It took a few days, but Will finally resurfaced and took Kennedy to spend a Saturday at the beach near Owen’s house. They swam for a while then laid out blankets on the sand. The sun’s rays and the steady crash of the waves created a kind of bubble around her, keeping the world out and dulling her thoughts until she faded into a contented doze. Will gave her a nudge after too long and she set up the umbrella to save her fair skin. Will continued to sit on the sand, looking out over the water, unable or unwilling to let the song of sun and ocean save him from his thoughts.

In the afternoon they made their way back to the beach house and a deep feeling of contentment filled her. Her worries were curbed, the problems pushed off into the future. For the first time in a while, she was existing in that moment. She loved the feel of the sandy pavement under her feet as they walked. The breeze in her hair, snatching at her clothes, the sun still warming her, all her senses were present and accounted for. She hesitated at the steps of the house, wanting that feeling to last.

Will had given her the tour of Owen’s beach house when she first arrived. It was a modern house with a huge deck wrapped around the first story. The interior was clean lines, glass and steel. It centered on a view of the beach through sliding glass doors out onto the deck. She had one brief, wistful moment when she thought of how her mother would have loved this house, it was just her taste. She used to talk about renting a place on the beach for a week, but they had never gotten around to it.

Kennedy headed out to the balcony to lay out her towel to dry. For a minute, she stood at the railing, closing her eyes, letting the wind blow through her hair. The pang of grief she’d registered at the thought of her mother rose up to choke her, but she let it lose instead, giving her heart permission to feel the sharp regret and then let it fade until it was gone. She headed back inside to the trestle table in front of the sliders where Will was sitting, drinking from a water bottle and seemingly lost in thought.

“How long are you going to stay here?” She asked him.

            “Oh, I have no idea. Until my head is on straight?”

“Isn’t it harder to get to work from here?”

            “Yeah, everything is harder from here. I understand why Owen keeps that apartment, this house is cool, but it really isn’t practical.”

“Where is he anyway?”

            “Meeting with some guy about that Elm St. thing.”

The reminder of the project was a bucket of cold water spilled over her psyche. The planning board meeting was rapidly approaching. Mrs. Hughes was all set to go and didn’t think she’d even have to show to win. Last week she’d hinted it was in the bag. She knew four of the nine board members personally and one had said that they were unlikely to approve anything Caldwell Construction came to them with.

The board wasn’t happy with the apartment block, The Cottages, Owen’s company had built on the west end of town. They were low and middle income units and the neighbors nearby stated Caldwell had lowered property values and increased traffic on their streets. The planning board had enough new members on it who felt the same way. They didn’t want another development from Caldwell, even if this one was huge homes guaranteed to raise property values and tax incomes for the town. Caldwell needed to learn a lesson.

Kennedy was conflicted. When she’d heard that she wanted to call him and tell him, but there was no way to do it without betraying Mrs. Hughes and giving him the wrong idea while she was at it. She was a whole lot more fond of Owen now than when they first met, but she still didn’t plan on being more than acquaintances. She didn’t want him to think that she was making some kind of overture. But, that did nothing for her conscious who was telling her that she was about to let the man walk into a firing squad.

Kennedy looked over at Will. She was a bit worried about him as well. He and Ella had the same look – pained. It was a puzzle, why neither of them would even try to reconcile when they both were clearly hurting. “Can I say something?” she asked Will. “And not have you get mad or freak out?”

He nodded.

“It’s sort of the same thing I told her. She still loves you. I can see it. She is a mess, you are a mess. Why?”

 “She was the one to end it…” his voice was quiet and Kennedy almost regretted saying anything because he sounded so sad. “It wasn’t all her fault though. I screwed up. Ella’s got this temper. I think you’re probably familiar. We had a fight one night, and she walked away. It wasn’t three strikes with her, just .one and I was done.” Will looked into the distance while Kennedy waited for him to go on. “Honey, I love you to pieces, but I can’t talk about this. It’s like a knife in my guts. I’m sorry.” Walking to the table she laid her hand on his shoulder, not knowing what else to do. He stayed seated and wrapped his arms around her waist.

