17. Eli
A fter an epic dinner, Eli stepped out onto the deck, which felt exactly like he’d hoped it would when he’d first drawn out the elevation of this house. Thanks to Vivien’s keen eye, they had a full outdoor living space that offered air, light, and warmth but was still an extension of the main floor.
She’d nailed the furnishings with a collection from Frontgate grouped around a firepit coffee table, a comfortable sofa, two reclining chairs that looked out over the water, and a white egg-shaped swing for a touch of whimsy.
Resale value? Oh, yeah. Cha- ching . The problem was, what price do you put on paradise and the incredibly special time they were enjoying?
Ignoring the new furniture, he leaned on the railing, his gaze pinned on the now-finished boardwalk to the beach, but he wasn’t thinking like an architect or home-seller at the moment.
He was thinking like a father.
Listening to Jonah’s chatter with “the girls” in the kitchen, Eli’s heart soared. That was more laughter than he’d have ever dreamed he’d hear from his son when he’d arrived broken, scared, and lost.
Maybe he was still a little lost—Eli frequently saw a distant look in his son’s hazel eyes, his gaze revealing an all-too-familiar pain. They were the eyes of a young man who’d suffered, but today? Tonight?
He didn’t seem nearly as broken, and the only thing that scared him was too much seasoning or an over-charred shrimp. And that wasn’t fear—it was pride in his work.
Which was yet another character trait he hadn’t seen in a long time—maybe since his football days before…before Melissa.
Something was working on Jonah. Yes, Destin was magic—but not that much magic. This might not be a case of where, but who . His brief conversation with Kate at the top of the stairs came back to him, a reminder that?—
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, there.” He turned at the sound of Jonah’s voice.
“Want company?” he asked.
Eli almost laughed. Did he want to spend time with his only son? Was that a rhetorical question? With another person—like Meredith—he’d make that joke about how dumb that question was.
But he always treaded lightly with Jonah, so he just smiled.
“Sunset’s just starting,” Eli said, beckoning him closer. “It’s gonna be a beauty.”
Jonah nodded, then threaded his fingers through his long hair. He stayed quiet for a moment, lost in thought at the railing next to Eli, his gaze fixed on the waves.
Once again, Eli sensed something different about his passionate, expressive son.
There was something in his son’s posture—a calm he hadn’t seen in years.
“That dinner tonight was something else,” Eli said, breaking the silence. “Seriously, Jonah. You’ve got a gift.”
Jonah smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth tugging upward. “Thanks, Dad.”
“No, I mean it. Kind of inspired, if you ask me, which…” He laughed. “I know you didn’t. But I’ve been to a lot of restaurants and never had anything that good.”
Jonah gave him a side-eye. “Funny you should describe it that way.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about…maybe getting more serious. About cooking, I mean.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his voice hesitant. “Kate’s been…kind of pushing me to think bigger. Like, not a line cook, but a…chef.”
He whispered the last word so softly, Eli wasn’t sure he’d heard it.
“A… wow .” Eli raised his eyebrows, a mix of surprise and gratitude flooding him. “Yeah?”
“Don’t get jealous that I listened to someone else’s encouragement,” he said with a teasing smile.
“Jealous?” Eli scoffed, because it was the last thing he was. “No, that’s not how I think, son.” At Jonah’s questioning look, he added, “You know how I look at the world. God puts people in your path for a reason—for change or enlightenment. Kate could most certainly be that person.”
She could be that person for Eli, too, he thought fleetingly, but wanted to keep his focus on this rare father-son talk.
“She’s just…hopeful, you know?” Jonah said.
Eli knew. He was a big fan of hope, and the descriptor just made him adore the woman even more.
“She’s been teaching me a lot in the kitchen,” Jonah continued. “She’s got this uber-chemist point of view. Which kind of helps me when I go off the rails,” he added with a laugh. “But more than that, she’s kind of persuading me to believe I might have…something.”
For a flash, he remembered Jonah Lawson in the early days, before he lost his mother. Confidence hadn’t been an issue—in fact, they used to joke about the size of Jonah’s ego.
Had that been a result of Melissa’s gentle but constant praise and support? Something he’d needed, maybe especially from a mother figure?
“What you have,” Eli said, “is talent. In spades.”
He brushed back his hair again. “I don’t know about…well, yeah. Maybe. I sure do like it, and it feels natural. Is that talent? I don’t know but I’d like to maybe explore the possibility of being a…” He chuckled as if he couldn’t even say it. “A chef.”
