Paige’s Turn

Jennifer Peel
OceanofPDF.com
 Copyright © 2017 by Jennifer
Peel
All rights reserved.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other
people. If you would like to share this book with another
person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader
or share it through the Kindle lending feature. If you’re
reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not
purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own
copy through Amazon Kindle. Thank you for respecting the
hard work of this author.

OceanofPDF.com
 To Liza Paige,
I adore you. I’m one of your biggest fans.

OceanofPDF.com
 Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Epilogue
Preview: Christopher and Jaime

OceanofPDF.com
 Prologue
Even before he told me, I knew in my heart that he
had found another, but it didn’t temper the sting when he
confirmed it today. Maybe because he broke the news to me
where he first told me he loved me, where we shared our
first kiss when he was seven and I was six. I should have
climbed down when I saw him approach the treehouse, but I
had hoped that my intuition was wrong. That Jansen
McClain’s promises were true. I wanted to believe in the
magic of childhood love. I wanted to believe in love.
After all, how many love stories had I read in this very
place, high above the ground? My own secret garden
amongst the branches of the live oak tree that stood proud
in Aunt Mitzi’s yard. But more than love stories had been
read in my paradise. Aunt Mitzi, from the time I could
remember, had filled me with stories of adventure and
bravery. I had been a pirate, a captain, a scientist, an
explorer. But never a damsel in distress or a princess. Well,
maybe I had imagined myself a princess a time or two or
three. But only when Sam, my older brother’s best friend,
would visit. He said I reminded him of Rapunzel sitting up
high in my treehouse with my golden blonde hair, so he
began to call me Princess. He was the only one who ever
called me that.
I wasn’t the kind of girl that got much attention. My
hair was limp, as was my skinny frame. There was nothing
extraordinary about me, just ask my mother. I would never
compare to my beautiful younger sister, Maggie, with raven
tresses and flawless skin, or the memory of my perfect older
brother, Blair, who we lost tragically when I was fifteen in a
car accident, three years ago. I mourned his death high
above the ground. Now I was mourning Jansen.
I wiped my pale blue eyes and lay down on the hard
wood floor. I listened to the birds rustling above me in the
leafy tree tops. If only I could fly away.
Why did I believe Jansen when he left for the
University of Florida last year and told me that he would
stay true to me? It was like Mitzi said, “A foolish promise
made by a boy who has no idea what it’s like to be a man.”
The promises of men meant very little to her. That’s
probably why she never married.
Now what was I going to do? I was supposed to join
Jansen at UF in the fall, in a few short months. We had
planned our summer out already. I sat up, and through my
blurry eyes I looked across Mitzi’s expansive grounds to eye
the McClain’s pool. I had intended to spend a good portion
of my summer there, like I had every year for the past
several years. Jansen was more than a boyfriend; he was my
best friend. That all changed today as he held my hand and
told me he had fallen in love with Lia Carmichael. He had
never said my name the way he spoke hers today. It was as
if his eyes had been opened for the first time to the beauty
around him.
More tears slid down my cheeks. I pulled my knees up
close to my chest. Yep, skinny legs and knobby knees. I
imagined Lia with long, luxurious legs, and a body to match.
Mitzi said I was a late bloomer. She said that one day, I
would realize how beautiful I was and when that happened,
the world should watch out. I was beginning to think she
was a liar, too, except Mitzi never lied or shied away from
the truth, even when she probably should have. She spoke
her mind and she didn’t care what anyone thought about
her.
I had no delusions about being beautiful.
The hum of the riding lawn mower shook me out of
my pity party. I wiped my eyes and scooted away from the
ladder of the treehouse. Hopefully Sam wouldn’t see me. He
always made it a point to say hi whenever he did. I usually
looked forward to it, but not in my current state. Besides, I
had always had a crush on him, but he was five years older
than me and way out of my league. He and Blair had been
the exact opposite of me in high school—gorgeous and
popular.
Sam worked for his father’s landscape company,
Kennedy DreamScapes, in the summer. Or maybe full-time
now. Since Blair passed away, I didn’t know much about his
life. Not like I did before, except that he and Blair had
treated me with kindness. Blair was everything a big brother
should be. When he was around, I had an open invitation to
tag along. I never did, though, because I felt too self-
conscious around his crowd. You don’t know how much I
regretted that now. I would have spent every moment I
could have with him, had I known. More tears flowed.
 The gentle hum of the lawnmower drew closer until it
was silent.
I retreated farther back into my treehouse, which was
more like a lookout with a wood canopy. Grandpa Hollis had
built it when Blair was born, but it was mine.
“Paige,” Sam called out my name.
Did he see me or could I pretend I wasn’t there?
“Calling Princess Paige.” He was twenty-three and still
a goofball, a gorgeous goofball.
“Hi.” I hoped that was enough for him. I wasn’t in the
mood to see anyone.
“Are you hiding?” He wasn’t taking the hint.
“Just reading.” I grabbed my copy of Little Women,
one of my childhood favorites, so I wasn’t a complete liar.
“Take a break and come down for a minute.”
“That’s okay.” I shuddered involuntarily.
“Are you all right?”
“Uh-huh.” Please go away.
“Paige?”
“Really, I’m fine.” I thought that did the trick, but I
heard the creak of the wood ladder. I sniffed and tried to
wipe any moisture I could off my cheeks. Not that it would
do any good. I imagined my eyes were red and my cheeks
were splotchy. Not that it mattered, because I knew how
plain I was, but this was adding insult to injury.
Sam’s handsome head popped up over the horizon of
the treehouse. “I’ve always wanted to come up here.” His
hazel eyes went well with his dark brown hair and tanned
skin.
I sat up straighter and set my book down. “It’s not
much.”
He tilted his head. “Why are you crying?”
“No reason.”
“Liar.” He finished his climb and joined me in the small
space.
I scooted back against the railing.
He sat crossed-legged and stared at me. His
masculine physique and tall frame looked out of place
sitting up here. “What has made the princess unhappy?”
I gave him a small smile. I appreciated his big brother
kindness, even if my raised pulse indicated I felt nothing
brotherly for him. “I’m eighteen now. I think you can stop
calling me princess.”
“Is that why you’re crying?” He smirked.
“Yes.”
“Really?” He scooted closer in the confined space.
I had nowhere else to go, but my heart rate increased.
I looked down. “Jansen broke up with me.”
“Good.”
My head popped up. “Why would you say that?”
“Blair and I always thought he was a punk. And you’re
too good for him.”
He must not have known about my invisible
reputation in high school. I’m not sure he knew me at all.
“You’re just saying that.”
 He shook his head. “Why would I, if I didn’t think it
was true?”
I shrugged. “Because of Blair.” I choked on his name. I
still missed him.
“I miss him too.” Sam wiped his brow. He was sweaty
and dirty, but still beautiful. “Believe me, you can do better
than the moron next door.”
I tucked some of my long hair behind my ear.
“I heard you got into UF and your aunt mentioned
Whitman. Going high-class, huh?” Sam gave me an
encouraging smile.
My parents would never allow me to go to Whitman,
even though it was my dream and I’d received a
scholarship. Jameses and Hollises had attended the
University of Florida for the last century. And I had to as
well, because even with a scholarship to Whitman, the
private liberal arts college in Washington would still cost a
fortune, and my parents wouldn’t spend that kind of money
on me. Maggie, yes. “I’m headed to Gainesville.”
“It’s not that bad, and UF is a good school.” Blair and
Sam had both attended.
I nodded. It was.
“Well, I better get back to work. Take care of yourself,
Princess Paige. And don’t let just any yahoo climb up your
castle wall.”
A small laugh escaped. No one was beating down the
castle doors, I assure you. Besides Jansen, no other male
besides my relations had ever even tried to climb up the
ladder until today.
Sam paused for a moment. He cocked his head and
looked me over. “You know, you’re pretty when you smile.”
Heat rose to not only my cheeks, but every body part I
could name. “You don’t have to say that.”
He leaned toward me.
I braced myself against the railing, surprised.
His warm lips landed on my cheek. “I know that. Take
care of yourself, Princess.”
He left in a hurry, leaving me stunned. I rubbed my
cheek. For a few minutes, I forgot that Jansen had broken up
with me and that I was plain and invisible. In that moment, I
found courage to see myself in a different way, if only for a
few minutes. To picture my life how I wanted it to be. To do
what Aunt Mitzi had been encouraging me to do my whole
life. “Don’t let anyone else take your turn,” she would say.
“No one will do it as well as you were meant to.”
Maybe it was time for me to take my turn.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter One
Ten Years Later
I stared aimlessly at the gas station pump as the cents
turned into dollars and the dollars added up. I don’t know
how many times I had put gas in the car since I left Seattle
to trek the three thousand miles back home, or back to Bella
Port. I wasn’t sure I could ever call it home again, but I
hoped this was one of my last stops outside of Nashville.
Seven hours to go, I tried to comfort myself.
I was only coming home because of Aunt Mitzi. I held
back the tears in the warm late May air. She wasn’t
supposed to leave me. She was too feisty to die. I ran my
fingers through my curled medium-length hair and smiled.
At least she did it her way. I shouldn’t have been surprised
or upset that she refused treatment for her pancreatic
cancer and didn’t tell a soul except for her lawyer and the
executor of her will, Mr. Perkins. But I was angry at her for
leaving me and for not giving me the chance to spend her
last days by her side, where I belonged. But she explained it
all in the letters she left me. She didn’t want me to have any
memories of those moments.
I slid in my car and contemplated finding a hotel to
stay in. I loved Nashville, and staying meant I didn’t have to
face my past or new future until tomorrow. But I knew it
wouldn’t change my fate. Mitzi’s house, Hollis Mansion,
would still be there, as would her bookstore, Paige’s Turn,
named after yours truly. It would all be there, and it would
still be mine. Including the money. Lots of money. More
money than any of us ever guessed she had.
I smiled to myself thinking about the reading of her
will last month. I had flown back to Bella Port for her funeral.
I hadn’t been home since Maggie got married, five years
previous. I can’t say I missed my home town, unless you
counted Aunt Mitzi and my treehouse. And maybe the
beach. Washington had beaches, but there was nothing like
a Gulf of Mexico beach—warm, with crystal blue water and
white sand. So maybe it would only be mostly terrible when
I returned. Mitzi had to have known the firestorm she
created and was thrusting me in to. Her will only fanned the
flames. How did it go again?
My dearest Paige-ala and everyone else.
Paige-ala was her nickname for me.
I’ve gathered you all together to let you know, you
were right. I was a wealthy woman.
My mother, Cassandra, my aunt’s sister, nearly
salivated at the news. At least for a moment. The dollar
signs in her eyes were quickly replaced with rage.
Don’t go running to the bank yet, that is, unless your
name is Paige.
All heads turned toward me. My father, mother, sister,
brother-in-law, and dear, sweet Mr. Perkins who was grinning
and bouncing on the balls of his feet like he had been
bursting to share the news.
I had to take a moment to let it all sink in. Yes, I had
my suspicions that Mitzi made a lot more money than her
bookstore ever afforded, and even more than Grandpa Hollis
had left her, but who knew that she had been a savvy day
trader and had hit it big in the late nineties when internet
stocks went through the roof? She had taken that money
and invested it in other lucrative ventures. She had a
portfolio of holdings that included stocks, bonds, a myriad of
accounts. It was incredible the amount of wealth she had
amassed. Even more incredible was that it all belonged to
me.
I had to say, it didn’t help the strained relationship
that already existed between my family and me. I’d had
more phone calls from my mother the past month than I’d
had the ten years since I left for college as far away as I
could possibly go. I had decided to seize the day and head
for Washington, and I never looked back. First, I lived in
Walla Walla where I attended Whitman. Once I graduated, I
took a job as an editor for a small publishing house in
Seattle. I loved it. For the first time in my life I felt seen and
heard. My coworkers became my friends. I was going to
miss them terribly, especially since I had no idea what
waited for me in Bella Port.
I knew my mother was furious. She believed I
manipulated Mitzi into leaving all her money to me. She,
better than anyone, should have known that Mitzi could
never be talked into anything. And if she knew me at all, she
would have known I never would have tried. But she never
cared enough to get to know me. I was a disappointment to
her. Clumsy and plain; smart, but quiet. I would rather stay
home and read than go out. Though that had changed some
in Seattle. I still loved to read, but I found I did quite well in
social settings. I even dated on occasion. It might have had
something to do with the fact I had become friends with
Aimee, the CEO of the publishing company and my previous
employer. She was also my resident fashion guru and had
worked her magic on me. Who knew that with the right
haircut and products I could have great hair? And clumsy
me learned some grace and poise doing yoga. Don’t get me
wrong, if there was an accident waiting to happen, it would
probably still find me, but I had finally begun to bloom. I
didn’t think I had peaked, at least I hoped not, but I was
finding myself.
So, I was headed for disaster. But for Mitzi, I would do
anything. Even if that meant going home, running her
beloved store, and making sure that Hollis Mansion stayed
well-kept and in the family, like it had been for the last one
hundred years. If it wasn’t for her, I would have never had
the chance to know myself. She helped finance my
education with the promise that I find happiness outside of
Bella Port. At least she got to see me fulfill my end of the
bargain. She had visited me last Christmas and I got to show
her my town and my people. I could tell she was pleased. I
think she knew then something was wrong with her. She
read to me like I was a girl again, and she wanted to know
my plans for the future. She mentioned her hope that
someday I would take on the bookstore. I had brushed it off,
but now it made sense.
 I didn’t know how to run a business. My love of
literature and my degree in English in no way prepared me
for this challenge. But Mitzi believed in me, and so I would
do my best.
I thought of one of the notes she left me.
Darling,
I know Bella Port is not where you saw yourself, but
think of all the delicious fun you will have taunting your
family with my millions. I do hope I have been good enough,
that God will give me a front row seat to all the uproar my
coup has caused. I’ve been waiting for years to share this
with you. You are the daughter I never had, but wished for.
Except that would have meant procreating with a man, and
we both know how I feel about the lesser sex.
Speaking of the unworthy creatures, I’ve been
thinking that perhaps that is one place I have steered you in
the wrong direction. No one will ever be good enough for
you, but I believe you, my love, will never be completely
happy alone. You have so much love to share. It would be a
shame for you not to try. Don’t worry, I have the perfect
man in mind for you. I do hope you enjoy him. I know I have
enjoyed the eye candy over the years. Can you guess who it
is? If not, you will soon.
Love, love, love you,
Mitzi
I had no idea who she meant or why after all these
years she’d had a change of heart. I had asked if she had
ever been in love, and she’d said once, but it was the worst
experience of her life and she didn’t recommend it.
Jansen was the only person I thought I had been in
love with, but looking back, I realized I loved him more like a
sister would a brother. He saw me when no one else did.
And for that I would always love him, but I wasn’t in love
with him. I had felt more passion for men I had only gone on
a few dates with than I ever felt for Jansen. But I would
always be grateful that he made my teenage years a little
less lonely. I was happy he was happy with his wife, Lia, and
their son, Ryder. I had seen them both at Mitzi’s funeral. I
wondered if Lia was expecting again, but I was too polite to
ask about her midsection bump, just in case.
I still couldn’t believe I was going home. The long
stretches of highway seemed to shorten the closer I got. I
wasn’t ready for this. I felt like I was hurtling toward misery.
But it was Mitzi’s wish that I at least give it a year. I could
sell it all if I found it wasn’t for me. But I could never
imagine selling Hollis Mansion. By today standard’s, it was
only a large home. A grand, plantation-style home with a
deep porch and two balconies. The property was filled with
trees covered in Spanish moss. And Mitzi always kept the
grounds in pristine condition. Growing up, I spent more time
there than at my parents’ home. Hollis Mansion would never
be sold. It was there, with Mitzi, I felt most loved. I hoped
God did give her a front row seat. Maybe she could haunt
me from time to time.
 My Honda Civic was practically begging for mercy
when I hit the Florida panhandle. I was, too. I wished it
didn’t have to be like this. I would rather have Mitzi and the
life I left behind in Seattle. I looked at the clock on my dash.
It was nine in Seattle. And it was Wednesday, which meant
dinner with Aimee and a few other close friends and then a
night of drinking coffee at our favorite bistro on Bainbridge
Island.
For me tonight, it would be a long, hot bath in a claw-
foot tub and reading. That was, as soon as I made it home.
It was already eleven o’clock here. Maybe I should have
stayed in Nashville, but I only had an hour to go. So my
plans would probably be to fall into bed—forget the bath
and the book.
I could smell the gulf air as I neared my childhood
hometown. I rolled down the window and breathed it in. I
was hoping a wave of nostalgia would hit me and I would be
semi-happy I’d returned, but all that crept in was anxiety.
The late hour of my arrival made it feel like I was
sneaking into town. It wasn’t a bad idea. Hollis mansion was
just outside of town near the port. I never thought I would
be able to afford waterfront property. And I hated the way it
came to me. I would trade one more day with Mitzi for it all.
I circled around the lane and landed at my new home, my
old home. All the property’s outdoor lights, including the
gaslit lanterns that lined the drive, were burning bright. Mr.
Perkins had called to say everything would be in order when
I arrived. He suggested I use the front door. The back porch
was in need of some repair and a contractor had been hired
to take care of it, but hadn’t started the project yet.
I took his suggestion. My accident-prone self didn’t
need to take the chance, especially in the dark. I took one
look at the grand old house before grabbing my suitcase. I
couldn’t believe Mitzi wasn’t there. Even when I came back
for her funeral last month, I expected her to greet me when
I entered the home. Instead, I was met with my mother, who
was trying to decide what she would do with both the house
and the furniture. She thought for sure Mitzi would have left
it to her. After all, when Grandpa Hollis died, he had left the
house to both of his daughters. Mitzi paid my mother for her
share. At the time, my mother had gladly relinquished any
hold she had on the old house. She was furious when she
learned it was all mine. Like I said, nonstop phone calls
since the big reveal.
I walked up the brick path and smiled at the orange
lilies that lined the walkway. I breathed in the full bloomed
jasmine that climbed the latticework around the home. I was
home.
The old front porched creaked when I made my way to
the majestic mahogany doors that had stood the test of
time, even a few hurricanes. I punched in my security code
and let myself in. Just in case Mitzi really did have a front
row seat, I called out her name. I waited on bated breath for
her reply. It never came. When I flipped on the lights, I had a
surprise. The entryway was filled with my favorite flowers—
daisies. I wondered why Mr. Perkins would do such a thing. It
had to have been him. He was the only other person now
with access to the home, another sore point and long story
with my mother.
Tears filled my eyes at the cheerful sight. Then I
noticed a note set in the arrangement on the entryway
table. I recognized the handwriting on the outside. It was
not Mr. Perkins’. I carefully opened the letter from my aunt.
Dearest Paige-ala,
You’ve come home. I’m so proud of you. I know you
are second guessing yourself at this moment and I don’t
blame you. But I promise you that the best is yet to come.
There are more than monetary treasures to be found here.
Just give it a chance. In the meantime, enjoy the money and
our home.
Take the master suite. I know you won’t want to, but
this place is all yours now. You may even find some secrets
in the old room that will be of interest to you. Maybe answer
some of the questions you never asked me, but should
have.
Make this old place yours and be very nice to the
landscaper and contractor. I have a feeling you are in for a
lot of fun. I’m almost jealous of you.
Love, love, love you,
Mitzi
I shook my head at her antics and wondered what she
meant about the landscaper and contractor. I wasn’t sure
who was taking care of the grounds now. Was it still the
Kennedys? I hadn’t seen Sam since right before I left for
college. He had seemed to avoid me ever since he kissed
my cheek that one time in my treehouse. I wasn’t sure why.
But whoever was taking care of the grounds, they were
doing a fantastic job. And of course I would be nice to them.
Why wouldn’t I be? And why would she be jealous? I chalked
it up to Mitzi being Mitzi.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Two
I woke up in Mitzi’s old four-poster bed. It felt odd. I
hadn’t slept in that bed since I was ten years old. I’d had a
nightmare. Mitzi had calmed my fears like she always had. I
wished she could do the same now. The reality of my
situation was setting in as I looked around the room filled
with fussy old furniture. The kind that belonged in an older
woman’s room. Maybe I would do as Mitzi said and make the
place mine. I wasn’t a fan of ornate wood. I liked clean lines
and earth tones, not rose and emerald green.
I was up early, even though I hadn’t fallen asleep until
around two. I wanted to get to the bookstore before anyone
else did. I wanted my moment alone with her store, her
baby.
I rummaged through my suitcase and thought of
Aimee. She made me go shopping with her before I left. She
decided I should put my new-found wealth to good use. “Go
home and turn heads,” she had encouraged. I wasn’t sure if
I ever would be that woman, but I wasn’t the girl that left
here ten years ago in baggy jeans and an ill-fitting t-shirt.
Aimee decided we should go with a chic summer wardrobe. I
pulled out a camel colored pencil skirt and a chambray shirt.
She promised to send me outfit pairings by daily
email, lest I forgot all that she had taught me. I would
probably need the reminders. I was happy to wear cutoffs
and t-shirts, but I had to remind myself I was a business
owner now. Though Mitzi had been found wearing all sorts of
strange clothing to work. Anything from ladybug costumes
to mouse ears. She had held story time on Fridays in the
children’s section and requested I continue the tradition. It
wasn’t really me, but for her, I would.
I was grabbing a cup of coffee when there was a
knock on my door. It was too early for visitors. I walked my
semi-high heels over to the front door. I didn’t trust myself
in anything over two inches—sometimes there had been
disastrous results. I peeked out the narrow window framing
the door to see who I was dealing with before I opened the
door. I was pleasantly surprised to see a face I had dreamt
about before. A teenage fantasy. Now he was even more
grown up. I straightened out my shirt and tossed my curled
hair before opening the door.
“Sam, what are you doing here?” That probably came
out breathy, but wow did he look fantastic. Lean and tan,
five o-clock shadow, wearing a tight t-shirt with Kennedy
DreamScapes written on the pocket. I felt a little flush.
His eyes widened at the sight of me before they
narrowed and he scowled.
I wasn’t expecting that reaction. I tilted my head.
“Everything all right?”
He continued to stare, or was that glare? He shook his
head.
“Do you not remember me?” I was becoming more
and more confused by his reaction.
“Of course I do.” He stood there stiffly.
“It’s so nice to see you again. How are you?”
 “I’m annoyed. Your car is in my way.”
I was taken aback by his harsh tone. “I’m confused.
Why are you here?”
His sneer implied I was incompetent. “I take care of
the grounds on Thursdays and I’m starting on replacing the
back porch today.”
“I didn’t realize you still worked for Mitzi, I mean, I
guess me now.”
“I don’t work for you. I work for my dad.”
I suddenly felt small again. I hadn’t felt that way in a
long time. And I felt tears prick my eyes. “I’m sorry if I
caused offense, I only meant—”
“I know what you meant. Daylight is burning, so could
you move your car?”
“I was about ready to leave. Could you give me a
couple of minutes? I could get you some coffee.”
“All I need from you, Princess, is for you to move your
car.”
I wasn’t sure what had happened in the last ten years,
but the word princess did not have the same connotation it
used to when it came out of his mouth. But I refused to be
treated like that. I wasn’t the Paige James I used to be. My
five-foot-six self stood tall. “Since I’m the one writing the
checks now, you’ll have to wait.” I slammed the door in his
face. I stood there and shook. What had happened there? I
was both proud and sick to my stomach.
I walked my shaky legs back to get my satchel and my
coffee. This was not how I wanted to start my life here, but
maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. I could only imagine
the rumors my mother had started. She was convinced I
knew all along about Mitzi’s fortune and I tricked her into
leaving it all to me. People could believe what they wanted.
I knew the truth. And the truth was, I didn’t want any of it.
I looked around at the grandeur of my surroundings,
from the spiral staircase to the crystal chandelier, and the
thoughtful flowers that filled the entryway. I took a deep
breath. I refused to be walked all over. I marched out the
front door, set the code, and headed toward my car.
Sam stood by his truck and trailer in front of the house
watching my every move. I could feel the heat of his stare
from several feet away. It was then I made my decision. I
jumped in my car and backed out until I was close enough
to talk to the gorgeous jerk who looked at me like he wished
he could be anywhere else. So, I granted his obvious desire.
I rolled down my window. “Don’t worry about taking care of
the lawn or the patio. You’re fired. Have a nice day.” I rolled
up my window and took one last look at his jaw drop and the
nice shade of red his face had turned. He threw his ball cap
down and I sped off.
I felt triumphant for a moment, but when that wore
off, I felt dread. I had no doubt the rumors would spread.
Now I would not only be the manipulative heir, I would be
ruthless. All adjectives that didn’t describe me. Scared,
unsure, and out of my mind were more accurate.
A year. I would give it year and then go back to
Seattle. Maybe open up a bookstore there in Mitzi’s honor.
Or take my old job back. It had barely covered the bills with
Seattle’s cost of living, but I loved it, and now I could afford
it.
I took in the sights and sounds of my old hometown
filled with Southern charm and grace as I drove down Main
Street. The end of May meant tourist season had begun. I
could see shop owners readying their stores and all the little
cafés and restaurants were already hopping with a morning
crowd. When I turned on Watercress Avenue, Mabel Lu’s
café was no different, except it was busier because it was
the best and my favorite place around to eat. And it wasn’t
just because Mabel Lu and Mitzi were the best of friends, or
that Mabel Lu was one of the only people in this town I could
count on to believe in me.
I almost cried when I drove by Paige’s Turn. I was
honored Mitzi named it after me when she opened it up
fifteen years ago. It was exactly what that shy, awkward
thirteen-year-old had needed at the time. The store front
window displayed a large picture of Mitzi in all her glory.
Blonde like me, even though she had to start dying it
several years ago to keep it that way. Her blue eyes held a
hint of mischief like she held a secret, and I guess she had. I
might never take that portrait down.
A few tears did fall. I wiped them away and parked
around back in Mitzi’s spot. What a day this had been
already, and it wasn’t even eight o’clock.
Walking into the store flooded me with a thousand
good memories. My favorite was the first time Mitzi took me
to the store. “Can you smell that, darling?” she’d asked. “It’s
the smell of a thousand possibilities. Knowledge is power.”
And as always, she was right.
I breathed deeply, taking in the smell of the books. It
was one of my favorite scents. Armed with the memory of
the love my aunt had for me, I headed toward the front of
the store. I walked around each bookcase and display. I
touched the throne that she had sat upon during story time.
Only she would have used a gold chair. I wept and laughed.
Maybe her body was gone, but her soul lived in this store, in
her house, in me.
“I’ll do my best,” I whispered for her ears only.
I settled in her office, or I supposed I should call it my
office now. I needed to acquaint myself with all aspects of
the business, including accounting, shipping and receiving,
payroll, benefits, and who knew what else. It was enough to
make my head hurt. Mr. Perkins assured me he was only a
phone call away if I needed help. And Jana, the manager of
the store, was more than competent. She had been running
the place in my absence.
First order of business was to go through all the mail
addressed to Mitzi or me. It was mostly cards of condolence,
so I cried some more. It was a good thing I didn’t wear a lot
of makeup.
Jana was in at nine and we opened at ten. Jana was
one of those women that was a mom to everyone. She was
in her late forties, wore mom jeans, and her brown hair
looked like a football helmet. She instilled confidence that if
she was in charge, it would be taken care of. She watched
me from my office door. “Now, darlin’, you look like you
could have done with some more sleep.”
I smiled up at her. “Staying in bed this morning
probably would have been the better choice, but I needed
this place.”
“She loved you more than anyone, anything.”
I smiled. “I loved her too.”
“Let me know what you need from me. I’ll be up front
getting ready. We’ve been real busy the last couple of days,
and with this being Memorial Day Weekend, it will only be
more so.”
“You probably know better than me, so let me know
what I can do to help.”
She gave me a wink. “You’ll catch on real quick. I’m
happy you’re home, honey. Mitzi would be, too.”
I nodded, grateful for the warmth. It was a whole lot
better than the greeting Sam Kennedy had given me. It
bothered me more than it probably should have. But he had
been, in a weird way, my childhood prince. He used to make
me feel not so invisible. And it’s completely ridiculous, but
the time he kissed my cheek was the highlight of my
teenage years. I even dreamt about it on occasion. And
now? Now I wished that had been my last memory of him.
Oh well, I would avoid him. Or at least do my best. Bella Port
wasn’t all that big. He and everyone else who believed my
mother could kiss my toes.
 A thought struck me. I remembered the letters Mitzi
left for me. She was hoping I would have fun with Sam. He
was the eye candy she had enjoyed. That was not
happening. Mitzi would have to be disappointed. I looked up
to the ceiling. “Sorry, but Sam is a jerk and I can’t believe
you thought we would be a good match.”
The front door jangled. It was show time. I wasn’t sure
what to do with myself. Should I go up front and try to help,
maybe greet people? Or would I have more run-ins like I had
this morning with Sam if I did that? The thought had my
stomach in knots. I didn’t have to worry about it, at least not
yet. I looked up from a card I had finished reading to find an
unexpected guest. It was sad that’s what he was, but . . .
“Dad?”
Robert James ran his fingers through his thinning,
brown—on the verge of all gray—hair. “How are you? Can I
come in?”
I hated that he didn’t know the answer to either
question already. “I’m fine. Sure, come in.” I pointed at the
chair across from my desk.
He shut the door on his way in. Odd. He took a seat.
He was dressed in a suit and tie. He was still in good shape
and wore the outfit well.
“Why aren’t you at your office?” He worked in
Pensacola, about a half hour from here, as the vice
president of a steel manufacturing plant. Taking time off was
a rarity for him, so it made it more surprising to see him.
“Can’t a dad come see his daughter?”
 “I guess most dads would.” And I would expect him to
see Maggie, who lived in Mobile with her real estate broker
husband.
He scrubbed his hand over his face. “But not me? I
suppose I deserve that.”
Candor? Very unexpected. My dad wasn’t a bad guy,
he just did whatever it took to keep my mother happy. And I
had never made her happy.
“So, why are you really here?”
He met my eyes. “I thought now would be a good time
to change things.”
“Because I have money now?” Not like my parents
needed any. My dad was a good provider.
Pained tension lined his face. “No, Paige. I hate that
you would think that. But, again, I shouldn’t be surprised.”
I had to hold back tears. “Did Mother send you?”
“She doesn’t know I’m here.”
That made sense. If she had known, she would have
come to badger me some more about giving up Hollis
Mansion.
“Have you eaten? We could grab brunch at Mabel
Lu’s. It’s your favorite, right?” He sounded proud that he
remembered something about me. For much of my
childhood he’d felt absent. I wasn’t sure if it was because he
worked so much, or if he worked so much because he
wanted to spend less time around my mother.
“Um, sure. I need to make sure Jana doesn’t need
me.” This day was more than I had bargained for.
 My dad and I walked toward Mabel Lu’s, it was only a
few doors down. Awkward would cover it. We kept a nice
distance between us and my dad wrung his hands as we
went. I did my best to take in the gulf air. It was one thing I
had missed.
“Any special guy in your life?” Dad kept his eyes on his
feet.
That was his first question? “No.”
He decided to look over at me. His eyes were filled
with concern. “Well, I’m sure there will be.” I thought most
dads would be relieved, but maybe it was worse for them to
think that no one would ever want their daughter.
“There could be, if I wanted there to be.” Indignation
threaded through my voice.
“Of course. You’ve grown up to be a pretty girl.”
Implying I hadn’t been before.
“Maybe this was a bad idea.” I didn’t need any more
dents to my already fragile self-esteem that had taken years
to build.
He stopped and took my arm. “Did I say something
wrong?”
Was that a real question? “Yeah, you did. I know I’m
not the belle of the ball like Maggie, but I’ve dated. I even
had a man tell me loved me once.” Twice if you counted
Jansen “And more importantly, I don’t need a man to
validate me.”
“You sound a lot like Mitzi.”
 I wasn’t sure I had ever heard him talk about her, at
least not with a nostalgic ring to it.
He pressed his lips together and sighed. “I’m sorry if I
hurt your feelings. You’re a beautiful woman.”
“You mean, I am now.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Maybe the
fatherliest thing he had ever done. “I meant, I’m sorry you
feel like I’ve never seen you clearly. And I’m sorry for being
so blind.”
I peered into his tired brown eyes. “I’m starved, how
about you?” I wasn’t sure what to do about this unusual
affection from him.
“I could use some comfort food.”
Me too.
We walked into a packed Mabel Lu’s, but that didn’t
keep Mabel Lu Adair from taking notice. She came running
around from behind the counter. She was as lively as ever
for someone close to sixty years old. Her long, braided gray
hair and deep blue eyes made her look younger. “Look at
you, sweetie.” She hugged me tight. “Mitzi is having a party
in heaven today. Her girl has come home.”
I caught my dad’s eye to see how he would respond to
that. His smile had a hint of sadness to it. It was always
weird having parents I felt like were anything but, and then
having Mitzi, who I would have loved to call Mom.
“I’ve missed you.” I gave her a good squeeze.
She stepped back and rested her hand on my cheek.
“I think the time away has done you some good. You’ve
bloomed to be the prettiest flower this town has ever grew.”
I shook my head. “You tell a good story.”
“Now, honey, I don’t lie. And you know, my son
Sawyer is still single.”
I laughed. Sawyer ranked right up there with Sam and
Blair—out of my league. I’m not even sure he knew I
existed. “We’ll take a table for two.”
“I’ll seat you and give you Sawyer’s number.”
My dad cleared his throat.
Mabel Lu gave him the evil eye. “Haven’t seen you in
here for quite some time, Robert.”
He squared his shoulders. “Now that Paige is back,
that will change.”
“Huh,” Mabel Lu gave him a flick of her head.
His words surprised me too.
All eyes followed us to our table, at least those who
made Bella Port their home. Unfortunately, the town’s
biggest gossip, Annette Barlow, took note. Her aged face lit
up. It almost made me wave and say, “Hello, Annette.” She
abhorred anyone younger than her calling her by her first
name. Doing so would have been like asking for me to be
the biggest headline for the next year at least. Her presence
did mean, though, that my mother would know about our
meal, probably before it was over.
I did my best to ignore the attention. And what could I
do about the gossip? Mitzi made sure there would be a
whole lot of it.
 Brunch with my dad was uneasy, but not terrible. We
talked about the weather and Seattle. He expressed regret
over never coming to visit, not even when I graduated from
college. Mitzi was there on the first row of parents. She did
not hold her applause like she was supposed to when I
walked across the stage to get my diploma.
We stayed away from any tense subjects, like my
mother, the will, and my non-existent love life. But at the
end, he surprised me again.
Dad pulled me in for an awkward hug. “I’ve missed
you, Paige.”
How could he miss me? Did he know me?
“Let’s make this a once-a-week date.”
I arched my eyebrow. “Okay?”
“I’ll look forward to it. And if you find anything at
