Renovation (A Golden Beach Novel) Read online

  His phone buzzed on the table as he pulled on his shoes. It was Valerie. Her sweet face lit up the background of his phone. His chest tightened, his fingers itched to answer, to hear her. Instead, he declined the call, shoved his phone into his pocket, and set off for work. He wasn’t in a good place, not for talking to her. Not yet.

  Chapter 15

  Valerie stretched and twisted in her chair as she continued the search for school options. She lifted the glass of wine she’d been nursing to her lips and sighed. She’d been at it for hours and so far it was looking more likely that she’d have to go back to Virginia Tech, finish her teaching program, and she’d have her certification within a year. Unfortunately, Virginia Tech was over four hours away. There had to be other options she wasn’t seeing. The idea of leaving everyone, leaving Donovan, scared her.

  She hadn’t seen Donovan in three days. Three days and her chest tightened at the thought of him. Her phone rang and that telltale pang of excitement ran through her.

  “Hello?”

  “Ms. Peters?” A shrill voice on the line, clearly not Donovan, sank her hopes.

  “Yes.”

  “This is Jan Farmer. I’m the aquatics director at the Golden Beach Pool.”

  “Oh, right. How are you?”

  “Fine, thanks. You recently submitted an application for a position as a swim instructor. I’d like to bring you in for an interview if you’re available.”

  “Yeah, yes. That’d be great.”

  “Will tomorrow work? I’d like to see you in the water. You can show me what you can do, how you’d teach.”

  “Sure. What time?”

  “Let’s see . . . I’ve got a few minutes between classes in the morning. How about ten?”

  She scanned her memory for any other appointments and smiled as she realized she was as free as the proverbial bird. “Ten is great.”

  After they hung up, her heart felt lighter. A job of any kind was better than sitting at home, eating cookies, and feeling sorry for herself. She yawned and rolled her neck from side to side as she closed her laptop and padded to her bedroom, planning for her interview in the morning.

  Her eyes popped open at the crack of dawn, excitement fluttering in her belly as her interview crept up on her. Busying herself with the morning routine of coffee and breakfast, she tried to occupy her brain until she could leave. Glancing at the clock, she realized she still had hours to wait. She needed a distraction, something time consuming, so she opted for a run.

  The beginning of summer brought with it warm weather without the heaviness of the late season humidity. As she peeked out the window and found clear skies, relief spread through her. She was a fair-weather runner at best. She pulled her hair up into a bun, high on the top of her head, and applied a liberal dose of sunscreen to her fair skin.

  After a few stretches, she left for a run around the town. It was half-past seven, the sun creeping up higher in the sky, and most working stiffs were heading to their jobs.

  As her feet hit the pavement, she smiled and waved at acquaintances. This is why Grace always ran on the beach at the crack of dawn. Too many distractions.

  She rounded the corner and saw the firehouse, a sense of anticipation gnawed at her as she wondered if Donovan was there. Then she saw him. The man himself was leaning against the open garage bay as she approached. He looked amazing in his dark blue duty uniform. His hair was slicked back, curling slightly around his ears. She wanted so badly to tangle her fingers in the dark locks and bring him back to his usual, slightly rumpled look. He watched her as she watched him, a soft smile on his lips.

  “Hey there, sweetheart. What a nice surprise.”

  Her heart lightened and she walked up to him, self-conscious of her appearance in tight running pants.

  “I didn’t know you were on duty.”

  “I traded shifts with Sully. He’s got a hot date.”

  A weight lifted from her shoulders as she realized he hadn’t been ignoring her, just working.

  “I’m sorry.” She scuffed the toe of her shoe on the pavement.

  “What for? Calling me on my bullshit?” He grinned.

  “I think I was kind of a bitch to you. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to.”

  He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him, dropping a kiss on her lips before she could protest. She melted into him, her senses in overdrive as she inhaled his spicy scent and felt the scratch of his barely-present stubble. Her nipples hardened under the confines of her sports bra and her heartbeat pounded in her chest.

  “Hey now. None of that in the house, Miller,” Michael Oliver teased as he came around from the back of the engine.

  Donovan pushed her away gently—his breathing harsh, his eyes slightly glazed over. At least she wasn’t the only one unable to control her reaction.

  “Sorry, Mike. Got carried away.”

  Heat crept up her cheeks under Michael’s gaze. “Yeah, sorry.”

  “Hey, Valerie, how’s Lena doing?”

  Her eyebrows rose. “You care?”

  “I just want to make sure she’s okay. She’s not returning my calls.”

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she took on the role of protective friend. “She’s in Barbados for the next two weeks on a shoot. If she wants to talk to you, she will.”

  Michael lowered his eyes. “Right, okay, then. Thanks.” He turned to leave, but stopped. “How was the wedding? Grace?”

  “It was beautiful. She’s really happy.”

  “Good. At least someone is.”

  He rubbed at the back of his neck and headed into the firehouse, leaving her with a sense of melancholy.

  “Is he all right?” she asked Donovan.

