The sound of a car pulling up stopped Hayley before she reached the steps.
Her mother emerged from the vehicle, looking more tired than Hayley could remember her being in a long time. Losing Gramps had reminded all of them what it had been like to lose Hayley’s dad, and it would take time to smooth over the old wounds.
“I guess I’m a little late.”
Bernice gave the two of them a wave before getting into her car and driving away.
“You knew about this?”
Her mother nodded.
“Why didn’t you or Matt tell me? I need more time to get stuff done. How long until the new owner moves in?”
“As soon as possible, I imagine.”
The same crippling sense of loss tried to surface, and Hayley ruthlessly shoved it down, but it trickled into her voice anyway. “I’m not ready to let it go, Mom.” She hadn’t even had time to get used to Gramps being gone and now she had to walk away from the house?
Her mother held out a key.
Deciding it was lack of sleep that made it hard to understand what was happening, Hayley shook her head. “Is that your copy? Shouldn’t you have given it to Bernice while she was here?”
“It’s all yours, Hayley.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I may have promised your grandfather I wouldn’t pay his medical bills, but I never promised I wouldn’t buy the house he was so determined to sell before he died.”
She stared at her mother, not following. “You bought it? Mom, you don’t have that kind of money.”
“I’ve done pretty well with the money your father left me, and thanks to Eric, it’s been very well invested. He’s a pretty smart man.”
Not liking the sudden change in direction the conversation was taking, Hayley stopped her there. “Mom—”
“He’s not the right one for you, I know.” She wrapped her arms around Hayley. “I just want you to be happy. You deserve that.” She glanced up at the house. “Your grandfather would be happy that it’s yours now.”
Although she was smiling, a tear escaped Hayley’s eye. It wouldn’t fill the empty place in her heart after losing her grandfather—nothing would—but it felt like a step in the right direction.
“I heard about Cody. It’s a shame. And he broke into all those places to get money for Kyle’s surgery?”
That detail hadn’t been released, but clearly someone had been talking. Hard to keep much under wraps in the harbor.
Her mother’s phone rang, and she fished it out of her purse. “Hello?” She frowned, then handed Hayley the phone. “It’s for you.”
Hayley recognized her partner’s voice right away. “Tried your cell and Matt’s before he suggested I call your mom’s.”
“Did something happen with Cody?”
“No. Everything’s fine on that front. We’ve got a bit of a problem down by town hall. A disturbance. I need you to check it out.”
“Why me?” There had to be officers patrolling who could look after it.
“You’re the only one anybody trusts to handle it,” he answered cryptically. “Keep me posted.”
She frowned. “No problem.” Hayley hung up and handed the phone back to her mother. “Something’s come up. I have to go.” She hugged her again, a little tighter. “Thank you.”
Hayley waited until her mother left, then grabbed her bag from inside the house. Gavin had disappeared, but she could hear him in the kitchen. “I’ll be back shortly. With breakfast,” she called out, knowing there wasn’t much in the way of food in the house.
The drive downtown took longer than usual. Traffic was backed up half a mile from town hall, and although the sun was beating down on everyone, no one seemed particularly frustrated by the delay. Weird.
She took a side street that got her within a couple blocks of town hall and went the rest of the way on foot. She heard the rumbling engine first, then stared at the machine inching its way along.
Some idiot was driving the Zamboni up the middle of Main Street, and he was…wearing a bear costume?
Oh god. He wouldn’t.
The crowd gathered around like they were watching a float in a parade only slowed her down for a few seconds. She stepped in front of the Zamboni’s path.
“Are you out of your mind?”
The engine idled, then stopped, and the oversize bear climbed down. “For the last year and a half, actually.”
“So you figured you’d cap it off by getting arrested again?” Unbelievable.
“Had to get your attention somehow. You weren’t returning my calls.”
“I was going to.” Eventually. But what could he possibly have to say that was important enough he felt the need to pull a stunt like this?
At least fifty people surrounded them. Some were tourists likely exploring the nearby parks and historical grounds, while others were locals no doubt drawn by the sight of the Zamboni cruising around town on an unseasonably hot June morning.
“I didn’t understand a word of that,” she said, unable to make out whatever he’d said through the mascot costume.
He pulled off the bear head. “I said, I’m not taking the job with the Sentinels.”
“You got a better offer?” she guessed. Getting back into the NHL was all he wanted.
“You might say that.”
“With who?” Would he be closer to Promise Harbor? Had the Boston team offered him a job or maybe one of the New York clubs?
“A smaller hockey team, but one that has a lot of promise. I hear the assistant coach is handy with a Taser.”
She blinked. “You’re staying here?”
“If you’ll have me.” He pulled her forward, startling a laugh out of her as she bumped into the ridiculous bear suit. “I’m crazy about you, Hayley Stone. These paws are good for more than just starting a fight. I want to fix that house up with you and coach those kids. And I want to work for myself.”
“What about hockey? Your dream?” He’d been pretty clear about that during their argument outside Stone’s.
“I’ve found a new one. One I want to share with the woman I’m in love with.”
