by Olivia Miles
She’d come around eventually, he told himself. When she saw the impact it had on her business, she’d be thanking him. Besides, her opinion was just one, and the opinions that mattered were that of the town council and his development team.
He had until next Friday to meet with the town council. The following Monday, he’d be back in the office. And then…
He pulled in a breath. Then everything would be right. Better than that, it would be as it should have been, all along.
It was early when he’d left Jackson’s house, leaving his cousin to sleep away the morning after another late night tending bar, and he’d walked to town, despite the distance, lingering near the lakefront, taking photos for his presentation. Now, the morning was getting on. He checked his watch and decided it was late enough to put a call into the office, to see if the research team had any more feedback before he met with the mayor on Thursday.
“Bob!” He grinned in expectation when the analyst came on the line. “Tell me you have good news about the Blue Harbor resort project.”
“That depends what you mean by good,” Bob replied. Through the line, Matt could hear him take a sip of his coffee. A stalling tactic, no doubt.
Matt stifled a groan. He’d put so much thought and care into the design, creating not just a vision but a plan with enough to pull in tourists, and keep them coming back. It had to be different from what was already offered here in town, and it had to be bigger. Better.
It had to be rock solid.
Only now it would seem that there were a few cracks…
“That land you want? That’s owned by the town.”
Matt blinked out at the water. “I knew that already,” he said, leaning back in relief.
It could happen. It would happen. It was all within reach.
“Well, you should know that we’ve discovered that there have been other permit applications for the space. Other people interested in it over the years.”
Matt frowned again. “Developers?”
There was a shuffling of papers. “Some residential applications, and some business applications, too. Most appear to be related to fishing. I see one for a restaurant.”
In other words, small offers. Nothing like the pitch that Matt had planned.
“Good information. Let me know if you find out anything more.”
“Will do,” said Bob. “Because the development team needs this buttoned up. They’ve been very selective about projects ever since they failed to find enough tenants to fill that office building in Chicago last spring.”
“This is different,” Matt said firmly. “Trust me, Bob. This resort is a slam dunk. It’s exactly what the company needs.”
And it was what this town needed. They just didn’t know it yet.
8
At nine o’clock that night, Amelia snuffed out the last candle on the porch and walked into the empty dining room, her heart heavy when she turned the sign on the door.
“Another successful day,” Rachel said from the behind the counter. It was her second summer working at the café, but Amelia knew it would likely be her last. She’d be starting her senior year of college in a few weeks. Amelia would have to find someone to fill her place for next year. It was all part of the process, but she’d still be sad to see Rachel go.
“Yep.” Amelia knew she should agree with Rachel—after all, she hadn’t had time to sit from the moment the café opened, and they’d even filled every table during the otherwise slow midafternoon hours—but she couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that Matt hadn’t stopped by to smooth things over from yesterday, and that maybe he didn’t intend to.
Still, she didn’t regret her words yesterday. It needed to be said. And if Matt was hell-bent on destroying the town he claimed to love so much, then she wasn’t going to sit back quietly and watch.
She gave Rachel a tired smile. “Go ahead. I’ll clean up.”
Rachel hesitated, but briefly. “If you’re sure.”
“It’s fine,” Amelia said. She knew that Rachel had started dating Chip, one of the other seasonal staff who was helping Jackson over at the inn. She’d seen them getting ice cream last Sunday afternoon on her way back from the grocery store, and they had been sharing a sundae. One cherry on top. Two spoons. Chip had let her take it.
Actually, he’d spoon-fed it to her.
Amelia sighed. Even her father was spoon-fed by Candy—everything from chocolate-chip ice cream to greasy strips of bacon. Sure, this wasn’t Amelia’s idea of romance (unless, maybe, it involved a chocolate soufflé), but it served as another reminder that others had found love.
And she…had lost it.
“Oh good,” Rachel said, as she quickly untied her apron. “Chip cuts out early tonight and we thought we’d check out that new band playing over at the pier.”
“Sounds fun,” Amelia said. The pier near the yacht club was a hot spot during the summer months—a gathering spot for live music and the occasional art show.
“You can join us?” Rachel smiled at her, but Amelia just shook her head. Maddie had already left, and Britt would be busy with Robbie and Keira, and Cora was probably still at her shop, poring over Christmas catalogues and ordering even more items for her already packed store. Gabby would probably be up for it. Maybe Gabby’s younger sister, Jenna, too.
But Amelia just wanted to go home tonight. Her favorite reality show aired on Tuesday nights. Not that she’d be sharing that. It would just prompt more urging for her to get out of the house and socialize.
She waved goodnight to Rachel. Amelia sighed to herself as she wiped down all the tables and the flicked off the lights. That had never been her, had it? When she was in her early twenties, she was still living at home, still shuffling her college classes with helping out at the family orchard and making sure that her father was taken care of and her younger sisters were on the right path. Cora had gone to a local college as well, focused on business classes, because she’d always had her sights set on opening a holiday shop, and at her urging, Maddie followed suit, even if she would have been content to work at the orchard at the time.
