Of course, she hadn’t been able to shut down Lia’s loud mouth.
“Didn’t I promise you the place would look amazing?” Whitney asked Lia, standing back to take in all the renovations herself. She nodded her approval. “The pictures you sent don’t even do it justice,” she told Sarah.
The praise from her friend lifted Sarah’s spirits. Whitney wasn’t one to dole it out at random.
“There’s still some work to finish up,” Lia said, because of course she had to throw in her two cents. She moved past Sarah to take a bottle of wine from Jessica. “Oh…this isn’t chilled to the right temperature for a Shiraz.”
“I thought red wine was supposed to be room temperature,” Sarah said.
“No, Sarah… Red needs to be chilled to exactly sixty-two degrees to bring out the best variations in flavor… Do you have a wine chiller?”
Thank God her grandmother did have one. “In the dining room,” Sarah said, then waited until Lia disappeared before turning to Jessica and Whitney. “Let’s go out. Hurry, before she comes back.”
Jessica laughed. “We can’t do that.”
“She’s your client, remember?” Whitney said.
“It’s the only thing keeping me from killing her. At least until after she pays the invoice,” Sarah muttered as Lia reappeared.
“Deck?” Jessica asked.
“Definitely. I need to enjoy the ocean sunsets as much as possible. We don’t get these in New York,” Lia said. “Though the views of Central Park and the city skyline from the penthouse are pretty spectacular.”
She had to throw that penthouse part in.
“So, Lia, when will your husband be flying in?” Jessica asked, taking a seat on the new large porch swing as Whitney opted for the large, comfy plush chair.
Sarah sat on the other side of the swing…and Lia wedged her ass right in the middle of her and Jessica, instead of taking the other available chair.
Oh my God! The woman had no sense of personal space. Sarah shifted as far to the edge as possible.
“Oh, he has back-to-back cases right up until next week, and then he’s flying to Napa to see his parents. I’m actually planning to meet him there for a few days, and then we’ll be back for the reunion.”
The news was music to Sarah’s ears. At least she wouldn’t be there driving her batty the week leading up to the event.
“Aren’t his parents coming to the reunion?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah, but he wanted some extra time with them, since he was flying all this way. He’s so busy, he rarely gets time off for vacations.”
“Well, except to climb mountains with you,” Sarah mumbled.
“Right, of course,” Lia said quickly.
A little too quickly.
Sarah had picked up an odd vibe several times that week whenever Malcolm came up. Something was definitely off. It almost seemed like Lia was singing her husband’s praises to convince or remind herself of them.
“Have you seen your parents yet?” Jessica asked.
“Not yet,” Lia said dismissively.
Obviously the subject of her family was still a touchy one. So why was she holding this reunion in the first place? If she disliked her family, why bring them all together like this?
“Enough about me. I want to hear about you two. Sarah and I have already caught up on her life…” Lia’s look suggested there wasn’t much news there, and she was hopeful Jessica’s and Whitney’s lives were more exciting.
Jessica looked at Whitney to go first, but her cell phone rang and she stood. “Sorry. Work. I have to get this.” She turned to Lia, shaking the cell phone. “This is my life in a nutshell. Excuse me.”
She stepped down off the deck to answer the call, and Lia looked at Jessica expectantly.
“Well…nothing too interesting to tell,” Jessica said. “Life around here is pretty quiet.”
“Oh, come on! There has to be some juicy gossip somewhere in this sleepy little place.” Lia looked unconvinced that things could be simple and uneventful. “Are you seeing anyone?”
Jessica shook her head, her dark curls falling across her tanned shoulders. “No one special. I think I’ve exhausted all dating potentials here.”
Lia shrugged. “That’s one of the reasons I love the city. Lots of new faces. It’s where I met Malcolm. Our law firms were actually on opposite sides of a case. The battles in the courtroom led to another kind of fire.”
Sarah had heard this story twice now.
“Funny how we both grew up in California but had to cross the country to find each other,” Lia said, a dreamy look appearing in her dark-brown eyes. “It was fate.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. Though a month ago, that concept of the universe intercepting a person’s plans would have been met with an eye roll and a scoff…
“That does sound exciting.” Of course Jessica would think so.
A note of wistfulness in her friend’s tone made Sarah frown. Her friend always loved living here. Unlike herself and Whitney, Jessica had never talked about moving away. She had everything she needed—wanted—right here with her own company and all her family still living in town. But suddenly Sarah wasn’t as convinced of her friend’s happiness.
“Well, why don’t you do it? Move to a bigger city, I mean. Fresh blood,” Lia said with a malicious-looking grin.
“Jess is perfectly happy here,” Sarah said, earning her a look from her friend. “I mean, I think she is… Aren’t you?”
Jessica nodded. “Of course. Yes. I just sometimes doubt that I’ll find someone to spend my life with here.”
Sarah sucked in her bottom lip. Jessica was obsessed with connecting with her true love; Sarah just never thought her friend would consider leaving their hometown to find him.
