Page 13 of Pirates in Calusa Cove (Everglades Overwatch #2)

CHAPTER 10

The following morning, Keaton opened the door to the coffee shop. He hated leaving Trinity. It didn’t matter that Dawson had made his deputies available, and one of them was standing guard at the house. Or that her father was still there. Or that he was only going to be gone for a short period of time.

Someone had tried to kidnap and kill her, and they would do it again.

But he had promised her he would get up early and bring back her favorite coffee and a freshly baked chocolate croissant. He’d learned a long time ago that the little things mattered, and if this was what it took to make her comfortable, then he’d be happy to do it.

Besides, Hayes and Dawson were meeting him with the latest update.

Not that it would be much since he’d been with them until eleven last night.

He’d watched Hayes drive away with Chloe tucked in the front seat of his truck. She’d had too much to drink and drive. When he’d left to get coffee this morning, Chloe’s vehicle had already been gone. Hayes had texted to say they were picking it up at around five. He suspected they had spent the night together.

Good for Hayes.

But Keaton still worried about his buddy. He wasn’t exactly sure why. Hayes had never been afflicted with the love bug. Women didn’t get under his skin. He liked women, dated them, but he could honestly take them or leave them. He’d always stated he liked being alone too much. He’d never elaborated much past the fact that being one of twelve siblings had made his childhood crowded, and the idea of living with someone gave him the jitters.

He did understand the idea of wanting space. After Petra had died, Keaton had no longer wanted to be attached. He hadn’t wanted to love again. He’d needed to close himself off from that pain to heal.

He no longer felt that way. It frightened him how quickly that had all changed, how utterly vulnerable he had become, and how Trinity consumed his daily thoughts. He tried to tell himself that it was because of what surrounded them, that it was because of the danger.

But he knew better. He knew what was happening to him, and he couldn’t stop it if he tried. Love wasn’t something you controlled. It was something that happened. It didn’t discriminate.

He pushed that thought right out of his mind. It was too soon. He wasn’t falling that hard. He pounded his chest and coughed as he approached the counter. A young girl smiled and took his single coffee and bagel order. He’d return to the counter to get Trinity’s after he sat down with Hayes and Dawson. He wanted to make sure it was hot and fresh when he brought it back.

Again, the little things.

He waited at the far end of the counter, scanning the room, taking in all the people. Old habits died hard, and this one was never going to change.

Dawson and Hayes entered the coffee shop. They waved as they stepped up to the counter and placed their orders.

Keaton snagged his coffee and bagel before finding a table in the back. He sat with his back to the wall, knowing that would piss off both his buddies. It was a running joke between him and all his friends. They all wanted that spot. Well, today it belonged to him.

Dawson and Hayes strolled through the growing crowd. Dawson was decked out in his uniform. He wore it well and proudly. Becoming a cop had been good for Dawson. His contract had been the first to end in the Navy, and he’d gone right into the Police Academy. Plans had already been made for the Everglades Overwatch airboat touring company, and Dawson had been the first to arrive at Calusa Cove.

Dawson loved this town. It was as if he’d been born and raised here, not Upstate New York.

Hayes had taken to it much the same. But Hayes was like a chameleon. He’d fit in anywhere he went.

Calusa Cove was Fletcher’s hometown, and he’d been welcomed back with mostly open arms. The local hero. The man who’d escaped the town had made them proud with an honorable career serving his country, and then he’d returned to a quiet life. He had the respect of everyone—except maybe Baily—though it wasn’t so much that she didn’t respect him as much as she resented their past and what had happened.

Keaton, however, struggled to ground his feet in this sleepy little town. What he’d loved about the Navy was that, even though he was always stationed somewhere and had a home base, he’d never really had a home. Not since Petra had died. Being in Calusa Cove had forced him to calm that inner restlessness, and it hadn’t been easy until he’d allowed his heart to open.

And now, all he could think about was what his future might look like. Something that had never once crossed his mind. Not even when he’d agreed to come here with his friends.

“I’ve got to step outside and make a phone call.” Dawson placed his cup on the table. “Trevor is being interviewed again today, and Anna thinks Trevor might have some insight regarding where Trip’s notebook was hidden.”

