Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
T
ripp made another pass along the cedar plank with the hand plane, the soft scraping sound and the fragrant scent of the natural oils released from the thin, curling wood shavings doing nothing to soothe the turmoil inside him.
He’d slept like shit last night. Tormented by restless dreams about Syria, Peyton, and Willow.
It was too late for any kind of damage control or to put distance between them now. She was staying here until he knew for certain that there was no further threat against her.
He looked up as his dad walked into the shop. “Morning.”
“Morning.” His dad paused near the workbench, sipping at a mug of coffee as he examined the new mantlepiece. “It’s looking good.” He studied him a moment. “You, not so much. Rough night?”
“A bit, yeah. Someone tried to break into Willow’s place, so I brought her up here.”
“Ahh, I thought I heard a woman’s voice outside last night. She’s okay?”
“Yeah. Rafe’s on it, and she’s safe here.”
“That she is.” His dad sat on a nearby stool and watched him work for a few minutes in silence. “Wanna talk about it?” he finally asked.
“No.” It came out sharper than he intended.
“Got it.” He sat there quietly while Tripp continued to smooth the plank out. “How was whale watching?”
“Good.”
“Glad to hear it.”
He kept his focus on the steady, smooth motions of the plane. One hitch in his technique now would gouge the wood and mean he would have to start over.
His dad continued to sit there without a word, watching. Ready and willing to listen but not pushing. And Tripp had to admit he was way too much in his head about Willow.
He paused, straightened. “I messed up.”
His dad raised his graying eyebrows. “How so?”
“I kissed her last night. After I brought her here.”
His dad started to smile. Stopped when he saw Tripp’s expression, and nodded. “Why is that bad?”
“Because.” Because he was a piece of shit, that was why.
That steady, measuring stare stayed on him.
“Because she doesn’t know what really happened over there. What I did.”
“Then tell her.”
He let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah, no. She’d hate me forever.” Especially now that they’d crossed an uncrossable line and couldn’t go back to just friends. Ever.
“You’re going to have to tell her at some point, son.”
Tripp pressed his lips together and picked the plane back up, his conscience writhing.
“I can’t.” How was he supposed to tell her?
It would devastate her and her family and cost him any chance of being with her.
There was almost zero chance she would understand, let alone forgive him. And he wouldn’t blame her.
“You can,” his dad said quietly. “And you will, when you’re ready. Because that’s the kind of man you are.”
He opened his mouth to snap something in response, stopped when he caught motion out of the corner of his good eye. Willow was walking toward the shop door with Rufus.
“Hey,” he said to her, feeling like he was being torn in two. Seeing her here in broad daylight after only having that one kiss was a kick to the gut, reminding him that he could never have her. Not in the real and permanent way he wanted.
“Hi. Oh, hi, Mr. Rawlings.” Her face lit up with a big smile for his dad, who rose to hug her. Rufus skittered back out of range.
“Sorry, fella,” his dad said. “Who’s this furry guy?”
“Rufus. He’s a bit skittish,” Willow said.
“That’s all right, we’ve all got our issues, don’t we, boy? I’ll move slower.” He sat down on the stool, let Rufus come up to him and check him out. “So, fill me in on what happened last night after whale watching.”
Willow shot a glance at Tripp then told his dad about everything. “Whoever was in my yard must be linked to the ammo I found and maybe the break-in too. There’s no way it was all random bad luck.”
At some point, Rufus decided his father wasn’t a threat and crept over to nudge his hand with his nose, demanding pets.
Tripp’s dad scratched the dog’s ears and head almost absently, his attention on Willow as she finished the story.
“Well, let’s hope Rafe gets a solid lead and wraps all this up fast so we know you’re safe, and then you can get back to your life. ”
The idea left a hollow feeling in Tripp’s stomach.
“That’d be nice,” Willow said, smiling down at Rufus. “Good boy, buddy.”
“He’s got a soft soul. Will you be staying here until the suspects are caught, then?”
Willow blinked in surprise and looked at Tripp. “I...”
“Probably for the best,” he said, wanting her to stay despite his torment.
“I agree,” his dad said.
Willow looked uncertain. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re not a burden,” his dad answered before he could. “Tripp cares a lot about you, and so do I. Staying here is the logical thing, even if it’s just for your peace of mind. Anyone looking for you won’t come up here, and my son and I are more than capable of keeping you safe if anyone does.”
