The Promise of Home (Love Inspired) (16 page)

“I’m not so sure about that. If I were you, I’d steer clear of her.”

“I think it might be a little late for that.” Dev winced as a raindrop splashed against his hand.

“Why?”

“I already agreed to an interview.”

Dev heard a crash. “What was that?”

“You owe me…new coffee mug…bought it…London. What do you mean…agreed…interview?”

Dev was only picking up every second or third word. They were either losing the connection or Talia had started to hyperventilate.

“All Jenna knows is that I live in a cabin and take photographs of fuzzy little creatures.” Dev ignored the snort of disbelief following the abbreviated description of his chosen career. “She’s writing the article for the local newspaper.”

“Until she decides to research her latest subject. You value your privacy and someone like Jenna Gardner would love to have her byline on the ‘where is Dev McGuire now’ story. Do you want someone like her to dig up the past?”

“I don’t have anything to hide.”

Except maybe one thing.

He’d fallen for the girl next door.

Chapter Seventeen

“S
o this is where you’ve been hiding.”

“Caitlin!” Jenna yanked open the door. “What are you doing here?”

Caitlin Walsh grinned. “My hubby has a book signing in Chicago this weekend, so the kids and I are heading up to Cooper’s Landing to spend the weekend with their grandpa. Mirror Lake is only a few miles out of the way, so here we are.”

“I’m glad you stopped by.” Jenna felt tears poke the backs of her eyes. She hadn’t realized how nice it would be to see a familiar face. Jenna had met the image consultant while working together on the magazine’s annual makeover issue and she’d been drawn to the young woman’s drive and commitment.

Over the past year, what had started as a professional relationship had gradually turned into a friendship. The first real one that Jenna had ever had. Although Caitlin was a busy wife and mother, they still found time to meet for lunch once a week.

“Someone had to check up on you.” Caitlin flipped a swatch of dark hair over her shoulder. “I didn’t trust Dawn to give me reliable updates.”

Dawn. Jenna didn’t want to be reminded how her coworker had tried to sabotage her column.

Caitlin’s indigo eyes widened when she looked over Jenna’s shoulder. “I passed an adorable bed-and-breakfast a few miles back and you’re staying here?”

“Logan and Tori have been shuffled around a lot over the past few weeks. I thought it might be better if they stayed in familiar surroundings while we got to know each other better.”

“You’ve got a pretty view of the lake.” Caitlin smiled. “All these trees remind me of Cooper’s Landing.”

“How long can you stay?” Jenna asked.

“If Josh and Brady find out the fish are biting, we might be here all weekend!”

Jenna had met the twins when Caitlin stopped by her office one day. The boys and their sister were from Caitlin’s husband’s first marriage to model Ashleigh Heath, who had died in a plane crash. He’d been raising the children on his own when he’d met Caitlin through, of all things,
Twin City Trends
annual makeover contest. Caitlin’s new daughter, who’d been twelve at the time, had submitted an application without her father knowing about it and brought Caitlin, the image consultant who judged the contest, to their front door.

Jenna followed her friend outside. All the children had gathered at the edge of the water to admire Logan’s crayfish—Tori had named him Eddie—which had been transported to a comfortable new home in an old minnow trap.

In the few minutes since their arrival, the children had already gotten acquainted. Josh and Brady had already kicked off their Nikes and were wading in the shallow water, helping Logan find a friend for Eddie.

“You have a great family,” Jenna murmured as they made their way back to the cabin.

“So do you.”

They might be Jenna’s family…but they were Shelly’s children. In the end, Jenna knew that her sister would have the final say when it came to Tori and Logan’s future. Their last conversation had left Jenna feeling unsettled as to whether she would make the right one.

“Shelly will be home soon.”

Caitlin gave her a thoughtful look. “So what happens after that? You go back to the city? Back to life as you once knew it?”

“I don’t think going back is ever an option,” Jenna said slowly. “I think I’ll be trying to figure out a way to move forward again.” Without Logan and Tori.

Without Dev.

“The kids seem pretty happy here,” Caitlin observed as she settled into a chair on the porch. “And so does their aunt.”