“What do you think is in that thing?” Keaton asked.

Dawson arched a brow. “For starters, Trip’s personal thoughts on what happened to Audra’s dad.”

“But Paul and his son confessed to you,” Keaton said.

“His lawyer is trying to say he didn’t. He’s painting quite a different picture of the events that happened when I arrested them.” Dawson ran a hand over his mouth. “While we have them on the drugs and guns, they’re doing their best to cut a deal. Anything to shorten their prison time, gain protection, or get into the witness protection program if they turn completely. I can’t have the latter. They can’t ever be set free. If they are, Audra and I will constantly be looking over our shoulders, wondering if they’re gunning for us.” He sucked in a breath. “But there are other things Anna believes might be in that notebook, and that has my hackles up.” He shook his head. “I get keeping side notes. I do it. But to hide it like Trip did, that I don’t understand. It’s putting people in danger, and technically, it could be criminal.” He waved his cell. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

“Take your time.” Hayes eased into one of the chairs and unwrapped his bagel sandwich. “I’ll fill Keaton in on what we know so far.”

Dawson nodded and slipped out the back door.

“There’s news?” Keaton lifted his coffee and took a long, slow sip of the bitter brew. He needed the caffeine. He’d tossed and turned all night. Besides it being difficult to sleep with Trinity by his side and keep his hands to himself, he’d constantly woken to check his computer and his security cameras. He’d needed to ensure they were safe and that no one was lurking in the shadows. He believed without a shadow of a doubt that whoever sent Warren Harley would send someone else soon.

“Not sure I’d call it news.” Hayes took a massive bite. He chewed and chewed while Keaton sat there, crawling out of skin, waiting for his buddy to finally swallow. Hayes lifted a napkin and wiped his lips. “At a little after four thirty in the morning, Chloe got a call from a friend of hers with the Coast Guard. They boarded a vessel that was moving slowly around the area where Trinity and Mallary were diving. They were suspicious because the boat was using a spotlight, and they circled twice.”

“And what happened?”

“Nothing. The Coast Guard didn’t find anything out of the ordinary, and the captain—a guy by the name of Riggs Oppenheimer—said they had lost a cushion and were looking for it.”

“Seriously?”

Hayes nodded. “When pressed, they showed the Coast Guard where the missing cushion would go, and sure enough, one was gone.”

“Who else was aboard that boat?”

“Two other people, one by the name of Eddy Ives, and the other, Willie Avery. Chloe is going to run the names in every database she can, and she’ll let us know what she finds out.”

“None of those names rings a bell.” Keaton picked at his bagel. His stomach had suddenly soured. “Their story’s lame. Where were they headed? Why were they out there at four in the morning?”

“They said they were anchored north of Marco Island and wanted an early start for crossing to the Bahamas. The seas are expected to kick up later in the day, and they wanted to ensure they missed that.” Hayes raised his hand. “We checked the weather, and that was all true. Not to mention, the Coast Guard followed them for a good distance. They did continue in that direction. They gave Chloe the registration numbers for the vessel. She gave them to me, and now Dawson has them. He’s going to check in with immigration for when they hit the Bahamas as well as when they land back in US waters.”

“If they even make that call.” Keaton leaned back. “Do you know how many boaters don’t bother since there isn’t a port that requires small vessels to report into the States? The guys from the Aegis Network are always telling me that they see boats coming in from a crossing through the Jupiter Inlet, and they know damn well they never did a customs clearance.”

“That’s a major fine if you get caught,” Hayes said. “Either way, Dawson’s got the information, and if they don’t make it to the Bahamas, he’ll know it. Same if they don’t call in with the US Customs. If that happens, we’ll have Chloe call in another favor with the Coast Guard.”

“I’m glad your girlfriend has those kinds of connections.” Keaton raised his coffee and smirked.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Hayes stuffed his mouth with another large bite of his breakfast sandwich and glared.

“Oh, really?” Keaton chuckled. “How is it that you know she got a call at four thirty in the morning?” He arched a brow. “And shortly after that, you drove her to my place to get her standard-issue FBI vehicle.”

