CHAPTER 20

“So what are you saying?” Avery asked Julie Kensington, concern coloring her voice. “That Kate isn’t doing well?” It was the morning after the tree-lighting ceremony, and the two women were inside Julie’s office, which was just off the examination room.

“I’m saying more than that,” Julie said calmly, tucking a pen into the pocket of her white coat. “Based on her symptoms, Kate seems to have a combination of pneumonia and bronchitis, not uncommon in patients who are immunosuppressed, but her health is likely to get worse if we don’t get these conditions treated fast. Before she has even more difficulty breathing, I’d like to have her admitted to Cape Cod Hospital. They have an excellent acute care center and Kate’s going to need a full course of intravenous antibiotics, something I’m just not equipped to administer here.”

“I knew she was coming down with something,” Avery said. “She was just getting worse and worse over the weekend, and right after the tree-lighting ceremony she got this horrible hacking rasp. Her last chemo treatment was just about a month ago and she’s been running herself ragged ever since. I should have stopped her from overtaxing herself.”

“It can take a few months or more after chemotherapy ends for the immune system to return to full strength. You brought her in as soon as she spiked a fever, which was the right thing to do. She’s weak, but you caught it in time and we can treat it,” Julie said firmly. As she spoke, her sandy blond ponytail flicked over her shoulder.

Avery’s social-worker brain kicked in. “I have to call Emma,” she said. “There are so many doctors and tests and treatment plans. I need to start making lists of the medications Kate’s taken and everything she’s on now. I’ll need her medical records, as well as the dates of her last checkups.”

“We’ll work together to get all of the information compiled,” Julie said. “I have absolute confidence that the doctors at CCH will take good care of your aunt. And I would be happy to act as a liaison for Kate. I have all her medical history and I consider her a friend, besides. Would it help if both of us acted as her advocates?”

“It would,” Avery said, happy to have someone else to share the burden. Managing care was always a challenge with her own clients and she prided herself on getting it right the first time, every time. But Kate’s care was something else. This was personal. This was family. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Julie gave her a kind look, her hazel eyes softening. “I’m always here for you. Both of you.” She glanced down the hallway. “First order of business is to get your aunt to the hospital. I don’t want you to panic, but I need to stress the urgency of the situation. Do you think you can drive her there now, or should I call an ambulance?”

Julie’s insistence that she get Kate to the hospital immediately made her more calm, not less. Avery was good in emergencies, and composed under fire. It was just the buildup that made her crazy, as she tried to figure out every permutation of what could go wrong and how she could fix it. “I can drive. On local roads, it’s ten minutes, max.”

“Good. Get her there safely. I’ll put in a call to the attending physician and will fax over all the records. They’ll have a plan set up for you as soon as you walk through the door. I’m guessing she’s going to need to be there for four to seven days, depending on how bad things are.”

“Okay.” She could manage it. All of it.

Carefully, she and Julie helped Kate into the front passenger seat of Avery’s little car. Kate looked even worse now, her face pallid and her breathing shallow. It was heart-wrenching to see her aunt in such a terrible condition, but Avery took comfort from the fact that she’d soon get the help she needed.

Avery didn’t need to roll down the window to hear Julie’s parting words. “Drive safely.”

Happily, there was very little traffic and she made it to CCH in good time. Kate was admitted immediately, and Avery stayed close by her side all morning as she was pricked, prodded, and probed. Julie’s office had faxed everything over, so things ran smoothly. Kate was given oxygen and placed on an IV. Emma came over quickly, and stayed for as long as she could before going back to work. Now Kate was sleeping, if not comfortably, then more easily than she had been. And the attending physician, a competent older woman with an authoritarian air but a warm smile, told her that Kate was going to be fine. Avery was relieved, to say the least.

Still, by the time Julie showed up at five, Avery was exhausted. The pace of the hospital was frenetic, and negotiating her aunt’s care, even with Emma’s help, had taken a lot out of her.

