Chapter 18

Forehead resting on a stack of papers on his desk and phone to his ear, Brady listened to the foreman on the courthouse project prattle on. And on.

When the guy finally pausedprobably for airBrady didn't bother lifting his head to speak into the receiver. "White. The crown molding is supposed to be white. Not ecru, not eggshell, not beige. White. That's what the plans say. All right?" He needed ten aspirin and another gallon of coffee. Stat. Though he'd gotten sporadic sleep last night, it wasn't the restful kind, and he was beginning to wonder if this wasn't National Piss Brady Off Day. It wasn't even ten o'clock yet. "I'll stop by after lunch if I can."

"Sure thing, Mr. Meath. I'll have..."

Brady sensed rather than heard another presence in his office and lost track of the conversation. The fine hairs on his neck stood erect and a slow burn churned in his gut.

Kaida. She was here.

He jerked his head up, and there she was, standing in front of his desk. Wearing tan leggings that molded to her toned legs and a long blue sweater that matched her eyes, she idly ran her fingers through the caramel strands of her high ponytail. She had her hand wrapped around something on her shoulder, but part of her was blocked by a yellow object, so he couldn't tell what it was.

With a smile of her full red lips, she reached forward and...removed a post-it note stuck to his left eyebrow. "Rough morning?"

"Mike, I'll talk to you later." Eyes trained to her, he set the phone in its cradle and tried to recall the basics of oxygen exchange. Damn, but she was beautiful. Perhaps one day he'd not feel like he'd been sucker-punched in the solar plexus every time he saw her. "Hey."

He winced. He was so articulate he could scream.

"Hi." She hiked her purse higher up her shoulder. "Bad time?"

"No." Any second with her was a good moment. He stood and glanced down the length of her. And choked on his tongue. Knee-high black boots. God save him, that was the ultimate turn-on. "Uh, would you like something to drink? Coffee?"

"No, thank you. I've had enough caffeine to power the island." She glanced around at his small officethe desk littered with paperwork, the shelves housing history books and island zoning codes, and his dead plant on the windowsillthen refocused on him. "You murdered that poor ivy."

He chuckled. "I have a black thumb." Grabbing his coat off his chair, he shoved his arms into the sleeves as his assistant strode into the room, her nose buried in a file.

"Mayor Bridgeport wants a call back on whether you want to do a speech at the Founders Day museum thingy, and the..." Jessica came to an abrupt halt, blinking at Kaida. "Hello. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were with someone. There's nothing on your calendar."

"Kaida, meet Jessica, my assistant. Jessica, this is Kaida Galloway."

Jessica shoved the file under her arm and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you." She straightened. "Hold the phone. Galloway? Any relation to Fiona and Ceara?"

"I'm their sister." Kaida shook his assistant's hand with a warm smile. "I just arrived a few days ago."

"Noooo." Jaw agape, Jessica gasped, then looked at Brady. "Three sisters and three brothers? Methinks an apocalypse is brewing."

He ran his tongue over his teeth. "Someone's been dipping in the church wine."

"This from the man who knows the legendary curse backward, forward, and upside down." Jessica stared at Kaida, tilting her head. "He's only been obsessed with it since birth."

Kaida slid him a smirk, her eyebrows pinged in a silent, oh, really.

"Anyway," Jessica waved her hand, "all joking aside, it's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Six Fates."

"Thank you. I love it so far. Brady's been kind enough to show me around."

"Has he? Interesting, because he prefers chewing glass to hanging out with a Galloway. We'll have to go for drinks sometime. I can give you all the dirt on this one here." Jessica shot a thumb at Brady. "We went to school together."

He cleared his throat, unamused. "Is there a particular reason you stormed my office or are you simply wanting to add to my migraine?"

She grinned, fluffing her short brown strands. "Annoying, my middle name. The contractors called. They're running twenty minutes behind, but they'll meet you at the lighthouse."

"Thanks. And tell Bridgeport no to the speech." He'd rather gnaw off his arm than talk to the mayor today. Lord knew she'd have enough to say on her own at the museum plaque spiel. A few words from him wouldn't be necessary. He glanced at Kaida as he zipped his coat. "Ready to go?"