Hayes took a gulp of his drink. “I’m not going to answer that question.”

“Did you spend the night at the cabin she rented from Dawson? Or did she stay at your place?”

“This coming from the man who took an entire year to finally get his shit together and ask out the woman he’d been drooling over.” Hayes cocked his head—as if that was going to divert Keaton from the third degree of his buddy’s current love life.

The back door opened, and Dawson zigzagged through the few people milling about, either waiting for their morning jolt or for a table. “I take it Hayes filled you in?”

“He did.” Keaton nodded. “But now he won’t give me the scoop on where he and Chloe slept last night.”

Dawson sat down, tossed his head back, and laughed. “I can answer that.”

“Shut up,” Hayes mumbled.

“I don’t see what the big deal is.” Dawson set his phone on the table. “It’s not like we all don’t know you’ve got the hots for her. So what if you crashed at the cabin? We’re not judging you for that. Just the fact that you’re being unusually coy about it—even for you.”

Hayes narrowed his eyes. “Maybe she doesn’t want all of you—or this town—gossiping about her. She is a federal agent, and she has a job to do. The last thing she needs is people spreading rumors.” It was rare that Hayes ever got defensive about a girl. The last time had been about eight years ago when he’d dated someone a little bit on the older side. She’d been only ten years his senior, but since they were all ballbusters, they’d enjoyed giving him shit about it. They probably shouldn’t have and realized too late just how much Hayes had liked that one.

But it was never going to last.

She’d had a kid, and that was breaking a major cardinal rule in Hayes’s book. He didn’t do kids. He liked them. He had lots of nieces and nephews, and that was one of the reasons—probably the only one so far as the boys could tell—that had him going home to visit his family. When he showed any pictures of his family, it was of those cute little buggers. Not of his siblings. Or of his parents. Just the youngsters and their activities.

Dawson rested his forearms on the table. “No one is gossiping,” he said in that kind, soft, older brother tone he got when he was trying to diffuse a potential argument. Not that this was where the conversation was headed. But Dawson had always been the man on the team who spoke the voice of reason. The one who kept them on task. Fletcher was always right behind him. While Keaton, Hayes, and Ken had tended to rush to action, those two were more thoughtful. More likely to pause and assess.

It’s what made their team so special. So unique. They had a good balance, and most importantly, they trusted each other.

“What you fail to understand is how different you are about Chloe,” Dawson said.

“I can’t figure out if it was the challenge of her constantly turning you down or if she’s the first woman to actually get under your skin.” Keaton studied Hayes’s facial expressions. The man generally had two modes. The happy-go-lucky guy or the guy who sprang into action when the shit hit the fan. Becoming a firefighter had been an interesting choice, but also an obvious one. He got to serve—and run into danger.

Plus, he got to take time off, kick back, relax, and do absolutely nothing for a few days. He’d always enjoyed his time off, whereas Keaton wasn’t built that way. Keaton was still struggling to learn to be a turtle, as Fletcher put it.

“Chloe’s not a challenge.” Hayes’s face hardened. His brow furrowed. His lips drew into a tight line.

Well, crap.

Keaton hadn’t meant to insult his friend, but now he had his answer. He held up his hand. “All I meant was that you’re the kind of man who generally takes rejection well. When it happens, you move on.”

Hayes sighed, leaning back in the chair. “For the record, she never flat-out rejected me. Her life is her career. I respect that. And no, she hasn’t gotten under my skin. Not like you think. But yeah, I do like her, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I just hate it when you all start psychoanalyzing my love life.”

“Can I ask you a question about all this without you jumping down my throat?” Dawson didn’t wait for a response. “We’ve been best friends for a long time. We’ve been through a lot together—botched missions, injuries, and the deaths of more than one brother-in-arms. We were captured and tortured—together—and our lives were forever changed when Ken died.”

“Get to the question,” Hayes interjected.

“We have never pushed. Never judged. Never questioned. But in all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you this preoccupied about a woman. Not even Betsy, whom we all know you really liked. Outside of the fact that your family is massive, with religious beliefs that you don’t share, and the fact that you don’t want kids, which is fair, what is your aversion to being in a committed relationship? ”

“Do I have to have a big, profound reason?” Hayes folded his arms.