Happiness crept in, and she instinctively shied away from it, half expecting it to be ripped away before she’d barely wrapped her mind around what he was saying. “You left.” He loved her and had left at the worse possible moment.
“It was a mistake, but I don’t regret it entirely. I can’t,” he rushed to add when she would have argued. “I had to go or I wouldn’t have realized just how much I had to lose. I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you when he died.” He cupped her cheek. “I’d give anything to take that back.”
“You don’t get to just walk away again. If things come up or dreams change, we figure them out together.” She already loved him, but putting her heart completely in his hands if there was a chance he could change his mind…
“I’m not leaving, Hayley. Not this town. And not you. You’re stuck with me.”
She looked at him in the ridiculous mascot costume, a handful of feet away from a Zamboni of all things, and felt her heart swell until it threatened to balloon right through the walls of her chest.
He dropped his forehead to hers. “Our first kiss was an accident that we never told anyone about. This time I want the whole damn town to know how I feel about you.” He cradled her jaw, giving her time to pull away if this wasn’t what she wanted.
She smiled. “Then what’s the holdup, Knight?”
His answering grin, so slow and sexy, would have melted her on the spot if he hadn’t kissed her right then. Whoever had stuck around—probably to see if she was going to arrest him—hooted and whistled, and a few joked about them getting a room.
She’d get around to telling them all to move along just as soon as she had her fill of Jackson. She parted her lips, welcoming the hungry slant of his mouth, and looped her arms around his neck, more afraid of what she’d miss out on by not loving him than losing him.
“Damn, this suit is hot.
How in the hell did you wear it in that closet?”
Laughing, she kissed him again, slower, softer. “I guess we need to get you out of it, ASAP.” She drew back, but didn’t make it more than a few inches before he roped her back in.
“You’re forgetting something, Detective.”
She caged his face in his hands and went back up on her toes for one more lingering kiss. “I love you, too.”
“So let me get this straight,” Hayley began a couple hours later, after they’d returned the Zamboni that Jackson had “borrowed” and given the mascot costume to back to Bernice.
He’d joked about keeping it until he had to spend another thirty minutes wearing the damn thing—it was that or walk around in just his boxers since he’d stupidly left the rest of his clothes at the rink.
“Gavin and Allie are back in town,” Hayley continued, “but it’s complicated while Josh and his ex-girlfriend Devon are back together?”
Jackson forced himself to pay attention. “Mmmhmm.”
“And Greta disappeared, then turned up with a new man.”
“Right.”
“And Josh’s mom and Allie’s dad took a trip together?”
Jackson looked up at her. “Are you going to keep talking the entire time I’m trying to get you naked?”
She punched him in the arm, but didn’t stop him from stripping off her shorts. Her shirt quickly followed, and he nudged her back on the bed.
“I think your mom giving you the house is the biggest news winner of the day.”
“Really, ’cause I’m pretty sure it’ll be the guy in the bear suit who brought traffic to a crawl making headlines for the next few days.”
Jackson playfully nipped her on the shoulder. “At least there weren’t any handcuffs involved.”
“Not yet anyway,” she teased.
He caught her arms and pinned them above her head. Damn, she was sexy as hell. “I don’t recall agreeing to anything like that.”
She stared up at him, so happy and achingly gorgeous he almost had to remind himself that she really was a part of his life now. The most important part.
“Tell me again.”
He didn’t need to ask what she meant. “I love you, Hayley.” He dipped his head to run his mouth down her neck. “I also love your breasts and your ass, and I especially love the sexy spot—” his fingers traced a path around her hip, across her panties and lower, “—behind your knee.”
She wiggled beneath him, her infectious laugh making him grin. He hadn’t stopped smiling since he’d looked up from the Zamboni to see her planted squarely in his path. And not a moment too soon. He was pretty sure he’d been moments from heatstroke.
“I’m never going to get tired of hearing that.”
He licked the generous valley between her breasts. “That helps since I’m never going to get tired of loving you here—” he bit down on her nipple, wetting her bra “—or here—” he dragged his teeth across the curve of her hip, “—or here—” he finished, pressing a kiss through her panties.
A slam echoed through the house, followed by the sound of breaking glass.
Jesus. What now?
He jumped off the bed, but didn’t even think of leaving the room without Hayley right next to him. She’d go first if she had her way, but after the near-shooting, he wasn’t willing to go that far.
Down the hall they found the plastic that had hung over the open window in the sewing room on the floor, the window frame once more closed. Chunks of glass littered the floor.
“That window has been stuck for weeks, since Gramps got sick. The new one is being delivered tomorrow.” Hayley smiled. “Nan always had it open during the summer, even during the winter sometimes.”
“I remember. She would always sit up here and watch Coach play hockey with us or just throw a ball around.” He tugged her hand, keeping her from going close enough to cut her feet. “Think she’s gone now?”
Hayley had commented on the ghost situation, but never said one way or another what she thought, and judging by the I’m-on-to-you expression on her face, he wasn’t going to get an answer out of her now either.