“How is our patient doing?” Julie asked.

Avery sighed. “Better, thank God. Her breathing is steady, but they say it’ll take a few days for her lungs to start to clear.”

Julie shook her head. “It’s amazing how effective the human body is at keeping out invaders when it’s healthy. And how poor it is when it’s weakened.”

“I feel terrible. Kate’s been doing so much. She hasn’t slowed down at all. That’s what probably set this off.”

“You don’t know that for certain. It’s more than likely she just caught some kind of bug going around. Unfortunately, because she’s recovering from cancer, it probably hit her harder than it would a healthy person. We usually don’t caution patients in remission to stay away from friends, but we do suggest they steer clear of sick people. I don’t think it’s necessary for Kate to stay inside all the time, but you might suggest that she take it easier. And don’t blame yourself, Avery. Kate has a mind of her own.”

Avery sighed. “I love her so much. I don’t want anything else to happen to her. She’s been through too much already.”

“Kate couldn’t ask for a better niece,” Julie said warmly. “Emma, too, of course.”

“Your help made the difference,” Avery said. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I’m just doing my job. And you did all the groundwork.” She cocked her head. “From what I understand, you’re quite good at setting game plans and helping people follow through on their goals.”

“If you’re talking about my social-work practice, that’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.” Or trying to.

“I happen to know that Barnstable County is looking to hire a licensed social worker with a focus on substance abuse to join the Falmouth Family and Children Services treatment center. I think you’d be perfect for the job. Would you be interested in talking to them?”

“I … I hadn’t even thought about joining another practice,” Avery said, unable to hide her surprise. “To be honest, I’m still trying to work through my issues with the Back Bay Recovery Center.” She paused. “Why do you think I’d be perfect?”

Julie smiled. “I have my sources.” Avery put her hands on her hips. “Okay, okay,” Julie said, laughing. “Yvonne Parsons is the cousin of one of my good friends from medical school, a woman named Shawna Sawyer. When I figured out who you were, I put in a call to Yvonne. She speaks very highly of you, and while it isn’t my intent to poach, it seems that you might benefit from being just a bit closer to your family.”

“I don’t know,” Avery said, fingers rubbing her eyes. “It’s been a crazy day so far. This is a lot for me to process.”

“You don’t have to decide now. But if you’re considering FFCS, even a little bit, you might want to give them a call or stop by. The woman who runs the center, Theresa Vasquez, is great and I’m sure she’d be happy to answer any questions you have.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Good,” Julie said with a smile. “That’s all I was hoping for.” She glanced toward the treatment room where Kate was resting quietly. “Your aunt is in very good hands here. Go home. Get some sleep. You look like you could use it.”

Julie had that right. “Thanks again. For everything.”

By five-twenty, Avery was back at Kate’s house and curled up in her warm bed. Despite the early hour, she immediately fell asleep.

It was dark outside when Avery finally woke up. Disoriented, she blinked several times before peering at the clock on her bedside table. Midnight. Good grief, she’d slept the entire evening away! Yawning, she stretched and pulled on a shirt and a pair of jeans. The wooden floorboards creaked when she slid out of the bed to get her socks and shoes.

The house seemed empty without Kate. Her doctors had estimated that she’d need to stay in the hospital for six days. Almost a week without her aunt. Sighing, Avery made her way downstairs to grab her coat. There was so much she had to do at the Inn now that Kate was out of commission. The holidays were fast approaching and new guests would be arriving tomorrow. Thank goodness Carla was coming. There’d be a steady stream of visitors through New Year’s. After the first week in January, the Inn would once again become quiet.

Unless Theo decided to stay on. Theo.

Right now, he would undoubtedly be sleeping, and she’d be free and clear to work without any awkward glances or heated touches. Exactly what she needed.

Ashumet Avenue was quiet and still, snow falling softly. Using her trick, Avery tromped carefully just to the side of the sidewalk where the snow was thicker. It was a black night, illuminated only by gas lamps and twinkling holiday lights.