“No, but most people have one.” Keaton certainly carried an emotional trauma that had closed him off from being able to make connections with the opposite sex.

“It’s not very complicated.” Hayes uncrossed his arms and rubbed his thighs.

Keaton held his breath, hanging on every word.

“You know, I was six when my twin died.” Hayes ran his fingers through his hair. He didn’t talk about his twin often. It had been something that had shaped his childhood and his relationship with his family.

But Keaton would have never guessed it could have been something that would have shaped his relationships with women.

“My parents didn’t believe in vaccines. My family still doesn’t. It’s all part of their crazy religion. My brother died of a disease that a shot could’ve prevented. I got sick with the same thing, but I survived.”

Keaton had heard this all before. However, he wasn’t about to stop his friend. If he needed to retell it to get to the root of his issues, he’d listen.

“My folks didn’t even take us to the hospital. They had the neighbors come over to pray at our bedsides. I watched my twin die, and all my folks had to say about that was two things.” He wiggled his fingers. “That God had called for him. That God loved him so much that he wanted him in heaven. And that I didn’t pray hard enough for my twin. That I must’ve prayed only for myself. ”

That last part, Keaton had never heard. “Jesus, I’m sorry, man. That’s a horrible thing to say to a child.”

“When Max died, it was as if my better half died right along with him,” Hayes said softly. “For years, I was told that the devil must’ve slithered its way inside me. I would have random people pray over me in the streets. It was so messed up, and it screwed with my head for a long time. To be honest, sometimes, it still does because during those prayer sessions, someone inevitably reminds me that Max was the good twin, and I was the bad twin.” He raised his hand. “Logically, I know that’s not true. But the little boy in me will never be able to erase those memories.”

“I can’t even imagine what that was like for you,” Dawson agreed.

“I’m not done yet,” Hayes said. “When I was seventeen, there was this girl at school. She was so pretty and so sweet, and she had eyes for me. I thought I was the luckiest boy in school. We started dating—if you could call it that. I’d go to her house and sit on her porch, with her father watching, because in that crazy, backward town, if you even kissed, you were going to hell. But I followed the rules. We were finally given permission to go on unsupervised walks. I got to steal my first kiss.”

Keaton expected Hayes to smile at the memory, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked as if he’d swallowed a lemon.

“I was falling in love with that girl, and I thought she felt the same,” Hayes said softly. “I told her all about my plans to leave and join the Navy and how I wanted her to come with me. I had already secretly gotten all my vaccines. I had done so much without my parents’ knowledge, and you know what she did?”

“Told your folks?” Keaton asked.

Hayes nodded. “What a shit show that became. But I turned eighteen the next month. I left that place, and I didn’t look back. I didn’t speak to my parents for two years. The only reason I do now is that some of my siblings have a more tolerant viewpoint. I see my nieces and nephews on some holidays. I forgive them for their insanity. My parents were born into that church. They don’t know any different. And to be fair, they’re trying, but they’re getting up there in years, and I doubt they’ll change their ways now.”

“I get those years were messed up and how hard that was for you,” Dawson said. “But that girl, she was a long time ago. I don’t understand why her betrayal is keeping you from finding love. It’s not a horrible thing, you know.”

“Never said it was.” Hayes lifted his chin. “And it wasn’t just her. Shortly after boot camp, I got involved with another girl. She lied to me. She told me she was pregnant when she wasn’t.” Hayes shrugged. “After that, I decided to make the Navy my focus. I went right into SEAL training. I met all of you. Ken and Julie’s relationship always seemed so weird to me. Something wasn’t quite right with that.”

“You’ve said that before, and outside of her not really fitting in with us and being possessive over him, I’m not sure I saw the same thing,” Dawson said.

“Maybe it was simply the possessiveness. I don’t like that. It’s why I adore Audra. She’s a strong, confident woman, and you have mutual respect and trust,” Hayes said. “Julie treated Ken like a puppet, and she was his master sometimes. I didn’t much care for how controlling her family was of them.” He crooked his finger. “I loved Petra. She was great. However, I don’t want you to get pissed at me for saying this because I always thought the two of you had a great relationship, but her dad meddled in it, and you let him.”

