Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Chloe struggled sleeping, wishing she would’ve stepped back in when Davin had stepped toward her in the kitchen and kissed him good and long. He hadn’t smelled like Robinette any longer, but her uneasiness competing with Robinette for a man was still strong.
Him feeding her the cookie and his fingers brushing the inside of her mouth and her lip made her tremble with longing, even the next morning. She had to push it all away.
Chloe got up before the sun and did a twenty-minute yoga routine on the carpet in the bedroom.
It helped her feel a little more energetic and in control of her out-of-control life.
She showered off and dressed in a T-shirt and joggers, not sure what they’d do this morning.
A hike would be ideal. She could change into something nicer when they went to the bookstore.
Easing out of her bedroom and down the stairs, she startled when Davin popped out of the office.
“Good morning,” he greeted her, his lips smiling but his eyes too serious. Had he wanted a different outcome from their cookie interaction last night as well?
More likely, he wished she wasn’t here so he could’ve had a late night tryst with Robinette. Was it a regular occurrence for Robinette to show up at his house at night?
“Morning,” she managed, looking him over. He was fresh, clean, and irresistible in a T-shirt and knee-length cotton shorts. “How long have you been up working? It’s barely six a.m.”
“Since four. Couldn’t sleep, so I may as well work.” He shrugged. “Unfortunately, my fingers aren’t flying with the keyboard. Too stiff and tired.”
“I hope they loosen up.”
“Me too. I texted the sheriff to see if we could go on a hike this morning. He said he’d have someone here at seven. If it’s all right with you, I’d love to get outside.”
“Thank you. That’s perfect.” She clapped her hands together. “My legs have been longing to get out on the trail. Even with all this natural light.” She gestured to the windows. “I might go insane cooped up here all day.”
He arched his eyebrows. “I didn’t know being stuck with me was a recipe for insanity.”
“Ha. Being stuck anywhere inside is, for me at least. I love my shop, but I barely make it through the hours of work, longing for sunshine and fresh air.”
“Understood. Do you … need anything?” He tilted his head toward his office but seemed reluctant to go. “I’ll just get back to work if you’re doing all right.”
“I’m fine. Don’t let me keep you.”
“All right, I won’t,” he teased back.
She laughed, then forced herself to turn and head for the kitchen. Glancing over her shoulder as she opened the fridge, she saw he was still in the doorway of his office, watching her.
“‘You’re staring,’” she said, quoting While You Were Sleeping.
“Caught,” he said, grinning at her and lifting his hands.
“I’m not mad,” she teased back, loving their banter and that they felt more like themselves this morning, even with the weirdness and jealousy of Robinette.
“Good, because I really like watching you.” His eyes widened and he muttered, “Forgive me, that was … creepy.”
Before she could disagree and tell him he wasn’t one bit creepy and she loved him wanting to watch her, he disappeared into his office.
Chloe’s shoulders rounded. She focused on finding the ingredients for and assembling a breakfast casserole and her favorite stuffed French toast. It was a lot of breakfast, but they could refrigerate or freeze the extras and have it for subsequent breakfasts. Who knew how long she’d even be here?
At seven, she had the casseroles ready and in the fridge so they’d be ready to bake when they returned. Davin came out of his office, and they each put on hiking shoes and hats.
Adam waited on the front porch for them. Her sister’s old boyfriend greeted Chloe with a grin and a big hug as usual. “Hello, beautiful.”
Davin scowled at the interchange. She almost reassured him that Adam was like a younger brother, but with the memory of Robinette in Davin’s arms last night, she didn’t feel compelled to explain.
“You can both ride with me,” Adam said, escorting her to the front seat of his Shadow Cove Sheriff’s Office newer Ford Bronco.
Davin sat in the back. She and Adam chatted about his involvement with the church youth group while they drove to the Sleeping Giant trailhead.
It was at the end of the road on the northwest side of the island and her favorite trail.
She always wondered if Adam still liked Cassie, but Robinette had ruined that relationship from progressing years ago and Cassie wasn’t about to forget and give Adam another chance.
There was also the fact her sister lived in San Diego and was a NICU nurse in a busy hospital.
Cassie insisted she loved the warmer weather and busy, fun city.
She didn’t seem prone to relocating to the island anytime soon, and Adam was as much of a hometown boy as her longtime friends Jaxon, Smith, and Dylan.
Davin said nothing in the back. Chloe could feel his presence and sense he was dissatisfied with everything from the seating arrangements to Adam being with them to being excluded from the conversation. She didn’t mean to exclude him, but he wasn’t speaking up either.
They disembarked from the vehicle and started up the trail.