Mitzi’s that’s unusual and you want to talk about it, call me.
In fact, call me anytime.”
I was getting more and more confused. “Should I be
looking for something?”
He kissed my forehead. “No. But keep an open mind.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Three
Brunch with my dad perplexed me for the rest of the
day. It made it hard to focus on learning the accounting and
payroll software, but I figured I should learn that first. One
thing I knew, employees like to be paid. And I knew what it
was like to live paycheck to paycheck.
Around closing time, I had another visitor. It was a day
full of surprises.
Adam Kennedy stood at my door. “I hope I’m not
interrupting you.”
I looked up from my laptop. “Mr. Kennedy.” I stood up.
“It’s so nice to see you.” I couldn’t remember the last time I
had.
He looked worn and worried. His hair was full of gray
now, but he was still a tall, handsome man, like his son. I
suddenly felt guilty about his worry-filled face.
“Do you mind if I come in?”
“Not at all.”
He too shut the door. I wasn’t looking forward to the
conversation, which I knew would be about his son. He took
the seat my father had used earlier. “You’re all grown up. It’s
been an age since I’ve seen you. But Mitzi spoke of you all
the time. She was sure proud of you, Miss Paige.”
I loved his Southern manners. Maybe he could give
some to his son. “I miss her.” I sat back down.
“So does Josie, my wife. She doesn’t get out much
since she had a stroke a few years ago, but Mitzi visited her
once a week. It was a bright spot for her.”
“I’m so sorry; I had no idea.”
He waved his hand. “It’s better that way. Josie doesn’t
like people to talk about it.”
“I can understand that.”
“I can tell you’re an understanding woman, like your
aunt. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
I braced myself.
“Sam mentioned there was a misunderstanding
between the two of you this morning.”
I blew out the deep breath I had been holding. “I
wouldn’t categorize it that way. I’m pretty sure I understood
exactly where he was coming from.”
Mr. Kennedy leaned forward and gave me a crooked
grin. “Sam has his own ideas, but I set him straight and he
assured me there wouldn’t be any more issues. We’d sure
hate to lose your business, and we already ordered all the
supplies for the new stone patio.”
I bit my lip, not sure what to do. I should have looked
at the contract Mitzi had with them, but knowing her she
had done it on a handshake and good faith.
“Miss Paige, I’m not one to beg, but business has been
slow and medical bills high with Josie’s condition. I promise
you there won’t be any more problems.”
I took a few seconds to think. “The grounds do look
beautiful and the wood deck should have been replaced
years ago.” I knew Mitzi would be disappointed in me if I
said anything else.
 Mr. Kennedy’s grin erased some of the worry in his
eyes. “You won’t be disappointed, Miss Paige.”
“By chance, is there anyone besides Sam that could
take care of it?”
“No, ma’am, it’s just him and me now.”
“Oh. All right.”
“You two will get along just fine.” He stood up to
leave.
Yeah . . . I wasn’t counting on that.
“Josie and I would love to have you over for dinner.
How about Sunday?”
That was unexpected, but not in a bad way. “I would
love to. I’ll bring dessert.”
“Your aunt always used to, too.”
I’m sure she did. “Have a good evening.”
“You too, Miss Paige. I’ll have Sam back out there
Saturday, if that will work for you.”
“That should be fine.”
“See you Sunday. Come hungry.”
That wasn’t normally a problem for me. But I had
other problems, like living back in Bella Port.
~*~
Friday saw me at home. The moving truck was set to
arrive, and I needed the day to process the last whirlwind of
a month. What I really needed was a vacation, but that
wasn’t happening anytime soon. I had a business to run and
a home to take care of now. I had rented a small condo in
Seattle, so home ownership was something new to me. I
decided that morning that the furniture would have to go, at
least into storage—I wasn’t ready to give Mitzi’s things away
yet, but the place needed to be updated to the twenty-first
century. Maybe Aimee could visit and take me furniture
shopping. That was her forte.
While I waited for the movers, I went through the
cupboards and drawers in the kitchen. Everything was in its
place and well organized, just how Mitzi liked. I also found
another note in the pantry.
My Dearest,
Looks like you’re baking. Bravo. That means you are
dealing well with my untimely departure. I’m just as upset
about it as you, but we will rise to the occasion and do what
Hollis women do. Bake.
I laughed at her.
But on a more serious note, you should know that
snickerdoodles are Sam’s favorite. And I told him what a
fabulous little baker you are. Make sure to make some and
offer him a few. It gets awfully hot in the summer and it
would be rude not to invite him in from time to time. I
promise you, it is well worth it. And make sure to take a
peek outside. His shirt comes off on occasion. If only I had
been twenty years younger. Have lots of fun for me. Let me
know what it’s like when you get your hands on him. I’ll be
waiting.
Love, love, love, you.
Mitzi
 Wow, was all I could think of to say. I wasn’t sure if I
should be impressed by her taste in attractive men or
disgusted that she was lusting after a man young enough to
be her son. I knew one thing for sure, I was never making
Sam snickerdoodles. He could come here and build my new
porch and mow the lawn, but after yesterday, I wasn’t going
out of my way to be kind to him. If it wasn’t for his dad, I
wouldn’t have even let him back on the property.
The movers arrived late morning and filled the living
room with boxes. They placed my limited furniture where I
directed them. I didn’t have much and I wasn’t sure what
would stay or where it would go. But I had to say it was nice
to be able to afford professional movers and not have to beg
your friends for their assistance. I tipped the nice men and
looked around at the mess.
Books first, I decided. I had made room on the
bookcases in the study for my treasures. Books I had edited,
books I loved, books I meant to read someday. Books I
dropped on my foot and danced around with tears in my
eyes, swearing aloud. Books for me to prop my swollen foot
on with an ice pack. Clumsy Paige strikes again. At least I
could limp around. I didn’t think anything was broken, but
my foot throbbed.
I spent Saturday at the bookstore; it was a good thing,
too. It was raining and the tourists flocked in from the
beach. I liked tourists—they didn’t know me or how I came
to own my namesake. There were a few who did, but they
did no harm. They only offered heartfelt condolences and a
couple recited memories of Mitzi. By the time I returned
home after working and going grocery shopping, I was spent
and my foot was swollen. At least Sam and I hadn’t crossed
paths, but I could tell he had been there—the lawn had been
mowed, the hedges and bushes trimmed, and the deck had
been obliterated. All that was left were the steps leading to
the back door of the house. He had been busy. He must
have had help.
I hobbled up the steps with my bags in hand. After
putting the food away, I finally took that bath I had been
meaning to. I soaked my cares away and went to bed early. I
was twenty-eight years old, and I had the night life of a
senior citizen. It wasn’t all that bad.
Jansen’s parents, Norma and Bill McClain, paid me a
visit on Sunday afternoon. The McClain’s were the proud
owners of a chain of car dealerships in the Pensacola area.
Bill tried to sell me a nice Ford, but I already had one car too
many. Mitzi’s Mercedes sat in the detached garage
untouched. I couldn’t bring myself to drive it even though it
was a heck of a lot nicer than my Civic. But it wasn’t me.
This whole life wasn’t me.
After the McClain’s visit, I made Mitzi’s blue-ribbon-
winning nectarine crisp. It probably wasn’t as good as hers,
but I did my best. The crisp and I headed to the Kennedy’s.
They lived off Gulfshore Boulevard in a small beach house
right off the coast. They, like me, lived off a private beach,
which was nice this time of year since the public beaches
were packed. It reminded me that I really should visit the
dock when I got home tonight.
I parked my car in their drive and hobbled my way to
their door. My foot was still aching, but the swelling had
gone down some.
Mr. Kennedy greeted me at the door. “Miss Paige,
welcome to our home.”
A delicious smell escaped the well-kept house.
“Thanks for having me, Mr. Kennedy.”
“Please, call me Adam.”
“Okay.” I smiled.
He led me into their quaint home decorated in the
popular beach house nautical theme. I liked the pops of red
and blue.
“You have a lovely home.”
“Thank you, but it’s not as lovely as my wife, Josie.”
He waved to the couch where the most elegant of ladies sat.
She reminded me of a middle-aged Audrey Hepburn with
her delicate features.
“Miss Paige,” Josie spoke. It was slow and you could
tell it took some effort. Effects of her stroke.
I approached her. “It’s an honor to finally meet you. I
hope you like nectarine crisp.” I held out the pan I was
holding.
“Anything sweet, like you.” She smiled, but only half
her face moved.
“I’m not exactly sweet.”
“That’s not what we hear,” Adam gave his two cents.
 “Mitzi was biased.”
“For good reason.” Adam took the crisp out of my
hands. “Dinner will be done in a minute. You two pretty
ladies can get acquainted while I finish grilling the chicken.”
Josie patted the spot next to her and I took it. She was
a beautiful woman up close, with porcelain skin. She shared
her hazel eyes with Sam. I had been trying not to think
about him, but being in his parents’ home made that
difficult. Their walls were filled with pictures of him. There
were even a few with Blair in them. I missed him.
She laid her hand on top of mine. She had long
slender fingers that belonged in a lotion commercial. “You
miss Mitzi.”
“Very much.”
“Me too. She helped me with my puzzles.” Each word
and thought was a chore for her to pronounce.
I smiled. “I like to put puzzles together.”
Her face lit up. “After dinner?”
“I would love to.”
Dinner was delicious. Adam grilled a fantastic honey-
lime chicken. But what was even more fabulous was the way
he cut his wife’s food and carefully helped her. I was
watching the most beautiful love story ever written, right
before my eyes. I had certainly never witnessed anything
like it in my home growing up. I wasn’t even sure if my
parents loved each other. Now I knew why Sam was so kind
to me when I was growing up—he had the perfect examples.
Too bad he was such a jerk now.
 Speaking of the jerk, he showed up with his girlfriend.
His mom and I were seated at her puzzle table putting
together a beautiful European castle while Adam washed
the dishes, when Sam walked in with his girlfriend. Of
course he had a girlfriend. He was a jerk, but there was no
denying he was gorgeous. But to my annoyance, his
girlfriend was Brianne Coulter—prom queen, head
cheerleader, and it just so happened she was leading the
committee for our ten-year high school reunion. Yay!
For some reason, Sam’s and my eyes met first thing.
His smile took a quick downturn. I could tell he wanted to
say something unkind to me, but he took a deep breath and
smiled at his mom, who was grimacing at Brianne.
Interesting.
Sam held up a bag in his hand and addressed his
mom. “I’m just dropping off your prescriptions I picked up in
Pensacola.”
Adam came out of the kitchen with a dishtowel in his
hand. He, too, did not looked pleased by Sam’s sidekick.
“Sam, Brianne, do you both know Paige?”
Brianne’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, Paige James. Is
that you?”
I nodded. She still looked like she did senior year.
Perky and gorgeous with beach blonde wavy hair and a
body to die for.
She left Sam’s side and headed for me.
Please no.
“You haven’t RSVP’d for our ten-year reunion in July.”
 “I must have missed the invitation.” More like threw it
in the trash upon arrival without opening it. I didn’t need to
relive any of my high school years.
“I can fix that. You inherited the Hollis Mansion, right?
I heard you’re worth millions now.”
Could this get any more uncomfortable? The answer
was yes.
Sam came and stood by Brianne’s side and glared at
me.
Not to be intimidated, I glared back. “I don’t think I’ll
be able to make the reunion.”
Brianne swatted my arm. “Why ever not? Look at you.
I mean, who ever thought you would grow up to look so
pretty?”
Wow. Did she really say that?
Adam cleared his throat and gave Sam a warning
glance. “Would you guys like some dessert? Paige made the
best nectarine crisp I’ve ever had.”
I was trying my best not to be affected by the slight or
Sam’s obvious hatred of me.
In a motherly move, Josie took my hand on top of the
table.
Sam narrowed his eyes at me before addressing his
father. “We should get going.”
Brianne leaned into Sam. “Sam’s taking me out on his
boat tonight.”
“How nice.” I smirked.
 “But seriously, Paige, you should come to the
reunion.” She still sounded like she belonged on the pep
squad.
I ignored her and turned back to Josie, who looked like
she might cry. “You ready to finish the edge?”
She nodded.
Sam kissed his mom’s cheek and gave me another
heated stare.
I was happy to see him and Brianne leave. I didn’t say
a word about it, but Josie patted my hand. “You are
beautiful.”
I wanted to believe her.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Four
I looked out over the water at my own little piece of
heaven while digging my toes into the white sand. The
moon and stars twinkled above. I had missed this. I held my
knees and thought about my night at the Kennedy’s. I
mostly thought about Sam and Brianne. They made sense,
like Barbie and Ken. But from what Adam said, both Barbie
and Ken had been divorced and Barbie had a toddler. I had
no idea Sam had been married. Mitzi wasn’t a gossip, and
we rarely talked about what happened in Bella Port. She was
much more interested in my life, and I was happy to forget
about my past. Well, maybe Sam and Brianne would find
true love with each other.
From the sounds of it, Sam’s parents were hoping they
wouldn’t. They tried to be polite, but it was apparent they
weren’t all that fond of the newfound relationship.
I picked up some sand and let it trickle through my
fingers. I hated feeling like I was back in high school, waiting
to be validated by someone—not realizing that no one can
but yourself. Brianne’s words bothered me more than they
should, and Sam’s dislike got to me. Was this what Mitzi
really wanted for me?
While contemplating my life, I heard soft steps behind
me, along with a familiar voice.
“You don’t call, you don’t write.”
I turned around with a smile. “Jansen.”
 He plopped down next to me. “So, you did it. You
came home.” He hadn’t changed a bit. Goofy but cute with
his curly, sandy brown hair, glasses, and he was still gangly
thin.
I nudged him with my shoulder. “I was just thinking
about running back to Seattle.”
He ruffled my hair. “What’s got you down?”
“Do you remember Brianne Coulter?”
“Annoying cheerleader?”
“That’s the one. I ran into her tonight. She basically
told me I needed to go to our ten-year reunion because I’m
not ugly anymore.”
He leaned back. “You didn’t believe her, did you?”
“I’m definitely not going.”
“I meant about you ever being ugly.”
“You don’t have to spare my feelings.”
He shook his head. “You were the prettiest girl in the
school to me, inside and out.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re a liar, but thank you.”
“Paige, I’m serious. But, had I known what a knock-out
you were going to turn into, I might not have broken up with
you,” he teased. I knew he was completely in love with his
wife.
“I feel so insignificant and judged here.”
“Let people talk. Those of us who really know you,
know the truth. Who else matters?”
I looked out into the distance at a few boats circling
the port. “What do you know about Sam Kennedy?”
 “Why? Do you have your sights set on him?”
“Definitely not.”
I turned to find Jansen wagging his eyebrows. “Even I
think he’s attractive.”
I laughed out loud. Jansen could always get me to. “He
hates me.”
“He, probably like the rest of the guys in town, hates
himself for not snagging you when he had the chance.”
“No, seriously, he hates me. And I don’t know why.”
Jansen shrugged his shoulders. “Hmmm. I don’t know
a lot about him other than he was married for a couple of
years to a woman from Tallahassee. I think her dad owns a
huge construction company there and Sam worked for him,
but he came back here a few years ago when his momma
got sick to help his dad run his landscaping business. I also
know he takes some side contracting jobs.”
“Do you know why he got divorced?”
“Nope. But you could ask your brother-in-law.”
“Darrell?”
“You didn’t know they were friends?”
I shook my head. I didn’t know anything about him
other than he was in real estate.
“I think Sam’s done some work for him. Darrell flips
houses as a hobby.”
“I had no idea.”
“Maybe it’s time to mend some fences. From what I
hear, Darrell is a decent guy. He must be a saint, too, to put
up with your sister.”
 “She can be a handful.”
“That’s putting it nicely.”
Maggie was a piece of work. Molded by our mother
and spoiled rotten. She and my mother decided I couldn’t be
a bridesmaid in her wedding because the dresses were pink
and, according to them, it wasn’t my color. I decided to wear
pink to the wedding anyway. My mother was livid. Mitzi and I
had a good laugh about it. Then I cried myself to sleep that
night. I wasn’t sure why I was never good enough for my
mother.
“I’m not sure getting in touch with my family is a good
idea right now. I don’t think they’ll ever believe I didn’t know
about Mitzi’s money before she died. They think I
threatened her and made her sign over all her money to
me.”
“I always knew you had some gangster in you.” He
gave me a one-armed squeeze and laughed.
I sighed. “Do you think I should go back to
Washington?”
“I think you need to stick around to welcome McClain
baby number two.”
“Lia’s pregnant? Congratulations.”
“Yep. I do good work.” He puffed out his chest.
“I’m pretty sure she’s the one doing the heavy lifting.”
“Yeah, she’s great.” He tapped my nose. “And so are
you. Show this town what you’re made of. What you’ve
always been made of.”
 “Would it sound weird—because we’ve made out and
everything—if I tell you you’re like a brother to me?”
“Yeah . . . that doesn’t sound right.”
“I guess not, but thanks for listening to me.”
“Anytime.” He left me to my solitude.
I spent another hour by myself on the beach before
calling it a night. I could handle this, right? For Mitzi, I would
certainly try.
I woke up the next morning ready to meet the day, or
at least that’s what I pretended to do. It was the start of a
new work week and Memorial Day, which meant the store
was only open until four today. And the McClain’s had
invited me over for a barbecue. All good things to look
forward to. The not so good thing was that Sam had decided
to come early and work on the porch. He was making a
terrible racket. Thankfully, in this neighborhood, we were all
spread far apart.
I wasn’t expecting him today. I should probably get
some kind of schedule from him, or maybe talk to Adam. All
I knew was the completion date was set for late June. I
actually found a contract and the plans. The finished
product was going to be stunning. I would have
complimented Sam on the design if he wasn’t so awful. Sam
signed his name on the bottom of it, so I knew it was his. I
had to say, I was looking forward to the built-in fire pit and
even grill which I had no idea how to use. Why couldn’t he
see how wrong he was about me? But if my brother-in-law
and sister had his ear, there was my answer.
 He could believe whatever he wanted. I had no plans
on convincing anyone otherwise. And I found, most of the
time, once someone’s mind was made up, that’s the way it
stayed, even if what they believed was all a lie.
My foot was still aching, so I braved going out the
back door. I would have to see the man one way or another,
so I figured saving myself some time and pain was worth
facing him head on. But my plan was curtailed when I
opened the back door and found the stairs had been
removed. Normally, I would have made the four-foot jump,
but my foot would have paid dearly for it. I tried to close the
door before Sam saw me, but he turned around at the most
inopportune moment.
“Afraid of a little jump?”
That was it. “What’s your problem with me?”
He slid his hammer back into his tool belt and
smirked. “You may have my parents fooled, but I have your
number.”
“Enlighten me.”
He squared his shoulders and shook his head in
disgust. “You’re a real princess living it up here while
stepping all over the people around you. People you should
be helping instead of hurting.”
“Who are you talking about?”
He threw his head back. “How easily you dismiss your
own family.”
I rubbed my temples with my hand. “My family does
fine.”
 He sneered and shook his head. “Easy for you to say
when you’re not the one worrying about how to pay your
bills. Darrell was right about you. You’re as selfish as they
come. I wonder what Blair would think.”
I had to hold back the tears at the mention of Blair’s
name, and because I knew exactly what he would think. He
would have believed in me. He wouldn’t have let Sam talk to
me in such a way. “So this is what you believe about me?”
“This is what I know. But don’t mind me, I’m just the
hired help, here to do your bidding, Princess.”
That was the last time I was going to be called
princess. I slammed the door and walked as fast as I could
to the den. I pulled out the contract for the patio and wrote
out a check for the balance due on the estimate. Biggest
check I had ever written. I took it and the contract,
trembling, out the front of the house and around to the
back. With each step, I tried not to wince. Even with my foot
wrapped, it hurt. But I was on a mission and I didn’t let it
stop me.
Sam was already back to taking some measurements.
I stood at the edge of where the old deck used to be
and watched him for a second or two. How I ever thought he
was attractive, I’d never know. He was becoming uglier to
me by the minute. What a waste of teenage fantasies.
“Here.” I held out the check.
He let his tape measure go and looked my way,
unhappy to see me. “What’s this?”
“It’s what I owe you for the porch.”
 “The final payment comes upon completion.”
“You are done.”
He tilted his head.
“I promised your father I would keep my contracts
with his company, but it’s apparent that you don’t want to
be here and I don’t want you here, so take the check and
leave.”
He stood stunned for a moment.
“Take the check and give me a set time when you will
take care of the grounds so that our paths will be sure not to
cross.”
He took a step closer. “I don’t take money for work I
haven’t done.”
“Well, I don’t break promises, so take the money and
sign here that our contract is paid in full.” I held out the
contract and a pen.
He walked slowly toward me. The anger in eyes
changed to confusion. “What are you going to do about the
porch? We already ordered the materials.”
“That’s not your concern. And you can use the
materials for another job.”
“My dad won’t be okay with that.”
“For that, I’m sorry, but this arrangement isn’t working
for either one of us.” I handed him the pen.
He reluctantly took it from me. He studied me for a
moment. I’m sure he thought I was trying to trick him.
I shifted on my foot. “Ow,” I winced.
 His eyes landed on my wrapped foot. “I didn’t know
you were hurt . . . I wouldn’t have—”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know, and yes you
would have. Just sign under ‘paid in full’ and tell me when I
should expect you for the lawn.”
He hesitated to sign. He kept putting the pen to paper
and bringing it back up again.
“I’m going to be late for work.” I tapped my uninjured
foot.
He signed the paper and handed the pen and contract
back to me. His face was flushed.
“Thank you. What day and time?”
He let out a deep breath. “Thursdays at eight a.m.”
“Perfect. I’ll make sure I’m gone by then. Mail me the
invoice and I’ll be sure it’s paid on time. Looks like you have
the day off. Enjoy.” I turned around and hobbled off, anger
boiling inside of me.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Five
I had a myriad of calls and messages from Adam. He
refused to take the money, but I wasn’t taking it back and I
sure as heck wasn’t going to let Sam do the job. Adam was
insisting that at least the materials be delivered to me. I
didn’t know what I was going to do with them. Besides, did I
need a porch? I had a treehouse and the beach. My
treehouse that I spent Monday night in, instead of the
barbecue at the McClain’s. I didn’t feel like being around
people after my run-in with Sam.
I lay above the ground cursing Mitzi for the mess she
caused and wondering if my sister and Darrell were really in
some kind of trouble. Money wasn’t worth this; my sanity
wasn’t worth this. Sam was definitely not worth it. I wished
him and Barbie Brianne the best.
There was only one thing I could do, and believe me, it
was the last thing I wanted to do. But if I was going to live
here, I had to confront my family. I would start tomorrow
with Darrell.
I spent the morning at the bookstore going over
inventory with Jana. I almost felt like I wasn’t needed. She
ran a well-oiled machine, and I didn’t have Mitzi’s flair to
add to the magic of the store. I would have to find my own
place, if it existed, but I would worry about that later. First, I
had a meeting with what I was sure would be a disaster.
I dressed smartly in windowpane plaid ankle pants
and a waffle knit sweater. I paired it with some cute navy
flats. Heels still weren’t possible, though my foot was feeling
better. I looked up the real estate company Darrell worked
for online and headed to Mobile, an hour away. I hoped he
was in the office. I didn’t dare make an appointment for fear
of him seeing who it was and canceling. And I certainly
couldn’t call him myself. I barely knew him, and from the
sounds of it, he hated me. It was a club, The Paige Haters.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few members.
But, like Mitzi would say, if you’re going through hell,
keep on going, sometimes it can be a whole lot of fun and
you will always be in good company. She would probably
think this was fun. And maybe if she were here, it could be.
I pulled up to the large brick building where my GPS
directed me. I took several deep breaths and forced myself
out into the heat of a Southern summer. The farther away
from the coast, the warmer it got. The sea breeze was a
must this time of year.
I hustled in before I lost my nerve.
A receptionist sat waiting. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. Is Darrell Anderson available?”
“Let me see if he’s in his office. Can I give him a
name?”
I was hoping she wouldn’t ask. “Um, Paige.”
She raised her eyebrows looking for more information.
“His sister-in-law.”
“Oh.” She smiled like that was going to be a happy
surprise for him. Oh, how she was wrong. She dialed his
office and waited a few seconds. “Hi, Darrell, your sister-in-
law is here to see you. Is it okay if I send her on back?” Her
smile wavered. “Paige.” She looked up at me with a
question in her eyes. She hung up the phone. “His office is
down the hall, fourth door on the right. He doesn’t sound
very happy.”
“I figured. Thank you.” I headed toward Darrell’s
office. My heart wanted to beat out of my chest. I hated
confrontation, and I’d had my fill for the week with Sam.
Darrell’s door was open when I arrived. He stood
behind his desk with fire in his green eyes. “What do you
want?”
I entered his office without asking and closed the door
before I spoke. “I want the chance to clear the air.”
“I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”
I took a step forward. “Well, since you have a lot to
say about me to others, I think we do.”
The color drained from his face. I think it was a
combination of embarrassment and anger. His brow
furrowed. “Take a seat.” He took his chair.
I sat on one of the wood chairs in front of his desk. I
took a second to look around at his moderate sized office. It
was clean with little frill. “How’s Maggie?” I hoped to break
the ice.
“Do you really care?”
“She’s my sister, of course I do.”
He tapped his fingers against his desk. “If you must
know, she’s been a bit down.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she feels better soon.”
 “I don’t see that happening in the near future.”
“Is something wrong?”
His pale face now burned red. “How can you sit there
and act like you haven’t played a part?”
I leaned forward. “A part in what? I haven’t seen or
talked to Maggie since Mitzi’s funeral. Before that, it had
been at least a year.”
He sat back in his chair and gave out a mirthless
laugh. “You can drop the innocent act. We all know you had
Mitzi’s ear. That you planned the humiliation at the will
reading. And don’t tell me Mitzi didn’t tell you that I had
asked for a loan.”
I held up my hand. “Wait, wait. Did you say you asked
to borrow money from Mitzi?”
“A few months ago, but she flat out turned me down.”
“Mitzi doesn’t loan money.”
“I know that now.”
“But did you know she would have given you the
money?”
“I just told you, she wouldn’t.”
“You’re right, she would have never loaned you money
—she didn’t believe in it—but if you really needed the
money, she would have given it to you. Do you need
money? Has something happened?”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Maggie and I
flip houses on the side, but we got in over our heads with a
couple and we’re still waiting on the sales. I have
contractors to pay and Maggie has been going through in
vitro. It’s a procedure our insurance doesn’t cover. I only
needed the money to get us through until we could sell the
houses.”
I had no idea she was trying to get pregnant, but that
wasn’t surprising—I didn’t know her. “Did you tell Mitzi what
was going on?”
“I did and her response was to tell me she didn’t loan
money . . .” He paused and let out a huge breath. “I walked
off before I heard what else she had to say. I assumed it was
something sarcastic.”
I smiled. “It may have well been, but you probably
should have listened. I know she would have given you the
money. And she never told me you asked. That wasn’t her
style.”
He cocked his head, not sure if he could believe me.
“Why didn’t you ask my parents for the money?”
“You really don’t know anything about your family, do
you?”
I shrugged.
“Your parents are in more debt than Maggie and me.
They had to mortgage their house.”
“Why?”
“Don’t know for sure, but I would guess your mom’s
spending habits have something to do with it.”
No wonder she was hounding me. I leaned forward
and rested my hands on his desk. “Do you still need the
money?”
 He ran his fingers through his thinning dishwater
blonde hair. “Yeah. I have contractors breathing down my
neck and I’m close to defaulting on one of the loans.”
“How much to do you need?”
“Are you going to loan me the money?”
“No. I don’t believe in loans either. They only cause
trouble. But I’m willing to help you out if you agree to my
terms.”
Tension lined his face. “And what are those?”
“That you don’t tell anyone where the money came
from, not even Maggie.”
“Why?”
“I have my reasons. Do you agree?”
Relief washed over him. “Thank you.”
I wrote on a piece of paper my number and handed it
to him. “Call me with the amount you need and I’ll have Mr.
Perkins get the funds to you.”
He took the paper. “I’ll pay you back as soon as the
homes sell.”
“Like I said, I don’t do loans. Keep the money and start
a college fund for that niece or nephew I hope you have
someday.” I stood up to leave.
“Paige?”
“Yeah?”
“You didn’t know about Mitzi’s illness or her money,
did you?”
“I was more surprised than anyone.”
“I’m sorry.”
 “Just take care of my sister.”
“Maybe we can have you over for dinner.”
I laughed. “Baby steps. Have a good day.” I held my
stomach as I walked out. One fire out, who knew how many
more to go.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Six
I hoped with all that I was that the rest of my week
would be less volatile. And that was nice thinking, until my
mother showed up at the bookstore on Wednesday. Maybe I
was the one who died, and I really had gone to hell. Please
make it stop.
I was setting up a display for local authors when she
came strolling in like she was some Hollywood celeb. Big
sunglasses, tight little white dress, and an attitude that said
move out of my way. I had to hand it to her, she had a
fantastic cosmetic surgeon. She was looking younger and
more plastic every year.
“Mother.” I tried not to grimace.
She took off her sunglasses in a dramatic sweep.
“Why must you call me that?”
Because she hated it. Most people down here called
their mothers ‘momma,’ but she was more like mommy
dearest. “Would you prefer Cassandra?”
She gave me a fake smile. “You are a funny one. Give
your mother a hug.”
Did I have to? She only wanted one for appearance’s
sake, even though everyone in this town knew the James
family was anything but loving. But my mother could put on
a good show.
I patted her on the back, barely touching her. “How
are you?”
 “Divine. I just got done with my tennis lesson, and I’m
off to have lunch with Sofie.”
“Don’t let me keep you.”
“Always with your jokes.” She looked around the store
at my customers and smiled. She brushed back her long,
ebony hair, which was dyed. “I haven’t seen you since you
got back into town. I wanted to make sure you were settling
in. It must be so lonely in that big old house by yourself.”
Two could play this game. “How sweet of you, but I
find I quite enjoy it.”
Her face dropped for a moment, but ever the
academy-award-winning actress, she recovered quickly. “I’m
so happy to hear that you’re so happy.” She patted my arm
in a strange sort of way. “You know, that house was mine
long before it was yours, so if you ever want to—”
“I don’t.”
“Well.” She threw on her shades. “It was nice to see
you. I’m happy to see that a stylist finally got a hold of you.”
“Good day, Mother.”
She waved like she had admirers in the store and
walked out.
Jana slid up next to me. “Are you sure you’re related?”
I laughed. “Some days I do wonder.”
“Any mother in their right mind would be proud to
have a daughter like you.”
She had no idea how much that meant to me. I had to
turn and rearrange the books before I cried at her
thoughtfulness.
 That night I headed to the treehouse with a local
author’s book in my hand. It was a sweet romance, and I
could use some. I made my way up the old ladder that
creaked and groaned more than it used to. The treehouse
moaned too. It was aging, and I had grown. Maybe I should
have someone come look at it. But I took my chances. I
figured if it was my time, so be it. At least I would go out
doing what I loved—reading in my favorite spot in the whole
world.
The book was more than decent, but my editor side
was nitpicky. I wanted to get a hold of the author and make
some suggestions. She needed to do a better job of
showing, not telling, and her voice was too passive. But
other than that, the chemistry between the main characters
was compelling and kind of heated. It was so much easier to
be in love with a fictional character, and this male
protagonist had my vote. If only men like him existed in real
life. But like Mitzi said, love is for those too stupid to stay
single. I still couldn’t believe she thought I should be with
Sam. Maybe the cancer affected her brain.
I woke up early on Thursday so I could be miles away
before Sam showed up at eight to take care of the lawn.
Poor Adam was still hoping Sam and I would come to a truce
and they could finish the porch for me, but that wasn’t in
the cards. I planned to ask my brother-in-law for some
suggestions on new contractors, but I hadn’t the time nor
the inclination. It would be nice, though, to have some
steps. I had placed a step ladder there, and it was an
accident waiting to happen.
I would think about it later. I wanted to feel like I had a
good handle on Paige’s Turn before I did anything else.
I rushed to get ready. I braved heels today. I thought I
looked cute in my Dorothy blue trousers and crocheted shell
top. The shirt showed off my toned arms. Yoga does a body
good.
I carefully climbed down the step ladder and headed
to the detached three-car garage on the uneven ground. It
was the risky route, but I only had fifteen minutes before
Sam arrived and I wasn’t taking any chances of him being
early. I punched in the code to the garage, happy I made it.
But this place conspired against me. Flat tire. I looked at my
phone and the time. I could do this. I popped open my trunk
and grabbed my lug wrench and jack. I would loosen the lug
nuts before I grabbed the spare tire. I did my best not to get
any grease or dirt on my light-colored clothes while I used
the jack to lift the car. Maybe I should just take the
Mercedes. I looked at the time again. Mercedes it was.
But guess who was early? This wasn’t happening. I
had the lug wrench in my hand when he pulled up.
Something in me snapped. It must have been my mind,
because why else would I think I had to prove to the
gorgeous jerk in a tight-fitting t-shirt that I wasn’t a princess
and I could change a tire? So that’s what I did.
I didn’t even acknowledge that he had pulled up my
drive. I crouched down and started loosening the lug nuts on
the rear driver’s-side tire. It was all going well until the last
lug nut wouldn’t budge, not even a millimeter.
Sam approached. “Can I help you with something?”
“No. Pretend I’m not here.” I refused to look at him.
He chuckled as he neared. “Let me help you.”
“Like I said, under control.” I turned the wrench as
hard as I could, all while trying to look like it was a piece of
cake. It took some talent.
He knelt next to me. “Let me try.”
“We had a deal. You take care of my lawn and we
never see each other again. This is a breach of contract.” I
still wouldn’t look at him. But I could smell him, and he
didn’t smell like grass. He smelled warm and spicy; it was
intoxicating. My stomach flipped.
He reached for the wrench and his hand engulfed
mine. It caused a very unusual sensation for me. So much
so, I turned toward him, and whoa was he close. And up
close he was something to behold. Then he had to smile—a
real one. That unusual sensation moved to my midsection.
“Please, let me help you.”
I pulled my hand away along with the wrench. “I don’t
want your help. Just do what you came here to do. I got
this.”
“Paige, I was actually hoping I would catch you.”
I stood up. “Why?”
He stood up as well. He ran his fingers through his
thick, dark hair. “I owe you an apology. Probably several.”
He sounded like he wasn’t used to apologizing.
 “Great, you can go now.”
He grinned. “You didn’t let me apologize.”
“Does it really matter?”
He inched toward me. “I think so. I feel terrible about
the way I treated you. I don’t usually behave that way.”
“That makes me feel so much better.”
“That came out wrong. I meant, I don’t want you to
think that’s who I really am.”
“I actually thought I knew who you were, but I was
mistaken.”
His brows came together. “I’m probably not the guy
you knew when you left ten years ago, but I’m not the man
from this past week, either.”
“Now that we’ve cleared that up, I’m going to call
triple A.”
He pressed his lips together and looked off to the left.
“Why don’t you take your other car?”
“That’s Mitzi’s car. It’s not my style.”
“And a Honda Civic is?”
“Despite what you believe about me, I’m not a
princess. I don’t need fancy cars or expensive homes.”
“Hey.” He reached out and touched my arm. “I wasn’t
trying to imply that.”
I felt his touch beneath my skin. I pulled away.
“I guess I’ll get to work. Are you sure I can’t help
you?”
“Positive.”
 His shoulders dropped before walking away. He walked
slowly back to his truck. I think he was waiting for me to call
out to him, but like I said, I wasn’t going to play damsel in
distress for him.
I looked up. Mitzi, what were you thinking?