Avery let herself in through the back door, shucked off her coat, and made her way to the large linen closet. She’d checked the registry yesterday and three groups of guests would be arriving tomorrow—all couples. Taking enough extra towels for each of the rooms, she climbed upstairs to the second floor. She placed the towels in the Sam Bellamy Room and the Blackbeard Room, and she was just leaving the last of them in the Captain Kidd Room when she heard footsteps in the hall.

Whirling around, she was relieved, and then annoyed, to see Theo Grayson standing in the open doorway. When he saw her, he pushed his glasses up on his nose and grinned, but Avery didn’t bite.

“What are you doing up so late? And why are you wearing your coat inside?” she demanded.

“And a very good evening to you, too, Avery,” he said, a big smile on his handsome face. “I might ask you the same question. About being up so late. Not about the coat.”

She might as well tell him. “Kate’s sick. Pneumonia and bronchitis. I spent all day with her at Cape Cod Hospital and I wasn’t able to get stuff done around the Inn. We have guests checking in tomorrow and Kate’s out of commission for nearly the whole week. There’s still a lot that needs to get done.”

His smile faded fast. “I’m sorry Kate’s not well. What can I do to help?”

“Nothing,” she said, waving her hands around. “I’m doing it.”

“At least tell me what needs to be done.”

“Towels, which I just did, tidying up, preparing the check-in paperwork, and ordering the sweets for tea. Obviously, I can’t do much about that right now since the LMK is long closed. But I’ll do it first thing in the morning.”

“All right. Since I haven’t messed up the Inn at all, you don’t need to do much tidying. It sounds like the only thing that really needs to get done is the paperwork. Can’t you do it tomorrow morning?”

“I don’t know. I took a nap and I can’t get back to sleep because I’m too keyed up about Kate. And I can’t see her until visiting hours in the morning, and I don’t even know if I’ll have time then because the guests are coming and I have rehearsal and I’m all alone at the Inn and—”

“Avery,” he said, cutting her off, “relax. I’m here and I can help you in any way you need.”

“You’re a guest, too,” she huffed.

He shook his head. “No. I’m a friend. And I can help you, especially at night.” She looked at him dubiously. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Once I get all my work done during the day, I’m free to assist.”

She blinked and regarded him with suspicion. “Is this some sort of ploy to get me back into bed?”

Deep laughter filled the air. “Hardly.” He crossed the threshold and walked toward her, his body seeming to take up all the space in the room. “It’ll be obvious when I’m trying to get you back into bed, Avery,” he said, his voice roughening. “But you can do me a big favor.”

“What’s that?”

“Put on your coat and come down to the beach with me.”

“I thought you were joking before.”

“Nope. It’s research. It’ll help me visualize the conditions the characters might have faced. An extra set of eyes would be really useful. Besides, it sounds like you need to clear your mind.”

Avery cocked her head. He didn’t seem to be teasing her. In fact, he appeared to be genuinely interested in doing research for his book. It might be neat to say that she’d helped T. R. Grayson gather information for his next bestseller. And it would certainly help her stop obsessing about Kate and everything that was coming down the pipeline at the Inn. “All right,” she found herself saying. “I’ll get my coat.”

“Great,” he said. “Let’s go. I’ll drive.”

A few minutes later, they were driving on the back roads of Star Harbor. Theo steered his Jeep expertly around tight corners, zooming wickedly fast down darkened straightaways. Avery dug her feet into the floor mat and clutched the seat cushion with both hands. “You’re like a man with a mission,” she muttered.

“In more ways than one,” he responded, eyes on the road in front of him. For a minute, the tension heightened between them. Then he grinned and it was gone. “But I grew up here. I know these roads like the back of my hand. So do my brothers.”

She didn’t doubt him. “It’s hard for me to imagine you growing up here.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because now that I know you’re such a famous author, it seems like you should have grown up somewhere a bit more cosmopolitan.”

