CHAPTER 19

After docking the boat, Theo and Jimmy walked down the pier to the Rusty Nail. The tavern was quiet and Theo guessed that most folks were home with their families, about to have dinner before heading out to the Green. Just like Jimmy was planning to do. Jimmy and Emma. Seb and Lexie.

Suddenly, family life seemed hugely appealing, and he found himself thinking about how he’d gladly pitch his unstructured existence in San Francisco for a shot at that kind of happiness.

He’d miss San Francisco for sure; aside from the pretentious clique he’d become a part of, the city’s laid-back attitude was perfect for him. But for the right woman he’d be willing to leave it behind. And he had a suspicion that the right woman was Avery. If only he could convince her of that fact.

“Gentlemen,” Andy greeted them as they walked up to the bar. “How goes it?”

“I’m good, Andy, thanks,” Theo responded. “Kind of dead tonight, huh?”

“Lots of people home early for the lighting. But the regular crowd’s here,” Andy said, nodding surreptitiously at Don Rathbone, a notorious drunk who was sitting in a corner with some other fishermen. Don was married to a woman who’d been in Theo’s high school class, Margo Mabley. He thought he’d heard somewhere that the two of them had a kid.

“Just took Theo out on the Sound. Research for his new book,” Jimmy said, sliding his big body onto one of the bar stools. “He promised me a beer for my services.”

Theo laughed and sat down next to him. “That I did. Draw him whatever he wants, Andy. And please put it on my tab.”

Jimmy didn’t need to ask what was on tap. “Sam Adams, please.”

“Same, Andy, thanks.”

Andy nodded. “I enjoyed your reading last week at the library.” He finished pouring the beers and placed the ice-cold drafts on the bar.

Theo tipped his glass up to Jimmy’s. “Cheers.” Then he turned back to Andy. “I enjoyed being there. And besides, it was a friendly crowd.”

Jimmy coughed into his hand. “Except for someone who got up and left before the questions even started.”

Andy didn’t even need to ask whom they were talking about. “She’s got a mind of her own,” he said. “Best to tread lightly.”

Just then, Val and Cole walked through the door.

“Thought you might be here,” Val said. He clapped a hand on Theo’s shoulder in greeting, then slid onto the bar stool next to him. “Seb went back to New York a half-hour ago, but not before he gave me and Cole a list of stuff to take care of for the wedding this weekend.”

“We thought we’d head over here for a drink before we tackled the list,” Cole said.

“Glad you did.” Theo gave him a smile. “Can’t believe Seb’s getting married.”

“I know,” Val said. “I’m just glad he found someone so good for him.”

“I think it’s great,” Jimmy said before taking a big swig of beer.

“So what’s going on with you and Avery?” Andy asked bluntly, undeterred by the interruption.

“Less than I’d like,” he admitted.

“Aw, poor Professor,” Cole said, slapping him on the back as he moved around to take a seat next to Jimmy. “Didn’t you plan out the seduction in advance?”

Theo didn’t join them in their laughter, but Cole’s words resonated with him. This was one thing he hadn’t masterminded. At least, not so far.

Though he and Avery had shared an incredible night together, Avery was obviously struggling with what had happened between them.

The men had moved on to a new topic—ice fishing—but Theo didn’t join in. He leaned toward Val, whose advice he’d always relied upon.

“If you’re serious about Avery, you need to convince her that you’re the one for her,” Val said softly, without even waiting to be asked.

“I’m not sure I can,” Theo admitted. Getting her to open up, even a little, had been a huge challenge. And now that they’d been intimate? Well, that had just served to further complicate things.

“Sure you can. Anyway, you’ve already done the hardest thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Realizing that you’ve turned into the kind of man who can appreciate her worth. The rest is a cakewalk.” Then Val took a deep drink of the beer Andy had placed in front of him.

Theo was silent, realizing his brother had spoken the truth. It had taken being in Star Harbor for him to begin to understand that the self-satisfied pseudo-intellectual he’d become could in no way compare with the introspective, unself-conscious guy he’d once been—and was rapidly becoming again. Why, he’d been happy to escape his passionless existence in San Francisco even before meeting Avery. Now, all he could think about was the woman with the shimmering sunrise hair and a fiery temper that came out only when he goaded her. And he loved doing it. Loved watching as she lost her tight rein on her emotions, and loved knowing that he was the cause.

Val was right—about everything. Avery was the woman that he’d finally fallen in love with, but he wasn’t so sure that admitting he’d changed was the tough part. It seemed to him that convincing Avery that it was okay to let him in and love him back was going to be a lot tougher.

