“You know what I kind of wonder?” Holly asked.
Her blonde hair was in a twisted French braid, and she wore a pair of charcoal leggings and a hot pink sweatshirt with an oversized neck, reminiscent of the eighties.
“What? Tell me.” I smiled, reaching for the leaf-shaped miniature maple chips.
I sprinkled the last cup of tiny maple candies onto the chamomile leaves and looked up at my sister.
“I wonder if you’re falling for him because you know it won’t go anywhere.” She pressed her lips into a thin line before letting out a deep breath through her nose.
“Where’d that come from?” I asked, shaking my head.
“It just occurred to me that the one time you’ve let yourself play with the idea of dating a man, he just happens to be one who’s on his way out of town.”
I grabbed a stool and pulled it over. I needed to sit down after that one.
“Well?” she asked. “Do you think it could be a possibility?”
I pushed the lid on the tea and shoved the tin away. I might as well tell her about my plan.
“Actually, it’s not like that at all. The reason I’m hanging out with him so much is because he’s giving me insight into the psyche of a man.”
“Ha.” She lifted a plastic bottle of vanilla extract off the table and placed it on a shelf. “Do you expect me to believe that?”
“I’m serious. Once I found out he was moving, I thought he’d be the perfect guy to give me some advice about dating, men, red flags to look out for.” I shrugged. “Stuff like that.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Her hand was on her hip as she chewed her lip. “Do you actually think I’m buying what you’re trying to sell?”
I let out a sigh. “You don’t have to believe it. I’m just letting you know that he and I made a deal, and we’ve been sticking to it for the last few weeks.”
“How do you think that’s going to work when you go out of town together?” she asked, smiling.
“Considering it’s a family affair, I’d imagine just fine.” The front door chimed. “I don’t care if you believe me or not. I’ve learned a lot from him.”
“Like what?” my sister asked.
I craned my neck to see two women walking into the store.
“Not all men are dicks,” I whispered and Holly chuckled.
“I guess it’s been worth it then.”
I walked into the shop to greet our customers just as Chance walked by the window. He didn’t stop by and my heart kind of fell. I didn’t even know he was on the island.
“Do you have an online store?” one of the women asked as her friend sniffed one of the samples of the orange cream chamomile tea.
“We do.” I handed her a glossy pamphlet with the online information. “Would you like a cup of tea to sample?”
“I’d love some,” the woman told me.
“Perfect. We have blueberry scone or berry valentine.”
I watched Chance wander by the window again and hid a smile.
“How about we both try a different one?”
Her friend agreed and Holly poured them each a cup of tea.
Chance wandered along the window again and this time I had to work hard to keep in a chuckle.
“Do you think it would be hard to get this in my carry-on?” one of the customers asked. “I don’t want to leave here without some tea.”
“It should be just fine. We’ve never heard of anyone having any issue transporting it,” I informed her, stepping behind the counter as Chance, yet again, cruised by the window. This time he appeared to be looking up toward the sky.
“My personal favorite with New Year’s Day coming up is the champagne peach tea,” my sister told them. Her gaze caught the active loiterer outside the window and she smiled.
She caught my look and her brows flew up as if to prove her point from earlier about Chance.
“What’s nice about that tea is that it doesn’t have any caffeine in it so you can drink it right before bed,” I added.
Holly opened the lid and they took in a deep breath.
“Wow. I want to bathe in it,” one of the woman said.
“You probably could.” I laughed, noticing Chance had disappeared from view.
“This one is another fun one,” Holly said, reaching for Coconut Island. “It makes me think I’m in Hawaii.”
“Now that one I could definitely make a spa day out of.” I glanced outside and noticed Chance wandering across the street and I immediately warmed up.
“Let’s each get a couple tins and we can split it when we get back to Montana,” one of the women suggested.
“I’m not sure I’ll want to part with any.” The other one laughed.
“Once you find your favorites, we have a monthly tea subscription you can sign up for,” I suggested. “The information is in the pamphlet, and we always send everything priority mail so you get it in a couple days.”
“I think this is our new addiction,” the younger woman teased. She glanced out the window and spotted Chance. “What is it with this island?”
“What do you mean?” Holly asked.
“There are so many hot men floating around,” she answered, glancing out the window.
“They do seem to sprout like weeds around here.” Holly laughed.
“I even saw Anthony Hill from that band you love,” she told her friend, who rolled her eyes.
“Quit rubbing it in.” She turned to look at me. “The one time I decide to go to bed early, this one decides to stay at the bar and in walks Anthony Hill.”
I laughed thinking of poor Sophie. Women falling at his feet must never end with a rock star.
Holly helped check the women out, while I wandered to the back room. I pulled on a knit cap and put my gloves on.
“So where do you think you’re heading?” Holly asked, folding her arms.
I reached over and tugged on her sweatshirt. “Just want a little fresh air.”
“Is that what you call it?”
“It’s exactly what I call it. The air in here is stuffy.” I put on my coat and wrapped a scarf around my neck. “Besides, we should start sticking to a break schedule more often.”
