Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
A note from the author
Preview: To Love Again (a sweet romance)
Preview: Single Wide Female (a fun chick lit series)
Other Titles
Legal Notice
The Magic of Love Isle
(Book 4)
Never Too Late
A Sweet Romance
By
Lillianna Blake
& Maci Grant
Copyright © 2018 Lillianna Blake
Cover design by Beetiful Book Covers
All rights reserved.
LilliannaBlake.com
Chapter 1
The clink of the dishes, as they slid into the sink, jarred her from her dazed state. Gina had been working at the diner for so many years that she claimed she could perform her tasks in her sleep. And lately, that’s what it felt like.
She’d drift off, so lost in routine that sometimes hours would pass before she realized she had slipped away into her own thoughts. Only the familiar faces of her customers broke up the monotony.
She loved her job, but at fifty-two, she had started to wonder whether this would always be her life. She woke up before six to arrive at the diner each morning to open it for business. She often stayed until closing, not because her boss made her, but because she preferred to be at the diner.
At home, there was only an empty house. It was a house she loved, but one that now seemed to echo when she walked around.
“Order’s up.” Harold, the cook, winked at her as he set some plates down on the counter for her to retrieve.
She flashed him a bright smile. “Looks delicious as always, Harry.”
“Harold.” He pointed a spatula at her. “It’s never good to call a cook Harry.”
She laughed as she walked out into the diner with the two plates.
As it neared dinnertime, business had picked up. She smiled at some familiar faces, then delivered the plates to two hungry customers.
As she walked away, she headed over to a table occupied by two of her favorite customers, Luna and Sabrina. Really just about every resident of Love Isle was her favorite customer, but she did enjoy seeing a few people just a little more.
As she took their order and chatted with them, she began to relax.
“I’ll bring that strawberry milkshake right out.” She smiled, then started to turn away.
“I’d love to have one of those too—if you wouldn’t mind, GiGi.”
The voice floated to her, not just from a nearby table, but from a different time in her life. It wasn’t just familiar; it instantly filled her mind with memories of a time she had almost convinced herself to forget.
She froze as a multitude of sensations rippled through her.
Then slowly she turned to face him.
As she stared, it was hard to convince herself that he was really there. Was it just a dream?
“Frank?” She drank in the sight of him. Thirty years had added streaks of gray to his jet-black hair, and though there were wrinkles around his eyes and his skin was more ruddy than tan, she recognized him without question.
“Gina.” He stood up from the table and took a step toward her.
In that instant, she knew that she could not stand still a moment longer. With her arms outstretched, she crossed the distance between them, pulling the most handsome man she’d ever known into a warm embrace.
“Frank.” She breathed his name as she felt his solid body against hers.
No, this wasn’t a dream. He was there. After thirty years, he was there.
Her heart pounded so forcefully that she wondered if he could feel it. The thought brought her back to reality.
Yes, it had been thirty years. What right did she have to just throw her arms around him?
She drew back, her eyes wet with tears that she struggled to control.
“It’s so good to see you.”
“You too.” He stared into her eyes, his own glistening as well. Then he brushed her hair gently back from the curve of her cheek. “I didn’t think you’d still be here, Gina.”
“I am.” She swallowed thickly and ducked her head away from his touch. “Same old Gina, same old place. What brings you back to Love Isle, Frank?”
“You.” He held her gaze, his expression unflinching. “I came back to see if I could find you.”
“Me?” She laughed, despite the fact that her mind wouldn’t stop spinning.
Had he really come there for her? Was that even possible after so long? She doubted it.
“Or for a milkshake? I’ll get that right up for you. It won’t take long.” She started to turn away. When his hand caught her elbow, the tears that threatened her eyes surged. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, determined not to embarrass herself.
“Gina, I don’t care about the milkshake. Just sit with me for a minute. Please?”
His coaxing tone reminded her of the moments they’d spent curled up together next to the lake under the stars. He’d whispered to her about the life that they’d share.
“Sorry, I can’t, it’s busy in here. Let me just get that milkshake for you.” She pulled away without looking back at him. She knew her cheeks were flushed and could hear the tremor in her voice. If she let him see the tears that were about to fall, she’d be mortified.
As she hurried toward the kitchen, she heard him sit back down in his chair. She had only a few minutes to get herself together before she would have to face him again. Though a part of her was overjoyed by his presence, she needed a chance to figure out what it meant.
She’d almost managed to forget him. Well, if she were honest, she’d almost managed to convince herself that he’d been just a fantasy, just a silly dream she’d once had, to be outgrown along with the posters, albums, and ponytails of her youth.