Since the contractors were running behind and the gray clouds on the horizon were a ways out, they opted to walk the couple blocks to the lighthouse. Ever aware of her presence, he kept glancing at her profile as she took in her surroundings. A boyish instinct to hold her hand made his fingers itch, but he ignored it, breathing damp brine-scented air instead.

They followed a back path past posted signs and stopped at the red carriage door. The lighthouse was closed today for his meeting, but usually it was open to the public from ten to four. He waited until she read the plaque on the sign stating the year of erection and brief history before pulling out his keys.

"I saw it from the ferry coming in. The place is remarkably preserved for being two-hundred years old. Is the fieldstone original?"

Pride filled his chest. "Mostly. There's been a few repairs here and there."

He unlocked the door and strode to the circuit box. A flip of a switch, and wall sconces lit the interior.

The main floor was no more than two-hundred square feet, so when he'd taken over the society, they'd utilized wall space to hang pictures and factual points on his request. Something for tourists to look at besides an empty, dank interior. Most of the cool artifacts were in Six Fates Museum, but a few benches lined the circular room and in the center was the original lighthouse oil lantern that had once drawn sailors home.

"There's a gift shop through here." He unlocked the adjoining door, which had once been a caretaker's cabin. The buzz and whir of florescent overheads hummed, revealing shelves of coffee table books, t-shirt racks, and poster bins. Postcards and plastic models of the lighthouse were beside the register. "Someone from town mans this Monday through Saturday."

She nodded, her gaze everywhere at once. "Very neat. I've never been in a lighthouse before."

Car doors closed outside, followed by muted voices.

"I think the contractors are here." He strode toward the entrance. "Will you be okay for about thirty minutes? After that, I'm yours."

Her grin depleted his brain cells. "Of course. I'll look around. Pretend I'm not here."

Not likely, but he tried hard as he could to listen during his meeting and the tour. Good thing the contractors had drawn up a proposal ahead of time or else he would've been scrambling to remember what they'd discussed. His focus kept drifting back to Kaida as she stopped from plaque to plaque, reading, brushing her fingers over the signs and illustrations.

While he walked the two men out, he rolled the proposal packet, anxious to be alone with her. "I'll take a look at this and discuss it with the Galloways. You should hear from me by Monday."

He locked the door and faced her, but she seemed unaware of his presence while she gazed at the long list of previous caretakers and their dates of service. Stopping beside her, the smell of damp wood, age, and saltwater disappeared, only to be replaced by her rosemary scent.

"What a wonderful thing to do," she said quietly, her voice like a ghost brushing his skin. "A nice homage to those who once lived here."

It had taken a lot of research to hunt up the names, but he was glad he'd extended the effort when he'd taken over the historical society. "I agree. Ready for a private tour?"

He unlatched the gate to the iron circular staircase leading above and held out his hand. "Watch your step. The railing needs replacing."

Setting her warm palm against his, she followed his lead, her gaze on her feet. "Good thing I don't have a fear of heights."

He laughed, but her touch had his heart rate racing and his skin charged. It was all he could do to focus on the tight climb without falling. At the top, he reluctantly slipped his hand from hers and waited while she took in her surroundings.

In the middle of the room, a single stationary lamp framed by lenses sat on a steel skeleton tower. Solar-powered, it would illuminate at dusk. A three-hundred sixty degree panoramic view lay before them from four stories high. To the west was the mainland, shrouded in fog and hugged by the Atlantic. To the east was the island, resembling a replica model due to the elevation.

Kaida was the better view. Tenfold.

"Wow." She strode to the northern glass wall and set her purse by her feet. As if he weren't there, she crossed her arms and kept her back to him, her sole focus the endless expanse of ocean. "Amazing."

Yes, she was. Removing his coat, he took a seat on a bench a few feet behind her and looked his fill.

She had a regal, noble slope to her neck and posture that echoed a dancer. Though slender, hourglass curves detracted from making her fragile in appearance. He was six feet tall, and the top of her head nearly came to his mouth, putting her close to five-nine.

Every characteristic, from her long, wavy strands to her oval face to her cerulean eyes, was familiar. However, it was her presence he'd recognize in pitch blackness. An innate awareness or aura that surrounded her. Color him crazy, but she always felt like a remote extension of himself.

Not bothering to fight the déjà vu sensation, he smiled. "Watching you standing there, it reminds me of all the times I crested the hill to our meadow and found you in the same position by the cliffs."