Reclaimed Hearts: A second chance, forced proximity romance

Pier of Revenge

The fact that Reid didn’t even question my statement warmed my heart. He had always been great at going with the flow, to follow my lead whenever I said random things.

In this case, I was craving some Cove Candy sweets, and knew it would be the best way to get over all the craziness from the last few weeks. There was nothing a good Sea Salt Caramel Pearl couldn’t cure. The bag full of tiny, rolled caramels infused with sea salt within and a sprinkle on top was my addiction.

The bell jingled over our heads as we entered the shop, instantly filling me with regret.

Since I started staying at the Bennett’s, I hadn’t checked in on Mrs. Ruth. It had been almost two weeks. The last time I did was the day Mrs. Bennett called to ask me to house sit.

“Sam! Is Mrs. Ruth in today?” I asked, basically sprinting to the counter.

He smiled at me and pointed to the back room where the candy was made. Mrs. Ruth wasn’t allowed to make it herself anymore, but that didn’t stop her from supervising as much as possible.

I slid behind the counter and pushed through the half door, finding just who I wanted to see. “Hi, Mrs. Ruth! How are you? I haven’t seen you in so long!”

She scoffed and waved me off until the peppermints were done being cut. Once she approved the evenness of the candies, Elliot, the newest candy maker, bagged them and tied it shut with a twist tie.

“Don’t spout such nonsense, Marlowe. You were at my house the other week.”

I blinked, not realizing she knew I had been there. “But how—”

“Who else brings me blueberry muffins and croissants from Seaside? No one. Just you.”

My smile stretched across my cheeks. I was absolutely bursting with pride. “Well, I know they’re your favorite, Mrs. Ruth. Actually, I’ll be working tomorrow. I’ll bring you some more, okay?”

“If I’m sleeping, just—”

“Put them in the fridge. I know. You had some gorgeous flowers on your table when I was there. Who were they from?” I leaned against the door frame, crossing my arms over my chest. I could hear Reid and Sam chatting behind us.

“My secret admirer,” Mrs. Ruth called back.

Sam chuckled and leaned over the half door. “They were from Eleanor. Don’t you lie.”

Mrs. Ruth sneered and coughed. After dabbing her mouth with the pocket square she kept in her hand at all times, she said, “Darn girl sent me flowers, then up and died on me before I could call her for a proper thank you.”

My jaw dropped. I blinked, not sure what to say. Normally, I loved her bluntness, but that… was it too soon? It felt like it was too soon.

But Mrs. Ruth waved me off. “Oh, hush. When you get to be my age, dying is a joking matter. It’s the latest trend now—everyone’s doing it. Just wish we had some prior notice, is all.”

All I could do was nod, still flabbergasted. “Well, Mrs. Ruth, I have some Pearls to buy and a pier to walk. I hope you have a day as fabulous as you are.” I leaned down to give her a hug, which she returned with one arm and a sigh. “I’ll stop by with the food tomorrow.”

“Sam! Give Marlowe her Sea Salt Caramel Pearls now,” Mrs. Ruth said, talking to her son instead of me. Our conversation had been dismissed, so I walked back to the main shop, shaking my head.

I never knew what to expect with Mrs. Ruth. She constantly surprised me and I loved it.

Sam hooked me and Reid up with a full scoop of the pearls and refused to take my money. He said if he did, his mother would have his hide, even though he was a grown adult. I didn’t doubt it, so I slipped my wallet back into my pocket and we left.

We turned down the next street, both of us subconsciously heading toward the pier without talking about it. We walked side by side, enjoying the candy in the mid-morning sun.

“Have you read the clue yet?” Reid asked as we approached the entrance to the pier. Tourists dotted the walkway, but it wasn’t overly busy.

I shook my head, a curl escaping and bouncing in my face. Reid’s hand twitched, like he wanted to reach out and fix it, but at the last second, he shook his head and dug into the bag for a Pearl.

“Nope. Haven’t touched it yet. Do you want to read it?” I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the small envelope. Considering the initial text message was only two lines, I didn’t expect a long letter or anything. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.

“It’s yours to figure out, Marlowe. I’m just here to help if you need. What do you think it all leads to?”

“No idea. The text before the first clue said something about the prize not being the only prize. So that means there is a prize, but not what. And that whatever it is, isn’t the only prize. Not vague at all, right?” I laughed at the absurdity of it all, and Reid joined me.

“Not at all. Go ahead, read it. Let’s see if we can get this one.”

“You mean get it faster than I did the first one? Let’s hope so because if there’s a lot of these, it might take all summer.”

Reid rolled his eyes. “You’re so hard on yourself. You figured out that last clue perfectly, Mars. I have no doubt you’re going to get the rest just fine.”

The confidence he had in me outweighed my own often. Sometimes, I relied on his to push me through. Like right now.