Theo laughed. “The best years of my life were spent hacking around this little town. Sure, I learned a lot about myself when I left and branched out on my own, but Star Harbor made me who I am. You can see it in my writing. There’s adventure, friendship, and family. That’s this town in a nutshell.”

“I guess I can see that.” He turned a corner and she held on more tightly.

In a few moments, Theo pulled over and parked behind a large sand dune. Unclenching the cushion, she opened the door and hopped down from the Jeep. He flicked on a large high-beam flashlight and helped her walk down the snowy path to the water. The snow was still falling lightly, but if the way the wind had picked up was any indication, it would start snowing more heavily any minute.

“Wow, it’s really dark out here with Star Harbor Point between us and the town,” Avery remarked. “You can’t see any lights for miles.”

“Yeah. You can just imagine how it would be for a ship in a storm. The pitch-black sky, the boat rocking wildly in the huge waves, the wind battering the sails, the only light from occasional flashes of lightning.”

“The sailors were probably afraid of the lightning. After all, it could easily hit the mast of a tall ship.”

He glanced over at her. “You’re right. It was something they feared.”

They walked down to the edge of the water where there was less snow, then started down the beach toward the Point. They’d walked only about two hundred yards when Avery spotted something.

“Look,” she said, grabbing Theo’s coat sleeve. “Lights in the water.”

“What the—” He took out a small pair of binoculars from one of his pockets, flipped them open, and scanned the water. “There are lights out there. Who’s crazy enough to be out on the water on a night like tonight? And especially near the Point. Here.” He handed her the binoculars. She took them and squinted until they were adjusted for her eyes. The lights bobbed up and down, indicating that they were attached to a boat.

“I saw snow pushed up on shore the last time I was walking here. Come on. We’re going to get closer to try to figure this out,” he said. “This way.” He grabbed her hand and led her back to the dunes. They walked for a few hundred more yards until they were closer to the Point, and then Theo showed her another path that led down to the beach. Just where the dunes ended, Theo crouched down and indicated she should do the same. Avery could barely make out the lights through the heavy snowfall, but they looked like they were bobbing near the beach now. Theo had his binoculars out again and he was watching them intently.

“I don’t think we should get any closer,” he said softly. She was on board with that. If Theo thought something was amiss, she trusted his judgment. “It looks like they’re actually attempting to land on shore.”

Now that she wasn’t moving, she began to freeze. Her fingers were numb and her mouth and nose were starting to lose feeling, too. After what seemed like a long wait, Theo rose and held out a hand to her. “Let’s get out of here. We can’t see anything and there’s no way I’m leaving you alone to get a better look.”

“O-okay,” Avery said, teeth chattering.

They walked back to the Jeep, and Theo immediately started the engine and flicked on the lights. Avery was grateful to be out of the wind, but she was still freezing. She clenched her fingers to try to warm them up, but it wasn’t working. Not even her coat was doing much to keep her warm.

They drove back in silence, and by the time they reached the Inn, she was chilled through and through. As soon as they got inside, he noticed that she was shaking.

“Oh, wow, Avery,” he said. “Your face is so white it’s almost blue!”

She tried to get out the word “blanket,” but ended up just sputtering because her lips had also gone numb.

“Come on,” he said, leading her up the stairs to the third floor.

She didn’t have to ask to know where he was taking her. His room. At that point, she was so cold she didn’t even care. He quickly stripped off her coat. Before she could protest, the rest of her clothes followed until she was wearing only her bra and panties. Shaking and shuddering, she just stood there and let him do it. Then he tucked her into the bed, shucked off most of his own clothes, and slid in next to her, pulling her into a spooning position.

“Body heat’s the best thing when you’re cold. Your own clothes weren’t keeping you warm, but I can.”

Her teeth clacked together and she could only nod in agreement as Theo’s warmth slowly began to seep into her. He was better than a space heater, and after a few minutes, her teeth stopped chattering and her body stopped shaking. Soon, she could feel her extremities again.

