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Another summer was winding down. Another summer with no plans to leave Horseshoe Bay. Too much had happened this past year. She had planned on taking the year off to work through her grief over her mother. In some ways she had and in other ways things had gotten more complicated. Even if she could get into a school she wanted to, Nancy knew that emotionally she was not ready. Maybe it was the after effect of the wraith still. Maybe it was the emotional toll of finding out whom her real parents were. Maybe it was the fact that both the fathers that had raised her and the birth father she had discovered were living under the same roof with her. Maybe it was finding out that all the ghost stories of Horseshoe Bay actually had some merit. Maybe it was one too many near death experiences. Maybe it was the stress of having brought to justice Everett Hudson who had been getting away with murder for years and whose fortune was now hers.
So, much had happened. Her life had changed so much. Nancy didn’t think she was ready to face the changes that college would bring. Horseshoe Bay, with all its supernatural happenings, was starting to feel like that comfortable old sweatshirt that you snuggled up in on cold winter nights.
Glancing over at the man riding in the passenger seat of her convertible, Nancy would not deny that Detective Abe Tamura being in Horshoe Bay might be part of the draw. She had missed the detective while he had been out of town working on things related to the Everett Hudson trial. Perhaps she should just stay away from men. She had not been having much luck. Things didn’t work out with Nick, Owen, Ace, or Gil. The last had not even been a healthy relationship. Her fling with Agent Park had probably not been health either, though it had been fun.
However, while her thoughts had drifted to Detective Abe Tamura while he was away, she did not miss Agent Park. Perhaps she had simply been passing the time until Horseshoe Bay’s Police Chief had gotten back to town.
“So, exactly why are we going to the beach today?” Abe asked, running his fingers through his hair.
Nancy glanced over at him. Though his dark sunglasses hid his eyes, his trademark smirk was in place. She knew very well he remembered exactly what he had told him about the bucket ritual that was taking place today. Despite some of the things he had seen since arriving in Horseshoe Bay, Abe was not quite the believer that some of the locals were. He was also not shy about letting people know when he thought those local rituals and legends were silly.
Her eyes back on the road, Nancy smiled herself. This was what she like about Abe Tamura. He didn’t say things just to please her or because he just wanted to agree with her. He was just fine with saying something to challenge her. He was not afraid to show his scepticism about the supernatural. Not that she blamed him. There was a time she wouldn’t have believed in ghosts either. Of course that was before her dead birth mother came to haunt her.
“We are going to collect a bucket of seawater. Local lore states that you are to place the bucket outside your front door. At midnight you kick it over. If it is still seawater, you are safe. If the seawater has turned to blood, then you are marked for death within the year.”
“Please tell me you don’t believe that legend,” Tamura stated.
Nancy remembered George kicking over a buck of blood last year. At the time, she had thought it was a prank. However, she had died and only the use of the shroud had brought her back. That was one of the crazy details that she had not yet shared with Abe Tamura. She knew Abe would have been on the prank theory side of that tale.
“After the year I’ve had, I do not feel like tempting the fate of any local legends,” Nancy replied.
“Fair enough,” Abe replied, his tone making it clear that he was going along with this simply to placate her. Nancy was fine with that. That was another thing she liked about Abe Tamura - while he took pleasure in challenging her he had also proved to be a rock in her life. He was a stable presence that she had learned she could lean on. While both of her fathers were pushing her about going to college, Abe’s stance had been that she needed to do what was right for her. His suggestion had been that she pick up a course at a nearby community college in something that interested her and reevaluates her feelings about college at a later date.
It was exactly what she had done, signing up for a criminal justice course. While her fathers wanted her to do things their way, though she was sure they had her best interest at heart, Abe wanted to support her in what she thought was best for her. Just like their relationship. Yes, there were moments when Abe let his feelings for her show through but he never tried to push her to do anything. Even the night that he had spent at her house, it had been she who invited him. It had been she who had invited him to sit on the couch with her. It had been she who had used him for a pillow and fell asleep. Abe had not tried to take advantage of her emotional turmoil that day. He had simply been there.
Yes, he had called to check in with her while in Augusta. He had called her to let her know that he was back in town. Still, it had been she that had invited him to join her at The Claw. Yes, he had flirted with her but then she had flirted back. Still, he had not yet tried to kiss her despite the time they had been spending together, working both on local cases and on their free time.
Nancy pulled her car into a parking space along the shore. As it was the last day of the Summer Festival, the place was packed. They had a bit to walk but then they also had nothing to do. Taking the keys out of the ignition, Nancy turned to grab her bag and a floppy hat from the back seat as Abe climbed from the passenger seat. She dropped her keys in the bag, placed the hat on her head, and turned to open her door.