  “Hell if I know. He won’t tell us anything. The guy’s been a mess since John died.”

  “Losing your little brother is damaging at any age.” Sadness seeped in at the memory of Simon. She pushed it away, willing herself to focus on the present. “Can I see you soon?”

  Donovan’s face lit up. “I’m off in . . .” He glanced at the clock. “. . . twenty minutes. How about breakfast?”

  “I’m a sweaty mess. Besides, I’ve got an interview at the pool in a few hours. Dinner and a movie?”

  “Only if I get to pick the movie.”

  She laughed, knowing he would choose some guy-flick filled with guns and explosions. “Deal.”

  He kissed her again, stealing her breath and making her heart race.

  “Now get your run over with. I can’t stand the idea of the rest of these guys checking out your ass in those sexy pants.”

  He smacked her playfully on the butt as she jogged off, sending her on her way with a much lighter mood and a smile on her face.

  Valerie stood, toweling off after her swim demonstration, and waited for Jan to give her opinion.

  The stocky, slightly angry-looking woman nodded.

  “Do you need me to do anything else?” She felt self-conscious at the lack of communication.

  “No, you’ll do just fine. You a competitive swimmer?”

  “In high school.”

  Again, she nodded.

  “When should I start?”

  Jan pulled a clipboard off of the wall and glanced at it, flipping pages as she clicked her tongue.

  “Can you be here Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week? Parent-child classes are at ten and one, three times a week.”

  “Sure. Starting next week?”

  Jan gave her a curt nod and shook her hand.

  She walked back to the locker room, heart light. She had a job. It paid only a fraction of her old one, but at least it was something she loved to do. She pulled her jeans over her hips and slipped her racer-back tank over her head. As she pulled a
brush through her chlorine-scented hair, she sighed. A nice hot shower, with deep conditioner, was definitely in the cards when she got home.

  The sounds of laughing children and calls of walk or slow down from their harried parents floated into the locker room. Summer had started and parents were already desperately trying to find activities for their kids.

  As the crowd started pouring into the locker room, Valerie made a break for it out the staff-only exit. She figured, while a little premature, it would get her to her car quicker than anything else.

  An alert on her phone had her checking her social media account as she walked across the parking lot in the late morning sun. She stopped cold when she saw a photo she’d been tagged in from Mick. Stupidly, she’d never gotten around to deleting him from her friends list, hiding his posts instead. The picture was of her dancing at Grace’s hen night.

  A chill ran down her spine at the caption: This one got away. She’d not seen him anywhere, but clearly he’d been watching her.

  She managed to get her car door open, despite the shaking in her hands. She gripped the steering wheel tight and breathed slow and steady as the adrenaline finally started to subside. She wracked her brain for anything she might have done to encourage Mick’s behavior. She thought a knee to the crotch was a pretty definite signal that she wasn’t interested. His attitude brought back dark memories of her time in Braley. The relentless pursuit, unwillingness to listen to the word no, and charming outward persona, all hit a little too close for comfort.

  Mick had dazzled her in the beginning, built her confidence by constantly telling her how precious and beautiful she was, how he didn’t want her to be away from him. He’d gotten his hooks in her heart and refused to let go. She’d run from him after breaking things off and wasn’t willing to go back to that dark place in her head or those memories of him forcing himself on her. She shivered, almost able to feel his hands again.

  Her phone buzzed on the dashboard of the car, making her jump. Donovan’s name flashed on her screen.

  “Hello?” She worked to make her voice sound normal.

  “Hey, sweetheart. How’d your interview go at the pool?”

  “Good, fine. I got the job. I’ll start next week.”

  “That’s great. You all right? You sound a little rattled.”

  “Fine.”

  He cleared his throat. “I know we said your place, but I was hoping maybe we could have a sleepover at mine.”

  She kicked herself as she realized she’d forgotten all about their date. “Mmm, that sounds nice.” Anticipation blossomed in her chest at the thought of a solid twelve hours with him. That was exactly what she needed to push away the darkness invading her thoughts.

  “I can’t wait.” His voice was smooth and rich, filled with the promise of sin.

  “What time should I come over?”

  “I’m ready when you are. Don’t bring any pajamas.”

  Her mouth went dry and she nodded, clearing her throat as she realized he couldn’t see her. “Give me a few hours,” was all she could manage.

  He chuckled. “See you, sweetheart.”

  “Yep.” She cringed at the sound of her squeaking voice. “Later, hotshot.”

  Oh, boy, this man was trouble.

  Donovan smiled as he roamed the aisles of the supermarket. His cart was filled with the fixings for chicken parmesan, a bottle of red wine, and a couple of Caramello bars. Valerie was clearly still hesitant to admit there was something more between them, something deeper than sex. Tonight he aimed to pull out all the stops.

  He checked his watch as he waited in line, the screaming toddler in the cart in front of him throwing Cheerios all over the floor and smelling suspicious. As he stared at the little terror, a quiet hum invaded his ears, blocking out all other noise.

