Safe In His Arms

Phoebe’s brows veed. Hunter had no doubt, if she’d been a teenager, she’d have rolled her eyes and muttered a bitter “whatever.” Instead, she smirked and returned to her salad.

“Well, it was worth a shot.” Paige pushed back to her feet. “Butterflies aren’t my specialty. Although my daughter Charlie’s becoming an expert. If you want the real skinny, head up to Duskywing Farm one morning and talk to Calliope Jones. Now she’s magic with those creatures.”

Phoebe stabbed her fork hard into her salad and looked out the window.

“I think we’re a little leery of magic right now,” Hunter explained. “But I appreciate the advice. I’m up for anything since we’re here.”

And if that happened to include a bit of magic, all the better.

KENDALL HAD SPENT the better part of the afternoon searching out Gil Hamilton. Granted, it wasn’t how she’d expected to spend the day, not when she had plastering and sanding to do on the exterior of the lighthouse. But at least, in the meantime, she was able to submit her new order for supplies to Harvey Mills at the hardware store and check the community bulletin board for any side jobs she could knock out quickly.

Abby Corwin’s grandmother Alice, who ran the Flutterby Inn before Abby took over, was looking to do an upgrade on the backyard patio she shared with her roommates before summer arrived full-on. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hastings, the former school principal, wanted shelves built for her dining room. A handful of other tasks ended up in Kendall’s phone, enough that she abandoned her original goal of hunting down the mayor and headed off to make contact with her new clients.

At some point the lighthouse was going to be finished and Kendall would be out of a job—and a place to live. The more money she could bank, the easier it would be when the time came. Not that she charged much beyond supplies, but every penny helped.

In the years since she’d been discharged, she’d lived in her car, in shelters and, for a few months that Matt didn’t know about, on the street. She’d been lost without Sam, without the life they’d planned. It was as if she’d been left utterly rudderless in an unending storm on the ocean. Those days, when the darkness got so bad, when everything above, around and beneath her felt too big to escape, there was little more she could do than just sit and breathe. And even then, breathing was an effort. So where she lived hadn’t meant a lot to her. She could have been in the most palatial of homes, surrounded by the best of friends, and it wouldn’t have made a difference.

But the medication had. Eventually. The therapy had. Somewhat. And she’d vowed to never have another day like those when the darkness had almost won.

Now, she knew as long as she remained in Butterfly Harbor, she would always have a place to rest her head. Or stash her duffel bag. Thanks to Matt, and everyone, in fact. Heck, Matt was even talking about constructing a tiny house for the back portion of his land. Not that he’d said specifically that he was thinking about Kendall. But she knew him well enough to guess the thought had crossed his mind. Matt Knight never did anything randomly. There was always a method to his...madness.

Madness. Kendall almost laughed as she bade goodbye to Greta Bundy, a former council member who was looking to have her bedroom repainted. Her little cottage-style house looked like it had been plucked from the pages of Mother Goose, with the white picket fence, lattice trim around the windows and roof, a lush green lawn and an arched front door that had forest animals carved in the stained redwood.

Kendall wouldn’t wish her familiarity with the opposite of the picture-postcard scene on anyone; it wasn’t as if she wore her issues like a badge of honor or even a shield. If anything, dragging her past with her was part of what kept her quiet most of the time. Not having the ability to see the bright side of anything for so long, she’d learned it was better to simply stay quiet and observe. And gradually, eventually, that silence had, in a way, set her free.

She wasn’t meant for a life other than the one she had now. Simple, careful. Alone. That’s where she had to keep her focus. And leave the past in the past. The panic attacks had subsided, and she knew to plan well ahead of time should any fireworks or other large noises happen around town. And she’d been doing okay. Better than okay. She’d been doing...good.

Until Hunter MacBride and his niece, Phoebe, had arrived.

Kendall stopped walking, that familiar lack of air pressing in on her. The more she tried not to think about the little girl, the more she was all Kendall could think about. Images of another little girl, laughing and tumbling in the air, her face alight with promise and hope despite her family’s difficult circumstances. Until those circumstances were ended. For good.

She needed to get back to the lighthouse. Back to where she felt safe. She could track Gil down later today or even tomorrow. But for now...