“There,” he said, stroking her hair. “Feel better?”

Leagues better. His warm, strong body felt heavenly pressed up against hers. “Yes, but I’ll feel even better when the pins-and-needles feeling passes.” Her toes and fingers still tingled unpleasantly.

“Who does this for you in Boston?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No one. I’ve been so wrapped up in work that I haven’t really had time for relationships. But I’m sure you probably guessed that.”

He chuckled. “Well, some guy was really missing out. You said before that you can’t really picture me growing up here. Well, I have a hard time seeing you living in Boston.”

“Why’s that?” she asked, peering over her shoulder at him, a bit taken aback. He raised an eyebrow.

“Despite all your protestations that everyone in town knows your business, I think you kind of like it.”

“What?” she said, struggling to pull away from him even as he held her more tightly. “How can you even say that?”

“Don’t deny that you like folks looking out for you, making sure you’re doing all right. I bet you that as soon as they find out about Kate, people will come out of the woodwork to help you. Babs Kincaide will be here with bells on. So will Luke, Andy, and Lexie, to name just a few.”

“I do okay on my own,” she said, turning away from him and flexing her fingers to get rid of the annoying tingling. “But it might be nice to have some assistance. On Kate’s behalf, of course.”

“C’mon, you like getting help, too. Like what I’m doing for you right now.” He rubbed a warm palm up and down her arm, eliciting a tingling sensation that had nothing to do with the cold.

“If you hadn’t insisted we go out tonight, you wouldn’t need to be doing this for me. I would have been happier staying inside.” That wasn’t quite the truth, but at the moment, she didn’t care.

“Would you have?” he murmured, his breath tickling her neck. It felt more than pleasant. “Absolutely,” she fibbed. “At a minimum, I’d be warmer,” she sniffed, unable to resist the dig.

He chuckled. “Oh, you’re getting warmer all right. But I know a way to make your temperature rise even higher. For instance, what if I did this?” he asked, just before letting his lips graze her ear.

A delightful shiver ran through her.

“Or this?” He ran a single warm finger from the tip of her shoulder up her neck to her hairline. Another shiver, this one stronger, tingled down her spine. She inhaled sharply. “Feel good?”

“Yes.” She couldn’t lie to him about that. Not after the intimacy they’d shared.

He buried his face in her hair. “Winter strawberries. Incredible.” He caressed her neck with one warm hand, then swept it around to her collarbone and slid it down until he was cupping one of her breasts. Her already hard nipple tightened in his palm as he kissed her neck. “You’re so beautiful, I just want to bury myself in you,” he groaned.

She turned back to look at him and swept her gaze over his features. He was gorgeous, all right. The best-looking man she’d ever seen. But there was so much more to him than his exterior. She thought back to their first meeting. She’d gotten the intelligence, even then, but how could she have missed the depth of purpose in his eyes? Slowly, he was peeling back layer after layer to show her what was hidden inside. He was different than she’d imagined he would be. More grounded. More real. Though she still had her doubts about them as a couple, she liked what she saw of him. What she didn’t like was her own reaction to him.

She hated being out of control. Letting herself go was not an option. At least, it hadn’t been before now. Yet with every one of his heated kisses, another defense fell. She was warming to the idea of opening up to this man. Why should she close herself off when it was natural to ride the ebbs and flows of happiness and sadness? She should learn from her emotions, embrace them, not hide from them.

“What are you thinking?” he asked huskily, taking off his glasses and placing them on the bedside table.

She couldn’t tell him about her struggles, nor could she fight her feelings anymore. So she gave in. “About how much I’d really like for you to kiss me right now.”

Something molten flickered in his eyes. “Now that’s something I can get on board with.” His lips pressed against hers, firm and insistent. As her eyes slid shut, she pushed away the confused buzzing in her head and focused only on how he was making her feel.

