Page 4 of Buck (Diver Downeast #2)

Buck sat in his van, flustered. Mad. Confused.

He’d never expected to see Bobbie today. Hell, he’d never expected to see her, ever again. Whether his family had stayed in touch with her or not, he didn’t know, but they’d made it a point never to mention her name in his presence.

Had Spencer known that Bobbie ran Roberto’s Catering ? Had he set Buck up?

Because if it hadn’t been his brother, that meant…

Yup. Buck sighed, seeing the truth in his encounter. This had Ellen Sothard written all over it.

Buck’s mother couldn’t stand a feud of any kind, and was absolutely the one who would have hired Bobbie’s company to do the wedding. Now that Buck was home for good, she’d want to manipulate circumstances to see if she could somehow get Bobbie and Buck together to mend fences.

Spencer might have been in on it, but Buck tended to think not.

Spence had been at sea for a number of years, just like him, and out of the loop.

Since opting out of the Merchant Marine, Spence had been fixated on his fiancé, Tabbi.

There was very little likelihood Spencer would be looking beyond his own nose at this point in time.

Buck’s fingers itched to call his mother and confront her, but he decided against that. He didn’t want to stir any pots and do anything that might ruin Spencer’s wedding. Still, he could certainly feel out his brother regarding the awkward situation.

As Bobbie’s workers loaded up Buck’s van, he called Spence.

“Hey, bro. You at the caterers?” Spencer questioned before Buck even got out a greeting. “Is everything cool?”

“I am, and it is.” Buck then got straight to the point. “Did you know that Roberto’s Catering should actually be called Roberta’s ?” He dropped the bomb. “It’s owned by Bobbie Follster.”

“Oh… No shit,” Spencer hissed. “Man. I didn’t know. And I sent you there. I’m so sorry. You got blindsided. Fuck. You know Mom has to be…”

“Yeah. Mom,” Buck agreed when Spencer trailed off.

“I don’t know why she thought this would be a good idea, especially with your nuptials going on, but it’s already taken a predictable nose-dive.

Bobbie could hardly look in my direction without baring her teeth.

I hope it doesn’t make things awkward for your wedding. ”

“Buck, it sucks. That’s for sure,” Spencer responded, “but it’ll be fine. Just stay out of the kitchen tonight and tomorrow, and avoid the tent area where she’ll be setting up her steamers and such. I’m sure your paths won’t have to cross again.”

They wouldn’t have to, but…

It was time for a little honesty.

“That’s just it, Spence. Now that I’ve seen her, I want our paths to cross. You know as well as I do that she’s blamed me all these years for what happened. I need to freaking talk to her to straighten things out.”

Spencer coughed. “Uh, bro? I don’t think that’s happening.

If she’s thought the worst of you for fifteen years, one conversation isn’t going to make it all go away.

And why do you care, anyway? It’s not like you’ll have to run into her every day from here on out.

Our business will be based in Hampden, and I assume you’ll want to find a place to live there, just like me and Tabitha, so…

different towns, bro. And as for Mom? We’ll shut her down.

We’ll make sure this is a one-and-done catering gig that Bobbie’s doing for our family. ”

Buck sighed. “You know how it is, Spence. Separate towns, sure, but they’re all small.

The chances of me avoiding her from here on out are practically zero.

We’ll run into each other at the market, at a band concert, at the beach.

It’s going to suck. I can’t live my life like that, worrying that I’ll go around a corner and there she’ll be. ”

“Uh, Buck?” Spencer’s voice sounded tentative.

“Yeah?” Buck responded. “You’ve got something to say, Spence? Spit it out.”

“It’s, um, more like a question,” Spencer hemmed.

“So ask.” Buck was keeping an eye on the goods being loaded into the back, and he figured it would only be a few more minutes before he could leave.

“Do you…still have a thing for Bobbie?”

Dammit. Buck was hoping Spencer wouldn’t go there, because…the jury was out on how he currently felt.

The summer of Buck’s big crush on the dark-haired vixen, however, was indelibly etched in his brain. It had been epic, even though nothing had happened between them. Not one little kiss. He’d had hope, of course. Until he hadn’t any more.

Still, he’d figured that Spencer might have forgotten. He’d only shared his budding feelings for Bobbie with two people; Spence, and their mother, and…

Clearly his mother hadn’t forgotten.