He thought he’d been so clever in his pursuit of Avery. Little did he guess that it would backfire. Sure, he’d finally gotten her into bed, but he wasn’t content with just possessing her body. He wanted the whole package, and he was man enough to acknowledge it. In times past, he would have masterminded a plan so clever that she’d have no choice but to fall for him. But any kind of plotting with respect to Ms. Newbridge just made him vaguely disheartened.

He took a long drink and lost himself in the banter of the bar, wishing he were with Avery instead. At some point, Jimmy went home to dinner, but he stayed on.

Before he knew it, it was time for the tree lighting. Thanks to his preparations for his excursion with Jimmy, he was already warmly dressed for the evening outside. Together, he and his two older brothers walked to the Green, where they joined the large group gathering. The gas lamps that lined the square were lit, and while they provided a dim light, it wouldn’t be enough to overshadow the enormous balsam fir that Luke and some of the other townspeople had set up smack dab in the middle of the great lawn. Even unlit, it was gorgeous, full and tall. Not-so-surreptitiously, Theo glanced around the crowd, hoping to find Avery.

There she was, about thirty yards away, her glorious mane spilling down over her shoulders. So she was back to wearing that big puffy coat again? He wondered if it had anything to do with his comment about the jacket that she was wearing the night before. Realizing it was ridiculous to try to read anything into her sartorial decisions, he focused on his approach.

He was here. Watching her. Waiting for her. Though Avery couldn’t see him, she could feel him, his hot eyes prickling the back of her neck. She wasn’t ready to talk. Not yet. Last night had been overwhelming in more ways than one, and she needed time to get her bearings without the whole town watching them. Tightening her grip on Kate, she steered her closer to the tree and away from wherever Theo Grayson was skulking.

Up close, the roughly forty-foot-high tree looked even more majestic. Huge boughs were bedecked in long strands of lights and strings of whole, fresh cranberries. Large, gold ball ornaments were nestled in the dark green needles. And the fragrance was intoxicating—a deep, rich, evergreen scent that epitomized everything about the holiday season. Avery looked over at Kate. “It’s beautiful.”

“Oh, yes. Just stunning,” Kate agreed. Then she coughed into her hand.

“Are you all right?” Avery asked.

“Yes, yes, dear,” Kate said between coughs. “It’s just the cold air.”

Avery frowned. Her aunt’s cough was getting worse, whether or not she wanted to admit it. “Let me know if you need to go home,” she said quietly. Kate nodded.

A few moments later, Luke Bedwin walked up to them. “Looks nice, doesn’t it?”

“Very,” Avery said. “Were you responsible for getting this monster up?”

“I built the stand, but I had loads of help.”

“You did a great job.”

Luke smiled. “Thanks. Just happy to contribute to the festivities.” He gave Kate a sideways glance, but her aunt was still staring at the huge tree, and she didn’t acknowledge him. “Catch you later,” he said, before moving off into the crowd.

As soon as Luke disappeared, Kate turned to her. “What were you talking about?” she asked, somewhat distractedly.

“What a great job Luke did with the tree.”

“Ah. Yes. The tree,” Kate said, waving her hand, before coughing again. This time it went on for more than a few seconds.

“Are you warm enough?” Avery asked. She was getting more concerned. “You did make that appointment with Doctor Kensington, didn’t you?”

“Tomorrow morning. And yes, I’m warm enough.”

“Good.” The last thing she needed was for Kate to fall ill just as she started to recover from the chemo. Her health was precarious, and Avery wanted to make sure she took care of herself.

“Evening, ladies,” a deep voice spoke.

“Why, Theo, how nice to see you,” Kate said, seemingly recovered from her coughing fit. “Won’t you join us for the ceremony?”

“I’d love to,” he said, eyes gleaming at Avery. “You have a prime spot.”

“Thanks to my niece here,” Kate said, a smile blooming on her face.

Avery nodded and looked away. She couldn’t very well mention to Kate that she wasn’t keen to talk to Theo tonight. Not with the way Kate was looking at the two of them, and not with him standing right there.

“Have you seen the lighting ceremony before?” he asked.

“No,” Avery said, shaking her head. “Somehow I seem to miss it every year, but I always manage to catch the tree once it’s lit.”

“It’s really something. By the way, I wanted to tell you that my writing is going better than ever. Your suggestion to focus on the Lorelei’s shipwreck has really paid off.”

“Really?” she said with some surprise, looking up at him.

“Really,” he said, his smile warming her from the inside out. There it was. The look she’d been waiting for. The look that said he’d seen her laid out naked before him. And liked it. What was it about this man that disarmed her?

“There’s something I’d like to check out, though. I thought maybe you could help me.”

“What’s that?” she asked warily.

“I’ve examined the beach spanning the wreck site during the day. Now I need to do it at night. Would you like to come?”

“I—” She swallowed. “I don’t think that would be such a good idea,” she whispered so that Kate wouldn’t hear.

