Page 75 of Diving In

“Can I ask you something?” Cal’s eyes gave me permission to proceed. “If you and Blair aren’t together, then why were you with her this morning at The Grounded Bean?”

“Blair’s dad is an important man in this town and has a lot of say when it comes to the decisions that get made around here. I’ve been helping him with a few things, trying to get into his good graces in hopes of him agreeing to keep this island, or at least part of it, as is.” His fingertips danced on my skin as he continued, “So, while she isn’t on the list of people I prefer to get coffee with, it’s something I’m willing to do if it helps the town in the long run. Plus, her dad put her in charge of a few restoration projects around the island, so I’ve been helping out with those.”

His words comforted me as they left his mouth. I was okay with that answer, I even liked it. The thought of him doing whatever he needed to do to secure the integrity of the island was so fucking attractive.

Cal continued to fidget with the bracelet on my wrist.

“Beau,”I whispered.

“Yeah… How’d you finally figure it out?” he asked, proud of me for putting two and two together.

“Everything sort of just clicked earlier. I wasn’t sure, but I had a good feeling, and now you’ve confirmed it,” I said. “You care about him more than you initially let on…” I paused before continuing, “You’ve looked after him this whole time, haven’t you?”

“It wasn’t just me, but yes, Jack and I did everything we could to help him. After Fletcher died, Jack and I each got one of these bracelets. It was our promise to Fletch that we’d always take care of Beau, no matter what. And now that Jack’s gone, I feel that responsibility a little bit more, you know?”

“I’m sure Beau appreciates that, just to have someone that is simply there for him.” I reached for his arm and snuggled in a little tighter, feeling the rise and fall of his chest.

“It’s more about just making sure he keeps his shit together. He’s lived a long life in a short number of years. I’m not going to try and sugarcoat that. But the least I can do is be a constant presence for Fletcher’s son,” he offered, looking away just as the grief washed over his face.

“Why has he been living in the boathouse?” I asked.

“He used to stay with Jack, but the older Beau got, the more he wanted his own space, so Jack told him he could move into the boathouse while he was here for the summers. He told him to make it his own, but I guess with everything going on this summer, Jack must’ve not thought about you coming. Or… maybe he did?” he said, his voice trailing off in thought.

“Knowing Jack, he definitely thought about.” I chuckled, trusting that he would have wanted me to find Beau. “Wait, why doesn’t he just live with you?”

Cal laughed. “I live in a tiny studio apartment near the aquarium. There’s barely enough room for me, let alone a teenage boy. Plus, it was just better for Beau to be closer to Jack while he was still alive.”

“I guess that makes sense,” I said. My mind wandered back to the bracelet, and even though I figured it stood for Jack, I still asked, “What does the J stand for?”

Cal pulled me on top of him and placed my head in his palms, gazing directly into my eyes as he said, “James. It represents the most important woman in Fletcher’s life.”

“Beau James Windsor… It’s perfect,” I said.

My entire body went numb as the emotions threatened to drown me. Instead of suppressing them though, I set them free. Tears poured down my cheeks, each one a little larger than the one before.

“It’s okay to be sad.” Cal squeezed me as I rested my head against his chest. “Fletcher was one of the most genuine human beings I’ve ever known, and knowing how the pain of losing him was like nothing I’d ever felt before, I can only imagine how you felt. I’m sure losing Jack before you could say goodbye really fucking hurts, even if you’ll never admit it.

“It’s just—”

Cal placed his fingers over my mouth. “The most important thing is that you’re here now. You’re on the island that will always hold a piece of both of them. As long as you’re here, you’ll feel them. You’ll feel them in the sand between your toes, in the sun on your face, and in every little corner of this magical place.”

My love for him grew with every single word that left his mouth, and by the time he finished, all I wanted to do was lay here forever and never let this moment slip away. He’d encompassed everything that I had been holding on to for so long, validating my feelings and allowing me to accept them.

“Go on…” I said, seeing the look in his eyes and knowing he had more to say.

“I don’t know what you plan on doing or not doing with Beau, but whatever you decide, I support you. I just… I want you to know that I’m here for you in every way you need me, and even the ones you think you don’t. I’m not going anywhere, okay? I’m yours,”he admitted on an exhale.

“I love you,” I said, offering the only words I could in this moment.

CHAPTER 28

The next few days were a blissful blur spent exploring each other in every way. In the shower, on the back patio, and even a few times on the kitchen floor. The house was little, but the love was big. If we could’ve stayed in that house for the rest of our lives, we would’ve. But we were running low on food, and it was probably time for us to get some fresh air and some human interaction that didn’t involve at least one of us being naked.

“Are you almost ready?” Cal yelled from the kitchen.

“Quit your yellin’. I’m right here and I’m ready.” I snuck up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. I smashed my cheek against his back, holding us in this position so I could make a confession without looking right at him. “I’ve been thinking, and I want to call Beau. I want a relationship with him. I want him to know that he has an aunt who loves him and will do anything for him. An aunt who now lives on the island.”

“I already called him,” Cal said, spinning around and grabbing my hands, showing me the smirk on his face. “I know you pretty damn well, Georgia James. I told him to meet us at The Grounded Bean this morning.”

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