Page 52 of To Steal a Heart
“Back to your beau.” Grandmother peered over her glasses at Arden. “It’s nice to see that you finally found your match.”
Arden’s jaw hit the ground. Grandmother was approving of Crew? Wow! It was surprising how much Grandmother’s approval actually meant to her. She’d not realized it until this very moment. “Thanks,” she murmured.
Grandmother smirked. “Don’t thank me. I was just making a simple statement of fact.”
One step forward and ten steps back. That’s how it was with Grandmother. A person could never win. “On that note, I’ll be back shortly,” Arden snipped as she traipsed off to find Crew. She went to the area where Forge had jutted his thumb but didn’t see him at first. Then, she spotted him on the sand. Removing her heels and depositing them on the grass, she stepped onto the sand, welcoming the soft warmth that blanketed her feet as she padded over to get to him. The sky was inky blue, with only the faintest tendrils of pink remaining from the sunset. Arden soaked in the steady roar of the crashing waves. The white caps reminded her of hands trying to scoop up a fistful of sand every time the waves met the shoreline. The isolation of the beach was a welcome respite after the claustrophobic commotion of the party. Out here with a front seat to the forces of nature, she could almost make herself believe that she was home on Honeysuckle Island. The balmy wind whipped her clothes and slapped hair into her face. Crew paced back and forth across the sand. His jaw was razor sharp as his hand went to his forehead.
“No!” He exploded. “You can’t do this. That was never part of the agreement.” He swore, throwing a hand into the air.
His raw fury was both awe-inspiring and a touch scary. Crew had the passion of a thousand men. She paused, unsure if she should make her presence known. At the same instant, the thought flitted through her mind, Crew noticed her. She stepped up and touched his arm, wishing she could hear what the other person was saying. The vein on the side of his neck protruded like a rope, and his face was crimson.
“Yep!” he barked. “Got it.” He was a defiant warrior, facing down the enemy. Although she had no idea what enemy he was facing.
He ended the call with a harsh clip of laughter.
“What’s wrong?” she prompted, her stomach tightening. Going off of Crew’s furor, whatever was going on had to be bad.
He turned to her, a tight smile wrapping his lips. “Trouble at work.”
Relief spritzed through her. Thank goodness it was only work! Her first inclination was to pepper him with questions, but she sensed that she needed to hold back and give him space to talk. So, she did something uncharacteristic for her. She clamped her lips shut and waited.
“One of the sub-contractors had a run-in with the homeowner. The workmanship of the quartz that was installed in the kitchen is shoddy. The homeowner wants it redone, and the contractor is refusing.” He scrubbed a hand over his chin as he shoved his phone into his pocket. “The whole thing is ridiculous,” he muttered.
“What recourse do you have?”
His body was pulled taut—a panther ready to pounce. “I’ll hold their feet to the fire,” he raged.
Arden was impressed with how much pride Crew took in his work. Also, she was surprised that he was getting so heated over the situation. Sure, it sounded frustrating, but nothing to blow his cork over. “Did you tell the sub-contractor that he won’t get paid unless he fixes the problem?”
He pushed out a long breath. “That’ll be my next conversation.” His face relaxed as he offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“No worries.” A corner of her lips lifted. “It’s just nice to know that I’m not the only one with a wicked temper.”
He winced. “I try to keep a tight hold on it.” He let out a heavy breath. “Sometimes it gets the best of me.”
“Well, you’re in good company.”
They shared a look of understanding. Grandmother was right. Arden had finally met her match.
“How’s Naomi?”
She smiled, thinking of Naomi’s pudgy little arms and dark ringlets. “Adorable. I’m excited for you to meet her tomorrow.” Something in Crew’s expression shifted, causing her heart to clutch. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He gave her a reassuring smile, but she got the feeling that he was holding something back. The wall between them scared her. It would come up so suddenly at the oddest times. She got the gut-wrenching feeling that Crew was slipping away. Stepping directly in front of him, she reached up and cupped his cheeks with her palms.
She would fight for them with everything that she had in her. No way was she letting him get away. “Are you sure everything’s okay?” She peered deeply into his eyes, hoping to discover something that would give her another clue into the inner workings of Crew’s mind.
“I’ll be fine. I promise.” He threw her a cavalier grin. His way of whitewashing the angst. He was only giving her a part of himself, but at least he was trying. It was enough … for now.
When she lowered her hands, he enfolded them in his. She loved the warmth of his strong hands. The innermost feelings of her heart rose to the surface and bubbled from her lips. Her eyes misted. “I hope you know how much it means to me that you came here.” Her voice hitched. “Crew Bronson, you are a tremendous blessing in my life. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, but I thank God above that he brought you into my life.”
His eyes shimmered. “I love you,” he murmured with choked emotion and then chuckled. “This is a first.”
“What?”
“I didn’t realize that I was capable of feeling so much for one person. Thank you,” he uttered softly. “I had no idea how wonderful love could be.”
She savored his words, reveling in the depth of emotion they elicited. Tonight was a night for truth. A night for them to bare their souls to the silent witness of the fathomless ocean and endless sky. “Me neither.” They shared a tender, intimate smile, and she felt Crew come back to her in that moment. She exulted in the knowledge that while she still had much to learn about him, she did know the essence of the man, and her heart proclaimed that he was her equal in every way—the thrilling remedy to the ache of her soul.