ChapterFourteen
Ethan woke slowly, eyes gritty from a second night without sleep. He showered quickly and dressed, not sure what was on the itinerary but knowing he had to get away from the house before Caroline put him to work doing some gifty things for the wedding. The house was empty, the coffeepot almost drained. The radio was on, a reporter droning on about the tropical storm that had shifted course and was headed straight for them. As if he hadn’t noticed the pressure change in his head. The pounding in his temples indicated the storm’s approach. Hopefully, it wouldn’t cause too much damage for the wedding.
He poured the half cup that remained and walked onto the patio, looking for direction on prepping the house for the bad weather.
White caps were pounding the beach. The storm wasn’t too far away, would be there by nightfall. The beach was deserted, residents having been warned to go into the heightened surf at their own risk. Riptides and currents pulled people out to sea, and even the strong swimmers couldn’t fight it. Delaney had been caught in one of those currents years ago, and he had been helpless to save her. One local, Scott from the Rusty Anchor, had known exactly what to do and saved her, earning him a spot in their little group for a time. But the gulf between locals and fall folk had been too great, and he had drifted away after that one summer.
Ethan inhaled the salt air.
Matthew sat on the wall facing the rolling ocean waves, turmoil and indecision on his face.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
Matthew jumped and turned. “Sorry. Didn’t hear you. Storm is coming.”
Ethan grinned. “I can see that. Do we need to board the windows?”
“Nah, it’s not a hurricane. But I need someone to go to Galveston. The engraving wasn’t done when Caroline wanted me here, and Caroline insisted on this engraver at this small jeweler in Galveston. The ferry will only make one more run, then shutting down.”
Ethan nodded in understanding. “If you go, you can’t come back.”
“Probably not. And Caroline insists she needs me here, afraid I’ll go to the office and not be able to get back. As if I would miss my own wedding.” The last words were bitter and biting, his irritation plain.
“You have been spending a lot of time working on your case.” Ethan’s words were mild and nonjudgmental.
“Hey, she wanted a two-week honeymoon. It’s not my fault we’re at a critical juncture with the deal.”
Ethan walked over to the wall and hopped on it. “She just wants you as involved and excited as she is.”
Matthew snorted. “What are you, a girl? Weddings are for the bride. The groom just shows up and does what he’s told. Besides, she has this whole thing running like clockwork.” He clapped Ethan on the back. “In the meantime, best man, I nominate you for this job, since you’re going there, anyway. Or at least I assume you want to go.”
Matthew’s sly tone wasn’t lost on Ethan. “What makes you think I had hoped to head over today? And what if I get stuck?”
“It won’t matter if you get stuck. But if I do, well, there will be hell to pay. You can fly there and back in the time it takes the ferry to get over there. And, if you can’t get back, that’s okay. Besides, I figured you were worried about your vines and wanted to check on them.”
Ethan grimaced and considered the timeline. “Yeah, I’ve been wanting to be sure the vines are protected in case the storm goes bad. I was hoping to run up to the vineyard. If I don’t make it back, it won’t mess anything up, right?”
Matthew shook his head. “I don’t even know what’s planned for tonight. Don’t worry about it. Just be safe. Caroline knows about this.”
A short while later, Ethan headed for the truck. Delaney sat in the passenger seat, looking anywhere but at him.
“I’m not headed into town. Find someone else to drive you.” Irrational anger at her sneaking out made his voice sharper than intended.
“I’m headed to Galveston. Caroline told me to hitch a ride with you.” She turned in her seat and faced him. “It’s no big deal. I won’t get in your way.”
He frowned, needing space from her—but another part of him wanted this special time together.
He turned the key in the ignition. “Fine. Let’s get this over with, okay?”
She turned back to face forward, arms crossed. “You asked me to come with you just yesterday. I thought you’d be happy about this.”
“If I thought you were doing it on your own, I would be fine. But you had to wait for someone to force you.”
“I could have refused,” she said, her voice soft.
He snorted. “No one refuses Caroline. Why do you think I’m flying over?”
“Then let’s get this over with, right?”