gestured to him and one threw the ball, a perfect spiral that landed at Teague's feet. With a show of reluctance, he picked it up, then clambered to a stand. "You going to be here awhile?"
"I..." If she agreed, she could tell herself she wasn't staying put for David. She could pretend to herself that she was instead waiting for the handsome stranger to return and make her feel desirable again. "Maybe."
His grin flashed on. "And later this week? My friends and I have some time off. We'll be here again."
"I...I have those four kids." Her palm caressed the tuft of Russ's dark hair that was the only part of him visible beneath the towel.
"So? I like kids. And I have a wild mind that maybe only you can tame."
That little thrill buzzed through her veins again. Still... "Four kids and a husband."
She liked him more for not losing the smile. "Lucky guy. Unlucky me." Tossing the football up and down in one hand, he walked backward, his gaze still on her face. "Does that mean you won't run away with me? We could go to Arizona."
"I thought people ran away to Tahiti," she said, laughing.
"The kids'll like the Grand Canyon. Train ride's not to be missed."
Sudden tears pricked the corners of Tess's eyes. Embarrassed, she glanced away. How sad was that? Choked up because a man pretended interest in her and her children. David had a lot to answer for. She waved a hand, acknowledging the faux offer.
"Tess?" he called out, prompting her to look at him again. He'd almost reached his pals. "I always had a crush on you."
Faking another laugh, she waved a second time and watched him rejoin the other firefighters. "'I always had a crush on you,'" she murmured, hearing the wistfulness in her voice.
"He did."
Tess's head whipped around. Skye Alexander dropped to the sand beside her. "You remember him, don't you?"
"'Him'?" She glanced down the beach and then back to Skye. "Should I?"
"Teague White. He used to tag along with your brothers every summer."
Teague White. It didn't ring any bells...then a memory surfaced. Little scrawny kid, around her brothers' age but a head shorter than them. "They called him Tee-Wee. Tee-Wee White." She put her hand over her mouth as a giggle bubbled up and turned her head to stare at the young stud now leaping into the surf. "That's Tee-Wee White?"
"Things change. People change."
Husbands. Marriages. Tess glanced at her watch. Two-thirty. But it would be rude to abruptly leave Skye, wouldn't it? She could stay a few more minutes. Blowing out a breath, she forced herself to smile at the younger woman. "Mail from Gage today?"
The property manager wore an old fishing hat on top of her dark hair, a loose, long-sleeved T-shirt and baggy cargo pants. Still, Tess detected the blush crawling up her neck and onto her cheeks. "You know I, uh, correspond with your brother?"
"Griffin mentioned it." Tess recalled what details she'd been given. "Something about wires crossed? He thought Griffin would be here at the cove and you wrote back that he wasn't?"
"Nine months ago. Since then we've kept in touch regularly."
"Nice." Or, not nice, Tess thought, with a sudden pang. Skye wouldn't meet her eyes now, and she had the unwelcome idea that the other woman fancied herself in love with Gage, who lived for thrills and chills. He had more hard edges - if less darkness of the soul - than Griffin, and she couldn't imagine her daredevil sibling with this reserved, almost shy, young woman. Careful, Skye. He'll break your heart.
She checked the time. Two thirty-five. Her mood went gloomier. There was no sense pretending David hadn't stood her up. Her gaze shifted to Teague White, playing in the surf. As she watched, he dived dolphin-style into an oncoming wave. God, the guy had a body, long-boned and lithe, covered with wet skin that looked like sculpted bronze sprinkled with diamonds. The sad truth was, the mother in her still worried about all that sun exposure, but the woman she was appreciated the view.
He came up and shook his head, droplets dispersing like she wished her problems would. As if sensing her regard, he looked her way. His smile was white and maybe just the tiniest bit smug.
Careful, Tess. He'll break your heart.
But of course Teague wouldn't. That damage had already been done.
CHAPTER SIX
GRIFFIN PROPPED his feet on the rail at Captain Crow's and sipped from the cardboard cup in his hand. The restaurant didn't serve