No!

Kendall snapped herself free. One hard shake of her head, one forced push of relaxation through her body had her looking at the peaceful sight of the blue ocean mere blocks away. From where she stood at the top of the hill, it felt so close. The water, the crashing waves. The feel of the damp sand between her toes. That was all she needed.

“My kind of therapy, here I come.” Kendall slipped her phone into her back pocket and zipped up her sweatshirt. Keeping the ocean in focus, in sight, in mind, she walked forward.

And longed for peace.

CHAPTER FOUR

“REMEMBER WHAT PAIGE at the diner said, Phoebe.” Hunter pushed open the door to Cat’s Eye Bookstore and ushered her inside. “Look up.”

Phoebe’s chin shot up, and she turned in circles. Hearing Phoebe’s soft gasp before she pointed a finger up at the ceiling had Hunter doing the same. Amid the chin-high polished wooden bookcases filled with tomes, an intricate maze of wide shelves, cubbies and platforms had been built into the walls for three, no, five cats of varying ages to enjoy. A yellow-eyed tabby blinked down at them from its regal perch, reminding Hunter of the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland. “Well, hello there.” Hunter couldn’t stop the smile from forming.

“That’s Zacharia.” A man emerged from around the corner, his arms loaded with a stack of hardcover books. “And don’t worry, he’s not a leaper. He prefers to sit and rule over us from above.”

“Good to know.” The last thing Hunter wanted today was for a cat to land on his face. “Paige over at the diner told us to be sure to look up when we came in.” He trailed his gaze around the room, shaking his head at the cats darting in and out of sight. “This is amazing. How many cats do you have?”

“Officially? One. Zacharia there.” As if the books weighed no more than a bag of feathers, he stopped beside them. “We’re fostering four others at the moment. My daughter, Mandy, and I rotate them so they don’t get bored at the shelter. Also gets them acclimated to interacting with people and each other. Sorry. I’m rambling. What brings you by? Anything in particular?” He headed to the new releases table, placed the books he was carrying on the nearest shelf and started reorganizing the selection. “Or just browsing?”

“Phoebe’s in need of some new books.” Hunter took a long moment to appreciate the larger-than-expected store that stood on the corner of Monarch Lane Whispering Wing three blocks from the diner. “And I suppose I am, too. Especially anything having to do with Butterfly Harbor and the surrounding areas. I’m doing research for a project.”

“You must be Hunter MacBride. I’m Sebastian Evans.” The man offered his hand to shake. “Gil said he thought you might be stopping by. Welcome to Butterfly Harbor. And hello to you, too, Phoebe.” He bent down just as Paige had to meet Hunter’s niece eye to eye. “What kind of stories do you like?”

“She reads widely,” Hunter said when Phoebe looked up at him. “And she’s...shy around strangers.”

“Totally understand. Wish my Mandy had been shy at that age. Would have made things a lot easier.” Sebastian laughed. “She’d talk nonstop to anyone and everyone. Still does. That said, she’s thirteen now, so you must be seven? Eight?” he asked Phoebe.

“Seven,” Hunter confirmed.

“Right. I have a special going today on children’s and YA books. Buy three books, get the fourth for free. How about you and your uncle look around for a bit and if you have any questions, you can let me or one of the cats know?”

Phoebe pointed up as a sleek black cat emerged from a cubby.

“That one’s Ruby,” Sebastian told them. “And over there we have Bella. My daughter named her that because she’s so poofy and pretty. Not the sharpest crayon in the box, though. I can’t tell you how many times she’s mistaken a fur ball for a mouse. But a kind soul nonetheless.”

Phoebe looked confused.

Hunter wasn’t sure he’d ever seen a cat with so much fur. Almost pure white with a collar of gray, Bella had bright blue eyes that almost glowed even in the daylight. “What is she, a Ragdoll?” His great-aunt Eunice had had a Ragdoll cat when he’d been growing up.

“We think so. Part, at least. Mandy’s been looking into it. She’s hoping to be a vet, which explains the menagerie around here. The ones you have to look out for are Chuck and Lilith. They’re barely a year old and love little girls especially. Careful or they might try to follow you home.”