“Why not?” he replied, leaning in closer, turning her rejection into something more intimate than she’d intended.

“Because it’d be late.”

“I’ll provide the coffee or cocoa. Your choice.”

“It’ll be cold.”

“I’ll keep you warm.” Their heads were bent together now and she could smell him, a mouthwatering scent of man and sea. She forced her libido down.

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. I know what methods you like to use,” she said wryly. They were methods she liked.

Theo pulled back and laughed. “God, you’re amazing.”

“I don’t know if you mean that in a good way or a bad one,” Avery muttered.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he bent his head again, so that only she could hear what he was saying. “A good way,” he said softly. “A very good way.”

Before she got a chance to come up with a retort, Royce Hogan stepped up to the microphone, which had been set up in front of the tree.

“Good evening, everyone,” he said, smiling broadly. “And welcome to the eightieth annual Star Harbor Christmas tree lighting. Tonight’s festivities mark a huge milestone. When we first started this tradition eighty years ago, the balsam fir was only half as large as it is tonight, and it was bedecked in garlands made of cranberries and popped corn. We couldn’t rig electricity to the Green to illuminate the tree, so we used candles, which were immediately snuffed out for fear of fire. It was a far cry from the lavishly decorated beauty we have before us tonight. Still, we’ve paid homage to that first tree with the beautiful, local cranberry strands you see here tonight.

“Before we go any further, I’d like to thank several people who made this evening possible. First, Luke Bedwin, who built the frame and stand for our gorgeous tree. Next, Joanne and Will Martins, who donated our lovely cranberries, and the students at the Star Harbor Elementary School who threaded them for us. Thanks to the members of the Episcopal Church for putting up all the wonderful decorations. I’d be remiss if I left out Lexie Meyers and Andy Neiman, who provided all the food and drink for our party tonight. And finally, I need to thank Theodore Grayson, who donated this magnificent balsam fir to Star Harbor for our celebration.”

Cheers and claps could be heard all around the Green.

Royce continued. “And now, as tradition dictates, we’ll ask the oldest person in Star Harbor to come and light the tree. Mrs. Hortense Cook? Where are you, Mrs. Cook?” Royce peered around the crowd.

An elderly woman approached, assisted by her granddaughter Melinda, whom Avery recognized from the LMK. Spry for her age, which Avery guessed to be about ninety, Mrs. Cook gamely gave a wave, then placed her hand on the switch to light the tree. The moment she clicked it on, the tree was gorgeously illuminated.

A huge cry erupted from the crowd. Avery clapped along with the rest. Once the cheers had died down, she turned to Theo. “Why didn’t you tell me you donated the tree?”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“They seem to think it is.” Just then, a man came up and patted Theo on the back. He still had his arm around Avery, so she felt every thud. She looked up at him. “If you don’t mind,” she said disdainfully, looking at his arm.

“Oh, but I do,” he said. “Mind, that is.” The arm stayed around her shoulder. She glanced at Kate for support, but Kate was busy talking to someone.

“Where’s Emma?” Avery muttered, looking around for her sister. Finally, she spotted her, standing near one of the hors d’oeuvres tables with Jimmy. He’d just handed her a drink and they looked happy and content. Avery sighed.

“You’re stuck with me,” Theo said, as if reading her mind. “Is that such a bad thing?”

“In theory, yes. In practice, no,” she said, before she could help herself. It was the truth. Rationally, she knew he was exactly the kind of guy she shouldn’t want. Sure, he was gorgeous and confident, but he wasn’t long for Star Harbor and he probably had a dozen women back in San Francisco who were pining for his return. Yet somehow, when she was with him, near him, it seemed right. She knew she was deluding herself—there was no way this could last—but it was getting easier and easier to fall for this man. Unfortunately, she couldn’t turn off her brain forever. And now that they’d made love and she knew exactly how good he could make her feel, it was going to be even more difficult to keep her body on board with what her mind was telling her to do.

“Your sweet little lips make your insults that much more exciting,” he whispered.

Avery opened her mouth to respond, but before she could do so, Luke was back. “Avery,” he said. “I have something to show you. Mind if I borrow her?” he asked Theo.

“Not at all,” Theo said smoothly, disengaging his arm from her shoulder.

“I’ll be right back, Kate,” Avery said, before she followed Luke through the crowd. When they reached the refreshments table, Luke stopped and poured her a glass of punch. Without a word, he handed it to her. She took a sip. “Thanks. What did you need to show me?”

Luke smiled and poured himself a glass, too. “Nothing.” He drank the whole thing in one swallow before giving her a grin. “Just wanted to rile up our Theo. Can’t have him thinking you jump when he says so.”

Avery smiled back. “Thank you,” she said softly, knowing she had a real friend in Luke.