The Marriage Contract Page 11

  Yet, something was wedged between them. Or rather someone.

  Devin drew in a deep breath and brushed his thumb across Cara's fingers. These feelings were more than just friendship. There was no doubt in his mind about that now. It was only when he started to speak that he realized his breath was caught in his throat.

  “I hate to see you settling for something for the wrong reasons, giving up your dreams,” he said softly. “You deserve better than that.”

  Cara finally pulled her hand away, breaking the connection. Although the mid-day sun beat down hard on them, he suddenly felt cold.

  Lifting herself up from the steps, Cara exhaled loudly. She walked a few steps down toward the picket fence and stared out at the ocean before swinging back to look at him.

  “In Boston, everything made sense. I come down here for a few weeks and it seems my whole life is turned upside down.”

  “It happens. No one is immune. You just have to work through it.”

  He picked a splintered piece of wood off the stair tread, snapped it and tossed the two pieces to the sand. He’d spent these past few sleepless nights thinking about more than the Palmer case. He was thinking about re-writing his future. And every time he looked beyond leaving Cara, he didn’t like it. Not one bit. That said more than any court transcript ever could.

  She buried her head in her hands and chuckled wryly. “Every time I turn around I’m coming to you with something, Dev. You don’t need to listen to all this crap on your vacation.”

  “You know you can always come to me.”

  “I think I've always known that,” she said softly. Cara glanced at her watch and then rubbed it nervously. “I guess I should be getting back.”

  Devin heaved a sigh. “Getting ready for the big birthday party?”

  She smiled and when she did, he couldn’t help but smile, too. Her smile quickly vanished. “You’re definitely coming to the party, right? I can only imagine what other surprises my mother has in store for me. Get a little champagne in Mom and she's liable to insist we get married on the spot with Roger as best man! I need you there tonight to make things bearable.”

  The past few days Devin had come to realize there was a lot he needed in his life, too. Most importantly, he needed the fanciful laughter of his best friend Cara.

  “I’ve got to run, too,” he said, pushing himself off the stairs. “I’ve got to go pick up Bruno at the Vet.”

  Cara's expression perked up. “You named the dog Bruno?”

  “Do you think it fits?”

  She smiled, walking backwards toward the gate. “Yeah. I think it fits great,” she said softly. She waved before turning and walking toward the beach.

  He watched her slip her sandals off her feet and dig her toes into the sand as she walked. As she made her way up the beach, his mind focused on her words. She needed him. There wasn't anything she could ask for that he wasn't willing to give her. That's the way it had always been.

  He needed her, too. But Devin was sure Cara meant it in a different way.

  She wanted his friendship.

  He just wanted her.

  * * *

  Cara slipped on her pale pink cotton sun dress, thankful that the brief afternoon rain had cooled off the night air. Still, the thought of pantyhose was deplorable, so she chose not to wear any. From all the time she'd spent in the sun, her skin had a healthy glow. She chose only to wear a little mascara and pale lipstick for makeup.

  After stepping into her white sandals, she descended the stairs to see if she could help her mother with any last minute details. She should have been looking forward to this festive occasion, but she wasn’t.

  She walked into the kitchen where her mother stood wearing an apron covering her dress. On her feet, swollen from the heat, she still wore her floppy slippers. Her face was the picture of contentment. Cara smiled inwardly. Ruthie loved catering to a crowd. Still, she had to wonder if her mother had any regrets choosing a family over her career.

  “What can I do to help?” Cara asked.

  “Nothing,” Ruthie answered, smiling. “I’ve got it all under control. Maybe you can help your father?”

  Instead of finding her father, she walked out to the back porch. The sun was just sinking behind the ridge of trees, casting long shadows across the yard leading to the beach. The humidity that had plagued them for the past week had eased some. She sat on the porch swing, waiting for Roger to finish dressing. Or working. She didn't exactly know what he was doing at the time. Odd. She had no idea what he was doing and they were living in the same house.

  It was just as well Roger wasn't around. She needed time to think about what direction her life was going, and she couldn’t do that if she had to paste on a smile and sound happy. Or worry about what fireworks would go off when Roger came face to face with her mother.

  Within the hour, the house was filled with her parents’ friends as well as old friends Cara hadn’t seen in years. Somehow her mother managed to contact her assistant, Louise, for a list of Cara’s friends from Boston. It kept her busy mingling. Since Roger knew most of her friends from the city, Cara was pleased when she looked over and saw that he was comfortably conversing with a group of people. Unfortunately for her, it left her more time to watch Penny, who was putting on an award winning performance cozying up with Devin.

  She had to stop this. She had no business being jealous of Devin with another woman. But she was. And it was almost painful to watch. She waited until Penny left Devin’s side to approach him.

  As she walked over to him, her mouth was as dry as a cotton ball. When his lips lifted to a wide smile, her spirits lifted a notch and she actually felt her heart flip.

  Devin looked too good for words. He wore a new pair of blue jeans and a white cotton shirt that glowed against his newly tanned skin. She noticed he wore no socks, just a pair of dockside loafers on his feet.