Hunter recognized a barely restrained plea when he heard it. “I’m not sure a cat is in the cards for us right now. We aren’t staying very long, and being so close to the cliffs—”

“That’s right. You’re staying up at the Liberty, aren’t you? Mandy and I have been dying to see how it’s coming along, but we’re trying to be patient while Kendall finishes it.”

Phoebe wandered down the aisle toward the children’s section.

“So there’s only one person working on the lighthouse?” Hunter asked.

“Yep. Kendall’s a bit of a one-woman miracle construction crew. Not much she can’t do on her own, but when she needs help, she knows who to call.”

“You?” Hunter picked up a new mystery by one of his favorite authors he hadn’t realized was out yet.

“Oh, no. There’s a reason I own and operate a bookstore. Mandy’s more handy than I am. No, the deputies help Kendall out from time to time, as well. And some of the local teens. And Frankie Bettencourt, of course. You meet Frankie yet?”

“Afraid not. We only just got into town today.”

“Butterfly Harbor’s first female firefighter. Also been a pain in my backside for going on thirtysomething years.”

At Hunter’s curious look, Sebastian grinned. “She’s my best friend’s sister. Twin, actually. Older than Monty by three minutes, but you’d swear it was three years the way she talks. We grew up here together.”

“Then I’m definitely going to want to talk to you in the future. All of you,” he added. “For the book.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever you need.” Sebastian finished adding the new books to the display and moved behind the counter that had a selection of hand-carved wooden bookmarks, hand-turned pens and butterfly-topped pencils. The glass case beneath the register displayed a sign signifying locally made jewelry, some of which were miniature books with real leather bindings. “I know a lot of people haven’t been happy with some of the decisions Gil’s been making, but we can’t argue with results. The town’s coming back to life. Should make a good angle for your book.”

“How close was it to dying?”

“About as close as you’d want to get. A little over two years ago, I was considering leaving. Would have killed me to give up this place. Starting over with a new store in a new town wasn’t financially feasible, not with Mandy so close to college. Gil’s revitalization plans, the building of a new butterfly sanctuary, bringing a national TV crew out here to cover one of our food festivals—it’s all helped. It’s helped a lot. Given us store owners some breathing room.”

“Gil’s never been one to let protests or detractors get in his way.” Not that Hunter knew Gil that well. To say he’d been surprised to get Gil’s call a few weeks back was a massive understatement. He hadn’t seen or heard from his friend in almost a decade, but while Hunter had lost touch, obviously Gil had kept tabs on Hunter and his career.

“We’ll see what happens come election time. If things keep running smoothly, he should keep his job.”

“And if things don’t run smoothly?” Hunter asked.

“Good question.” Sebastian shrugged. “Other than politics or banking, not exactly sure what the Hamiltons are made for.”

Hunter felt a tug on his shirt. When he turned and looked down, he saw Phoebe, clutching a hardbound book against her chest as if it were gold. “What do you have, kiddo?” He bent down, held out his hands and felt his heart break a little more when she handed over a brand-new copy of Charlotte’s Web. Her eyes shone, and it wasn’t the first time he had a difficult time deciphering grief from hope. “Well, this is lovely.” His smile made his cheeks ache. “We can add this to the stack, okay? How about we go explore together? I bet there are some math puzzle books around here somewhere? We’ve been homeschooling,” he explained to Sebastian.

Unfazed, Sebastian tapped his hand on the counter. “Then I have just the thing. Follow me.”

A little over an hour later, the sorrow over Phoebe’s main choice of book had been tempered by the half dozen other books Sebastian had talked her into trying. A few were ones Hunter never would have considered, given they were far above a seven-year-old’s reading level, but Sebastian had sat on the floor with Phoebe and explained each one, encouraging her by letting her know his daughter had loved these books at her age.

The science and math workbooks were a pleasant surprise and included lots of fun experiments they could do together.

“Depending on how fast she goes through these,” Sebastian told Hunter as he accepted Hunter’s credit card, “you might want to start visiting the library. Phoebe’s old enough for her own card.”

Gripping the edge of the counter, Phoebe’s eyes went wide, and she bounced on her toes.

