Free Seaside Secrets by Melissa Foster Page A

want, babe. I’ve got to work on the boat at some point, but if we take two cars, I can head home around two and you can hang with Bella if you want.” Pete was refitting a thirty-foot Bristol sailboat. He kissed Jenna’s cheek and whispered something in her ear, causing her to giggle.
    The fire crackled in the breeze. Amy folded her arms across her belly and curled her legs beneath her.  “I was thinking about hitting the beach tomorrow. It’s supposed to be eighty and sunny.” She shifted again beside Tony and pulled her sweatshirt down over her knees.
    “I’m hitting the surf early tomorrow, but thanks, Bella.” Tony saw Amy’s arms press in to her body with a shiver. He gave in to his feelings and did what he would have done if they’d never had the love-you-like-a-friend conversation. He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around hers. She stiffened against him and it felt like a kick to the gut, but he didn’t relent. He held her until she gave in and at least some of the tension in her shoulders eased.
    A few minutes later Bella and Jenna pulled Caden and Pete to their feet.
    “We’re calling it a night,” Jenna said with a mischievous grin aimed at Pete.
    “Us too,” Bella said.
    “We’ll catch you tomorrow, man,” Caden said to Tony.
    “Sure thing.” Tony felt Amy lean forward. “Stay,” he whispered to her, and damn if her body didn’t tense up again. He had to clear the air and save their friendship. He might not be able to be the man she needed, but he sure as hell could be a friend. Even if it killed him.
    After the others left, Tony sat with Amy, trying to figure out how to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled in around them like an unwanted guest.
    “I have to go.” Amy moved from under his arm.
    “Don’t you want to talk about this?” He held her steady gaze as emotions washed over her face. Worry filled her eyes, then morphed to sadness, drawing her lips downward. Her eyes followed.
    “I’m sorry, Amy. I never wanted to hurt you.”
    Amy lifted cold eyes to him. Her mouth closed tight. But her determined mask faded fast, unlike the night in her hotel room, when it had threatened to slaughter him. She was putting on a brave face, and he respected her for it, but of all times, did she have to pick this moment to be strong? He’d selfishly hoped that she’d look at him like she used to and maybe his resolve would melt.
    “You did me a favor.” She rose to her feet. “God, Tony. I could have spent the next ten years pining over you.” She laughed, a sad little laugh that drove his pain even deeper.
    A favor . That’s exactly what he had thought he was doing when he’d told her to take the job, but now he wasn’t so sure. Was he doing himself a favor by making her move so far away that a relationship would be impossible? She might be out of sight, but Amy Maples was never far from his mind. Why did it take the threat of her leaving the country for him to realize how much he didn’t want to lose her?
    “Would it have been so bad to keep liking me?” he said lightly. He rose and draped an arm over her shoulder, intending to walk her home.
    She shrugged him off and took a step away. “Honestly? Yeah, probably.”
    “I’m sorry.” He reached for her hand. “I’ll walk you home.”
    “It’s okay. I need to get used to this.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and headed across the grassy quad toward her cottage.
    He almost wished she’d had too much to drink so he could carry her back to her cottage and put her to bed. How was it possible to miss someone who was right there in front of him? And how could it hurt so much? It hadn’t exactly been easy all these years to keep his feelings for Amy at bay, but it had been doable. He’d dated enough women to satisfy his carnal needs, and Amy had always been right there during the summers, across the gravel road. The possibility of her not being there was beginning to settle in, and it felt wrong