Dream (Rosewood Bay Series Book 4)

  DREAM

  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  Carly Phillips

  Copyright © Karen Drogin, CP Publishing 2018

  Kindle Edition

  Dream Cover Photo: Darren Birks Photography

  Dream Cover Design: Sara Eirew

  * * *

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Book

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  About Take Me Again

  Excerpt from Take Me Again

  About the Author

  Keep Up with Carly

  She was his best friend, his first love. And she broke his heart. Now she’s back. Will they find a second chance?

  As a little girl, Andrea Harmon wanted to marry a prince, and Kyle Davenport hoped it would be him. But he never told her how he felt, and lost her as a result. Because sometimes the bad guy gets the girl. And Kyle left town to get over her.

  Andi made the wrong choice years ago, choosing the bad boy over the best friend she trusted and she paid for it every day since.

  Coming face to face with his former best friend was bound to happen once he moved back to Rosewood Bay, but for Kyle, becoming her son’s new teacher is a painful reminder of what they never had. But this time around, Kyle is determined to change their ending. Prince Charming is determined to break down her walls.

  Except that no happily-ever-after is won without a fight – and her ex-husband doesn’t like to lose.

  Chapter One

  Andi Harmon enjoyed afternoon parties, as they were rare in her life. As a single mom, full-time manager of the town’s floral shop, In Bloom, and exhausted human being, she didn’t get out much for fun. Her brother, Kane, and his wife, Halley, who’d just announced her pregnancy, were hosting the event for Halley’s recently found sister. And since they lived on the beach, Andi now stood overlooking the gorgeous bay, talking to Phoebe, another of Halley’s sisters, and Juliette, the guest of honor.

  She glanced out to where the boys, her eight-year-old son, Nicky, and Phoebe’s thirteen-year-old son, Jamie, were down by the water. She kept an eye on the kids as she talked to Phoebe about their upcoming school year. Juliette, who was new to town and didn’t have any children, just listened.

  “So I hear there’s a new teacher for Nicky’s grade,” Phoebe was saying.

  Andi had known the district would need to replace Mrs. Briggs, who was pregnant and had given notice that she wouldn’t be returning, but Andi had been out of the loop regarding a replacement. As a small district, they only had one teacher per grade.

  “His name is Mr. Davenport,” Phoebe continued.

  Andi’s heart stopped at the last name. “Kyle Davenport?” she asked, her heart in her throat.

  “As a matter of fact, yes.” Phoebe looked at her with a curious expression. “Do you know him?”

  “From a long time ago,” she murmured, unwilling to put something extremely personal out for discussion. She was a private person, had learned to be out of necessity.

  The last time she’d seen or spoken to Kyle had been to ask him to go away, to leave her alone and not bother her ever again. Her heart squeezed at the memory of how she’d turned her back on her best friend. And though she’d had the purest reasons in the world and had only been protecting him, he hadn’t known that. He’d just been aware of her rejection.

  “Well, I hear he’s hot,” Phoebe said, unaware that the more she spoke about Kyle Davenport, the more uncomfortable Andi became.

  Phoebe nudged Andi with her elbow. “You never know. He could be the right guy for you.”

  If only Phoebe knew the truth. Kyle had been her everything, from the time they were young until she’d gone and become infatuated with Billy Gray, high school quarterback and the guy every girl wanted to date. Be careful what you wish for, she thought now, because she’d caught Billy’s attention, and nothing had ever been the same.

  She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly chilled despite the warm day. “I don’t date,” she said, wanting this conversation to end. “I’m too busy with Nicky and work.”

  Juliette frowned at her abrupt comment, as did Phoebe.

  “And you know I think that’s a crock,” Phoebe said. “You’re gorgeous and have a great personality. You could get any guy you wanted and he’d be lucky to have you.”

  “Why don’t we talk about something else,” Juliette suggested, obviously catching on to Andi’s discomfort. “Is Jamie excited about going back to school?” she asked Phoebe.

  “He wants to see his friends. Schoolwork? Not so much.” Phoebe laughed. “Typical, I guess.”

  Shaken by the news that Kyle was not only back in town but would be her son’s teacher, Andi stopped listening to the conversation. She needed a few minutes alone to process and pull herself together.

  “Excuse me,” she murmured and walked to the far side of the back porch and leaned against the railing, breathing in the fresh salt air and exhaling again.

  Kyle had become a teacher? She sifted through what she remembered about him in her mind. A lover of books, good with his younger brother, and kind… Yes, she could see him becoming an educator, working with kids. The times she’d run into his mother, they’d avoided talking about Kyle. Though it had been unspoken, his mom understood that the issues and the pain ran deep. But whatever she knew about what had happened between them, she’d always been kind to Andi through the years.

