The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 1)

“How’s Helena’s mom?” I said as a hello.

“The same as she was yesterday. She hasn’t gotten any worse so that’s a good sign, I guess.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“You could tell me why you’re really calling.”

I rolled my eyes at the amusement in his voice. He knew me too well. “I really am concerned about your mother-in-law.”

“I know that. But I also know when your voice gets all high and twitchy like that, you’re worrying about something.”

“Is my life empty?”

“Sweetheart,” he replied.

And everything was in that one word.

Jesus Christ, Matthew thought my life was empty.

He would. In comparison to his it was. He was an architect and passionate about it; he had Helena, who he was in rapture over (still!); and he had his little girl, Perry, who he adored. And it wasn’t hard to adore her since she was the coolest, most awesome thing that had existed since Jimmy Stewart! Of course my life would look empty next to Matthew’s.

“You need that vacation, Jess. That’s all I’m going to say. Get away from that prison, that apartment, and that idiot you’re screwing around with.”

“Get a little perspective?”

“Exactly,” Matthew said. “Helena and I were in Hawaii last year and it was amazing. You’d love it there.”

“Hawaii.” I tried to picture myself lying on a beach, drinking cocktails for a few weeks.

“There are some nice treks in Honolulu. Water sports. Deep-sea diving. More to it than cocktails by the pool.”

But even so, Hawaii didn’t feel right. “I don’t think so.”

“Okay, so where do you feel like going?”

Honestly, the whole idea of taking a vacation to get perspective on my life scared me a little. What if I found perspective and realized I really did hate my entire life? That would suck, black-hole-style. And who needed to deal with a black hole, right?

“Jess?”

“Hartwell,” I blurted out. “I’m going to Hartwell.”

“Hartwhat now?”

“Hartwell. It’s a boardwalk town here in Delaware.”

“How adventurous of you.”

“I’ll have you know that it is an exciting place to be.”

“It’s Delaware, honey. The same state you live and work in. If it was an adventure it would be Hawaii or the jungles of South America.”

“You’re lucky I love you, you condescending ass.”

“You’re lucky I love you, you pain in the ass.”

At the sound of his warm laughter, I felt better than I had since I’d found Sarah’s letters.

FOUR

Cooper

Hartwell, Delaware

“It’s your alternator, Ayd,” Cooper said, staring down into the engine and pretending he couldn’t feel his sister’s best friend’s breasts pressed up against his back.

“Really?” she said breathily. “And what about that squealing noise it was making before it died?”

“Drive belt needs to be replaced probably.” He pulled back, taking a step away from her.

Aydan was a good-looking woman, but Cooper had a rule. He didn’t fuck a woman who would care if he didn’t call her again. He especially wasn’t going to mess around with Cat’s best friend. Not only because he didn’t want to piss off his sister but also because Aydan was vulnerable. Her husband had run off a year before, leaving her alone with her teenage daughter, Angela. She was struggling to make ends meet, which was why he’d said he’d fix her car so she didn’t have to pay the local garage to do it.

But Cooper knew from Cat that Aydan was also looking for a stable man in her life.

Cooper wasn’t that guy.

For now, he was steering clear of relationships.

Despite the fact that they lived in a small town and everybody knew Cooper wasn’t interested in settling down again, Aydan seemed to be testing his position.

When he’d turned up at her place to tow the car to the large shed he owned on the outskirts of Hartwell, he’d known something was up right away. It was the short jean skirt, tight tank top, and high red heels she was wearing.

Aydan usually dressed for comfort. He’d only ever seen her in a skirt and heels when she was on the prowl with Cat when they were younger.

Shit.

“I really appreciate you doing this, Coop,” Aydan said, closing the distance between them again. She ran her fingertips down his bare arm. “Maybe I could have you over for dinner to say thanks.”

Shit.

“Sure. You, me, Angela, Cat, and Joey.” He said, deliberately mentioning her kid and his nephew. “A family dinner sounds good.”

Her face fell. “Well, I was thinking—”

“It shouldn’t take me too long to get the parts for your car. As soon as they arrive, I’ll make time, get it fixed up for you. For now I’ve got to get the bar open. I’ll give you a ride back into town.”

He went to move past her, but she grabbed his wrist. “Coop . . . I’d really like to have you over for dinner. Just you. Angela is staying with friends next weekend.”

Ah, hell.

She was staring up at him with those pretty blue eyes as if he could hand her the world with just one word, and it made him feel like the biggest asshole for not giving her what she wanted. She deserved a good guy in her life. Cooper just wasn’t the guy. He reached out and brushed her soft cheek with his thumb. “If you were anyone else but my sister’s best friend, I’d be over to your house for dinner in a heartbeat.” o;How’s Helena’s mom?” I said as a hello.

