Barefoot Bay: Unconventional Love (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Scarred Hearts Book 1) Read online

  He took off down the hall to the bathroom, his little feet smacking against the tile, dispelling the quiet of the morning.

  “He’s a stubborn one,” Maureen said.

  “Yes, he is. He must get that from you,” Laura said as she took out the eggs and sausage.

  “Probably. Sorry about that.”

  Laura snorted. “No, you’re not.”

  “Laura?”

  “Hmm?” she said, heating up the pans.

  “You should go out again. Soon. Find that guy of yours.”

  Laura shook her head. She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to, just to see if the chemistry was real. If nothing else, even if he wasn’t father material for Bryce, he had the power to awaken what it felt like to be a whole woman again. “He’s not mine. That man belongs to his memories, his mistakes.”

  Maureen wrapped an arm around her and tipped her head against Laura’s. “He sounds like someone I know…maybe you two have some common ground after all.”

  4

  Jack went back to the Toasted Pelican again on Thursday night. He told himself he wasn’t looking for her. He justified it because of all his hard work lately. He finally had the time; didn’t he deserve it?

  He was full of utter horseshit.

  He sat at the bar for three hours.

  Three.

  Did he mention he sat there for three hours?

  He’d turned into a complete idiot. Rob, the same bartender from the night before, was there, and even he started looking at him funny and smirking like he knew just what Jack was hoping for.

  They both knew he was an idiot.

  He really didn’t need to push it so hard. It’s not like she was the only woman in Mimosa Key, for Christ’s sake. The place was crawling with attractive women.

  Yet the only one he could think about was her.

  She’d said that if they were meant to see each other again, they would. Maybe he needed to just let it go. Fine, he’d do that, but if he didn’t run into her again in the next two weeks he was going to spend every night in the damn Toasted Pelican until he bent the hands of fate to his will.

  He pushed away from his metal desk and crossed into the construction trailer kitchen and poured himself a cup of strong, black coffee. He took a long gulp and welcomed the burn on his tongue.

  His secretary, Roseanne, had stayed late the night before and cleaned the trailer from top to bottom. He’d told her repeatedly it wasn’t her job, but she had other ideas, so every Friday he arrived to a construction trailer that smelled of lemon Pledge, freshly vacuumed floors, and a gleaming bathroom. He had to wonder if she did it because she couldn’t work Fridays. Her husband needed dialysis and, so far, those dialysis appointments occupied her Fridays. As they should.

  So, she may be assuaging her guilt by cleaning, and he would assuage his guilt over her staying late by padding her check.

  The minute she saw it, she’d go toe to toe with him.

  And he’d get his way.

  The door slammed open. “Hey, boss. How ya doin’?” Carter said.

  Ahh, his other favorite employee. He appreciated them all but he had a couple of all-stars in his midst, and he firmly believed in rewarding hard work and dedication.

  Carter had proved to be Jack’s best head carpenter. He was dedicated to the job and to doing quality work. He was fast, but careful, and that was hard to find in a carpenter. Carter was a huge part of the reason Jack had had the time to go to the Toasted Pelican. He’s the reason he would have more time to do so in the future.

  Jack leaned against the doorjamb. “I’m glad you’re here early; there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Carter filled his travel mug, and then glanced up at Jack. “Is everything okay?”

  Jack smiled and patted Carter’s shoulder. “Everything is great. So great, in fact, that I want you to take over the crew, visit job sites like I normally do. I’ll still check in, but I think it’s time to hand it off so I can catch up on office matters that have built up.”

  Carter nodded. “Sure, whatever you need me to do.”

  Jack leaned against the table holding the overworked coffee pot, disposable cups, and anything the crew could possibly want in their coffee. Roseanne made sure they had options, even specialty creamers. Most of the guys liked to pretend they were for the women on his crew, but more often than not he saw the guys dipping into them more than the women. “The promotion to foreman comes with a 20% increase and full benefits.”

  Carter looked at him, a look of confusion on his face. “But I have full benefits.”

  Jack laughed. “You pay for your full benefits. As foreman, I pay for your benefits.”

