Summer at Lake Haven

by RaeAnne Thayne

  So much for her intentions to remain distant but friendly. She had crossed that line a long time ago.

  It didn’t feel like any crush she’d had before, though. She didn’t remember oversharing so much with another man. He knew things about her she had never shared with anyone besides Katrina.

  Funny thing, though. He hadn’t seemed disgusted by her honesty. There was a lesson in that for her, she supposed. Maybe she needed to stop being so ashamed and focus on moving forward instead of looking back.

  They were all more quiet on the way down the mountain than they had been heading up. Some of the fun seemed to have gone out of the day. Maybe they were all tired or maybe Ian and his children were thinking about the end of their holiday. They had a few weeks in Haven Point still, though, until after his sister’s wedding.

  They had almost reached the trailhead, the children just ahead of them again, when Ian spoke.

  “Would you, um, have any interest in going as my plus-one to Gemma’s wedding?”

  To her dismay, she chose that inopportune moment to stumble on a rock and he reached out to help her catch her balance, his hand warm and strong on her arm.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. That may seem like it’s coming out of nowhere but it’s not. I’ve been thinking about it for a few days.”

  “You have?”

  “Gemma suggested I take someone.” He made a face. “All right, that’s not exactly true. She suggested the two of us go together.”

  Sam didn’t know how to respond to that. She already had her own plus-one invitation to the wedding and had informed Gemma she wasn’t planning to take a date.

  Why would Gemma encourage the two of them to go together when the bride knew perfectly well Samantha would be there, anyway, to help with her dress and any last-minute alterations? She frowned. Was her friend matchmaking?

  Ian quickly disabused her of that idea. “She said something about the seating being easier if we attended together. But if you already had plans or prefer to go alone, please forget I said anything. Gemma can figure out the seating without having to match everyone up for her own convenience.”

  “I wasn’t planning on taking a date,” she said. “I already told Gemma that.”

  Finding someone she wanted to spend an entire evening with had seemed like too much bother. She had anticipated that she would sit with other Helping Hands at the ceremony only so she could see Gemma in her spectacular dress as she married the love of her life and then Samantha intended to slip away before the reception and inevitable dancing and socializing began.

  “All right, then. Totally understandable. Again, don’t worry. Forget I said anything.”

  His smile looked slightly off. Was he genuinely disappointed at her answer? She couldn’t quite tell. She did know the wedding would be far more fun if she attended with Ian and his children rather than going on her own, at least judging by how much she had enjoyed today’s outing with them.

  “I would be delighted to go with you,” she finally answered.

  She would simply have to remember the only reason he asked her was to appease his sister. It certainly wasn’t because of that earthshaking kiss they had shared.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “SUPER. THAT WOULD be terrific.”

  There. That wasn’t so hard. He had a date for Gemma’s wedding and he would have at least one more excuse to spend time with Samantha Fremont before he and the children left Haven Point.

  He hadn’t been looking forward to the wedding festivities. He couldn’t say he had been dreading them exactly. He was thrilled for Gemma. She deserved happiness and a good man who cherished her, as she had found in Josh Bailey.

  Gemma’s wedding, while joyous for her sake, represented a turning point for Ian. The time when he had to put away his passion and focus on the necessary work of helping his father and taking over as the heir to the earldom.

  For the first time, though, he was aware of a real sense of anticipation for the wedding, something he suspected had nothing to do with Gemma’s happiness and everything to do with his own at being able to spend an evening entirely with Samantha.

  Letty would be there to take care of the children. She certainly would never miss Gemma’s wedding. That would leave him free, perhaps, to have a dance or two with Samantha under the moonlight.

  Nothing would come of it. She had just told him she wasn’t looking for a relationship. Neither was he, even if such a thing between them was possible. But he was a man and she was a beautiful woman to whom he was fiercely attracted. He wanted to dance with her. Wanted it quite urgently in that moment.

  He had a strange, bubbly feeling in his chest. Under other circumstances, he might have even called it...giddy.

  They walked down the street toward home, the children obviously tired out from the hike.

  “Can we play with the puppies for a moment?” Amelia asked as they approached the house. “We only saw them for a short time when we left to go hiking and I’ve missed playing with them.”

  “I think we’ve taken up enough of Samantha’s day, don’t you?” Ian said.

  “Not at all. I’m sure the puppies would love to see you, too.” Samantha smiled at his daughter with an honest affection that sent soft warmth seeping through him.

  She led the way into her tidy house, where they were greeted by a chorus of yips and yaps. As soon as she opened the gate into the room, three little pups emerged, wriggling with delight at seeing the children.

  “Let’s take them outside quickly,” Samantha said, handing him one of the puppies before Ian could respond.

  The children picked up a puppy each and the mother dog followed them all out to her garden.

  Outside, they set them in the grass and the children giggled as the puppies urinated immediately, then waddled about, sniffing at each blade of grass.

  They were quite adorable, he had to admit, with their tricolored ears and curly hair.