Eli felt a surge of optimism he hadn’t felt in years. Jonah, a chef? Why not? He loved the idea. “You could. No doubt about it. Have you thought about culinary school?”
He braced for the disdainful look, the dry laugh that said “school’s for losers.”
But Jonah merely nodded again, slower this time. “Yes, I have. Carly got her degree in hospitality, so I’ve seen what a difference having that piece of paper makes in getting a good position in a restaurant or whatever. So, I have been thinking about it, yeah. But…”
Eli studied him, imagining what might be stopping his son. Fear of failure? No encouraging mother? Maybe something as simple as he didn’t think he could get in.
“I’m broke,” Jonah said simply, going to the most obvious place that Eli should have seen. “Culinary school isn’t cheap, and I’ve got, like, zero savings.”
Eli had to fight his urge to figuratively whip out his wallet and get rid of that obstacle. Instead, he placed a hand on Jonah’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “Jonah, would you let me help you?”
Jonah shook his head, pulling away slightly. “I can’t let you do that. I’m not a kid anymore. I’m turning thirty and I’m not taking money from…Daddy.”
Eli chuckled softly, not able to remember the last time Jonah called him “Daddy.” Twenty-five years ago, at least.
“How about a loan?” he suggested. “Pay it back after you’re done with school and working. No interest.”
“Dad, that’s not a loan, it’s a gift.”
“It’s a loan if you pay it back,” Eli said. “And I fully intended to cover your entire education anyway.”
“Then I dropped out,” he said glumly.
“Well, now you’ll drop back in.”
Jonah turned to him, his eyes softer than Eli had seen in years. “I could work for you. I don’t know how, but if I did something and didn’t get paid, that might…work.”
Eli had no idea what Jonah could do, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. “I’d hire you in a second.”
“Not as an architect or intern or anything like that,” Jonah said quickly. “But I did a few summers of construction for Uncle Ryan, and I know how to hang drywall and basic finishings.”
Eli inched back. “The apartment over the garage?”
Jonah shrugged. “I know you weren’t sure you were going to be able to get the same subs for the job and it might take me a little longer?—”
“I could help,” Eli said quickly, already imagining hours in the small apartment, talking, laughing, doing finishing work and being a father and son again.
“That kind of defeats the purpose of me doing the work, but I’m sure I’ll need some supervision.”
Eli exhaled, taking the small opening and being content with it. “And…culinary school?” he asked.
“There are some community colleges around here, various programs. I’ll start doing research, but I have to know I have an income and a flexible job.”
“You have both,” Eli said without a second’s hesitation. “I’m so glad you’re…”
“Growing up,” Jonah finished with a laugh.
“I was going to say sticking around, but yeah. Growing up is good.”
“I guess having a kid’ll do that to a person,” Jonah said. “Kind of hard to embrace the ‘live in the moment’ lifestyle when you have a responsibility like that.”
Eli turned and smiled at him, overcome with an indescribable emotion.
“Still getting used to that idea there, Grandpa?” Jonah asked, searching his face and probably trying to read that emotion.
“I was just thinking…” Eli took a breath. He was so deeply private about his faith, and he was never one to thrust it on others. But he had to say this. “You know, sometimes God’s plans are nothing like what we expect. We might pray and pray and when He answers, you kind of want to look up and say, ‘Huh? That’s your idea?’ But it’s always good.”
“You’ve been praying for me to grow up?” Jonah asked.
“I’ve been praying for you, period. I left it in God’s hands beyond that.”
Jonah studied him for a long moment, any traces of sarcasm gone. “Thanks,” he said softly. “Don’t stop. Praying, I mean.”
Eli’s heart swelled. All he could do was nod, then reach for his son’s broad shoulders. He hugged hard, then patted his back. “Welcome to the construction crew.”
Jonah sighed into the hug, his body relaxing. “Thanks, man. This means the world.”
As they parted, Eli stole a glance skyward, thanking God for this miracle. Next, he had to find Kate and thank her, too.
Kate was finishing up in the kitchen while Lacey and Tessa set up a game at the dining room table.
“You want to play Wits and Wagers with us?” Tessa asked. “The math is light, and you get to place outrageous bets, which is why I like it.”
“Sure, after a walk,” Eli said, glancing at Kate. “Join me?”
“Of course.” She dropped a used paper towel in the trash and looked at him with a question in her eyes.
And, wow. Eli could actually read it, communicating clearly with her while not a word had to be spoken. How was your talk with Jonah?
