Once in a Blue Moon

by Amanda Ashby

  “You got the loan?” Jessica put the tiny outfit down, dark eyes wide.

  “Got the loan and made an offer,” she said, pushing away her headache and taking a sip of tea. “I’m waiting to hear back. And I know you’re worried about me, but I really want this place, Jess.”

  Jessica forced a smile. “I still don’t like the idea of you being out there on your own. But if getting up at five in the morning to be a flower farmer is what you want to do, I’ll support you.”

  “Thanks.” Laney didn’t bother to mention she was often up at five in the morning to go buy her supplies. “You won’t have to worry about me.”

  “Worrying comes with the territory. You’re family, goose! If you meet someone nice, they could always move in with you.”

  “That wasn’t really part of the plan,” Laney said as Jessica’s eyes glimmered with excitement. That was never good. She groaned. “Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

  “It’s just one date. I swear he’s nothing like Carl. This time I’ve vetted him myself. He’s everything you’re looking for.”

  Really? Does he have blue eyes, a body carved of rock, and a smile that connects directly to my itch?

  “No, no, no.” She shook her head, not sure who she was talking to. Jessica or herself. “Besides, I’m seeing Rufus tomorrow.”

  “Rufus is an eighty-year-old widower who doesn’t have any teeth.”

  “He’s very well-traveled. I love hearing about his adventures,” Laney protested. She’d first met him at the widow’s group Tilly ran, and they now had a standing date for coffee and cake once a month.

  “Okay, but promise you’ll stay open to possibilities.”

  Unwanted, Adam’s face drifted into her mind. “I promise.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Letting go of the past is easy. Just focus on what you want, not on what you don’t. Anything else will only lead to misery.” Blue Moon

  “Eloise is right. Buying an unborn baby an electric car is a bad idea. And paying an extra grand to get flame details down the sides is even worse,” Adam informed his brother over the phone while scanning the contract his agent had just sent through. It was for the Chinese rights to the new book. The last few days had been a blur of writing and incoming deals, while his assistant kept fielding more appearance enquiries. Part of him had forgotten what a rollercoaster ride it could be when things were on the up.

  “I expected better of you,” Ryan complained in a disappointed voice. Regardless of what Adam said, if Eloise didn’t want her newborn child in a pimped-up baby car, it wouldn’t happen. “By the way, when are you coming home?”

  Good question.

  He was almost finished, but despite the buzz surrounding it, he didn’t want to risk losing the magic ingredient St. Clair gave him.

  And the rest?

  No comment.

  “Soon,” he answered.

  “El thinks you must have a hot girl stashed away there. Anything you want to tell your wise big brother?”

  “Sure. I’d like to tell him those ripped jeans he insists on wearing are ridiculous.”

  “Says you. They’re designer. I bet you just threw on the first things you found.”

  “And that’s a bad thing?” Adam peered down at his jeans and random T-shirt. They were comfortable.

  “If you want to impress your secret hot girl, then yes. Very bad thing.”

  “Would you believe me if I told you there was no secret hot girl?”

  “Nope,” Ryan said. Adam ignored him and tried to push thoughts of Laney away. Not that hot adequately described her. Not by a long shot. It was all the rest. The way she leaned forward when she spoke. The way she’d forgiven him enough to talk about Simon. The way she made him feel less empty.

  And I said I wanted to kiss her.

  What was this? Sixth grade?

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. It was the damn heat. It had hit him like a fire, sweeping through him, momentarily combusting his brain cells. And the more he got to know her, the hotter things were becoming. To the point where trying to keep quiet hadn’t seemed like an option. So he’d said how he felt.

  And I haven’t seen her in four days.

  Last time she’d disappeared from his life, it had been sixteen years between courses. This time, she lived next door; she couldn’t avoid him forever.

  He walked to the window as a pink hearse pulled up. Tilly emerged, wearing a pair of green trousers and a crisp white shirt with a silk scarf tied around her neck. She had a pair of work gloves in her hand.

  Somehow he just knew they had his name on it.

  “I’ve got to go.”

  “It’s the secret hot girl, isn’t it?”

  “Goodbye.” He walked down to let her in.

  Tilly raised an eyebrow once they climbed the stairs. “Nice place, but you should really think about getting one of your own.”

  “I have a place,” he said. “In L.A.”

  “Pfffff.” She gave a dismissive wave of her hand, as if his luxury apartment with million-dollar ocean views was something on the bottom of her shoe. Then her silver eyes darkened. “You up for doing more at Doug’s place? The grandson wants it finished by today. He’s sending in an auction house tomorrow. I have a service this afternoon, but if you’ve got time, it would be good if we could get his personal items out. Take them over to the hospital.”

  “I don’t want to intrude. Shouldn’t someone closer to him be doing this?”

  “Age is a cruel thing. The people close to him—” She broke off and shrugged.

  Are dead or too old.

  He nodded. “Sure. I was about to grab some lunch and take a break. How is he?” he asked. He’d never met the guy, but he knew what his kitchen was like, that he had an addiction to really bad instant coffee, and that he was a crossword genius.