Buck wasn’t sure exactly how to answer Spencer.

Had he been head over heels for Bobbie that last summer in town before the shit had hit the fan?

Yes. Had he thought about her while he was at sea?

Another affirmative. But the memories had faded over time until the thought of her wasn’t a tender spot any more, simply a melancholy bit of brain matter that engaged every now and then to jab him.

The bigger question was, how had he felt upon seeing her again?

Honestly ?

It had been like being hit in the head with a two-by-four. He’d almost been unable to breathe.

Bobbie had been a beautiful and accomplished girl in high school. Cute and smart.

But in her maturity, from what he’d seen today, she was sporting a confidence she’d never exhibited before, and she was positively stunning. Being in charge of her own business looked damned good on her.

Buck let his mind drift, and wondered if her hair was still as long as it had been back then. He hadn’t been able to tell. When Bobbie had faced off with him, her tresses had been up in the ubiquitous hairnet worn by most people in the food service industry.

Buck recalled her locks as being a lush, dark, silky curtain that had cascaded provocatively around her face. He’d touched it every now and then, “accidentally”, but what he’d really wanted to do was wrap his fist around it, tip her head up to his, and kiss her ruby-red lips.

It had never happened.

Buck mentally examined this new picture of her in his head.

The feature of Bobbie’s that hadn’t changed at all, were her eyes.

They were still the vivid blue of twilight; fathomless like the depths of the ocean.

Framed by long, ebony lashes, they had always been so compelling, and still were.

Buck had forever been getting lost in them.

Even now, years later, although there were some slight crow’s feet etching themselves beside those gorgeous orbs—from worry or too much sun, Buck couldn’t tell—he could easily fall into them again.

Fuck. Buck figured that maybe Spencer was guessing correctly. He did still have a thing for Bobbie.

And speaking of Spence, he’d kept his brother on the line far too long. The groom-to-be probably had a million things to do today.

Not that he was going to give Spencer any kind of affirmation regarding his fishing expedition.

“Listen. I’ve got a lot on my mind, and I’ve gotta run,” Buck prevaricated. “The van is all loaded.”

Indeed, a big, burly guy had just closed the back doors and given the chassis an unmistakable good-to-go knock.

“Fine,” Spencer snorted. “Don’t answer my question. But when I get back from my honeymoon and we get to work on our new office again, I’m grilling you for details the minute we’re alone.”

Buck sighed. “I’d expect no less from someone who’s now spending too much time around the fairer sex who likes to ‘share’. Now, go do whatever it is that a pussy-whipped, almost-husband is supposed to do. I’ll see you soon.”

Spencer simply laughed. “I’ll accept any title you want to give me, and put it down to jealousy. You just wish you had a woman like Tabitha, loser.”

Spencer’s teasing , Buck could take. It was better than sharing personal shit, that was for sure.

“Yeah, well you better hang on to her pretty tightly,” Buck warned, tongue-in-cheek. “Once our brothers start sharing childhood stories about your lunatic antics, she might just try to pull a runner.”

“Nuh, uh,” Spencer said confidently. “She loves me, faults and all.”

Buck heard a raised voice in the background.

“Hey, bro,” Spencer cut things short. “I’m wanted for a crisis. See you when you get here. Don’t eat all that food on the way home.”

Spencer hung up, and Buck started the van, pondering one of Spencer’s assertions.

Tabitha loved Spence, faults and all.

Huh.

Even though love had never been declared between Buck and Bobbie back in the day, there’d been a…

closeness. Wasn’t understanding what he’d expected from her?

That once the hammer of blame had landed squarely on him, she’d have at least heard him out before nailing the door shut on what they’d been building?

Yeah. He’d assumed that. Idiot .

But that’s not what had happened.

Instead, he’d gotten run out of town on a proverbial rail. So much for Bobbie giving him the benefit of the doubt and letting him plead his case.

The trip from Bobbie’s business to home was only ten minutes, and when he got there, he realized he didn’t know what to do with all the stuff in his vehicle.

Was he supposed to find willing hands and get it unloaded?

Did some of it need immediate refrigeration?

Did he just park and walk away, hoping Bobbie’s staff would show up soon and take care of it?

Shit . He had two choices.

He could either find his mother and have her take charge, or he could call Bobbie and ask what she wanted him to do.

