One Year Later

JT stepped off the dock and smiled when Bo, his six-month-old yellow lab, came running towards him and almost knocked him over. The massive dog had grown so much in the past few months that he was at the point of needing obedience lessons. Yet another thing to add to JT’s growing to-do list.

He was halfway up his walkway when he heard the engine of another boat. Bo let out a loud, excited bark, quickly did three circles, and then made his way towards the docks again.

He followed more slowly. He didn’t get a lot of visitors, mostly just his family or people he knew from East Haven Resort.

When he saw the charter boat, he frowned and watched it move closer to his dock. Then he saw the woman in the boat and his heart skipped. Emma.

He was smiling when she stepped off the boat and onto the dock. She pulled off her dark sunglasses as she approached him.

When their eyes met, his smile fell away. Behind the carefully applied makeup, he could see dark shadows under her eyes, eyes which looked full of fear and sorrow. She was wearing baggy clothes, which was out of character for her. He noticed that her face was narrower, meaning she’d lost weight since the last time he’d seen her.

He stopped in front of her as the boat pulled away. He wanted to grab her, pull her close, and hold on, but instead, he tucked his hands into his pockets to stop the desire.

“You didn’t say you owned an island.” She glanced around.

“I didn’t?” She turned in a circle, his eyes moving over her, trying to assess what else was different. One year, two months, and three days. He’d never thought he’d see her in person again, except at the premiere of his movie, which was two months and three days away. Not that he was counting.

“This is amazing.” She turned back to him and smiled, but the emotion didn’t reach her eyes. “Do you live here alone?” She knelt and gave Bo a pat. Bo, for his part, was a perfect gentleman and jumped all over her and tried to inhale her face.

She laughed and tried to push him away. JT quickly snapped his fingers and the dog returned to his side and sat on his butt, tail wagging and tongue hanging out as a long string of drool dripped from his chin onto the dock.

“Wow.” She stood back up. “He’s well trained.”

“Not well enough.” He winced when he noticed a dirty paw print on her jeans. Then his eyes moved to the two bags that had been set on the dock before the small charter boat had left. His eyebrows shot up.

“Um, yeah, so… I was hoping your offer was still open.” She moved in front of the bags and gave him a begging look.

“Yes, of course,” he answered too quickly.

“Are you sure?” She tilted her head and took a step back. “I could always—”

“No.” He shook his head and moved quickly to grab her bags. He tucked the smaller one under his arm and pulled the bigger one behind him. “Bo, home,” he said and the dog raced towards the house as fast as he could.

“Are you sure?” she asked, following him as he walked up the cobblestone pathway.

He glanced back. “You’re already here and I did offer. Besides, there’s plenty of room.”

She walked beside him in silence until they turned the corner and the house came into view.

“Wow.” She sighed. “I didn’t think the view could get any better.” She stopped at the top of the hill where the pathway circled around a stone fountain he’d rebuilt himself.

The house was, in his mind, still under construction. It was a classic New England–style home that had been built back in the fifties and had desperately needed an update. The outside was almost finished, except for the back deck, which he was in the process of building. The inside was a different story. He’d remodeled most of it, but still, the upstairs was… damn. The upstairs was a mess.

“I’ll warn you.” He stopped just as the path ended at his front patio. “I’m in the process of remodeling. Things may be a little… messy.”

“I’m just thankful you remembered me.”

He glanced over at her in shock. “Seriously?” He chuckled as he shook his head. He reached to open the door, but the suitcase hindered it. “Would you?” He nodded to the door.

“It isn’t locked?” she asked, opening the door easily.

“I live on an island,” he said by way of explanation. “Besides, I have a seventy-pound monster to watch out for this place.” He nodded towards Bo who was sitting on the front porch.

He motioned for her to enter then stepped into his foyer behind her. Setting the bags down, he moved around her. “I’ll show you around.”

As he walked around his house with Emma following him, he had a million questions he wanted to ask her. He held off, knowing she might need time.

When they were done walking around the main floor, he turned to her. Before he could say anything, she jumped in.