  “No improvement, but doc said if he comes out, he’ll need to go to Golden Sands. They have a rehabilitation wing. He won’t be able to live on the farm anymore.” She sighed. “Sure you don’t mind?”

  “I thought we were friends. You’re making me nervous when you give me a choice.”

  Some of the worry in her eyes disappeared, and she let out a bark of laughter. “I like you, Adam Fitzpatrick.” She handed him the gloves. “I arranged for a dumpster yesterday. It should be on site by now.”

  “Okay.” He grabbed his door key and followed her down the stairs. “I’ll just pick up some food and make my way over.”

  He headed to Sam’s café. There was a pleasant hum of voices as he walked in. The cabinets were full of stacked sandwiches, cookies, and a glistening cheesecake that could make a man do dark deeds for an extra slice.

  “You’ve emerged from the writing cave.” Sam appeared from behind the espresso machine, holding a cup of rich black coffee. She passed it to one of her servers, along with the table number. Then she turned to him. “Eating here or getting it to go?”

  “To go. Tilly signed me up for a job.”

  “It’s a pity you’re not staying here. You’re earning BS points like they’re going out of fashion.”

  “BS?” He widened his eyes, still not sure how this town managed to keep surprising him. “As in bullshit?”

  Sam burst out laughing. “Close. The whole place works on an informal network. It means Barter System. You help someone else, they help you. If you ever need a favor, Tilly wouldn’t hesitate. Actually, most folks around here adore Tilly. You helping her means they’d be more willing to help you.”

  Huh.

  “Is that why Patsy keeps giving me extra cookies?”

  Sam’s grin increased. “No. That’s because she thinks you’re pretty to look at.”

  Adam shut his eyes, then opened them again. “Is that weird?”

  “Most definitely. Your face is a horror sho
w. I’d take the cookie as a win.” She held up a pad. “What can I get you?”

  He placed his order and stepped back to wait. Numerous posters advertising upcoming events were pinned to the wall. A flower festival, a jam-making circle, amateur dramatics doing The Full Monty. Next to it was an alarming photo of several older men standing in a line without their shirts.

  He retrieved his phone to check for messages and swore. It was an email about a charity auction he did every year. It hadn’t been on his calendar, which meant he’d forgotten all about it when he’d shuffled around his commitments. He toyed with canceling but thought better of it.

  Last year, they’d raised tens of thousands of dollars. He couldn’t let them down. He quickly replied and this time put it into his calendar just as a familiar laugh floated over.

  Laney? He scanned the room until he spotted her at a corner table. Her auburn hair hung around her shoulders with several red flowers poking out of it. At her feet, Violet was wearing a matching collar, and he had no doubt she’d have red nail polish on.

  An elderly guy with snowy white hair sat across the table. He was popping his false teeth in and out of his mouth, obviously trying to impress her.

  He couldn’t blame him. A guy had to work with what he’d been given, and Laney was looking particularly beautiful.

  And still highly kissable.

  Another surge of heat roared through him. Hell. It was getting harder to ignore. Soon he’d be a damn fire hazard. He pushed it down as his phone beeped with another message. He checked it and replied. By the time he finished, Sam held up his order.

  “You’re good to go.”

  “Thanks,” he said. “And if there’s any lasagna left, I’ll swing by for it later.”

  “I swear my profits have doubled since you moved in.”

  With his food carefully balanced, he headed past the table. The old guy was still there, doing the same trick with his teeth to a small kid nearby, who was laughing in hysterics. There was no sign of Laney. Still avoiding me.

  He sighed and stepped outside, almost crashing into her.

  “A-adam. What are you doing here?” she stammered, face pale. Violet growled some more. This dog has a long memory.

  “Just getting supplies.” He held up his takeout. “You decided to get back into the dating game after all?”

  “That’s Rufus. He’s from my bereavement group.”

  Bereavement group?

  The rising heat fell away.

  Of course she belonged to one. Because the love of her life had died. Why do I keep forgetting? Probably because she was always wearing sundresses and smiling. Was it to hide the black gloves and broken heart? Sickly threads of jealousy washed over him, though he wasn’t sure if they were from his own failed marriage or the fact Laney had gone onto find a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. Without him.

  Not true.

  He knew exactly which thing bothered him the most.

  Eloise had always been destined as his sister-in-law. But Laney? Nope. Not going there.

  His grip tightened on the takeout bag. If nothing else, they’d regained a friendship, and, by the lines around her mouth, something had upset her.

  “What’s happened?”

  She sighed. “I need to work on my poker face. It was the realtor. I got my bank loan, but it wasn’t enough to buy the farm. Someone else came in with a better offer.”

  Annoyance hammered in his chest on her behalf. She worked hard. Always up early, always in her courtyard in the evening painting and working with the branches she was so fond of. And how her face had glowed when she’d told him about her plans.

  It was almost laughable how wrong he’d been about her. He’d accused her of not taking risks, yet here she was, taking her life savings to expand her business. A business that she’d built all on her own. Her shoulders were still stiff, and his arms twitched. He wanted to hug her. One friend to another.

  Yeah, right.

  “You okay?” He kept his arms firmly by his side and out of trouble.

