Chapter 18
Lucas had had no idea how Joe would react when he came home and saw the son who abandoned him all those years ago standing in his living room, but instead of looking upset, he looked relieved, and Lucas left the house so they could talk and he could find Ella.
He had no idea what the future held for his family, but he felt like they were taking a step in the right direction. Now if he could just figure out a way to save the restaurant. The burden of the task sat on his shoulders like an unmovable cement block.
He walked into town, determined to figure it out, but more importantly determined to find Ella. After his morning, he wanted to tell her everything that had unraveled since the last time they were together.
It was a strange feeling, wanting, no needing to talk to her. He’d gone most of his life, keeping emotions to himself. Ella made him feel different. He felt the need to open himself up to her and wanted to tell her everything.
The residential houses gave way to the shops and cobblestone streets. It was only a matter of minutes before he’d spot her across the boardwalk. He’d text her, get her to meet him somewhere.
He saw people huddled around a lamp post, surprised whispers being shared. Normally he would ignore them, but there was something about it that drew him in. He wanted to know what the piece of paper secured to the pole said that caused them all to look so flabbergasted.
As he walked toward the lamppost, people looked at him strangely a mix between sympathy and encouragement. What the hell was going on?
“Let Joe know we have his back,” some man said in passing.
Lucas picked up his pace and came to a stop in front of the posted sign. His eyes bulged as he took in the words in big bold font.
Help save Joe’s Lobster House!
Everything around him blurred, his heart slammed into his chest, and an indescribable emotion tore through his very soul.
Ella did exactly what he asked her not to. She lied right to his face and said she wouldn’t say anything. The sign staring back at him was like a knife to the back, cutting deep.
He’d just begun building a relationship with his grandfather and now this… Joe would never forgive him.
Lucas wracked his brain, trying to think if he’d told anyone else, but the truth remained unwavering. Ella was the only person other than Joe who knew how bad Joe’s situation was, and since Joe would never in a million years subject himself to public humiliation, that only left one person.
His heart cracked open and every sweet smile, touch and laugh that she ever directed toward him dispersed. She didn’t care about him. If she did, she never would have done this. She knew how badly he wanted to keep this from getting out. How he wanted to figure out a plan on his own without having to out Joe to the town. By doing this, she took that chance away from him.
He ripped the sign off the pole, betrayal poking at him hot and insistent. His fingers destroyed the flyer, tossing it into the nearest trash can. Relief flooded him for a brief moment.
Maybe he and those few people were the only ones who saw the flyer. Maybe he could pretend the flyer never existed and those people didn’t know what they were talking about.
But then he looked out, down the boardwalk, and saw pole after pole, window after window, covered with the same unmistakable words: Help save Joe’s Lobster House!
His life spiraled out from under him. His world tilted, and he felt like he might go down when he spotted familiar long brown hair across the way.
He ripped one of the flyers off of another pole and stormed toward her. He came to an abrupt stop in front of her. Her face lighting up as she realized it was him but quickly dissolving into concern.
“What is it? Your father?” she asked, as if she had no idea what she’d done.
“How could you?”
Confusion marred her pretty features. “What are you talking about?”
“What am I talking about? I’m talking about this.” He thrust a flyer at her, and she snatched it out of his hand.
She shook her head, but he wasn’t going to fall for her games. Not anymore. Game over.
***
Ella’s eyes widened as she took in the words. A fundraiser to save Joe’s Lobster House from closing its doors… Who would do that? Ella met Lucas’ eyes, realizing the anger was directed at her.
She shook her head, unable to form words. “No.”
“I trusted you,” Lucas all but growled at her.
“I didn’t do this.” How could he think she’d go behind his back and do the one thing he asked her not to do?
“I thought I knew you,” he said. “Thought you’d never lie to me, and here you are, lying right to my face.”
“Lucas, I didn’t do this!” she cried out, desperate for him to believe her. She might’ve been lying since the minute he came to town, but not to him. Never to him.
“Was it to embarrass Joe? Make your family look more successful, the clear winner of the lobster roll battle? If Joe’s Lobster House is going out of business that only means more business for you. Were you going to spin it somehow, use it to your advantage?”
Her teeth gritted, hands clenched into fists. If he thought any of that then he didn’t know her at all. She would never. If anything, she’d been relentlessly trying to get their grandfathers to call a truce.
Was every male she loved going to chip a piece of her heart away today? It was almost too much to take.
His blue eyes, dark with a bitter anger, pinned her in place. “So were you just using me? A ploy to secure your spot as best lobster roll? Did the sex even mean anything to you or was that just another way to …”
His words cut off as her hand landed solidly against his cheek. A dull sting ran through her fingers as she pulled her hand from his face. His blue eyes widened in shock, lip curled in anger.
“I thought I knew you, too. My mistake,” she said and stormed passed him, refusing to look back.
With each step she felt the cracks in her heart expand until there was nothing left but a black hole of regret.