She understood him—and Jonah, it seemed.
“Let me get my sneakers,” she said, slipping out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
As she did, Vivien came in from the garage. “I’m taking off, you guys. Just put my overnight bag in the car.”
“You’re leaving?” Eli asked. “How did I not know this?”
“I’m headed up to Atlanta, just for tonight. Ryan, um, has a problem.”
He lifted his brows. “What kind of problem?”
“He’s in a design bind,” she said. “And I’m going to…how did Jonah put it? Do him a solid. Peter called it taking the high road. I call it…a five-hour drive to Atlanta.”
“Why?”
“My question exactly, Uncle Eli,” Lacey interjected.
Vivien glanced at her daughter, then back to Eli. “I just told you, I’m doing him a favor and being kind. Isn’t that what’s taught in that Good Book you like so much?”
A splash of shame wormed through him. “Of course, yes. That’s the right thing to do. But why tonight?”
“Because there’s a meeting with the client in the morning and I don’t want to get up at four a.m.”
He nodded. “Okay, Viv, just…be careful.”
“Driving? Roads’ll be easy at night.”
“I mean Ryan. Don’t let him take advantage of you.”
She shuttered her eyes. “I’m aware enough that I won’t let him,” she said. “But thank you for caring.”
Lacey came into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Vivien. “Mom, you might be doing the right thing, but we don’t have to like it. And Uncle Eli’s right. Don’t get bulldozed by him.”
“I won’t.”
When Kate came back down, they gave Vivien a group hug and plenty of love and support.
A few minutes later, Eli and Kate headed downstairs, past the pool and out to the newly completed boardwalk.
When their feet hit the wood, Kate paused to run her finger over the freshly varnished railing.
“This is beautiful, Eli. Top-quality work, perfectly constructed. And the palm trees you planted outside the downstairs deck are a great touch. Is there anything prettier than a palm tree silhouetted against the sunset while you’re sitting in the pool?”
Eli smiled, so grateful she appreciated the thought he’d put into the design.
“That’s exactly why I placed them there,” he said. “From the pool or the first-floor patio, you’ll see the water and sky through the fronds when those palm trees grow.”
She glanced at him, sliding off those glasses as she frequently did when they were face to face. “You’re worried about Vivien,” she said softly.
“How can you tell?”
“You run your fingers through your hair, like your son. It’s a stress tell for both of you.”
He chuckled, thinking of all the ways that comment made him feel. Delighted by how observant she was, touched that she knew Jonah so well, surprised at how accurate the assessment was.
And the fact that she paid such close attention to him? That was the best feeling of all.
“Well, as far as Vivien, I’m concerned, as any brother would be. She has a soft heart and Ryan Knight has kicked it around enough for one lifetime.”
“I think she has her head on straight over this trip,” she replied as they reached the end of the boardwalk, pausing to drink in the vista that never got boring or old.
One hundred and eighty degrees of water and sand, waves crashing, gulls squawking. The sky was a deepening blue, stars just beginning to peek through as the sun’s last light faded.
But Eli couldn’t help but look down at the woman next to him who, right that moment—most moments, to be honest—was more beautiful than the view.
“So, Kate,” he whispered, leaning his shoulder lightly into hers. “How can I thank you for whatever fairy dust you sprinkled on my son?”
She trilled a laugh. “He’s quite a kitchen buddy.”
“He’s more than that—he’s a different person,” Eli said. “I mean, he’s still himself with his sarcasm and his ‘I don’t care’ attitude, but change is in the air.”
“You think?” Kate smiled. “Well, we had a good talk today. It might have gotten him thinking.”
“No might about it,” he said. “He wants to go to culinary school, and he mentioned that you had a little something to do with that.”
“Oh!” Her whole face lit up. “He did? He’s going? He…oh.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, her eyes dancing. “I’m so happy, Eli!”
“So am I,” he admitted. “Beyond happy.”
“I’m so glad he listened to my advice. Not that I told him what to do but…”
“You encouraged him.” He put his hand on her back, needing to have some physical touch so she knew just how much this meant to him. “You made him see himself differently and with confidence. You gave him the gift…a mother’s gift.”
Kate’s cheeks flushed. “No, no, Eli. He just started opening up to me about his insecurity and how he’s worried that Carly is right, that he’s unfit to be a dad, that his life is a mess. He was very vulnerable, actually. I think I just helped point him in the right direction.”