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Seven
By the time Friday came, I had to drag myself out of
bed. I didn’t know if I could handle any more excitement or
run-ins with the natives. I was giving some serious
consideration to flying back to my real home in Washington.
I was even dreading having breakfast with my dad this
morning, but he sounded excited to see me again, so that
was something. 
And today was my first time doing story time. I had to
dress up like a ballerina. The things I did for my dead aunt.
For the occasion, I pulled my hair up in a bun. I packed a
leotard, tutu, tights, slippers, and tiara. I hope no one took
any pictures at this thing.
I walked out into the beautiful day and breathed in the
smell of freshly cut grass mixed in with the sea air. The lawn
looked like perfection. It would be a lie if I said I hadn’t
thought more than I should have about the landscaper.
I met my dad for an early breakfast at Mabel Lu’s. He
was already seated when I arrived, but he stood to greet me
with a stiff kiss on the cheek. I touched my cheek and
smiled. “Good morning.” I wasn’t sure what to do about this
newfound affection between us.
He pulled out my chair for me before taking his again.
“You look lovely this morning. I like your hair up.”
I touched the bun on top of my head. “Thanks.” Again,
weird.
 Mabel Lu appeared with a pot of coffee. “How are you
this morning, sugar?” She poured the liquid pick-me-up in
my cup.
“Better now.” I smiled up at her. “Thank you.”
She gave me a quick wink. “Blueberry pancakes, baby
doll?”
“Yes, please.”
Her pleasant demeanor was knocked down a few
notches when she addressed my dad. “And what can I get
for you, Robert?”
“Your chicken fried steak platter.”
She didn’t acknowledge his request, instead she
smiled at me. “I’ll have those pancakes out to you in a jiffy.”
“You’re a godsend, thank you.”
She laughed and walked off.
“I don’t think she likes me.” My dad reached for his
coffee.
“And why is that?”
He lowered his cup without taking a sip. “She has a
long memory.”
“What does that mean?”
“Let’s save that for another day. Tell me how you’re
doing.”
I gave him the out, for now. “That’s a good question.
I’m not sure I should have moved back here.”
“They say you can never go home.”
“I’ve never thought of it as a homecoming.”
 His brows came together. “Was it really so bad? Was I
that bad of a father?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “You weren’t terrible.”
He chuckled. “I guess that’s something.” He reached
out and placed his large hand over mine. “How do I make it
up to you?”
“I don’t know if that’s something that can be made
up.”
He lowered his head. “You’re right.” He raised his
head and squeezed my hand. “I promise to do better, here
and now.”
I took a deep breath. We would see.
~*~
I changed into my costume in my office bathroom. I
had to laugh when I looked around me. Only Mitzi would
have a recliner in her bathroom at work. I sure did miss her.
I quit laughing when I caught my reflection in the full-length
mirror. I looked ridiculous in my pink leotard. If Mitzi had a
front row seat, I imagined her laughing hard enough to
produce tears. In my final act of humiliation, I placed the
tiara on my head. Mitzi fell out of her seat, I was sure.
I took my walk of shame to the children’s area. All the
patrons stared, like the gaping kind. It wasn’t until I reached
the children’s section in the back corner of the store that I
felt even remotely okay about this. A couple dozen children
erupted into shouts of glee when I arrived. “She looks just
like Ella Bella Ballerina,” one of the girls observed. I took a
deep a breath. I could do this.
 I sat down on Mitzi’s throne. Several little faces looked
up in anticipation. And there stood Jana with a reassuring
smile and, to my horror, a camera. I faked happy and smiled
at the children. “Welcome to story time.” I picked up my
copy of Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella.
Several little girls giggled in delight.
Then I heard a deep masculine laugh rumble through
the space. Startled, I jumped in my seat and there my eyes
met with a pair of gorgeous hazel ones across the space.
Sam gave me a mischievous smile before landing on one of
the bean bags. I did my best to keep my composure. What
in the heck was he doing here?
Not only did his presence throw me off kilter, but now
every mom, nanny, and every other type of child guardian
was swooning over the handsome intruder. I expected him
to lap up the attention, but he paid no attention to his
admirers. Maybe beautiful people are so used to it, they find
the longing glances easy to ignore.
I locked eyes with Jana, who was beaming and
grinning from ear to ear at the turn of events. She gave me
a thumbs up. That was my cue to get my head back on and
focus on what I had come to do. I smiled at the eager
children and began.
I did my best to put all the emotion I could into the
sweet little tale about the ballerina that lost her ballet
slipper and ended up in Cinderella’s story. I tried to make
Mitzi proud. I imagined her giving me a standing ovation
from her front row seat. She was yelling, “Bravo and
Encore!” I would not be repeating my performance until
next week. I only prayed the children voted on a book where
the costume made me feel less exposed.
In the end, though, it was worth it when several
children came up and hugged me. Many told me how pretty
I was. While the children rushed to me, the women who
brought the cuties flocked to the jerk who laughed and
cheered the loudest during the story, making it hard to
ignore him. What was he playing at, anyway? He was
breaking our mutual decision to never see each other again.
While he was distracted, I made my escape. I was
longing for real clothes and to be anywhere he wasn’t. I
exited the children’s area and made my way through the
main area to more stares from the adult customers. Mitzi
was definitely enjoying the show. I only made it to the hall
that led to the back offices.
“Princess.”
I stopped dead in my tracks, fist clenched. “Don’t call
me that.” I headed toward my office without even a glance
at him.
“Paige, hold up.”
I placed my hand on my door and sighed.
He met me there. “Hey.”
I looked up and locked eyes with him. “What do you
want?”
“I enjoyed the story.” He touched my tiara. “It suits
you.”
I pushed open my door. “I’m busy here.”
 He followed me into my office.
“I didn’t invite you in.”
“I figured this was one of those situations where I
should seek forgiveness instead of permission.”
I rubbed my face with my hands. “Our agreement was
to avoid each other.”
He grinned. “That’s why I’m here. I think we may have
gotten off on the wrong foot.”
“I’m pretty sure I remember being polite.”
“Let me rephrase. I want the chance to start over.”
I took off the tiara and headed for my bathroom. “You
have your money. We’re square. Have a nice day.”
“Hey there.” He stepped forward and grabbed a hold
of my hand. “Could you at least give me a few minutes?”
“Um.” I was fixated on our hands and the way my
stomach was doing somersaults. “Fine, but I need to
change.”
He dropped my hand and gave me the once over. “Are
you sure?”
I tilted my head. What did he mean by that? “I’ll be
right back.”
“I’ll be right here.” He took a seat at my desk.
Once in my bathroom, I stood against the door and
took a few deep breaths. I hurried to get out of the leotard
and threw on my white shift dress. In a smooth, but very
Paige move, I fell over while taking off my tights and tipped
over the metal trash bin, making a loud noise.
“Are you okay in there?” Sam called out.
 I shook it off and brushed off my dress. I didn’t even
bother putting my shoes on. I opened the door and let out a
huge breath of air. “I’m fine.”
I wasn’t sure if his smile was a smirk or a grin, but I
was pretty sure I was amusing him. “I agree.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and headed for my desk
chair. I took a seat and faced him. “Your few minutes start
now.”
He laughed. “You’re tougher than you look.”
“Why are you here?”
He leaned forward. “First, how’s your foot?”
“Better.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I know what a jerk I came off as
on Monday.”
“And all the other days, too.” I smiled, albeit evilly.
“Not yesterday.”
“I’ll give you that.”
“Thank you.” He sat up tall and business like. “I
received a call from Darrell. He informed me that he could
finally pay me next week for the work I had done for him. It
was unexpected. You wouldn’t know anything about that,
would you?”
I kept a straight face. “Why would I? Didn’t you accuse
me of stepping on those I should care about the most?”
“Did I say that? Sometimes the heat gets to me and I
say things I don’t really mean.”
“Is that so?”
 “But I’m completely cured of it now. Which brings me
to why I’m here. I want to finish the porch for you.”
“Like I said, we’re square.”
“No, we’re not. My dad and I don’t run our business
like that. We don’t take money we haven’t earned. The
check you wrote won’t be deposited until we’ve completed
the job.”
I gripped the edge of my desk. “Please take the
money. I promised your dad I would keep the contracts Mitzi
signed.”
“We will, if you let us fulfill our end of the contract.”
I hemmed and hawed and blew out exorbitant
amounts of air.
Sam watched and smiled. “You know, we were friends
once.”
“You were friends with Blair.”
“I want to be friends with you.”
I gazed into his beautiful eyes to see if there was any
hint of a lie in his words.
“Blair would have wanted us to, and Mitzi, too.”
He got to me. “Fine. You can finish the porch.”
He held out his hand. “Let’s shake on it.”
Odd. I reluctantly placed my hand in his.
He had a firm, but gentle grip. “Friends?”
I nodded.
He gave my hand a squeeze. “The materials for your
porch have arrived. I’m going to head over to your place
now so I can finish preparing the ground.” He didn’t let go of
my hand.
“Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
“I look forward to it, Princess.”
And for a small moment, I felt like one.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Eight
I was nervous driving home. I had a feeling Sam would
still be there. I hoped my brother-in-law didn’t go back on
our deal and tell Sam where the money was coming from.
Mr. Perkins would wire the funds to him on Monday. Darrell
assured me that my sister never checked the business
accounts and she didn’t know how truly bleak their situation
was. Which reminded me, I should probably ask my dad
what was going on with them, but I wasn’t sure it was my
place, or if I wanted to know. Our new relationship was in its
infancy. I wanted to ease into it.
Now, I had to face Sam. Sam, who I didn’t want
knowing what I did. Attractive Sam. I needed to quit thinking
like that. Mitzi was wrong about us. And she was happy
without a man. I could be too. I was happy, or at least I used
to be before I moved back to Bella Port. But would I always
be happy alone? A question to ponder later.
I pulled in the long drive around seven and sure
enough, Sam’s truck and trailer were there. In addition,
there was also some little tractor or mini bulldozer thing. He
must have used it to clear away the ground and dig out the
foundation of the porch. Sam was putting stakes in the
ground when I walked up. I figured there was no point in
ignoring him. “You’ve been busy.”
He looked up from the ground, hammer in hand.
“What do you think?”
“The dirt looks nice.”
 He grinned. “I should be out of your hair soon I’m just
going to finish outlining the dimensions.”
“Sounds good. See you later.”
“Bye.” He went right back to work.
I ran in the house and changed into a pair of cutoffs
and a t-shirt. After I changed I made myself a sandwich and
wrapped it up before grabbing a blanket and a book. My
destination for the night was the beach. There was a good
hour of sunlight left to read, and did I ever need it. I headed
out the front door and walked around the back toward the
path leading down to the water. But I was stopped on my
way to blissful solitude and peace.
“Where are you headed?”
I held up my treasures—my food and book. “I have a
date with the sand.” I started back on my journey.
“That’s what you do on Friday nights?”
I almost pretended like I didn’t hear him, but one, that
was rude, and two, he started walking my way. I turned to
find him only a few feet from me. “The location changes, but
food and reading are usually involved.”
He nodded his head. “Interesting.”
“You mean boring.”
He laughed. “Maybe.”
“I’m sure you and Brianne have big plans.”
He rubbed the back of his dirty neck, his eyes fixed on
the grass. “Nothing too exciting.”
“Have fun.”
 His eyes met mine. “You, too. I’ll be back tomorrow
morning.”
I waved and turned around.
“You know . . .”
I had only gotten a few yards away before turning
toward him again.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “Sawyer Adair is
throwing a party on the beach tonight after sunset.
Everyone’s welcome . . . if you’re interested.”
Mabel Lu’s son, Sawyer, was like Sam—one of the
most eligible bachelors in town. I’d heard of the kind of
parties he threw. Not like any party was my style, but I
wouldn’t fit in with all the bikini babes that would be invited.
It was the kind of party meant for the Brianne’s of the world.
I didn’t even own a bikini.
I held up my book. “I’m all set for the night. Thanks.” I
didn’t wait for a response. If I kept this up, there wouldn’t be
any time left to read. I hurried down the well-worn path,
thinking about the unusual exchange Sam and I had just
shared. He probably thought Blair would appreciate it if he
asked. It was like when we were growing up and they asked
me to tag along. And just like back then, I still felt like I
didn’t fit in with his crowd. But I was coming to see that
there was nothing wrong with it. That maybe there wasn’t
anything wrong with me. Different was okay.
I set out my blanket, got comfortable on it, and let my
date with the Mr. Fairchild of my novel begin. As I read and
ate, a weird phenomenon took place. Mr. Fairchild began to
take on Sam’s features. I shook my head, trying to clear out
the interruption. But it got me wondering how serious
Brianne and Sam were. And why Mitzi thought someone like
Sam would be remotely interested in me. I tried to forget
about it and get lost in my thriller, which had a heavy dose
of romance, but I kept having to re-read sentences. This
wasn’t going to do. Instead of reading, I lay out on the
blanket and watched the clouds, swirling pink and orange
above me.
“Mitzi, I miss you. I bet you’re thinking I should go to
the party. But what would I do there? I don’t drink. I don’t
dance. And I don’t do people, or at least most people. I
would rather do a puzzle with Josie or sip coffee with friends
and talk politics. Sam and I are completely wrong for each
other; I apparently need a man of retirement age. I never
thought I would say it, but you were mistaken.”
~*~
I tossed and turned in bed, so I decided to do
something I rarely did, watch TV. I flipped on the light and
opened the nightstand drawer to look for the remote for the
TV sitting on Mitzi’s dresser. What I found was much better.
It was another note. I sat cross-legged on the bed and
eagerly opened it.
My Darling Girl,
If you’re looking for the remote, I threw it away. I
decided if I wanted to watch TV that bad, I would work for it;
if not, it wasn’t worth the effort. But all must not be well if
you are watching TV. If it’s your family, the best revenge is
to enjoy yourself, so make sure you are. If it’s the store,
don’t worry, you will find your place. Make it your own.
Remember, only you can take your turn.
Now if it’s men trouble, I’m not the best one to give
advice. You know my feelings toward the vile specimens,
except for the delicious Sam. But I do know you. And yes,
Paige-ala, you are more than he deserves. I know you must
think it is a strange match, but I believe he has something
you need, and you are the right kind of woman for him,
even if he doesn’t see it yet. I know you think I’ve made a
mistake, but I’ve known for quite some time that you would
do well together.
Try not to judge a book by the cover. But isn’t it a
beautiful cover? And more importantly, open yourself up.
Let him read from the pages that make you so fantastical.
You be you, but don’t be afraid to try new things. It is there
you will find happiness. Just like when you braved
Washington. We both know how well that turned out.
Remember, I’ve never steered you wrong. And if I
have to, I will haunt you.
Love, love, love, you.
Mitzi
I wiped my eyes and folded up the letter. I held onto it
as I tried to sleep. She never had been wrong, but Sam
wasn’t meant for me. He had a girlfriend and we barely
tolerated each other.
I didn’t sleep well, so I decided to get up early and
head to the dock. I needed to revive my body, and yoga at
sunrise sounded like the perfect plan. I dressed in some
leggings and a tank top. I grabbed my mat and bottle of
water and made my way down to the beach. The sun was
barely tickling the horizon. I saw one of my neighbors out on
his fishing boat. I waved before laying out my mat. I started
with my breathing exercises before moving on to pelvic tilts.
I tried to clear my mind of all the chaos in my life. I focused
on my body and each moving part. I moved on to eagle
arms and the cat-cow stretch. I felt the tension leave my
body. With each pose, I felt better and my mind cleared.
While doing the goddess pose, genius struck me. I
knew how to make the store more mine. I remembered
overhearing a conversation between Kayla and Ashlynn, two
of the teenage girls that worked part time for the store.
They were lamenting their final research papers in English
and how confused they were by some of the material they
were asked to read. I dropped to my mat and smiled. I would
offer free after-school tutoring. I could set up a media space
for teens and maybe talk to the school district about their
reading lists for the year. That way, I could brush up on the
material and be ready to assist.
I wondered if I could hire Sam to do some renovations
near the teen and YA section. I could give it more of a coffee
house vibe. Maybe I should ask Kayla and Ashlynn if that
would be something that would interest kids their age. I
didn’t know if it was cool or not to hang out at a bookstore. I
didn’t know anything about being cool. But I did know
literature and English.
 I dashed back to the house, excited to start looking at
some ideas online about how to best implement my plan.
And I wanted to shower and change before Sam arrived. I
needed to discuss his availability and the cost. Not like cost
was going to be an issue. I had to remind myself of that fact.
I wasn’t used to unlimited resources.
As I neared the house, I was surprised to see Sam
already there, ready to work. I guess it made sense,
considering how hot it would be later in the day. But I was
sure he’d had a late night with Brianne. A thought that
didn’t sit well with me.
Filled with excitement, I approached him, not caring
that I was a sweaty mess from the humidity and the
workout. “Good morning.”
He dropped his tool belt. “Wow. Good morning.”
I ran my hand through my sweat soaked hair. “Yoga.”
“It works for you.” He picked up his tool belt.
“Thanks.” I bit my lip. “I’d like to talk something over
with you. Once I shower and get ready, I could make us
some breakfast.” That came out uncomfortable. I wasn’t
usually so bold, but I hadn’t been this excited about
something in a long while.
His brief silence and the way he stared at me didn’t
help me feel better. He shook his head like he was clearing
out his thoughts. “That sounds great. Just let me know when
you’re ready.”
“Are you allergic to anything?”
“As long as it isn’t liver or Brussels sprouts, I’ll eat it.”
 “I’m fresh out of both, so we’re safe.”
He grinned.
I took my exit and headed for the front of the house. I
took a quick shower and blew out my hair with my diffuser
to give it some body. I was back in cut-offs and a t-shirt. I
could look chic on the weekdays. I headed to the kitchen
and thought about the note Mitzi left me about his favorite
cookie being snickerdoodles. I had recently seen a recipe
online for snickerdoodle pancakes and warm vanilla sauce.
That could work. I warmed up the griddle while I prepared
the batter and sauce. And before I knew it, it smelled
heavenly in the kitchen. I chopped some fruit and made
fresh squeezed orange juice. I hadn’t spent so much time on
a meal in forever. I hadn’t cooked for anybody in longer than
that, unless you counted dessert on Sunday, but this
seemed different.
I set the table in the breakfast nook. I stood back and
admired my handiwork. Nerves crept in. As much as I knew
Sam and I weren’t meant to be, I was still attracted to him,
and when I was younger I’d had dreams of Sam falling for
me. I knew then, as I knew now, how unrealistic that was.
I walked to the back door and opened it. Sam had
pulled up his shirt and wiped his brow with it. I caught a
glimpse of his taut chest. My stomach did that flip thing
again. I took a deep breath. “Breakfast is ready.”
He smiled up at me and made his way over.
“You can come in the front door if you want.”
“I got it.”
 I moved out of the way and he easily climbed in the
house with no steps.
“Can I wash up?”
“Sure. There’s a bathroom—”
“I know my way around.” He grinned.
I knew that. Mitzi had invited him in, and when we
were growing up, he and Blair sometimes hung out here. “Of
course you do. I’ll wait for you in the breakfast nook.”
“I look forward to it.”
I watched him walk away and admired his physique.
Time had been very good to him. Those weren’t thoughts I
needed to be having. I smiled, thinking about Mitzi having
them. I sat down at the small table and waited for him
before serving myself, even though I was starved.
He sauntered back in, looking more refreshed with
clean hands and face.
“I have orange juice on the table, but I can get you
water or milk.”
“Orange juice is great.” He took his seat across from
me.
I poured him a glass.
“Smells good.”
“Please help yourself.”
He wasted no time throwing four pancakes on his
plate and drenching them in vanilla sauce. He also took a
large serving of fruit. It wasn’t fair he could eat like that and
look so good.
 Once he filled his plate, I grabbed a couple of
pancakes and lightly drizzled sauce over them.
He took a bite and his eyes lit up as he chewed. He
swallowed and smiled. “These are amazing. They taste like
snickerdoodle cookies, my favorite.”
I grinned. “Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Your aunt used to make them for me.”
“She loved to bake.”
“I’m sorry I missed her funeral. We had to take my
mom to the hospital that day. She had been having fainting
spells.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Did they figure out why?”
“They think it was some new medication she had been
taking.”
“Your mom is a lovely woman.”
“She’s the best. It’s been a rough few years for her,
but she tries to stay positive through it all.”
“That’s admirable.”
“She admires you, by the way.”
“You couldn’t talk her out of it?”
He sighed. “I apologized.”
“I remember.”
“Do you think you could forget my previous
behavior?”
“Maybe.”
“I should know better than anyone to believe rumors.
Can we chalk it up to stress?”
“What has you stressed?”
 He took a long sip of his orange juice before
answering. He was thinking carefully what to say. He set his
glass down. “Fresh squeezed, nice.”
“You don’t have to answer the question.”
His brows came together. “Business has been tough
for a few years, and when people don’t pay on time, it adds
extra strain.”
“People like my brother-in-law?”
“He’s a good guy. He was angry and he ran off his
mouth. I should have gotten both sides before jumping to
any conclusions. And I should thank you.”
I tucked some hair behind my ear. “For what?”
“I know Darrell didn’t sell either of the properties I
worked on, and he didn’t just luck into a large sum of
money.”
“You never know.”
“I’m pretty sure I know.”
I shrugged my shoulders and took a bite of my food.
The pancakes were delicious.
“So, Princess, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“Will you please quit calling me Princess? I’m not
fifteen anymore.”
“No, you’re not.” His eyes roved over me. “I’m sorry if
the term bothers you, it just reminds me of better times.”
“With Blair?”
“And you, too.”
“Me?”
 His face turned a shade of pink. “Blair loved you. He
thought you were the best sister, never annoying. He said
you used to make his bed and leave him notes.”
My face felt red and my eyes welled up with tears. “He
told you that?”
Sam placed his hand on top of mine in a comforting
gesture. “It meant a lot to him.”
“I was just a silly kid who idolized her older brother.”
“And me, too, right?”
I laughed. “Yeah, kind of.”
“Maybe we can work our way back there.”
“Don’t get your hopes up.”
He chuckled and removed his hand. Part of me wished
he wouldn’t have. “Should I call you boss now instead?”
“No, but I’m wondering if you would like to take
another job with me.”
He arched his left eyebrow in perfect fashion. “I’m not
even close to done with the porch yet.”
“This is more important to me.”
He shifted uncomfortably.
“Is something wrong?”
“My dad’s counting on that money for second
quarter.”
“You can cash the check.”
“We don’t do business like that.”
I sighed. “I understand.”
“Why don’t you tell me what you want.”
 “Well, I would like to revamp the whole teen and YA
section at the bookstore. I was thinking something like a
coffee shop atmosphere. And I want to put in a technology
center where I can offer free homework help. I was kind of
hoping it could be done before school started in the fall.
Could you recommend someone else?”
“No.”
I leaned back, surprised.
“I’m the best around and I don’t want you to waste
your money on half-decent work.”
“You think highly of yourself.”
“Maybe. But I wouldn’t trust anyone but myself.”
“Do you have time?”
“How about Monday morning I meet you at the
bookstore and you can show me what you’re thinking, and
then I’ll make time for it.”
“Are you sure?”
He leaned toward me. “More than sure.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Nine
It was hard not to picture Sam with his shirt off while
his mom showed me the adorable baby pictures of him after
dinner Sunday night. I had a feeling this was going to
become a regular thing. I was okay with it. Being at the
Kennedy’s felt like being at home. It was weird, but I liked it.
And Adam was a top-notch griller. But every time Josie
pointed out a picture of Sam, all I could see was when he
took his shirt off briefly yesterday while he was working on
the porch. I was fortunate enough to be looking out my
bedroom window. So maybe it was more than luck. I was
fascinated watching him tamp dirt.
Josie, with effort, pulled out a photo of five-year-old
Sam holding up a fish. “That was his first catch, and ever
since then, he caught the fishing bug.”
“Does he fish a lot?”
“Whenever he can, but he’s been busy lately, working
and spending time with that girl.” Josie’s features tightened.
“Brianne?”
She nodded. “I don’t like her.”
“Can I ask why?”
She turned a few pages of the photobook. She pulled
out a picture hidden beneath a larger family photo of Sam,
Josie, and Adam. A very handsome family. They looked
happy on some beach somewhere. The Sam in that photo
was the one I remembered kissing my cheek. Josie handed
me the hidden photo.
 I stared at the unexpected wedding picture. His ex-
wife was a bombshell like Brianne, curvy, gorgeous, but a
brunette instead of a blonde. I ran my fingers over the
newlywed couple. Sam looked dashing in his black tux.
“Beautiful couple.”
“Looks aren’t everything.”
“What’s her name?”
“Desiree.” She sounded like she was spitting out
venom.
“What happened?” I felt nosy, but curiosity was
getting the better of me.
“She didn’t really love him. Brianne will be the same.”
“How do you know?”
“Brianne wants someone to take care of her. She had
to move back in with her parents after her divorce. They
take care of her daughter more than she does.”
I wondered how Josie knew all that. Bella Port was
small, but I didn’t think Josie got out much.
“Have you talked to Sam about it?”
She shook her head. “No. He was angry with us for a
long time because we didn’t like Desiree. We decided from
then on, we would try to love whoever he brought home the
best we could, even if we didn’t agree with his choice.”
I looked into her kind hazel eyes. “You’re a good
mom.”
She reached up with her trembling hand and touched
my cheek. “You’re a good girl, the kind of girl I want Sam to
bring home.”
 That wasn’t going to happen.
~*~
I arrived at the bookstore early to meet Sam before
we opened and before he headed out to my place. He had
to finish leveling the ground before the gravel arrived for
the base of the stone patio. I had done some research
between watching Sam and having dinner with his parents. I
found a few pictures that matched my vision. I even found
the place where I could order the furniture to match the
photos.
Sam arrived right on time. I let him in through the
locked front door.
“Good morning.”
“You’re too happy for Monday morning.” He rubbed his
hand over his unshaven face.
“Rough weekend?”
“Late night.”
“Oh.” I bet he was with Brianne. “Well, I won’t keep
you long.” I handed him some pictures I had printed out.
“This is what I’m thinking.”
He took the papers and gave them a once over.
“Where do you want to do this?”
I began walking toward our teen section in the back,
adjacent to the children’s section. “I was thinking back
here.”
He looked at my ideas again, then he walked around
the area and knocked on the walls. He thought for a
moment. He pointed to the back wall. “We could add this
counter top there. And I could use this column to do this.”
He held up one of the pictures. “But I would make one table
higher than the other side. And I could put some built-in
bookshelves against the other wall, which would give you
more space to add the chairs and ottomans.”
The more he talked, the more excited I got. “Sounds
perfect. When can you get started?”
He grinned. “I would have to draw out some plans and
come up with an estimate. I’m booked solid during the day,
but I can do evenings starting in July.”
“That’s too much to ask.”
“I take side projects like this all the time.”
“Really?”
“It pays the bills.”
“Charge me extra for the overtime.”
“That’s not how I do business.”
“I appreciate that, but you have a life and a
girlfriend.”
He stepped back. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“What about Brianne?”
He removed his baseball cap and ran his fingers
through his hair. “We’re in the exploratory stage.”
“What’s that?”
“You know, the period where you decide if you can see
yourself with this person long-term before you commit to
anything.”
I laughed. “So, you have commitment issues.”
He threw his hat on. “I’ve been married.”
 “I know. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
He gave me a crooked grin. “You’ve been talking to
my mom.”
“Yeah.” I bit my lip.
“Brianne and I are taking it slow. We’re both divorced
and she has a child, so it’s a lot to consider.”
“That makes sense. But I don’t want to get in the way
of your ‘exploratory’ time.”
He laughed. “Don’t worry about it. That’s the great
part about this stage, it’s flexible.”
“Hmmm.” I pressed my lips together.
He cocked his head. “What?”
“It’s nothing. I guess, I figured when I met someone
that I could see myself with long-term, all I would want to do
is spend time with them. It would be my priority.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s different for
everyone.”
“I guess so.”
“I take it you haven’t found Mr. Right yet?”
“What does that even mean? Out of all the people in
the world, is there really only one right person for you?”
His grin said I was entertaining. “You seem touchy
about the subject.”
“I’m realistic. If you go into a relationship thinking that
way, it’s bound to be doomed when real life sets in. But if
you have the attitude that this person is the one because
choosing them makes them the one, it changes your
perspective. I believe there are any number of choices you
can make, but it’s sticking with your choice through the
good and bad that matters.”
“Is that your aunt talking?”
“No. She always encouraged me to stand on my own,
that love was foolish.”
“Do you believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Then maybe you haven’t met the right person yet.”
“You mean persons?”
“I stand by the singularity.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Ten
I felt more like myself. The week had gone better. I
had even survived story time earlier today. I had only worn
bunny ears as I read the Velveteen Rabbit.
I was falling into a pattern of putting in ten hours or so
at the bookstore, and then coming home and talking to Sam
if he was still here, and then trying to make the house mine.
Mitzi had already boxed up several of her belongings, so it
wasn’t a hard task. Who knew how long she had been
prepping to die. She was so sneaky about it all. Even
claiming to be on vacation, when she really went to stay in a
hospice in Savannah. That’s where she passed away. I had
unpacked most of my things, but I wasn’t sure what to do
with all the antique furniture.
But since it was Friday night, I gave myself a break
and headed to the treehouse with a classic, Jane Eyre. A tale
filled with delicious moral dilemmas. And I loved a good
book told from first person.
So there I was in the old treehouse, sweating in the
warmth of summer, but enjoying my peace and trudging
through the grueling years of Jane living with her uncle’s
family, the Reeds. At least my mother wasn’t as horrible as
Mrs. Reed.
In my solitude, my phone rang. I picked it up to see
that it was Sam. “Hello.”
“Hey. Where are you?”
“In a tree.”
 “You’re not in that old treehouse, are you?”
“Yep. It’s my favorite spot.”
“It’s not safe. Your aunt asked me to look at the thing
when I had some time, but I was never able to. You really
shouldn’t be using it.”
“It’s fine.” I hoped.
He sighed.
“What?”
“I can tell you’re one of those stubborn women.”
“I like to think of myself as tenacious.”
“Call it whatever you want, you should come down.”
“I don’t think so. It’s a beautiful evening, and maybe I
like to live dangerously.”
“I’m coming over.”
“To rescue me?”
“I’ve drawn up some plans for the bookstore that I
want to show you.”
I sat up. “Why didn’t you just say so? Do you want to
meet me in the treehouse?” I teased.
“I’ll see you in ten, in your mansion, Princess.”
“Okay, fine, but the treehouse is so much more fun.”
He laughed and hung up.
I ran my fingers through my messed-up hair. He
hadn’t called me princess in days. I thought he was over it.
And even though I told him to stop, I kind of missed it. I
grabbed my book and scooted toward the ladder. It was
creaky, but I wasn’t worried. I carefully headed down the
ladder and my tenacity bit me in the butt. The third step
from the bottom gave out. I grabbed onto the ladder for
dear life, but the extra force on the next step made it give
out. That wasn’t the worst of it. My hands took the brunt of
it, sliding down the aged wood. Several slivers embedded in
my palms and fingers. The jarring didn’t feel great either
when, thankfully, I landed on my feet, but my hands
throbbed.
I swore I had a clumsy gene. I limped to the house as
fast as I could. My hands were red and marked with
splinters. Opening the door to the house was almost
unbearable. I headed straight for the kitchen and turned on
the faucet, where I let my hands run under the cool water.
Tears stung my eyes.
Sam arrived on time and knocked on the front door.
With great hesitation, I left my station, and my pride,
at the sink. I needed help. I hobbled toward the door. I
managed to get the door open, but this was a new kind of
pain.
Sam stood with plans in hand, smiling, but that
changed in an instant. My face must have registered pain.
“What’s wrong?”
“I had a little accident.” I lifted my hands.
His plans dropped and he took my hands in his.
I cried in pain.
“Sorry.” He held my hands more carefully. “What
happened?”
“Funny story.” I was in so much pain, my breathing
was labored. “Remember how you said the treehouse wasn’t
safe? You were finally right about something.”
He gave me a quick smirk for the playful slight.
“The ladder broke.”
He looked me over to make sure nothing else was
wrong. “Your leg is bleeding.”
I looked down. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“You should go to the emergency room.”
“For splinters?”
“You’re going to need something to numb your hands
before these can be pulled out.”
“I guess I’ll call my dad.” Every part of me didn’t want
to. Our breakfast dates were nice, but we were still on that
superficial level. And calling him would mean my mother
would know. And she loved pointing out how clumsy I was.
“Maybe I should have been clearer. I’m offering to
take you.”
I noticed how nice he was dressed in form fitting jeans
and a polo shirt. He cleaned up well. “Looks like you have a
date.”
He shrugged. “That’s the beauty of the exploratory
stage.”
“Exploratory or not, women typically don’t like plans
to be canceled last minute.”
“She’ll understand. Let’s go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“I need to grab an ice bag and my purse.”
“I’ll get them.”
 “Thanks, my purse is on the kitchen table.”
He hurried back with both items as I stood waiting for
him, shaking in pain.
The cold gel pack felt good. It didn’t take away the
pain, but it gave some relief.
Sam walked me to his truck. His hand fell to my lower
back, as if he was trying to steady me. It felt oddly
reassuring. He opened the passenger side door for me.
Getting in was going to be painful. I reached for the door to
pull myself in. I let out a tiny yelp.
“What was I thinking? Sorry.” He dropped the
bookstore plans again and picked me up.
Our eyes locked and there we stood with me in his
arms. An odd familiarity washed over me.
His head tilted. “Interesting.”
“What?”
He shook his head and gently placed me in my seat.
He even buckled my seatbelt. He tapped my nose. “We
don’t want anything else to happen to you.”
The tap on my nose seemed awfully brotherly. I’m
sure that’s how he saw himself, a brother figure. I needed to
forget any fantasy I’d ever had about him, and Mitzi’s plans.
And deep down, I knew where I stood with him, and I was
mostly okay with it. Guys like him and women like me
weren’t a good match. Besides, I wasn’t even sure if I ever
wanted to settle down. Mitzi had certainly cautioned against
it, that is, until she died.
 I felt so stupid, but pain overrode the shame of the
situation. “You know, I could call my dad once we reach the
hospital. That way you could still make your date.”
“I told you, it’s not a big deal, unless you don’t want
me there.” He gave me a charming smile. “I know things
with your parents aren’t . . .”
“Yeah. Family.”
“So, why don’t you get along with your parents?
Besides the fact you stole millions from them.” His tone was
playful.
“There’s that.” I smiled through the pain. “Honestly,
though, I don’t know what I did besides not living up to my
mother’s expectations, and my mother and Mitzi had some
sort of rift. I think it bothered my mother that I gravitated
toward Mitzi, but you go where you’re loved.”
“What happened between your aunt and mom?”
“That’s another mystery. Mitzi would never say, and I
sure wasn’t going to ask my mom. My grandpa used to say
that once upon a time they were the best of friends, but that
some hurts run too deep.”
“Hmmm. I can relate.”
“Why? Your parents are great.”
“The best, but my ex-wife’s family had some major
issues. There’s nothing like family drama.”
I turned toward him. “Is it too nosy if I ask why you got
divorced?”
He glanced my way and gave me a small smile. “Yes,
but since you asked so nicely. . .”
 I laughed through a wince.
“Are you okay?”
“I’ve been better. Tell me your story.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s say, I fell for
the package. Gorgeous, smart, rich, well-connected. But it
didn’t take long before it all started to unravel. I saw some
signs when we were dating, but I was in love, so I pushed it
to the back of my mind. Chalked it up to nerves and her
being stressed about the wedding. We got married and I
moved to Tallahassee so I could work for her dad. Made
more money than I ever thought I would, but it never
seemed to be enough for Desiree. Then my mom had her
stroke and we almost lost her. And business was bad for my
dad. If I didn’t step in, they were going to lose everything.”
“That must have been so hard for you.”
“Not really. I hated working for my father-in-law. He
didn’t care about his employees and he thought since I was
his ‘family’, he could take advantage of me. And Desiree
and I were constantly fighting. She spent all our money, and
when she went through that, her daddy would always step
in, but blame me for it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I should have listened to my parents. They
tried to warn me, but I chose to ignore them.”
“Don’t you hate it when people warn you and you
don’t listen?” I looked down at my hands.
He chuckled. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt any more
than that. You were lucky.”
 A tear fell. “I love that treehouse. It was Mitzi’s and
my place.”
He rested his hand on my bare knee. “It can be fixed.”
“Can I hire you for another job?”
He laughed. “Are you trying to monopolize all my
time?”
“No.”
“And here I thought you liked me.”
“I do like you.”
He gave my knee a gentle squeeze. “I like you, too.”
~*~
The numbing medication was wearing off and sleep
was hard to come by, even though I was exhausted. We
didn’t leave the emergency room until two in the morning.
Sam was a trooper. He never left my side, whether it was in
the waiting room watching old reruns of Friends while trying
to take my mind off the pain, or when he stroked my hair
since he couldn’t hold my hand while the doctor
painstakingly took wood particles out of my hands. He told
me stories of him and Blair driving Sam’s parents’ car
before they turned sixteen and painting the fields of
opposing football teams. Who knew the trouble they were
causing? They were lucky they never got caught. I laughed
through my tears.
Someone who wasn’t laughing was Brianne. Her
annoyance came through loud and clear on the other end of
the phone when Sam broke their date. I sort of felt bad, but I
think Josie was right. Brianne wasn’t the right woman for
Sam. He didn’t need some spoiled daddy’s girl like his ex-
wife. I wasn’t sure Brianne was exactly that, but I would say
she was a good candidate for it. I remembered how in high
school her dad threw his weight around because her grades
weren’t what they needed to be to stay on the cheer squad.
But it was none of my business who Sam dated.
The bedside clock read 5:16 a.m. I needed sleep. I
took a dose of ibuprofen and iced my hands. I finally drifted
off with thoughts of Sam swirling in my brain. Sam who’d
walked me to my door and kissed my head. Sam who’d said
he’d had a lot of fun. I didn’t know I could have so much fun
through the pain and humiliation, but it was the best time
I’d had since coming back to Bella Port. But I wasn’t gunning
for any more emergency room visits.
I got a few hours of sleep and rolled out of bed around
ten. My hands were red and raw. It made getting ready
uncomfortable, but I managed.
My first stop downstairs was to say hi to Sam. I heard
some rumblings outside. I admired his dedication and work
ethic. He had to be tired. I swung the back door open.
Sam’s attention was drawn to me. He was building the
temporary wooden frame of the porch. He stood up and
stretched his back. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Embarrassed, but better.”
“Just promise me you won’t grab a ladder and climb
back up that thing. I looked at the treehouse this morning
and you really are lucky it was only the ladder that gave
out.”
 I tried to hide my disappointment. “I promise.”
“I know a guy who does some fantastic treehouses, I
could give him a call and have him come out and take a look
for you. See what you’re dealing with. I’ve never built one,
so it might be a safer option to use an expert.”
“Okay.” I sighed.
“Don’t worry, it will get fixed and you’ll be back to
your boring ways.”
“Hey, I’m not boring. I’m highly selective in how I
spend my time.”
He grinned and walked toward me. “I didn’t say you
were a bore, but I think you should get out more.”
“You think so?”
He gave a slight nod.
“I was thinking about inviting you in for lunch.” I bit
