what he was doing to her insides right now.
“Hmm, I’ll have to keep that one in mind…”
CHAPTER 3
Butler Island contained all of the essentials the small town needed: a modest-sized police and fire department, a post office, a humble grocery store and neighborhood pharmacy. The majority of the businesses on the island were located along the boardwalk. There was an antique shop, a delicious bakery and café, restaurants, a saloon, and several little stores that sold everything from clothes to seashells to fishing poles.
Olivia awoke the next morning with a clear goal in mind: find a Halloween costume. She figured she would travel to the boardwalk and check out the Seasonal Bazaar, a small boutique that specialized in inventory to suit every season and holiday of the year. She loosely braided her long blonde hair and slipped into an old pair of comfortable jeans and a white tank top when the doorbell rang.
“Coming!” she called out as she approached the door.
“Oh my goodness, it really is true… You’re here!” Kendall Porter cried.
“In the flesh! How are you?” Olivia asked as she stepped forward to give Kendall a hug. Kendall was Olivia’s childhood best friend. They’d stayed in touch throughout the years, although not as often as she would have liked. Kendall had left Butler Island for college as well, but had returned after graduation to manage the small neighborhood pharmacy on the island.
“Every thing’s been great.”
She still looked the same: Tall, black shoulder-length hair, large amber eyes and an envious olive complexion. She was a beauty, both inside and out.
“How did you know I was here?” Olivia asked.
Kendall gave her a look of disbelief. “You have been gone a long time… This is Butler Island, remember? Word travels fast here!”
“Yeah, guess I’d better get used to that again…”
Kendall accompanied Olivia to the Seasonal Bazaar, in search of a costume for herself as well. They’d been sifting through the racks for several minutes before Olivia’s curiosity got the best of her. “I have a question for you.”
“Ok—shoot.”
“What do you know about Grant Womack?” Kendall held up a pink princess costume, asking for her opinion. When Olivia wrinkled her nose and shook her head in disapproval, Kendall returned the satin garment back to the rack.
“Well, besides being the most eligible bachelor in the county?—not much… He’s a fairly private guy. He is Mr. Gibson’s grandson, though.”
“Really? I didn’t know that… I guess that explains the beach house then.”
Kendall froze and looked up at Olivia in anticipation. “You were at his beach house?—When?—and I want all the raunchy details, too!”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but it wasn’t like that”, she assured her. She went on to tell her about her jellyfish encounter and how Grant had been there to administer first aid. Olivia finally stumbled across a costume she liked and held it up to get Kendall’s approval.
“I think that one’s perfect! And do you want to know what else I think?”
“Of course.”
“I have a gut feeling that you’re going to become familiar with that beach house and the man who lives in it…”
Kendall and her gut feelings. Her intuition, although at times mysterious, was also very reliable. And just to make sure, Olivia had to ask. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, c’mon—he’s gorgeous, he’s single, and he’s totally into you!”
“He is not—he’s Ty’s best friend. He’s just trying to be polite. And besides… how do you know who Grant’s ‘into’?”
Kendall shot Olivia a hollow look. “Need I remind you again? Gossip circulates quickly on this island.”
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot…”
“Okay, I think this is the last box”, Ty announced as he carefully stepped down from the ladder.
Olivia sat on the cool concrete floor of the carport with her legs tucked underneath her. She’d already opened the first box of Halloween decorations and was nostalgically sifting through them when Ty knelt down beside her.
“I can’t believe you kept this all these years”, she said as she clutched the homemade Halloween trivet she’d constructed in her Home Economics class in the seventh grade. It’d been fabricated from orange and black ceramic beads and Popsicle sticks. She’d been so proud of her creation then and had given it to Ty as a gift. But seeing it now through her adult eyes, she realized how pathetic it actually looked.
“Of course, I kept it.”
“Ty, it’s the ugliest darn trivet I’ve ever seen! You mean to tell me that you still put this out on the counter every year?” she asked in disbelief.
“Every year.”
“That couldn’t have made Cameron very happy…” She watched as he wiped his hand down the front of his face. He was hurting and she wished more than ever that she could absorb the pain he was experiencing so that he wouldn’t have to endure it.
