Island Hope (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 4)

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  She shifted to better face him and noticed his gaze focused on her. “What?” She smiled.

  He shrugged. “I’m happy.”

  “Me too.” She couldn’t imagine any place she’d rather be or anyone else she’d rather be with than Derrick. “I could do this every weekend and it would never grow old.” That is, as long as I’m with him.

  “I don’t know if I’d go that far.” He chuckled. “But I would enjoy the company.”

  She glanced his way. “I was thinking the same thing. I have to admit, when Piper first told me that we would be perfect for each other, I blamed it on her pregnancy hormones.”

  “And now?”

  “Now, I’d say she knew exactly what she was talking about.” She watched a group of kids along the shoreline playing tag. “You want to hear the irony of it all?” She didn’t wait for his reply. “I didn’t think you were my type based on how you dressed. Me, the woman who is constantly pre-judged by people because of my tattoos, did the exact same thing to you.”

  “A wise person once told me not to judge a book by its cover.”

  “That wise woman wouldn’t happen to be Piper?” She’d heard her friend say that many times through the years. It was a favorite mantra.

  He nodded. “I’m glad I listened.”

  “Me too.”

  He leaned toward her and softly kissed her lips. “I want to ask you something.”

  “Sure.”

  “How do you feel about long courtships?”

  She almost laughed at the old fashioned word, but stopped herself in time when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. “I think they’re overrated.”

  “Me too.” He slid his hand into his jeans’ pocket and pulled something out. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but when it’s right, you know.” He held out a princess cut diamond ring set in white gold.

  She caught her breath. He was proposing! It was true they hadn’t known each other long, but in her heart, she knew he was the man for her, even if he was a dad. “What about Alyssa? Did you—”

  “Thank you for caring what my daughter thinks. That is one more reason I love you, and for the record, she gave her blessing.”

  Hope’s face hurt from smiling.

  “Will you marry me?”

  “Absolutely!”

  He slid the beautiful ring onto her finger. “Perfect.” He raised an arm in the air in a fist pump.

  Screaming broke out from the shore. Hope’s gaze darted that way. She narrowed her eyes. “Is that Alyssa and Jill?”

  He nodded. “They knew I was proposing today.”

  “But how? The boat was a spur of the moment idea.”

  “Not really. I’d already reserved it, and it was waiting for us. I’ve had this planned for several days.”

  She playfully punched him in the arm. “It looks like surprising people runs in the family.” They paddled back to the dock and tied up.

  Alyssa ran toward them and barreled into them. “I’m so glad you said yes. He’s been nervous all week.”

  Jill strolled toward them wearing a huge smile. “Congratulations!” She hugged each of them. “I have some news of my own.” She held out her left hand. “Nate proposed last night.”

  Moving fast must be another family trait. “Congratulations to you too,” Hope said.

  Derrick looked dumbstruck. “Yeah. Wow. Who would have thought we’d both get engaged so close together?”

  Hope looked at the group that would be her new family and her insides warmed. When she came to this island she never dreamed she’d find the man of her dreams, much less get her passion for art back. This was definitely an island filled with hope.

  Derrick tugged her close. “I forgot something.” He lowered his mouth to hers sealing their engagement with a kiss.

  EPILOGUE

  October

  “I can’t believe it’s my wedding day.” Hope caught Jill’s eye in the mirror in one of the Sunday school rooms that had been converted to a dressing room. She reached up and stuck a decorative pin in her hair.

  Jill stood to her right adjusting her veil with a pretty beaded edge. “Our wedding day.” She ran her hands down her white strapless wedding dress.

  Hope nodded in agreement. Some would say they were rushing it, but when the timing was right, it was right. When Jill had come to her with the idea of a double wedding, she couldn’t pass it up. How special to have brother and sister married in the same ceremony?

  A light tap on the door drew her attention. “Want me to get it?”

  Jill shook her head. “Who is it?”

  “Nate and Derrick,” Derrick said. “May we come in and pray with you ladies?”

  Jill’s face lit, and she shot Hope a panicked look. “You can’t see us before the wedding.”

  Hope’s heart melted that they would think of this. No way would she turn them away. “Hold on a second, guys.”

  Jill grasped her arm. “What are you doing?”

  “Trust me.” Hope sashayed to the door and opened it barely enough that they could hear one another easily, but no one would be able to see in. “Okay. Go ahead and pray.” She heard chuckling from the other side of the door.

  “Lord,” Derrick said. “We thank You for these ladies and what a blessing they are to us. We ask that You will bless our marriages and that You will be the center of our relationships. Amen.”

  Nate prayed next.

  They all said amen together.

  Jill dabbed a tear from her eye. “That was beautiful. Thank you. Now go away so we can finish getting ready.”