my lip.
“That’s a start.” He was at the back door now.
Was I reading him wrong? He sounded more than
friendly.
My doorbell chimed at the wrong moment.
“I’ll be right back.”
“I look forward to it.”
I headed for the front door, annoyed at the
interruption and the pain it caused to open the door. Though
I hadn’t minded opening the back door. The annoyance level
swelled when I opened the door to find Brianne holding a
picnic basket and looking overtly sexy in a halter top and
the shortest of shorts. She filled out the tiny clothes with
perfection.
“Hi. I hope you don’t mind, but since Sam and I
missed our date last night, I wanted to bring him lunch.”
Why did everything she say sound like a cheer?
“How nice of you. He’s around back.”
“You don’t mind if I walk through your house, do you? I
always wanted to see inside Hollis Mansion.”
I was not giving her a tour. “Sure.”
She let herself in.
“You can follow me back.”
She looked around with interest. “Beautiful
architecture, but it really needs an update. You should get
on that.”
I did my best to hold my tongue. “There’s the back
door. Be careful jumping down. There aren’t any steps at the
moment.”
“Silly, I won’t need to jump.” She threw the door open.
“Hey, baby, I brought you lunch. Come help me down.”
She turned back toward me and gave me a
conspiratorial grin like I should take notes from her.
I watched the scene. Sam did as she requested, but
not before giving me a forced smile. He picked her up and
she clung to him like static cling. That was all I could take.
“Have a great time.” I shut the door, harder than I intended.
From the window, I watched Sam take the picnic basket in
one hand, and her hand with his other. They walked down
toward my beach.
 I had read him wrong. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling so
hungry.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Eleven
Monday I tried to reset any and all unrealistic
expectations or desires I may have had for Sam. I spent
yesterday with the McClain clan in Orange Beach at a
concert featuring a long list of country artists. Even though
country music was never really my thing, and my hands still
ached, it was fun and a good distraction. I was going to do
my best to avoid Sam until I could get my thoughts under
control.
These kinds of feelings were foreign to me. There had
never been a man in my life who had occupied so much of
my thoughts, or had me anxiously looking forward to seeing
him, even trying to think up ways that I could see him. But
watching him walk away with Brianne on Saturday was a
good reminder of reality. And the reality was Sam Kennedy
would only ever see me as a friend, or worse, a little sister.
And how comfortable could I ever really be with Sam? I
knew I wasn’t beautiful like the women he was used to
dating. I was clumsy and, in his eyes, boring.
In the end, though, I was okay with being single. I
liked my boring lifestyle. Mitzi’s voice rang in my head,
asking me if I was taking my turn. Now, more than ever, I
wasn’t sure. I felt lost. I was running a business I knew
nothing about. I had moved back to a place where I had
never felt more insignificant in my life, and the only three
people who really ever saw me were either gone or married.
And even worse, my mother, the person who should have
loved me the most hated me and spread lies about me. Lies
that some people believed. There had been enough stares
and heads turned toward each other in town for me to know
people were talking about me.
Maybe I was having delusions of Sam and me because
I was in a vulnerable situation, and maybe part of me hoped
Mitzi was right about us. She had never steered me wrong,
but I think she thought too much of me. She never saw me
as plain and insignificant. I didn’t ever want to feel that way
again, but Bella Port never failed to reignite those feelings.
Mitzi knew full well that’s how I felt here. She used to say,
“Paige-ala, at the end of the day, it only matters how you
see yourself, and me, of course. And you are the most
fantastical human being that has ever been born.”
Everyone needed a Mitzi in their lives. She was
irreplaceable. I ached for her.
Since I missed Sunday dinner with the Kennedy’s
yesterday, I headed over to their place during my lunch
break. I had ordered a 3D puzzle of the earth. It sat on a
stand and everything, like a globe. I thought it could be fun
to put together. See how boring I was? At least I found a
kindred spirit in Josie.
Adam was busy with work. He took care of their
smaller clients, so it was only Josie and me. I brought lunch
with me from Mabel Lu’s. We ate it out on their patio as we
watched children play in the sand and water. It wasn’t a bad
way to spend a lunch hour.
 “I want my own grandchildren.” Josie smiled at the
scene in front of us.
“Does Sam know?”
She grinned as best she could. “I try not to remind
him too often.”
“I’m sure he appreciates that.”
“I’m glad you guys are friends now.” Josie’s eyes
brightened.
“He’s tolerable, I suppose.” I smiled big.
She laughed. “He missed you last night at dinner.”
I perked up. “He came for dinner?”
She nodded with a smile.
“Did he bring . . .?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No, thank goodness. He
dropped her off before he came.”
“Oh. I’m glad they got to spend some time together. I
made him miss his date with her on Friday.” That wasn’t
really the truth, but I had to start thinking like that. It would
make my life a whole lot easier.
“How are your hands?”
“My hands are better, but my pride is still deflated.
Sam was really good to me, though.”
“He’s a good man.”
“I won’t disagree with you.”
She peered into my eyes. “I wish you could be with
him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mitzi hoped you two would hit it off.”
 I leaned back in my chair. “She told you that?”
She grinned and nodded. “She made me promise to
work on it. I wish I would have known she was sick.”
My eyes stung with tears. “Me too.” I took Josie’s
delicate hand. I was careful not to hurt mine or hers. “Miss
Josie, Sam and I aren’t meant to be. Besides, I know you
don’t like Brianne, but she’s more his type, and I think he
likes her.”
She shook her head with force. “You are the kind of
woman Sam needs in his life.”
“You don’t even know what kind of woman I am.”
She looked at the puzzle I brought her, sitting on the
chair next to her. “You are everything a mother wants for
her son—warm, thoughtful, beautiful, smart, and confident.”
My laugh was almost a cry. “I don’t feel like that
woman.”
“What a shame.” She reached out as best she could
and touched my cheek. “But don’t take my word for it. You
learn to believe it.”
~*~
I made Josie promise not to tell Sam about the
discussions she had with my aunt. I didn’t want things to be
awkward between us since he was still working on my porch
and hopefully the bookstore. He had texted me after I left
his parents’ place, asking if he could swing by the store
around five to go over the plans we never got to. I agreed. I
was anxious to get going on the project.
 Josie’s words played in my head all afternoon. Leave it
to Mitzi to stir up trouble even from the grave. I was
embarrassed that she would think to talk to Sam’s mom
about it. It made me wonder if she said anything to anyone
else. Do you know how ridiculous people would think it was
if they thought for a moment that I had my sights set on
Sam? Sam was one of those men who every woman in Bella
Port would sell their soul to be with. It is no exaggeration
when I say that mothers paraded themselves and their
single daughters in front of him. I even think, once upon a
time, my mother suggested he date Maggie, even though
she was seven years younger and a minor.
To be honest, I’m not sure why Maggie didn’t end up
with someone more like Sam. Darrell wasn’t her type. He
was only moderately good looking and didn’t seem to have
the same prowess as the men she had previously been
involved with, at least not the ones I knew of. I’m sure I
knew of them all, since my mother had made sure to email
me a picture of each one and gush about what a catch he
was and how Maggie sure knew how to snag a man. Every
message would end with some slight like, I’m sure there will
be someone for you and maybe if you put more care into
your appearance, that would help.
It's a wonder I didn’t need a therapist.
I made sure Jana, Kayla, and Ashlynn would all be
there at five. I wanted to get their opinions as well. They all
loved the concept and Kayla and Ashlynn were excited
about the prospect of having free homework help. They
thought their friends would also enjoy a new place to hang
out. Especially when the weather got cooler. And maybe I
didn’t want to be by myself with Sam. Well, I did, and that
was a problem.
Sam walked in a few minutes past five. His clothes
were dirty and his face looked worn, but when he noticed
me, he smiled. I couldn’t imagine manual labor in the heat
and humidity was easy.
I didn’t even have a chance to greet him before Mary
Ellen, a girl my brother dated back in high school, was
draped all over him. She was petting his arm. “Sam, I
always beat myself up that I dated the wrong best friend.”
Oh, wow.
Sam stepped away from her. “Blair was the better of
the two of us.”
She cozied up to him again. “I like a man with
humility. Can I buy you a drink?”
Sam caught my eye and even from a distance I could
see the irritation in his eyes. “You better head home to
Marty.”
Ouch.
She straightened herself up and smoothed out her
uncomfortably tight tank top. “Maybe next time.” She
walked out of the store in a huff.
Sam and I met each other halfway.
“Look at you stirring up trouble in my store.”
His tired face lit up in a smile. “Mary Ellen is trouble. I
warned your brother about her.”
 “Sounds like somebody should warn her husband.”
“Poor guy knows. But enough about her. How are
you?”
“Good. How was your day?”
“Productive. The cement finally cured, so I started
laying the bricks for the steps.”
“Stairs are good. They should hopefully prevent a
minor disaster for me.”
“Speaking of which, how are your hands?”
I held up my scabby hands.
“Looks like you’ll survive.”
“Until the next time.”
He laughed. “I’ll see what I can do to Paige proof it.”
“Gee thanks. Should we look at those plans?” I eyed
the rolled paper and leather binder he was carrying.
“Lead the way.”
“I have Jana, the store manager, and a couple of teen
girls we hired in the break room waiting for us. I want to get
their opinions as well.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Okay.”
“Is that all right with you? Or are you private about
showing off your talent?”
“You think I’m talented?”
“You are my favorite contractor . . .”
“Really?” He slid closer to me.
“Technically, you’re the only one I know.” I grinned.
“That hurts.”
 We laughed as we walked back to the break room. We
walked in to find three eager females, all part of the Sam
fan club, I was sure. Ashlynn and Kayla both burned bright
red, and Jana was grinning from ear to ear. “What are you
two so giddy about?” Jana asked.
Sam and I looked between each other and smiled, like
we shared a secret.
I turned to find Jana with her eyebrow raised and a
know-it-all smile. “Interesting.”
Not sure what that meant. “Sam, you can lay the
plans on the table there.”
He carefully unrolled the paper across the table and
smoothed out the pages. I stood next to him, but not too
close. He smiled over at me. “What do you think?”
I took a good look at the drawings and plans spread
out before me. I was in awe. “I stand by my previous
statement, you are talented.”
He didn’t smile, but for a moment our eyes locked and
I found myself wanting to get lost in them. I almost forgot
we weren’t alone.
Kayla brought me back to reality. “I love the furniture.
Are you really going to have laptops and tablets we can
use?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Cool,” Ashlynn added her approval.
I looked to Jana for her input.
“I love it. I think Mitzi would be thrilled.” Jana gave me
a wink. “Girls, why don’t we leave these two alone to iron
out the details.” She ushered the girls out the door, but not
before wagging her eyebrows at me.
If Mitzi talked to her about Sam and me, I was going to
kill her, figuratively speaking.
“So you really like it?” Sam brought my attention back
to him.
I ran my hand over his design. “It looks incredible. I
love that you are making the round column a square and
the way the back wall jets out some. It’s perfect. When can
you start?”
“We haven’t even talked price, yet.”
“My answer is yes.”
He chuckled. “Don’t ever hire another contractor.
You’ll be taken advantage of talking like that.”
“I guess I am getting ahead of myself. So, what’s the
estimate?”
He pulled out a piece of paper from his leather binder.
But before handing it to me, he looked it over and then held
it close to his chest. He gave me a playful smile. “You know,
you still owe me lunch.”
“Okay.” I bit my lip.
“I’ll take dinner in exchange and we can go over the
numbers while we eat.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
He tilted his head. “Why not?”
“I don’t want people to talk or get the wrong
impression.”
 He leaned in closer. “What’s wrong with two friends
having dinner together?”
“Well, nothing, but—”
“Perfect, it’s a date then.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twelve
I knew he didn’t mean a real date. But I swear to you,
all eyes looked our way when we walked into Mabel Lu’s
together. A hush fell over the busy café before heads turned
together to wonder, I was sure, what kind of spell I had cast
on Sam, because no one would ever believe he did it of his
own accord.
“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.” I stood frozen at the
entrance.
Sam pressed his hand against the small of my back.
“Come on, it will be fun.” Was he oblivious to the stares? Or
was he just used to them?
I grimaced and moved forward.
Mabel Lu’s eyebrows went way past her hairline as we
approached. She too was shocked. I had at least hoped she
wouldn’t have thought it was so outlandish, even though I
agreed with the assessment. She already had two menus in
hand when we reached her. She kept shaking her head back
and forth and back and forth. “Well, what do you know, Mitzi
was right.”
My heart dropped to my feet. I prayed with all that I
had that she wouldn’t reveal Mitzi’s plans for Sam and me. I
knew without any doubt by her tone and the utter shock on
her face, that’s what she was talking about. I begged her
with my eyes not to say anything. If I had to, I was going to
fake an illness.
 Sam was more than curious. “Miss Mabel Lu, what are
you talking about?”
“I am so hungry.” That came out louder than I wanted
it to, but Mabel Lu was going to answer him without any
regard to the pleading going on in my facial expressions.
Sam laughed and focused back on me. “A woman with
an appetite; I like it.”
Great. Now everyone was thinking I was plain and a
heifer.
He turned back toward a smiling Mabel Lu. “You better
get us seated before she expires.”
“Follow me, you two.” She gave me a wink.
We followed her back to a cozy table in the corner. I
was hoping she would have put us out in the middle. Sam
did the worst thing possible and behaved like a gentleman.
He pulled my chair out and the tongues began to wag. I was
so concerned about everyone else, I forgot to say thank you.
Mabel Lu handed me a menu. “Sugar, before you go, I
have something for you.”
I took the menu. “Okay. What is it?”
She looked at a curious Sam and then back to me.
“Just a little something from your aunt, darlin’. I’ll give you
two a minute to decide what you’d like to order.”
“Hurry back,” Sam teased, “the princess is hungry.”
A piece of my soul died of embarrassment. “I’ll be
okay.”
Mabel Lu gave me a wink and walked away, swinging
her hips like she was trying out for a part in Gone With the
Wind.
“Since you’re paying, order whatever you want.” His
eyes danced with merriment.
“What a gentleman you are. Thanks.” I perused the
menu.
“Before I forget, thanks for visiting my mom today. It
meant a lot to her.”
I lowered my menu and met his gorgeous eyes. “She’s
wonderful. You know, she mentioned today that she misses
reading. I found an e-reader online that would allow her to
adjust the font and size. It’s lightweight and all she has to
do to turn the page is tap the screen. I think it might work
for her, so I took the liberty of ordering one. What do you
think?”
He kept steady eye contact and leaned my way. “I
think you’re something else. She’ll love it.”
“I hope so. If it works, I thought I could talk her into
coming to the women’s book club that meets once a month
at the store.”
“If anyone can talk her into it, it will be you.”
I held up the menu in front of my face, trying to hide
the blushing I had going on. I decided I better order
something indicative of my earlier declaration.
“What are you going to have?” Sam looked over his
menu.
“I’m thinking a bacon cheeseburger and fries.”
He raised his left eyebrow. “You really are hungry.”
 “Famished.” I grinned. “I may even order a strawberry
milkshake.”
“You surprise me.”
“Really? How?”
He took a moment to gather his thoughts. “One
minute you’re all business and tough as nails, firing my butt,
then the next you’re in a ponytail and cutoffs, sweet as can
be, climbing trees. And to look at you, one would never
think you’d eaten a cheeseburger in your life. So who are
you, Paige James?”
“All of the above.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
I leaned back, not sure what he meant by that, but
Mabel Lu interrupted us to take our order. I threw caution to
the wind and ordered the milkshake. Mabel Lu, after all,
made the best hand-dipped shakes this side of the
Mississippi. Just ask Mabel Lu.
As soon as she left, I got down to business. “Proposal
please.” I held out my hand.
He grinned before opening his leather folder. “Now,
before you look at this, you need to promise me that you’ll
be honest about the estimate.”
“Since I really don’t know anything about this sort of
thing, sure.”
He shook his head. “You can’t say things like that
when you work with contractors.”
I reached for the paper. “I know you won’t cheat me.
Mitzi never would have hired you if that was the case. And
like you said, you’re the best.”
He relented and handed me the estimate.
I looked it over and knew full well I could afford it. I
didn’t know what the going rate was, but it seemed low for
the kind of work he was going to do. “Are you giving me a
discount?”
He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Do you want to move forward?”
“You know I do.”
“It’s a deal then.”
I lay the paper aside. “So, tell me where you acquired
your design skills. Did you study that in college?”
“No.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I dropped out of UF
after your brother died. I figured why keep wasting mine and
my parent’s money when I knew what I was going to do and
already had the skills for it.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“We aren’t all meant to get fancy degrees from
prestigious schools.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Nah. It’s something to be proud of. Part of me wishes
I would have finished, or at least taken some business and
marketing classes. I know our business, but word of mouth
doesn’t really bring in business anymore.”
“You know, I might be able to help you there.”
He gave me his full attention.
 “At the small publishing house I worked for, we got
pretty savvy advertising on social media and online. It’s
hard for new authors to get recognized, even if they’ve
written a fantastic story. And we all wore lots of hats, so I
became familiar with the ins and outs of it all. A few of our
authors even hit the The New York Times bestsellers list
through our efforts.”
“Impressive.”
“They had a great editor.” I gave him a coy smile.
“You would really help me out?”
“Of course.”
“I could give you a discount on your lawn care.”
I shook my head no. “Isn’t this what friends do for
each other?”
He gave me a charming smile. “Where do we start?”
“We would need to set up a Facebook page first, and
some Facebook ads. You could also think about starting a
referral program with existing customers. I might be willing
to say you’re okay.”
“Just okay?”
“When you’re not thinking that I’ve bilked millions
away from my family.”
His face turned a shade of red. “I told you that was
sun sickness.”
“Uh-huh. Do you have a website?”
He shook his head no.
“Really?”
“I told you, my dad and I are old school.”
 “Don’t worry, we can fix that. They have some great
sites that make designing your own website easy, and I
know a thing or two about Photoshop, so I can design a logo.
The more traffic we can drive to your website, the better.
And don’t take this the wrong way, but we should plaster
your pretty face on everything.”
He leaned in closer. “You think I’m attractive?”
“I think you’re tolerable.” Meaning I wouldn’t mind
tolerating his presence for the rest of my life.
He chuckled.
Mabel Lu returned with our food and shakes. He ended
up ordering the same as me, except he was a chocolate
shake sort of guy. “Now don’t you two look cozy.”
I tensed up. For a moment I had forgotten we were in
a crowded café, or that Mitzi had stirred up trouble.
“I love to see my customers so happy, especially you,
sugar.” Mabel Lu gave me a wink.
I gave her a return smile, but again begged her with
my eyes not to say what I knew she was dying to blurt out.
Thankfully, she took the hint and left us to our sinful food.
I reached for the ketchup bottle as soon as she left.
“Hold up.” Sam placed his hand over the ketchup
bottle. “Don’t ruin your fries with that. Try the honey
mustard sauce first.”
I had wondered why he ordered it. “I’m game.”
He dipped one of his hand-cut fries in the liquid gold
and, instead of handing it to me, held it out to feed it to me.
I bit my lip. I felt like we were on a date for a blissful
moment, and it was one of those cute rom-com scenes.
“Don’t be shy,” he coaxed.
I leaned forward and he placed the fry in my mouth. I
chewed as he watched. “Mmm.” I swallowed.
“I told you. And lucky for you, I’m willing to share.”
He didn’t know how lucky I was feeling.
I don’t know how long we sat there and talked and
laughed, but I found that I didn’t want it to end. That was,
until my mother showed up. Of all the times and places. I
heard her before I saw her.
“Ugh, look at all these tourists. You can’t go anywhere
this time of year,” she complained too loudly to her friend
Lila.
I set down my glass of water. “How far down would
your opinion of me sink if I hid under the table?”
“I would actually pay money to see that.” Sam’s eyes
lit up.
I was seriously considering it, but it was too late.
“Darling, how wonderful running into you,” she said
that even louder.
I cringed in my seat.
My mother made her way over to us. She wore an
expression of disbelief as she looked between Sam and me.
“Well, well. I have to say I’m surprised to see you two
together. I thought you were seeing the Coulter girl, Sam.”
Sam ran his fingers through his hair. “We’ve gone on a
few dates.”
 “I hope you aren’t going to disappoint her momma.
You two are a fine-looking couple.”
Sam’s skin broke out in red blotches. “Why are you
here, Mrs. James?” It was polite, but bold.
“As you know, I’m part of the town’s beautification
committee, and we meet here on Monday nights.”
That was good information to know. I would make it a
point to never come here on Monday night again. “Don’t let
us keep you, Mother.”
She gave me a fake smile. “Darling, if I didn’t know
better, I would think you are trying to get rid of me.”
“Sam and I are in the middle of a business dinner.”
She placed her hand over her heart. “That makes
much more sense.”
I bit my tongue at the slight, but the pang in my heart
was acute.
She glanced over the table and the remnants of food.
“You know, you really should be more careful about what
you eat, darling. You don’t need the extra weight.”
I sat stunned and hurt. I was at a loss for words. My
eyes began to sting, but I was determined not to let her see
any show of emotion one way or the other. The strawberry
milkshake began to roll in my stomach.
“Who talks to their daughter like that?” Sam’s eyes
locked with mine. He gave me a reassuring smile.
My mother turned a violent shade of red, but she
laughed it off. “She knows I’m kidding.”
 “Do you, Paige?” Sam’s eyes bored into mine. I found
the same kind of safety I had in Mitzi’s eyes. “Because I, for
one, think you look great. And it’s refreshing to be around a
woman who orders something besides a salad.”
In sync, we turned to my mother who, for once in her
life, didn’t know what to say. I had never known anyone but
Mitzi to have the courage to stand up to her.
She stood up tall and squared her shoulders. “Well, I
just wanted to invite you over for dinner, perhaps next
week. We haven’t spent any time together since you’ve
been back.” She faced Sam. “You’re welcome as well. We’ve
missed your visits. And I know Maggie and Darrell would
love to catch up with you.”
“If Paige comes, I would be happy to accompany her.”
That put my mother in her place.
“I’ll have to check my schedule.”
Sam smirked at me.
“I’ll call you with the day and time.” She marched off.
I took a deep breath and let it out.
Sam reached across the table and took my hand. “Are
you all right?”
“Sometimes I question my sanity for moving back
here.”
“I had no idea. I guess I never paid enough attention
to how your mom treated you. I’m so sorry for how I
behaved toward you when you came back, but I for one am
happy you did.”
“Thanks for trying to tame the beast.”
 He gave my hand a quick squeeze and released it.
“Anytime you need back up, let me know.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Thirteen
I lay in bed that night holding an unopened envelope
from Mitzi. Mabel Lu gave it to me with the check that Sam
ended up paying for. He was quicker and more insistent
than me. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t opened the envelope
yet. I guess I was trying to process the night’s events. I was
doing my best to calm my heart that unfortunately was
becoming attached to the unavailable, but very handsome
and kind, Sam. Tonight was proof positive that everyone
agreed Sam was out of my league.
I kept repeating to myself I was good with being
single. That was true, right?
I picked up the envelope that lay on my midsection. It
was lavender and smelled like gardenias, just like Mitzi. A
tear trailed down my cheek. I ripped open the envelope and
pulled out a one-page letter.
My Dearest Darling,
Bravo! You took my advice. If you are out in public
together, I hope you and Sam are well on your way now. I
wish I was there. I imagine you are uncomfortable in this
new role. I know your experience with relationships has
been, let’s say, scarce. There is nothing wrong with that. I
applaud you for being selective and knowing yourself well
enough to stand on your own, but don’t let that get in the
way of you and Sam. You both possess qualities that will
only make you better together as a couple.
 I know you will fear what others may think. I know you
well enough to know you will think you are not enough.
Believe me, darling, he is the less deserving one. Please
love yourself enough to see that.
I hope when the wedding bells ring for the two of you,
I will hear them in heaven, or better yet, I’ll be the one
ringing the bell. I’ll even be happy if you choose to live in
sin, or whatever you call it, like most kids do these days. I
won’t judge. But I do have to warn you that I’m sure your
grandfather wouldn’t approve of those activities in his old
home. And I really don’t want to have to listen to him
complaining up here. You understand, right? So never mind.
Get married first, then do whatever you want in the house.
In fact, enjoy it. How could you not? Look at the man!
Love, love, love you.
Mitzi
I was dying. How could she be writing to me about
having sex with Sam? But part of me was laughing about
the whole “living in sin” thing. I was well aware of Grandpa
Hollis’ view on the subject. And I knew he would roll over in
his grave if I ever lived with anyone in this house without a
marriage certificate. I knew that man wasn’t going to be
Sam. It bothered me more than I cared to admit.
I turned off the light and tried to sleep. My mind was
making that difficult. All I could think about was Sam and
how difficult it was going to be for me to spend so much
time around him and keep my ever-growing feelings for him
buried. He had no idea how much it meant that he defended
me against my mother tonight. How un-lonely he made me
feel in Bella Port. He made me feel like I didn’t want to be
alone, knowing there was a chance I could see him.
I thought about our plans for meeting at his place,
which doubled as his office and his home. I could tell that
embarrassed him. He seemed uncomfortable to have me
come, but he knew his business needed the help, so he set
his pride aside. I found myself thinking more about what I
could do to help Kennedy DreamScapes. I wanted to help
ease the burdens of the Kennedys. They were some of the
hardest working people I had ever known. And I was positive
Sam was giving me the deal of a lifetime on the remodel.
I didn’t sleep well, but I was up early and on the beach
doing yoga. On my way down, I stopped at the treehouse
and sighed. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to my
beloved place. I really could use some time in it to
contemplate my life. The beach would have to do. I needed
to get centered.
It was a beautiful morning, warm, with wispy clouds in
the pink sky. The waves gently lapped against the shoreline.
I breathed in the salty air and took the child’s pose. I paid
attention to the way I inhaled and exhaled. I filled my torso
and let it out. I moved to down dog and stretched my spine
and back. I was getting into my groove when I had a visitor.
“I thought I might find you out here this morning.”
Sam was bent over smiling at me.
I lifted my head, with my butt still in the air. “What are
you doing here?”
 “Enjoying the view.”
I dropped to my mat and rolled my eyes.
He laughed and sat down next to me. He had come
bearing coffee and muffins. He handed me a warm, lidded
cup.
“Thank you. What’s the occasion?”
He took a sip of his coffee before answering. “I wanted
to get an early start and I know how hungry you get, so I
thought maybe I should feed you.” He handed over a bag
filled with an assortment of muffins from Mabel Lu’s.
I peeked inside the bag, excited. I nudged him. “Thank
you. But just so you know, I’m not always hungry, nor do I
eat like I did last night every day.”
He looked at my bare legs. “That’s apparent.”
“That being said.” I pulled out a lemon poppy seed
muffin. “These are one of my favorites.”
“That’s what Mabel Lu said.” He faced the water. I
noticed the color in his cheeks.
“Did she say anything else about me?” Please say no.
He turned toward me. “Like what?” His grin had some
evil in it, which made my heart beat like crazy.
“I don’t know. My mother kind of made a scene last
night.”
His cheeks turned from pink to red. “I hope you didn’t
believe a word she said.”
“I haven’t listened to her for a long time, but I would
be lying if I said it didn’t affect me.”
“Are you going to have dinner with your family?”
 I blew out a deep breath. “That’s a good question. I’ve
been meeting my dad for breakfast once a week, but dinner
would be a whole new level. I haven’t entered the lair of
mommy dearest in a long time.”
He chuckled. “Lair?”
“Something like that.” I peeled the paper away from
the muffin and took a bite. “Mmm.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
I swallowed. “Better than I remember them.”
“So what if I went with you?”
“Why would you want to enter the portal of hell if you
didn’t have to?”
He shrugged and became interested in the water
again. “Because that’s what friends do, right?”
Yeah. Friends. “Only if you’re a really good friend.”
His head drifted toward mine and our eyes met. “The
best kind of friends.”
I swallowed hard. “Is that what we are?”
“I hope so.”
Me too.
~*~
I’m going to say breakfast on the beach with Sam was
not a bad way to start the day. Nothing could be more
perfect. Well, except I wanted to be more than friends.
Maybe more than anything I had ever wanted.
I must have worn a permanent smile on my face at
the bookstore.
 Jana rubbed up next to me as I began to move the YA
and teen books to a temporary location. I was prepping for
construction to begin. I had already ordered the new
furniture, laptops, and tablets; I was so excited. I had never
spent so much money in my life. I was still getting used to
the fact that I could.
“So, sugar, what’s the scoop on you and Sam? You
look mighty happy this morning.”
I kept adding books to my rolling cart. “We’re friends.”
“Try again.”
“It’s true. I’m like his little sister.”
“Oh, honey. You don’t believe that, do you?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because I would be worried if Sam looked at a sister
the way he looks at you.”
I stopped what I was doing and looked at a smiling
Jana. “How does he look at me?”
She rested her hand on my cheek. “Like all he ever
wants to do is look at you.”
I shook my head. “He’s dating Brianne and we’re just .
. . we’re different.”
She patted my cheek. “As far as the rumors go,
there’s nothing serious going on between Sam and Brianne.
And from what I know about Sam, I don’t think he’s the kind
of man to make a play on two women at the same time.”
“He’s not making a play for me. We’re friends. He’s
my contractor. That’s all there is to it.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
 “I’m not upset, it’s just we can’t. He wouldn’t—”
“But you would?” Her sly smile said she caught me.
I grabbed some more books. “I didn’t say that.”
“You know, Mitzi had hopes for you two.”
“Did she tell everyone that?”
Jana laughed. “No, honey, just those of us who could
help things along. Help you see her way of thinking.”
I set my heavy load on the cart. “Her way of thinking
has caused me a world of trouble.”
“I wouldn’t mind getting into trouble with Sam.” She
walked off laughing to herself.
I don’t think any woman in town would mind. Another
reason it would never work between us.
My good mood from my morning with Sam was
wearing thin as I moved books and worried about how many
people Mitzi had told about her plans for Sam and me. It
was embarrassing. It was like one of those movies where
the most popular boy in school made a bet with all his
friends that he could get the quiet, nerdy girl to fall in love
with him. The girl never fails to get humiliated. I was headed
for utter humiliation if this kept up.
And to prove my theory, Annette Barlow, the biggest
and most notorious busy-body in town, stopped by the
bookstore to make sure I had a dose of it.
I was finishing up my day by sprucing up the display
case at checkout when she came sneaking in and sniffed me
out. At first, she tried to play it covert by looking at the
greeting card stand we had near the cash registers, but I
kept noticing her beady little eyes looking my way. I hated
games, so I faced my destiny. I walked over to her. “Can I
help you with something?”
She set down the tenth card she had looked at with no
interest at all. Her smile was sickly sweet in the evil sort of
way. “Well, dear. I think it is me that can help you. You
should know, you’re giving yourself a bad name.”
“Is that so?”
“I hate to say it, but we all know how you swindled
your aunt’s fortune from all your relations. And if that wasn’t
enough, now you’re using your feminine wiles and money to
lure Sam away from the sweet Miss Coulter. How do you live
with yourself, young lady?”
I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry. I caught
Jana’s eye behind the checkout counter. She was trying to
hold it together. Her lips were pressed together to keep from
laughing. She obviously found it funnier than me.
I decided to run with it. “It’s been tough, but it’s so
gratifying to finally see all of my plotting and scheming
finally pay off.” I smirked.
Miss Barlow’s beady eyes widened and her mouth fell
open.
Jana lost it and burst out laughing. That caught Miss
Barlow’s attention. She stood up straight. “Well, it looks like
you’re trying to make a fool out of me.”
“She didn’t have to try, Miss Barlow,” Jana boldly
stated. “You may want to get your facts straight the next
time you come in here spouting off nothing but silly stories.”
 Miss Barlow clenched her tiny aged fists and headed
for the exit. “I will not be supporting this establishment.”
Thank goodness, was all I could think. When she
walked out the door, I joined Jana in laughing. I knew Mitzi
would be, too.
“You, honey, handled her perfectly. All your plotting
and scheming. I love it. You’re Mitzi’s niece all right.”
“I did learn from the best. But I know that’s going to
cost me.”
She waved her hand in front of her. “Let people talk,
they will whether or not you try and tell them the truth.”
Didn’t I know it.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Fourteen
I made it a point not to stop anywhere in town to pick
up dinner for Sam and myself. I figured I should finally make
good on my lunch invitation that was interrupted by
Brianne. Did people really think I was trying to steal Sam
from Brianne? Was that even possible? I couldn’t think like
that. I grabbed some Mexican food from a little hole-in-the-
wall place outside of town. Sam lived halfway between Bella
Port and Pensacola.
I considered canceling, but I promised to help and
heaven help me, I wanted nothing more than to see Sam.
My life was turning into a cliché. I was now the friend
developing unreturned feelings for the unsuspecting but oh-
so-attractive other friend. How did this become my life? A
couple of months ago, I was happy living in Seattle in my
quiet little world. I wasn’t worried about men, or how good
my butt looked in any of my pants. I was sorry to admit how
many times I had checked out my butt in the mirror as of
late. Or how many times I had looked at Sam’s. At least I
could say it was way more than I looked at my own. That
had to count for something.
I followed the directions Sam gave me to a
commercial district. There were several shops and houses
that had been converted into businesses. Kennedy
DreamScapes was one of them. It was a brick ranch-style
house. The outside was filled with unplanted trees, neatly
stacked stones, and brick, all for landscaping purposes.
There was a small sign out front that said Kennedy
DreamScapes, and Sam’s truck sat on the gravel drive that
circled the property.
I parked behind him and grabbed the bag of food and
my laptop in its case. And yes, I checked my hair in my visor
mirror. Who had I become? I fluffed my blonde locks and
headed to the red front door. I wasn’t sure if I should knock,
since it was a business, but I knew Sam lived there, too. I
felt awkward just going in, so I knocked.
I didn’t have to wait long. Sam opened the door. His
hair was wet, like he had just showered. But it had nothing
on his bare chest. I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. Taut and
defined, with the right amount of hair on it.
“You’re early.” Sam threw his t-shirt on. I wished he
hadn’t.
I forgot to speak for a moment. My mind was still on
his chest, which was at my eye level. I ran my fingers
through my hair. “Uh, sorry. I thought it would take longer to
get out here.”
“It’s no problem.”
It was, because now all I could think of was how to get
that shirt off him. I held up the paper bag. “I brought dinner.
I hope you like Mexican.”
“Like I said, I’ll eat almost anything.”
“Well, that’s not the same thing as liking something.”
He swiped the bag from me. “I love Mexican food.”
“That’s better.”
 He gave me that charming grin of his. “I don’t really
have a place to eat here.”
I looked around the front area that was all office with
two desks and a couple of chairs. It was tidy, but low on
charm. It looked like two men worked there. “I’m used to
eating at my desk. I can even type and eat at the same
time.”
“Okay. Let me grab a chair for you.” He seemed
nervous.
“So, how was your day?”
“Long, but the porch is looking good.”
“I’m excited to see the finished product.”
He set the food down on his desk and cleared away
some papers. “Here, have a seat.”
I took the old plastic chair that looked similar to
something used in elementary school. I set my laptop case
near me on the ground.
He sat next to me in his office chair. “Wait. Did you
want this chair?” He popped up. “It’s probably more
comfortable.” He was definitely acting out of character.
“I’m good.”
He sat back down and took a breath.
“Are you okay?”
“Never better.”
“I got an assortment of things because I wasn’t sure
what you would like.”
Sam reached in and pulled out the enchiladas,
chimichangas, and smothered burritos. “You’re hungry
again, huh?”
“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Like I said, I like a woman with an appetite.”
“In that case, I’ll take the smothered burritos.”
He handed over the covered aluminum bowl. “Do you
want some water? Or I have beer or Coke.”
“Water is perfect. Thanks.”
He headed around the corner to what I assumed was
the kitchen area. He was back in no time at all with two
bottles of water. He handed me mine with a smile. “How
was your day?”
I waited for him to take his seat before answering. I
wondered if I should tell him about my run-in with Miss
Barlow. I decided he would probably find out anyway, and I
could do without the embarrassment tonight. Or maybe he
already knew and, like me, he would rather not discuss it.
“Good. I got a lot done. I moved most of the YA and
teen books to their temporary home.”
“With your injured hands? Why didn’t you ask me to
help you?”
“My hands are fine. And besides being able to handle
it on my own, I think I take up way too much of your time as
it is.”
“I’m doing my job.”
“Yet, here we are.”
“This is what friends do. You help me and you let me
help you.” With each word his face inched closer to mine.
 I moved in closer, too, as if this unseen force was
reeling me in. I noticed he was staring at my lips. I had read
in several books how that was a precursor to a kiss. Did he
want to kiss me? I leaned in closer. I wouldn’t say no if he
pressed his lips to mine. His lips parted and I waited.
Unfortunately for me, I was an accident waiting to happen,
and the surreal moment was gone when the bottle of water I
was holding spilled on the floor. Our connection was gone in
an instant.
Sam shook his head and stood up. “I’ll take care of it.”
I sat up straight, embarrassed that I even imagined
that he was thinking about kissing me. “Please, let me. I’m
so sorry.”
 “It’s just water. Sit tight.”
I sat back and ran my fingers through my hair. I was
such an idiot. And what did I think was going to happen
anyway? How many times could he mention that we were
friends?
Sam was gone and back with a towel in no time flat. I
felt so dumb as I watched him clean up the mess at my feet.
“Maybe I need a sippy cup.”
Sam stood up with the wet towel and walked away
laughing. He came back with a new bottle of water for me.
“I kept the lid on this time.”
I swiped the bottle from him. “Thank you.”
“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”
Cute was the kiss of death, according to my friend
Aimee. She said if a man called you cute, there was no hope
for a relationship. Not that I thought there was one anyway;
okay, maybe I sort of held out hope. People like Jana weren’t
helping. And of course, Mitzi. I’d never known her to be
wrong. Ever.
We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
I took a careful sip of my water. “I did some research
during my lunch hour and I think I found a great place to
host and create your website. They specialize in small
businesses, so the cost is minimal and the setup seems
intuitive. We could probably get the basics up tonight.”
Sam gave me his rapt attention. It was unnerving.
“You don’t know how much my dad and I appreciate this.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I wish we could afford to
pay you.”
“This is what friends do. And it’s my pleasure. I feel
more comfortable doing this kind of thing than I do running
a bookstore.”
“You don’t like attention, do you?”
“Not really. I’m more of a behind the scenes kind of
person.”
“I think you may be surprised how well you do out in
front.”
“Mitzi used to say the same thing.”
“She talked about you all the time.”
My face tightened. “Should I be worried?”
“Definitely.” His smile had an impish quality to it. “She
was proud of you.”
 “I know. I want to keep it that way, but living back