“What I think is that everything is perfect. With the exception of one little detail,” she added, far too grave to be taken seriously.
He scooped her up and carried her back to the bedroom, glad that Gavin had disappeared for a while. “What’s that?”
She flashed him a sinful grin. “You still haven’t scored yet.”
Jackson tossed her on the bed and followed her down, covering her mouth with his. “Oh, yes I have.”
The game might have changed, but he’d won the girl and that was all that counted.
About the Author
A born and raised Maritimer, Sydney Somers fell in love with writing when she finished her first story, Jenny and the Glowing Green Mittens. After attempting her first book in high school, she set writing aside to focus on school. While getting her degrees in psychology and education, Sydney tried her hand at journalism between part time jobs before finally returning to her love of writing.
Twenty-five novels and novellas later, Sydney is thrilled to spend her days slaying demons, running with shape-shifter packs and making the people in her head fall wildly in love. When she’s not writing or curled up with a good book, Sydney can be found chasing after her herd of kids, talking her way into a gourmet meal, exterminating rogue dust bunnies or joking about the pending zombie apocalypse. She loves hearing from readers and invites them to email her ([email protected]) or drop by her website (www.sydneysomers.com) any time.
Look for these titles by Sydney Somers
Now Available:
Pendragon Gargoyles
Primal Hunger
Primal Attraction
Primal Pleasure
Shadow Destroyers
Unbreakable
Stripped Away
Storm Warning
Dark Obsession
Spellbound
Say You’re Mine
Don’t Let Go
Whatever It Takes
Enslaved
Waitin’ on a Hero
Call Me Cupid
Talons: Caged Desire
The wedding’s off but the honeymoon is on…
Jilted
© 2013 Kelly Jamieson
Promise Harbor Wedding, Book 1
Devon can do this. She can show up at her ex-boyfriend Josh’s wedding, even though he’s marrying her ex-best-friend. She can show everyone she’s happy with her fabulous life in Boston, her great career, her amazing shoes—and she can show everyone she’s over him.
Truth is, her life isn’t so fabulous. She’s just been downsized out of her job, her Jimmy Choos won’t pay her mortgage, and…she’s still heartbroken that Josh chose family over her. The real reason she’s enduring this wedding is that her next stop is nearby Greenbush Island, her last hope of finding a new job.
Josh knows marrying long-time friend Allie will make everyone happy after the rough time their families have been through, and since the woman he really wanted to marry chose her career and big city life over him—why not?
But the perfect wedding turns into a perfect disaster when Allie leaves him at the altar for another man. He never saw that coming! But hey, Devon’s there, offering to help him look for Allie on Greenbush Island, where he’d planned their honeymoon. Only, all they find there are their old feelings for each other and a temptation to risk their hearts one more time…
Warning: This book contains a firefighter hot enough to ignite flames, a woman who doesn’t want to get burned again, a honeymoon suite but no honeymoon, and sex not on the beach (sorry).
Enjoy the following excerpt for Jilted:
Josh squinted at the label on the beer bottle he held, trying to focus his eyes on it with considerable difficulty. “Is this beer really called Bromance?” he asked Jackson, his best friend and the best man at his wedding tomorrow. They’d been sitting in Stone’s Sports Bar for the last…how
long? Josh had lost track, and all his other buddies had headed home. Only he and Jackson were left after going out with the guys the night before the wedding.
“Yes. Bromance Brown Ale.”
Josh nodded. “Okay. Good. I love you, man.”
“Maybe time to get you home,” Jackson said.
“No. I don’t wanna go home yet.”
“Why not?”
Josh now tried to focus on the wood grain of the small table. How could he tell Jackson the truth? He didn’t want to go home because then he’d go to bed and fall asleep—or pass out—and when he woke up it would be his wedding day.
“I might be having cold feet,” he mumbled.
Jackson leaned closer. “What’s that? What’d you say?”
Josh sighed. “I might be having cold feet.”
Jackson’s eyebrows flew up. “About the wedding?”
“No, about getting up from this table.” Then he laughed loudly. Damn, he was funny. Drunk, but funny.
“Shit, man, are you serious? You want to back out of the wedding?”
“No. Of course not. I wouldn’t do that.”
Jackson eyed him. “But you have doubts.”
Josh sighed. “Doesn’t every guy before he straps on the old ball and chain?” Then he slumped a little. He’d never thought of Allie as a “ball and chain” and that was really unfair. She was awesome and he wanted to marry her. He did. “Didn’t mean that,” he mumbled.
“I guess some guys do.” Jackson grimaced and shoved a hand through his hair. “I’ve never had the guts to even propose to someone, so I wouldn’t know. But yeah, it’s probably normal to feel a little nervous about it. It’s a big step. It’s serious.”
“Yeah. Serious. You’re not helping, dude.”
Jackson grinned. “Sorry. Okay, how’s this. You’ve known Allie forever. You love her. You love her family. They love you. Your mom is thrilled to pieces about this. The whole town is behind you on this. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You two are going to have a long and happy life together.”
Busted (Promise Harbor Wedding) Page 26