It was cool outside when Amelia began her walk home, and the moon was full and bright, lighting up the sky and casting shadows along the lake water.
“You sure you should be walking alone at night?” a deep voice cut through the darkness.
Despite her usual comfort with exactly that, she jumped, and set a hand to her pounding heart. She stared in surprise—and admittedly, pleasure—at Matt, who was just a few yards away.
“Believe it or not, walking along the waterfront at night is one of the simple pleasures of this town,” she remarked, still feeling a little defensive of the charm she held so dear. She jutted her chin. “You headed over to the pub?”
He shook his head. “Thought I’d check out that band that’s playing tonight. Jackson mentioned it earlier.”
Amelia nodded, suddenly wondering how different the night might have been if she had taken up Rachel’s offer after all. She might have casually bumped into him, shared a drink, smoothed over the awkwardness between them. Now, it would be strange to turn around, claim she was going his same direction when she wasn’t.
They were on different paths. Why couldn’t she just accept that?
She managed a smile. “I see. Have fun.”
Matt gave her a boyish grin, one eyebrow lifted in that way she could never resist. “You could join me? Jackson’s working, and Robbie’s home with Keira and…Well, I didn’t like the way we left things off yesterday,” he said.
Amelia felt her shoulders slump as all her defenses sank. She wanted to stay mad at him, or at least disappointed in him, but when he talked to her like that, and smiled like that, and looked like that…Well, he made it pretty darn difficult.
“Me either,” she said, waiting for him to close the distance between them with a few long strides. “I didn’t mean to insult your design. I just—” She just wanted to make him see that it had no business in Blue H
arbor. This town was quaint and yes, a little old fashioned, but that was what made it so appealing for so many.
But tonight wasn’t the time for that. Tonight the only boy she had ever loved was standing beside her under the glow of the moonlight. It was summertime. The water was lapping quietly at the rocky shoreline.
And her television show could really wait.
And maybe, by being reminded of what made Blue Harbor so special, Matt would come to his senses all on his own.
“Look,” Matt said. “The project hasn’t even been approved. It might not even happen. But while I’m here, I’d like to make the most of it. What do you say? Let me buy you a glass of wine? The band can’t be as bad at the Brad Fours.”
Amelia burst out laughing, only now recalling the garage band that the four Bradford cousins had pulled together one summer, despite only Jackson being somewhat adequate on the guitar. It was short-lived once they realized they had no real talent, but now, thanks to the reminder, unforgettable.
“You make it really impossible to say no to you,” she scolded, but she was grinning as they fell into step in the direction opposite her house and back toward town. As they rounded the shoreline, she could already hear the sounds of the music filling the night air, and see the strings of lights that had been set up from the dock posts, illuminating the dark sky.
A stand was set up for drinks, and Amelia was instantly surprised to see that Conway Orchard was sponsoring tonight’s event.
“Britt?” She caught her sister’s attention as they approached. “You didn’t mention this to me.”
“What can I say?” Britt didn’t stop pouring drinks and collecting money as she talked. “I’m full of surprises.”
She grinned at Amelia, for the first time noticing Matt beside her.
Britt’s eyes narrowed just enough for Amelia to catch their true meaning. “And, it would seem, so are you.”
“Robbie here tonight?” Matt asked, either not picking up on Britt’s innuendo or deciding to ignore it.
Britt shook her head. “He’s home with Keira. Not exactly the place for little kids. What can I get you guys?”
Matt turned to Amelia. “It’s your family’s company. What do you recommend?”
“Well, in that case, I suppose we should have my namesake,” Amelia laughed. It was no surprise that the wine that had been named after her was a rosé (intended to match her hair color), and knowing now that Matt was more of beer drinker, she said, “But you might want to try the cider instead.”
“Dad’s favorite!” Britt handed them two glasses and refused to take Matt’s money, saying he could get her back by featuring Conway’s wines at his new, five-star resort.
“Robbie tells me that you’re meeting with the mayor on Thursday,” Britt added. “Good luck!”
Matt’s smile was a little tight. “Thanks,” was all he said.
Amelia averted her gaze, focusing instead on taking a long sip from her glass. If only Britt knew. And what would Britt say? She had a lot of experience with corporate restructuring from her previous job as a management consultant. She knew how to make a business a success. Would she think that this…this cinder block would be an asset to their small community? That a modern edge would really benefit any of them?
As the line for drinks grew, Amelia stepped aside to let Britt tend to everyone. She held her glass tightly as she and Matt moved through the crowd, finally finding a large rock to sit on, a little closer than she might have planned—not that she was complaining.
“My sister is full of big business ideas, in case you haven’t noticed,” she remarked. “She had a big job in Chicago before she moved back. She’s hell-bent on making the family business a thriving success.”
“Good for her,” Matt said.
“I think she worries too much, if you ask me,” Amelia said mildly. “The business has been around for generations.”
“You can never get too comfortable,” Matt replied.
Amelia decided to let that little comment slip, instead choosing to focus on the unexpected turn of events. The clear sky. The wonderful music. The warmth of Matt’s body beside hers; a sharp contrast to the cool breeze coming in off the lake.
