Chapter Seventeen
THE WIND PICKED up, turning Treat’s thick hair into a mass of waves. He’d gone home to grab a sweater, and now he stood at the top of the dune looking down at the beach and counting the bonfires, realizing he had no way of knowing which one was Chuck and Bonnie’s. There were enormous groups of people around each fire pit, and for a minute Treat considered going back to the bungalow. Maybe Chuck and Bonnie wouldn’t even notice his absence.
All he really wanted was to talk with Max, but Chuck and Bonnie had been good friends to him for more years than he cared to remember. He kicked off his loafers and descended the steep sandy ramp to the beach below. The deep, cold sand covered his bare feet with each step. He took a moment to listen to the waves breaking against the shore, and his thoughts traveled to the night in Nassau with Max. They’d come so far. The moon hovered over the water like a beacon in the clear dark sky. Laughter filtered up from his right, where children were tossing a ball and diving into the sand to retrieve it.
The feel of the sea air on his cheeks had always been one of his favorite sensations. It reminded him of playing along the water’s edge when he was younger, while his mother and father watched from nearby. He bent down and rolled up the legs of his gray linen pants. From his crouched position, he watched a group of teenagers drawing pictures in the air with sparklers, just as he and his siblings had done. He remembered his mother’s laughter as she teased him, chasing squeals from his lungs as she’d swoop him from the sand and tickle his belly years before she’d been too weak to even lift her own chin. He didn’t allow himself to visit those memories too often. But now, while he was missing Max, he reveled in the warmth of them.
“Go ahead. I’ll catch up!” Treat heard someone yell. He blinked away the memories and headed down the beach toward the first bonfire. Might as well get this over with.
A few minutes later he heard his name from behind.
He turned, expecting to see Chuck. Smitty stood a few feet away, carrying an armful of blankets. Treat walked back through the dense sand and took the blankets from Smitty’s arms.
He embraced his old friend. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Oh, you know Vicky. Any excuse for a party.” Smitty’s white hair looked almost gray in the moonlight. “Are you with our bonfire tonight?”
“I don’t know. I’m looking for Chuck and Bonnie Holtz.”
Smitty shook his head. “They’re not with our group.” He scanned the people closest to them. “Isn’t that them right there?” He pointed to a couple roasting marshmallows around the nearest bonfire.
“Your eyes are better than mine. I think you might be right.”
“Treat!”
Treat groaned at the sight of Amanda, the daughter of Bonnie’s friend, who had been at dinner with them. He’d made it clear that he was not on the market, but she was like a gnat, refusing to be deterred.
“Looks like you have a lady friend waiting for you. Here. Give me the blankets and go join your party.” Smitty reached for the blankets.
“That’s okay. I’ll bring them to your bonfire.” Anything to avoid Amanda.
Smitty yanked the blankets from his arms, eyeing the woman who was heading their way with a determined look on her face. “That one’s not taking no for an answer. We’re the last bonfire down on the left. Stop by later, and bring your friend if you’d like.”
“She’s not my friend!” Treat called after him.
Half an hour later, Treat could no longer stomach Amanda, even to spend time with his friends. She was clingy and vile, offering to do all sorts of dirty things to him and refusing to accept his gentlemanly denials. She was so persistent that he half expected to hear, All that for a cool five hundred dollars. He was on the verge of telling her flat-out, I will not ever sleep with you. He’d never had to go that far before. Then again, he’d never been so in love with one woman that he’d turn down another.
“I’ll tell you what,” Amanda said as she pawed at his arm. “If you’ll take a walk with me—one walk.” She leaned closer and whispered, “I promise you, I’ll rock your world. I’ll be your treat.”
Treat gritted his teeth against his anger. He could have a string of nameless, faceless women if he wanted them. But now he knew what it was like to feel more than lust, to look into someone’s eyes and want much more than sexual gratification—a lifetime of smiles and handholding, breakfasts, and yes, saucy, sumptuous, scorching-hot nights of lovemaking. Enough was enough.
“Excuse me,” he said for the hundredth time, and walked away from Amanda, making a beeline for Chuck. Why did he have to be such a gentleman? He smiled to himself with the thought. It was the same question Max had asked.
“Chuck, I had a great time, but I really have to run. Bonnie, you know I think the world of you, but you should think twice before inviting Amanda out again. She’s a bit aggressive.”
Bonnie flushed. “I’m sorry. I had no idea you were taken until you told us over dinner, and by then it was too late to uninvite her.”