Abe had already opened the driver side door. Nancy found herself looking up at him, her eyes taken in the khaki shorts, light blue, sleeveless shirt and handsome face. Nancy had no doubt there was a sparkle in the dark eyes that were blocked by the sunglasses.
Silently, Abe held a hand out to her.
Nancy smiled, reaching out to take it. She let him help her out of the car. Yes, she did like the way that Abe Tamura treated her, though more and more she found herself wondering what her lips would feel like against his.
“Do you,” Nancy started to ask. Abe held up the two plastic beach pails dangling from the hand not holding hers. “Have the buckets?” she finished.
“Let’s go collect some sea water so I can be initiated to the Horseshoe Bay bucket festival,” Abe told her, the amusement clear in his voice.
“And if there is blood in your bucket at midnight?” Nancy countered as they started their walk to the site of the festival.
“I know some local is playing a prank on the new guy,” Abe replied without missing a beat. “A certain red-haired teenage amateur detective will be first on my list.”
“Really!” Nancy exclaimed, placing her free hand over her heart. “I’m hurt.”
“Yeah, well you and your friends have been giving me a hard time since the moment I stepped foot in this little town.”
“And yet you’ve stayed.”
Abe shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t think it is because of you, Drew,” he told her. “I inherited a police department with serious problems. I am still working on fixing those problems. I made a promise on the local news. I don’t plan on backing out on that promise.”
“Your work with Nick’s youth center is very noble,” Nancy said. Nick had resumed his work with Horseshoe Bay’s disadvantage youths. Once Everett Hudson was behind bars where he belonged and the case behind him, Tamura had reached out to help with the youth center.
“Working with the youth before they are actually breaking laws seemed like a good way to try making a difference,” Abe replied.
“There is a heart beating somewhere beneath that tough guy persona,” Nancy responded.
“Shh,” Abe replied. “Don’t say that too loud. I have a reputation to maintain,” he told her.
Nancy laughed. “So, I would be the top of your list of suspects huh,” she said, returning to that subject.
“You and your friends have been on my radar since the day I walked into this charming little town,” Abe told her. The tone in which he said the word charming, indicated that he thought it was anything but.
“What would it take to convince you otherwise?”
“You would need an airtight alibi,” Abe told her.
Nancy glanced up at him. “I suppose you would be able to provide me with that airtight alibi.”
“I could,” Abe replied.
“Then I suppose you are just going to have to keep me in your sights until midnight, just in case,” Nancy told him.
“That would not be a hardship,” Abe responded, looking over at her. The look in his eyes made Nancy’s heart skip a beat.
“So dinner at my house? Both my fathers have plans tonight. I don’t expect them home until late.”
“I am agreeable to that.”
The two walked in silence the rest of the way to the festival. The pair spent some time mingling and enjoying the festival. A couple hours later, before getting ready to leave the beach, the two of them made their way to the water.
“Is there a certain level of water we need for this ritual?” Abe asked, the laughter clear in his voice. Granted, not many of the locals took this ritual seriously but the police detective was not bothering hiding his amusement at the small town’s local lore.
Nancy’s response had been to reach down in the ankle-deep ocean water they were standing in and splash some water up at him. Abe’s exclamation of surprised caused Nancy to laugh.
“Really, Drew,” Abe commented, tossing the bucket of sea water he had collected in her direction.
Nancy made an exclamation of surprise as the cold seawater hit her. She recovered quickly and bent to scoop water into her own plastic pail. Reacting to her actions though, Abe had tossed his pail up above the tide line and moved toward her. Even as she straightened up, Abe wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. Nancy squealed in delight, playfully trying to break free when in reality she would have happily stayed within the grasp of the muscled arms that held her against Abe’s solid chest.
“I am pretty sure throwing a bucket of water on me could be construed as assaulting a police officer,” Abe said quietly into her ear. His breath sending a ticklish sensation through her.
Turning her head to the side, she found herself within inches of Abe’s face. It was the closest they had come to a kiss since that day in the Claw Parking lot. Granted, she had been under the spell of a haunted wedding dress at the time, but part of her had felt a disappointment that he had not kissed her then.
She wasn’t going to be disappointed this time. She wanted to know what Detective Abe Tamura’s lips felt pressed against her own.
Tilting her head forward slightly, she tasted salt as her lips brushed his. Abe’s lips felt rough beneath her smooth ones, and Nancy thought that perhaps she would by him some lip balm. Still, even that feather light touch sent sensations coursing through her body.
“I’m sorry,” Abe told her softly, releasing his hold on her, like it had been he who had initiated the kiss.
“I’m not,” Nancy replied, turning to face him as he let go of her.
Nancy was not sure how it happened, but the next thing she knew there was a splash of seawater, as Tamura ended up on his back in the shallow water. Having instinctively grabbed for the closet thing, Horshoe Bay’s police detective had brought Nancy along with him. She found herself laying on top of Abe, staring at his shocked expression.
