Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Saylor
T he next morning, I lazed around in bed, enjoying the sound of the waves filtering in through the sliding door. I'd left it cracked so I could be lulled to sleep but instead, I'd stayed awake for hours, hyperaware that I shared this floor of the house with Marshall.
He was only a short hallway away, one bathroom between us.
It was harder than I thought it would be to keep my distance.
We weren't teenagers anymore. I had to act like an adult, one who was responsible.
I couldn't jump Marshall because of our shared history and how attractive fatherhood was on him.
Our conversation last night had touched me in unexpected ways. He was worried about connecting with his daughter. Their relationship was important to him. As was the one with his family.
He was a family man, more so than when I'd first met him because now he had a daughter. It made him more attractive.
I hoped that Marshall was okay with me staying here. He'd said I could stay the night. Then we'd figure out something. I wasn't sure if he meant that I'd find a new place to stay, or he'd come around to letting me stay here.
Hopefully, it helped that I had a few things in common with his daughter. Now that I was here, I didn't want to leave. But I also didn't want him to have to find another place. The cottage was perfect for him and Hayden. It had the pool and the hot tub and was a short walk to the beach.
I didn't want to cause any issues between them. As much as I was looking forward to a summer alone, it was better to have company. For a short time last night, I'd forgotten about my worries and the pain of Flynn's betrayal.
I was starting to think that walking in on him screwing another woman would have been easier to accept than the secret relationship that he hid for months.
It was the unverified suspicions that slowly drove me crazy.
When I confronted him, he denied everything.
Then he turned the tables on me, accusing me of being unfaithful.
It was the worst form of betrayal. He'd slowly chipped away at my trust and my sanity. Now I was scared to ever trust my judgement again.
My relationship with Marshall had been easy, but it had to be because we were young, and neither of us had been in a serious relationship before.
We hadn't made promises to each other outside of that summer, which made it feel magical. And I'd lived in this very room, dreaming about a future with Marshall but too scared to ask for one. That's why it was weird to be living with him here now.
The smell of bacon and eggs drifted up the stairs and into my room, causing my stomach to rumble. I brushed my hair and teeth, throwing on a T-shirt and shorts before padding downstairs to find something to eat.
Marshall was in the kitchen, wearing a white T that stretched over his biceps and clung to his hard chest. He braced his hands on the counter, causing his muscles to flex. "I was hoping the smell would wake people up."
I smiled as my face heated. "It worked on me."
"It hasn't worked on Hayden so far." He inclined his head toward the hall that led to her bedroom.
My stomach rumbled again. "I don't expect you to cook for me."
"Sit down, and I'll grab you a plate. I made way too much anyway."
I wasn't going to argue with that logic. I poured myself a cup of coffee, then sat on one of the stools at the island.
He slid a plate of eggs and bacon in my direction.
"This looks delicious. Thank you."
"You're welcome." He stood by the counter, eating from his plate.
It was weird seeing him in my grandmother's kitchen, even though all her personal effects had been moved to her new place. I kept expecting to see Grandma come around the corner, talking about the latest gossip around the island. Instead, Marshall filled the space with his masculine energy.
"What are your plans for the day?" I managed between bites. I couldn't remember the last time anyone had cooked me breakfast, probably my parents or even Grandma. I racked my brain for any time when Flynn would have done something like that, and I couldn't locate a memory.
"I was hoping to go to the beach with Hayden. What are the odds she'll say no and act like it's the dumbest suggestion ever?" he asked conspiratorially, as if we knew each other so well after one night.
I laughed. "Pretty good."
He sighed, lowering his now-empty plate to the counter. "That's what I was worried about."
"What will you do until she wakes up then?" I asked him.
He looked around the space. "I'll clean the kitchen and take a look around for any beach stuff, like chairs or boogie boards."
"Grandma keeps those in the small storage shed out back for the guests."
He nodded. "Thanks for the heads-up."
"Of course."
"Maybe I'll take a dip in the pool. Get some laps in. Normally, I'd run, but I don't want to be gone when she wakes up."
"I can stick around if you want to go for a run."