“And I think he’s going to stay here and find a program that he’ll pay for by working for me—building out the guest apartment above the garage.”
Her eyes widened as she gasped. “Oh, that’s amazing! I’m so sorry I’ll miss all that.”
The words gave him a quick punch and a reminder that any day, she’d be headed back to Ithaca.
Without giving it too much thought, he stopped walking and reached for her hand. The touch was light at first, tentative, but when Kate didn’t pull away, he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.
“You’ve blown me away with your kindness, Kate,” he said. “You are as good-hearted as you are brilliant, and I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you.”
Even in the waning light, he could see a faint blush deepen her complexion. “Oh, Eli…” she began, her tone tender. “That means more to me than I can say.”
They stood there for a moment, the sound of the waves filling the silence between them. Eli’s chest tightened with a mixture of emotions he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in years—hope, admiration, maybe…something more.
He was falling for her, and he knew it.
She sighed and let out a soft laugh to break the silence. “And to think of all the days and nights—seven summers of them—I dreamed of you saying something like that to me.”
“Ah, the secret crush I didn’t know was happening.”
“You could have known if you weren’t so enamored with Tessa,” she teased as they started walking, but didn’t let go of each other’s hands. “I was right there the whole time, just not as blond and dynamic.”
Eli groaned, looking skyward. “I was such an idiot.”
“You weren’t an idiot,” she assured him. “Just a human male under ninety.”
He laughed but felt the smile fade as he looked down at her. “A dumb kid with no clue what I was doing. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” she said quickly. “Please. Dad always said she got the beauty, and I got the brains.”
“That’s not true,” Eli said firmly. “You’re stunning, Kate. Always have been.”
“Well, thank you for that, but I adore my sister, beauty and flaws and everything.”
Still holding hands, they turned to head back to the house, walking for a while in silence as Eli rooted for the right words to make yet another confession.
“Can I be honest about Tessa?” he finally asked.
“To a point,” she countered. “She is my twin sister, after all.”
“I know. It was weird seeing her here at first,” he said. “I was definitely annoyed.”
“She told me you didn’t seem thrilled. Why would you be? She was legally and technically a trespasser, and you had every right to be bothered.” Kate raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “But even after you found out who she was?”
“More after I found out,” he said with a laugh. “But that’s because of our history.”
“Your history?” She looked up, curious. “I didn’t know you had one, other than, well, the family vacations.”
He considered how much to tell her, and if it would make him feel better or worse.
“Is it history if only one party remembers?” he joked. “Like a tree falling in the forest and no one’s there to hear it?”
She stopped and studied him. “What do you mean? What doesn’t she remember?”
They were back at the boardwalk, so Eli tugged her down to sit on the bottom step and look out at the water, not quite ready to go inside.
“It happened the last night of the last summer,” he told her. “At the very same moment your parents were packing and rushing out of the house. Do you remember that night? That scene?”
“Of course I do,” she said, her brow furrowed. “What happened that Tessa doesn’t remember?”
“When the arguing started, she and I bolted and took a walk down to the marina,” he said. “We ended up staying for a while, all alone down there, and of course Tessa climbed on a random boat and draped herself over the sun loungers like she owned the thing.”
Kate didn’t smile, but stared at him, paling slightly. “Did you get in trouble?”
“Depends on how you define that. I did. She didn’t.”
“What happened?”
He swallowed, realizing that he’d never told anyone this story. Not Melissa, not Peter. And certainly not Vivien.
“I kissed her.”
“Oh, okay.” But it didn’t sound okay. She sounded a little surprised. Disappointed, too.
“That’s all. One kiss. But then I, uh…” He gave a mirthless laugh. “I told her I loved her.”
She drew back, eyes wide. “You…did?”
“I didn’t—love her, I mean. I was such a kid and a dork and smitten. I didn’t know what love was and once I finally did, I just looked back on that night with a big fat cringe.”
She considered that, quiet. “What did she say?”
He closed his eyes. “She laughed in my face, flicked her hand like my love was a bothersome gnat, and said we needed to get home.” He heard an ancient ache in his voice and from the look on Kate’s face, she heard it, too.
“She rushed back to the house alone and I just sat there and…hated myself. When I got home, the Wylies were gone, and we never said goodbye.”
She nodded. “I remember looking for you. I told Vivien to tell you I said goodbye, but…”
“But I was too wrapped up in my own issues,” he said sadly. “Where were you during the big fight?”