“I know I did.” Keaton nodded. “It was hard not to. He was such a huge part of why she was the way she was, and there wasn’t much I could do about it.”

“Trinity’s good for you,” Hayes said. “If you can get your head out of your ass and stop barking orders at her.”

Keaton chuckled, shaking his head. “You are so good at taking the focus off yourself and putting it on others.”

Hayes nodded. “My point is that when I decided to focus solely on my career, women didn’t fit into my life. I didn’t want the ties that went with them. I didn’t want to think about them when I was deployed. I didn’t want a picture in my wallet or someone to worry about if I didn’t make it home. It’s hard enough to have a big family that doesn’t care all that much about what happens to me.” He lowered his chin. “I’m not bitter. I’m not lonely. I have everything I need in the family I chose. The Navy—being a SEAL—gave me more purpose than anything my previous life could’ve ever offered me. It also allowed me to accept the death of my twin in a meaningful way so that survivor’s guilt didn’t eat me alive. But now that I’m out and living here in Calusa Cove with you misfits, life is very different. It’s slower, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing because I love it here. However, I’m not blind as to what’s going on around me.” He pointed to Dawson. “You’re going to get married soon, and don’t say you’re not.” He turned his attention to Keaton. “You’re falling hard for Trinity, and if you deny it, I’ll kick your ass. And Fletcher, well, we came back in part so he could win back the love of his life.”

“What are you trying to say?” Dawson asked. “Because you’re rambling like I’ve never heard before.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about Max lately. We were only six when he died, but he and I were everything to each other. I do know he’s part of why I’ve chosen to live my life this way, and I’m okay with that. It’s just hard when everything is changing around me,” Hayes said. “But you’re right. I do like Chloe. She’s smart, sexy, fun, and, believe it or not, she has a wicked sense of humor. This might make me sound like a total asshole, but because she doesn’t live in Calusa Cove, that makes a relationship even more appealing. We’re ships passing in the night. We can see each other without massive strings attached.”

“That doesn’t make you sound like a dick,” Keaton said. “But it does make you sound a lot like the old me.” He laughed. “One of my many tricks to not fall in love, get attached, and have some perfectly worthy girl steal my heart.”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a romantic sap?” Hayes chuckled. “Are you boys satisfied now? Can we drop the subject of my love life? Will you stop picking on me and leave Chloe alone? ”

“Absolutely not,” Dawson said. “What fun would that be? Besides, have you stopped busting my ass about Audra?”

“Speaking of her… Were you ever going to tell us about ring shopping?” Keaton shifted his gaze. “Seriously, dude. When do you plan on popping the question?”

Dawson smiled like a big kid. “Last night.”

“You dirty dog.” Hayes crumpled up his napkin and tossed it at Dawson. “Why didn’t you say anything when I saw you this morning?”

“Because we got talking about other things, but I’m telling you now.” Dawson puffed out his chest.

“I have to know,” Keaton said. “How’d you do it? Did you fumble it all up? Or did you do it right?”

Dawson smacked his hand on his forehead. “She found the ring in the glove box on the ride home. She slipped it on her finger and informed me that she wasn’t wearing a white dress. That she wasn’t wearing a dress at all. That she wanted to have a small ceremony, just friends, with the justice of the peace, maybe at Mitchell's Marina.”

“That sounds like Audra.” Keaton slapped Dawson on the back. “Congratulations, man. That’s awesome, even if it’s the worst proposal I’ve ever heard.” He glanced at his watch. “I better get going. I don’t like leaving Trinity this long.” He stood. “I’ll see you all later. Thanks for everything.”

“Watch your back, and call if you need anything,” Dawson said.

“I will.” He approached the counter to order Trinity’s coffee and food. For the first time in a long while, Keaton had someone other than his friends and Foster to care about. Someone else to think about. To consider.

It added a little spring to his step. It supercharged the blood in his veins.

And it utterly terrified him.