  Samantha smiled as she watched the scene and he couldn’t tell if she was amused by the children or the puppies or both. Either way, looking at her in the soft afternoon sunlight left a strange ache in his chest, one he couldn’t quite identify.

  They had only been outside for a few moments when he saw a vehicle pull into his driveway next door. Samantha noticed it, as well.

  “Looks like you have company.”

  He frowned, not recognizing the vehicle. The only other person he knew in Haven Point was his sister and she drove a little electric hybrid she had purchased after moving here.

  Who would visit him driving a sleek, luxurious town car? Curious, he headed in that direction just as the door opened and his father climbed out, tall and commanding.

  The heavy weight of expectation seemed to settle on Ian’s shoulders as if someone had draped a blanket lined with lead over him.

  His mother alighted the vehicle from the other side, graceful as always.

  The children didn’t notice them at first, too busy playing with the puppies. Thomas was the first one to spy his grandparents.

  “Nana! Grandfather!” he exclaimed, forgetting the puppies completely and heading toward his grandparents at a steady run.

  “Hello, darling.” Margaret Summerhill beamed at her grandson, holding her arms out wide to catch him in a tight hug. She must have been traveling all day but she showed no sign of it, looking as lovely and elegant as always.

  Margaret had modeled in her earlier years, until she grew too bored in front of the camera and decided she wanted to be the one holding it instead. She was a gifted photographer who had lined the walls of Summerhill House, his parents’ London townhome and his own flat in Oxford with her landscapes.

  When Amelia finally noticed the commotion, she gave a little shriek and rushed toward her grandparents. “You’re here! I thought you weren’t coming until next week!”

  Wi
shing he could put off the inevitable but left with no choice, Ian followed his children to greet his parents. Samantha, he noticed, hung back, as if she didn’t want to intrude on the family reunion.

  He kissed his mother’s cheek and shook his father’s hand, as was their strange, formal way. He loved his father and respected him more than any man he knew but Henry Summerhill was not particularly comfortable with excessive affection or emotion.

  “Gemma will be thrilled you’ve come early,” he said.

  Margaret smiled. “Your father decided at the last minute to attend meetings in New York for a few days. Since we were already halfway here, we decided to bump up our plans a bit to see if there is anything we can do to help Gemma with the wedding.”

  “That’s wonderful,” he said, which was mostly the truth.

  He loved his parents and was deeply grateful for all the help they had always given, first during his separation and divorce then Susan’s diagnosis.

  Despite that debt he knew he could never repay, he still wasn’t completely thrilled to have them here. It felt too much like real life intruding on a delicious dream he didn’t want to end. His time in Haven Point would be over soon enough, wouldn’t it? He thought he had one more precious week of freedom before he had to put away what he loved to focus on the inevitable changes to his life when this summer idyll was over, and he found himself suddenly resentful at the glaring reminder.

  “Look, Nana.” Amelia thrust out one of the multicolored puppies. “Isn’t it adorable?”

  Margaret smiled and reached for Coco. Or was it Oscar? He couldn’t seem to keep them apart.

  “Hello there. You are a cutie. What’s your name?”

  “That one is Calvin,” Samantha said. “The others are Coco and Oscar.”

  “All designers?” Margaret asked, clearly delighted.

  Samantha gave an embarrassed sort of smile and Ian wanted to give himself a head slap. He hadn’t even realized that. Trust his mother to make the connection.

  “Yes. Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Coco Chanel. Their mother was already named Betsey when I got her, which I decided was short for Betsey Johnson, who is one of my favorite designers. It seemed right that her progeny should have designer names, as well.”

  “I wholeheartedly agree. I suppose Saint Laurent or Givenchy would have sounded too pretentious.”

  She smiled. “Those are names better suited for purebreds.”

  Margaret laughed with delight, leaving Ian to remember his manners.

  “Mother, Father, this is my neighbor and friend, Samantha Fremont. She’s the one sewing Gemma’s wedding gown.”

  “Hello,” Henry said politely.

  “Oh,” his mother exclaimed. Before Samantha could respond, Margaret reached out and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in for a tight hug.

  “Thank you, darling. The dress is spectacular. Gem sent me a selfie from your last fitting and I was overwhelmed with gratitude. It’s utterly perfect for her.”

  Samantha looked touched and overwhelmed at the praise. “I... Thank you.”

  “You are truly gifted, my dear. I say that with the deepest sincerity.”

  As he watched, a rosy glow stole over Samantha’s delicate features, as if someone had switched on a light inside her. “Thank you,” she said again, clearly thrilled at the praise.

  He couldn’t help smiling at her astonished delight, then regretted it when his mother’s gaze sharpened. She sent a swift look between him and Samantha and he saw the questions in her eyes. Mercifully, for once, Margaret kept her mouth shut and her opinions to herself.

  “I wish I had your talent,” his mother said after a moment. “I always wanted to be a designer but I’m horrible at it. I decided a long time ago that I’m much better at taking pictures of other people’s designs.”

  She cuddled the dog, then handed him back to Amelia. “And you raise puppies, too?”

  “Not on purpose,” Samantha assured her. “It’s a long story. I adopted a dog but didn’t realize at the time she was expecting puppies.”