The idea that she didn’t seem to know her friends as well as she thought she did anymore was unsettling. Maybe friends did grow apart over time. Even being in L.A. she hadn’t felt that—hadn’t experienced the sensation of her best friends slipping away like grains of sand under her feet.
But maybe she just hadn’t realized it until being there to see things in a different light. Jessica and Whitney were much more connected, and she longed for that again. Staying in Blue Moon Bay would fulfill that missing element in her life as well.
“You know, I bet that wine is chilled to perfection by now,” Lia said, smiling as she used Sarah’s sore thigh to push herself up off the rocking chair.
The pain was nothing compared to the tightness in her chest.
“You know what, sit tight—catch up some more. I’ll get it,” Sarah said, standing. She needed a second. She hoped once she returned with the wine, the dark cloud that had appeared out of nowhere out on the bay would have passed.
…
The next morning, she found Lia doing what looked like an extreme form of yoga in the front room. The woman’s tiny body was twisted in some sort of pretzel shape that she looked stuck in. “Need some help?”
Lia glanced over her shoulder at her, a peaceful expression on her face, then gracefully maneuvered her body back into a cross-legged position on her yoga mat…that apparently she traveled with.
Because who didn’t travel with a yoga mat?
“Morning yoga is a great way to start the day,” she said, tapping the floor next to her for Sarah to join in the practice.
“Yeah, that’s a no.” She was still hurting from the last workout the woman had forced her to do.
“Aunt Lia!”
Sarah turned and dodged out of the way as the front door to the B&B closed and Marissa ran straight for Lia.
“Hi… Oh my God, you look like a teenager,” Lia said, getting up from the impossible pose with ease and hugging the little girl tight. “How old are you now? Fourteen?”
“Nine and three-quarters.”
“Nine and a
half,” Wes corrected. “Hey, Sarah,” he said, sounding slightly awkward as he walked past her for his own hug with Lia.
Looking at him that morning in his jeans and paint-splattered old T-shirt, she wished she could wrap her arms around him. Was it her imagination or did he look even better that day? His hair was gelled and he was definitely wearing cologne.
Great, so he’d decided to torture her even more by looking and smelling amazing.
“You guys are here early,” Lia said.
Wes nodded. “This one woke up at six a.m. demanding to come see you. I was barely able to hold her off until a decent time.”
The little girl still had her arms around Lia. “It was actually five thirty.”
Lia laughed, and Sarah looked around. That genuine sound must have come from someone else. She hadn’t seen a relaxed, un-put-on version of the other woman until now.
“Well, I was up that early for a morning run and some follow-up emails with clients in New York, so next time, come as early as you want,” Lia said.
“You’re on vacation. You’re supposed to sleep in, take a break,” Wes said.
“Sleep in? Wouldn’t that be a treat?”
Watching the interaction, Sarah blinked. Where was the obnoxious Lia who was driving her wild? Holding Marissa’s hand and smiling at Wes, she was almost unrecognizable. The square of her shoulders had disappeared, and her face looked relaxed. Happy. Real happy.
“Well, Sarah’s been working hard, too,” Wes said. “She’s breathing new life into this place.” His gaze met Sarah’s, and the tension in the air had to be obvious to everyone. It was impossible to look at him and not remember the kiss. The way he’d tasted, the scent of his cologne, the way he’d backed her up against the wet wall…
Her breath caught in her chest and she just mumbled something she didn’t even understand.
Yeah, things were totally going to go back to normal between them.
Lia glanced back and forth between them as though she caught a vibe of her own, then turned her attention to Marissa. “Hey, what do you say we head down to the beach while your dad works?”
“Yes…I mean, can I, Dad?”
“Of course. Thanks, Lia.” He glanced at her. “Hey, why not invite Sarah to join you?”
Was he trying to get rid of her? She wasn’t going to intrude on Lia and Marissa’s time together, but she would grant him time to work alone. She needed an escape as well.
“Actually, I’m about to head out,” she said. She was now, anyway.
Lia tapped his shoulder as she passed, following the little girl outside. “I’ll bring her to your place later and we’ll catch up tonight, Wes.”
As they left, Wes turned to Sarah and cleared his throat. “So, other than the remaining decks…the last thing we need to finish is the staircase leading to the cellar. I want to refinish the concrete to prevent chipping. My crew is busy and I don’t want to forget about it, so I thought I’d just do it myself.”
“Great—thank you.”
His gaze locked with hers, lasting a few seconds too long. The silence echoed around them a little too loud, and there was an odd energy circling her that she’d be a fool to read too much into. But her pulse raced, and when his gaze lowered to her mouth, she knew he had to be thinking about their kiss, too.
He glanced out the window toward Lia and Marissa, breaking the moment, and she remembered to breathe.
“Anyway, I should get going,” she said quickly.
“Yeah, I should get to work.”
Heading outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air as she headed toward her rental. There was one place in Blue Moon Bay that always cheered her up, and if no one needed her at the inn that day, that’s where she was headed.