  Hope giggled like a schoolgirl as happiness bubbled up. “I’m so glad we decided to keep things simple.”

  Jill nodded. “That dress is perfect on you too.”

  “Thanks.” Hope stood before a full-length mirror and admired the vintage three-quarter length, sleeved dress she’d found at a boutique here on the island. She’d looked everywhere she could for a solid month trying to find one that covered her Captain Jack tattoo. She had found a couple, but they didn’t wow her. On a whim, she’d stopped at the boutique and discovered this little gem. The full skirt and midi length of the dress reminded her of something Audrey Hepburn might have worn.

  Jill applied a coat of red lipstick then pressed her lips together. “Won’t this color red look good on Nate?”

  Hope laughed. “You are bad.” Her phone alarm went off, indicating it was time to go. She pressed the alarm button, silencing it. “Shall we?”

  Jill’s eyes twinkled as she smiled. She looped an arm through Hope’s, and together they left the room. Their dads each met them at the entrance to the sanctuary. Someone pulled open the door leading down the center aisle, which had a white runner leading to the front where their grooms, and other members of the wedding party, waited.

  Hope and Jill had both agreed that Zoe, Piper, and Alyssa should be their attendants. The three girls wore lacy purple sheath dresses that stopped right above their knees. The stage had a large, single arrangement of multicolored wildflowers.

  A string quartet played Pachelbel’s Cannon in D as Hope walked arm in arm with her father down the aisle, then Jill followed with her dad.

  The ceremony went fast, and before Hope knew it she was Mrs. Derrick Trainor and a step-mother! Now there was something she’d never believed she’d be. Alyssa hugged them both and promised to meet up with them at the B&B where the reception would take place.

  Derrick guided her up the aisle and into her dressing room, then pulled her close. “I wish we could skip the reception and go straight to the honeymoon.”

  “That would be nice, but then we’d miss the cake, and I want cake.”

  He laughed. “Whatever you want, my love.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a toe-curling kiss. “I want more of that. Much more.”

  A Sneak Peek at an Upcoming New Series—Sunriver Dreams, Book One

  A Love to Treasure

  Sunriver
Dreams: Book 1

  By: Kimberly Rose Johnson

  Chapter 1

  Nicole Davis drove past a huge welcome sign to Sunriver, Oregon, and grinned. She was finally here. She loved this resort community and still couldn’t believe it would be home for the next few months.

  She bore to the right around the one-way traffic circle. A black car came out of nowhere. Nicole swerved and slammed on the brake, her front bumper barely missing the side of the black car. Her heart pounded as she weaved her Mini Cooper onto the miniscule dirt shoulder a few feet from a large pine tree. She put the car in park. She looked around to make sure she hadn’t hit anything. Whew. Everything looked okay.

  The crazy driver who ran her off the road drove around the circle again and pulled off the road in front of her. This couldn’t be good. She gulped as a man with thick dark hair, wearing jeans and a dark gray T-shirt moved from the black car and stalked toward her.

  Her stomach clenched. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror and noted her wide green eyes filled with fear. Not good. She needed to at least appear unaffected by the incident or he’d think her vulnerable. She took a deep breath then let it out in a quick puff. After making sure no cars were coming, she stepped out of her Mini Cooper and onto the shoulder, refusing to be intimidated by the handsome man. His height caught her by surprise. Most men were only a few inches taller than her, but not this guy. He towered above her five-foot-nine-inch frame—and those biceps. Maybe she should’ve stayed in the car, he could crush her. Then again, he didn’t look dangerous, only irritated.

  She offered him a tentative smile. “That was a close call.”

  “No kidding. You didn’t yield.” He pointed to a yellow sign.

  “Oops. Sorry.” Her face heated. Grams always said she barreled through life. But, she generally obeyed the traffic signs. “I didn’t see the sign.”

  She focused on the handsome man before her with dark brown eyes the color of Swiss chocolate.

  His brows scrunched down. “Are you okay?”

  Her gaze dropped to his mouth, pulled into a frown. She shook her head and focused on the concern in his eyes. “I’m fine. No harm done as they say. And I really am sorry about not yielding.” She backed against the car door. Her grandmother had paid for this adventure, and she would enjoy it—she just needed to be more careful. “I haven’t been to Sunriver in years and was trying to find the resort lodge.” She took in her surroundings—a paved bicycle trail, roadway, and woods. Beyond the woods she spotted several structures dotting the landscape. “I don’t suppose you could point me in the right direction.”

  He peered down at her, his stance relaxing. He even ventured what appeared to be a small smile. “Like you said, no harm done.” He pointed slightly left. “The lodge is that way.”

  The breeze rustling through the tall pine trees didn’t help the heat burning in Nicole’s cheeks. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Watch for the signs. They’ll keep you on track.” He sauntered back to his car, then pivoted. “By the way, welcome to Sunriver. I hope the rest of your stay goes better.”