  Now she had to come face-to-face with her past and the lies she’d told. She wouldn’t blame Kyle if he still hated her for being so cruel to him not long after graduation. As much as she’d like to make things right now, to explain why she’d turned him away, that would be admitting how weak she’d been when it came to Billy, the horrible things she’d put up with while married to him.

  And those were secrets she never planned to reveal.

  * * *

  Kyle Davenport waited for Nicky’s mother to arrive for his requested meeting after the school day ended. He sat at his desk looking over his students’ work, his gaze unfocused on the papers he’d have to grade tonight because right now his thoughts kept drifting to the past.

  His past with Andi Harmon. When he’d received the class list and then the parents filled out and sent back the emergency forms, Kyle had been struck by the fact that although her son’s name was Nicky Gray, Andi had changed her name back to Harmon after the divorce. A divorce he’d only found out about after moving back to Rosewood Bay at the end of the summer. His mother knew better than to discuss Andi with him, so he hadn’t kept up on her life. He hadn’t wanted to know.

  When Kyle decided to return home, it had been an easy decision, at least as far as his family was concerned. What was harder was knowing he’d have to see Andi again. He’d left after high school graduation, going to college and then graduate school for his master’s in education, coming home only for holidays and visits but settling in Illinois and teaching there.

  But his mother had fallen t
his past spring and broken her hip, and he’d been stuck in another state, teaching there, unable to be around to help. He’d known then, he’d be coming home to Connecticut for good as soon as his current school year ended.

  He was the first to admit his years away had been him running away. Andi’s harsh rejection had stung almost as badly as her choosing to date the high school quarterback and guy with the bad reputation despite Kyle’s warning her not to. It wasn’t so much that he hated the man she’d ultimately decided to date then marry – though he did – but he’d still tried to respect his best friend’s choice.

  It was, however, the fact that she’d turned her back on their lifelong friendship and never looked back that still burned in his gut. His ego had taken a hit, yes, but so had his heart. Because though they’d been best friends, he’d always loved her. He just hadn’t had the courage to act on his feelings, and by the time he’d been ready to, she’d captured Billy Gray’s attention and Kyle had lost his opportunity. Eventually he’d lost Andi.

  But he was back now and he had to deal with her in order to help her son, who, he’d noticed immediately, had reading and comprehension issues compared to the other kids in his grade. He never liked having to give parents news that would throw them, but there were so many ways to help a smart boy like Nicky overcome problems.

  He turned his attention back to the papers on his desk, still not seeing them clearly, while he waited for her arrival, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Andi and what she was like now. How the years had changed her. How her marriage to that asshole had further altered her sweet, good-natured personality, because the woman who’d abandoned their friendship hadn’t been the Andi he knew.

  A knock sounded and he glanced up to find her waiting in the doorframe. She wore a pair of dark jeans and a purple blouse, her wavy brown hair tumbling over her shoulders, her brown eyes wide and wary in her pretty face.

  Looking at her up close was like a punch in the gut. She’d grown into her potential as a woman, her natural beauty shining through, from the dusting of freckles on her nose to the hint of cleavage exposed where her soft shirt dipped lightly in front, revealing a hint of a lace bra and generous breasts.

  He rose to his feet. “Come on in,” he said in a gruff voice, pissed off at himself for noticing her attributes.

  She stepped inside and walked over to his desk. “Hi,” she said, her tone soft.

  “Hi.”

  An awkward silence followed. Since introductions weren’t necessary and any how have you been conversation would only be awkward and disingenuous, he figured he’d get right to the point, but before he could gather his thoughts, she spoke.

  “How have you been?” she asked.

  He shot her a sharp look. They weren’t here for catching up. “Why don’t we sit down and discuss the reason you’re here.”

  She jerked at his abrupt tone and obvious dismissal of small talk, but she pulled herself together quickly. “Is everything okay with Nicky?” she asked, her tone betraying her genuine concern for her son.

  “Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair in front of the metal desk.

  She did as he asked, crossing her long legs and leaning forward, obviously open to whatever he was going to tell her. He appreciated that she didn’t automatically get defensive and assume the worst like some parents did. A responsive parent made his job easier. And if he was going to deal with Andi despite their pasts, he needed her open to his thoughts.

  “I realize we’re only a few weeks into the school year, but I’ve noticed some behaviors in Nicky that indicate to me he has an issue with reading,” he said, not beating around the bush.

  Her eyes opened wide. “I know he has trouble reading but I thought he was just a slow learner. You know, like it was a boy thing.”

  Kyle shook his head. “He struggles to recognize words that are grade appropriate and he avoids reading out loud when asked.” He went on to explain other behaviors he’d noticed.

  She glanced down at her hands, wringing them together. “He told me he feels dumb when he’s reading but I just thought that was his frustration talking.” She dabbed at her eyes, obviously upset she’d missed that something was wrong. “I should have paid more attention. The days are just so busy, between work and school, homework and afterschool activities.”