“The same as she was yesterday. She hasn’t gotten any worse so that’s a good sign, I guess.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“You could tell me why you’re really calling.”

I rolled my eyes at the amusement in his voice. He knew me too well. “I really am concerned about your mother-in-law.”

“I know that. But I also know when your voice gets all high and twitchy like that, you’re worrying about something.”

“Is my life empty?”

“Sweetheart,” he replied.

And everything was in that one word.

Jesus Christ, Matthew thought my life was empty.

He would. In comparison to his it was. He was an architect and passionate about it; he had Helena, who he was in rapture over (still!); and he had his little girl, Perry, who he adored. And it wasn’t hard to adore her since she was the coolest, most awesome thing that had existed since Jimmy Stewart! Of course my life would look empty next to Matthew’s.

“You need that vacation, Jess. That’s all I’m going to say. Get away from that prison, that apartment, and that idiot you’re screwing around with.”

“Get a little perspective?”

“Exactly,” Matthew said. “Helena and I were in Hawaii last year and it was amazing. You’d love it there.”

“Hawaii.” I tried to picture myself lying on a beach, drinking cocktails for a few weeks.

“There are some nice treks in Honolulu. Water sports. Deep-sea diving. More to it than cocktails by the pool.”

But even so, Hawaii didn’t feel right. “I don’t think so.”

“Okay, so where do you feel like going?”

Honestly, the whole idea of taking a vacation to get perspective on my life scared me a little. What if I found perspective and realized I really did hate my entire life? That would suck, black-hole-style. And who needed to deal with a black hole, right?

“Jess?”

“Hartwell,” I blurted out. “I’m going to Hartwell.”

“Hartwhat now?”

“Hartwell. It’s a boardwalk town here in Delaware.”

“How adventurous of you.”

“I’ll have you know that it is an exciting place to be.”

“It’s Delaware, honey. The same state you live and work in. If it was an adventure it would be Hawaii or the jungles of South America.”

“You’re lucky I love you, you condescending ass.”

“You’re lucky I love you, you pain in the ass.”

At the sound of his warm laughter, I felt better than I had since I’d found Sarah’s letters.

FOUR

Cooper

Hartwell, Delaware

“It’s your alternator, Ayd,” Cooper said, staring down into the engine and pretending he couldn’t feel his sister’s best friend’s breasts pressed up against his back.

“Really?” she said breathily. “And what about that squealing noise it was making before it died?”

“Drive belt needs to be replaced probably.” He pulled back, taking a step away from her.

Aydan was a good-looking woman, but Cooper had a rule. He didn’t fuck a woman who would care if he didn’t call her again. He especially wasn’t going to mess around with Cat’s best friend. Not only because he didn’t want to piss off his sister but also because Aydan was vulnerable. Her husband had run off a year before, leaving her alone with her teenage daughter, Angela. She was struggling to make ends meet, which was why he’d said he’d fix her car so she didn’t have to pay the local garage to do it.

But Cooper knew from Cat that Aydan was also looking for a stable man in her life.

Cooper wasn’t that guy.

For now, he was steering clear of relationships.

Despite the fact that they lived in a small town and everybody knew Cooper wasn’t interested in settling down again, Aydan seemed to be testing his position.

When he’d turned up at her place to tow the car to the large shed he owned on the outskirts of Hartwell, he’d known something was up right away. It was the short jean skirt, tight tank top, and high red heels she was wearing.

Aydan usually dressed for comfort. He’d only ever seen her in a skirt and heels when she was on the prowl with Cat when they were younger.

Shit.

“I really appreciate you doing this, Coop,” Aydan said, closing the distance between them again. She ran her fingertips down his bare arm. “Maybe I could have you over for dinner to say thanks.”

Shit.

“Sure. You, me, Angela, Cat, and Joey.” He said, deliberately mentioning her kid and his nephew. “A family dinner sounds good.”

Her face fell. “Well, I was thinking—”

“It shouldn’t take me too long to get the parts for your car. As soon as they arrive, I’ll make time, get it fixed up for you. For now I’ve got to get the bar open. I’ll give you a ride back into town.”

He went to move past her, but she grabbed his wrist. “Coop . . . I’d really like to have you over for dinner. Just you. Angela is staying with friends next weekend.”

Ah, hell.

She was staring up at him with those pretty blue eyes as if he could hand her the world with just one word, and it made him feel like the biggest asshole for not giving her what she wanted. She deserved a good guy in her life. Cooper just wasn’t the guy. He reached out and brushed her soft cheek with his thumb. “If you were anyone else but my sister’s best friend, I’d be over to your house for dinner in a heartbeat.”