“I really appreciate this. After… everything that’s happened, I just needed some time.” Her hands were clasped in front of her in a tight grip.

His eyebrows shot up. “What’s happened?”

She scoffed. “It’s been all over the news.”

He shrugged. “I don’t watch TV.”

She blinked and glanced around as if she was trying to remember if she’d seen one on the short tour. “The papers?”

He shrugged. “The paperboy hasn’t been by for a while,” he joked.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “You’re the only person on this planet that doesn’t know then.”

“So?” he asked, not wanting to point out that not everyone follows gossip from Hollywood. He’d thought about finding out what she was up to, but then the word stalker flashed quickly in his mind and he’d forced himself to mind his own business.

She pushed a lock of her blonde hair out of her eyes, then sighed deeply. “I’m going to need a glass of wine.” Her eyes turned towards him. “Unless you don’t partake?”

He chuckled and motioned back towards the kitchen.

He pulled out a seat at the table for her and took down a bottle of red wine from his wine rack. He poured them each a glass, sat across from her, and waited for her to take a drink.

Realizing she might be hungry, he walked over to his pantry and pulled out a box of crackers, set a slab of cheese next to it on a plate, and set it all in front of her with a knife.

She watched him in silence, then smiled when he sat back down.

“Thank you.” She took some cheese and nibbled on a cracker.

The suspense was killing him, but seeing the worry in her eyes, he knew she needed to tell her story on her own terms.

“The short story is, the engagement with Mark is officially off.”

He must have made a noise because she stopped and looked up at him.

“Sorry.” He wanted her to continue, but she tilted her head at him.

“You didn’t know we had gotten engaged either?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I try not to…” He shook his head. “Never mind. Continue.” He motioned with his wine glass, then took his first drink and instantly wished for something stronger. “Why did you break it off?”

“Mark had been cheating. For a while.” She took another drink. “And then there was the fight the other night. A very public fight.”

“Sounds like you’re better off without him,” he supplied.

“Of course, it’s just… we were supposed to keep it together until after… the premiere.”

“Screw the premiere,” he said, sipping the wine again. Deciding it wasn’t good enough, he pulled out a bottle of rum.

“Can I have some of that?” she asked as he splashed two fingers into a glass.

He set the glass down in front of her and then poured himself another glass.

“You okay?” he asked after he swallowed the amber liquid.

He watched her down the entire glass, then close her eyes and roll her head back. “I will be. I just need a few days away from… the craziness.”

“Stay as long as you want,” he jumped in.

Her eyes moved back to his. “I could always get a hotel…”

He reached over and took her hand. “Emma, stay.”

She nodded and reached for another cracker.

“I’ll make us some dinner.” He stood up.

“No, please, act like I’m not here, I can—”

He stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “You asked for a few days away from things. Besides, I would have cooked dinner with or without you here.” He walked towards the front door and picked up her bags. “Right after I take your stuff up to the guest room.” She followed him back down the hallway. “If you want to freshen up… dinner will be ready in about an hour.”

She followed him up the stairs, and he had to kick aside a nail gun at the top of the stairs. “Sorry, I did warn you.” He shuffled past his sawhorses and kicked open the guest room door. He winced when he saw the state of the room. The bed was shoved into a corner with plastic covering most of the furniture in the room. The walls were bare, and the carpet was half torn up, exposing solid wood planks underneath. There was probably a good half-inch of dust on everything. “Okay, I didn’t give you enough warning,” he said in the doorway. “You’ll take my room, I’ll stay in here.” He turned back down the hallway.

“I can’t—” His look over his shoulder stopped her from finishing the sentence.

His door was wide open, and Bo was laying in the middle of the bed, despite the fact that there was a two-hundred-dollar dog bed in the corner of the room. When they walked in, the massive dog glanced up, then quickly fell back to sleep.

“Bo.” He shook his head. “He knows better.” He set Emma’s bags down. “The bathroom is in there, help yourself to whatever.”

He snapped his fingers, but the dog didn’t move.

“He’s okay, I could use the company.” She smiled.