“Frank.” She sighed as she stepped into the safety of the kitchen.
“Gina, you okay?” Harold looked at her with some concern. “Are you crying?”
“No, it’s just the onions.” She waved her hand at the onions that had been sliced not long before. “I must have gotten some in my eyes.”
She walked over to the freezer to get the ice cream out for the milkshakes.
As the blender whirred to life, she willed herself to get control over the chaos in her mind. Frank was there for a visit. She wanted to be able to enjoy it. She was curious about his life over the past thirty years. She just hoped he wouldn’t ask too much about hers.
Chapter 2
Hours before, Frank had settled into a seat on a plane preparing for a flight that would take him into his past. It was a trip he had been planning for a few months, one that he finally had the courage to take. Returning to Love Isle was more than just a vacation for him, it was an inve
stigation into a life that he had tried to forget for many years.
Now, he couldn’t wait to remember.
When he’d stepped off the ferry onto Love Isle, the familiar scent of the rich soil and lake water made his heart stir with longing. Leaving Love Isle had been the hardest decision of his life, and though thirty years had passed since he’d made that decision, it was still one that he harbored some regret over. In many ways, his choice to leave had led to good things. He’d been promoted, he’d married a wonderful woman, and they’d had a daughter that he adored. Maybe none of that would have happened if he had stayed.
Maybe.
He wandered the streets of Love Isle for some time. He lingered by the house he’d grown up in, where his mother’s initials were still carved into a patio stone in the side yard. She was the reason he’d grown up there. She had grown up there as well and insisted that she would raise her son there.
His father had been less fond of the place. When he’d retired, they’d moved to the mainland. The house had another family living in it now, but it still felt as if it belonged to him.
Every turn he took, he expected to see her. He knew it was unlikely. He knew he had no right to even dream about it, but he still expected it. Instead, he saw familiar faces—many people who remembered him and greeted him warmly. His heart filled with fondness for the times that they’d shared.
He was about to board the ferry to return to the mainland when he recognized a friend from the past.
“Barry.” Frank smiled as he clapped the man on his shoulder.
“Frank? Wow!” Barry grinned. “It’s been years! I never thought I’d see you here again.”
“It’s been too long.” Frank nodded and scanned the lake that stretched out before him. “I forgot just how beautiful this place is.”
“No you didn’t.” He nudged him with his elbow. “No one ever forgets it.”
“You’re right, I didn’t.” Frank smiled. “I was just leaving. I’ve spent a few hours visiting, but I’ve got a flight home tomorrow night.”
“You only came for the day?” He frowned. “That’s not long enough.”
“I thought I might stay longer.” He cleared his throat. “But honestly, I’m not sure that I can.”
“You saw her then?” Barry locked his eyes to Frank’s.
“Saw who?” He held his breath.
“Gina.” Barry smiled.
“Gina?” His heart skipped a beat. “No, I didn’t see her. I figured she must have moved away long ago.”
“No. She’s right where she’s always been. At the diner.” Barry grabbed him by the shoulder and looked into his eyes. “Frank, you can’t leave without seeing her. Don’t do that to yourself.”
“You’re kidding. She still works at the diner?” His eyes widened at the thought. It was the one place on the island that he’d avoided, mostly because of the memories he knew would surface. He never expected her to still be working there.
“Yup.” Barry glanced over his shoulder toward the road. “I have to get home to the wife, but if you stick around, I’d love to catch up.” He gave him a short nod, then walked off.
Frank watched him go as his heart pounded. His mind was stuck on the revelation that Gina was only a few steps away at the diner. He’d almost left without seeing her. He still could.
The ferry waited for him, as if tempting him to just run away. He could have stepped on the boat and never turned back, but he knew he would regret it. He knew that the whole reason he’d come back to Love Isle was to see one person.
As he walked toward the diner, he wondered if she would even remember him. Would she be able to see his twenty-four-year-old self through the layers of time and experience that had changed his face?
He pulled open the door to the diner, made his way to an empty table and waited. Then he heard it—the sound of her voice. He turned in the direction of it and was stunned by the sight of her.
He heard another customer order a strawberry milkshake, something that had been a diner favorite of his so long ago. Would she remember him?
“I’d love to have one of those too—if you wouldn’t mind, GiGi.” He braced himself for her reaction and was rewarded by the sight of her eyes shifting in his direction.
“Frank?”
The way her voice wrapped around his name made his heart flutter in a way that it hadn’t in decades. How could his feelings for her still be so powerful?
