Sand Castle Bay (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,53
mood when I called? And why you managed to scare B.J. to death before you brought him in here?”
“I was just trying to be honest with him about the chances that it would hurt to have the stitches removed,” Boone said defensively. “Ever since Jenny didn’t come home after I promised him she’d get better, total honesty is my new policy.”
“An excellent theory, but as you’ve just seen, it can be tough on an eight-year-old.”
“Yeah, I get that now,” Boone said.
“Was there something else?” Ethan asked with the perceptiveness of an old friend.
“He insisted I call Emily to meet us here and I refused.”
Ethan smiled. “How did I know Emily had something to do with it? You two have a fight?”
“I wouldn’t call it a fight,” Boone said. “She said something completely uncalled for about my motives for being around Cora Jane, and I walked out.”
Ethan shook his head. “When are you two going to stop pretending that you’ve moved on and just accept that you’ll never be totally happy unless you get back together?”
“When hell freezes over comes to mind,” Boone said. “You’re wrong, Ethan. I have moved on. Aren’t this wedding ring I’m wearing and B.J. proof of that?”
“The wedding ring is a defense mechanism, in my opinion,” Ethan said. “Jenny’s been gone awhile. You could take it off and no one would think less of you. Not that I’m an expert in these things.”
Boone regarded him with disdain. “Since you won’t even date because the last woman you cared about left you emotionally scared for life, you’ll have to pardon me if I don’t take your advice seriously.”
“Actually not dating has left me a lot of time to observe other couples,” Ethan countered, essentially confirming Boone’s accusation that he wasn’t in the game himself. “I’ve picked up some useful information about the stupid things people do in the name of love. I’m more than happy to share them with you, if you’re in the mood to toss a couple of steaks on the grill tonight.”
Boone wasn’t sure he was in the mood for advice, well-meant or not, but he wasn’t looking forward to his own company, either.
“Six o’clock okay?” he asked his friend.
“I’ll be there,” Ethan said. “I’ll bring a six-pack or would you rather have something stronger?”
“An occasional beer’s pretty much my limit,” Boone said. “Much as I might like to drown my sorrows, I can’t do it when I’m responsible for B.J.”
“Fair enough,” Ethan said. “See you this evening.”
Boone went into the reception area, paid for B.J.’s treatment, then gestured for B.J. to go outside.
After they were in the car, Boone turned to his son. “I’m sorry about before,” he said quietly. “I never meant to upset you.”
A single tear tracked down B.J.’s cheek. “And I don’t really hate you.”
Boone smiled and opened his arms. B.J. crawled over the console and scrambled into them. “I know, buddy. Sometimes we’re both going to say things we regret. We always need to find a way to forgive each other, okay?”
“What about Emily?” B.J. asked, proving that his mind had a single track. “Are you going to forgive her? She must have said something really bad for you to be so mad at her.”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Boone said.
“But she’s my friend.”
“I know. And we’ll work things out. I promise.” He just wished he had the first clue how they might do that if she truly believed what she’d said to him earlier.
* * *
Emily was filled with trepidation as she followed her grandmother’s directions to Boone’s house. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it wasn’t the charming little white bungalow on an inlet with a screened-in side porch and a yard full of deep blue hydrangeas. The flowers were a little the worse for wear after the storm, but enough of the huge blooms remained to add just the right touch of old-fashioned summer color.
As she pulled to a stop, she spotted B.J. sitting at the end of a pier with a fishing pole. Because she was in no hurry for an uncomfortable confrontation with Boone, she walked out on the pier.
B.J. regarded her with surprise and a little caution. “How come you’re here? I thought you and Dad were fighting.”
“Is that what he said?”
B.J. nodded.
“Well, the truth is that I said something I never should have said,” she admitted. “I came to apologize. Is he inside?”
B.J. nodded, then held out his arm. “I had my stitches taken out and I didn’t cry,”