“You sure?”

She nodded in reply.

“Okay, if you need anything…”

“Thank you.” She walked over to him as he stood in the doorway and leaned up on her toes. The kiss was what a friend would have given him, but the slight touch rocked him to the core.

* * *

For the first time in almost a week, Emma felt like she could breathe. JT had shut the door to his room, leaving her alone with Bo, who was currently snoring in the middle of the large bed.

She stepped into the bathroom and smiled. JT had obviously finished his rooms first before starting on the rest of the upstairs. His bathroom and bedroom were beautiful.

The entire house, except for the three other bedrooms on the second floor they had passed, was freshly remodeled and gorgeous.

There was a gas fireplace in the bathroom in front of a large porcelain tub that sat underneath a large window. There weren’t any blinds blocking the view, which was so beautiful she could stare at it all day long. There was open water for as far as the eye could see. She could see a storm brewing in the distance. Walking over to the glass, she took a deep breath and felt her shoulders relax. She wrapped her arms around herself and allowed herself to cry for the first time in months.

After a full minute of tears, she wiped her eyes and straightened her shoulders. Fifteen minutes later, she walked downstairs totally fresh without a sign of the tears.

“Feel better?” JT asked as he stood at the stove, a dark brown apron wrapped around his front and a knife in his hand. Freshly cut carrots were on a large wooden chop block. Something smelled wonderful as she stepped into the large kitchen near the back of the house.

“Yes, thank you. I can’t thank you enough…”

He turned and looked at her. “Emma, if you’re going to stay here, let’s get one thing out of the way.” He set the knife down and moved closer to her. She held her breath as his hands moved to her shoulders. The memory of his lips on hers almost a year ago surfaced and her heart skipped. “There isn’t any need to thank me. If I hadn’t wanted you here, I wouldn’t have invited you last year.” His hands tightened slightly on her shoulders. “Please, make yourself at home and no more thank-yous.” He smiled.

She nodded quickly and smiled up at him. “Fair enough.” He dropped his hands and took a step back. She glanced over his shoulder. “Can I help?”

It was nice standing next to a man in a kitchen, working side by side. She could still remember having moments like this with her father before cancer caused the strongest man she’d ever known to shrivel and fade away.

“You’re deep in thought,” JT said, setting the empty pan into the sink.

“I was just thinking of my father.” She sighed and set the plate of chicken on the table.

“Good thoughts?” he asked.

“Yes.” She smiled. “We used to cook like this together.”

“You must miss him,” he said, pulling out a chair for her to take. The first time he’d done that, she’d tried to remember the last time a man had done anything chivalrous for her. It had been too long to remember. She waited until he sat across from her to answer.

“Everyday. I thought it would get easier, but...”

“I’m sorry.” He reached over and placed a hand over hers. “You said your mother wasn’t in the picture?”

“She left a long time ago. I haven’t heard from her since.” She shook her head and changed the subject. “Losing Dad was the reason I decided to give it a shot in Hollywood.” She shrugged. “What else did I have to lose?” He dished up a plate for her, and she smiled when he piled a ton of food on it for her, then did the same with his own plate. “You?” she asked when he was finished.

“My mother lives on the mainland.” He waited for her to take a bite of her food before he picked up his own fork. “My father…” He shrugged. “He took off almost ten years ago after my sister Lori died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“My other sister, Kayla, just moved back home.” He smiled. “She just got engaged to the town doctor.” He chuckled. “Rowan is one of my best friends. The funny thing is, they’re good together. I had lunch with them today, and my nephew CJ.”

His smile was contagious. “How old is he?”

“Three. He looks like me,” he said between bites. “You’ll get a chance to meet them if you stick around long.”

“I’d like that.” Her eyes moved to her plate, and she realized she’d eaten almost all of the food he’d piled on the plate. For the past few days, since the night of the fight, she’d barely eaten a thing.

Deciding she could finish the entire plate, she continued eating and JT poured her more wine.

“So, what else do you do on your island?” she asked when her plate was cleared and her second glass of wine was half-empty.