  Carter shook his head and averted his gaze. If Jack didn’t know better, he’d say he’d embarrassed Carter. “Oh, well…uh, damn. This couldn’t come at a better time,” Carter muttered.

  “Really, why’s that?”

  Carter scratched at the hair behind his ear and winced. “Veronica is pregnant.”

  Jack ignored the ache in his chest at the news. “Congratulations, man. That’s great.”

  Carter took a deep breath and then smiled. “Yeah, I’m terrified.”

  “That’s probably a good thing. It’ll keep you from screwing up,” Jack said with a laugh.

  Carter cleared his throat. “No screw-ups would be nice.”

  Jack pushed away from the table and picked up the schedule he’d put together for Carter. “Oh, I didn’t say you wouldn’t screw up. A little fear will minimize the frequency, though.”

  “Yeah, thanks for that,” Carter said with a laugh.

  “You’re welcome. Now, a little bit more business. This is the inspection schedule I keep. Max’s crew is operating smoothly. Dan has hit a few hiccups, but nothing out of the ordinary. Lenny has had nothing but problems with deliveries, but not his fault. You’ll see I’ve doubled the rotation on those sites. Not because I don’t trust the guys, I do, but just to be available as much as possible if they need me to step in.”

  Carter nodded and took the schedule. “Got it.”

  “This isn’t set in stone. If you see a need to shift, do so. If you’re unsure, bring it to me and we’ll discuss it. I’ll be in the office every day until 1PM. I’ll be taking care of permits and other job-related errands most afternoons. I’m reachable so, anything you need, don’t hesitate.”

  “You can count on me.”

  Jack clasped Carter’s shoulder. “I know I can. Now, why don’t you take a minute and tell Veronica the good news before you head out for the day? Give her a smile.”

  “Thanks, Jack. I’ll do that.”

  Jack went back to his scarred metal desk, and spent the morning tackling one project at a time until he’d put a hefty dent in the stack of manila envelopes on his desk screaming for his attention. He might have gotten even further if his mind stopped wandering to a certain redhead with winking pants.

  Restless and unable to stand the idea of being tied to his desk another minute on such a beautiful day, he cut out early and headed to the county offices to file for a few permits. Once that was finished, he was taking some time in the sunshine.

  February in the Keys meant mid-seventies and an abundance of sunshine. He could go outside without melting. It was time to take advantage of some of it. Take a breath and appreciate that salty ocean air.

  On his way out of the permit office, he heard his name. He turned to find Ray Endicott waving his hand in the air to get Jack’s attention.

  He turned and headed to meet Ray halfway. The man had given him his first shot on a crew almost thirty years earlier. He’d met him by chance in a coffee shop in Pensacola. Ray had immediately recognized the cocky and bitter adult Jack had become.

  He’d looked at Jack all those years ago and said, “You need something to do with your hands, son. You need a job that exhausts you to the point where you drop in bed at night, half-asleep before your head even hits your pillow.”

  He had been right. Ray made sure
to get Jack a shot on one of the building crews he worked with. Jack’s whole direction in life had shifted at that coffee shop meeting. Ray had given Jack a chance at success, and Jack held on to it with both hands and never let go. He’d saved him from a dark road.

  “Jack!” Ray exclaimed, giving Jack a hard hug. “How are you doing, son?”

  The man had aged, but wore it well. You’d never know he was pushing seventy from his lively expression. Ray Endicott had an infectious energy that Jack couldn’t imagine waning. “I’m good. Setup has gone well.”

  “Good, good. I’m happy to see a good solid building company moving into the area. I hope you don’t mind if we reach out to you for some of our construction needs.”

  “Of course not. Happy to have the business.”

  Ray leaned in and grinned. “Great. I’ve gotta run; Josie’s waiting on me. It was good to see you. Let’s get together for breakfast soon.”

  Jack shook Ray’s hand. “I look forward to it.”

  Jack’s crews had waiting lists but he’d build another one if he had to, just to help Ray out. He’d put together his best men. It was the least he could do for the way Ray had changed his life over that cup of coffee.