“I’ll think about it. Thank you,” she murmured, and Tripp knew she was only hesitating because of the awkwardness between them.
He’d hurt and probably confused her by pulling away without an explanation.
But he couldn’t think of anything good enough, and didn’t want to outright lie to her.
Lying to her by omission was bad enough.
“Got any plans for the day, or will you be hanging out here?” his dad asked.
“I’m actually due in town at the library at nine,” Willow said. “I’m volunteering there a couple times a week until at least the end of summer.”
“Oh, fantastic. Do you need a ride—”
“I’m taking her,” Tripp said, maybe too quickly.
“Of course. What about Rufus? It’s gonna be another hot one. Think he’d be okay with me until you’re back? I was planning a long walk in the woods. Nice and shady in there. He’ll be cool and have even cooler company.” He gave her his most charming smile.
She laughed softly. “If you wouldn’t mind, that’d be awesome. I can’t take him in the library with me, and I don’t want to leave him at my place right now.”
“It’s no problem at all.” His dad smiled down at Rufus. “Are we gonna hang out and go for a walk together?” Rufus eyed him dubiously.
“I’m meeting Blaine after. He’s going to help me install a security system and cameras at Willow’s place,” Tripp said. “Not sure what time we’ll be back.”
“No worries. Take your time. It’s not like I have anywhere else to be,” his dad said. “Gimme a call if you want an extra hand installing everything. I’d be happy to come down and help out.”
He really was the best man Tripp knew. “All right. Thanks. I’ll make us dinner when I get back.”
“I’ll help,” Willow said. “Least I can do.”
“Or, you two could stay in town after Willow finishes her shift and have dinner down at the waterfront somewhere,” his dad said. “Might as well take advantage of the good weather while it lasts, because the rain’ll be back before we know it.”
Tripp looked at Willow, struggling to get a read on what she was thinking. “We’ll see how she feels later on.” And see how awkward things still were between them. “Want to head out a bit early and grab something in town before I drop you off?”
“Sure, that sounds good.” She bent and wrapped her arms around Rufus’s furry neck. “Bye, handsome. Be a good boy for Mr. Rawlings, and I’ll see you later. Love you.”
Rufus kissed the end of her nose, making her laugh. Tripp felt a sharp twist in his chest. The thought of losing her again when she’d just reentered his life and seemed to want him too, was crushing.
She hurried out of the shop. “I can’t look back at him. I feel too guilty that he thinks I’m abandoning him.”
“He’ll be fine.” He put her in his truck and got in to start the engine, searching for something to say to fill the sudden silence. “How’d you sleep?”
“Not bad. You?”
“Same.” Lies. “Anything from Rafe yet?” That was a much safer topic.
“No, nothing. You sure you don’t mind looking after the security system for me?”
“Not at all. I need to see Blaine to check on his mantlepiece installation anyway.”
“Okay. I’ll text you as soon as I’m done with my shift.”
All he could think about was that kiss. How she’d felt in his arms. How much she’d seemed to want him. And how much more he wanted of her.
Everything.
“What do you feel like for breakfast?” he asked as he turned onto the highway leading south toward Whalebone Cove.
“Just a pastry and an iced coffee.”
“We can do that.”
He drove them to a family-run bakery in town along Harborview Road. They ordered a freshly made raspberry Danish and a pain au chocolat plus two iced coffees, and took them to go.
Spotting a bench in a patch of shade under a large red maple along the promenade that ran the length of the waterfront, they snagged it and split the pastries. He was enjoying her company, and grateful that she seemed to still be willing to be friends.
“That place is dangerous,” Willow said, sucking some still-warm chocolate from her finger.
He checked the urge to grab her hand and do it for her, then lick the last of it from her lips. “Worth the calories.”
“Yeah, yummm.” She wiped her hands on a paper napkin and took a sip of her iced coffee. “Look, I don’t want things to be awkward between us, so I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
He stared at her in surprise. “You didn’t.”
“Pretty sure I did.”
“No. It was as much me as you.”
“Then why...” She paused, watching him. “Is it the timing? I’ll admit, it probably does seem like I’m on the rebound, but I promise my previous relationship was over a long time before it officially ended.
And honestly, you mean too much to me to risk our friendship over a fling.
So if it’s because you’re not ready for more, I understand. ”
He felt like such a coward. She was so much braver than he was to speak from the heart and put it all out there like that.
But she’d also just given him the perfect excuse that would spare her feelings and protect them both from him having to tell her the ugly truth. At least for now.