He stood up, dumped their dishes in the sink, and held out a hand for her to take. “My office is behind the house. Why don’t we take a walk and I’ll show you?”

She hadn’t realized it, but Bo had been under the table the entire time and whined when he said the word walk.

She smiled. “Something tells me it’s a nightly ritual for you two.”

She placed her hand in his and let him pull her out of the chair.

“I usually write at night.” He held open the back door, and Bo raced through the door and disappeared. “Like I said, no manners.” He shook his head and held the door open wider. “Watch the boards. I’m in the process of replacing the deck.” He helped her cross a massive covered deck.

“You work outside?” she asked as they started to take a pathway away from the house.

“Sometimes, if the weather holds, but I have a small building I converted when I bought the place.” The path narrowed slightly so she followed him.

The sky was just turning dark, and a row of bright lights flickered on, lighting up the pathway.

“I installed those after I tripped making my way back to the main house.” He glanced over his shoulder. “The stone pathway was next.”

She glanced down and noticed that the cement gave way to large flat stones. She enjoyed the view as they walked up the pathway. The trees and bushes were cleared and maintained. When the stones turned to wide stairs, JT glanced back at her. “Almost there.” He smiled.

“Why work away from the house?” she asked as she followed him.

“I suppose it’s my way of separating life from work.” He shrugged and she watched his backside, which looked great in the snug worn jeans he wore. He hadn’t changed much from a year ago. If anything, he’d just grown sexier. His hair had been cut since the last time she’d seen him, but it was still long, almost to his shoulders. His shoulders were wide and the black T-shirt he was wearing was tight over his chest and arms. She wondered if he also hid away his weights, since he had to spend a great deal of time lifting.

When JT stopped, she almost bumped into him, since she was so busy admiring his body. Catching herself, she blinked as he stepped aside.

“Welcome to Whistler Manor.” He chuckled.

There, perched on the very edge of a massive group of boulders, sat a two-story building about one-fourth the size of his house. Large trees sat on either side of the structure, but behind was open water. The bright colors of the sunset bounced off the stillness.

“It’s beautiful.”

“You should see the view from the deck.” He moved towards the doorway that held a wood carving with the words Whistler Manor carved in gold, above it.

“Why Whistler?” she asked before he opened the door.

He glanced back, a slight smile on his lips. “No one has ever asked me that before.” His hand dropped away from the door handle. “When I was five, I learned how to whistle. For the next year, I didn’t stop. Or so my mother has told me. She used to call me JT Whistler.” He chuckled. “So, when I picked a pen name…” He shrugged. “It just fit.”

“Why not use your real name?” she asked as he opened the door and motioned for her to step in.

“I like my privacy.”

She stepped into a room made of glass. From the front of the building, she would have guessed that the interior would look much like his house had. Rustic, homey, warm. But here, the entire back wall opened up to the view of wide-open waters. The simple desk, which held three large computer monitors, faced the view with an office chair that looked right out of the latest sci-fi movie. The table was simple enough that no part of it blocked the view of the water.

“Wow.” She moved further into the room. Turning around, she realized that the entire back wall of the building was covered in bookcases full of books. Even the staircase leading upstairs had shelves covered with books on them. A door sat open under the stairs and she could make out a small bathroom with a glass shower tucked into the corner. “You did all this?” she asked when she turned back to him.

“I had a little help,” he joked.

“This is where you write?” She moved over to the desk.

“Yup.” He shoved his hands in his jeans.

“What’s upstairs?” She glanced up the stairs.

“Go on.” He nodded. “Take a look.”

She ran her fingers over the books as she took each step. “I like this.” She glanced back at him.

“Rowan’s idea.”

“Your soon-to-be brother-in-law?” she asked.

“Yup, he helped out.”

“Good idea,” she said as she reached the top of the stairs. She thought she’d been impressed with downstairs, but upstairs was just plain amazing. To the left was a queen-sized bed and to the right was a wall full of weights with a workbench in the corner. Once again, the entire back wall was all windows. The view was breathtaking.