Each time he kissed Avery seemed like the first. The exhilaration hadn’t faded one bit, and Theo doubted it ever would. For just a moment, it had seemed as though she was about to shut him out again. But then she’d let down her resistance and welcomed him in. Thank God. Having Avery ripe and nearly naked in his bed was almost too much to bear. That he’d held himself in check spoke volumes about his self-control. Now, all bets were off. He’d claim her again and again before the night was through.

Wanting to make it as good for her as he knew it would be for him was his top priority. Turning her to him, he reached around her back and gently undid the hooks of her bra. He swept it off and threw it onto the floor before cupping one of the gorgeous pink-tipped mounds. He bent his head and wrapped his lips around the taut nipple. Arching her back, she pressed up against him, tacitly offering herself to him. And he was going to take everything that she offered. Mouth busy on one breast, he teased her other nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

She moaned and gasped, her little cries the sexiest thing he’d ever heard. She was letting herself go. For him. With him. He wouldn’t disappoint her.

When her cries turned to pants and she started to squirm in his arms, he swept the sheets aside and pulled down her little panties. They were the same color as her bra—blush pink. He tossed those onto the floor, too. Then he shifted down on the bed, pushed her legs apart, and bent his head.

“Oh, my, God,” Avery gasped, trying to twist as he spread her folds and licked her most intimate spot. “Theo!” She bucked against him and squeezed his shoulders hard.

Ah, there it was. That enthusiasm she didn’t quite know how to control. He’d help her harness her passion. It would be his pleasure.

“You didn’t say where you wanted me to kiss you,” he murmured.

With firm hands, he held her hips steady and refused to let her go as he pleasured her with his mouth. She was intoxicating—her little mews of excitement, her taste, and best of all, the way she was slowly unraveling in his arms. He slowly pushed one thick finger up and into her body. Gasping, she clenched around him, then exploded with a sharp cry. He squeezed her hips, giving her one last lick before grabbing a condom from his nightstand drawer.

He reached down to put it on before realizing that he was still wearing his pants. Laughing at the absurdity of the situation, he quickly stripped off his cords and boxers, put on the condom, then propped himself on an elbow beside her.

Avery’s face was flushed with desire, her eyes were closed, and she was still breathing rapidly. She wasn’t cold now, that was for sure.

Her fingers wound through his hair, holding his head to her breast. She was greedy, unabashed about the way she wanted to take her pleasure. Theo liked that, a woman unafraid to embrace her carnal side. Gladly, he obliged her, sucking one nipple and playing with the other until she arched her back—the signal that she wanted more.

Reaching down to ensure that she was ready for him, he eased his finger back inside her tight body, then brought it out to tease her. “You’re wet again, Avie.”

“Not again,” she whispered. “Still.”

He groaned and rolled her beneath him. “God, I want you.” Carefully, he eased into her slick channel. Breathtakingly tight, she fit him as if she were made for him. Bracketing her head with his forearms, he bent to capture her lips with his. He thrust slowly, giving her time to accommodate him. She slid one hand down his back. Then she did something he would have never expected her to do. She wrapped her hand around his ass and pushed him down toward her.

So his guarded little Avery wanted him to move? This time he didn’t hesitate, thrusting heavily into her. It felt so good that he groaned, and she answered in kind. Catching her cry in his mouth, he began to pump deeply in and out of her tightness. With every moment that passed, he grew more mindless in his pursuit of release. Eagerly, she rose to meet him thrust for thrust, lifting her hips off the sheets in time with his movements.

The novelty of making love to a woman who inspired him, both in bed and out of it, ratcheted him closer to the peak. Every sigh, every touch, every taste of her stoked his fire, fueling it higher and higher. He was almost there and she was right there with him, her broken gasps unbelievably sexy. Taking his release without her was not an option. With one hand he reached between their bodies and stroked, even as he continued to thrust. In seconds, she was there, shouting out his name. Her voice ringing in his ears, he followed immediately after, his mind-blowing release the sweetest one he could ever remember.