“Uh-huh.” My sister followed me back into the shop. “Whatever you say. Tell Chance I said hi.”
I looked out the window and didn’t see him, but I still pushed myself out the door. The chill pelted my skin and I tugged my coat tighter. I had to pick up some items at the drugstore anyway. I was almost out of shampoo, and my parents somehow managed to go through an entire box of tissue in forty-eight hours.
“Hey, Maddie.” Chance’s voice echoed through the air behind me.
I spun around to see him jogging up to me and my pulse spiked. He was dressed in a slouchy pair of jeans, a blue flannel shirt and a pair of leather work boots. He’d missed a day or two of shaving and I liked the look. He reached out and brought me into a hug. Feeling all of him was about more than I wanted to deal with on a Wednesday afternoon.
“You’re on Fireweed an awful lot.”
“I’m working on a very special project.” He glanced over my shoulder and brought his eyes back to mine. “So where are you headed?”
“I was just going to pick up some items at the drugstore.”
I saw my sister nearly float out of the tea store and come this way.
“My sister just couldn’t resist.” I smiled and Chance turned around to greet her.
“Don’t you two look so cute,” she gushed. “I knew Maddie was just trying to look for you.”
“No, I wasn’t. I was headed over to get some more shampoo and tissue for mom and dad, but you’re more than welcome to go do that for me.” I stared at my sister who offered a friendly wink.
“Sure, it’s the least I could do since you’re housing them.”
“Thanks.” I pulled out the list of items from my pocket and handed it to my sister.
“Oh, you were serious?” she asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” My
brows knitted together and she glanced in Chance’s direction.
“No reason. I should’ve known you had a list for such a task.” I watched Holly bound off toward the drugstore.
“I should probably get back to the store since my help took off in the opposite direction.”
Chance laughed, and I instantly wanted to break off this deal we’d made.
“Mind if I follow you?” he asked.
“Of course not.”
He slid his gloved hand over mine. My stomach did exactly what it wasn’t supposed to do. It leaped for joy.
“Sorry if my parents freaked you out.”
“Not even a little bit. I still think Muppet might be my favorite bird. Ever.”
“You obviously haven’t been exposed to many,” I grumbled, opening the door to my shop. The smell of burned wood from the tree had long since left the building, but now vanilla filled the air from a little mishap we’d had this morning with the extract, or it was just stuck in my nostrils.
“So about the Portland trip,” I began.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to back out.” He took a seat at one of the small tables. He dwarfed it in comparison as he took off his coat.
“No. I was just curious what all you’d like me to keep an eye out for. I thought I’d start making some lists and getting together some—”
“Lists?” he interrupted. “What kind of lists?”
“You mentioned ambiance, menu, décor types of things. I thought I’d just split the list down in each category and then I won’t forget anything.”
“And what would happen if you forgot something?”
“I’d feel awful about it. You’re trusting me with an awful lot. I mean. . .” I bit my lip and brought in a breath. “This is your future we’re talking about.”
His gaze dropped to the ground for a brief second before he raised his eyes to meet mine.
“I appreciate the care you’re showing the decision.” He glanced around the shop. “The care you show with everything you touch.”
Chance always had a way of noticing things I never bothered thinking about and it was a bit unsettling. I’d gotten used to not being noticed by the opposite sex.
By design, of course.
“Thanks.” I slid my hat, scarf, and gloves off. “I just want to do a good job. Be a good friend for you since you’ve done so much for me.”
Chance stood up quickly, knocking the chair into the table. “I haven’t done anything extraordinary, Maddie.” He repositioned the chair before walking over.
“Maybe it doesn’t seem like much to you, but to me you’ve proven that nice guys do exist.”
“Of course they exist.”
“Well, I had my doubts.” I walked to the back room and dumped my coat and everything on one of the worktables. I hadn’t expected Chance to follow behind me, but he did, and for some reason, the solitude of the back room put all kinds of thoughts into my head.
“Why are you blushing?” he asked, taking a step forward.
“No reason.” My eyes betrayed me as my gaze fell to his lips.
I ripped my eyes away and took in a deep breath, hoping I’d pass out, and we could start over somewhere else, more platonic, and out in the open.
“You know I never thought the back room of my store would be such a troubling place when alone with you.”
“Troubling?” He cocked his head to the left.
“You just put thoughts in my head that shouldn’t be there. That’s all.”
“What kinds of thoughts?” His blue eyes darkened as he watched me carefully.
I felt my heart rate raise in defiance to my well-laid plan and decided I needed to make a move.
A move to the front of the store where the entire town could spy on me if it so chose, but as I walked by Chance, he gently clutched my wrist and pulled me into him.
He drew his eyes to mine and I knew what was in store, but I couldn’t keep letting myself fall into this cycle.
“Maddie, I don’t just want you to come to Portland with me to take notes.” His eyes seared into mine. “In fact, it’s just going to be you and me going to Portland.”
“I—”
“I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. Two rooms are reserved, but I want you to know that these last three weeks have been more intense than I realized. I want us to test the boundaries of friendship.” His lip curled up slightly. “I know a spark when I feel one.”