*******************************

Owen drove up to the beach house and parked around back as usual. He walked toward the steps and stopped in his tracks. There she was, Kennedy, standing on his balcony, looking like she belonged there. She had her eyes closed and the wind was blowing her hair around her. She was barefoot and had on some sort of short dress that he guessed was a bathing suit cover up thing. Obviously she’d been to the beach with Will. Now she stood with her face turned into the wind. He knew how that felt. He had stood on that balcony a dozen times and had done the same thing when he wanted the roar of the wind in his ears to block out his thoughts.

He didn’t disturb her, taking the side stairs instead, he took his time stowing his gear before heading up. He didn’t mind Will bringing Kennedy here, but he wasn’t sure he was in a good space to see her. His heart thought now was as good time as any to waltz right in there and try to sweep her off her feet, but his brain knew how awkward this was. After making a meal out of putting his things away, he walked in through the side door. Will was sitting at the table and he had his arms wrapped around Kennedy’s waist as she stood beside him. Owen felt like someone had punched him in the gut. A fire born of jealousy lit in his chest, fierce and unmistakable. He wanted to cross the room, pick Will up and hurl him through door. But he paused long enough for his brain to start functioning again.

Kennedy was not with Will, they were not together. More likely she had come in from the balcony and found him moping at the table and was trying to be nice. As if she could sense him thinking about her, she looked up. Their eyes met across the room. She gave him a sad smile that was all the answer he needed. Owen felt himself exhale in relief as Will slowly let her go and put his face in his hands. She nodded down at Will as if tagging Owen in before stepping back out onto the balcony again. When Owen shut the door behind him Will looked up and kind of shook himself.

“Kennedy’s here.” Will got up from the table.

            “I saw.” As soon as those two words were out of his mouth he regretted it. He could hear the emotion in them and it was doubtful Will would have missed it.

Will was silent for a few seconds and then said “You know, the only good part about you pining for her? I finally get a little revenge.” And he laughed.

Owen was glad Will had found his sense of humor, but he didn’t love being the subject of it. At least Will wasn’t in as much of a funk as he suspected.

Kennedy came back in from the deck folding up her towel and gave him a sweet smile. He thought that of all the women he knew, she was entirely genuine. She was herself, all the time. She didn’t guard her emotions. He wondered what that might feel like, being glad to see someone and freely letting them know it. He didn’t mistake her friendliness for anything other than it was and he kicked himself for dwelling happily just on a smile. What the hell is wrong with me?

            “Have you two made plans for dinner?” he asked Will.

“No,” Will answered for them.

            “You want to do O’Neil’s? The deck is open tonight.”

“Done.” Will said without asking Kennedy.

Owen turned to her. “If it’s okay with you?”

She nodded. “It’s fine. But I’m a little casual.” She looked down at her bathing suite coverup thing.

            “You look great, but if you have something else to wear, that might be a good idea.”

She laughed a little and he watched her as she headed with her bag to the bathroom to change. When Owen turned to face Will his friend was giving him a strange look.

            “What?”

Will shook his head. Kennedy came out a few minutes later dressed in a fitted T-shirt and jeans with the cuffs rolled up. Even in unremarkable clothes she looked fantastic. The thought must have registered on his face. Kennedy caught him staring and she ducked her head, self-consciously tucking her long hair behind her ears. She had left it down and Owen realized this was the first time he had seen it not up in a ponytail or blowing around in the wind. It spilled over her shoulders and hung forward now, hiding her face.

He would have been happy to stand there staring. Will gave low chuckle and caught Owen by the shoulders, forcibly turned him towards the door, and walked him out.

****************************************

O’Neil’s wasn’t packed and the deck was nearly empty so they were able to get the table on the far end overlooking the water. After dinner Will sat nursing his beer and Owen perched on the deck rail looking out at the ocean. Kennedy watched him from out of the corner of her eye. She was confused about Owen. Other than that first night, he had been nothing but nice, if a little high handed at times.