  He didn’t want to feel bad for her, dammit. But he was affected by her emotions anyway, despite his not wanting to get personally involved with her problems. He wanted to help her child, nothing more, nothing less.

  He rose from his seat and walked around the desk, sitting in a chair beside her. Her peach scent immediately drifted toward him and affected him on a primal level. He’d hoped – hell, he’d spent nights praying – that the desire he’d felt for her years ago had disappeared. That in the decade or so that had passed, he’d gotten over her. From the way he admired her looks to the fact that his heart squeezed at her obvious pain for her son, that hadn’t happened.

  He ignored the purely biological reaction and pushed aside the emotional one, focusing on the reason for the meeting instead. It was normal for parents to blame themselves for not catching a problem with their child, but the truth was, the days did pass quickly, and as a teacher, he had Nicky for more hours of the day than she did.

  He reached out to touch her hand, then reflexively pulled back, not wanting to cross a personal barrier. If he wouldn’t do it with any other parent, he sure as hell wasn’t about to with Andi. “It’s not your job to know what’s age and grade appropriate. It’s mine. And there’s good news in this, too.”

  “What?” she asked, looking up at him with hopeful brown eyes.

  He cleared his throat. “We’re a small class and it’s easy for me to make accommodations. I was trained in language-based difficulties. I can do some work after class and help him gain strategies to make things easier for him.”

  “You’d do that?” she asked, obviously surprised he’d put himself out for her.

  “It’s my job.”

  She swallowed hard and nodded, glancing away. “Right. So what can I do at home to help him?”

  He couldn’t deny that she was obviously a good, caring mother. “Encourage him,” he said. “Verbally reward his effort, not just the end result, and most of all, be patient with him. Don’t let him feel your stress or anxiety over the situation. We want him engaged during the process.”

  Rising to his feet, he effectively ended the meeting. She caught on and stood, too. “Thank you for catching this.”

  He nodded. “If Nicky seems overly stressed by things, we can bring in the school psychologist, but if he doesn’t mind the extra help after school, let’s start there.”

  She gathered her purse and met his gaze. “I appreciate you not making this meeting awkward.” She treated him to a hesitant smile. “Since Nicky’s in your class and now you’re working with him, we’re going to need to put our past aside… for his sake.”

  “I’m a professional, Andi. My students come before any personal issues I might have.” In other words, he still held a grudge for how she’d treated him all those years ago and he didn’t want her to think otherwise.

  It wasn’t easy dealing with her now, still as beautiful as she’d always been and just as elusive to him as ever.

  * * *

  Andi walked out of Kyle’s classroom, holding on to her last shred of dignity and composure. Only once she was certain he’d shut the door behind her did she lean against the nearest wall, allowing it to hold her up as she pulled herself together.

  She didn’t know what she’d expected he would look like now, but he’d changed… and yet he’d stayed the same. His hair was still a dark brown, caught beneath the fluorescent lights, and fell over his forehead in a way that was so familiar it made her throat swell. He wore a light blue button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up, revealing tanned forearms with muscles he hadn’t possessed before that made her wonder what his chest looked like underneath. His jeans molded to strong thighs and a sexy ass
.

  She’d never looked at him as a sexy man before and the revelation was as startling as it was confusing. He’d been her best friend and now she saw him. All of him. Including the cool expression on his face and in his golden-brown eyes when he looked at her. And refused to exchange the most basic of pleasantries.

  She should have expected it but she hadn’t had to consider how he’d treat her. Until now, Kyle Davenport had been Nicky’s phantom teacher. She hadn’t had to deal with him directly. She had, however, been subjected to her son extoling his virtues over and over again. Mr. Davenport was Nicky’s favorite teacher ever. Bar none.

  Knowing she was going to see him, her stomach had been in knots all day as she’d worked, and since Hannah, her part-time girl, had called in sick, Andi hadn’t had time to go home and freshen up before going to talk to Kyle. She’d just shown up and hoped for the best.

  So many years had passed, but when she looked at him, she couldn’t help feeling like it was just yesterday they’d been together, best pals, unable to conceive of anything coming between them.

  But something – someone – had. She had to accept that he’d never treat her the same way again.

  She stood up, straightened her shoulders, and strode out of the school, reminding herself her priority wasn’t her nonexistent relationship with Kyle. Her most important concern was her son and she’d do anything to make learning easier for him.

  She stopped at the supermarket and shopped for ingredients to make dinner before heading to her brother’s garage to pick up Nicky where he’d gone after school. He liked to hang out with his uncle Kane and his grandpa, and when Kane was busy, her father tried to keep Nicky occupied with his homework and help Andi out at the same time.

  She walked into the front offices to find her son sitting across from her father at the desk, holding a handful of cards in his hand.

  She cleared her throat.

  Her father, Jonathan, jumped. “No betting going on, I swear,” he said before Andi could ask or, better yet, accuse.