He let out a sigh and then met his little sister’s gaze. “No—she wasn’t fond of the trivet…”
“Or me”, Olivia added. “I want you to know that me being gone all this time had nothing to do with you… It’s no secret that Cameron and I didn’t like each other very well, but I saw how happy she made you. And I figured your happiness was long overdue.”
“Liv, I’m so very sorry.”
“Sorry? For what? You have absolutely nothing to feel sorry for”, she assured him.
“Yeah, I do. Cameron made you feel as though this was no longer your home—”
“That’s right—Cameron—not you.”
“Yeah, but I let her…”
Olivia wrapped her arms around her brother and gave him a squeeze. “It’s okay—that’s behind us now. This is a new beginning—for both of us.”
“I’m so glad you’re here”, he mumbled as he hugged her back.
“Me, too”, she said before pulling away. “Enough of this emotional mushy stuff—we’ve got some Halloween decoratin’ to do…”
An unexpected cold front had arrived earlier in the day, causing temperatures on the island to plummet into the mid-fifties upon nightfall. Grant parked his truck along the street in front of Ty’s house. He’d chosen to dress as a 1920’s gangster this year, sporting a black and white striped suit and black fedora. He emerged from his truck with a toy Tommy-gun in hand and then headed inside.
He was greeted by a grinning Ty, decked out in a flight suit and aviator glasses; looking like “Iceman” from the movie Top Gun. “Well, this gives a whole new meaning to ‘wing man’, doesn’t it?”
“Nice monkey suit, asshole”, Ty responded.
Grant stepped inside and placed his beer in the refrigerator before taking inventory of all the various costumes in the room. Eddie was dressed as a pirate, complete with an eye patch and fake parrot attached to one of his shoulders. Jimmy Phillips and his wife, Lana, were dressed as a tough-looking biker and biker-babe, and Randall Burns was dressed as the blue guy from Avatar. He was amazed by the crowd’s creativity, but there was one person in particular that impressed him most.
Olivia.
She was standing on the patio by the stainless steel, outdoor heater in a skimpy little referee costume, hair down in large, voluminous curls like a Texas beauty queen. Her snug referee ensemble clung to her mouth-watering curves, the hem falling mid-thigh, revealing the sexiest pair of legs he’d ever seen. She wore black stiletto boots that rose midway up her lower legs and a pair of black and white tube socks that settled just below her knees. Unable to resist, he opened the French doors and ambled toward her.
Olivia met his astonished gaze and smiled, throwing up her hands in front of her as though she were surrendering. “Don’t shoot”, she uttered as he approached.
His eyes journeyed down the length of her body and then stalled at her cleavage. “I don’t know—you don’t look so innocent right now…”
Olivia cocked her head sideways and cleared her throat, distracting his attention away from her breasts. “Watch it, Womack—you just might find yourself with a penalty.”
Sexual innuendos, one of his favorite games. Grant flashed a wicked grin. “Oh yeah? Which one would that be?”
“Unsportsman-like conduct”, she responded playfully. Olivia swept her gaze down Grant this time, pausing when she reached the large bulge in his pants. “I like your Tommy-gun. It’s so… big.”
Holy shit. “Who’s on the verge of a penalty now?”
Olivia took a step closer and rose onto her toes so that her mouth was inches from his ear. “I’m just the ref; I call ‘em like I see ‘em”, she whispered before she walked away.
“She’s somethin’ else, isn’t she?” Randall asked as he joined Grant on the patio.
Grant took a pull from his beer, eyeing Olivia until she disappeared inside. “Yeah… How well do you know her?”
“Olivia?” Randall asked. “We grew up together. She was a year younger than me, but she was still one of my closest friends. Would’ve given anything to be more than friends, though.”
“Had a secret crush, did ya?”
Randall chuckled softly as he tucked his hands under his arms. “Me and half the town’s teenage male population! But she didn’t really date much back then…”
“Why not?” Grant asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, turning his attention to the electric-blue man standing beside him.
Randall shrugged his shoulders. “Partly because she was too busy causing a ruckus to be tied down in a relationship. And partly because every guy on the island knew her free-spirit couldn’t be tamed…”
The party was a big success. It was late—or early the following morning—before the crowd had thinned. Kendall had been talking to Ty on the couch when he’d placed the back of his head against the sleek red leather and closed his eyes. She thought he was just resting them for a moment, but when he began to snore she realized he’d passed out. “Um, Olivia?” she called out to the kitchen.