Adam led the way. None of them said much.
Chloe admired the view of the ocean to the right and the cascading mountainside covered with pine, maple, oak, and redwood trees and yellow, orange, red, and purple wildflowers as they walked up the switchback trail.
She remembered her parents swinging her between them as they helped her conquer this trail.
They paused at the viewpoint straight above the picturesque, verdant Seaside Cove.
The infamous La Fortuna shipwreck was far below, with over a thousand feet of air and sea between them.
It was interesting the Knight family had named the island after this cove instead of after the main bay, Knight’s Bay.
She squinted at the bluish gray water, almost the color of Davin’s eyes, trying as usual to see the wreck deep in the ocean just outside the cove.
Glancing at Davin, she couldn’t see past his sunglasses, but she could tell he was staring at her.
“Is that where the famous treasure ship is?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.” She pointed. “The cove is only accessible by boat.”
“Intriguing. We’ll have to go.”
She liked the idea of showing him the beauties of her island.
Adam cleared his throat.
Davin stiffened but pointed. “Is that island inhabited?”
“It is,” Adam answered. “Ha’wa’lou Island. Some of the Wiyot tribe relocated there from the barrier island of Tulowat Island.” He pointed toward the mainland. “After the massacre of 1860.”
Davin whistled.
“It was pretty gruesome,” Adam continued.
“Part of the tribe relocated here, but most of the tribe moved to Ha’wa’lou Island and shut out all outside influences.
Their children learn English because it’s more common among them than their ancient tribal tongue.
They do some trade with Shadow Cove and the mainland, but only what’s absolutely necessary.
Only the tribal elders are allowed to leave the island, and they only do so rarely. ”
Chloe loved her island’s mix of American, Wiyot, Spanish, and Japanese races and cultures.
“So I guess we can’t go visit?” Davin said, smiling at her.
“Not advisable,” Adam answered.
“We’ll sneak over there,” she teased.
Davin grinned.
“We’d better get back,” Adam said.
On the way back down the trail, she and Davin followed Adam.
“Do you want to jog?” Adam asked.
Davin looked to Chloe.
“Definitely,” she said.
He smiled. “Let’s do it.”
They went at a quick pace, Adam leading and Davin bringing up the rear. Making it back to the trailhead in a fraction of the time it took to hike up the two miles and a thousand feet, they all stopped to catch their breath.
“I didn’t think the author could keep up,” Adam teased.
Chloe was the one breathing the heaviest.
Davin thankfully didn’t take offense. Instead, he laughed.
“I ran cross country in high school, and I do all manner of sports and adventures, both for my book research and because I love it.” He focused on Chloe as he said the words.
Did he mean the ‘romance research’ last evening, before Robinette’s interruption, was something he loved, or was she putting thoughts into his mind?
“Nice.”
“You are some kind of enigma,” Chloe said, pulling in a quick breath. “You move like a gazelle but you’re this bookish wizard at the same time.”
“Thanks.” Davin looked her over. “I think.”
“It was a compliment.”
The moment stretched and went hot between them. She edged a bit closer.
Adam cleared his throat. “Apologies.” There was laughter in his voice. “I have to get going. Patrols.”
Chloe tossed Adam an annoyed look. He chuckled and lifted his hands. He was the annoying little brother she’d never had.
They loaded up and drove back to Davin’s rental house. They thanked Adam and headed inside. She pulled the casserole dishes from the fridge and put them in the oven, turning the oven on. It would preheat and warm up the dishes, reducing the risk of cracking the glass pans.
“You made breakfast?” Davin asked, looking over her shoulder into the oven.
“Yes, sir. I’ve gotta earn my keep.” Her breath shortened with him so near, and she glanced over her shoulder at him.
His eyes were more blue than gray and their mouths were close. Close enough she could lean forward and arch up just a few inches and finally claim the kiss she was longing for.
“You don’t need to earn your keep,” he said.
“Okay, I’ve got to keep myself busy.”
“I can understand that.” He backed away, taking her hopes with him. “Let’s shower and eat and then we can ask Jaxon if we can head into the bookstore early. I’m sure you have lots of work to do.”
She shook her head. “It’s a slower time of year. In the summer, with more tourists coming in, I’d take you up on your generous offer. You can work in your office. I’m sure it’s more conducive to productivity.”
“‘You lift some weights. You see a movie. It’s just all a series of distractions before you die.’”
She laughed. “What’s that from?”
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
“Nice. I’ll have to watch it.”
He nodded and turned, heading for the stairs. She could’ve sworn she heard him mumble, “Distractions no matter where I am.”
Was she a distraction, and was that a good thing or a bad thing?