  “We’re puppy-sitting while we’re here,” Thomas informed his grandparents.

  “Are you?” Henry said.

  “It’s been such fun,” Amelia said. “They’re darling little things who just want some company while Miss Fremont is working.”

  “I live next door,” Samantha explained, pointing to her house. “The children have been wonderfully kind to help me out with the puppies.”

  “And it’s given them something fun to do while I’m busy with my salmon research,” Ian said.

  He didn’t miss the way Henry gave a pained sort of look at the reminder. His father just as quickly hid his reaction. He knew his father hated asking him to give up what he loved, just as Ian knew neither of them had a choice.

  “Are you staying with Gemma?” Ian asked his parents.

  “No. She’s booked the sweetest cottage for us near her house,” Margaret said. “We dropped our bags there a short time ago before following her directions to this place in search of you and the children.”

  “Oh, that’s a nice part of the lake,” Samantha said.

  “It’s a fine view,” Henry said. “But I’m not sure one could find a poor one around here. This lake is quite spectacular.”

  “I completely agree,” Samantha said with a smile for his father. “Lucky for you, you’ve picked one of the best times of the year to visit, when everything is green and gorgeous.”

  “I don’t know. I would think fall would be stunning, as well,” Henry said thoughtfully. “How’s the fishing around here?”

  “You’re asking the wrong person, I’m afraid, though I’ve heard it’s wonderful. Ian likely knows more about that than I do, at least when it comes to the kokanee salmon in Lake Haven.”

  Again, his mother looked interested to discover Samantha knew about his research.

  Drat. He didn’t need Margaret to discover his fierce attraction to Samantha or the unlikely friendship that had begun to develop between them.

  “We should go,” Ian said pointedly to his children and to his parents. “We’ve taken up quite enough of Samantha’s day. Where would you like the puppies? Back inside or in their enclosure?”

  “The pen is fine,” Samantha said. She seemed a little taken aback by his clumsy efforts to escape from her before his entirely too-perceptive mother saw through him.

  The children carefully lowered the puppies into the fenced area where they immediately began toddling around in the grass.

  To Ian’s astonishment, Amelia hugged Samantha. “Thank you for going with us on our hike today,” his daughter said.

  “You’ve been hiking?” his mother said, raising her eyebrows.

  “We saw a giant waterfall,” Thomas said. “It was as high as the Eiffel Tower.”

  The waterfall, in fact, didn’t come close to being as high as the tower, which they had seen a few years earlier on a weekend trip to Paris. At nearly a thousand feet, the tower would dwarf the hundred-foot waterfall, obviously. Through a child’s eye, everything was relative and Ian didn’t want to correct his son.

  “How nice to see you’re getting around and exploring the backcountry around here,” his father said.

  “And how nice of your neighbor to show you around.” By now, his mother looked positively giddy. How would she react when she found out he had invited Samantha to be his date to the wedding?

  Oh, lord. Why had he invited Samantha to be his date for the wedding?

  Should he back out? Tell Samantha he had reconsidered? That might be the safer route, all the way around. He hadn’t thought things through and now realized that his mother was bound to sit up and pay attention when she found out he had asked her to the wedding. If he didn’t do something, he was very much afraid he and Samantha would both find themselves on the receiving end of his moth
er’s determined matchmaking efforts.

  “Wait. I’ve just had an idea,” Margaret said suddenly.

  Ian swallowed a groan, afraid it was too late to stop her now.

  “I still don’t have anything to wear for the wedding. Nothing decent, anyway. I brought along a couple of options I picked up here or there but I’m not particularly fond of either. I don’t suppose there’s any chance you might have time to help me with something new, would you?”

  Samantha’s eyes widened in surprise. As he swallowed his own relief that Margaret had something else to focus on besides her son’s love life, or lack thereof, he could almost see Samantha performing a complicated mental inventory of her workload.

  He knew she was overwhelmed right now but he guessed she also didn’t want to disappoint a potential customer. Especially one who happened to be the mother of her good friend.

  “I... Perhaps,” she said tentatively.

  “It wouldn’t have to be anything elaborate,” his mother assured her. “I tend toward simple styles, anyway. Just something flattering for the mother of the bride.”

  “Still, that’s a high order,” he protested when he saw Samantha waver. “The wedding is only two weeks away, Mother.”

  Margaret looked abashed. “You’re right. There wouldn’t be enough time, would there? Especially as you’re working on Gemma’s gown. Forget I said anything.”

  “Gemma’s dress is nearly finished,” Samantha said. “You’re right, we don’t have much time but I can look through a few pattern books tonight and perhaps come up with a few ideas that might work. If I hurry, I might be able to finish something in time. Why don’t you come into the boutique tomorrow and we’ll do some measurements, then you can look through some of my designs to see if anything pops for you?”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to burden you.”

  “Positive,” Samantha said firmly.

  “That would be perfect. Thank you.” Margaret beamed and Ian tried to put away his unease. His mother couldn’t have an ulterior motive for going to Samantha’s boutique, could she?