  The smell of smoke filled his nose and his chest contracted. No, not here. Not now. He recognized the beginning of a panic attack coupled with a flashback. Screwing his eyes tightly shut, he breathed deeply, working to control his anxiety. He could feel the heat of flames on his face, hear John shouting for him to get down. His heart hammered in his chest, the blood rushing through his veins on fire.

  “Sir? Are you all right?” The young mother in front of him placed a hand on his shoulder.

  He jumped, grabbing her hand. Eyes wide, but unseeing, and breathing harsh, he blinked as she came into focus. He felt sick, a clammy sweat coating his skin.

  The toddler screeched, capturing the mother’s attention once again. He fumbled with the items in his cart, placing them on the conveyor belt with shaking hands.

  “You okay, Donovan?” Marcie Heber smiled sweetly at him as she scanned his purchases.

  “Yeah, thanks, Marcie. Worked overtime and I’m dead on my feet.”

  He swiped his credit card and paid as she bagged his groceries.

  “Chicken parm tonight? You’ve got a date.” She cocked a silver eyebrow at him and smirked.

  Embarrassment crept up his neck in the form of prickling heat. His ears started to burn and he rolled his eyes at her. “That’s none of your damn business, young lady.”

  Marcie grinned. “Have fun.”

  He winked as he gathered his bag. “You stay out of trouble.”

  The queasy feeling in his stomach didn’t subside until he made his way up the elevator to his apartment. He needed a shower after that episode in the store. It had been a long time since he’d had a flashback that intense. He’d been cleared by the psychologist—good to go. Why the fuck was this happening again?

  A text message sent his phone vibrating in his pocket.

  THX 4 HLPNG ILY

  Livie’s shorthand texting drove him crazy. He slowly translated the message and then typed a quick, I love you, too, back. His sisters were tucked away safely at Viv’s. That woman was the only saving grace in his screwed up family. The stress of the situation had him pulling out his hair and barely sleeping at night.

  Checking the time, he realized he only had, at most, forty-five more minutes before Valerie arrived. Just enough time for a quick shower and some meal prep. He already had a bag packed and a movie picked to take with them. He needed to be focusing on her, not on his fucked up excuse for a family.

  This was his chance to show her how good they could be together.

  Chapter 16

  Valerie fluffed her hair and checked her reflection in the car’s little mirrored sun visor. After a swipe of lip gloss and a glance at her teeth, to make sure lunch wasn’t hanging out in between them, she flipped up the visor and caught sight of him.

  Donovan was waiting at the elevator. He leaned casually against the wall, his hair slightly disheveled, eyes glinting with amusement. Blood rushed up her cheeks when she realized she’d been caught primping for him.

  His smirk made her stomach flip as she crossed the parking lot. “Hey, sweetheart. You look beautiful.”

  He kissed her, sending tingles from her lips straight down between her thighs.

  “Mmm, thanks.”

  A warm glow spread through her as his hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her close against him, tucking her head under his chin.

  “Ready?” His voice rumbled in his chest.

  “Yep.”

  He picked up the two bags he’d stowed at his feet and led her to his jeep.

  “Where are you taking me?” Her curiosity was piqued.

  He looked back and cocked an eyebrow with a heart-stopping grin. “You’ll see when we get there.”

  She didn’t try to hide the bright smile that spread across her face. This man was so much more than she’d given him credit for. A dark cloud rolled in as she thought of leaving Golden Beach for a year of school.

  “What’s that face?” he asked, as he put the bags in the back and walked aro
und to open her door.

  She shook her head, not ready to have this conversation. “Nothing, just thinking.”

  “Hmm.” His gaze fell to the pavement. “Well, when thinking needs to be talking, let me know.”

  She nodded and buckled her seatbelt.

  They drove in easy silence. No pressure to make small talk, just companionable quiet. When he pulled into the Golden Beach Marina parking lot, her excitement bubbled.

  “Are we going on your boat?”

  He flashed her that grin again and nodded.

  “Overnight?”

  “Yep.” His face changed from self-assured and cocky to slightly worried. “Is that all right?”

  She worked to push down the irrational fear she was feeling. She was a champion swimmer, the weather was calm, and the forecast was fair for the next three days.

  “Yeah. I’ve just never slept on a boat.”

  The cocky, self-assured Donovan returned with the words, “Who says we’ll be sleeping?”

  A wave of lust shot through her at his penetrating stare. Her mouth ran dry and her breath hitched. Gathering his bags, he threw her backpack over one shoulder while she pulled herself together.

  The Sweet Susan sat waiting for them. Clearly, he’d been out here recently. The boat was spotlessly clean and didn’t have the musty smell common in unused spaces. As he led her below deck, her eyes quickly zeroed in on the spray of purple and white orchids on the small table.

  “My lady.” He gave her a chivalrous bow and swept up the bouquet, presenting the breathtaking flowers to her.

  “Oh, why thank you.” She returned the bow with a small curtsey and laughed. “You’ve been busy. Is this why I didn’t hear from you for so long?”

  “Might be.” He was clearly evading her question.

  “Might be?”