“Yeah?”
“Ty’s out cold.”
“What?” Olivia moved from behind the counter and walked into the living room. Ty’s glasses were crooked and his mouth was slightly parted. Olivia gave him a firm nudge, which only made him snore louder. “Poor guy—he probably hasn’t had a decent night of sleep since Cameron left a couple of months ago…”
“Bitch”, Kendall murmured.
“Yeah, my thoughts exactly.”
Grant returned from the restroom and watched as the nurse and the referee huddled around Ty, observing him sleep. He quietly crept up behind them and when he was inches away from Olivia’s ear, he came to a halt. “Am I missing something?” he asked as the girls leapt from the couch in a startled panic.
“Don’t do that!” Olivia exclaimed, reaching for her chest to sooth her racing heartbeat. “You nearly scared my britches off!”
Grant raised an eyebrow. “Well, in that case—let me try again.”
Kendall looked at Grant and then back at Olivia. There was so much sexual tension in the room it nearly smothered her. “Okaaay—I think this is my cue to go.” She reached for her purse lying on the glass sofa table and fumbled around for her keys. “Great party, by the way.”
Without tearing his eyes from the sexy referee in front of him, Grant inquired about her ability to drive and after Kendall reiterated that she was perfectly fine, she stepped out into the cool night and closed the door behind her.
“And then there were two”, he said as he looked into Olivia’s emerald eyes.
“Well, actually three if you count the unconscious aviator lying on the couch. You think maybe we could carry him to his bed?” she asked.
“I think we can manage.”
After the gangster and referee tucked the drunken aviator into bed, they cleared the kitchen and patio of empty cups and beer bottles, essentially erasing any evidence that a party had taken place there hours earlier. The temperature felt as though it had dropped a few more degrees as Grant and Olivia sauntered back onto the patio for one last drink. They huddled around the outdoor heater, sitting on a lounge chair next to one another as though it were a bench. The pool light had a red cover fastened to it, creating an illusion of bloody water, and various fake body parts floated randomly along the surface.
“I missed this”, Olivia said as she gestured toward the pool. “Ty always decorated the entire house for Halloween every year when I was growin’ up. We didn’t have a pool then, but he always had a lot of creativity.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“Yeah”, Olivia sighed. “He sure is…”
“He has a lot of decorations and quite an imagination, too”, Grant shared as he pointed to a plastic foot floating by.
“Well, we accumulated a lot of this over the years. When I first came to live with him, the only decoration he owned was a ceramic pumpkin candy dish that mom had given him. When my parents were alive, they decorated the house from top to bottom with spooky decorations and since Halloween was my favorite time of year, Ty made sure we kept the tradition goin’.”
“So, Halloween was your favorite holiday?”
“Uh-huh—still is”, she offered.
Grant turned his body slightly to face her. “Why?”
Olivia shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know—I guess it’s because it’s the only night out of the year that you can put on a costume and transform into someone else. You can pretend, for one night, to lead a completely different life… And I have no idea why I just told you that!” She confessed as she emerged from her trance.
Olivia turned and met his intense gaze. “Don’t”, she demanded.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t look at me like that!”
Clearly amused, Grant revealed a charming smile. “How am I looking at you?”
“Like… like you think I’m completely crazy or somethin’.”
He couldn’t take it any longer. Without hesitation, he reached behind her head and cupped the back of her neck, gently caressing her jaw with his thumb. “I wasn’t thinking you were crazy… I was thinking about what it’d be like to kiss you.”
“Oh”, she whispered.
Grant licked his suddenly dry lips and then leaned forward. He pressed his mouth against her soft, warm lips, giving her an opportunity to pull away if she was having second thoughts.
She didn’t.
Instead her lips parted, inviting him for a taste. One slick stroke of her sweet tongue and he was gone. He angled his head to deepen the kiss and heard the sweetest moan escape from the back of her throat.
Olivia clenched his light brown hair in her hands, wanting to feel closer to him—suddenly needing to be closer. Every nerve-ending was on alert, her skin hypersensitive to his gentle touch. His hands grazed down her back, sending shivers down her spine and spreading warmth across her body like a sultry New Orleans summer day.