He slid his hand down my spine, resting it on the small of my back.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll still come. That you’ll give me a chance.” His hooded eyes took me in, and it was all I could do to stay upright.
“But we’re going to Portland so you can move there in a couple months.” I shook my head. “I can’t let myself fall for you. Even if I want to I can’t do it.”
“Maybe I won’t go,” he whispered.
“And maybe you will.” I sucked in a breath and attempted to stay focused. “I feel the same pull. I really do. I find myself thinking about you when I shouldn’t be, but I vowed I’d never let another man ruin me.”
“You were never ruined, Maddie. No one could ever ruin you.” He brushed a stray hair aside and stepped even closer. “You’re such a strong woman.”
“Because I won’t let anyone inside my heart or mind to see the real me. These last two weeks and several days . . .”
“To be exact.” He smiled and my heart did a flip. He just made my eccentricities feel so normal.
“To be exact, have shown me that it’s going to be a process. The first guy to be kind to me, I’m ready to—” I stopped myself.
“I don’t believe that for one second.” He shook his head, sadness filling his eyes. “Don’t diminish what we’re feeling. It’s not just because of your experiment.”
“My sister told me this was only moving along with you because I knew it couldn’t go anywhere.” I bit my lip and his eyes fell to my mouth for an instant. “Because you’re moving to Portland.”
“Do you think she’s right?”
“I don’t know. Maybe subconsciously it made me loosen up to you.” I drew in a breath. “I told her she didn’t know what she was talking about and we were just friends.”
“I don’t kiss my friends like I kiss you.” Longing threaded through his gaze. “Portland is in a couple more weeks. If you don’t want to come with me, I’ll understand, but don’t run away from the possibilities of this.”
“I just don’t want to get hurt again. I don’t want to lose everything I’ve worked so hard to gain. I live my life according to plan and this was never part of the plan.”
“Do you want to know what I see when I look at you?”
“What?” I was almost afraid to hear.
“I see a woman who is just trying to get through every day as scrupulously as she can so the walls don’t crumble around her all the while never having to deal with the issues that made you this. . . particular.” The tone of his voice stunned me. “I see a woman who is hiding who she really is from most of the world. I want to be the one who changes that if you’ll let me.”
Before I could answer he brought his lips down to mine, and I let my worries drift away as his words settled around me in the most blissful way.
Chapter Fifteen
I hadn’t answered Chance one way or another since the kiss at my tea shop. So much had gone on since he went back to Hound Island. My parents had closed on their cottage on the second of January, and it was now January fifth. There had been a mishap with the moving truck. A fire had started in the cab of the truck, but other than a little smoke damage in the trailer my parents’ items were mostly okay. I was standing in the doorway of their cottage waiting for the moving truck to arrive.
Even though my father determined he didn’t need any help, Nick had wrangled his friends to come over. Mason Rhodes, a local contractor, was standing on the deck drinking a cup of coffee with his twin brother, Ayden. C
hance had offered, but I turned him down.
“This is such a cute place,” Lily said, turning to face Tori. They were both dressed in sweats. Tori’s red hair was in a messy top knot and Lily’s auburn hair was swept into a side bun.
I knew Tori from around town, but Lily I’d only seen at various functions. Both women were so sweet to come over with their men, and they even brought over croissants from Gabby’s Goodies, a local bakery that I often used at my own tea shop.
Tori had been with Mason for quite some time. She was a local schoolteacher here on the island. Lily was married to Ayden and they lived on the other side of the water.
“Tori, have you ever heard of this place being haunted?” I asked. “Chance mentioned to me it had a reputation.”
Tori held in a chuckle. “Why would he go scare you like that?”
“I think he likes to keep me on my toes. I doubt I’ll stay overnight here.” I smiled.
“I’d definitely heard a rumor about the hauntings growing up on the island. As for proof? I’ve never seen any ghosts cruising around, if that helps.” She smiled. “Although this property does have quite the heartbreaking love story behind it.”
“Really?” Lily looked as curious as I was.
Tori nodded. “I think that’s why the haunted legends have carried on for so long.”
A loud rumble shook the house from out front. Mason and Ayden came inside, each placing a quick kiss in unison on their partners. I held in a chuckle, thinking how interesting dating a twin must be.
“Sounds like the moving truck is out front,” Mason said, squeezing Tori.
“It’s so sweet of you guys to help my dad.” I craned my neck to make sure he was still outside. “He has a tendency to think he can handle more than he can.”
“Anytime.” Mason grinned and nodded.
Nick and Holly wandered into the room.
“I guess it’s time.” Nick rubbed his hands together and Holly gave him a quick hug.
The front door was wide open for the movers and the house was freezing. My dad had started a fire in the family room, and it helped to throw off a little bit of warmth, but it didn’t do that much since all the cold air kept coming in.
Muppet was still at my house, enjoying central heating and closed doors and windows. My mom had left her with the home and garden channel so at least one of her children was comfortable.
Chance at Love on Mystic Bay (Island County Series Book 6) Page 12