Page 15 of Keeping Secrets

She looked at him sideways. "What?"

"To keep your ears warm."

She started toward home. "I’m fine."

"You’re shivering." He trotted to catch up with her.

"What do you care?"

"I care," he said gruffly.

She gave him a quick sideways glare. "You’ve been completely ignoring me."

"I know." His voice was soft and sorrowful.

The admission caught her off guard, and she slowed to a normal pace.

"I’m sorry. It has nothing to do with you. I just… have a lot on my plate right now."

They walked in silence for a moment, and he pulled a beanie out of his pocket. She accepted it and pulled it on, sheltering her ears from the fierce wind. When they got to her house, she pulled it off and offered it to him.

"Keep it," he said. "I have plenty."

"Thanks," she said somewhat begrudgingly as she pulled the hat back on. She had underestimated the coastal winds and left her own warm hats buried in a closet at her parents’ house with the rest of her heavy winter clothes. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." His eyes held hers for a long moment, and he seemed to lean in – though maybe he was just leaning against the wind. A moment later, he stepped away. "See you tomorrow."

She stood on her porch steps until he was out of sight, and then reluctantly she turned and went inside.

CHAPTER 5

Travis hadn’t always had such a strong urge to smash things. But lately, demolition days were his favorite. He wielded a sledgehammer with satisfaction, taking his frustrations out on doomed walls and rotted porch steps.

Keely was there at the edge of things, her copper-bright hair a constant distraction.

Her hair haunted him, and her eyes were even worse. One look into her glass-green irises fringed by red gold lashes, and his heart tried to jump from his chest. His gaze got stuck, and he struggled to remember all of the reasons why he needed to give his best friend's sister a wide berth.

Lately, he avoided looking into her eyes at all.

He had forgotten that for just a moment the night before, and all night he’d been plagued by dreams of her. It was a welcome change from his usual nightmares but equally problematic in its own way.

He set the sledgehammer down and went to get a glass of lemonade. He’d timed it strategically, going to the refreshments table when Keely was nowhere in sight. But as soon as he had a full glass in his hand, she appeared on the other side of the table.

She gave him a glancing look without acknowledging his presence and hurried to pull together a sandwich. He drank his lemonade, watching from the corner of his eye as she carried the sandwich to Nat and convinced her to eat.

Nat seemed to be everywhere at once on the construction site, often from dawn until dusk, and Chloe usually had to remind her to eat. It looked like Keely had taken up the gauntlet that day. Chloe had manned the table early in the day but had gone home to rest after lunch.

"Keely, you made it!" Willa’s voice rose above the general clamor as she hurried to embrace her new friend.

Pelican Point loved Keely.

Well, sure. Why wouldn’t they?

"She’s been here all day," Nat said through a mouthful of food. "Hauling trash and making sandwiches."

"And washing my hands in between," Keely said with a laugh. "Luckily the place still has one working sink."

"Are you here for me to put you to work?"

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