“If this is punishment for assault on an officer, consider me guilty,” Nancy told him, her voice barely above a whisper as she smiled at her surprised companion. She placed another kiss on the police detective’s lips before he could protest.
This time, though brief, Nancy felt Abe return her kiss before breaking away. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” Nancy assured him. “Though shouldn’t I be asking you that? You were my cushion after all,” she teased.
Abe smiled. “I am fine. Only my pride is bruised,” he assured her as Nancy moved off of him and clamored to her feet. Horseshoe Bay’s Police Chief followed suit, glancing around to see if the incident had been noticed.
Nancy looked around too. They had attracted an audience, though now that both of them were on their feet, spectators seemed to be going back to enjoying the festival. Nancy saw smiles on the faces.
“I think they are starting to see you as human,” Nancy teased Abe.
“A very wet, human,” the police detective replied, moving to retrieve the buckets.
Nancy had a feeling that Abe was ready to vacate the area after his dip in the ocean. She took the bucket he handed to her, and without further incident, both of them collected seawater in their buckets and then walked from the beach to Nancy’s waiting car.
~*~
On the way back from the shore, Abe had Nancy stop by his house. Not only did he want dry clothes, but he also wanted to get his backup piece. If he found himself in a position where he needed the weapon, he did not want to risk, the now wet gun, not firing. As the holster for his backup piece was an ankle holster, he changed into lightweight slacks despite the heat.
Reaching the Drew’s home, Abe noticed his car was still the only one parked outside the home. As Nancy had said, both her fathers appeared to be out. Nancy seemed pleasantly surprised when he offered to help her with dinner. When she commented she didn’t know he knew how to cook he had responded with, ‘you never asked’.
The two enjoyed a pleasant meal. When they were done, Nancy picked up the two plates and deposited them in the kitchen. When she returned, the amateur detective surprised him by sitting in his lap. Like when she had kissed him at the beach, Abe felt his breath catch as his heart seemed to skip a beat. Nancy Drew had always kept him on his toes. Since this seemingly mutual attraction had started to develop though, it was even more than that. She had a way of making him second guess himself. The differences in their ages gave him pause, as well. Yes, she was over eighteen. In the eyes of the law, there was no problem. However, Abe worried that one of her fathers might think he was taking advantage of her. Nor did he want to keep Nancy from following her dreams. It was for that last reason that he often thought that being with the red-haired detective was a bad idea.
“Do I get another kiss?” Nancy asked him, wrapping her arms around his neck and smiling at him.
“I am not sure that is a good idea,” Abe told her. ~I know that is not a good idea, ~ he added silently. Abe knew he could easily lose himself while kissing her.
“Are you saying you did not enjoy our kiss?” Nancy asked, sounding a bit hurt.
“Not at all,” Abe told her. “However, kissing you is a temptation that is hard to resist. I would not want one of your fathers coming home early for some reason and find us in a compromising position.”
Nancy removed her hands from around his neck. “I am an adult!” she informed him, not moving from his lap.
“I am aware of that,” Abe told her. “However, I am still a bit older than you. Fathers can be protective when it comes to daughters. They may easily think I am trying to take advantage of you.”
“Well, Ryan slept with George when she was only seventeen so he has no room to criticize.”
“That is information I would rather not know,” Abe replied.
“Good,” Nancy replied, slipping her hands around his waist and pressing her lips against his.
Abe knew he should probably resist and get this onto safer territory. If Carson Drew or Ryan Hudson came home, Nancy and he would be one of the first things they saw. If they were home early because their own dates did not go well, neither man would probably care to see their daughter with a man that was eight years her senior.
However, other parts of his body soon overruled his brain and he found himself return the kiss. Nancy’s lips with smooth and tasted like cherries. Having seen those fruit flavored lip balms, Abe figured it was that it was what he was tasting now. Part of him wanted to reach up and run his fingers through his hair but if he did that he had a feeling it wouldn’t stop there.
The feel of cold metal on his wrist made him more aware of his surroundings. He pulled back from the kiss even as he felt metal around his other wrist.
“What is going on?” Abe asked even as he realized that Nancy had gotten the cuffs that he had with him in case they had been needed out of his back pocket. She had then proceeded to handcuff him to the chair.
“You said you were worried about my father’s coming home and taking advantage of me. If you are handcuffed to a chair, you can hardly be taking advantage of me, now can you,” Nancy said, running her hands up his chest. “In fact, I would argue it would be taking advantage of you.”
