Sand Castle Bay

“Or maybe just because I love you and know that your flaws are part of the bargain,” she said.

He sighed as he met her gaze. “I hear what you’re saying, Cora Jane. I really do. I just can’t take another chance, not with my heart and sure as hell not with my son’s.”

Left unsaid was the furor he’d stir up with Jenny’s parents if they got wind that Emily was back in his life. They unreasonably held her as accountable for any misery Jenny felt as they did Boone. If anything would bring them back to Sand Castle Bay on a tear, that would be it.

“There’s too much at stake,” he told Cora Jane. “Nothing’s worth the risk of hurting B.J.”

“Then I feel sorry for you,” Cora Jane said quietly. “Nothing in life comes without risk. Would you have given up the chance to have B.J. if you’d known ahead of time the pain you’d face when you lost Jenny?”

“Of course not.”

“That’s all I’m saying. If you want to experience the highest of the highs, then you have to take a chance that you’ll get the lows, as well.”

“I want my life—and B.J.’s—on a nice even keel,” he countered, knowing even as he said it that it was an impossible pipe dream.

“A noble goal, but an unrealistic one,” Cora Jane admonished. “Life doesn’t work out that way.” She held his gaze. “And you know as well as I do, Boone Dorsett, you’d be bored to tears if it did.”

Maybe. Maybe not. He sure would be willing to give it a try for a time.

6

B.J. burst through the door onto the deck at Castle’s, caught sight of Boone and went running in his direction. Emily followed more hesitantly, regretting that she couldn’t avoid the man completely. Instead, she seemed to be drawn to him like a magnet.

“Daddy, guess what? I’m Emily’s consultant,” B.J. announced happily.

Boone smiled at his son’s excitement but gave Emily a curious look. “How’d that happen?”

She shrugged. “It turns out he’s amazingly perceptive about interior design. I appreciate his insights.”

Boone didn’t even try to hide his skepticism. “He’s eight. What kind of insights could he have?”

“He knew immediately that the furniture I was looking at online wasn’t suited for here,” she explained, then grinned. “He didn’t hesitate to tell me that, either. That’s a very good trait in a consultant.”

Boone actually chuckled at that. “Yeah, there’s not much he holds back. If it crosses his mind, it comes out of his mouth.” He ruffled his son’s hair. “You weren’t pestering her, though, were you?”

B.J. regarded him impatiently. “I told you, I’m her official consultant. She wants my help.”

“Now, if only he could wait tables for me,” Emily said, anxious to get away, though not exactly enthusiastic about the prospect of dealing with what already looked like a huge lunch crowd, proving that, as usual, Cora Jane’s instincts about reopening had been right.

“I could carry stuff,” B.J. offered eagerly.

“Sorry, buddy, we have to get going,” Boone said. “I have to get back over to my restaurant. I just wanted to make sure Tommy’s guys had things under control with the roof.”

“Judging from the hammering overhead when I was working inside, they must be making progress,” Emily said.

Boone nodded. “Tommy says the protective sheeting will all be in place before any rain this afternoon. They’ll have a good start on the new shingles, too.”

“That’ll be a huge relief to Grandmother. She was afraid we were going to be dealing with more water damage inside. Speaking of that, did she tell you that the cashier station is a mess?”

Boone nodded. “I’ll take a look before I leave. I have an excellent cabinetmaker I use. I can get Wade over here tomorrow to build something exactly like she wants to replace it. If there’s any other updating she wants in the dining room, just let Wade know.”

“Updating?” Emily said, rolling her eyes. “I’m lucky she’s letting me bring in the painters.”

“Yeah, she is a big fan of the status quo.” He gave her a searching look. “You okay with that now?”

Emily shrugged. “I’ll continue nudging, but I’m not holding out a lot of hope.”

“Okay, then, I’d better check out that cashier area, then hit the road. Let’s go, B.J.”

“But I want to stay here,” B.J. protested at once.

“Not this afternoon,” Boone said firmly. “It’s too busy for you to be underfoot right now. Cora Jane can’t keep an eye on you when it’s crowded like this.”

“I will,” Emily blurted impulsively before she could stop herself. “If that’s okay with you, that is. Between Grandmother, Gabi, Samantha and me, he’ll be fine. And he can always hang out in the kitchen. Jerry loves having him around. Besides, don’t you have your hands full over at your place? I heard about the damage you found.”

“I do, but—”

B.J. bounced up and down. “Please, Dad.”

“Sorry, pal. I made arrangements for you to spend the afternoon with Alex. His mom said you could have a sleepover tonight, too.”

“I’d rather stay here,” B.J. pleaded.

“We’re only open until three, anyway,” Emily reminded Boone. “Then we’ll be cleaning some more. We can keep him busy with that. Then one of us can drop him off at your restaurant or the house later.”

She wondered if the real issue was Boone wanting him out from underfoot because he had a date tonight. For all she knew, he was involved with someone. “Or if you have plans for tonight, he can stay over at our house,” she suggested mildly.

“No plans,” Boone said, an oddly tense note in his voice. “Usually he loves having a sleepover at Alex’s house because they have all the game systems I won’t let him have at home.”

“But today I want to stay here and help,” B.J. repeated emphatically.

“Okay, fine,” Boone agreed with unmistakable reluctance. “Let me speak to Cora Jane.”

“No need,” Emily said. “I’ll let her know.”

“Then I’ll pick him up at your place tonight around seven-thirty. Will that work? That way if I get held up at the restaurant, he won’t have to hang around there.”

“Absolutely. Knowing you’re coming by will be the perfect excuse to get Grandmother out of here at a decent hour.”

“Then I guess it works out well all around,” he said, a wry note in his voice. He hunkered down in front of his son and held his gaze. “You do as you’re told and don’t give Emily or Ms. Cora Jane any trouble.”

“Promise,” B.J. said, and scampered quickly away as if he feared his father might change his mind.

Boone studied Emily with a narrowed gaze. “I’m not entirely happy about this.”

“So I gathered. Mind telling me why?”

“I told you the other day. I’m scared to death you’ll disappoint him when you leave.”