here, it’s been difficult. I promised her I would try it for a
year.”
His brow wrinkled. “You aren’t going to leave, are
you?”
“Not anytime soon.”
“Well, we’ll have to see what we can do to make sure
you want to stay.” He turned back to his dinner, while I
thought of a few things that might entice me.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Fifteen
The next few days were busy as I did my best to get
Kennedy DreamScapes up and running in the twenty-first
century, all while trying to not fall hopelessly for Sam. Which
was difficult when I had to stare at photos of him for hours. I
took several of him for their website and social media
platforms. His face netted his company’s Facebook page five
hundred likes the first few hours it was up and running. And
you wouldn’t believe the kind of comments women were
leaving him. Let’s just say they were hoping for more than
lawn care, although they wanted that too, preferably when
their significant other wasn’t around.
Sam was trying to get the porch done, as well as some
other projects he was doing for his other customers, as soon
as he could so he could begin his undertaking at Paige’s
Turn. He was working well into the evenings. I didn’t mind. It
meant that I took my laptop outside with me and worked on
his website while watching him lay stone. Did I mention the
shirt came off on occasion? Mitzi was right, eye candy. To
watch his lean body and muscles move was a sight to
behold. I did my best to stay in my lounge chair and keep
focused on my task at hand.
But then he would do things like take breaks and I
would find him next to me on the grass, lying down and
taking deep breaths. The up-close view was even better. I
could see each sinewy line move and stretch. It gave my
heart a workout.
 “Hey, my buddy Chase came by earlier today and took
a look at your treehouse. He says it needs to come down.
The wood is rotted beyond repair.”
My hand flew up over my heart. “Is he sure?”
Sam sat up, wiped his brow, and nodded.
“Maybe we should get a second opinion.”
“I think it should come down, too; it’s not safe.”
I looked up to the clear blue sky and did my best not
to cry.
Sam rubbed my bare leg. “It can be rebuilt. He left
some brochures for you to look at.”
I met Sam’s kind eyes. “It’s not the same. My grandpa
built it with his own two hands. And Mitzi taught me how to
read up there when I was four years old. Blair used to
pretend he was Peter Pan in those tree tops.” I wiped a tear
away on my cheek.
“Did he really?”
I nodded.
“You’ll get to make new memories.” Sam’s gaze
turned toward his hand on my bare leg, like he just realized
he was touching me. He removed his hand, but I could tell
he hesitated.
I wanted to tell him it was a good place for his hand to
rest, but that wasn’t my style.
He stood up abruptly. “Chase says he can come by
next week with a crew and tear it down. He said the sooner
the better.”
I couldn’t respond. I felt ill.
 “If you want to be here when it happens, I’ll make sure
I’m here with you.”
“Thanks,” I responded barely above a whisper.
“Back to work.” He walked off, at least giving me
something to smile about. His butt was one of his finest
features.
I stared at the laptop screen, but all I could think
about was my treehouse. The treehouse where Sam kissed
my cheek and told me I was pretty. He had no idea what
that small gesture did for me that night. Knowing the
treehouse had to go felt like a punch in the stomach. I felt
like another piece of Mitzi was being taken from me, and not
even Sam holding my hand through the ordeal could make
me feel better about it.
~*~
Friday morning I rushed to get ready so I could meet
my dad for breakfast. I had been up late finishing the
website. It was simple, but at least they had something.
People could even request quotes or contact them through
the site. Sam and Adam were still wary about it, but I
promised they would get used to it.
Working on Kennedy’s DreamScapes gave me some
ideas about sprucing up Paige’s Turn website and social
media outlets. I thought it might be fun to do some
giveaways once a week for books or gift cards to the store.
More items to add to my ever-growing to-do list. Being a
business owner wasn’t always what it was cracked up to be.
I knew Mitzi loved it; Paige’s Turn was her baby. I guess I
needed to love her like my own. I was getting there. I hoped.
My dad met me outside the café. I think Mabel Lu was
nicer to him when I was around. I still needed to find out
what her issue was with him. And maybe even why Mitzi
and mother never got along, which by default meant my
dad and Mitzi never had anything to do with each other.
My dad gave me a less awkward kiss on the cheek.
Maybe someday it would become natural, just like
when I held up a small gift bag. “Happy Father’s Day.” I
hadn’t said those words in a long time. They came out
strangled. I usually went with a generic card and a Love,
Paige. Do you know how hard it is to buy greeting cards for
parents you aren’t particularly fond of? And I wasn’t one to
buy a card filled with lies. You know the ones that say,
“Thanks for always being there for me” or “To the world’s
greatest Dad.” Mother’s Day was even worse. I skipped this
year, since it was after Mitzi’s death and will reading and my
mother had been hounding me.
Dad took the little blue bag. “You didn’t need to get
me anything.” Guilt was woven into every word.
“It really isn’t anything. I’m not even sure if you like
those anymore.”
Curious, he opened the bag and pulled out chocolate
covered cinnamon bears. It was one of the more endearing
memories I held of him when I was growing up. He always
kept some on his desk and he always offered me one if I
ever went to his office, which wasn’t often. He smiled at the
red candy bag. “I haven’t had these in forever.”
I stared down at my nude pumps. “Feel free to toss
them.”
“Honey . . .”
I had never heard him speak to me so tenderly. I felt a
little teary eyed. I lifted my head to find him smiling at me.
“I love them. This is the most thoughtful gift I’ve received in
a long time.”
“It’s only candy.”
He stroked my cheek. “It’s a lot more than that.”
I supposed it was.
He placed the candy back in the gift bag. “Since we
are talking about Father’s Day, your momma wanted me to
invite you over to dinner on Sunday.” He braced himself for
my answer.
I blew out enough air to make my bangs take flight.
“Wow.”
He reached out and took my hand. “It would mean a
lot to me if you came. And I know Maggie and Darrell are
looking forward to seeing you.”
I arched my eyebrow. “Right.”
“Truly, they are. And . . .  your momma said you can
invite Sam.” He tilted his head. “Is there something going
on between the two of you?”
I gave a shake of my head. “We’re just friends.”
“Are you sure?”
 “He’s dating someone else.” Even though he hadn’t
mentioned Brianne in days.
“You wish he wasn’t?”
I smiled. “Dad, I don’t know if we’re ready for those
conversations yet.”
The hope faded from his eyes. “I understand. Maybe
we will get there someday.”
“I would like that.”
“Me too, more than anything. So, will you come?”
That was a good question. One I kept asking myself all
day after we finished breakfast. It didn’t help when Brianne,
of all people, showed up with her toddler daughter, Cammie,
for story time. And I was wearing butterfly wings and an
antenna headband. Basically, I looked ridiculous. If Mitzi had
a front row seat, she was surely laughing at me. She knew I
hated costumes and like Sam said, I didn’t like being in the
spotlight. But there I sat on Mitzi’s throne reading about the
adventures of one very unlucky butterfly, while the woman I
was jealous of held the most adorable little blonde-haired,
blue-eyed girl in her lap. I had never been jealous of anyone
before, not even Lia.
By the time I said, ‘The End,’ I was ready to run to the
safety of my office, but Brianne made a beeline for me.
“Paige, Paige, can I talk to you?”
I stopped and took a deep breath before turning back
around with a fake smile on. It was hard to keep up. She was
beautiful like a cover model with her blonde side-swept hair
and tight, perfect figure. And with her daughter in her arms,
she only looked more lovely. I never had a chance. “What
can I help you with?”
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Lying went through my head, but . . . I took off the
antenna headband. “Sure.”
“In private?”
“We can use my office.”
The gratitude in her beautiful eyes made me feel
guilty for all the evil thoughts I was having about her.
She settled in the chair in front of my desk with her
daughter. I took off my wings and took my office chair.
“You do a great job reading to the kids.” She bounced
her little girl on her lap. He daughter smiled and giggled.
“Thanks.”
“You are probably wondering why I wanted to talk to
you.”
I nodded.
“You see, I know you’re friends with Sam, and so I
hoped you could give me some advice.”
Could this day get any better? First, my dad’s
invitation, and now this. “About what?”
She looked down at the cutie in her lap. “Sam and I
have a great time together and there’s definite chemistry, if
you know what I mean.”
I did and it made me sick to my stomach. I focused on
anything I could so I didn’t have to look at her.
“The problem is, he doesn’t want to meet Cammie
yet. I don’t get it. She’s a huge part of my life. What do you
think that means? Has he said anything to you?”
I had to face her. “Sam hasn’t mentioned it.” Thank
goodness.
“That makes sense. I mean, you guys are more
business associates.”
Is that what he calls us?
“Do you think I should be worried?”
“I would be worried if he wanted to jump right in. I
think it shows good judgment and respect for you.”
“I guess. It’s just, every other guy I’ve dated met
Cammie right away.”
“Do you date a lot?”
“Tons. It’s so much more fun than being married. But I
really like Sam and I wouldn’t mind dating him exclusively. I
mean, look at him. But you probably like the serious
businessman or professor types.”
How could she even presume to know what I like?
“Yeah. Well, I have a lot to do.”
She stood up with her Cammie. “Thanks for talking to
me. And by the way, I RSVP’d for you.”
“To what?”
“The class reunion, silly. It’s two weeks from tomorrow.
You have to go. Everyone is going to be so surprised. I’m
even thinking of making an award for most improved for
you.”
I bit my tongue. How Sam dated this woman, I had no
idea. Did he really like shallow women? “I’ll pass, thanks.”
 “I’m going to keep trying to convince you.” Her face lit
up. “Do you remember Harris Kelly? He’s totally your type
and he’s still single. I think he’s a professor or something up
north. But seriously, you would be perfect for each other. I
can set you two up.”
“No, thank you.”
“Don’t play hard to get. I’ll call you later.”
Please no. She didn’t have my number, did she? Sam
wouldn’t give that out, would he? I ushered her and her
darling daughter out my door. As soon as she left, I sank
into my office chair. This odd sensation overcame me. It
sounds weird, but it felt like Mitzi. Instead of feeling small,
like I normally would have after that sort of conversation, I
felt empowered. It made me do something unexpected and
bold. I pulled out my phone. Dinner at my parents’ house
Sunday night. Are you in? I tapped my fingers on my desk
as I waited for Sam’s reply. A minute passed and I wished I
could take it back. Two minutes passed and I wanted to
crawl under my desk. As I approached the third minute, I
thought I might vomit. And then his one word reply
appeared with a ding.
Definitely.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Sixteen
I felt bad taking Sam away from his dad on Father’s
Day, but he was spending all Saturday with him fishing out
on Sam’s boat on the gulf. I guessed that was a tradition for
them on Father’s Day weekend. It gave me time to spend
with Miss Josie and contemplate my crazy life choices as of
late. Like why I agreed to enter my mother’s house, or why I
asked Sam to come with me. I knew the answer to the last
one. I was ridiculous. I had feelings for him that went
beyond friendship, and I couldn’t think of anyone else I
would rather have by my side when I faced my family. Last
time we were all together was in Mr. Perkins’ office, and
tense was putting it mildly.
The e-reader I ordered for Miss Josie had come in, so I
took that, along with some snickerdoodles for Adam, but not
before stopping to get lunch for us at Mabel Lu’s. Maybe
that wasn’t the best idea. Mabel Lu cornered me before I
left.
“Sugar.” She leaned across the counter and took my
hands. “I need the scoop on you and Sam. Miss Barlow
came in here madder than a wet hen the other day spouting
off how you’re a jezebel.” Mabel Lu had the wherewithal to
keep her voice down.
I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or sigh. “Why is
everyone suddenly interested in me? Ten years ago I was
invisible. Does money really make that much of a difference
to people?”
 She gave my hands a squeeze. “Darlin’, they’re
jealous. They underestimated you. And now you’ve come
home successful, and looking like a million bucks, to boot.”
“Not even close.”
“Oh, honey, you need to clean that mirror of yours.
You’re sizzling, and Sam Kennedy has taken notice.”
“Shhh. Don’t say that. We’re just friends.”
She placed her hand on the counter for support and
laughed. “Girl, I know you’re smarter than that.” She leaned
in close again. “I don’t care how friendly you think you are,
I’ve never seen him come in here every morning to buy a
woman her favorite coffee and muffins. And he’s sure
looking pretty spiffy lately for working outside the way he
does.”
“He’s dating someone.”
“Dating, darlin’, means a man has no interest, but
he’s either too polite or lazy to break it off. And from what I
hear, that relationship has been placed on the back burner.”
I wanted to ask what exactly she had heard, but that
only meant I would be perpetuating gossip.
“Don’t be afraid to go for what you want.” She patted
my cheek. “Mitzi would want me to say, it’s your turn.”
I placed my hand on top of her hand that rested on
my cheek. I held back the tears. “Thanks, Miss Mabel Lu.”
“You still never told me how you feel about him.”
“Goodbye.” I grinned and grabbed my to-go bag. I
walked off to her shouting, “You don’t have to say it; I see it
in your eyes.”
 I kept on walking. I was filled with hope and fear.
Could it be possible that Sam was developing feelings for
me? My step had an extra spring with that thought. But then
I thought about Brianne’s visit yesterday. She obviously still
thought they had something in the works. But he wasn’t
jumping in with both feet and maybe he had taken a step
back. I kept all these thoughts in my wildly beating heart as
I drove over to Miss Josie’s.
I let myself in to their cute cottage home so she
wouldn’t have to strain herself and answer the door. She
was waiting for me at her puzzle table. It looked like she had
started the globe puzzle I had given her. I had the life of a
geriatric—salads, conversation, and puzzles. There was no
shame in it. I preferred it that way, or I would also take
reading a book in my treehouse. Or Sam. He was my first
choice, but his mom was a close second.
Josie looked pretty sitting there in a patriotic t-shirt
and shorts. She had aged well, despite her disability. I loved
her half smiles. It was in her eyes I saw her full smile.
I kissed her cheek in greeting. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“You spoil me.”
I sat across from her. “I’m happy to. Speaking of
which, I hope you like this and will join the women’s book
club with me. I think we could both get out some more.” I
handed her the gift bag.
She peeked inside and, with effort, lifted the e-reader
out. She looked it over. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I need a friend to attend with.”
 “You’re such a good girl. I love it. Thank you.”
“I already loaded it with next month’s book club
selection. You can make the words as big as you need them,
and you only have to touch the screen for the page to turn.
Or if you want, you can make it read the book to you.”
It didn’t take much to convince her. “Okay, I’ll go.”
A smile filled my face. “It’s a date then.”
“You and Sam should date.” She said it with such force
it caught me off guard.
I bit my lip. “I’ve heard that a lot lately.”
“Do you like my Sam?”
“I do.” I had no idea why I was admitting that aloud,
and to his mother of all people. But my feelings for him were
bubbling up inside of me and they had nowhere else to go
but out. I had never felt like this before.
“He likes you, too, but he won’t admit it. He’s afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Being hurt.”
I could identify with that on so many levels. But I
couldn’t imagine Sam was worried that I could hurt him. I
wasn’t even sure his mom was reading the situation right.
Like she said, he wasn’t admitting to anything.
I tried to put it out of my mind and focus solely on
Josie. It was easier said than done. Josie loved to talk about
her son. He’d saved them from financial ruin, and turned
down lots of offers for more lucrative jobs. He had been
loyal to his family. He kissed his mother’s cheek and bought
her flowers. He was the perfect son. I wondered how that
translated into boyfriend material.
I thought about that more than I should have as I went
through the night and the next day. Sam offered to pick me
up and I readily took him up on the offer. I tried on more
outfits than I ever had before for an outing. I couldn’t call it
a date. I ended up in something I knew would get under my
mother’s skin. I wore a pale pink blouse and white shorts.
Not only would the pink irk her, but the informality of my
attire would be an issue for her. I had some Mitzi in me. She
never prescribed to my mother’s formality and rules for
everything, like Sunday dinners being formal affairs.
I wrapped up some snickerdoodles for Sam. It was the
least I could do for dragging him to my parents’ home.
Though my mother, I was sure, would be nicer to him than
to me.
I admired the back porch from the kitchen window
while I cleaned up. It was almost done, all he had left to do
was finish the raised built-in fire pit, have his guy install the
barbecue, which I might never use, and some touch up. It
turned out stunning. The gray undertones of the stone went
perfect with the house. I was going to miss him hanging
around the house, but in a few weeks he would start the
project at the bookstore, so all was not lost. I was looking
forward to being there with him after hours.
My mother wanted to eat at five sharp, so I had Sam
pick me up at a quarter ’til. It might get us there on time.
 Sam was a few minutes early and came to the front
door. I opened it to find him reminding me that I had every
right to be attracted to him. His bronzed skin went perfect
with the white polo shirt, plaid shorts, and boat shoes. He
looked ready to board a sailboat. That sounded like
perfection. His warm smile was a bonus.
“Hello.”
I felt his eyes go over my body before he responded.
“Hi there.”
In my nervousness, I handed over the plate of cookies.
“These are for you.”
He smiled when he took them. “I was hoping I would
get some. I ate a few of the ones you left for my dad. I think
you’re his favorite now.”
“I hope he liked them.”
“We both loved them, but his plate was bigger than
mine.”
“Maybe I like him more than I like you.”
“We’re going to have to see what we can do about
that. Are you ready to go?”
I let out a breath. “No.”
He took a step toward me. “Channel the woman that
fired me twice and you’ll be okay.”
“Did I do that?”
“It was well deserved.”
“I’m glad you got over your sun sickness.”
“You and me both. Let’s go show your momma what
you’re made of. And don’t think I didn’t notice that you
didn’t dress up for Sunday dinner.”
I guess he remembered the rules, too. The more I was
around Sam, the more I remembered how much he had
existed in my past. Maybe because Blair and Sam were so
much older and lived such different lives, I didn’t pay as
much attention as I should have. Don’t get me wrong, I
noticed Sam. Everyone did. But now more than ever I
wished I would have taken Blair up on his offers to hang out.
I nudged him on our walk to the truck. “Thanks for being my
partner in crime.”
“Anytime.” When he said it, I felt the truth of it.
I nervously clasped my hands together on the drive
over. “How was your fishing trip yesterday?”
“I have a freezer full of fish.”
“So, it was good?”
“It’s always a good day when you can fish.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“You’ve never been fishing?”
“Not once, but I like to eat it. They had amazing
places in Seattle where you could get freshwater fish and, of
course, fresh seafood.”
“I bet it wasn’t as good as mine.” He grinned over at
me.
“You cook?”
“I grill.”
“Maybe you can use mine when it’s done. I’ve never
grilled a thing in my life. I don’t think Mitzi ever did, either.
I’m surprised she wanted such an elaborate built-in grill for
the porch.”
“She told me when I started the layout to include it,
that it would be useful for the new resident someday. I
guess she meant you.”
He was so wrong. I knew exactly who she meant.
“She’s so pushy sometimes.”
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing. She just left plans for me.”
“She wanted you to learn how to grill?”
“No.”
“But do you want to?” He seemed eager.
“Are you volunteering to be the teacher?”
“I’ll have you grilling in no time. I’ll even bring the fish
and show you what you’ve been missing out on.”
“It’s a plan.” I was suddenly not feeling all that
nervous. It had been replaced with anticipation and desire.
That didn’t last long when we hit downtown. My parents
lived in the heart of Bella Port in a beautiful home that was
built when I was ten. It was plantation style, like Hollis
Mansion, but not quite as grand. My mother’s actions were
so contradictory. All my life she hardly stepped a foot inside
her childhood home. And she eagerly took the money
instead of her half of the ownership, but she built a house
that resembled it and as soon as Mitzi died, she became
obsessed with it.
Sam pulled up in front of the well-manicured lawn and
yard that my dad prided himself on. He would spend hours
on the weekend taking care of it. It looked like he still did. “I
haven’t been here in forever.” Sam looked over the place.
“Me either.” I tried to remember anything good about
the place. Blair came to mind. I pictured us sitting on the
lawn together eating a popsicle, not saying a word. Blair
always seemed to get me. His presence meant more than
anything to me. When he left for the University of Florida, I
thought my heart would break, but Mitzi stepped up her
game. That was the year Paige’s Turn opened. The store and
Hollis Mansion became my safe havens.
Sam and I walked up the pathway together. I was
breathing louder than normal. Sam gave my hand a
squeeze. “You got this.”
I wanted to take his hand right back. I realized in that
moment how much I wished we were showing up as a
couple instead of as friends. I looked up into his warm eyes.
“Thanks for coming with me.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
We landed on the porch. “Hold that thought.”
He let out a small laugh.
I took one more deep breath before ringing the
doorbell.
“Would this be a bad time to mention that children
typically just walk into their parents’ home?”
“There is nothing typical about my relationship with
my parents.”
He brushed back some of my hair with his hand.
Between that and his gaze I forgot I was about ready to
enter the fiery depths of hell. “I don’t think there is anything
typical about you.”
“Is that good or bad?”
The door opened, causing us to both startle. We both
did an about-face toward my dad, whose eyes were full of
surprise. “Did you guys come together?”
I was having a hard time processing his question. All I
could think of was Sam touching me and the way I wanted
to touch him back. Sam looked at me to answer. I knew
what my dad was asking and the answer wasn’t what I
wanted it to be. “Sam gave me a ride.”
Did Sam’s head drop? Was he disappointed? Did I say
the wrong thing? I didn’t want to be presumptuous. And
more than anything, I wanted us to be there together.
“Well, come on in.” My dad opened the door and
waved us in.
Sam touched the small of my back and pushed me
forward. I needed the encouragement and touch. I noticed
my dad’s eyes focused on Sam’s hand.
I walked by my dad and gave him a peck on the
cheek. “Happy Father’s Day.”
“Thanks, honey.” He seemed genuinely happy with
the greeting.
Sam held out his hand to my dad. “It’s nice to see you
again, Mr. James.”
My dad looked between Sam and myself. “I think you
should call me Robert now.”
Sam nodded with a smile.
 It was then I was drawn to the sounds of the rest of
my family. I could hear my mother and Maggie chirping
away. They had always been the best of friends. It sounded
like they were discussing what color Maggie should paint her
master bathroom.
“I keep telling your daddy we really need to update
this old place.” My mother’s shrill voice echoed throughout
the beautiful home. A home that looked like it had had a
recent update. The furniture and wall colors had been
changed out since the last time I had been there five years
ago. The home screamed designer showroom.
I noticed my dad cringe as we walked back. In light of
what Darrell mentioned about my parents’ debt, I could
understand why the conversation would make my dad
wince. I was beginning to feel sorry for my dad.
I then heard Darrell’s voice. “You know, we should
really wait until the houses sell before we start any projects
at home.”
“You said you had a big deal come in, and we were
fine,” Maggie whined.
I caught a glimpse of Sam. I could see yikes written all
over his face. I wanted to say welcome to the James’. He
gave me a reassuring smile as we made our way to the
gourmet kitchen that belonged on HGTV.
As soon as we entered, my mother, Maggie, and
Darrell fell quiet and stared with gaping mouths at Sam and
me. My mother composed herself and stood up taller. “You
two came together. How unexpected.” My mother and
Maggie both stood at the island and Darrell sat on one of
the high-back chairs that surrounded it.
Maggie’s eyes were the widest, but they were focused
solely on me. “You look different.” She sounded almost
disappointed. I wasn’t sure why. She tossed back her hair
and moved closer to my mother. The two could pass for
twins almost. They both had ebony hair and olive skin, much
like Blair’s. I was the odd one out. They even shared the
same beautiful gray eyes. They were so different from my
pale blue eyes that looked like Mitzi’s and Grandpa’s.
My mother placed a reassuring arm around Maggie.
I wanted to retreat, but then Sam once again placed
his hand on the small of my back as if to say, stand your
ground. I stood up taller. “You look good, Maggie. How are
you?”
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I’m perfect.”
“I’m happy to hear that.”
She didn’t give me a second glance and turned her
attention toward Sam. “Sam, it’s been an age. You look
fantastic, as always.”
Sam slighted her and turned toward Darrell. “How are
you, man?”
Darrell stood up and approached us both. He looked
as uncomfortable as I felt. He held out his hand to Sam. “It’s
good to see you.” After shaking Sam’s hand, he
acknowledged me. “And you too.”
“Thanks.”
 “Enough of this chatter. It’s time to eat.” Mother
handed my dad a crystal salad bowl. So much for any
Father’s Day treatment. My mother grimaced at my attire.
She and Maggie were both in sundresses and Darrell and my
dad both wore slacks and dress shirts. “Pink really isn’t your
color.”
Both Sam and my dad halted, but my dad spoke first.
“I think she looks lovely.”
Sam nodded at my dad in an approving fashion.
My mother gave my dad a withering look. “And since
when do you know anything about fashion?”
My dad stood defiantly.
I gripped Sam’s arm for comfort. Thankfully, he didn’t
seem to mind.
“Not a thing, dear, but I know a beautiful woman when
I see one,” Dad answered.
Mother ignored him and stomped off to the formal
dining room. Maggie and Darrell had already headed that
way.
I held Sam back in the hall and whispered, “We can
leave now.”
“No way. You’re not going to let them win like that.”
“Your faith in me may be overrated.”
He gave me a sly grin. “I don’t think so.”
I let out a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
“After you.” He waved.
The stares when we walked into the dining room were
deafening. I knew the impression Sam and I were giving
them and I wished it was true.
The table that easily sat a dozen people was filled
with Mother’s finest china. For all her faults, she was a good
cook. It smelled delicious, like beef wellington, my dad’s
favorite. I was at least happy his favorite meal was made for
the occasion. Everyone had taken their positions. My mother
sat at the head of one end, my dad was next to her, Maggie
and Darrell sat together across from him. That left me to sit
next to my dad and Sam next to me.
Sam held out my chair for me, to more gaping stares.
He was only being polite. It hurt, though, to think that even
my own family thought Sam was unattainable for someone
like me. I settled in my chair like I was sitting on pins and
needles. For a moment, I took in my surroundings. Every
piece of furniture and dish screamed upper class. The
venetian chandelier was over the top. But that was my
mother for you.
I placed the fancy folded linen napkin on my lap. I
hadn’t felt this uncomfortable since Mitzi’s will reading. And
this was probably worse, since my mother and sister still
believed I jilted them out of an inheritance. Without a word,
Dad began to dish mother’s plate. I thought it was sweet. I
didn’t remember such a show of love before.
“Smaller portions!” Mother shrieked.
Defeat filled Dad’s eyes.
“I’ll take that piece.” I jumped in to save my dad.
“Are you sure—” Mother stopped mid-sentence. I
wondered why until I saw her meet eyes with Sam. His hard
stare told her to proceed with caution. She dropped it and
focused on Maggie. I gave Sam a squeeze on his knee under
the table as a thank you. It gave me more pleasure than it
should have to touch his bare knee. I felt his smile.
Darrell cleared his throat. “So, Paige, are you enjoying
being back in Bella Port?”
That was a loaded question if ever I heard one. I tried
to think of something positive to say other than I loved
spending time with the man sitting next to me who made
me feel things I never had before. “It has its moments.”
“How is store traffic this time of year?” I appreciated
Darrell’s attempts at directing the conversation.
“It’s been busy. I hope to keep that momentum in the
fall by adding a new media and technology center and
offering free homework help for literature assignments.”
Darrell raised his eyebrows. “That sounds interesting.”
“I think it’s brilliant,” Sam added in his two cents.
“It must be nice to be able to throw around that kind
of money.” Maggie smirked at me.
“It is.” I smiled back.
Sam chuckled under his breath. The game was on,
unfortunately.
My dad did his best to change the subject. “Sam, how
are your parents doing?”
Sam placed the serving spoon for the garlic herbed
potatoes back in the dish. “They’re doing pretty good. Paige
has been a godsend for my mom.” He gave me a quick
wink.
 I think I may have blushed.
“Really?” My mother was more than interested. “How
so?”
“Ever since the stroke, my mom has been
uncomfortable out in public, but Paige has got her reading
again and joining the women’s book club at the bookstore.
She hasn’t been this happy in months.”
“What a saint you are, Paige.” Mother was walking a
fine line. That hadn’t sounded like a compliment at all, but
she tried to take some of the bite out of it.
“Not at all. Just helping a friend.” I turned to my full
plate. Normally, I would have eaten less in my mother’s
presence, but I thought, what the heck. What would Mitzi
do? That was going to be my new mantra. I decided to focus
on my dad, who we should be celebrating. “Have you done
anything fun today, Dad?”
He wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Yard work.”
“Your lawn looks terrific.” Sam complimented my dad.
“If you ever want to go into landscaping, let me know.”
Dad laughed. “Maybe when I retire.”
“I’ll keep a job open for you,” Sam said.
“Business picking up?” Darrell asked Sam.
“Thanks to Paige. She got us up and running online.
I’ve had more bids than I’ve had in a long while, with more
requests coming in every day.”
I felt all eyes on me.
“I didn’t know you were so talented, Paige.” Maggie
choked on her words.
 “I don’t know about that. I just learned a few tricks of
the trade at my last job.”
“Don’t be modest.” Sam was enjoying this. “You
should look at the website she designed for us. And did you
know some of the books she edited have been on The New
York Times bestsellers list?”
“Is that true, honey?” Dad asked.
I nodded.
My dad’s eyes gleamed with pride. “I’m proud of you.”
I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Thanks.”
Mother had enough of the Paige praise. “Well, did you
know that Maggie was featured in a Mobile news piece
about flipping homes?”
“I didn’t. That’s amazing. I’d like to see it.” I had no
problem giving props when they were due.
“I don’t know if it’s still available online or not.”
Maggie reached for her goblet full of ice water.
“If you find it, let me know.”
Maggie set her glass down with force. “You know, you
don’t have to pretend that you care about any of us here.”
The dam had broken. I supposed it was inevitable.
 “Maggie,” Dad scolded. “This is not the time nor the
place.”
“Please. Since when did she become your favorite?
She left and only came back because she wants to rub in
our faces how wealthy she is now.”
Sam took my hand under the table.
 “And I can’t believe you’re falling for her act, Sam. I
thought you were smarter than that.”
My mother beamed with pride at her protégé. Darrell
looked pensively between Maggie and myself. Sam
remained constant holding my hand, but glared at Maggie. I
guess he was waiting for me to fight my own battle. I
channeled Mitzi.
My dad started to speak, but I interrupted. I took a
deep breath. “You’re right, Maggie, I did leave here and I
never looked back. I had no reason to, other than Mitzi. It’s
funny how I don’t remember any of you caring about me
until Mitzi died and left me her estate. And you can all
believe what you want about what I did or didn’t know. As
far as I’m concerned, I don’t owe you any explanations. I will
say, though, out of all the people in the world, you are the
last ones I should have had to explain it to. But since none
of you ever bothered to get to know me, because apparently
I don’t fit some James’ mold, I guess you’ll never know the
truth.” I stood up to leave. I was barely holding back the
tears under the scowls of my mother and sister.
My dad took my hand and looked up from his seat.
“Please don’t go.”
“I think it’s best if I do. I’ll see you Friday.” I bent down
to kiss his cheek. I felt Sam standing by my side.
But the night had more surprises in store.
“Don’t go.” Darrell looked like he had broken out in
hives. He mustered up some courage and faced his wife.
 It was like slow motion. I knew what was going to
happen and I desperately wanted to stop it, but I was too
late.
“Mags, Paige bailed us out. She gave me the money to
cover our loans and pay the contractors.” Darrell’s head
whipped my way. “I’m sorry to break my promise to you.”
He turned right back to Maggie.
Maggie sat there looking between me and Darrell,
acting like she wasn’t sure how to react. She finally gave up,
threw her napkin down on the table, and stormed off.
“Now see what you did?” my mother yelled at me
before running out after Maggie. Darrell followed.
“I guess I know how to clear out a room. Sorry I ruined
Father’s Day, Dad.”
Dad stood up and pulled me to him for the least
awkward hug we’d ever had. I clung to him and rested my
head on his shoulder. He rubbed my back. “It’s not your
fault. This all started long before you were born.”
I pulled away from him. “What?”
He touched my cheek. “It’s a conversation for another
day.” He looked past me at Sam. “Make sure you get her
home safe.”
“Yes, sir.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Seventeen
Sam seemed lost in his thoughts on the way home. I
was embarrassed and not sure what to say to him. It wasn’t
until we were almost to my house that I finally spoke. “I’m
so sorry about tonight. It went even worse than I imagined.”
“You don’t have anything to apologize for.” He was
white-knuckling the steering wheel and focused on the road.
“Are you okay?”
“Paige, I like you.” He said it so matter of fact.
“I like you, too.”
He pulled into my drive and threw his truck into park,
but he kept his focus outside. I felt like he was purposely
avoiding me. I wasn’t expecting this reaction at all. I had
hoped he’d have some words of comfort to offer. Or at least
something funny to say about the situation. But he seemed
more bothered than me. And his reaction honestly affected
me more than my family’s had.
“Sam?”
He slowly turned his head toward me. He was so
handsome.
I wanted to get lost in his eyes, and in that moment, I
lost my head and my heart. It was like Mitzi came out of my
mouth. “I more than like you.” For a second it was a relief to
get that out of me, but that beautiful feeling was gone in an
instant.
“I was afraid of that.”
 My heart sank. I had never felt so foolish in all my life,
and that is saying something. I bailed out of his truck as fast
as I could, trying not to cry and cursing Mitzi. I heard Sam’s
truck turn off and the slam of his door. I picked up the pace
toward the front door of my house.
“Paige, hold up. You’re taking that the wrong way.”
What other way was there for me to take it? I made it
to the porch and was punching in my alarm code when he
caught up to me. “Please just go.” I had to reenter my code.
I was shaking and on the verge of tears. I refused to look at
him. But he wasn’t having it.
“Paige.” He took my hand so I couldn’t enter the last
digit to my security code.
I looked up and met his confused eyes. I could feel the
tears prick mine.
He drew me closer.
I pulled away.
“Please don’t. Let me explain.”
I remained still with my hand in his.
“Paige, there is nothing I want more right now than to
give in to the feelings I have for you.”
For the slightest moment, hope crept in, but the
pained look on his face told me there was a caveat.
He slid closer and pulled my hand up to his heart. I
could feel the steady beat through his muscled chest. Desire
filled me, but it was doused. “You remind me a lot of my ex-
wife.”
 Disgust filled my features. How could he say that after
what he and his mom had told me about her? I pulled my
hand away, but he wasn’t letting go.
“Let me finish.” He ran his free hand through his hair.
“You’re both well-educated with large bank accounts,
beautiful—”
“You think I’m beautiful?”
He paused and gazed into my eyes. “Inside and out,
but Paige, I don’t have anything to offer you.”
“What do you mean?”
He scanned my house and pristine property. “This is
what I’m talking about. You live a life that I could never give
you. You’ve seen where I live and you know the state of my
business.”
“I don’t care about any of what Mitzi gave me, other
than the sentimentality of it.”
“Desiree used to say the same thing, but believe me,
when one partner is so unequal to the other in means and
education, it takes a toll on a relationship. And . . .” He took
a long pause before letting out a huge breath. “I just don’t
know if I can do another dysfunctional family.” He let my
hand drop.
I stepped away from him. How could I blame him after
the scene at my parents? But it hurt. Like no other hurt I had
ever experienced. A tear slid down my cheek. “I
understand.”
“Do you?”
“I think you explained it well, in plain English.”
 “It’s not you, Paige.”
“Really? Because I’m pretty sure it is.”
“I know it sounds cliché, but it’s me and our
circumstances.”
“Okay.” I turned back toward the door. I never felt
more like curling up and crying myself to sleep. I gripped
the doorknob, facing away from Sam.
He placed his hand on my shoulder. “Paige, I don’t
want things to change between us. You don’t know how
much I value our time together.”
How could we go back after this? I was an idiot. Why
didn’t I keep my mouth shut? “Goodnight, Sam.” I turned
the knob and headed for the safety of Mitzi’s home.
“I’ll be here in the morning. I’m sorry.”
I shut the door on him. I was sorry, too. Sorry I ever
moved back and sorry I let myself believe that I was
anything more than the insignificant girl who left here ten
years ago. I headed straight for the kitchen to drown my
sorrows in cookies and milk. After all, I hadn’t eaten dinner
and I’d never met a cookie I didn’t like. Even if I’d made
them for Sam. I wanted to crawl up in my treehouse and die.
I didn’t even know this kind of hurt or embarrassment
existed.
I took a big bite of cookie and looked up to the ceiling.
“Mitzi, I hope you see now that you were wrong.”
~*~
Going to dinner at my parents’ house seemed like a
catalyst for several events that snowballed in my life.
Monday I was up earlier than I wanted to be considering
sleep had been hard to come by, but I was going to do
everything I could to avoid Sam. I wished I hadn’t hired him
to remodel the store, but the contract had been signed and
the check for the deposit had been written. I would at least
have a few weeks’ break between his projects for me.
Maybe by then this humiliation wouldn’t feel so acute, but I
doubted it. Just like I knew I wouldn’t be getting over my
feelings for him anytime soon. What was I thinking, allowing
myself to have some romantic notion for him?
Sam’s words rang in my head about my family and
how we couldn’t be together. Maybe if I looked like his ex-
wife, he would reconsider. So he thought I was beautiful, or
at least that’s what he said. I in no way compared to the
women he dated. In eleven months, I was out of here. All it
had taken was one month for me to make myself the
laughingstock of Bella Port.
I arrived at the bookstore three hours before it
opened. I was not risking a run-in with Sam. And this way I
could hide in my office all day. I started my day with more
cookies and coffee. While I ate, I looked at the brochures for
treehouses. I was torn on what I should do. If I was planning
on moving, should I build a new one? Or was it time for me
to let go of it, just like everything else I loved? I couldn’t
imagine selling Hollis Mansion, but even if I kept it, it wasn’t
like I had reasons to visit once I left. Well, maybe Josie and
Adam and my dad. But now hopefully my dad would visit
me.
 This friend of Sam’s had some spectacular designs.
You could almost build one to live in. That was a thought, for
Washington though. I couldn’t imagine why I would want to
stay here. But what would Hollis Mansion be without a tree
house? I didn’t have to make a decision right now. I still
couldn’t believe in two days my beloved haven was going to
be torn down. My life felt like a mess.
I set the brochures aside and started in on work
emails. That’s when my phone rang. It was Sam. I stared at
his name on the screen. It had only been a night and I
missed him. Except for Jansen, I had never really missed a
man before. And this was different than Jansen. When
Jansen left for college my senior year of high school, I only
missed him occasionally. That should have said something
to me. Anytime I wasn’t around Sam, all I wanted to do was
figure out a way to change that. I ignored his call. I knew
any contact with him would only make me want him more.
Within a minute of the last ring, he texted, Are you
okay?
I wasn’t, but I would be. Yes. Have a good day. I threw
my phone on the desk, hoping that would be it. Didn’t he
realize how ridiculous I felt? I guess not.
Do you want to meet for dinner?
I don’t think that’s a good idea.
I wish things could be different.
I couldn’t believe that. I didn’t know much about
relationships, but I did know that if you really wanted to be
with someone, you would find a way to make it work. All he
was telling me was I wasn’t worth the effort. On that
depressing note, I got to work.
I placed an order for the books on the assigned
reading list for the local high school, my alma mater, Bella
Port High School. I didn’t have the normal high school
memories like most people. It was neither a good nor bad
experience. I looked at it as a stepping stone, so I showed
up, got good grades, and flew beneath the radar. Besides