  He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Having a good time?” He smelled of aftershave and beer and something more. His skin was warm and intoxicating and she had to fight to keep herself from drifting closer to him.

  “Yes,” she lied. Before she had the chance to say anything more, the room hushed. She turned around to find everyone staring at her.

  Her father walked slowly into the room holding her birthday cake with all the candles set ablaze. As he made his way toward her, the crowd of people in the room gathered around her and everyone began to sing Happy Birthday.

  She looked at their faces. They all wore smiles as they sang. But inside, Cara just wanted to cry. What the hell was wrong with her? This was her birthday and everyone was there in honor of her, for heaven's sake.

  When the singing stopped, Devin said, “Make a wish, Cara.” Everyone around her chanted his words, but all she could concentrate on was Devin.

  Cara filled her lungs with air and then forced it out again, blowing out all of the thirty-five candles on her birthday cake. When she stood up straight and looked into the crowd, everyone clapped. She only wished she could do the same. She’d just wished for the one thing she could never have.

  Devin.

  #

  Chapter Eight

  Cara sank down into the wing chair next to the table full of colorfully wrapped presents just as Elsie took hold of the microphone. Karaoke music blared as her mother stood to the side, holding a camera, ready to capture the moment on film. Her father disappeared to the den with Larry from the hardware store.

  And Devin disappeared to the back of the room as soon as Roger stood by her side. Penny immediately gathered up to his side. Although she didn't want to be, Cara was acutely aware of where Devin was at all times. Was it her imagination, or was he really avoiding her whenever Roger was around?

  As Roger handed her the first gift to unwrap, she couldn’t take her eyes off Devin. He slumped against the doorjamb, holding the glass of champagne her mother had just passed out to everyone for the toast.

  “Cara?” She looked at Roger, who wore a look o
f bewilderment. “Aren’t you going to open your present?”

  Cara glanced down at her lap and realized she was holding a long black velvet jewelry box adorned with a thick white ribbon tied into a large bow. She didn't remember taking it in her hands. “Oh, yes, of course.”

  She tore open the card to find it was a gift from her parents, a strand of pearls. What followed next was an array of gag gifts given by some of her friends from Boston. The beautiful royal blue nightie, given to her by Louise with a note to “get a life” got the best response from everyone in the room.

  Except from Devin. With Roger's quip remark to “put it to good use,” Devin shifted uncomfortably, turning his attention away from all the hoots and giggles. Even from the distance, she could see the tightness in his jaw, his whole body for that matter.

  Roger handed her his gift and kissed her lightly on the cheek. The box black velvet like the one her parents had given her, but much smaller. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, drowning out the next wave of song coming from the speakers in the back of the living room. She didn't want to open it. It was so unexpected. Was Roger really going to ask her to marry him? And in front of all these people?

  She cradled the box in her sweating palm for a long agonizing moment. She had the vague feeling opening the innocent looking package was the equivalent of opening Pandora's Box. One quick motion and it was done.

  Relief washed over her. Her eyes focused on the single diamond centered elegantly in a black gold setting. Roger had given her a diamond pendant. Her smile couldn't have been bigger.

  “I knew you'd like it,” Roger said, misreading her expression. “I've been working with a jeweler for months now to find the perfect diamond for you.”

  “It's beautiful,” she said, looking at the gift. “I'll treasure it always.”

  Now that the table was empty and the last gift was unwrapped, the crowd applauded. Standing up, Cara closed the box and handed it to Roger. She was about to thank the crowd, but Devin stopped her.

  “There's one more,” Devin called out from the back of the room. Her blood thickened when Penny brushed her polished fingers across his back.

  “Really?” She turned toward the table where all the gifts had been placed. There was nothing on the white linen covered table but a balled piece of wrapping paper and ribbon that hadn't landed in the trash bag.

  “Look underneath.”

  She pushed aside the cloth and looked underneath. She found a large box with a small card tucked between the stiff gold ribbon adorning it. With Roger's help, she reached down, picking it up and plunking it on top of the table. Cara opened the card and read the writing.

  “There are some things just too precious to leave behind, Devin.”

  Her heart melted like warm honey when she looked up and saw his face. In a million years, she knew she'd never forget that soulful look Devin gave her. The distance between them seemed minimal now. She could almost hear his thoughts, his heartbeat. The fact that Penny was standing right next to him was suddenly of no consequence. Devin was with her at that moment, and no one else in the room seemed to matter.

  One pull and the bow came undone, falling to either side of the box on the table. She lifted the lid and pushed away the tissue paper. Her heart melted and her lips trembled.

  She had to clamp her teeth down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

  “The wooden Carousel,” she whispered, holding back the tears threatening to break her control. She turned and looked at Devin and saw a shimmer of light in his eyes. More emotion passed between them in that moment than ever had during their entire friendship. It wasn’t special just that he'd known how much she wanted this carousel. After all, it was just an object. But it was a gift from his heart and that mattered most.

  Moisture filled her eyes but she didn’t care if anyone saw or thought her reaction was strange. She let her tears fall freely down her cheeks.