“I’m happy in the city. I’ve got a nice apartment. A career that I love.” Jenna had worked hard for all those things. She loved being independent. Respected. Every week, she gave other young women advice about how to make their mark in the world. How to get noticed.

“Hey! Earth to Jenna!” Caitlin teased. “Where did you go?”

“Sorry. What did you say?”

“I read your blog.”

Jenna shook her head. “Dawn posted that without my knowledge.”

“I thought so. But it was really funny. Different from the way you usually write.”

“Marlene thought so, too. She wants me to write another one.” Jenna told Caitlin about Wes Collins and filling in for Gabby Bunker.

“Off My Rocker?” Caitlin sputtered. “Are you kidding me?”

“It fits, doesn’t it?” Jenna laughed. “But Gabby’s an amazing woman. I hope I have that much pep when I’m eighty years old.”

“So, who does she want you to interview?”

“Believe it or not, my next-door neighbor.”

“Are you—” Caitlin leaned forward in the chair “—blushing?”

“No.”
Was she?

“Is this a male neighbor or a female neighbor?” Caitlin demanded.

“Male.”

“You
are
blushing!”

“It’s eighty degrees,” Jenna pointed out. “And I didn’t set up the interview, Gabby did. She’s been pestering him for years to agree to an interview. He’s a wildlife photographer.”

“And he’s your neighbor. Have you been spending a lot of time together?”

“He invited us over for supper one evening. And he took us on a hike.” And listened to her pour out her heart.

“I’m pretty sure that qualifies as spending time together.”

“The kids kind of brought us together,” Jenna explained before Caitlin got any crazy ideas. “He’s great with them, especially Logan.”

“Mmm.”

“Don’t get any ideas. Dev McGuire is happy in his little cabin on the lake—”

“Dev McGuire?” Caitlin interrupted.

“That’s right.” Jenna saw a change in her friend’s expression. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I knew a Dev McGuire, but it can’t possibly be the same person.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m pretty sure this one wouldn’t be living in a cabin in northern Wisconsin. I volunteered at a charity bachelor auction before you worked at
Trends,
and Dev McGuire was the hot ticket of the evening. He was also the most arrogant man I’ve had the displeasure of working with.” Caitlin shook her head. “He’s the kind of guy who needed to buy two plane tickets when he went on a trip. One for him and one for his ego.”

“Caitlin!”

“It’s true.” Her friend flashed a grin. “The McGuire family still owns the largest construction and design firm in the Twin Cities. The family was country club royalty, and Dev was being groomed to take over the kingdom when his father retired. He would have done a good job. Dev was brilliant and handsome and ambitious.”

“If you like that kind of guy,” Jenna teased.

“Everyone seemed to,” Caitlin said drily. “From what I witnessed, he welcomed the attention. Dev had a reputation as a self-centered player. Pia Thornton, the woman who won the date with him called the auction committee a few weeks later and complained that he’d stood her up.”

“Ouch.”

“He was engaged to a client of mine, Elaina Hammond, but she ended up canceling the wedding about a month before they exchanged vows.”

“What happened?”

“Elaina complained that Dev had changed. At the time I remember wondering why she considered that a bad thing!”

“You’re right. It can’t be the same man,” Jenna said, unable to hide her relief. “My Dev McGuire cares more about who a person is than what they do.”

“
Your
Dev McGuire?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Oh, yes. You did.” Caitlin’s eyes sparkled. “Here I am, trying to set you up with eligible bachelors all over the Twin Cities and you go and fall for the guy next door.”

“That’s ridiculous, Caitlin, I haven’t fallen for anyone! I hardly know him.”

“It sounds to me like you know the important things,” Caitlin said, way too cheerfully for Jenna’s peace of mind. “From the way you described him, the guy is a real sweetheart. Good with kids. Likes animals. Tall, dark and a little mysterious.”

Jenna felt a trickle of unease coast down her spine.

“What happened to Dev McGuire?” she asked slowly. “Does he still live in Minneapolis?”

“I don’t know where he’s living now.” Caitlin toyed with the metal bracelets circling her wrist, a birthday gift from her sister, Meghan. “He dropped off the grid about five years ago.”

Five years. It had to be another coincidence.