“Gina.” He got to his feet, ready to embrace her, and reveled in the sensation of her arms around him. For a moment, he thought he might be overpowered by emotion. Holding her made him feel as if he was finally in exactly the right place in the world.
As she pulled back, he sensed that she might not feel the same.
When she refused to sit and headed for the kitchen, his heart dropped. She said she was busy, but he knew the truth.
She was running from him. Of all the reactions he had expected, that was not one of them. Gina was never one to run from anything—at least not the Gina he’d once known. Her long dark hair was the same, her bright smile and melodic voice were all what he remembered. But her disappearance from him—that was something new.
Could it be that she didn’t remember their time together as fondly as he did?
Confused and a little hurt, he eased back down into his chair. She had to come back out sometime. Didn’t she?
Chapter 3
She stared at the milkshakes on the counter. The pink ice cream looked delicious and creamy, but it had started to melt.
“Gina, are you going to take those out or what?” Harold frowned. “You’re going to have some unhappy customers if you deliver melted milkshakes.”
“I’m going, I’m going.” She took a deep breath, then picked up the milkshakes. She was tempted to ask another waitress to deliver them, but she knew that that would be strange. She rarely asked for help. She was a professional at her job.
She pushed her way through the kitchen door and headed for Luna’s and Sabrina’s table first. As she walked, she could feel Frank’s eyes on her. He’d wanted her to sit with him and it wasn’t unusual for her to sit and chat with a customer, but she wasn’t sure if she could handle looking into his eyes again.
“Here you go.” She set the milkshake down with her friends, then slowly turned toward Frank’s table.
Just take it over there, Gina, then walk away. That’s all you have to do.
She repeated the thought as she approached Frank’s table. He didn’t make it easy, as he never took his eyes off her.
Did he notice the extra weight around her middle? That her thighs were thicker and her hips spread wider? Did he see the wrinkles around her lips and the slight droop of the skin on her neck?
She knew she looked far different than the young girl he’d fallen in love with so long ago—when they’d fallen in love with each other, she corrected herself.
“Here you are.” She set the milkshake down in front of him. “Please let me know if there’s anything else you need.” She started to move away from the table.
This time he caught her by the wrist. His touch against her bare skin caused her to feel woozy. The restaurant tilted back and forth for a moment.
“There’s something else I need.” He looked up at her.
The moment he met her eyes, she glanced away.
“What is it?” she murmured. “The burgers are great here.”
“Don’t lie. They haven’t been great since Patty left the kitchen.” He smiled.
“Harold makes a mean cheeseburger. You should try it.” She licked her lips, then bit into her bottom one. As much as she wanted to pull her hand away, she couldn’t bring herself to. His touch was as intoxicating as it had been so many years ago.
“Maybe I will.” He ran this thumb lightly across her wrist, then released her hand. “But I’d rather just have a few minutes of your time.”
“Like I said, we’re very busy.” She felt her face go hot even as she did her best not to sh
ow how flustered she was.
“Doesn’t look too busy.” He glanced around at the sparsely filled tables, then looked back at her. “Gina, I thought you’d be happy to see me. Was I wrong? Does it bother you that I’m here?” He frowned. “I can go—if that’s what you want.”
“No!” The word leaped from her lips so suddenly that it came out a little too loud. She sighed. “I’m sorry. I guess I just never expected to see you again. It’s a bit of a shock.” She hesitantly lifted her eyes to his. “I am glad to see you again, Frank.”
“It is a little overwhelming, isn’t it?” He smiled as he held her gaze. “I would have called first, but you changed your number.”
“As if you’d still remember it.” She laughed and began to relax just a little. Frank always knew how to get her to laugh.
“I sure do.” He rattled off the phone number she’d had when she was twenty-two.
“Wow. I’m impressed.”
“Does that mean I get a few minutes of your time?” He smiled.
“Sure.” She glanced over her shoulder to be sure that all of her customers were content. Then she held her breath as she sat down in the chair across from him. This was it, a moment she’d thought about for decades. Would she have the courage to tell him the truth? For years after he’d left, she’d considered it. “It really is good to see you again, Frank. Tell me, have you had a good life?”
“It’s not over yet.” He knocked his knuckles against the tabletop. “But yes.” He looked at her intently, his expression something between elated and uncertain. “I married a wonderful woman. We had a daughter.” He pulled out his phone and smiled proudly as he displayed a picture of her. “Amber. She’s nineteen now and off at college.”
Never Too Late: A Sweet Romance (The Magic of Love Isle Book 4) Page 1