  This was it, she realized. This was the very thing she’d been missing all along. She didn’t need a man to take care of things for her. She needed someone to take care of her heart. And no one she had ever met in her life had ever done that better than Devin.

  “I guess that about does it,” Roger said, putting his arm around Cara.

  With that single point of contact, Cara saw Devin's whole body stiffen. The precious moment between them had been shattered by one simple word. He grabbed a bottle of champagne from the bar and stalked out of the room. Penny followed on his heels.

  “Thank you, everyone,” Cara announced, forcing her lips to form a smile. Her hands trembled and her heart tore in two. Devin had left with Penny. Cara suddenly thought she’d die but she fought to hide her emotion from all the eyes bearing down upon her. “Please, there’s plenty of champagne, so have fun.”

  “Happy birthday, honey,” Harold said, reaching out to give her a hug.

  “Thanks, Dad. Careful, your wires will come undone.” She leaned forward and tugged on the wire coming from his pocket. “Who’s winning?”

  His face registered shock that he’d been found out, and he placed a finger at his mouth to shush her. Then he grumbled, “Damn Yankees.”

  If only he knew her mother had orchestrated the whole thing.

  Roger was by her side again, yawning and scratching the back of his neck.

  Cara took a deep breath. “Poison ivy still bothering you?”

  “The way my skin looks, I feel like a burn victim. I’ve been thinking...” He averted his gaze and she knew she wasn’t going to like what was coming next.

  “You’re going back to Boston,” she said, sparing him.

  He cocked his head to one side and exhaled. “I should probably see a specialist for this rash. It’s getting worse.”

  She tried to act disappointed, but in the end, she lost the battle. This whole week had been one big farce. Roger’s leaving somehow felt like a relief. “I’m sorry it’s getting too much for you here.”

  His eyebrows darted up. “No, it’s not that at all. Things have actually been...bearable.”

  She managed to laugh. “When you cocoon yourself in my father’s den the way you do, how could it not be?” She took him by the hand. “We never did get around to going on that trip to Nantucket.”

  He squeezed her hand and began to say something, but his expression changed. “Why don’t you go with Devin?”

  A chill raced through her. No, the thought of being with Devin didn’t leave her cold. Quite the contrary. But the fact that Roger seemed unaffected by her spending so much time with another man did. She didn’t bother to ask him if he’d be jealous, because she already knew he wouldn’t be. She quietly contemplated what that said about their relationship.

  “Maybe.”

  Roger bent down and kissed her forehead. “I’m bushed. Do you mind if I call it a night?”

  “No, of course not.” She gave him a hug, but her arms felt empty.

  As soon as Roger climbed the stairs, Ruthie sashayed over to Cara.

  “Where on earth is Roger going?” she asked, handing Cara a fresh glass of champagne.

  “To bed.” And as if she felt the need, she added, “He’s been working hard these last few days.”

  To Cara's great relief, Ruthie stifled a retort. Instead she said, “Devin was just looking for you. Did he find you?”

  “No.” Cara looked around the room but she saw no sign of Devin or Penny. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot. “Maybe he left.”

  “Oh, I don’t think he’d leave without saying good-bye and giving you a birthday kiss.” Ruthie’s face was telling, leaving no room for misunderstanding her meaning.

  Cara groaned, taking a generous sip of champagne. “I think he’s saving that for Penny.”

  “Don’t be too sure.”

  Ruthie reached into the box behind the bar and pulled out a full, uncorked bottle of champagne and two clean crystal glasses from the tray, holding them out to Cara.

  “Why don’t you go look for him?”


  Cara didn't hesitate grabbing the glasses and the bottle.

  She was nuts, Cara decided. Not her mother, but her. She’d become completely immune to her mother throwing Devin at her, but now she was actually following Ruthie's advice. Of course, she had no intention of acting on any of the wild feelings for Devin that had been haunting her. Roger was asleep upstairs and it just wouldn't be right.

  Besides, Devin was her best friend. And right now that was what she wanted more than anything. Plain and simple.

  Much to her relief, Cara found Devin alone. He sat on the back porch, one long leg lifted over the railing, the other foot touching the floorboards, his back pressed against the post. He was looking out at the ocean, lost in thought, clutching the bottle of champagne she’d seen him take from the bar.

  “Deja vu,” she said quietly, so as not to make him jump. “I seem to recall us doing this very same thing seventeen years ago on my eighteenth birthday.”

  His lips lifted to a slow, sexy smile she found irresistible. “You’re just as beautiful now as you were then.”

  Her resolve melted. Devin had never talked like that to her before. It was a simple line, as old and used as they come, but hearing it from him in his deep, husky voice made it sound brand new.

  “Thank you.”

  The sound of the waves crashing into shore roared around them. The gentle breeze coming in with the tide brought a pungent scent of salt to the night air. The silence between them was deafening. If she didn’t do something--and fast--there was no telling what would happen.

  “Where's Roger?”

  “Turned in early. All this excitement was a little too much for him.” She hesitated a moment. “I expected Penny to be hanging all over, ah, around you.”