…
Using a chisel and wire brush, Wes removed the loose concrete on the winding stairs leading down into the wine cellar. Sweat pooled on his lower back in the heat of the dimly lit stairwell. It was actually kinda creepy being there alone, so he picked up his pace as he applied the concrete re-surfacer to the top of each stair.
Seeing Sarah that morning hadn’t provided any of the clarity he’d been hoping for. Over the last few days, he’d had time to digest and process what had happened, and he’d thought things would be fine. It was just one impulsive kiss. It didn’t have to mean anything. People had casual hookups all the time…
Unfortunately, the moment he’d seen her that morning, there was no way he could write off the kiss or the attraction between them as casual. It was anything but.
She’d looked so beautiful in a long, flowy sundress that hugged her waist and displayed the swell of her breasts so perfectly. Her dark hair in a high ponytail, no makeup on, it had taken all his strength not to take a chance on a do-over on that kiss.
And the look of jealousy on her face when she’d watched their interaction with Lia had made him want to reassure her that she was just as important to them. It had also told him how deep his feelings were. It was more than just physical attraction for both of them.
But where did they go from here? If she did want to explore things, was he ready for that?
Chapter Sixteen
It had been years since Sarah walked the beach on this side of the bay. The scenic drive along the coast of town was breathtaking, and it was exhilarating to cruise along the twisty coastal road, feeling the warm breeze through the open windows, the sun breaking through the disappearing clouds. Pulling into a lot a block away from the beach, she parked the car, grabbed her purse, and headed down the boarded walkway.
Along the busy boardwalk, clothing and jewelry stores had tables of merchandise set up outside, sale signs broadcasting amazing deals for the beautiful handcrafted pieces. Long, flowy bohemian skirts caught her attention, and she stopped to admire them. Soft fabrics of various shades for deals she’d only find here in Blue Moon Bay. In L.A., the prices would be double.
Life here was wonderful. The ocean, the weather, the slower pace, all these amazing local shops and restaurants…
A street musician played a beat on bongo drums in the distance and up ahead, a local artist drew a family caricature sketch for a group of tourists. Sarah stopped to watch, then reluctantly moved on.
Seeing Harrison’s Blown Glass hut, she entered through the already open door. Lack of air-conditioning in the space made it stifling with the variety of heating machinery generating warmth throughout the store. Just a light breeze from a floor fan in the corner blew her sundress around her ankles and offered any form of relief from the heat. Sarah removed her light sweater and wrapped it around her waist.
It was definitely one of the oldest and smallest shops along the boardwalk. Wooden exposed beams in the ceiling and unfinished shelves along the walls gave the place a rustic, beachside appeal. The smell of paint mixed with a slight wood-burning scent left no question that the art was created on-site.
She slid her sunglasses to the top of her head as she scanned the dozens of differently shaped bulbs hanging from the ceiling, like the one Wes and Marissa had given her. Round, teardrop, oval…some with a delicate point at the bottom. All shapes and variety of color blends, picking up the sunlight through the window and casting a warm glow across the wooden floor.
“Hello?” she called out.
She didn’t see anyone inside, and she couldn’t hear anyone working in the back. Maybe they’d gone on break. Vendors rarely worried about theft on the boardwalk. They all looked out for one another in the community. She may not see anyone around, but no doubt, there were eyes on her.
She continued to look through the various shapes and sizes of the multicolored bulbs. Fiery red and orange combinations in the essence of flames adorned one shelf and she moved closer, not trusting her eyes. The vibrant mix of colors tricked the mind into believing the flames were actually moving.
“Amazing,” she breathed out. Whitney would
love one of those for her birthday in March—a fiery Aries, it would suit her personality perfectly.
Along the next row of shelves, there was an assortment of red and green and gold combinations. A Holiday Sale sign announced 50 percent off the seasonal collection.
Immediately, Sarah envisioned a twenty-foot Christmas tree in the B&B foyer that year, decorated in these blown-glass bulbs. Classy, modern, elegant.
Christmas. Would she still own the inn by then? Whitney was being optimistic that Dove’s Nest would sell quickly once it was on the market, but maybe it would take a while to find the right buyer.
She reluctantly moved away from the holiday selection. She could always come back for them if she was in town for the holidays. Right now, she was on the hunt for green and blue mixes. She’d buy them to hang in the guest rooms at the B&B. A parting gift of sorts. Something she could leave behind.
She found what she was looking for along the far end of the tiny shop. A Seashore collection sat on the top shelf.
“Hello, miss,” a man said as she reached to pick up one that was perfectly round and a little bigger than her palm.
“Oh, hi…” she said, turning. “Do you work here?” The man had to be in his nineties, dressed in a pair of board shorts and a bright orange T-shirt, his skin dark, wrinkled from years in the sun. He wore an old baseball hat and an apron covered in multicolored paint around his waist.
“This is my place.” He stared at her as he wiped orange paint from his hands onto an old rag.
Sarah’s gaze drifted to a curtain behind the cash counter. “You make these back there?” she asked. His hands shook slightly, and it was hard to imagine them being capable of such delicate artistry.
A Lot Like Love Page 14