“You are flirting with that grey area again, Nancy,” Abe replied, trying to sound annoyed. He was failing at that particular emotion and he knew it. There was actually something exhilarating about being in this position with Nancy the one in control and she really was in control. Oh, he had no doubt that if he really put his foot down that she would release him. However, as Nancy’s hands tugged his sleeveless shirt from the waistband of his pants and slipped underneath, he knew that was not going to happen. He was putty in her hands. He had been for a while now.
“I like the grey area,” Nancy told him as she placed a kiss on the underside of his neck. Abe willingly lifted his neck to give her access. She placed several kisses there before whispering in his ear, “I think you do too.”
Nancy went back to kissing his neck. Underneath his shift, her hands sent a tingling sensation across his skin. If Carson Drew or Ryan Hudson walked into their home now, they certainly would be getting an eyeful. However, as Nancy had pointed out, they could not say that he was taking advantage of their daughter.
Still, he hoped that front door would continue to remain closed.
Instinctively, Abe went to reach out for Nancy, only to be retrained by the cuffs that held him to the back of the chair. A groan of frustration and pleasure escaped him.
Though her hands continued their slow movements, Nancy’s lips lifted from his skin. The red head looked up at him, a flirtatious smile on her lips.
“How does it feel not to be the one in control detective?” Nancy asked.
Abe didn’t answer though Nancy leaned in close. She brushed his lips with a feather like touch before moving away. Abe went to follow her. He wanted to capture her lips with his. His handcuffed hands limited that chase. He groaned again even as he pulled at the unyielding cuffs, his heart now pounding in his chest.
Nancy laughed.
That laugh and the fact that she was now straddling his lap, made his body respond to the sexual desire.
“Just kiss me, Drew,” Abe replied in a husky voice.
“That is more like the response I want to hear,” Nancy told him, her hands slipping back out from underneath his shirt. Her fingers then found their way to his hair as she pressed her lips against his.
Abe heard Nancy’s own gasp of surprised as he returned that kiss with all the passion that had been building up inside. His lips might be the only way he could explore her right now, but Abe intended to make the most of it.
~*~
The make-out session left them both out of breath and with rapidly beating hearts. After releasing the cuffs, Nancy stayed in his lap, resting against him. Abe happily wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Her hair tickled his skin as Abe rested his cheek against the head that rested against him.
They sat like that for a while, just content with being with one another as the caught their breath. Abe knew their relationship had shifted dynamics. There could no longer be the pretense of just friendship. Abe would not deny that a part of him wanted to shift that dynamic even more but despite the desire that had built up, he kept himself from acting on it. He had not even taken Nancy on a proper date yet. Being with her in that way just seemed wrong on some level. He just wasn’t sure if he should bring the subject up or hope Nancy had been satisfied by their make out session and it just went undiscussed between them.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want things to go any further at this point,” Nancy said softly, not moving from her resting place against him, her breaths coming not quite as fast.
Abe breathed a sigh of relief. It didn’t matter if it was for the same reasons. At least for now they were on the same page.
“There is no need to apologize,” Abe told her. “One step at a time and our relationship just took a huge step.”
Abe lifted his cheek as Nancy shifted her head to look at him. Her eyes were vulnerable. “Is this a relationship? I am not just some getting with a young woman fantasy to you? I’m not just some fling?”
Abe lifted the hand that had been resting on her side as he held her and let his fingers trail gently over her check, catching a tendril of her hair as he tucked it behind her ear.
“Oh, you have become a fantasy to me, Nancy,” Abe replied softly. “But definitely not a fling. Somewhere along the way, I lost my mending heart to you, and though I know you could break it again, I am willing to trust you with it.”
Nancy smiled, though the vulnerability remained. “My past relationships have not gone well,” she admitted.
“All learning experiences,” Abe told her, his hand now resting flat against her face. He could feel her leaning into the touch. “No one gets it right the first time. Look at me. I almost made it to the altar before everything came crashing around me. We will know when we are ready.”
“You taking me out to dinner might be a nice start.”
“How about dinner tomorrow night?” Abe asked, not wanting to wait long until he could see her again.
Nancy smiled and nodded. “I would like that.”
Abe looked for a clock. They still had several hours until midnight. “What do you say we watch tv until it is time to kick the bucket?”
In his lap, Nancy groaned at the bad pun.
“That is a bad pun,” she told him, as she stood from his lap.
“I thought it was well placed,” Abe told her defensively, even as he retrieved the cuffs and key from the dining room table and followed her to the living room.
With Nancy cuddled close to his side, her head using him for a pillow, Abe and Nancy watched tv until five of midnight. Stepping onto the front porch, the two looked down at the plastic pails they had collected this afternoon. As a church bell chimed out the coming of midnight, both Abe and Nancy kicked over their buckets. As two rivers of water cascading toward and down the front steps, the two detectives wrapped their arms around one another and shared a kiss. It would appear that they would have this year at least to explore this new relationship.