“Won’t that cut into your profit margin?” Hunter joked.

“It’s good business sense. A reader like her is hard to find, and we want to keep readers interested. Alternating between will keep things fresh. You’ll find the library two blocks north from the elementary school.”

“Good to know.”

Phoebe inched closer to him at the mention of school. Hunter laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, their silent sign that he understood and she could relax.

“And, because I expect you’ll be repeat customers, here you go, Phoebe. Your very own Cat’s Eye book bag.” Sebastian placed a few of her books into the drawstring bag, then stepped around the counter to help her slip it on like a backpack. “You bring this with you whenever you come in, okay?”

She nodded so hard she almost tipped over. “Thank you.”

Hunter felt a burst of happiness at Phoebe responding without prompting. She must have decided that Cat’s Eye Books was a safe place.

“You sure I can’t interest you in a cat?” Sebastian asked. “Or maybe two? Two is always better so they each have a companion. I’m sure Chuck is around here—”

“Nice try.” Hunter chuckled and purposely did his best not to look anywhere near Phoebe. A pet might be a good idea, but maybe something smaller. Like a goldfish. “Appreciate your help. And the information. I’ll be in touch about talking to you and Frankie and her brother. I bet you guys can give me some insights into this town few others can.”

“Count on it.”

Hunter held out his free hand once they were back outside. “Well, Phoebs. I have to say that’s the most fun bookstore I’ve ever been to.”

People roamed the street, darting across the road toward the beach. Seagulls cawed in the distance as the scent of briny seaweed coated the air.

“I’d say we’ve had a good first day in Butterfly Harbor. How do you want to finish it? The beach or...”

“Ice cream!” Phoebe tugged hard on his hand and pulled him to the next shop. Harbor Creamery.

“You sure?” Hunter feigned disbelief. “I don’t know. You had a big lunch.”

Phoebe scrunched her face, dragged him closer and jabbed a finger against the menu displayed in the window.

“Oh, they have kiddie scoops.” They also had gelato, which Phoebe pointed to next. Even at seven, she knew his weakness. “Okay, one scoop. But that means broccoli with dinner.”

Phoebe shrugged and led the way inside.

IF KENDALL WAS LUCKY, and had Frankie’s help, she’d get the scaffold erected on the west side of the lighthouse this week. She had a lot of painting to do. As the sun began to dip for the day, Kendall gathered up her tools, stashed them in the rebuilt shed and pulled down her makeshift workstation. Kids got into everything, and the last thing she wanted was anything enticing Hunter’s niece. Hopefully school would keep Phoebe occupied and away from...her.

She didn’t need, didn’t want, a daily reminder of little-girl needs and wants. That everything and anything that went wrong with the world could be solved with a mother’s hug.

She wasn’t a mother, though, Kendall reminded herself. She’d quit that dream when she’d lost Sam. She’d only come close when she’d all but adopted Samira and her family in Afghanistan.

Samira’s father was a translator, looking after his two sons and daughter along with his late wife’s parents. Samira, at ten, had become a bit of a caretaker, always helping her father. But she’d loved soccer. And soon, she and Kendall had a standing practice session that gave both of them something to look forward to.

“Stop it.” Kendall lugged one of her sawhorses back into the keeper’s house when Hunter’s and Phoebe’s bike tires crunched on the dirt and gravel road. Their bike baskets were filled to overflowing, and Kendall noticed Phoebe was wearing a familiar amber backpack. Obviously they’d found their way to Cat’s Eye Books.

Apprehension tugged at Kendall’s stomach as she quickened her pace in the hopes of finishing for the day before Hunter thought to...

“Hello.” Hunter steered his bike to the lighthouse rather than the carriage house and dismounted with that now familiar, friendly, if not quirky grin on his too-handsome face. He engaged the kickstand and plucked a small paper bag out of the front basket.

Because she wasn’t a complete curmudgeon yet, she gave him a quick chin jerk. “Hi.” She pushed the air out of her lungs to dispel the cloud of melancholy.

“This is for you.” Hunter offered her the bag.

She blinked at the bag as if it were filled with snakes. “Why? What for?”