  “I’ve dealt with worse. You can’t miss what you don’t have, right?” she said, studying her feet as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. “I should go.”

  “Sure. Though, for the record, you don’t need to avoid me. I’m not going to pounce on you,” he said. He might not be able to hug her, but he could at least try and make things easier. Least I can do.

  “Oh…I didn’t think you would.” Color hit her cheeks, and her mouth parted. Probably best not to look at her lips.

  “Good. I told you what I was feeling. Doesn’t mean I’ll act on it. For obvious reasons.”

  “Right. Like because we’re not compatible.”

  “Not the reason I was thinking of…but sure. If that’s how you feel.”

  “Adam—”

  She broke off as her date shuffled over to the door. Up close, his tanned skin was baby soft and his pale eyes were the color of dollar bills. A red flower poked out of his coat pocket. No doubt Laney’s doing.

  “So, you’re the author chap? I’m Rufus.”

  “Adam Fitzpatrick.” He held out his hand, and Rufus took it in papery fingers, his grip surprisingly strong.

  “Nice to meet you, boy.”

  Adam grinned. It had been some time since he’d been called a boy. “You, too. I hope you had a good lunch.”

  “With Laney, always.” Rufus beamed at her. “But, my dear, if you don’t mind taking me back to Golden Sands, I promised Glenda I’d be her bridge partner.”

  “Two dates in one day?” Adam lifted an eyebrow. He was getting outplayed by an octogenarian. Might have to try the teeth trick.

  “You don’t ask, you don’t get.” Rufus shrugged. “Isn’t that right, Laney?”

  “You say ask, I say hustle,” she said in an affectionate voice and patted the old man on the arm. “Let me grab my purse and take Violet back to the store.”

  At the sound of her name, Violet darted out from under Laney’s feet and bounded down the stairs onto the grass. She raced around in a circle, tail wagging, ignoring Laney’s stern glare. It was the most he’d seen her move.

  “No, baby. Come here.”

  Violet let out a mutinous bark and narrowed her brown eyes.

  “Is she happy, sad, or mad?” Adam asked.

  Laney sighed. “She’s sulking. She wants a walk, but I don’t have time. After I drop Rufus off, I’m going to meet a client. Then I have to do a walk-through with a bride who lives an hour out of town,” she said as Violet glared. “I’ll take you out later tonight when I get home.”

  “Rwoar.”

  “I think that’s a negative,” Adam said, not daring to laugh. He was still paying the price of his last ill-timed comment. “I could take her. I’m on my way to Doug’s cottage.”

  “Poor Doug.” Rufus shook his snowy hair, the strands thin and full of static, like a newborn. “Heard he wasn’t in a good way. Told him after Mary died to move into Golden Sands with us. Would have stopped him from being so lonely.”

  “He sounds like a great guy,” Adam said, another curl of jealousy threading through his gut. What would it be like to live in a town where everyone cared about everyone else? Was that why he’d been so happy to help Tilly out? Not because he was a nice guy, but because he was sick of not fitting in anywhere.

  It made sense, though it didn’t explain why he’d offered to look after a dog that hated him. Because I want to prove to Laney that I’m not the guy she thinks I am.

  As if sensing his mood, Violet barked again.

  “I couldn’t ask you to do that.” Laney shook her head as Violet jumped up and down against her leg. He pushed aside his brooding thoughts. He’d already added enough extra problems to her life just by turning up. At least he could make one thing right.

  “Sure you can. Scout’s honor, I won’t make h
er chase a single stick or say anything about you know what. It will help in my ongoing campaign to win her over.”

  A reluctant smile tugged at her mouth. “You really don’t mind?”

  “Girl, when a handsome young man offers to do you a favor, you flutter your lashes and say yes,” Rufus advised.

  Adam wasn’t young or what he considered handsome. And Laney’s lashes definitely weren’t fluttering, but she gave a tiny nod of her head. It felt like a win.

  “Thank you. I should be back about six, and if you’re home first, just drop her with India. I’ll go get her leash and jacket.” She disappeared into her store. Adam opened his mouth to comment but quickly shut it again.

  “Very wise,” Rufus murmured in his ear. Then patted him on the back as Laney returned with the leash and a piece of red fabric. After her last-minute instructions, Adam turned to the dog. Huge brown eyes glared at him as he led her to the rental car. Violet still didn’t trust him, but was this a sign that Laney finally did?

  “Okay. Walk first, and then some cottage cleaning.”

  “Woof.”

  Four hours later, Adam didn’t know who was claiming victory. Violet’s idea of a walk had been a delicate amble along the water while wearing what appeared to be a cape. It was fire hydrant red and trimmed with gold. He had to give it to the little dog—she certainly knew how to work it. He doubted Eloise could have done a better strut. It took over half an hour to cover the length of the tiny beach.

  Violet then decided she was done with walking and had come to an abrupt halt, forcing him to carry her back to the car, still giving him the occasional growl as he did.

  The rest of the afternoon had been spent with Violet napping while Adam had worked, moving everything out of the cottage into the barn for the auction house to sort through. He’d filled the dumpster with old newspapers and milk cartons that had been carefully washed and stored. He wasn’t sure why, but they had obviously been important to Doug.