“Why?” Ordinarily, Jenna wouldn’t have pushed. Having been the brunt of gossip while growing up, she tended to avoid it. But the troubled expression on Caitlin’s face caused a prickle of alarm to slide down Jenna’s spine.

“You know how people talk.” Her friend shrugged. “It was a rumor, that’s all.”

Jenna leaned forward. “What kind of rumor?”

“That Dev McGuire was responsible for his brother’s death.”

Jenna’s pulse spiked—until she remembered that they weren’t talking about the same man.

“That’s terrible. How—”

“Mom!” Brady clattered onto the porch. “I saw a wolf! It’s
huge.
Gray-and-brown—”

“With a pink collar,” Jenna finished. “Her name is Violet.”

And the dog’s presence could only mean one thing. Dev had returned.

“Cool! I’m going to tell Josh.” Brady took off to find his twin brother.

“Don’t worry.” Jenna saw Caitlin frown. “Violet might be the size of a Volkswagen Bug, but she doesn’t bite.”

“It’s not them I’m worried about.” Caitlin brushed aside her concern with a sweep of her manicured hand. “The boys can be a little overwhelming. They treat every dog they meet as a potential wrestling partner.”

The sharp whistle that pierced the air and fused Jenna to the chair had the opposite effect on Caitlin.

“I guess this means I’m going to meet the guy next door,” she teased, pushing to her feet to get a better look.

Dev had stopped to talk to Logan near the dock. He must have just returned from his trip because he wore the same camouflage fatigues he’d had on the day they’d met. The breeze ruffled his dark hair. He looked tan and fit and gorgeous and now Caitlin was looking at
her.

“Wow.” Caitlin blinked. “For a writer, you definitely need to work on your descriptions,” she whispered to Jenna. “The guy is drop-dead gorgeous. And by the way, you’re blushing again!”

Jenna wished she could deny it but she’d missed Dev the past few days. Worried about him when thunder had rumbled through the clouds and rain hammered the roof during the night.

“Violet’s back!” Logan shouted, as if the two women standing on the porch had somehow missed a dog the size of a compact car.

Dev approached the cabin with his easy, loose-limbed stride. The warm smile he tossed in her direction melted all of Jenna’s misgivings like cotton candy left out in the sun.

“Caitlin, this is my neighbor, Dev McGuire. Dev, my friend, Caitlin Walsh.”

Jenna heard Caitlin draw in a quick breath at the same time she saw Dev’s smile fade.

Judging from the expressions on their faces, the two had already met.

Dev didn’t bother to extend his hand.

The stunning, dark-haired woman standing next to Jenna looked familiar but Dev couldn’t quite remember why.

“I’m sorry—” Dev wasn’t sure for what at the moment, but the flash of dislike in the woman’s deep blue eyes clued him into the fact they’d met in a former life.
His
former life.

“Caitlin. My maiden name was McBride.”

Dev put the first and last name together and came up with the answer. He’d met the image consultant briefly when their paths had crossed during one of
Twin City Trends
charity bachelor auctions.

It shouldn’t have surprised Dev that Caitlin McBride Walsh and Jenna moved in the same social circles. The foundation of the image consultant’s business were women like his mother and Elaina. And Jenna.

“Of course.” Dev nodded. “It’s been a few years.”

Caitlin looked surprised and Dev realized she’d expected him to come down with a swift and convenient form of amnesia.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” she said, her blue eyes as frosty as her tone.

That makes two of us,
Dev thought.

Caitlin linked her arm through Jenna’s and the protective gesture burned its way through Dev, searing his conscience. The woman obviously hadn’t forgotten the way he’d treated Pia Thornton, the young socialite who had won a dinner date with him.

Yeah, you were a real prize back then.

He glanced at Jenna, who looked more than a little bewildered by the exchange. Dev had no doubt Caitlin would fill her in the moment he left. Which he probably shouldn’t delay any longer.

“I’m sorry for intruding.” Dev stepped back and grabbed hold of Violet’s collar, anticipating that his dog would be less than thrilled to be separated from Logan only moments after they’d arrived. “I just wanted to stop by and set up a time for the interview.”

And he’d missed Jenna.