“I should probably go”, he whispered against her mouth. He didn’t want to though, damn it. What he really wanted to do was strip her out of her referee ensemble and rack up a slew of penalties. He wanted to play dirty; he wanted to make a touchdown…
Olivia tilted her head to the side, giving him better access to the sensitive spot on her neck just below her ear. “Yeah, you should”, she uttered breathlessly.
She gasped when his mouth grazed the ticklish area just below her ear. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her delicate skin and when he began spreading open-mouth kisses along her jaw, her eyes rolled back into her head.
Every moan of pleasure, every quickened breath aroused him. He felt as though he was being engulfed by lust-saturated quicksand; his body fighting to stay in control, every subtle movement threatening to consume him. He knew if he didn’t regain his self-control now, the kissing would escalate. And that couldn’t happen.
She was Ty’s little sister—his very beautiful, sexy, irresistible little sister.
Game over.
Reluctantly, Grant tore his mouth away and stood up. “I’m sorry”, he said before walking away. He adjusted the growing bulge in his pants and made a mental note to grab an icepack from the freezer on his way out to soothe the severe case of blue balls he was going to have by the time he drove the five blocks to his beach house.
Olivia ran the tip of her fingers over her tingling lips, still wet and swollen from his kiss. She observed him as he disappeared inside the house, leaving her alone on the lounge chair they’d shared, aroused, with a mixture of emotions. She was surprised by how easily she’d lost control.
Yeah, she really needed to watch that next time.
Next time?—Jesus, Joseph and Mary—listen to her. Their kiss had quickly ignited into a raging firestorm. And then as quickly as it’d started, he pulled away. A gentleman-like gesture?—or a quick recovery over a drunken lapse in judgment? She wondered. The answer to that question: Only time would tell…
CHAPTER 4
The sweet smell of freshly baked doughnuts saturated the air inside Olivia’s Mini Cooper, becoming increasingly more intense with every passing mile. Ty had been hounding her to come by the fire station to visit and even though it had been a while, she knew better than to arrive without treats.
Olivia hadn’t spoken to Grant since their kiss five days ago. The kiss had been… well, it had been amazing. But maybe he’d regretted it. Maybe the brave juice he’d ingested throughout the evening had altered his judgment. Maybe he’d awoke the following morning with an aching head and clarity of what he’d done.
Since the moment he’d assisted her to her feet on the beach after her jellyfish encounter, she’d wondered. Wondered what it’d be like to kiss him and now that she knew…
Kissing had always been rather trivial to her. Well, that’s not exactly true. She’d once went on a date with a fellow freelance photographer and he’d nearly choked her with his tongue—needless to say there wasn’t a second date. So maybe kissing wasn’t trivial, but it also hadn’t been pivotal either.
Until she’d kissed Grant.
Now she was beginning to think that maybe kissing wasn’t just a means to an end. Perhaps it was meant to be savored. Her kiss with Grant had been perfect: aggressive, yet not overbearing—lustful, yet not sloppy. There was no doubt about it: the man could kiss—
“Damn it”, she muttered as she came to a stop. She’d been obsessing over the kiss and had missed her turn. Olivia made an illegal U-turn along the abandoned two-lane road and headed back to the street she’d passed.
Take a deep breath and pull yourself together!
She steered her car down the long drive that led to the hidden fire station. Okay, no more driving with three dozen freshly baked doughnuts in the car. Clearly it affected her mind.
Yeah, blame it on the doughnuts…
After snagging the last parking spot in the small lot she removed her key from the ignition and inhaled a deep, calming breath. Ty was going to be happy that she’d finally made the time to visit the station. She hated to disappoint him and besides—she was hoping to run into Grant so that she could apologize for the other night.
Alright, pep talk’s over. Time to get inside and get this visit over with.
Olivia gripped the three rectangular doughnut boxes from the passenger seat and strolled toward the open bay. It housed the island’s only fire truck and a myriad of memories from her childhood and adolescence. When she was within reach, she slowly glided her fingertips along the side of the fire truck, reminiscing about the first time she’d sat inside. She was nine and Ty had given her permission to sit behind the wheel and pretend to drive. Her feet dangled from the seat, fidgeting with excitement as he turned on the siren and coaxed her to beep the horn. She closed her eyes as she recalled the vivid memory and felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a wide grin.