Jansen, I really had no friends. My senior year was lonely,
but I found solace in books and Mitzi. I didn’t even attend
the graduation ceremony or any celebratory events
surrounding the occasion. The night of graduation, Mitzi
took me to Mobile for a Shakespeare festival. My parents
gave me a hundred dollars. Maggie got a car for her
graduation. My mother’s justification was that she was
going to be living off campus. I was living off campus too by
the time my sister graduated two years after me. Out of
guilt, I’m sure, my dad sent me a check for a thousand
dollars. It was the only help I ever received from him during
college.
Why did I move back here?
Around lunch time, Jana dropped by my office. She
knocked before she peeked her head in. “Did you and Sam
finally make a love connection over the weekend?”
I looked up from my laptop. My face must have given
her all the answer she needed. Her face scrunched together.
She let herself the rest of the way into my office. “What
happened, honey?”
 “What would you think about owning this place?”
She leaned back. “Whoa. This doesn’t sound good.”
“I hate this place. Not the bookstore—I love that—but
this town.”
She took a seat in front of my desk. Her eyes were full
of concern. “Why don’t you tell me what happened.”
“Does it really matter?”
“I would say so by your behavior.”
“Do you think there is something wrong with me? Be
brutally honest.”
“We all have a little something wrong with us, but I
can’t name a flaw about you.”
“My mother would disagree with you, and so would
Sam.”
“You’re mother . . .” She paused. “How do I say this
nicely? No one loves her more than herself, and people like
that don’t know how to love anyone else. Now Sam, on the
other hand—”
“Sam told me he doesn’t want to be with me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I can’t believe it. He was
acting like a lovesick fool around you.”
“I’m the only fool here. I was upset after the blow up
at my parents’ house and—”
Her eyes widened.
“It’s a story for another day. Let’s just say it was
enough to make Sam think twice about getting involved
with me. And he doesn’t like that I have more money than
him and where I earned my degree. Or maybe it’s because
I’m plain and he can have any woman he wants.” I choked
out. I hadn’t meant to get emotional.
In motherly fashion, she hopped up and came around
the desk. Before I knew it, she was embracing me. And did I
ever need it. Like a child, I cried on her shoulder.
She patted my back. “It’s all going to be okay. Don’t
you worry your beautiful head. Sam will come around. He’ll
swallow his pride, mark my words.”
“I don’t think this is an ego thing. He doesn’t want the
same issues he had with his ex-wife and her family.”
“Desiree? Everyone knew that girl was trouble. You are
far and above a better woman. And if Sam can’t or won’t
see it, it’s his loss. My bet is he’s scared. And don’t take this
the wrong way, but your family is . . .”
“Messed up.”
She laughed. “That’s putting it nicely.” She gave me
another squeeze. “I’m sure Mitzi would want me to tell you
not to place your worth in the hands of another, but I know
she thought Sam’s hands were the right ones to be in.”
“She was bound to be wrong once in her life.”
“We shall see.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Eighteen
I was able to avoid any face-to-face contact with Sam
all of Monday and Tuesday by leaving early and coming
home well past dark. The only contact I had from my family
was a phone call from my dad to check on me.
I will say Sam had been busy—the porch looked done
to me, but he texted he had some touch ups to complete
and that he would be there Wednesday morning when the
treehouse came down. I told him not to bother. I didn’t need
him to hold my hand in the figurative or physical sense. Not
to say I didn’t want him to, but Mitzi had the right idea all
along. Single was the way to be. It was much less
complicated and painful.
Sam did not heed my attempts to push him
completely out of my life. He showed up Wednesday
morning at the same time as the treehouse removal crew.
I’m sure on purpose. He stood by my side while Chase
explained the process and as I signed the paperwork
permitting the destruction of my place. My hand shook as I
signed and initialed. I felt tears brewing, but I was too
embarrassed to let them fall. “I want to take one more
picture before you dismantle it.”
“Of course.” Chase took the paperwork out of my
hand.
I took my phone out of my dress pants and walked
toward the old oak tree. I felt like my heart would break in
two.
 Sam walked by my side. “Look at this as a new
beginning.”
“I don’t think I’m going to rebuild it. It can never be
replaced. Any magic that happened here is over. I’m going
to close up Hollis Mansion next year and move back to
Seattle.”
“You’re giving up?”
I stopped and glared at him. “It isn’t as bad as never
trying.” Maybe that wasn’t true, but it sure felt good to say
it.
Sam took off his baseball cap and ran his fingers
through his dark, matted hair. His eyes penetrated mine.
“Paige.” He stepped closer toward me.
“It’s all for the best.” I turned from him and took a few
pictures of my memories. A few tears slid down my cheek.
Sam took my hand.
For just a moment I took comfort in it. Then a rush of
emotion hit me. Our hands belonged together. I had to pull
mine away. “We can’t have it both ways.”
His shoulders dropped, but he nodded his head.
“It’s show time,” Chase called out in excitement. He
had no idea what he was doing was going to kill me a little
bit inside.
Sam and I stood far back as the crew taped off the
area as a warning. The sounds of power tools and electric
saws made me queasy. I held onto my stomach.
“You don’t have to watch.” Sam’s eyes were fixed on
me.
 I shook my head. I had to be there. I didn’t get to be
there in Mitzi’s final hours, and for some odd reason, this felt
like watching a loved one pass. With the first cut and crack
of the wood, I winced. I noticed Sam reach out for me, but
before he actually touched me, he pulled back. Oh, how I
wished I was wrapped up in him. Maybe then it would have
hurt less. The noise was deafening and the sound of wood
falling was sickening. But after several minutes the
commotion quieted.
Chase yelled from inside the tree. “There are some
initials carved in the tree, hidden by one of the two-by-
fours.”
I looked at Sam. “Did he say initials?”
Sam nodded.
We both drew closer to the tree.
Chase leaned out of the tree. “Says here, MAH loves
RLJ. Do you know those people?”
“Could you repeat that?” I was in shock, so much so I
gripped Sam’s arm.
“MAH loves RLJ,” Chase yelled louder this time.
It couldn’t be. I only knew one MAH and one RLJ. It had
to be a coincidence. Surely it didn’t mean who I thought.
“Paige, do you know who that is?” Sam was curious.
I dropped his arm and ran toward the house. I wasn’t
sure what I would find, one way or the other, to substantiate
my hunch, but I was going to tear the house apart looking
for it if I had to.
 Sam came running after me. “Is everything okay? Who
are MAH and RLJ?”
“Don’t worry about me.” And it was none of his
business who the initials belonged to. I ran up the back-
porch steps and through the door, locking it on my way in,
in case Sam decided to follow. I wasn’t in the mood to deal
with anyone at the moment. My heart pounded as I ran up
the stairs to the master bedroom. I looked under Mitzi’s old
bed I had been sleeping in and it was cleared out. I carefully
looked through every drawer in both dressers and the
nightstands. Next was the closet where I pulled out a few
boxes that were left on the shelves. I hadn’t had the time to
go through them yet.
I scattered the contents of the first box on the
hardwood floor. It was mostly old photographs and some
trinkets my grandmother, whom I had never met, left Mitzi. I
looked at each photo, which were mostly of Mitzi and me.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I relived some of the
sweet memories the photos held. But I didn’t have time to
walk down memory lane. There wasn’t one picture to prove
my theory. I removed the lid of the second box, which was
quite a bit heavier, to find old yearbooks and photo albums.
Things I had never seen before. And there was a note. My
unsteady hand unfolded the paper.
Darling,
Read with caution. Sometimes the truth is better left
alone, but it always has a way of coming out. I don’t know
why I didn’t burn these old things or toss them in the trash.
But, I felt like someday I would need you to know the truth.
To understand. I know this will come as a shock to you, but
the only man I ever loved was your father.
I gasped. It was true. Mitzi Anne Hollis loved Robert
Lee James. How could that be? Did my mother know?
We met my first year at UF. He was a sight to behold. I
fell head over heels. I thought he felt the same way. When
we parted for summer break, we promised to write every
day while he did an internship in Michigan at a steel factory.
He wrote me the most beautiful letters. They are all here. I
couldn’t wait to return in the fall. I was so excited my sister
was joining me. I thought it would be the best year of my
life. When our parents dropped us off, I finally got to
introduce your father to everyone. Those first few weeks
back we picked up like we had never been apart, but then
things started to change. I began to notice the stolen
glances between Cassandra and Robert.
Cassandra was the belle of the county, but I thought
for sure Robert’s love was true. I never imagined my sister
or he would betray me in such a way. I don’t know all the ins
and outs of it, only that before I knew it, Robert had left me
for her. Your mother never even pretended to be sorry about
it. She said she had done me a favor. They married the
following year.
I meant to never have anything to do with them, but
when my mother fell ill, I came back to Bella Port and
helped Daddy take care of her. Then Blair was born, and
when he came to visit, I couldn’t resist the tyke. But then,
Darling, the most wonderful thing happened to me. You. I
felt a kindred spirit in you from the day I first held you. I
vowed then to not let my sister poison you. Your father, by
that time, had become a whimpering idiot, a shell of the
man I fell in love with, and I knew he was inadequate for the
job. So maybe your mother did me a service, but I knew in
my heart he would have been a different man with me.
Now you know my deepest hurt; why your life was
unfair. I’m sorry Paige-ala, but I couldn’t let her take your
soul. I knew inserting myself into your life would cause a
chasm between you and your mother, but I wasn’t going to
let her mold you like she did Maggie. You were too pure, too
good. Everything I did was for you—the store, the money,
the house, all my planning. It all centered on you. And
maybe a little sweet revenge. I do hope you are getting
some.
Darling, know I died happy and at peace. I will admit
part of me always loved your father, but I did not die bitter
or with regrets. You were the reason for my life. I only wish
to know you are happy. Don’t be afraid of love. Get married
and have lots of babies. The world needs more of you in it.
And don’t mourn me. I’m having the time of my life from the
front row watching you.
And don’t be too hard on your father. For as much as I
have hated him over the years, he has lived an unhappy
life. Why he made his choices, I will never know. He was too
much of a coward to ever tell me the truth.
Be brave, be you, be with Sam.
 Love, love, love you,
Mitzi
I could barely read the last couple of sentences. Tears
filled my vision. So many things in my life all made sense in
an instant. I wasn’t sure whether I was relieved, upset, or
just plain heartbroken for the woman I loved more than
anything. But one thing was for sure, I was astonished. My
aunt and my Dad had loved each other. And from the sound
of it, Mitzi died loving him. The indifference between them I
now recognized as coldness on Mitzi’s part and guilt on my
dad’s. But how could my dad choose my mother over Mitzi?
It was almost unforgivable.
I flipped through a few pages of the photo album on
top. There was the photographic evidence. My dad held
Mitzi in his arms on the beach. I recognized myself in Mitzi.
If she had been younger, we could have passed for sisters. I
ran my fingers over the pair that looked so in love. The way
my dad gazed at her.
I had to talk to him. This couldn’t wait until breakfast
on Friday. I closed the book and dialed my dad’s number.
“Dad. We need to talk.”
“I guess it’s about that time.” He didn’t sound
surprised at all.
I held my phone to my chest when the call ended. I
couldn’t believe it.
Sam called out to me as I hustled to my car.
I was meeting my dad in Pensacola for lunch. I was
sure he knew I had found out his secret. I could only imagine
what were in the letters Mitzi had bundled up. I was hesitant
to read any of them. It seemed like an intrusion. And I was
afraid it would only breed resentment against my dad.
“They’re almost done.” Sam met me at the garage.
I had almost forgotten. I looked across the yard at all
the debris that lay beneath my tree. I rubbed my chest. I
wondered if Mitzi purposely had Grandpa Hollis build the
treehouse to hide her pain.
“Are you all right?” Sam wiped an errant tear on my
cheek with his thumb. His touch filled me with warmth.
I thought back to what Mitzi wrote in her letter about
Sam. She was wrong about my dad and Sam. I thought
about how painful it must have been for Mitzi to be around
my parents. My feelings for Sam didn’t run as deep as
Mitzi’s had for my dad. But in my heart, I knew they could,
and I couldn’t risk letting that happen knowing how Sam
felt. At least he did me the favor up front. “I’m fine. Really, I
am. But, Sam, I need you to stay away from me. We’ll go
back to our original deal. Thursday lawn care at eight. I
won’t be here. We’ll figure something out when you work at
the bookstore.”
He stepped away from me and nodded. He didn’t even
bother to argue.
I sped away with my heart in my throat. Too many
emotions and events to deal with all at once. I made it to
Pensacola in a blur of tears. I met my dad at a chain
restaurant near the plant he worked at. I pulled up next to
his car. He was quick to get out and meet me at my door. He
opened it before I had the chance. I looked up to him from
my seat.
“I know. I have some explaining to do.” He held out his
hand to me.
I took it and surprisingly, I felt comfort. He wrapped
his arm around me as we walked toward the restaurant. Not
a word was said until we were seated.
“You broke her heart.”
Dad ran his hands through his mostly gray hair and
sighed deeply. “I did.”
“Why?”
He looked down at our unopened menus. I don’t think
he wanted to face me or the truth. “The short answer is,
your mother was persuasive and I found her hard to resist.”
I felt ill.
Dad dared a glance at me. “It’s a poor excuse, I know.
But the long answer is, Mitzi didn’t need me, and my young
ego didn’t know how to handle a woman like her. To
appreciate the gift she was. You remind me so much of her.”
“That’s why you hated me when I was growing up?”
He shook his head. “Honey, I never hated you. I didn’t
know what to do with you, either. Neither did your mother.
She always dreamed of having a daughter to dress up and
show off at pageants, but from the very beginning you had
your own mind. As quiet as you were, you were strong. It
was like you were born with life already figured out. Your
mom didn’t know what to do with you, so she gave up. And
it didn’t help that you were like the one person she was ever
jealous of.”
“She was jealous of Mitzi?”
“She would never admit it, but she envied Mitzi’s
independence and her natural beauty. She always worried,
and maybe rightly so, about my feelings for her.”
“I still don’t get why. They are nothing alike. And how
could you be so cruel?”
He hung his head. “Choices were made in the heat of
the moment. Choices that couldn’t be undone. I won’t go
into detail.”
I appreciated that. My insides were squirming at the
possibilities.
“I never intended to hurt Mitzi. Despite what you may
believe, I loved her. Do I regret it? I don’t know. I won’t
disrespect your mother and second-guess my choice. The
only thing I can do now is make things right with you. And
maybe, by some miracle, heal the rift in our family. It’s
about time we started acting like one.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Nineteen
I took to the beach for therapy. I watched the sunrise
Thursday morning. I had barely slept even though I was
exhausted. I let the waves wash over my feet as the sun
tickled the horizon. It was gorgeous, but it made me feel
alone. I wanted someone next to me to share it with. I
wanted Sam. I wanted to tell him about yesterday’s
discovery and I wanted him to choose me despite the
obstacles.
My dad had asked me about Sam, and for once I
opened up to him. My dad’s thoughts were that Sam was
like most men and usually took the easy way out. He said I
was one of those rare women who required that a man be at
his best self, not because I demanded it, but because I was
worth it. I think he was trying to tell me that Mitzi was that
kind of woman too, but he had taken the easy way out.
Though I’m not sure how easy it has been for him living with
my mother all these years.
Moving back here was way more than I had bargained
for on so many levels. I was having a hard time wrapping
my head around my dad and Mitzi. I looked at some more of
their photos, and they looked so in love. It was like light was
beaming from their eyes. I ached for Mitzi, and even for my
dad. I didn’t know that I had ever seen him look at my
mother that way, but maybe they had when they were
younger and before life had gotten to them. I didn’t read the
letters. I couldn’t. Besides, I was in the middle of my own
heartache. The urge to call Sam or go running to him scared
me. I didn’t know how to deal with these foreign feelings or
the hurt that settled in my soul knowing that I couldn’t. That
I wasn’t welcome.
Work was a blah kind of day. I mostly stuck to my
office. My emotions seemed to be on the verge of spilling
over and no one needed to be a witness to that. The one
time I did appear, I had a surprise waiting for me in the form
of my sister.
She looked unsure when she walked through the front
door. I wondered how long it had been since she visited the
place. She looked like she had come from a business
meeting, dressed in a skirt and tailored blouse and stilettos
that made my feet hurt just to look at them. But she looked
beautiful and put together. She caught my eye from where I
stood near the front counter. I saw her take a determined
breath before she walked my way. Her heels clacked on the
wood floor.
“Maggie. What a surprise.”
Her eyes softened. “Can we talk?”
I got that a lot around here. “Sure. Do you want to
take a walk outside, or we can talk in my office?”
“Fresh air sounds good.”
There went my hair, but being outside in the sea air
sounded better than my office, which felt stifling at the
moment.
Jana’s eyes said, interesting. It sure was.
 I walked around and met Maggie, and together we
walked out the door. We headed toward the boardwalk
without saying a word. In sync, we removed our shoes and
hit the sand with our shoes in hand.
“It never gets old.” I was referring to the sand
between my toes.
“I don’t get to enjoy this as much as I would like to,
being inland.”
“Do you like living in Mobile?”
She shrugged. “It has its advantages. Darrell’s office is
near our home.”
“Commutes can be tough. I had at least a forty-five
minute one every day in Seattle.”
“You liked it there?” She stared at her feet as we
walked.
“I loved it.”
She looked up and, for the first time, really looked at
me. “Why come back?”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “I ask myself that all
the time, but I promised Mitzi I would give it a year.”
She shrugged and faced forward. “Daddy called me
yesterday and Darrell’s been on me to contact you.” We
were finally getting to the real reason for the visit. “They
both thought that we should talk.”
I stared at the shoes in my hand. “That’s probably a
good idea.”
“I feel like I don’t know you. That you’ve always
looked down on me because you were smarter.”
 I stopped and took a breath so I responded out of
reason and not a knee-jerk reaction. I had to take another
breath. “I’m sorry you felt like that. I honestly didn’t know. I
just figured you wanted nothing to do with me because we
ran in different circles and didn’t really have anything in
common.”
We both stood there and stared at each other for a
moment. Where did we go from here?
“Did you even have any circles?”
My eyes widened at the slight. “I suppose not.” I
turned and kept walking.
“That came out wrong.” She caught up. “I’m terrible
at this. I meant, you kept to yourself and your books, or you
were with Mitzi.”
“I suppose I did. I still do.”
She gave me a sly grin. “That’s not what I hear.”
“And what do you hear?”
“Sam. Word in town is you two have a thing.”
“A thing?”
“Like a tryst.”
I laughed. “Not even close.” I wasn’t sure I had ever
had a tryst.
“But you like each other?”
“Did you really come to talk to me about Sam?” And
the answer was we liked each other, but he didn’t like me
enough.
“No.” She smiled. “But I have to say I’m jealous.”
“Don’t be. There isn’t anything going on between us.”
 “That’s a lie. I saw the way you two looked at each
other at dinner on Sunday. The sexual tension could be cut
with a knife.”
“Then you should have been there when he told me
he only wanted to be friends, but it was him, not me.”
“Did we freak him out?” She sounded guilty.
“Oh yeah. And apparently my bank account and
degree are a problem.”
She took my hand. I wasn’t sure if we ever touched
like that.
I stopped and smiled at her.
“I’m sorry about Sunday. I didn’t know about the
money you gave Darrell, and honestly, I’m used to being
number one around here. The favorite.” She grinned.
“Don’t worry, you’ll always be the favorite. Besides, I’ll
probably move back to Seattle eventually.”
“Really?”
“What’s here for me?”
She bit her lip. “How about me?”
Tears welled up in my eyes. Was she serious? “Do you
really want me to stay?”
She thought for a moment. “Don’t you think it’s about
time we got to know each other?”
I nodded and a tear leaked out and ran down my
cheek. “I’d like that.”
She strung her arm through mine and moved in closer.
“Good, because I need the real story about Sam.”
 I laughed and we walked back to the store, out of the
heat of the day.
When we arrived back at the store I had another
visitor. Didn’t people have anything better to do than to visit
me? Especially Brianne.
Brianne’s face lit up when she saw Maggie and I walk
in. “Maggie, it’s been forever.”
I had forgotten they were on the cheer squad
together.
They both did that fake air kiss thing while holding
each other’s hands. I didn’t roll my eyes in light of trying to
mend fences with my sister.
“You look so good, girl.” Brianne swatted Maggie’s
arm.
“You do too,” Maggie returned the compliment. “What
have you been up to?”
Brianne gave me an award-winning smile. “I’ve been
planning our high school reunion and trying to convince
your sister here to attend. I mean look at her. Can you
believe she turned out to be so pretty?”
Maggie stepped back and scoffed. “Why would you
say that?”
Brianne shook her head in amazement. “Well, look at
her. She looks so different. And didn’t you used to say you
wished she cared more about her appearance?” Brianne
gave me a fake smile and looked between Maggie and me.
Maggie blushed and looked at me with sorry written in
her eyes.
 “I better get back to work.”
Maggie took my hand and made me hold my ground.
“I won’t keep you.” Brianne flipped her hair. “I just
wanted to tell you that Sam asked me to the reunion. I
wanted to thank you.”
If Maggie hadn’t been holding me steady, I may have
faltered. My insides burned. “Why would you thank me?”
She gave me a cheery grin. “I figured you talked to
him after our little conversation the other day and told him
he should.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“Oh. Well, I guess he just came to his senses. I mean,
it was only a matter of time.” Her tone had changed from
ditzy blonde to having an edge of warning to it. “I do hope
we see you there.” Her smile tipped her hat. She was
marking her territory and letting me know.
“She’ll be there,” Maggie answered for me.
“No, I won’t.”
Brianne smiled at my refusal.
Maggie squeezed my hand.
“Ta ta, ladies.” Brianne walked off smirking.
Jana joined Maggie and me as soon as Brianne left. In
unison, they said, “You’re going to that reunion.”
“No. Not only do I not want to, but I can’t. I can’t see
Sam there with her.”
“She’s lying. Believe me, I know all her tricks. She’s
using the same ones from high school. Sam didn’t ask her.
Who asks someone to a reunion that isn’t theirs? She only
came in here so that you wouldn’t ask him yourself. She
knows you can take him away.”
I shook my head at Maggie. “I told you, he doesn’t
want to see me.”
“No. You told me that he’s being an idiot. He wants
you. Anyone can see that.”
Jana nodded in agreement.
“This weekend we are going shopping and you are
going to knock everyone’s socks off at that reunion.”
“I can’t go.”
“Oh, you’re going, even if I have to drag you. You can’t
let Brianne get away with this.” Maggie’s eyes dared me to
contradict her.
I sighed. “Okay, fine.”
Both Maggie and Jana smiled.
“Game on.” Maggie winked.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty
What had I agreed to? I wondered that all the way
home Thursday night. I think the only reason I said yes was
because it was the first-time Maggie and I had ever felt like
we were on the same team. She was so excited to take me
shopping this weekend. And maybe there was a part of me
that wanted to scratch Brianne’s eyes out. I had never felt
like that before. More and more, I wondered what Sam saw
in Brianne, besides the perfect body. Maybe she had the
perfect loving family and an ex-husband who didn’t cause
any issues. Who knew?
I arrived home and went to pull in the garage like
usual, but the porch caught my eye, or what was on the
completed porch. Sam said he would be done today. He
didn’t say he would fill the porch with flowers—my favorite
flowers. I got out of the car and rushed to the porch. There
were several pots filled with an assortment of daisies,
everything from the common daisy to the gerbera and
chocolate variety. It was a beautiful sight. On one of the pots
near the grill I noticed a note. Maybe this was all Mitzi’s
doing, but when I neared, I could tell right off the
handwriting wasn’t hers. I lightly touched the white petals of
the daisies before I opened the envelope. Inside I found an
invoice with a red stamp on it indicating the bill had been
paid in full. Below that, though, was a handwritten note from
Sam.
 Mitzi said daisies were your favorite. I didn’t know
which type, so I got several different kinds. I hope one of
them is your favorite. I’m not sure how well they will do in
this heat. Make sure you water them plenty. If you have any
questions about the porch or see anything that needs to be
addressed, call me. Or if you just want to talk, give me a
ring. You seemed upset when you left yesterday. I hope
everything is okay.
Sam
I looked around and everything had turned out
stunning. Except that he wasn’t here. I folded up the invoice
and held it to my heart. I walked in the house, up the
rounded stone steps, and pulled out my phone. I figured I
should at least text him.
The porch looks fantastic. The flowers were a nice
addition. Mitzi thinks of everything. I hope the flowers were
included in the cost.
I set my phone down on the kitchen counter and
looked through my refrigerator, trying to decide what to
make myself for dinner. I was pulling some strawberry
yogurt out when my phone buzzed. I set the container on
the counter and picked up my phone. Sam had replied.
I’m happy you’re happy with the porch. The flowers
are from me.
I touched my midsection. My stomach was doing that
flip thing that only Sam seemed to cause. You didn’t need to
do that.
I wanted to. I wish things could be different.
 I channeled Mitzi again. Wishing never gets you
anywhere. This is your choice. Why I hit send I don’t know.
Maybe because I had no real relationship experience, or
maybe I wanted to be real with him because the time we
had spent together seemed real.
He never responded.
~*~
“Maggie, I don’t think I should go.” I tried on what felt
like the thousandth dress on Saturday. Maggie dragged me
to Orange Beach where they had a designer outdoor
shopping complex. I looked at myself in the full-length
mirror. The sequin dress wasn’t me.
“You’re going. Come out and show me the dress.”
I opened the door to the fitting room. I wiggled
uncomfortably. “This material feels terrible against my skin.”
“The dress looks hot on you, but you look like you’re
going to crawl out of your skin, so it’s a no-go.”
“Sequins aren’t my thing. Can’t we just get some plain
black dress?”
“No way. Everyone will be wearing black. They’ll all be
trying to hide the extra pounds they’ve gained since
graduation. You need to make a statement and show off
your figure.”
“I don’t want to show off anything.”
She rolled her eyes. “You have a great package; use it
to your advantage.”
I turned around. “Please unzip this.”
 She pulled down the zipper slowly. “Daddy told me
about Mitzi.” That was an abrupt change of topic.
I turned back around, my backside completely
exposed.
Maggie looked pensive.
“Who would have thought?”
She shrugged. “I figured it must be something along
those lines. I could tell Mitzi hated Daddy. And that kind of
hate only comes out of love.”
I leaned back surprised. “You were more observant
than me. I just thought they avoided each other because of
the relationship between Mitzi and our mother.”
“You’ve never been in love, have you?”
I looked down at my bare feet. “Not really, no.”
“Then you don’t know that kind of hate.”
I looked up and met Maggie’s eyes. “Have you ever
hated anyone like that?”
She gave a slight nod. “Sometimes when Darrell and I
have problems, I feel that way toward him.”
“Are you happy together?”
“For the most part. He’s different from anyone else
I’ve ever been with, but he was the first guy I had been with
that I knew would never cheat on me. And he saw me for
more than my body.”
I reached out and took her hand. “He seems like a
really good guy.”
She let out a small laugh. “He is. He treats me better
than anyone ever has. I just know that everyone thought I
would end up with someone like Sam.”
I tilted my head. “Did you and Sam—”
She waved her hand around. “No, no. I mean, I kissed
him once.”
I dropped her hand.
“It’s not what you think. We were at the same party a
long time ago. I was barely eighteen and drunk. I totally
came on to him, but he wasn’t having any of it. He just
made sure I got home safely. Told me I shouldn’t be drinking
at my age.” She took my hand back. “Paige, he’s never
looked at me or anyone I know the way he looks at you. I
don’t know what his deal is, but I’m telling you, he’s into
you. I thought he was going to rip Momma’s head off at
dinner on Sunday.”
“Speaking of her, does she know we know about Mitzi
and dad?”
“I would recommend staying away for a while.”
“She does know.”
“I’m pretty sure Daddy is sleeping in the den right
now.”
“Ouch.”
“Don’t worry about them. They’ll be making each
other miserable until the end of time.”
“That’s sad.”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but I think deep down they
love each other.”
“I hope so. Are they doing okay financially?”
 “Don’t try and fix that, Paige. They both have too
much pride. Unlike me. I’m going to let you buy me lunch
and then we are going to find a dress that is going to make
Sam beg for you.”
I laughed at her. “Lunch is a definite yes. Not so sure
about the second part.” I changed out of the uncomfortable
dress and threw on my shorts and blouse. I looked in the
mirror and thought how weird it was to be shopping with my
sister. I even kind of liked her. Who knew?
Maggie picked a quaint restaurant near the store we
had just left. We were seated right away. “They have the
best homemade bread. Not that I can eat a lot of it.”
“Why not?”
“Unlike you, I can’t eat anything I want and not gain a
ton of weight.”
“I don’t know if that’s true.”
“Are you kidding me? Momma and I have always been
jealous of your metabolism. And the fact that you never had
to work out.”
“I do yoga.”
“Now you do, but growing up I watched you eat ice
cream and French fries, and I never saw you exercise. I
hated you for it.”
“I had no idea.”
“I think you’re pretty clueless about a lot of things.”
“Don’t sugar coat it.”
She took my arm. “I just mean that you have so much
going for you, but you don’t even realize it. You’re beautiful,
smart, rich. You need to make it start working for you.”
“I’m just me.”
“And I’m jealous. I think Momma is too.”
“Why? You’re gorgeous.”
“I know, but no one has ever taken me seriously,
except Darrell. And you got out of Bella Port. I always
wanted to, but only made it to Mobile.”
“You know, you’re completely changing my view of the
past. And you.”
“I feel the same way . . . sister.”
“It’s nice to have one.”
She nodded. “It is. But enough of this soul-searching
crap. Let’s eat bread and then find you an amazing dress.”
I could live with that.
We searched high and low until we reached the fiftieth
store, I swear. I came out of the dressing room in a red
backless halter dress that hit just above the knee. “What do
you think?”
Her eyes widened. “I think if you don’t buy that dress,
the fashion gods will cry. You look amazing. You are going to
be the envy of every woman at your reunion.”
I looked in the three-way mirror. I noticed the way it
gathered in at my waist, showing off my figure. “Are you
sure it isn’t too much? Or too little?” I saw a lot of skin.
“It’s perfect. Sam and Brianne will be drooling. Now all
you need are the perfect shoes and some new makeup.”
“I don’t really do makeup.”
 “I know. It’s almost a crime you look as good as you
do without it. I kind of hate you for it, but for a night out,
you’ll need some to compensate for the lighting.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine.”
She giggled and dragged me around to five more
stores until we found the perfect shoes. Or at least Maggie
thought so. I never thought I would wear gold metallic
shoes, but Maggie said it was fashionable. I was worried I
was going to break my neck in the high, strappy heels. But I
had to admit, they were pretty. Then I sat at one of those
high-priced cosmetic counters and let Maggie and the
makeup artist play with my face. They were using terms I
had never even heard before to describe my skin. It felt like
an eternity sitting there, but then they handed me a large
handheld mirror. I held it up and had to do a double take. I
hardly recognized myself.
“What do you think?” Maggie sounded excited.
“I look um . . .  well . . .”
“You’re gorgeous.”
I touched my cheek with a hint of pink blush on it, but
it was my eyes that really stood out.
“You didn’t need much. But the pop of the midnight
blue eyeliner and the mascara really bring out your
beautiful eyes,” the makeup artist added. She had to say
that so I would buy the ridiculously priced cosmetics.
Maggie nodded her agreement. “Watch out Bella Port
High School class reunion. Paige James is a bona fide babe.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-One
I stared at the bags I came home with. I had never
spent so much money on one outfit. The cosmetics and
perfume alone, a few months ago, would have broken my
bank account. If my mother and Maggie shopped like that
regularly, there was no doubt why they were having money
issues. Not even my friend Aimee had such expensive taste.
But I smiled because I had a great day with my sister. I
never thought I would say that.
It was still awkward and we were completely different,
but I hoped we would become good friends. I was surprised
how much she opened up to me. And how brash she could
still be. She admitted she had no issues keeping the money I
had given them. But she also admitted some other things,
like how she was jealous of my relationship with Mitzi, or
how she was afraid she would never get pregnant. She’d
done in vitro twice with no success. She was taking a break
from the heartbreak of it all. I guess you never know what
people are going through. I had never seen her so
vulnerable as when she was talking about how devastated
she and Darrell had been every time she took a pregnancy
test and it was negative.
I never thought a lot about having my own children,
because I never thought a lot about being married. I was
fine with being single, until recently. How was that? Sam had
gotten under my skin and I couldn’t work him out. I had sat
out on the porch last night for hours looking at the flowers
he placed there. I thought about all the time we had spent
together and how he even made an emergency room visit
fun. Mitzi was right—we were a good match. But it didn’t
matter, because as far as he was concerned, I wasn’t an
option.
Despite Sam’s unwillingness to give us a shot, I was
still going to be part of Josie and Adam’s lives. I was back on
Sunday for dinner at their place. Adam grilled some of the
fish he and Sam had caught over Father’s Day weekend. It
was fantastic. He made his own batter to go with it. Maybe
Adam would teach me how to grill, since Sam was now off
the list. Sam was like the elephant in the room that no one
wanted to talk about, so I decided to open my mouth again.
We were all sitting on the couch. Adam held Josie’s
hand. The TV played in the background. “I’m sure you both
know, like all of Bella Port, that I had feelings for Sam.”
Their heads snapped toward me.
I gave them a small smile. “But Sam doesn’t feel the
same way and . . . I’m okay with that.” Sort of.
Adam smacked his knee. “The dang fool does feel that
way. He couldn’t stop talking about you on our fishing trip.
He’s being stubborn.”
Josie patted Adam’s leg as if to tell him to settle down.
“He’s scared.”
“Either way, it’s not meant to be.”
“The heck it isn’t.” I had never seen Adam so fired up.
“Regardless, I will still come and eat your delicious
food every week.”
 They both laughed.
Adam took my hand. It felt more natural than when
my own dad did the same thing. “Darlin’, you are a part of
this family and are welcome here anytime.”
That choked me right up. I squeezed his hand tight.
“You don’t know how much that means to me.” It meant the
world to me.
I walked out of their home well past dark. We had
played a rousing game of Scrabble and watched some
sappy romance on the Hallmark Channel. It was my kind of
night. I was walking to my car when Sam pulled up in his
truck. I wasn’t expecting him. I picked up the pace to my
car. I meant to stay away from him as much as I could. It
was easier that way.
He, on the other hand, hurried and parked. He made it
to me before I could open my car door. “Paige, wait.”
I thought about getting in my car, but he had this pull
on me. I stopped and turned toward him. He looked as good
as ever in shorts and a t-shirt. A large breath escaped me. “I
was just leaving. I didn’t know you would be here.”
He approached and stood closer than he should have.
“We’re going to run into each other from time to time.”
“I know, but . . . Anyway, I should go.” I was having a
hard time not wrapping myself around him. I wasn’t sure
where it was all coming from. I had never felt desire like this
before. I turned from him.
“I wanted to ask you something,” he blurted out.
 “Okay,” I spoke into my car window. Looking at him
honestly hurt.
“Do you think it would be a good idea to give daily
landscaping tips on our Facebook page?”
I nodded. “Those are the exact kinds of things you
should be doing. Goodnight.”
He applied pressure to my door with his hand so I
couldn’t open it. “Friends spend time with each other,
Paige.”
Why I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, I didn’t know. It
was like being around him had this open-mouth-insert-foot
effect. I faced his peering eyes. “I’ve never felt like this
about a friend.”
He cocked his head. “You look different.”
That wasn’t the response I was looking for. “Thanks, I
should go.”
“That came out wrong. I do that a lot around you. You
look good, as always, it’s just something about your eyes.”
“Maggie decided I needed a makeover.”
“You and Maggie hung out?”
“Yeah. She came by the store a few days ago, and
we’re working on things.”
“I’m happy to hear that, but don’t let her change
you.”
“You don’t have to worry there. You can probably tell
I’m not really into any look that requires a lot of
maintenance.”
 He stepped closer, causing my pulse to quicken. “It’s
one of my favorite things about you.”
So why does he choose the Brianne’s of the world? “I
have to go.”
He hung his head and backed off. “Drive safe.”
Somebody was definitely playing it safe.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Two
“I’m not going.” I stared into my vanity mirror while
Maggie styled my hair into beachy waves.
Maggie smacked me with her free hand. “You’re going
if I have to drag you kicking and screaming. That little
wench Brianne isn’t going to know what hit her. I can’t
believe she brought the skanky dress she’s wearing to the
bookstore to show you. She might as well pee on him to
mark her territory.”
I laughed loudly. “I’m just glad you were there when
she came in. I think you intimidate her.”
“No, she is hoping for an ally in me. You’re the one
she’s afraid of. I’m telling you, she’s lying about Sam.”
“Then why is he going?”
She wrapped another strand of hair around the styling
wand. “Who knows? He’s probably doing it to be nice.”
“Or to see her in that barely-there dress.”
“Please. He lives near a coastal town. He can see
almost-naked women anytime he wants. And he’s not that
kind of a guy. You wouldn’t like him if he was.”
“True. I still don’t get it.”
“It doesn’t matter, because when he gets a look at
you, he’s going to be a goner. Oooo, and I’m glad you didn’t
tell her you were coming. The element of surprise is genius
on your part.”
“That wasn’t my intention. I really don’t want to go.”
 Maggie rolled her eyes. “Go for a couple of hours. Eat
dinner, listen to your old classmates that you don’t
remember try to show off, sit on Sam’s lap.” She impishly
grinned. “Then I’ll come pick you up.”
“I can drive myself.”
“No way. I’m dropping you off to make sure you go
and that you have to stay.”
“I can walk.”
“Not in those heels.”
“You know, for a little sister, you’re pushy.”
“And proud of it.”
“By the way, thank you for helping me.”
She squeezed my shoulder and smiled at me through
the mirror. “It’s been fun. I hope we . . .”
I reached up and patted her hand on my shoulder. “Me
too.”
She went back to focusing on my hair. “Darrell said he
received an offer on one of our flip houses today.”
“That’s great news. I hope it works out.”
“Me too. I’ve been itching do another one, but . . . you
know.”
“I’ve been looking to invest in some property.”
Maggie’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yeah. It’s good to diversify your investments, or so
I’m told.”
She bit her lip. “There is this one place I’ve been dying
to get my hands on. Do you want to go look at it next week
with me?”
 “I’d love to.”
“Eek,” she squealed.
Maggie masterfully styled my hair into wavy
perfection. “Tuck this side behind your ear. It gives you a
classic look to go along with your dress.”
“I’ve never spent so much time getting ready.”
“It will all pay off, I guarantee it.”
“I don’t have any delusions of Sam chasing after me.
I’m nervous about seeing him. I told him we should stay
away from each other.”
“Perfect.” She fussed with my hair some more. “Stay
away from him tonight. It will drive him crazy.”
“I’m not into games.”
“And you aren’t playing one. You’ve told him exactly
how you feel and how you’re going to behave. You’re just
following through.”
I sighed. “This is such a bad idea. I’m probably going
to fall flat on my face wearing those shoes.”
She waved off my concern. “Don’t sweat it. Use your
abs and walk heel to toe and relax your hips and knees. You
do yoga, so you’re used to being in control of your body.”
“Where do you learn all this stuff?”
“Momma.”
I bit my lip. “How is she?” I wasn’t even sure why I
cared, but your mother is your mother.
Maggie tossed her head side to side. “She’s trying to
come to terms.”
“With what?”
 “You, Daddy, life.”
“I get that.”
“Don’t worry about her tonight. She’s isn’t going