“Vivien and I had gone sailing,” she finally said. “And the whole time? I was crying over my unrequited love for…her brother.”
He dropped his head back with a grunt of frustration.
“Hey, Eli.” She put her arm around him. “It’s history. Ancient, unimportant history.”
“If it was, I’d have forgotten it,” he said.
“Maybe. But have you forgiven her?” she asked.
He considered the question, holding her gaze. “Obviously not, since just seeing her that first night brought back a flood of bad feelings. Suddenly, I saw Tessa Wylie as a user again, an interloper on boats and beach houses that don’t belong to her, a woman with no regard for other people’s deepest secrets and feelings.”
“I get that,” Kate said softly, looking out toward the darkening horizon as the moon rose over the water. “But that’s not who she is at all. She’s just adventurous and fun-loving. She was eighteen and every boy in Destin was circling like a seagull over a picnic lunch. She was heady with the realization that she could have anyone she wanted, and you were much more like a brother than a boyfriend.”
He nodded slowly, knowing she was right.
“And as far as trespassing in the house?” Kate shrugged. “What you might not realize is that despite her humor and flippant remarks, she’s utterly broken over the loss of our father. She was searching for comfort, which she associates with Destin. Dad always defended and supported her, no matter what, and she needed that.”
“Did she? Tessa seems like she doesn’t need anyone rising to her defense when she can handle it on her own.”
Kate gave a sad smile. “It’s easy to think Tessa had no struggles in life—just a beautiful girl who loves a good time. Her dyslexia gave her the wrong impression that she wasn’t that bright, when I’m sure she could meet me IQ point for IQ point. But she had to learn to manage it.”
“I’ve heard her mention dyslexia in passing—I got the impression it was mild.”
“Define mild to a seven-year-old who simply can’t read,” she said. “My mother didn’t know what to do about it, but my father was a natural teacher. He took up the job that a professional tutor or child learning expert would do today. He was quite brilliant at it, and it made them very close.”
“A good father,” he said.
“A great one,” Kate agreed. “He worked tirelessly with her, but it always sounded like they were having a blast. Somehow, he guided her through reading and writing, teaching her shortcuts and creative ways to identify backwards letters and do simple math while I was…” She gave a tight smile. “Winning science fairs and academic awards.”
“Oh.” He nodded. “I know what it’s like when one kid’s a superstar and one is struggling.”
“Imagine twin girls,” she said on a laugh. “Tessa did learn. And she realized quite young that she’s charming and creative. She’s actually quite a big-picture problem solver and, obviously, she’s gorgeous. That has helped her get by more times than I can count. It’s also meant a lot of men have fallen for her.”
He laughed softly. “And she barely noticed some of them.”
Kate shook her head. “And maybe she did notice, but that night, hell was breaking loose at this place. You said the two of you left to escape the arguing. She probably didn’t have a chance to think about it.”
“I guess I never saw it that way, but I can see that under her quips and easy-breezy attitude is a woman who’s mourning her father.” He let out a sigh. “I know it’s hard to lose a father, at any age. I’m sure you’re all still reeling.”
“I compartmentalize my grief, so I’ve managed better than Tessa or Mom.”
Eli glanced at her, sensing the weight of what she wasn’t saying. “Your mom isn’t doing well?”
“Well…” Kate hesitated. “Physically, she’s fine. But emotionally? She’s been wrecked. And she leans on me a lot. I…I have to start thinking about going back to New York soon.”
Eli’s heart dropped and he search for something that could make her stay. “But we haven’t visited the Cavallaris yet.”
“And we should,” she agreed. “We know they’re in Santa Rosa Beach. Let’s at least do a drive-by at the address.”
He nodded. “I think if God wants us to talk to them, He’ll open that door.”
She gave him a slightly dubious smile, one he’d seen many times in his life when he put his faith on display.
“But after that,” Kate said, “I need to go home.”
He felt his whole body sink at the news, though it didn’t shock him.
“This has been a wonderful vacation, Eli, but vacations aren’t meant to last forever.”
The words hung between them, heavy with unspoken emotion. He held her gaze, inches apart, close enough for a kiss he ached to share.
But then he remembered the last time he gave in to his longings with a Wylie girl, and he just didn’t want that kind of rejection again. She’d be kinder, but it might hurt even more.
He stood, reaching for her hand to bring her up next to him. “I wish this one vacation could last forever.”
Kate’s lips parted, but she swallowed whatever she was about to say. Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushing his arm lightly.
“Me, too,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.