“It’s okay, though I’m surprised you’d think I’d be interested in someone like her.”
“I guess I thought that a guy like you was used to women throwing themselves at him,” Bonnie explained.
“Yes, but have you ever seen me take any of them up on their offers? For that matter, have you ever seen me with a woman since you’ve known me?”
“Well, no,” she admitted.
He put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. “Then please don’t underestimate me.” He patted Chuck on the arm. “Thanks, buddy. We’ll catch up soon.”
Treat headed down the beach toward Smitty’s bonfire to say a quick hello and get back to his bungalow to call Max.
MAX PULLED THE top layer of a roasted marshmallow off and put it in her mouth, then licked the sticky goodness from her fingers. It had been ages since she’d roasted marshmallows, and she was having a wonderful time talking with Vicky and her friends. She’d had a few cups of wine and she was feeling good. This was just what she needed. A little time to destress and pull herself together after her long trip.
As much as she loved the mountains of Colorado, there was something about being by the water that made her feel good all over. A young family was walking down the beach, two children running ahead with their toes in the water, while the parents walked arm in arm. She allowed herself a momentary fantasy of having a future, and a family, with Treat. She was getting miles ahead of herself, but she couldn’t escape the hope in her heart.
Smitty nudged Vicky’s arm and said, “I forgot to tell you who I ran into.”
“God himself?” Vicky teased.
“Sort of. Treat Braden.”
Max choked on her marshmallow.
Vicky patted her on the back. “Get her a drink! Quick, Chris.”
Chris handed her a bottle of wine, which Max chugged, and when she stopped choking, she drank some more to calm her nerves, until she’d downed nearly half the bottle. Her heart was racing as she tried to figure out how to surprise him. Should she run down the beach and into his arms? Or be coy about it and sneak up, as he had to her in the parking lot after work? She remembered Kaylie’s advice and decided calm, cool, and collected was probably the most seductive way to make her entrance. This is going to be the best surprise ever!
“A little thirsty, Max?” Vicky said with a curious smile.
“Sorry. Thank you. Did you say ‘Treat Braden’?” she asked.
“Yes. You know him?” Chris asked.
Her pulse spiked. “Yes, I know him very well.” I’m in love with him. Max looked down the beach, but it was too dark to make out anything more than basic figures. “Tall guy, handsome as the day is long?” Long as the day is handsome!
“He’s got a place here in Wellfleet. I’ve known his family for years.” Chris laughed. “He still calls me Smitty, like his pop does. It was a nickname I had as a younger man.”
“A much younger man,” Vicky teased. “If I’m reading that spark in your eyes correctly, I’d think that Treat might be the reason you’re here.”
Max grinned and pushed to her feet, swaying a little from the wine. “You’d be reading me perfectly. I think I’ll just go to the bathroom and freshen up before I go looking for him. It’s in the parking lot, right?”
“I’ll go with you.” Vicky popped up from her chair.
“No. I can manage. Thank you, though.” She started for the dunes. She climbed the sandy ramp to the parking lot and found the small cinder-block bathroom. Inside, she flicked on the light and stood in front of the mirror, staring at her glassy eyes. Her cheeks were pink from the alcohol, but she didn’t care. She was beyond happy. Her surprise was going to work out after all.
She fluffed her hair, turned her face one way, then the other, narrowed her eyes, and then opened them wide again. She’d never considered herself to be someone special, but Treat thought she was, and that made her believe she just might be. She washed her hands, excited to surprise him, and headed out to find her man.
She scanned the beach, spotting his height first, and her hand flew to her heart. Look at him. He took her breath away. She started down the ramp, her gaze trained on Treat as he strode down the beach. A blonde ran after him calling his name, and Max’s stomach pitched. She stilled as Treat stopped in his tracks and the blonde touched his arm.
“Hey. Don’t touch him,” Max said aloud, though too quietly for anyone else to hear, and started down the steep incline.
She spotted Vicky approaching Treat as the blonde moved in front of him and tugged him down by his shirt. It was such a possessive move, Max stumbled and fell to her butt on the hard sand at the same moment the blonde pressed her lips to Treat’s cheek.
Treat turned in Max’s direction, and for a beat she couldn’t breathe. She could only see Treat’s silhouette, but she swore the air between them electrified. What was going on? Who was that witch? No, no, no, no, no! This could not be happening. Not with Treat.