anywhere. Let’s get you into that dress.”
I took a deep breath. Lots of them.
Maggie helped get me situated in my dress and even
helped me with the stickers that functioned as a bra.
“Are you sure these things work? I do not need a
wardrobe malfunction.”
She laughed. “These babies are better than duct tape.
Your girls will be safe.”
After my chest was properly situated, I slipped into the
chiffon dress. I turned to look into my full-length mirror, but
Maggie stopped me. “Shoes first, so you get the whole
effect.”
I sat on my bed and put the killer shoes on; depending
on how the night went, that could have a literal meaning. I
admired my sparkly painted toes. Maggie had insisted we
get pedicures yesterday. My body didn’t know what to do
with all this fluffy stuff. I stood tall and walked toward the
mirror, trying to remember what Maggie said about heel to
toe and keeping my hips loose. I gazed in the mirror and
somebody besides me was in it.
Maggie came from behind and gave me a squeeze.
“You look gorgeous.”
I looked closer and touched my hair. “I don’t recognize
myself.”
“It’s all you.”
 “If you say so.”
“I do. Now let’s get you over to that country club. You
have just enough time to make a fashionably late
appearance. I’m so tempted to walk in with you so I can see
everyone’s reaction, especially Brianne’s.”
“I can take myself.”
“I’m not budging on this. I’ll hang out at Momma’s and
Daddy’s, and you can text me after two hours and I’ll come
and get you. Or who knows, maybe you’ll love it and want to
stay, or maybe some attractive man will offer you a ride.”
“I’m not getting in a car with a stranger.”
“You are so naïve. I’m talking about Sam.”
“He’s going to be on a date.”
“We’ll see.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
I wrung my hands and checked my hair a hundred
times on the way over to the reunion. I even reapplied my
lipstick. That was a new one for me.
“Relax.” Maggie reached over and took my hand. “It’s
two hours of your life. Please promise me, though, that you
won’t go off into a corner by yourself and read.”
I held up the tiny purse she brought for me to use.
“Does it look like I brought a book?”
“Please. Don’t tell me you don’t have some
downloaded on your phone.”
“Actually, I don’t. I always read paper books.”
“Huh. Old fashioned. It fits you.” She giggled.
“Thanks.”
 “You don’t look old fashioned, and that’s all that
counts tonight.”
“I don’t even remember peoples’ names. And I know
no one will remember me.”
“That’s what name tags are for. And believe me,
Brianne has told all her cronies about you. You will be
known.”
“That makes me feel worse.” My stomach started
churning.
“Paige, you don’t have anything to prove to anybody.
Just be you and the rest will fall into place.”
“Then why do I even need to go?”
She paused for a minute. “Because it’s your turn.”
It’s exactly what Mitzi would have said. “Great, now
I’m going to cry and I don’t know how to reapply my
makeup.”
Maggie laughed at me. “Take a deep breath. The
mascara is waterproof.”
The country club was right outside of Bella Port. It sat
up on one of the only hills around. When lit up at night, it
was very pretty. I think my parents had a membership to it,
but I hadn’t been there in years. The parking lot was full,
which only made me more nervous.
“You got this,” Maggie reassured me.
“Please be here in two hours, on the dot.”
“I promise, as long as you promise to give it a
chance.”
I nodded.
 Maggie pulled up to the front, where they were
offering valet parking. That seemed over the top. Maggie
squeezed my hands. “Smile, breathe, knock ‘em dead.”
I exited the car and thought of how much Mitzi would
be enjoying this. I took a deep breath and walked heel to toe
in the front doors. The lobby area was full of people I knew
once a upon a time. It made me want to run right back out
the door, but I steadied myself and walked over to the
check-in table. All I was hoping for was to not make a fool
out of myself and for time to speed up.
Some woman who wore a name tag that read, Kim
Hutcher, looked up at me from the table. “Name?”
“Paige James”
Her eyes widened. “Did you used to date Jansen
McClain?”
I nodded.
“Wow.” She handed me my name tag sticker. “We had
homeroom together.”
“Oh.” I tried to place her, but couldn’t. “It’s nice to see
you again.” Lying seemed the way to go.
“Dinner is first in the banquet room.”
“Thank you.” I walked away, feeling like I might vomit.
People were staring at me. I even noticed a few guys suck in
their gut as I walked by. I couldn’t place any names with
faces. I was beginning to wonder if I was in the right place,
or if I ever went to high school. But when I walked into the
banquet room, I knew I was in the right place. Brianne was
there greeting everyone like she was Miss America or
something. I will say the look that she gave me was
priceless. I wished Maggie could have seen the shock in her
eyes and face. The way she sputtered was great too.
“I . . . thought you weren’t coming, Paige.” She tried
to keep her tone light, but it was full of I hate your guts.
“Maggie talked me into it.”
“Ohhh, how great.” Her jaw and fists clenched. “And
you’re looking so . . .”
“Different?” Wasn’t that everyone’s word for me?
“Very.” She wanted to slap me. I could feel it.
I looked around the banquet hall decorated in our
school colors of red, black, and white. I at least remembered
that. “You did a nice job with the decorations.”
She gave me the fakest of smiles. “Thank you.”
I turned to find a table to sit at far away from Brianne.
I really think she wanted to cause bodily harm to me. I was
stopped, though, by Sam. Handsome Sam, in a dark suit and
tie. I didn’t think he could ever look more beautiful, but I
was wrong. We stood a few feet apart staring at one
another. I had to control Mitzi. I swore we had some
connection going, because all I kept hearing was that he
was meant to be mine and I needed to walk right over to
him and tell him so and kiss him. Every part of me wanted
to, but inner Paige reasoned that wasn’t a good idea.
“Princess.” He grinned and closed the gap between
us.
I looked down at my dress. For once, maybe, I looked
like one. “Maggie.”
 He shook his head. “It looks like all you.”
“I better find a seat.” Or I was going to do something I
regretted. I wasn’t going to throw myself at him. He knew
how I felt and he was there with Brianne.
Brianne hurried to us in a New York minute. She
draped herself and her slinky black rhinestone dress over
Sam. “Where have you been?” she whined so well.
Sam stiffened. “I was in the John.”
She laughed that mean-girl sort of laugh. “Can you
believe Paige came?”
They both looked my way, but I only focused on Sam.
“She always surprises me.” His words gave me a
shiver.
Brianne was having none of it. “Baby, can you please
check to see if the DJ is finally ready?”
I noticed Sam cringe when she called him “Baby.” That
term of endearment always annoyed me.
“Well, enjoy yourselves.” I waved and walked away,
reminding myself not to trip or gag at the pair.
I found an empty table and took a seat. Now I was
wishing I did have a book to read. I suppose I could always
download an app and buy one, but I soon found myself
surrounded by people, the male variety.
“Do I know you?” Some jock looking guy threw himself
in the chair next to me.
“Maybe.” I looked him over. He was relatively
attractive and in good shape. Nice blue eyes and his hair
was styled.
 He stared at my name tag, or was that my chest?
“Paige James? Were you a cheerleader?’
“No.”
“Dance team?”
“Not even close.”
He cocked his head. “How do I not remember a
beautiful woman like you?”
“If it makes you feel any better,” I looked at his name
tag. “I don’t remember you, Jace.”
He laughed deeply. “I was the quarterback for our
football team. We won the state championship our senior
year.”
“Sorry. Never went to a game.” But now that I knew
his name, I think I remember him strutting around the
school. Maybe?
“What? Are you sure you went to Bella Port High
School?”
“My diploma says so.”
“So where do you live now?”
“I just moved back to town. What about you?”
“I live in Tampa. I coach football and teach algebra at
one of the high schools there.” He kept staring at me. “I
really can’t place you.”
“I did my best to not be noticed back in high school.”
If only I could now.
“I’m glad I noticed you tonight.” He gave me a
seductive grin.
 That was all well and good, but it became a huge
problem when his old teammates started rolling in. I
suddenly found myself sitting at the popular table. This was
not in the plans. I almost went into full panic mode and sent
a mayday signal to Maggie.
And Jace was more than eager to introduce me to
everyone. “Do you guys remember Paige?”
Everyone looked my way. I noticed some lip licking
and creepy smiles. But the consensus was no one
remembered me. I wasn’t surprised.
Jace placed his arm around the back of my chair and
shook his head. “You were the best kept secret of the
school.”
Some of the other guys nodded.
I smiled uncomfortably. I was more than grateful when
they all started reminiscing about their glory days. I noticed
some of the wives and girlfriends who came looked
completely uninterested. I was trying to think of a way to
politely excuse myself and find a vacant table. But to add to
the fun, Brianne showed up with Harris Kelly. She was on a
mission.
Brianne pushed Harris forward. “Paige, do you
remember Harris Kelly?”
I looked up at the nice-looking man in a tan suit with
straight brown hair and a timid smile. “Vaguely.” I think we
had some classes together.
“Perfect.” She gave him a nudge forward. “You two
have a lot in common.”
 By this time, Jace was now in the fray. He looked up at
Harris. “Professor.” He shook hands with Harris. “If it wasn’t
for this guy here, none of us would have passed English.”
All the guys at the table grunted in agreement.
“Why don’t you sit with us, but on the other side of
me—I want to keep this pretty thing by my side.” Jace gave
me a wink.
Brianne’s head almost exploded. A vague recollection
popped in my head that Jace and Brianne had dated. It
made sense. She was head cheerleader and he was the
quarterback. Funny the things that were coming back.
Jace gave Brianne a take-that look. “You’re looking
pouty there, Brianne.”
She actually stomped off.
Jace laughed. “I love to give her hell.”
I was beginning to like Jace.
Harris did join our table, but he sat on the other side
of me. This was shaping up to be a very interesting night.
“You going to try and hook up with your ex?” some
guy across the table asked Jace.
“Brianne’s old news.” Jace turned to me. “Besides, I’m
sitting next to the most beautiful woman here.”
I actually blushed. “I don’t know about that.”
“I guarantee it.” No one had ever been so forward
with me.
But he did nothing for me. My focus was fixed on Sam,
who was helping the DJ up front.
“Paige,” Harris said to my left.
 I turned toward him.
He had a nice smile. “Brianne said you worked for a
publishing company as an editor.”
“I used to. Now I own the bookstore in town.”
“Paige’s Turn?”
“Yeah. My aunt named it.”
“I remember. She was good lady. I was sorry to hear
that she passed away.”
“Wait,” Jace said. “You are Mitzi Hollis’ niece? Maggie’s
sister?”
I nodded.
He gave me a once over again. “Holy hell, you’ve
changed.”
“Not really.” I tucked some hair behind my ear and
turned back to Harris. “You were saying?”
“I was saying, I remember you were as lovely then as
you are now.” Wow. The professor was charming.
“Thank you. What have you been up to?”
“I went to Harvard,” he seemed embarrassed to say.
“That’s amazing and an honor.”
“An expensive one.”
“I know. I went to Whitman.”
“Very nice.”
“I thought so.”
Jace tapped on my shoulder and asked me a question
about owning a bookstore. And I began getting whiplash
talking to both men, who each kept asking me about myself.
I’d never been in such a situation. Then it got really
interesting. The music finally started working and they
announced dinner would be served momentarily. The DJ
blasted music from the year we graduated, a lot of Maroon
Five and Rhianna. And then to make the night more fun,
Sam grabbed a chair from the table next to us and inserted
himself right between me and Harris. I wondered why he
didn’t choose Jace.
“What have I missed?” Sam smiled at everyone at the
table.
The ladies all took notice. Some of the guys got
excited, though. “Dude, it’s Sam Kennedy. I kept trying to
beat your rushing record.”
Sam gave an appreciative nod.
“Paige here was telling us what it’s like to own a
bookstore,” Jace said.
“She’s terrific at it.”
I narrowed my eyes at Sam. What was he playing at?
He gave me a playful smirk. “Did you tell them about
story time, and how you wear ballerina costumes?”
“I’d come for that.” Jace wagged his eyebrows.
Sam scowled at him.
“I forgot to mention it.” I glared at Sam.
His smile said, you know you like me.
“Where’s your date?” My smile said, I wasn’t amused.
“She’s probably telling someone off somewhere.”
“You here with Brianne?” Jace was intuitive.
Sam gave a slight nod.
 “Good luck with that. She really screwed over her ex-
husband from what I hear.”
I arched my eyebrow, interested to know more, but I
didn’t want to become a gossip.
“We’re only friends. She asked me to come help her
and I agreed, end of story.” Sam’s gaze penetrated me.
So maybe Maggie was right.
“Don’t get caught up in her web,” Jace advised Sam.
“Not a problem.” Sam still gave me his full attention.
I had to hold Mitzi back, because she was saying I
should ask him to leave with me. That thought left when
Brianne showed up on fire. “Sam, there you are. We’re
sitting at the head table.”
Sam reluctantly got up, but not before leaning in
toward me. “Save me a dance.”
“I don’t dance.”
“Good, because neither do I.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Three
Being popular was tiring. I didn’t know why anybody
would want to be. I don’t know if I had ever talked so much.
I was hardly able to eat due to the fact I was barraged with
questions from not only people at the table, but random
people who stopped by to talk to me or stare at me. Even
Mabel Lu’s son, Sawyer, who was there with a woman from
my class, stopped and slipped me his number. It was
unnerving. And that didn’t account for all the time I spent
staring at Sam. He looked miserable. Is it terrible to admit I
was glad? I didn’t want him to be happy with Brianne.
During the course of dinner, Brianne played hostess
and got up to address everyone. I guess it was customary at
these events to announce random facts about our
classmates, like who had been married longest or who had
the most kids. There was an actual couple there married for
eleven years. How was that possible? We had only been out
of high school for ten. Jace cleared it up for me. “She got
pregnant our junior year and their parents made them get
married.” You’d think I would have remembered that. There
was a couple there that had four kids already and it wasn’t
the couple that had been married the longest either. They
flashed a picture of the cute couple up on the screen with
their four adorable kids.
It was all well and good until it wasn’t. In an ugly plot
twist, Brianne got her revenge. My only high school year
book photo I ever took—my freshman year—flashed up on
the screen. A mouth full of braces and stringy blonde hair.
Brianne giggled. “It was hard to find a photo of our
sweet Paige. We actually just found it tonight.”
My whole body burned.
“She was an elusive creature back in high school, but
look at her now, sitting with our quarterback. She proves
anything can happen in ten years and with enough money
to transform yourself. Make sure you ask her who her plastic
surgeon is before you leave.” She gave an I’m kidding but
I’m not really kidding laugh.
There was a smattering of uncomfortable laughter,
but most everyone was gaping at me. Did I mention they
shined the spotlight on me? I was going blind from it and
from the ringing in my ears. Everyone at my table had some
choice words for her, too vulgar to repeat, but I agreed with
them. As soon as the spotlight was off me, I turned to a
shocked Harris reminding myself to breathe. “Do you think
you can drive me home?”
“Sure.”
“I can take you home,” Jace offered, but his offer
implied more.
“Thanks, but I’m going to let Harris.”
“Can I call you?” Jace asked as I walked away shaking
from the aftershock of the humiliation. “I don’t care what
you used to look like.”
I felt like everyone was watching me go. This was the
worst idea ever. I held back my tears and repeated to myself
that I wasn’t insignificant and I didn’t need other people to
validate my worth. What would Mitzi have done? She
probably would have lobbed some zingy comment back to
her in front of everyone. But that wasn’t me. When I made it
to the hall, there Sam stood. Anger emanated from him in
waves.
I brushed passed him. “Tell your girlfriend thanks.”
“Paige, are you all right?”
“Never better.” I marched out the door, both men
following me.
Harris gave his ticket to the valet and waited to get
his car.
Sam took the opportunity to talk to me in hushed
tones. “Are you leaving with him?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. Why don’t
you get back to Brianne?”
“You really think after the stunt she just pulled that I
want anything to do with her?”
“I don’t know what you think. How you even dated
someone like her is beyond me. But I guess she makes the
grade, because she doesn’t have an inheritance or family
problems. Or maybe because she’s from the in-crowd. Just
leave me alone, Sam.”
He looked up to the sky and back at me. He drew
closer to me. “Let me take you home.”
I turned and we came face to face. “You lost that
chance.”
 Sam’s eyes pleaded and he started to say something,
but the valet pulled up with Harris’ car.
“You ready?” Harris headed for his car and opened the
passenger side door for me.
“More than ready.” I didn’t give Sam a second glance.
Harris looked warily between Sam and myself.
“Everything okay?”
“It will be.” I slid into the passenger seat.
Harris shut the door.
I refused to look out the window at Sam. I think if I did,
I would have cried. And did I ever need to. Humiliation
swelled within me. I looked down at my red party dress. I
was pretending to be someone I wasn’t tonight.
“Where do you live?” Harris gave me a sympathetic
smile.
“By the waterfront, east of town off Bayside.”
“I’m sorry about tonight. Some people never grow up.
What she did reflected more about her than you.”
I looked out the window at this sleepy coastal town
that was slowly killing me. I held in my emotions. “Thanks.”
I didn’t know what else to say.
The car ride was mostly silent, except for the
directions I gave him as we neared my house.
Harris pulled up the long drive. “My mom used to call
this her dream home.”
I gave him a small smile. “Thank you for driving me
home.”
 He reached into his suitcoat pocket and pulled out a
card. “I was hoping to get to know you better. Here’s my
card. It has my mobile number on it. I’m in town for the next
few days. Feel free to call anytime . . . unless you get back
with your boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?”
“It’s obvious you and Sam are or were in a
relationship.”
I took the card and looked at his title and doctorate
degree, and the fact he taught in Pennsylvania. “The only
thing we’ve ever been is friends.”
“Maybe someone should tell him that.”
I didn’t bother going in the house. I headed straight
for the beach, but not before stopping at my tree. I paused
and looked up at the emptiness. The same feeling coursed
through my soul.
I took off the ridiculous gold shoes. What was I
thinking? The shoes reminded me of Maggie. I needed to
call her before she came to pick me up at the stupid
reunion. I couldn’t get over that picture Brianne flashed on
the screen. The one of the girl who so desperately wanted to
be noticed, but didn’t want to be. In some ways, I still felt
the same way living here.
Maggie picked up on the first ring. “It hasn’t been two
hours yet.”
“I’m home.”
“Are you crying? What happened?”
I gave her a play by play of the whole mortifying story.
 “I’m coming over.”
“Not tonight. I need to be alone.”
“If that wench thinks she’s getting away with a stunt
like that, she has another thing coming. I have some
embarrassing photos of her from a spring break she’d rather
forget. Those babies are going up on Facebook tonight.”
“Please don’t. We aren’t going to stoop to her level.”
“You aren’t, but I am.”
“Maggie.”
“You don’t mess with James sisters.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Me too. Let’s do lunch tomorrow.”
“Okay, but in Mobile, or anywhere but here.”
“What about Sam?” She asked before I could hang up.
“What about him?”
“Did you see him?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I
hung up and sank into the sand, not caring that I was
probably ruining the most expensive piece of clothing I had
ever owned. I let the water wash over my sore feet as I dug
my toes into the sand. “Mitzi, I failed.” I placed my face in
my hands and let the pain and humiliation overtake me in
the form of tears.
Within a few minutes, I heard someone approaching. I
turned, hoping to see Jansen, not caring I was a mess.
Instead, there was Sam taking off his suitcoat and loosening
his tie as he approached.
“Go away.”
 He didn’t listen. He plopped down next to me and took
off his shoes and socks and rolled up his dress slacks. He
placed his feet in the water same as me.
I ignored him.
“Why are you always trying to push me away?”
I whipped my head toward him. “Why are you here?”
He leaned in. “Because this is where you are.”
I looked out over the water. The sun was beginning to
set. So beautiful, but I felt anything but that at the moment.
“I don’t need your pity.”
“Good, because I don’t pity you. I admire and respect
you.”
“Thanks. You can go now.”
“You didn’t let me finish.”
I pulled my knees up toward my chest and rested my
head on them. I faced Sam, who looked like he was getting
down to business by rolling up the sleeves to his white shirt
and unbuttoning several buttons. I held my breath at the
sight. He was beautiful. “Make yourself comfortable.”
He gave a low laugh. “It’s hotter than hell out here
tonight.”
I hadn’t noticed. I was warm from embarrassment.
Sam turned toward me and stroked my hair, just like
he had in the emergency room when the doctor was pulling
slivers out of my hand. “You’re so beautiful.”
“You’re just saying that because your girlfriend
humiliated me.”
 “You really think I would be with someone who acted
the way she did tonight?”
“You were with her.”
“A choice I deeply regret, and now so does she.”
“Why is that?”
He continued to stroke my hair. “After you left, I
decided that enough wasn’t said about you.”
I raised my head slightly in alarm.
“Relax. How could I ever say anything bad about you
after everything you’ve done for me and my family?”
“Well, you did think I stole money from my family.”
He leaned down and kissed my head. “I can be an
idiot.”
“I won’t disagree.”
“I hope you’ll agree with what I said tonight.”
“What did you say?”
He ran the back of his hand down my wet cheek. “I
said that Paige James is the most beautiful woman inside
and out that I had ever met. She’s the kind of woman that
takes time to visit my sick Mom and gets her to do things
my dad and I never could. And that everyone should see
how she makes a room full of children laugh and cheer.”
A tear rolled down my cheek and he wiped it away.
“She’s also the kind of woman that puts her heart into
everything. She helps her friends and family, even if they
don’t deserve it. And don’t even get me going on how smart
she is, or stubborn. She doesn’t do anything for show or to
impress others. She’s the kind of woman that I want to
come home to every night.”
I sat up and wiped my eyes.
He ran his strong hand through my hair. “She’s the
woman I’ve been trying not to fall in love with and failing
epically.”
“What about my family and bank account?”
“Remember? I can be an idiot.”
I smiled.
“I’m sorry for ever comparing you to my ex-wife. You
are nothing like her. No woman I’ve ever been with has ever
taken the time to treat my family the way you have. To
support me, the way you have. To drive me as crazy as you
have.”
“I drive you crazy?”
“You had me from the moment you opened your door
looking all grown up. You were no longer Blair’s little sister. I
thought about you day and night.”
“You acted like you hated me.”
“I was bothered thinking the sweet girl I used to know
had changed. The girl who blushed when I kissed her cheek
and, for a moment, made me think of her as more than my
best friend’s sister. But the more I got to know you, I
realized that you had only gotten better, and I couldn’t have
you. And then tonight, when you walked in, I had never seen
anyone look as beautiful as you. I was kicking myself.
Watching you drive off with another man killed me.”
 I couldn’t believe he had remembered the kiss on the
cheek, that it had affected him, even if only a little. “What
are you saying?”
He leaned in closer. His warm lips lightly brushed my
cheek. My body trembled at his touch. His lips moved slowly
over to my ear, trailing small kisses as he went. With each
kiss, my pulse increased and my breaths deepened. “I want
you,” he whispered against my ear.
In a moment, everything went still. I no longer felt the
water tickling my toes or even the sand beneath my bare
skin. Sam encompassed my entire being. And the thought
that he wanted me felt like a surreal dream. One I didn’t
want to wake up from.
His lips kissed the corner of my mouth. He didn’t ask if
I felt the same way. He must have known by the way my
body turned toward his, or that my hands found themselves
across his cheeks and up through his hair. “I don’t have
much experience when it comes to kissing or relationships,”
I admitted. I felt like he should know.
His fingers felt like silk as he ran them down my bare
arm. It caused my back to arch and my pulse to soar. “I
have a feeling it’s not going to be an issue.” His mouth
covered mine. At first his kiss was gentle. He took his time
to savor the taste of my lips. But as soon as he parted my
lips, his kiss took on an urgency I had never felt before.
Desire enveloped me. I pulled him against my body and I
found myself pressed between the sand and him. A fire had
been lit between our tangled bodies. I let the heat consume
me minute upon minute.
He was the one to pull away. He lay down in the sand
next to me. His breath was ragged and sweat rolled down
his face. I rested my head on his chest, against his damp
skin exposed from his unbuttoned shirt. The sound of his
wildly beating heart matched mine.
With my finger I lightly traced circles on his chest.
“Was that okay?”
He wrapped his arms around me and a laugh rumbled
through his chest. “I think we better keep practicing.”
I smacked his chest. “Thanks a lot.”
“Paige, I’ve never had a harder time pulling myself
away from someone.”
I snuggled in closer to him even though the night was
steamy in more ways than one. “Are you really falling in love
with me?”
“More and more each day.”
“Did you really say all those things in front of
everyone tonight?”
His hand glided down my back. “Yes, ma’am.”
“What did Brianne do?”
“Didn’t I tell you? She had already left. Your
classmates weren’t all that impressed with her stunt. They
roasted her on the stake, figuratively speaking.” I could hear
the smile in his voice.
“Will you think I’m horrible if I say how happy that
makes me?”
 “I could never think poorly of you.”
I settled against him and let the night’s events sink in.
The pain and humiliation vanished under the protection of
his touch. It was as if I had finally come home, but not to
any home I had ever known existed before. I finally
understood what Mitzi meant about taking my turn. And
with those thoughts, I drifted off to sleep in Sam’s arms.
I woke up in those arms, but found that Sam had
placed his suit coat over me as I slept. I didn’t remember
that, but I do remember that neither of us wanted to say
goodnight, and the kisses that we shared deep in the middle
of the night. My body ached for more. What I craved even
more was sharing my thoughts with him. I remembered the
conversation we had after some of those midnight kisses.
We talked about my aunt and my dad. He had a hunch those
were who the initials belonged to. It made sense to him,
knowing my family’s history. There was no judgment in his
words, only words of reassurance. His only concern was how
it affected me. I had never had a friend like him before,
where I felt so vulnerable and open.
My lips skimmed his bare chest, waking him up. He
pulled me tighter against him.
“Good morning, Princess.”
Light was barely peeking over the horizon. The cry of
seagulls sounded faint above the sound of the waves
crashing against the shore.
“Good morning.” Best morning I had ever had.
“How did you sleep?”
 I sighed. “You make the perfect pillow. Did you sleep
okay?”
“Never better. Are you hungry?”
I stretched and yawned against him. “You know me
well.”
“Mabel Lu’s should be open any minute now.”
“Don’t you think we should change and clean up
first?”
“No.”
I propped myself up against his chest and looked into
his smiling eyes. “You know what people will think if we
show up in our clothes from last night.”
He brushed his hands through my hair. “Exactly what I
want them to. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
“I love the sound of that.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter Twenty-Four
“Maggie, why are we going to look at another house?
And in Pensacola? I thought we decided on the one near
Mobile Bay. It’s perfect, or at least it will be once we close
and you get your hands on it. I really need to get back to
the bookstore. Sam’s almost done with the renovations and
I can’t wait to start setting up the media center.”
“You just can’t wait to see Sam.”
“There’s that.” I glanced at her from the driver’s seat
and gave her a quick smile.
“You two should call it good and get married already.”
“We’ve only been dating for two months.”
“And you’re inseparable.”
“Have you met him?”
“All the women in Bella Port are jealous, believe me.
Brianne included, even though she skipped town.”
“I wonder why?” I gloated.
Maggie laughed. “You do have an evil side.”
“Only when it comes to her.”
“Her scheming ways backfired.”
“I should thank her. Business has never been so good.
That sympathy factor has paid off, or maybe it’s the
commiseration. I’m not the only person she has tried to hurt
over the years.”
“I’m sorry I was ever friends with someone like her.
I’m sorry for a lot of things.”
 I squeezed her hand. “Me, too. But I’m happy I moved
back and discovered the sister I never knew.”
She gave my hand an extra squeeze. “And Sam.”
“Yeah, him too.”
Laughter rang in the car.
We drove the half hour to Pensacola and looked at the
shambles of a two-story home. It was beyond the fixing up
stage. What it needed was a bulldozer. I was afraid to walk
in it for fear we would fall through the floor. The smell
coming from the place was nauseating. I looked at Maggie
several times and shook my head no as the realtor tried to
sell us on the foreclosed property.
Maggie though took her time and walked through
every space of the house. It was surprising. Maybe she saw
something I didn’t, but if she wanted this place, she was
going to have a tough time selling me on it.
I felt like I needed to shower after we got done
walking through the house.
Maggie talked shop with the realtor as I used fifty
sanitizing wipes on my hands and any other exposed areas
of skin. Maggie was all smiles when she finally got in the
car. “Let’s stop for smoothies. I’m starved.”
I looked at the time. It was already a quarter to six.
“Okay.” I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to
wait to see Sam and the bookstore.
She gave me an impish grin.
“What was that for?”
“Nothing at all.”
 I didn’t believe a word she said. Something was up.
I made us go through the drive through for the
smoothies and Maggie laughed at me. She was also texting
incessantly all the way back to Bella Port.
“What’s up?”
She didn’t even look up from her phone. “Nothing. It’s
just Darrell. He misses me.”
That was sweet.
We finally made it back to Bella Port around six thirty.
“You should park up front,” Maggie suggested.
“Why? Employee parking is in the back.”
“Isn’t Sam’s truck and equipment back there?” Her
eyes were fixed outside the car.
“Probably, but there still should be room for my car.”
“Can you just park up front?” she got a little snippy.
“If it means that much to you, sure.”
She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m just grumpy. This round of hormones they have
me on is making me a shrew.”
I gave her a pass. I knew how much she and Darrell
wanted to get pregnant. I patted her knee. “It’s going to
happen.”
She nodded.
I pulled into one of the parallel parking spots in front
of the store.
Maggie looped her arm through mine as we walked
toward the store front. She was back to being happy. We
walked into the store together and with the jangle of the bell
rang shouts of “Surprise!”
I jumped when I realized my store was full of people
smiling at me, including my dad, Mabel Lu, the McClain clan,
Josie, Adam, Darrell, and of course, Sam.
“What’s all this?” I turned to Maggie.
“You’ll see.” She ran off to be with Darrell.
Sam was to me in seconds. He wrapped me up in his
arms and kissed me once before spinning me around. He
was all smiles when he set me down.
“It’s not my birthday. Am I missing something?”
He took my hand and pulled me back toward the new
teen and YA section. Everyone parted and followed us back.
“The school district and I thought you deserved some
attention for the services you are going to be offering their
students. And since I know how you don’t like the spotlight,
we decided to surprise you. Several people came in today to
help me finish up and get your media center up and
running.”
I looked around, stunned. The area gleamed with new
technology and brightly colored furniture. The new
bookshelves were full of books and the renovations were
perfect, better than the drawings. I threw myself against
Sam and hugged him with all I had. “Thank you.”
He rubbed my back. “I had some help.” He reluctantly
let me go.
There were several people waiting to greet me and
hug me. And get their hands on some of Mabel Lu’s food.
She catered the event. Maggie and Darrell were first,
followed by the irreplaceable Jana. My dad and Sam’s
parents took their turn and several people from the
community, including the superintendent of the school
district. She was so impressed with my idea that she was
advertising my services on the district’s website and inside
the high school.
It was all overwhelming, but nothing was more
surprising than to see my mother standing in the corner
away from all the chaos. She looked unsure as she leaned
against one of the walls in the children’s section. We hadn’t
really spoken since Father’s Day. A few polite nods, if we
ever saw each other, but nothing beyond that. I knew,
through my dad and Maggie, she was having a hard time
adjusting to the changes in our family dynamic.
Sam gave me an encouraging squeeze, and I walked
over to my mother. “Hi.” I tried to sound brave and kind.
She stood up straight in her form-fitted black dress.
“You look . . . nice.” She had a hard time getting those
words out.
I looked down at my champagne colored blouse and
form fitting ankle pants. “Thank you. You should join Dad; he
looks lonely by the cake.”
We both looked his way. His eyes were set on the two
of us.
“Maybe I will.”
“Thanks for coming. It means a lot.” I walked away,
not sure what else to say or do.
 “Paige.”
I turned around.
She stepped forward, but kept her distance. “Do you
and Sam want to have dinner at our house Saturday night?”
“We’d love to.”
She gave no response. She walked off and met my
dad by the cake. No doubt to tell him to only have one piece
and a small one at that.
Sam made his way to me and we took the moment
alone. I kissed his inviting lips and gazed deep into his hazel
eyes. I got lost in those eyes frequently. “I love you.”
A smile engulfed his face. “You know, that’s the first
time you’ve ever said that to me.”
He had said it several times before. And I’m not sure
why I never had. I guess I was afraid and overwhelmed by
my feelings for him. As wonderful as it had been, it felt
surreal that this was really my life. That my turn had finally
come. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”
He kissed my forehead. “I wasn’t worried. I knew you
would get there.”
I sank into him. “Thank you for loving me so well.”
“You make it easy, Princess.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Epilogue
“Can you see through that thing?”
“No.” I reached up and touched the blindfold over my
eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. But I feel ridiculous wearing it.” He made me
put it on as soon as we hit Bella Port’s city limits. We had
just flown into Mobile from a glorious two-week honeymoon
in Alaska. At first, I wasn’t sold on an Alaskan honeymoon,
but Sam sweetened the deal with a promise to spend a
couple of days in Seattle. Everything about it was
perfection. Not only did I get to show Sam my town and my
people, but we spent a fantastic week on an Alaskan cruise
before we did his fishing tour. I had never seen him so
happy as when he reeled in a seventy-pound Chinook
Salmon. I was afraid he was going to sleep with the thing.
After all, he did kiss it.
“You look sexy. I think we should save it and use it
later in the bedroom.”
“You have a one-track mind.”
“I have you on replay.” He picked up my hand and
kissed it. Even after a year, it still sent electricity coursing
through me.
“So why am I wearing this?”
“You’ll see.”
“You’re not going to have a bunch of people at home
waiting for us, are you?”
 “There better not be. As far as I’m concerned, we’re
still on our honeymoon until Monday morning, and anyone
that interrupts us better fear for their safety.”
“You’re all talk.”
“Am I? I thought I proved to you last night when we
flew out of Anchorage, I take my time with my wife
seriously.”
I caught my breath thinking about our rendezvous on
the plane. I silently relived every glorious minute. Yes, he
was very serious. And I loved him for it. “So, no people.
What, then?”
“You will have to be patient.”
We didn’t have a long way to go. Bella Port was small
enough. When the car did come to a stop, he unbuckled my
seatbelt while kissing me deeply. Then he turned me. “This
is my wedding gift to you.”
“I thought that was what the honeymoon was.”
“That was your gift to me. By the way, thank you.”
Seduction ran through every syllable.
“It was my pleasure.”
He kissed my lips. “I could tell. But we need to quit
talking like this or we aren’t leaving the car.”
“I’ll behave.”
“Don’t do that. Sorry. I’m focusing.”
I didn’t think I had stopped smiling since he had asked
me to marry him on Christmas seven months ago.
He brushed my cheek. “Thank you for agreeing to be
my wife, for not running the other way when I finally came
to my senses, and for making me feel like we are equals,
even though I’m nowhere close to your level.”
My eyes were misting up.
“Are you ready?”
I nodded.
He reached behind my head and untied the black
blindfold. He moved out of the way to reveal the most
beautiful treehouse I had ever beheld. We had talked about
rebuilding it, but hadn’t made any plans. I kissed him hard,
just once, before racing out of the car and toward my
paradise.
“Paige, wait for me.” Sam ran after me.
I didn’t listen.
“Princess,” he called.
I still didn’t stop.
“Mrs. Kennedy.”
That name got to me like no other. I stopped at the
foot of the staircase—not a ladder—that led to magnificent
treehouse.
Sam picked me up before I could make another move.
He smiled before kissing me. “I’m supposed to carry my
bride across the threshold.”
I pulled his face toward me and kissed him. I loved
him more than words could say. “How did you make all this
happen in two weeks?”
“It wasn’t easy, but if you’re willing to pay enough, it’s
amazing what people will do.”
 I didn’t ask what the cost was. Though we agreed our
money should be shared, he still wanted to feel like he was
doing his part to contribute, and I would never take that
away from him. “Have I mentioned how much I love you
lately?”
“Wait until you see the inside.” He walked us easily up
the steps that went up two levels. We could live in this
place, or at the very least spend the night. That was a good
idea. The smell of the freshly cut cedar was intoxicating, as
was my husband. He gave me one good kiss before setting
me down in what I would call the porch area of the mini
house in the tree tops. It was more elaborate, by far, than
the original one my grandpa built. It was completely closed
in with a door and windows.
Sam opened the small door for us and we both bent
down to enter my little piece of heaven above the ground. If
I was amazed before, it had nothing on the interior. The
walls were lined with pictures of my life, starting with Mitzi
and me in the original treehouse, to photos from our
wedding. I don’t know how he pulled it all off and I didn’t
want to. I only wanted to revel in the magic of it all. I could
barely stand up all the way and Sam sat down on the wood
floor to watch me explore and wonder.
I touched each framed picture as tears streamed
down my face. I took a walk down memory lane. I felt Mitzi
with me as I had through all of this. There she was, smiling
back at me as she read to me in the treehouse, or when she
visited me in Seattle. Then there were pictures of Sam and
me on his boat, our boat. I was holding up my first catch, a
tiny snapper. But my favorite was of Sam and me gazing at
each other at the altar while the pastor pronounced us man
and wife. Best moment of my life. I touched the picture next
to it, of both sides of our family gathered around us on the
church steps. My mother even looked somewhat happy,
even though she disagreed with the straight ivory gown I
chose. She desperately tried to get me to choose a ball
gown. I wasn’t sure we would ever be close, but we were at
least tolerating each other. I smiled at Maggie, who was
trying to look happy, but looked more like she might vomit.
Morning sickness was killing her. I couldn’t wait to hold that
baby in six months. Josie sat in a wheelchair—unfortunately,
she’d had another stroke and was still trying to recover. We
weren’t sure if she would, but she was determined. Adam
was by her side, as always, holding her hand. My dad looked
like the proud father and like a dad who loved his daughter. I
reveled in our newfound relationship.
When I was done taking a trip down memory lane,
Sam pulled me onto his lap and kissed my neck. He directed
my attention toward the trunk of tree that went up through
the center of the treehouse. “I made this for us.”
I took note of the heart shaped sign that professed to
the world, Sam Loves Paige. I noticed it was placed over the
initials that had been carved there many years ago. I leaned
into my husband. The back of my head rested against his
chest. “It’s all so perfect. I love it. I love you.”
 “I have one more thing for you. Actually, it’s not from
me. Mitzi gave it to Jana and Jana told me to give it to you
when we got back.” Sam plucked a letter from his back
pocket and handed it to me.
With trembling hands and tears in my eyes, I opened
the lavender envelope and pulled out the sheet of folded
paper.
My Dearest Paige-ala,
I knew this day would come. I know you doubted my
sanity, but I told you, darling, I would never steer you
wrong. I wish you and Sam all the happiness in the world.
You deserve every bit. Cherish each other and make me lots
of great nieces and nephews. You have to be excited about
that prospect. I know the kind of package you are getting. I
suppose, by now, you do too. And by the way, you’re
welcome.
I laughed and pointed out to Sam what she had to say
about him. He joined me in chuckling over her.
Remember that life is never easy, and love is the
biggest pain of all, but if you have the right person to go
through it with, it will all turn out all right. Make Sam take
good care of you. I’ll always be cheering you on from the
front row. Always take your turn, Paige; no one else can do it
for you.
Love, love, love you,
Mitzi
I folded up the letter and did exactly what she
instructed me to do. She had never steered me wrong. I
looked up into my husband’s wanting eyes. “Mitzi wants lots
of nieces and nephews. What do you say?”
“I like her way of thinking.” His mouth covered mine.
And so did I.