The former might not be wise, since he was currently harboring a little irritation toward his mother for her busy-body tendencies.

He might go off on her, which would spoil the whole festive mood the compound had going.

The latter choice? Not a viable option, either.

Bobbie would probably just tell him fuck off, and he’d be right back where he started.

Buck looked around and spotted…

Everlee .

His brother Mason’s take-charge wife was helping with table and chair set-up. Mason must be looking after their toddler. She’d know what to do.

Buck opened his door. “Ever,” he called out.

She sent a huge smile in his direction and walked his way.

“What can I do for you, Buck?”

Buck couldn’t have asked for nicer sisters-in-laws. Between Everlee and Rowan, his two older sibs had hit the jackpot.

“I have a van full of stuff from the caterers, and I’m not sure what to do with it.”

“Let me see.” Everlee gestured for him to open his van.

He got out, unlocked the back door, and lifted the tailgate.

She leaned in and took a peek, gently moving a few things around. “It doesn’t look like any of this is perishable. I’d say it’s mostly table-settings and cooking station paraphernalia. You should just leave the back open and let the catering staff deal with it when they get here.”

“Thanks, Ever.” Buck gave her a quick hug before she walked away to take care of her other tasks. He was relieved. He wouldn’t have to cause immediate turmoil with his mother or Bobbie. He’d take that as a win.

Doing as Everlee suggested, he left the hatch ajar, and went inside the house where he hustled upstairs to his room for privacy and to get dressed for the rehearsal dinner.

Tonight’s event was touted “business casual”, which he’d had to look up.

But Buck was happy to see that BC meant pressed chinos and a button-down shirt.

That , he could do. It was bad enough that he’d have to wear a tux on the morrow, without having to dig out some old suit and tie from his closet tonight that absolutely would not fit him.

The last time he’d had his good suit on was…

Yup. There he went again thinking about high school, and graduation, and the couple months following.

He’d had so many plans for himself…as Bobbie also had for her future.

But that was before the summer had gone to crap.

Buck had been accepted at a college in Vermont, and was pumped. He’d be far enough away from his family that he’d no longer be a familiar face in every crowd, but he’d be close enough to the fam that he could visit whenever he wanted.

And he’d wanted that. He was close with his parents and siblings.

Those visits, however, were supposed to also include hanging around with Bobbie and getting to know her, better.

At the time, she still hadn’t decided whether or not she’d be able to attend college, but either way she’d be staying in her hometown.

She’d been accepted to UMaine, Orono, but hadn’t finalized paperwork because she didn’t have the funds necessary for tuition.

She’d saved and saved by working a number of restaurant jobs while in high school.

Starting out by bussing tables, she’d proven herself to be more than capable, so when she was old enough at seventeen to become a server and a bartender, management hadn’t hesitated to elevate her position.

The money had been pretty damned good, but in the end, it still hadn’t been enough, even though the only purchase she’d made during that time had been a very old, very used racing sailboat.

Looking into loans, it seemed that the boat wasn’t collateral enough, and no bank wanted to lend Bobbie money without a parent’s co-signature.

Since hers had both disappeared into the ether a few years earlier, that option was out.

And her two brothers? Useless. Neither one had lifted a finger to help at that juncture.

In the end, her college career had hinged on her winning two sailing competitions that summer. They both offered lucrative purses for first place, and would have allowed her to afford at least her first two semesters.

But that’s when things had gone to hell.

Buck still wasn’t sure exactly what had happened.

Because at the time, instead of being able to get to the bottom of things, he’d been practically tarred and feathered by the townspeople and Bobbie, then hustled out of town.

Not to the college in Vermont he’d set his sights on, to study marine sciences.

Nope . By the time he’d paid restitution to those he’d supposedly wronged, his bank account was dry and his only option besides incarceration—thank you Chief Ildavorg for the choice—had been the military.

He'd signed up with the Coast Guard because his love of the ocean demanded it, and he’d subsequently managed to thrive in that environment.

But now?

Now, he had the time and resources to find out what had really happened back in that fateful summer, and he was damned well going to do some serious digging.

Why?

Because even if he couldn’t change history and have a happily ever after, he might be able to make the undeserved chip on his shoulder a little lighter by finding the parties who were really responsible for derailing his life.