Grant left the claustrophobic firehouse kitchen in search of some fresh air. He hadn’t been able to get Olivia, or the mind-blowing kiss they’d shared, out of his head all week. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t escape the image of her emerald eyes staring back into his. She was like a Picasso painting: beautiful, intriguing. Rebellious.
As soon as he’d become aware that she was Ty’s little sister, he’d told himself to back off. It didn’t matter that he was incredibly attracted to her; she was off limits to him. She’d been rambling on about how Halloween was her favorite holiday and when he’d asked why, something unexpected happened: She softened that tough-girl exterior and exposed a hint of vulnerability.
He knew the basics about her story. Her parents died when she was young and Ty had raised her. He’d asked around about her to the people on the island—nonchalantly, of course—and everyone pretty much told him the same thing: “She’s a sassy southern belle. A free-spirited beauty. An angel with devilish spontaneity. A gorgeous doll with a tough-as-nails attitude.” He figured she’d had to be. Anyone who lost their parents as unexpectedly and tragically as she had learned how to coat themselves with armor to prevent experiencing another loss.
The kiss was a spontaneous reaction to her vulnerableness—a comforting gesture, like patting someone on the back when they choked…
Ah, hell, who was he kidding? He liked her. He liked talking to her, hearing her laugh.
And he really liked kissing her.
He’d had every intention of calling her—even came close a few times—but ultimately hesitated. Ty was his best friend and he wasn’t sure how he would feel about him dating his little sister. It was no secret that Ty was overprotective when it came to Olivia and so Grant knew he’d have to proceed with caution.
A steady stream of brisk morning air rushed across his skin as he stepped into the open bay. He briefly closed his eyes, inhaling a satisfying breath and when he opened them, the woman he’d been obsessing over was standing approximately fifty feet in front of him. He studied her for a moment: she was balancing three large white boxes in one hand; gently running her feminine fingertips along the surface of the fire truck with the other. Her eyes were closed and the corners of her mouth were slightly turned upward, suggesting she was thoroughly enjoying her nostalgic trance.
Grant ambled forward, careful to tread softly and when he reached her side, he paused briefly to take in her beauty. She’d been concentrating diligently, completely unaware that Grant was standing by her side watching her.
“You must have ESP”, he uttered softly, inches from her ear.
Olivia opened her eyes and gasped for a breath of air. Startled, she instinctively leapt back and quickly juggled the three doughnut boxes to prevent them from falling.
“Sweet baby Jesus! What are you doing here?” She shouted.
Grant reached for the tumbling doughnut boxes and steadied them with his large hands before meeting her gaze. He really hadn’t meant to frighten her, but discovering her standing next to the fire truck, reveling in what appeared to be fond memories from her childhood, fascinated him. The expression on her face had been peaceful and carefree and he savored every second of it.
He smiled at her stupefied demeanor. “I work here, remember…?”
Olivia took a deep breath and sighed as she spoke. “Right. It’s all coming back to me now”, she answered.
Grant removed his hands from the boxes and placed them safely in his pockets. He didn’t trust himself not to touch her again. “What are you doing here?”
Raising the boxes slightly, she gave them a slight jiggle. “I brought everyone doughnuts. Ty’s been hounding me to stop by for weeks now—and why do I have ESP?” she asked confusedly.
“Because, I was just thinking about you and now you’re here…” An awkward silence lurked between them for a moment and in an attempt to gain comfort, Grant stepped in front of her and leaned his shoulder against the fire engine. He blew out a puff of air and studied his work boots as he began. “Look, Olivia, I’ve been meaning to call you and—”
“—It’s okay—no need to explain. You and I both probably had too much to drink and I’m sure if we’d been sober, nothing would’ve happened.”
Grant tore his attention away from his shoes and pinned her with his stare. “Is that what you really think? Because I’ve been fighting the urge to kiss you ever since I rescued you on the beach.”
Her expression remained carefree, although her stiffened posture revealed a glimpse of vulnerability. “You didn’t rescue me—I’m not a damsel in distress”, she stated.
“Oh yeah?” Clearly amused, he crossed his arms and felt the corners of his mouth rise. “What would you call it then?”
Without missing a beat, she answered with a wide grin. “Relocation and first aid administration.”
Grant felt a gut-busting laugh erupt from deep within. She was such a tough girl—never wanting to admit she’d needed his help that day. Never wanting to show any outward signs of weakness. “Well, that’s certainly a first.”