OceanofPDF.com
 Preview
Christopher and Jaime: Pianos and Promises – Book
One

Prologue
I was going to miss running my fingers through her silky
blonde curls every day, but I knew it was temporary when I
agreed to be her nanny a year ago. I stroked her baby-soft
cheek and again wished what I had been wishing since I was
eleven years old: that her daddy was mine and this was
anything but temporary. After twenty years of being in love
with my best friend, you would think I’d have given up hope
by now. I supposed I had. I wasn’t filled with any delusions
that Christopher McKay was ever going to see me, Jaime
Seger, as anything more than his faithful sidekick.
Speaking of the devil, I could hear his code being
punched in at the front door of his ultra-high-priced urban
loft I wasn’t too fond of. But it fit his personality, or at least
he thought it did. I missed the boy that ran around cotton
fields and tugged on my ponytail. I couldn’t help but love
the business suit and tie version, but there was something
about the old Christopher I missed.
I looked down at my Allie bug, asleep with her head in
my lap, one more time before her daddy joined us. I wasn’t
sure how I was going to leave her, but I had to think about
my own future, the one Christopher wasn’t part of.
“Sorry I’m late.” He dropped his keys in the art deco
bowl near his door. The clink echoed in the space.
“You say that every day.” How he consistently worked
twelve-hour days or more, I would never know. It seemed
like such a waste of life. I stroked his little girl’s hair and
thought about all he had missed, like story and bath time, or
when she learned how to count to ten and write an A today.
She was a three-year-old genius. At least I thought so.
 He settled right next to me and looked down adoringly
at his little one before taking my hand. I knew it was nothing
more than a friendly gesture from him. We had been holding
hands for as long as I could remember us being together,
except for the few years he was married. He was fine with it
since it was nothing more to him than two platonic friends
expressing affection, but it didn’t feel right to me. Maybe
because I was foolish enough to hope that each time he did,
he would look down at our clasped hands and know we were
meant for each other. I needed to give up on that.
I gazed down at our hands and the way he rubbed his
thumb across mine. His touch reached far beneath my skin.
“How was your day?” I looked up and caught his tired
smile. Why did he have to be so handsome? I loved his ice-
blue eyes and his light brown hair that had the perfect
amount of curl in it, just like Allie’s. The masculine jawline
didn’t hurt, either.
“Long, but successful. I finally got through all the red
tape.”
“Congratulations. Does that mean you’re closing on the
Addison building?” Christopher worked for the premiere
commercial real estate firm in Nashville.
“Everything should go through next week.”
“That’s terrific. Are you hungry?”
He laughed. “It depends.”
I nudged him. “I didn’t make anything foreign tonight. I
made boring American-style lasagna.”
“Sounds good to me. What would I do without you?”
I took a deep breath. I knew I should tell him sooner
rather than later. I hated to, but my parents were right—I
had to think about my own life. I was spinning my wheels
and wasting the degrees I had worked so hard for. And the
student loans weren’t going anywhere.
“I guess you’re going to find out.”
That declaration stopped him from standing up to warm
his dinner. He sat back down, puzzled and perhaps alarmed.
“What do you mean, Jaimes?” He always called me “Jaimes”
instead of Jaime, even when we were younger. It used to
bother me, because “James” was a boy’s name, but he
would say, “I’m spelling it with an ‘I’ in my head, so it’s all
right.”
I could barely meet his eyes. “Remember that position I
interviewed for a few weeks ago in Indiana?  They want me
to be their intermediate piano and choral teacher. I wouldn’t
start until August, so you’d have a few months to hire a new
nanny, and maybe a cook,” I teased.
The shock in his tension-lined face made me question
whether or not I should accept the offer. I hadn’t yet.
“What about Allie? She loves you.”
“I love her too, but we both knew this was temporary. I
can’t keep being your nanny.” I had only done it in the first
place last year because his wife, Bianca, had died.
Christopher was a wreck and his previous nanny had just
quit. Meanwhile, I had been turned down for the fifth time
for a local teaching position. Everyone in Nashville came
with a musical pedigree and the competition was tough.
Christopher needed me, I needed a job, and so I stepped in.
He took my hand up again. “I guess I knew this day
would come, but  . . .”
“But what?”
He faced me and I could tell from the shift in his eyes
that he’d switched from friend mode to all business. “What
does this job offer you that I don’t?”
I wasn’t negotiating with him. Negotiating was in his
blood, and I would lose. I pulled my hand away. “I need to
put Allie in her bed.” I probably should have done that
earlier, but I loved when she fell asleep on me. “Go eat.
You’re tired and it’s late.”
“I’ll put Allie to bed. You tell me what makes this job
worth moving to Indiana, of all places, and leaving your
family and friends.”
See how he did that? He worked in all the negatives.
 Fine. If he wanted my list, he was going to get it. I had
come prepared. “Let’s see, health, dental, better pay, new
area, new friends, and it’s only a four- to five-hour drive
from here, so I won’t be that far away. You can visit me on
the weekends if you can bear to tear yourself away from
your job. Oh, and I get to prove to you that my degrees
aren’t the token kind.”
He gave me a wry smile. How we ever became and
stayed best friends, I will never know. He was Mr. Class
President and Type A all the way. I was a go-with-the-flow
kind of person. I took my time to travel and get to know
myself before I ever finished school. While he was
conquering the world, I was playing in it, or doing my best to
better it. But I knew I needed to get serious about my
future, and I needed to get away from him. I would never
have anyone to share my future with if I didn’t.
“I’ll pay you more,” he offered.
I shook my head and stood up with Allie in my arms. She
was a dainty little thing, and it took almost no effort. “I’m
putting her to bed, and then I’m heading home. I’ll help you
find a good replacement. Or maybe you could ask Bianca’s
mom to watch Allie.”
I didn’t even need to look at him to know he was
grimacing. Bianca hadn’t gotten along with her parents. I
wasn’t sure why; they were the sweetest people on earth.
Maybe that was why—Bianca was anything but. She had
always blinded Christopher, but that didn’t matter now. I
knew he didn’t like it when I took Allie to visit her
grandparents, but they deserved to be a part of her life, and
Christopher, as smart as he was, flunked out when it came
to women.
“That’s not going to happen.” I could hear the edge in
his voice.
“I’ll start getting some references then.” His whole posh
building was filled with executives that had nannies.
 He pouted off to get dinner while I walked the loveliest
thing that had ever happened into her tiny room that had
once been her daddy’s office. Bianca and Christopher never
planned on having children. Or should I say, Bianca never
had. I’ve never seen someone so horrified to find out she
was pregnant. She was a corporate attorney, who seemed
to talk herself up more than what she ever brought to the
table—at least I thought so—but Christopher was smitten.
She walked all over him.
In the dark, I surveyed Allie’s room. She was outgrowing
it. I kept telling Christopher that they needed to move, but
he liked the downtown scene and his office was within
walking distance. I know he tried, but I wished he would put
Allie first more often. I got that parenthood was thrust upon
him without planning or warning, but I knew he had it in him
to be the best dad ever, if only he would give himself the
chance.
I laid Allie down in her new big girl bed. I pulled her
coral ruffled comforter around her and she smiled in her
sleep. I knelt down and kissed her cheek. Oh, I was going to
miss her. My heart felt like it was going to break, but staying
would annihilate it. “I love you,” I whispered.
I turned to find Christopher at the door, observing me.
He had loosened his tie, but he was still dressed for the
office. His look teetered on frustration and admiration. He
wasn’t used to not getting his way. He joined us and knelt
beside me. I could tell he loved Allie by the way he looked at
her, but he was clueless as to what he should do with her, or
for her. He kissed her forehead and lingered.
Our eyes met when his lips left Allie’s head. I did my
best to beg him silently to let me go without a fight. I was
already questioning my decision. We sat there, staring at
each other in the dark for a few moments. Sometimes when
I looked at him, I felt like I knew his face better than my
own. Several times I caught him trying to say something.
“Please stay. I need you.”
 How many times had I heard that over the years?
Whether it was some woman breaking his heart, a death of
shared loved ones, or even help passing the art class he had
to take in college, I always came running. But not this time. I
couldn’t.
I stood without answering, or maybe that was my
answer. I rushed to leave, but Christopher followed, and
before I could make my escape, he grabbed a hold of me.
He pulled me in, and I found myself where I longed to be—in
his arms. For the smallest second, I let myself try him on. I
knew he was the perfect fit, but he was like the dress that
hangs in the back of your closet that only comes out on rare
occasions. I did myself a favor and put him right back on the
hanger.
“I need to get home. I’ll see you Monday.” I tore myself
away. Normally, I hung out with him on the weekends even
if he didn’t need me to watch Allie, but I needed to start
ripping off the Band-Aid. This time I needed to make sure it
came off all the way.
“Jaime.” He wrapped me tighter in his capable arms. I
felt his breath against my strawberry-blond hair while he
rested his chin on top of my head. “Why are you in such a
hurry?”
“It’s late.”
“So?”
“Chris, you can do this. We’ll find Allie a good nanny.” I
hated the thought of anyone taking my place.
“No one can replace you.”
I pushed away. “We’ll find the second-best then.” I
marched toward the door, grabbing my bag on the way. He
was killing me.
He decided to add some torture before going for the kill.
His legs were longer than mine, and he moved in front of
the door before I could make my escape. He folded his arms
and narrowed his beautiful blue eyes. “What’s wrong?”
 I hated that he knew me so well. Or was it that he didn’t
know me at all? Was he really so blind to my love? I knew
Bianca wasn’t; she did her best to keep us apart when they
were married. Not that I would have ever thrown myself at a
married man. It was for the best anyway. Chris wasn’t
himself with her and I distanced myself as much as he
would allow me to, which was never far enough.
“Believe it or not, I have goals.”
He smirked. “Your piano?”
“Among other things.” He always made fun of my piano
jar. I’d been saving money to buy my dream piano—a
Steinway & Sons, just like his grandma’s—for the last fifteen
years. I was only twenty thousand and some change away
from purchasing it.
He stepped closer to me and ran his finger down my
cheek. “What else, Jaimes?”
I shivered at his touch. I reached up and took his hand.
They dropped to our side, our pinky fingers interlocked. “I
can’t keep living in my brother’s basement.”
“Move in with me.” He said it with ease, like he had
thought it a dozen times.
“No.”
He gave me a closed-lipped smile and stepped closer.
“That’s what I love about you, you’re still old fashioned.”
Chris was not in love with me. “Goodnight.”
He was letting go of my pinky. His smile had a spark in it
that I recognized. It was the same smile from when he was
fifteen and discovered he had hair on his chest. It was a
magical moment in a boy’s life, I guess. Maybe it had been
mean of me to pull the one hair out. I did my best not to
smile at the memory.
“Marry me, Jaimes.”
I knew I’d heard him wrong. I dropped his hand and
faltered backward. “You’re tired and aren’t thinking
straight.” I was surprised I could talk or move at all. I’d
wanted to hear those words forever, but not like that. Not
when he didn’t mean them. I sidestepped him and reached
for the door.
He didn’t miss a beat. He blocked my exit and placed his
hands on my shoulders. His boyish grin engulfed his face. I
even made out his one dimple.
“I’m serious. It makes sense.” He was ready to
negotiate, but this was non-negotiable.
“Goodnight, Chris.” I tried to push past him.
“Are you rejecting me?”
“This isn’t funny. Please let me go.”
“You’re right. Marry me.”
I saved my tears for funerals and his wedding, but this
brought me to the brink. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want a marriage of convenience.
Marriage isn’t a joke.”
“Maybe it would be convenient, but we love each other.
And doesn’t everyone say you should marry your best
friend?”
He tossed around the word love so easily. It was easy for
him because he didn’t love me body and soul. Not the way a
husband should love a wife. Not the way I loved him.
“Get some sleep. I’m going to pretend we never had this
conversation.” That was a lie. I would run this conversation
through my head until I died.
“You’re not even going to think about it?”
“No.” Yes. All the time.
“If we get married, you can move in here and my
company has excellent benefits for spouses. And Allie needs
a mom. She needs you.”
“Listen to yourself. You’re talking about this like it would
be some business contract. When I get married, it’s going to
be a real marriage.”
He moved his hands from my shoulders up my neck and
to my face. His eyes smiled at mine as he held my cheeks.
“Are you talking about sex? Because I have no problem
sleeping with you.”
My eyes bugged out. I couldn’t believe he was
entertaining the thought.
He laughed. “I don’t know why this surprises you.”
“We’ve never even kissed.”
He leaned down as if that was an invitation. “That’s not
true.” His words were whispered an inch from my lips.
He was right. We had kissed the night of our senior
prom. We had each gone with someone else, but like most
of our lives, we ended up together at some party, just the
two of us. We were sitting at the edge of a pool with our feet
dangling in the water when, without warning, he kissed me.
His mouth consumed mine, minute upon minute upon
minute. For at least half an hour, I belonged to him in a way
I never had before. I thought that night would be a turning
point in our relationship. I swore I heard him whisper, “It
would be so easy to love you,” but the following days he
avoided me. The next time he saw me, he acted like it never
happened. I wished it never had; maybe he wouldn’t have
had such a hold on me.
“You were drunk. That doesn’t count.”
“I was buzzed.”
“Have you been drinking tonight?”
He shook his head. “Jaimes, we’ll have a real marriage.
We’ll have sex every night if you want to.”
“So now you want to be friends with benefits?”
He moved in a little closer. Our lips were on the cusp of
touching, causing my breath to falter.
“Jaimes, I would never think of you like that. But most
marriages become friendships anyway, so we’re just
skipping to that part.”
I broke away from him, pushed him out of the way, and
ran out the door. I’d only ever been in love with one man,
but his stupidity was making me question my sanity. 
 I took the stairs instead of the elevator to the parking
garage. I needed to work out whatever it was that had just
happened. I wasn’t sure. All I knew was, it wasn’t real. He
wasn’t thinking straight and I was dying. For over half my
life I’d wanted to be Mrs. Christopher McKay, and here it was
handed to me, but on a garbage can lid.
I was taking the job in Carmel.
I crawled back to Franklin, where my brother lived, in
my old, beat-up car I’d had for the last seven years. It got
me from point A to B. I was buying my piano before I spent
money on a new car. Christopher disagreed with my course
of action. Anyway, I needed a house big enough to hold my
piano. Which meant I needed a real job, and more private
lesson students.
Each of Chris’ words spun around in my head. I
wondered if he was lonely. He hadn’t dated anyone since
Bianca’s death a year ago. I wasn’t even sure why he pined
for her. Guilt surrounded that thought.
Should I have told Chris the truth about Bianca? I
thought he found out the night he called to tell me she had
died in a car accident along with a business associate. I had
mistaken his anguished cry for anger instead of grief. What I
never told him was that I had seen her that night at a piano
club I used to play at once in a while. She and her
“associate” were anything but business that night. I
confronted her and said if she didn’t tell Chris, I would.
“You’ve been waiting for this moment, haven’t you?”
she had sneered. I wanted her as far away from him as
possible, but not like that. I didn’t want Chris to be hurt.
Every time he mentioned her now, I cringed internally. I
knew what kind of person she was.
I crept into my brother Caleb’s home, hoping not to
wake anyone up, especially my niece, Emeline. Caleb and
Bree were good enough to let me pay them cheap rent, but I
was sure they were ready for me to be out of their hair. My
parents lived too far away in Fayetteville, and rent was at a
premium close to Christopher’s loft.
I tiptoed into the kitchen where the stairs to the
basement were located. All my stealthy moves were for
nothing; Bree was at their small kitchen table downing a
slice of cheesecake.
“Rough night?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes. “Emeline wet the bed again.”
I joined her at the table. “Sorry.” Emeline was six and
still wet the bed frequently. I had decided to keep Allie in
pullups even though she was potty-trained. I didn’t think
Chris would know what to do if she wet the bed.
She shoved another large bite of chocolate cheesecake
in her mouth. I could see the tension leave her face as she
savored the dessert. Once she came back to reality, she
looked me over. “Do you want a fork? It looks like you could
use some sweet ecstasy.” Food was her drug of choice.
“Sure.” It couldn’t hurt.
She was up and back with a fork in no time at all. “You
look like you’ve been sucker-punched. Spill.” She was never
one to mince words.
I took the fork and eyed the decadent dessert in front of
me. I blew out a large breath and told the truth. There was
no use hiding it. “Christopher asked me to marry him
tonight.”
She didn’t look surprised at all. She filled her fork up
again. “About time.”
“What do you mean? We aren’t even dating.”
“Who needs to date when you already act like a married
couple? You act more married than most couples I know,
come to think of it.”
“Except we aren’t in love with each other.” What a
depressing thought. I took a large bite of the cheesecake.
She finished swallowing and tilted her head. “I wouldn’t
be so sure it’s one sided.”
“Have I been that obvious?”
 “Everyone knows you’re in love with him. I could tell
nine years ago when I met you both for the first time.”
I had been twenty-two and just starting school at the
time. Chris had already graduated with his undergrad and
was ready to start his MBA program.
The chocolate wasn’t helping; my stomach was too
queasy. I set the fork down. “He only asked because I’ve
decided to take the teaching position in Carmel.”
“You don’t think he cares about you?”
“Sure he does. We’ve been best friends forever, but that
doesn’t make a marriage.”
“I wish Caleb  . . .” She hesitated. “I wish we would have
been friends first. I think it would have made things easier.”
I knew she and my brother had some issues, but they
were working through them. I had been privy to some of
their heated discussions over the last year. It wasn’t
anything major, but I think day-to-day stresses had piled up
and caused some strain in their relationship.
“Besides, Christopher is fooling himself if he thinks he’s
not in love with you, too.”
“Then he’s doing a good job fooling both of us. I’ve
waited for him to love me for longer than I care to admit.”
“Love is a choice. Believe me, it’s one I have to choose
every day.”
I placed my hand over hers. “I know Caleb appreciates
that, and he loves you very much.”
“I know. Sometimes I wonder why he puts up with me.”
“Because you’re terrific.”
She flashed me a rare smile. “So are you, and
Christopher knows that.”
“So, you think I should hang up my idealistic dreams
and give in to him?”
“Not at all, but I don’t think you should discount his
intentions so easily.”
“I’m pretty sure he only wants to sleep with me.”
 She laughed. “I’m sure he does, but that’s because he’s
male. I’m positive that isn’t the only reason.”
“He’ll get free babysitting.”
“No, he’ll get the only real mother Allie has ever
known.” Neither of us had been impressed with Bianca.
I came close to tears again. Allie. I loved her more than
words could express. I had never known that kind of love
was possible until her. I pushed the cheesecake out of the
way and lay my head down on the table.
Bree wasn’t a touchy-feely sort of person, but she
reached out and stroked my hair. “Men. They complicate the
hell out of everything.”
“Isn’t that the truth?
~*~
I stayed curled up in bed as long as I could Saturday
morning. I hadn’t slept well at all, but my music was calling
to me. I needed it to help me sort out this mess Christopher
had thrown at me. I tore off the covers, brushed my teeth,
threw my hair up, and sat in front of my digital piano. I
missed having a real piano, even the old, out-of-tune upright
at my parents. I looked over at my piano jar on my dresser.
It held a few thousand dollars. Enough for a used upright,
but I didn’t have anywhere for it to go. Besides, I was going
to own a grand piano.
I turned the volume down as low as it would go before I
poured my heart out into the keys. I got lost in every note,
so much so I didn’t hear Christopher come in.
“Moonlight Sonata?”
I only jumped a little, but I didn’t bother facing him.
“Which movement?”
He thought for a moment. “Second?”
“Third.”
“I was close.”
“Your grandma would be disappointed.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
 I turned around to find a thoughtful looking Christopher
casually dressed in tight jeans and a gray, pressed t-shirt.
He always made my heart skip a beat. “What are you doing
here? And where’s Allie?”
He looked around my cramped room that held all of my
personal belongings. The walls were covered in pictures of
my adventures and souvenirs from all the countries I had
visited. “She’s upstairs playing with Emeline and Bree.” He
approached and knelt in front of me.
“Please don’t do this again.”
He smiled before running his hand up and down my
bare leg. “I’m sorry about last night.”
“We’ll forget it ever happened.”
“Good, because I want a redo.”
I tried to stand up. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Please Jaimes, hear me out.”
I lowered myself back down and narrowed my gaze. He
should have shaved this morning. He looked too good with a
layer of scruff on his sculpted face.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar
ring. I covered my mouth with my hand. I had admired the
antique pearl gold ring for as long as I had known the man
that now possessed it. I remember watching Allison McKay’s
fingers glide across the ivory keys. She made playing the
piano look like breathing. I wanted to be just like her when I
grew up. Not only was she a world-class pianist, but she
treated everyone with kindness and respect, even a young
girl whose parents could hardly afford piano lessons. She
made me feel like I held the world in the palm of my hands
and that I could do anything. As the years went by, she
began treating me more like a granddaughter than a
student. She encouraged my feelings for her grandson, the
son she had raised since he was seven years old, the apple
of her eye.
I stared at the ring Christopher held between his fingers.
It looked as it always had. A large pearl in the middle, with
two tiny diamonds on each side of the inlay. She wanted it
to be given to the woman Christopher chose to be his wife.
She wanted it to be mine. She died not too long after
Christopher married. The only time his grandmother had
been disappointed in him was in his choice of bride.
He held up the ring. “I know I came off as a jerk last
night. I didn’t ask you to marry me so you would sleep with
me, although I hope that’s part of the package if you say
yes.”
I tried my best not to roll my eyes.
“Jaime,” he lowered his voice, “Gran wanted this to be
yours. We’ve been together for so long, I can’t imagine my
life without you.”
I’m not sure he had ever spoken so tenderly to me. My
heart fluttered. “We’ve lived apart lots of times. That’s not
going to change our relationship.”
“This time, we both know it will.”
He was right.
“I like coming home to you every night, and Allie has
already lost her mom. I don’t want her to lose you, too.”
I didn’t comment on Bianca’s mothering skills; I knew he
wasn’t that blind. “Chris.”
He reached up with his free hand and ran it across my
cheek into my hair. It landed back on my cheek. I leaned
into it. I loved the feel of his hands. I loved him, but he
didn’t feel the same way.
“Tell me something?”
“Anything,” he responded.
“Why did you ignore me for days after you kissed me?” I
had been thinking about it since last night when he brought
it up.
“That was forever ago.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
He dropped his hand and stared at his grandmother’s
ring. “Because I didn’t want to fall in love with you and ruin
everything. I didn’t want to risk our friendship.”
 “And you do now?”
“No. This will only make it better.”
“I want a real marriage, and I’m not just talking about a
physical relationship. I want a faithful husband and more
children. I don’t want to be your glorified nanny. And I want
a house and maybe a dog or a cat.”
“Jaimes, I would never cheat on you. We’ll be a real
husband and wife.”
“What about more kids?”
He had to think about it. I watched as he rubbed his
neck, cheek, and chin. I could see the internal conflict in his
eyes. I didn’t understand why this was so hard for him.
When we were younger he talked about having children, in
the plural. He didn’t like being the only child and always
said he wanted to have more than one.
“Give me two years and then I promise we’ll make
babies and move to the suburbs. I need this time right now
to focus on my career. It’s important to my  . . . our financial
future.”
“I didn’t say yes.”
He took my left hand and slid his grandmother’s ring on
my finger.
I looked down at my long, slender finger. The ring was a
perfect fit, but I met Christopher’s gaze. Why was I even
contemplating this?
As if he knew what I was thinking, he pulled me to him.
My leg caught on my piano chair and we fell over.  I landed
on top of him—just like he planned, I’m sure. With our
bodies so close together I could hardly breathe. His blue
eyes took in every inch of my face. His hand reached up to
my neck where he drew my face closer to his.
“Marry me,” he whispered.
I licked my lips and he took that as an invitation. His lips
met mine, but they froze in place. He took a moment to
breathe me in. I soaked him in as much as I could. I had
longed for this moment. Dreamt about it, craved it.
 I released his lips and looked into his eyes. “What are
we doing?”
“This.” His lips captured mine and this time he didn’t
hesitate. We fell into a wild kiss as if we had been saving up
for this place and time for years. Our bodies molded
together as our mouths explored every inch of each other’s.
I didn’t want the moment to end. The last piece of our
relationship puzzle had fallen into place. He was all I ever
wanted.
In a swift move with our lips still welded together, Chris
turned us over so he hovered over me. His lips glided off
mine only to find them once more. I opened my eyes. This
wasn’t a dream. This was my Christopher taking me in.
His eyes were peering into my own. They looked alive
and hopeful. He rested his forehead against mine. His
labored breathing matched my own. “What do you say,
Jaimes?”
“Promise me this will work out.”
“I promise.”
. . . To read more, purchase the book here.

OceanofPDF.com
 About the Author

Jennifer Peel is the mother of three amazing kiddos. Wife

to her one and only for the past twenty-two years. Lover of
late night talks, beach vacations, the mountains, pink
bubble gum ice cream, tours of model homes, and Southern
living. She can frequently be found with her laptop on,
fingers typing away, indulging in chocolate milk, and writing
out the stories that are constantly swirling through her
head.
***

If you enjoyed this book, please rate and review it on

Amazon.com
Goodreads
You can also connect with her on social media:
Facebook
Twitter (@jpeel_author)
Books by Jennifer Peel:
 Other Side of the Wall
The Girl in Seat 24B
Professional Boundaries
House Divided
Trouble in Loveland
How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days
Hit and Run Love: A Magnolias and Moonshine Novella
 
The Women of Merryton Series:
Jessie Belle – Book One
Taylor Lynne – Book Two
Rachel Laine – Book Three
The Dating by Design Series:
His Personal Relationship Manager – Book One
Statistically Improbable -Book Two – Coming Soon
The Piano and Promises Series:
Christopher and Jaime – Book One
Beck and Call – Book Two
Cole and Jillian – Book Three
 
 
To learn more about Jennifer and her books, visit her website
at www.jenniferpeel.com

OceanofPDF.com