  Ray’s hand up couldn’t erase the mistake Jack had made, but it made a hell of a difference in how Jack moved forward. He’d never have a family of his own. That was his price, but Ray showed him that he didn’t have to tank his entire future based on a slip-up at seventeen. He could do good. He could find a kind of happiness.

  Because of that, he had managed to be a son, brother, and uncle. Maybe not a perfect one, but the guy he’d been before Ray walked into that coffee shop, that guy was headed down a short road to prison.

  Ray saved him from himself.

  After stopping at home to change into board shorts and a tank top, Jack headed for one of the many parking areas along the east coast of Mimosa Key.

  He parked his Ford F250 and headed out on the wooden walkway that crossed over the beach grass. He’d start his weekend early with a run on the beach.

  He’d started running on the beaches of Pensacola five years ago, but since moving to Mimosa Key he hadn’t had time. Today, he’d change that.

  Maybe he’d burn off enough energy that he could get through the night without breaking his own rules and heading to the Toasted Pelican…again.

  He took off at a brisk walk and after a few minutes, when his muscles warmed and a sheen of sweat broke out on his shoulders, he took off at a jog. The weight of the past six months broke away the faster his feet moved.

  He found the right rhythm with his breathing, concentrating on the slight burn of it in and out of his lungs, and smiled. He stayed on the harder sand just feet away from where the waves broke. People peppered the beach here and there, some in bathing suits, others in pants. It was that weird time of year where true Floridians still felt that chill in the air, but vacationers broke out their swimwear.

  He jogged past six- and seven-story condos separated by stuccoed beach houses, some raised a few feet on stilts, others raised a whole story. The mesh of buildings and houses would be ugly save for the Queen Anne palms planted along the way to break up the concrete and stucco landscape, adding cascading foliage to the view.

  Palm trees made all the difference. Most people only saw the beauty, but as a builder he saw what the beauty hid. Sometimes it made it damn hard for him to enjoy the view like a normal person.

  With a mile down, he slowed. No need to push it too hard his first time. He dropped down to the cool sand, propped his elbows on his bent knees, and looked out at the Gulf of Mexico.

  Blue spread out far and wide, broken up by a few white, frothy waves, most by the beach, but a few breaking much further out. Two surfers sat on their boards, watching, waiting for just the right one.

  Even further in the distance, there looked to be a cruise ship. That’s something they didn’t see very often from their vantage point, but after just a few minutes, it disappeared from—

  A clump of cold, wet sand smacked Jack right in the cheek. He closed his eyes, shook his head until the sand fell away, and turned to the culprit who had nailed him.

  A skinny little boy with dark curls and green eyes was holding a hand over his mouth, trying to stifle a giggle. A blue plastic shovel was clasped in his other hand.

  He had built quite the sand castle, complete with turrets and a moat.

  Jack decided to speak to this mighty little builder in a language he would understand. “Is that how you treat a man, weary from days of riding, in search of food for his belly, maybe a bit of drink, and a warm place to lay his weary head?”

  Those green eyes lit up, and the boy shot his fist in the air as if wielding a sword. “How do I know you are honorable and trustworthy?”

  Jack smiled. “Did I not prove when you took your shot at me? I didn’t run you through with my blade,” Jack said, and made a motion as if pulling a sword out of its sheathe.

  The boy regarded him with shrewd eyes. Jack had met his match in this one. “I will offer you drink, food, and place to stay for the night. Then you must go. You will stay here…” the boy pointed at the turret in the front of the castle, “…far away from my maidens. I must protect their virtue.”

  Jack’s eyebrows shot up. “You know what their virtue is?”

  The boy gave him a bored look. “Of course! It’s their goodness.” He scratched at his curls, shovel in hand. Sand fell off the shovel, into his hair. “Right?” the boy asked.

  Damned if the kid wasn’t cute as hell. And smart. “It’s their goodness; you’ve got that just right.”

  “Bryce, are you bothering this nice man?” a pretty woman asked. Despite the ponytail, her thick auburn waves blew over her shoulder and brushed her chin. She smiled at Jack for benefit of the boy, if the cool, assessing gaze of hers was any indication.