I handed him the Pearls for safekeeping while I slid my finger under the envelope and took out the index card size cardstock.

“Follow the path where seagulls play, where friendships are guarded, and where footprints leave their mark. Your next clue will not be found in the dark.”

I stopped walking suddenly, my brows furrowed in confusion.

“Sorry!” a person exclaimed as they bumped into me from behind. Reid grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the way as I apologized to the lady headed down the pier.

“You’re going to get run over,” Reid said with a chuckle. “Can’t stop like that in the middle of the pier, Mars. Now, read it again?”

I hadn’t stopped looking at the card, reading it over in my mind. I repeated it out loud one more time for Reid, then looked up at him to see what he was thinking.

“Got anything?”

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, his gaze glassy and off to the side. I could tell he was going over it, just like I was.

“Well, one thing’s for sure. The seagull part isn’t funny,” I muttered to myself. “Too soon.”

Either Reid didn’t hear me, or he ignored my comment in favor of working out the clue. “The only thing that jumps out first is the part about the dark. Wherever it is, it seems like we can only access it during the daytime.”

I nodded, taking the candy back and resuming my munching. “That’s logical.”

Before I could continue to decipher the rest, a loud seagull caw came from down the pier a few yards. A caw that was too loud to be from an actual bird.

It hit again, finally drawing my attention. Reid’s too.

A group of people huddled together, leaning against the pier railing a few yards away from us. Two of the guys were running and flapping their arms like wings and cawing.

At me.

The rest of them were standing around, the girls trying to hide their giggles behind their hands, the guys outright doubled over, laughing.

Declan Storms and company.

Reid tensed next to me. I reached out, brushing my hand over his arm in an attempt to diffuse him.

It didn’t work. The more the boys kept cawing, the more he stood up straight, his arms clenching at his side, his jaw tight.

At the same time, my chest tightened, especially after I saw who was with the group.

I couldn’t panic now. Now was not the time for my anxiety to flare up. I had to keep my wits about me and not let them see how much they affected me. Besides, the way Reid was acting, I more than likely would have to pull him down the pier before something happened.

Reid raised a hand and raked it through his hair, his biceps flexing as he messed up his curls. His nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath.

“Watch out everyone. Check the skies. We might be under attack soon!” Declan shouted in my direction.

My jaw dropped for the second time this morning, but it wasn’t out of awe. It was out of sheer shock. The audacity that boy had. How did I not see it before?

He grinned an evil grin, the dimples not bothering to show this time. He was now only a few feet in front of me, as he and his friends made their way over while I was in a stupor, watching the ones pretending to fly.

One of them cawed loudly, right in my ear. I flinched and ducked, which only made everyone around me laugh harder.

Reid pushed me to the side, getting right up in the guy’s face.

“Careful!” Declan said. “You might end up with crap on your head. Like she did. What does that make this Gennie maid? A crap—”

But he didn’t get to finish his insult before Reid’s fist connected with his face.

I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth. “Reid!”

I wanted to tell him to stop, but it also was the same thing I had wanted to do to Declan the other night, too. Except he had ducked out of the way and I had gone sprawling.

Reid reeled his arm back, ready to punch him again. I called out before he could. “Reid! Stop!”

I grabbed his other arm with both hands and tugged him toward me, away from Declan, who was now trying to manage the blood pouring out of his nose.

“You broke my nose! You’ll pay for that!” Declan shouted, but it came out a bit mumbled, like he had a cold.

I restrained myself from laughing. He was right—Reid could be in a lot of trouble. Declan was a Baysider, but more than that, his parents were lawyers.

Reid shook out his right hand, flexing the fingers. I wondered if he had broken any of his knuckles with the force he had put behind that punch.

He wound one arm around my waist, pulling me into him this time. I stayed tucked up against him while he stared at Declan with the most sinister look I had ever seen.

“You come near Marlowe again, and the next punch will leave you on the ground,” he seethed. He tightened his grip around me.

Declan glared at Reid. “You don’t know what you got yourself into, Bennett. You just ruined your life.”

Instead of trembling, like I was, Reid threw his head back and barked out a laugh. “Sure, Storms. You think that now. I’m not worried. Not with what I know.”

They were head to head, Reid having a few inches on Declan.

“You—”

But Reid cut him off. “What I know is that you’re not untouchable, Storms. You might have forgotten about Gabrielle, but I haven’t.”

The look he gave Declan was definitely one of confidence, not of worry. My gaze ping-ponged between the two of them. Clearly, they both know what Reid was talking about, even if I didn’t.

Declan was furious, but didn’t say another word.

Someone had grabbed him a few napkins, and he shoved them under his nose, still trying to stop the bleeding.

Reid lifted his arm from my waist, settling it around my shoulders as he turned both of us to leave.

“Clinic’s around the corner. Feel free to tell them exactly what happened,” I added over my shoulder before I looked away and left.