"You wouldn't mind? Maybe Hayden would think I'm cooler if I'm not hovering around her all the time."
I laughed. "Probably."
"I think I'm getting the hang of this teenager thing. I need to act like I don't care but wait for the moments when she wants my attention."
A slow smile spread over my face at his introspection. "Yeah."
That's when I noticed the paperback on the counter. "What are you reading?"
Marshall ducked his head slightly as if he was embarrassed, but then he slowly turned over the book so I could see the cover depicting a teen girl and the title Untangled . "It's supposed to help me understand teen girls."
My heart contracted in my chest. How sweet was that? I doubted my dad had read up on the subject, probably relying on Mom's expertise. "Is it helping?"
Marshall nodded. "I'm reading about how their brain goes through this big developmental change, and she feels the need to be independent from her parents. It's helping me understand that it's normal, that there's a reason for it."
"That makes sense."
He patted the cover. "There are also tips for how to handle the snark."
I smiled at the word snark. It sounded funny coming from him, and he'd lowered his voice so his daughter wouldn't accidentally overhear him. "What are those? I might need some tips too."
"If she asks for my help with something, after she's been rude, I can point out that people don't help others when they are mean to them. It's a good life lesson and makes me feel more in control of the situation."
"Interesting." He liked to feel in control of situations. Maybe because of his military experience. I could see how a moody teenager would set him off balance.
He nodded. "The book is helping me to feel confident that I'm on the right path and I'm not losing my mind. If I hadn't read that chapter, I probably would have taken away her phone, and that wouldn't have gone over well. Her phone is her connection to her friends back home."
I sipped my coffee. "She's upset about leaving them."
His lips turned down. "I don't think she'll ever forgive me for taking her from them."
"Have you talked to your brothers or their significant others about introducing her to teens on the island? Maybe she could make some new friends."
His eyes brightened. "That's a great idea."
"I'm glad I could help."
Then he sighed. "Billie warned me that she'd sleep until noon."
I could tell that pained Marshall. He was probably used to getting up early and working out first thing. He glanced around the space again, as if assessing it. "Did you need me to do any work around here?"
"You're a guest," I said as I blew the steam from my still-hot coffee.
"I'm going to go crazy lazing around here all day."
I nodded, setting my mug down. "I'd keep your workout routine. You're going to need it."
He grabbed the now-empty mug and refilled it with coffee from the carafe.
"I'd still like to help with whatever you need around here.
I can paint these cabinets white if you want.
The old paint is chipping off. And if you want, I could do a different color on the island, maybe gray or a coastal blue. "
"That would look gorgeous, but I can't ask you to do work on the house. You're paying to stay here as a guest. And I'm taking up the third bedroom. You're already being inconvenienced."
He winced. "About that."
I nearly groaned out loud. I shouldn't have even brought it up.
He set my full cup down in front of me. "I was thinking you could stay if you wanted. Hayden is interested in your work, and at bedtime, she said she didn't mind if you were here."
My heart rate picked up at his suggestion. "I don't want to be a buffer between you two."
Marshall shook his head. "You won't be."
"I'll give you privacy. I can work in my bedroom and explore the island in my free time. I'm sure Grandma will have me helping at the senior center too. I'll stay busy and out of your hair."
"You don't have to do that."
"And I'll talk to Grandma about a discount since I'm here too."
He didn't argue with that thankfully. I had a feeling Grandma was going to be excited about this development. I was sure she'd love it if I fell in love with an islander and moved here permanently.
But that wasn't going to happen. I'd only ever been here for a few months at a time. My life wasn't here. I had friends and a job in Jacksonville.
I ignored the voice that asked why I hadn't heard from them yet.
I had a feeling everyone knew Flynn had been cheating on me, but no one would tell me.
I didn't have proof; it was just this intuitive hit I'd gotten when I told my friends and they weren't surprised. In fact, a few of them looked guilty.
I wasn't ready to write off my old life. Why should Flynn get our apartment, our friends, and our city? Wouldn't that be letting him win?
"I have a feeling you won't have to worry about noise. She sleeps till noon and listens to music on her earbuds when she's awake."