  Mama Bear had her claws out.

  “He’s not bothering me at all. It’s okay. We had a dispute after he assaulted me with sand, but we’ve come to a gentlemen’s agreement on how to handle it going forward.”

  “Hmmm,” she said, and her lip twitched.

  “Young…Bryce was it? has consented to feeding my weary men and providing for us for the night. A generous compromise to the assault I suffered at the hands of his traitorous shovel.”

  The boy giggled and looked up to his mother. “See, I’m being good.”

  “We’ve talked about talking to strangers,” she said with a scowl.

  Bryce kicked his foot in the sand. “I know,” he muttered.

  Jack nodded up to her. “She’s right, my young soldier. I could have had ill intentions.”

  Bryce squinted up to his mother. “He seemed nice enough. Now that you’ve met him can I play with him?”

  “Well, I haven’t really met him, uh—”

  “My name is Jack.” He pushed himself up and held out a hand.

  “Jack, is it?” She grinned at him, the gleam in her eye hard to read. “I’m Maureen. And now we’ve met. I’ll be watching the two of you, so don’t get any ideas.”

  “Never,” he assured her. “Your boy is safe with me.”

  Jack dropped back down to the sand. Amazing… this little boy came along and Jack’s first thought wasn’t of the one he’d given up.

  “Wanna help me build the second story to the castle?” Bryce asked.

  “You probably should have put the second story on before you built the turrets,” Jack said as he looked over the structure. The boy had done well. The sand was packed just right. No cracks and solid around the base.

  “Maybe we can take them off and rebuild them after?” Bryce asked.

  “Ah, but your fair maidens are in there. We can’t displace them. Lucky for you, I’m a builder.” Jack bent his head to Bryce’s while they both looked over the structure. “Here’s what we can do…” Jack began.

  5

  “Laura, can I see you for a minute?” Dr. Fentworth said.

  “Absolutely. I�
�ll be right there. She finished collecting the leftover supplies from the last cleaning and dumped them into the trash. She dragged off her blue gloves, ducked into the bathroom to wash her hands, and found Dr. Fentworth in his office at the end of the hall.

  She knocked on the doorjamb. “May I come in?”

  He slid off his glasses, smiled, and stood. “Yes, please, have a seat.” He waited for her to take her seat before he took his again. He interlaced his fingers and leaned forward, a handsome smile on his face. “So, it’s been ninety days. It’s time for your probationary review.”

  She took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay.”

  He laughed. “Don’t look so scared. You’ve done well here. Patients aren’t quick to drop positive Yelp reviews. Usually those come from the dissatisfied patients, but we’ve gotten five in the past ninety days. All of them singing your praises. One even mentioning your pants.”

  She laughed, relieved. She had been kind, courteous, and as gentle as possible. She imagined her son with every patient who had sat in her chair. She’d ask herself how she would want someone to treat him, and made sure she gave the same kind of care she expected for her boy.

  “Thank you, Dr. Fentworth. I’ve loved working here,” she said. She meant it, too. She remembered so many dentist offices being gloomy places with that sickly smell of antiseptic and fear. Here, though, each room had bright walls and a theme: Minions from “Despicable Me,” Dr. Who, “Game of Thrones,” Vikings, Batman, Wonder Woman, Katniss from “The Hunger Games,” and Black Widow.

  Barbara, the receptionist, had told her that Dr. Fentworth had bought the practice and immediately shut it down for a week to give it a much-needed makeover. He’d asked them all to make a list of their favorite shows and super-heroes. Those names went into a jar and seven had been drawn for the makeover.

  It seemed their Dr. Fentworth had never quite grown up, and Laura loved it. They actually had patients who, when they booked appointments, booked special rooms.

  “Well, our patients and staff have loved having you. So, as of today, you’re no longer in your probationary period, but a full-time, permanent employee of Mimosa Key Dental. Your two-weeks’ vacation time kicks in now so you can get it scheduled between now and the end of the year and you get a ten-percent raise. Your benefits are locked in. Do you have any questions?”