“A peace offering of sorts. And a thank-you. For sharing this with us.” He motioned to the view of the ocean alight with the flame of the sunset.

Kendall needed him to understand she was not up for any social interaction where he or just about anyone was concerned. She shrugged and turned away. “Not necessary. This wasn’t my choice.” And the man whose choice it was had been dodging her all day long.

If anything, her refusal seemed to encourage him. Hunter darted over, stepping in front of her before she reached her door. “It would be rude not to accept. And even though you’re trying your best, I don’t think you’re inherently rude.”

Kendall shot him a humorless smile. “Guess again.”

“I know we’re intruding.” He tried again and moved between her and the refuge she sought. “And if you’re like most people, you don’t like change. But change happens. And we’re here. We need to find a way to get along. If not for each other, certainly for Phoebe. She’s been through enough this year. I don’t want her being scared of the person we live next door to.”

Kendall resisted the pull to look over her shoulder. She would not look. She would not... She glanced back to where Phoebe stood astride her bike, tiny hands clutching the handlebars with white-knuckled uncertainty.

Stiffening her spine, bracing herself, Kendall faced Hunter again, opening her mouth to argue. But when she found herself looking into determined eyes, she saw the one thing she knew she could lose to: a father’s resolve.

Her heart nearly seized. “I like my solitude.” Like? More like she needed it as much as she needed air to breathe and water to drink. Small doses of interaction were fine. Doses of her choosing, but knowing this man and his little girl were steps away from the one place she’d been able to feel free again? Why was the universe playing with her again? “She doesn’t have to be scared. I might not be here much longer, anyway.” It was the first time she’d considered it, dropping everything and leaving town. But avoiding Hunter and Phoebe might be the simpler solution.

“Oh.” He looked surprised at that tidbit of information. “Well, for as long as you are here, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t glower at her.”

Kendall frowned. “Glower? I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings.” Something akin to guilt wrapped itself around her.

“Prove it. Accept this from us, please.” He lifted the bag again. “We guessed. Phoebe did, anyway, at the flavor. At least pretend to appreciate it.”

Kendall accepted the package, peeking inside. If she’d had a heart left to break, it might have shattered into a million pieces. “Strawberry.” The tears came, even after all this time. “Thank you,” she finally managed. At his arched brow, she took a deep breath, glared back. Then turned to Phoebe. “Thank you, Phoebe.”

Phoebe’s mouth curved up at the corners before she climbed off her bike and steered it toward the guest house.

“Thank you,” Hunter said. “Have a good evening.”

Kendall nodded, because she couldn’t speak. She waited until she heard the door close behind him before she hauled the sawhorse into the house, set the bag on the table and finished cleaning up outside. When she literally had nothing left to distract herself with, she went inside and dropped the bag of ice cream into the sink.

After taking a shower and changing her clothes, she returned to the one-room dwelling, knotting her shoulder-length hair high on her head. The newly restored electricity and lighting flickered and bathed the space in a dim glow. Even though her stomach growled, she didn’t feel like eating. That said, she hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and even that had been a scrambled egg and the last of the scones Abby Corwin had sent home with her last week.

Kendall opened the small fridge and stared at the assortment of fresh vegetables and eggs that local farmer Calliope Jones insisted on personally delivering every few days.

Kendall sighed. Salad didn’t appeal. Veggies were never her first choice. She’d eaten enough eggs lately she should be clucking. Surrendering, she plucked up one of the three spoons out of the crooked, handmade mug and pulled the pint of ice cream from the insulated bag.

She popped open the lid and looked down at the creamy, soupy, almost completely melted concoction. One dip of the spoon had her mouth watering. She could smell the fresh strawberries mingling with the cream and sugar. She took a bite and nearly swooned.

She walked over and sat cross-legged on her sleeping bag–covered mattress, making her way through the ice cream one soft, blissful, sorrowful bite at a time.

Closing her eyes, she accepted the truth. Her stay in Butterfly Harbor had come to an end.

“COME ON, PHOEBS. Finish up your breakfast.” Hunter sorted through his satchel to make sure he had everything he needed for the day. After getting into a solid routine over the past week, he was anxious to get to work and put his extensive internet notes to use.