Owen had a kind of gravitational field, and she was attracted to him despite the conclusion she’d made at first – arrogant…conceited…womanizer. The math on Owen didn’t add up. The figures kept changing. She didn’t understand the way she reacted to him. Even that night he had kissed her. She was surprised, but she had responded to it and nearly kissed him back. Hitting him was probably safer.

A few minutes later she got up and joined him at the rail, not thinking about it, letting her instincts lead. Will looked up as she moved but said nothing. Owen gave her a small smile as she looked out over the water with him. In the fading light his eyes were brighter and she could see a depth of color there she hadn’t noticed before. Dear Lord, the man was breathtaking up close. As soon as the thought registered, she pushed it away.

“This is why Kevin and I chose this place.” Owen pointed out at the view. “I think we both wanted somewhere to hang out near the water so we found a property with the best view we could afford.”

            “It’s beautiful.” She watched the waves crash against the rocks in the distance. Behind her she could hear Will get up and head inside and she wasn’t sure if he was clearing out because he wanted to give them privacy or what. He didn’t need to. She wondered if now there’d be another lecture from him on how Owen was not the guy for her. She was already aware of that anyway…painfully aware.

As they looked out at the setting sun the water became almost turquoise and she could feel Owen sigh more than hear it. Clearly this was his way to unwind. He was a quieter person than she had assumed him to be. Now that she knew him better, she could see it. She had thought he was an extrovert by nature, someone who had to be with people and interact to feel complete, but the more she knew of him she saw someone quite different.

A strange desire to put her arms around him and lean her head on his shoulder crept over her. It was a bit alarming. She couldn’t possibly envision a successful relationship with Owen and she wasn’t going to waste her time on anything that was headed to a messy end right from the start. To keep from doing anything stupid she decided to bring up the topic that she knew was going to make him like her a whole lot less.

“Owen, I wanted to talk to you, to warn you really. The planning committee meeting–”

            “I’m going to lose, is that what you’re about to tell me?”

Kennedy stared at him, totally at a loss.

“I already know. Or I should say I’ve figured it out. It’s because of the Cottages isn’t it? The four new board members are holding a grudge?”

“How did you… Mrs. Hughes heard they were thrilled to see your project on the schedule, and they planned to sandbag you regardless of what you present.”

Owen nodded and turned back to the ocean. “I heard the same thing.” His tone was resigned.

She touched his arm. “I’m sorry.” And she meant it.

            “You can’t apologize for this one. It’s not your fault.”

“I’m still sorry. I love Mrs. Hughes and she’s my boss, but I can say I think she’s wrong. I think the development is modest compared to what you could do with that property, and the land is yours.  It isn’t fair that you aren’t even getting a real hearing, you’re going there to get shot down.”

            “I’m getting used to the feeling.” A corner of his mouth raised in a sardonic smile.

She wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that so she moved on. “What are you going to do?”

He barked out a sharp laugh. “I’m going to get up tomorrow. I’m going to put on my best suit. I’m going to walk into that meeting and get shot down. Then I’m going to pack up my incredibly expensive and carefully rendered plans and file this entire attempt under epic failures.”

Her stomach twisted with a mix of guilt and dread. This was partly her fault.

“Stop looking like that.” He said, cocking his head to the side and giving her a rueful smile. “It’s not your fault. It’s almost like I should have known this was going to blow up on me. It’s not the end of the world. I’ll come up with a new plan.” He turned again to the ocean, his expression more resigned than troubled.

What was there to say at this point? He was going to fail and had accepted the inevitable. There was something admirable in that. He was looking forward even if what he was seeing was a long, hard road. Again, he surprised her by not playing to type. A guy like him, she expected him to try some last-minute wheeling and dealing.

Unable to resist offering him some kind of comfort, she rested her head against his shoulder and together they watched in silence as night fell over the water.