“I’m pretty comfortable,” she admitted, and not just because she was sitting beside him on this beautiful night. The band wasn’t half-bad either. “I love running my café.”
Matt nodded thoughtfully. “It’s important to do what you love.”
She’d never thought of that before, but she supposed it was true. “I guess I took it for granted. We grew up in a family business, and we all went on to pursue what we were passionate about, too. I suppose we were fortunate.”
“Very fortunate,” he said, giving her a long look.
Now she’d done it. Stuck her foot in her mouth. Drawn attention to the dark cloud that hung over them; the reason that he had left town in the first place.
“Can I ask you a question?” When he looked at her like that, with his eyes so earnest, so intense in their hold on hers, she wondered if she even had the nerve. It would be easier to drop the past, just like he seemed to want to do. But the past was a part of her. It had made her who she was today.
“Why didn’t you ever write? Or call?”
He closed his eyes briefly, and then took a sip of his cider. “I meant to, Amelia. I wanted to.”
“We never officially ended things,” she said. “Not really. I mean, you were moving away, and…it was all up in the air. I thought you’d be back to visit. I thought it would just be different. Not over.”
Matt nodded. “I was young. We both were. But—I thought of you, Amelia. Every day. For a long time. I thought of everyone in this town.”
She tipped her chin, giving him a long look. “Please. If you missed us all that much you would have come back, stayed with your cousins. Called. Something.”
Matt was quiet as he sipped his drink. “I wasn’t a part of this world anymore. I was starting over, in a new town. I guess…it was just easier to focus on my new life, not the one I had lost.”
“You didn’t have to lose it, though,” she said.
He looked at her, his jaw tensing. “Yes, Amelia, I did. My dad lost his business and then the house. My life was somewhere else.”
She decided to let it drop, knowing that there was truth in what he was saying. He had to adjust to his new life. She understood that much, on a different level. When her mom was gone, in many ways, it was like starting over. They’d all been forced to adjust to a new way of life, and sometimes, holding onto the old ways only reminded her of what she no longer had.
They listened to the next song in silence, and every once in a while she could feel his eyes on hers. A few times she even looked his way, catching his stare, offering him a slow smile.
“I’m glad we did this,” Matt said, when the band took a break.
Amelia had enjoyed herself more than she had for a Tuesday night in longer than she could remember, and she was sad to think of the night ending, even though she was pretty sure that ending it was the best thing that she could do right now. It would be easy to fall for him again, to go back to that part of her life that was so happy, and full, and think that they could carry on where they had left off.
But chances were that Matt would be leaving town soon.
If he didn’t destroy it first.
“I should probably call it a night. Restaurant hours and all.” Meaning that she would be out of the house before five.
She stood, her foot slipping as she stepped off the rock, and she reached for Matt’s shoulder, squaring herself. His gaze was intense when she caught his eye, and she was happy that he couldn’t see her cheeks flush in the moonlight, because oh, she could feel them burn.
Without a word, he took her hand, helping her down slowly. His palm was smooth, warm, and so familiar that she could have held it all night. Instead, she dropped it quickly, feeling flustered and a little unsure of her footing, even though she was now on solid ground.
His gaze dropped down to her mouth, and for a moment, she wondered if he might kiss her.
Her heart sped up. No good would come from that.
She turned, so they were no longer face to face, so she wouldn’t be tempted to want something that she couldn’t have.
“You sure you’re safe getting home?”
She just grinned at him. She would have liked the company on the walk home, but she also knew that Jackson lived in the opposite direction. And she wasn’t exactly sure what would happen if she did let Matt come to her apartment. There was still something between them—a connection that she couldn’t deny. A comfort and familiarity that made it a little more difficult to resist his charms than she probably should.
After all, Matt was an outsider now, more so than the tourists who paid homage every year. He didn’t appreciate this lovely little town for what it was and what it had always been. He wanted to change it.
And she wanted it to remain just as it always had been.
In every possible way, she thought, as she gave him one last wave goodnight.
*
Matt turned and left Amelia. It was late, but not terribly late, and he was restless. Spending time with her calmed him, made him forget about all his troubles or anxiety or even the past. But once she was gone, it all stirred to the surface again, along with new thoughts…ones that were exclusively about her, and what was happening between the two of them.
He decided to stop by Robbie’s house on the way back to Jackson’s, even if it was a bit out of the way. The lights to the cottage were on when he pulled into the driveway and turned off his engine, but just in case, he knocked on the door instead of ringing the bell, so he didn’t wake Keira.
Robbie answered the door quickly, looking pleased to find him standing there. “You want to come in for a drink?”
Matt wasn’t sure what he had expected to find at Robbie’s house. A bachelor pad similar to his own, he supposed, or even something like Jackson’s apartment. Something sparse and functional. Instead what he walked into was a home, with framed photos hanging on the walls and lining the mantle. The refrigerator was covered in paintings and drawings that Keira had made, and there was even a bowl of fruit on the center of the counter.