  “Uh. Thanks.” Nicole slid behind the wheel and drove away, hoping she wouldn’t run into that man again. Talk about embarrassing! She breathed in deeply of the pine-scented air and focused on her reason for being here—Grams’ letter. She owed it to her Grandmother to fulfill her final wish.

  Nicole turned left into the resort lodge’s parking lot and pulled into a spot. The lodge was even prettier than she remembered. The planters, a combination of red, purple and white flowers mixed among shrubs and trees, were perfection. She got out and walked toward the large entrance. The sound of crashing water drew her attention to the right. A beautiful rock water feature off of the main entrance looked like the perfect place to escape the busyness of life.

  She dragged her attention away from the waterfall and climbed the concrete steps to the lodge entrance. The huge door opened with surprising ease. She pulled off her sunglasses and allowed her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. To her left several smartly dressed people stood behind a counter waiting to check in guests.

  Nicole squared her shoulders and marched toward check-in, trying to ignore the knot in the pit of her stomach. Why was she so nervous? Grams loved scavenger hunts, and this vacation promised to be an adventure, beginning with the letter that led her to the resort lodge.

  Nicole approached the first person at the long reception counter. “Hi, I’m Nicole Davis. I have a reservation.”

  The woman smiled. “Welcome to Sunriver. I love your hair color. Is it natural?”

  Nicole nodded. “Yes and thanks.” Grams had loved her long blonde hair as well.

  “You’re lucky.” She lowered her voice. “Mine’s from a bottle.” She sighed then clicked on the computer keyboard. She raised a brow. “You have a package. I’ll be right back.”

  A package—so the game begins. Grams had a creative streak few could compete with. The package would likely contain the first clue to this adventure Grams had sent her on.

  The woman came back and held out a small box wrapped in bright red paper with a shiny white bow on top.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” She handed her a key card, then showed her where her room was on the map and explained how to get to it. “Enjoy your stay.”

  Nicole pocketed the key. “Thanks. I’ll try.” She left the building and followed the path to the stairwell that led to her suite. What was in the box? Whatever it was, she knew Grams had put a lot of thought into it.

  Nicole’s throat burned at the thought of her late Grandmother—so much regret. If only she’d spent more time with Grams and less time working on lesson plans this past year. She loved her grandmother and wished for a do-ever, but death didn’t give do-overs. Instead, Nicole would honor her grandmother’s final wish and play along one last time. Hopefully this game wouldn’t end in disaster like the time when she’d ended up in the middle of a lake with a broken oar.

  ***

  After changing into his uniform, Mark Stone strapped on a helmet and straddled his bicycle outside the Sunriver police department. Soon heat would rise from the pavement and make him long for the cooler paths wending their way through the tall pine trees. Hopefully his first day on the job would go better than the drive getting here. If all the tourists were like that blonde . . . oh, boy. But he had to give her credit for admitting her mistake. She seemed like a nice enough person, and she was definitely easy to look at with her long hair and emerald green eyes.

  “Morning.” A stocky officer strode up with his hand extended. “I’m Spencer. If you need anything let me know.”

  “Mark Stone. Thanks.” He grasped the younger man’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Spencer looked to be middle to late twenties, with sandy blond hair and piercing eyes. He reminded Mark of himself at that age—eager, and ready to take on the world, but that was then. Life had a way of changing a person.

  Spencer’s eyebrows narrowed. “I heard you like working alone.”

  Mark gave him an easy grin. Seemed the rumor mill worked overtime, if they were talking about him. “True.” An image exploded in his mind knocking him back to another time and place—the reason he no longer worked with a partner. The reason he’d fled Portland, Oregon, and come to the resort town. Thankfully his superiors were more than happy to let him work alone due to budget issues.

  “Guess I better get busy. Nice to meet you.”

  Spencer nodded then headed inside. He seemed like someone Mark would enjoy getting to know despite his digging into a sore subject. Mark shook off the thought and pushed forward, focusing on the paved trail in front of him.

  He passed a couple jogging and settled into an easy rhythm. One thing was certain; he’d be in great shape by summer’s end. Cool air brushed his face. In a fenced pasture, tall grass swayed in the breeze. He could definitely get used to this. Sunriver was a far cry from the intensity of working in the big city.

  He braked at
a stop sign before crossing the road and went left along the path that ran past the stables. The only sound was the whir of his tires on the pavement. He caught up to three riders in no particular hurry. “On your left.”

  The women moved their bikes into a single file. The middle woman looked over her shoulder, wobbled, and a mere second later bumped into the leader, yelped, and the two went down. The last bike couldn’t avoid the heap and joined the jumbled bodies.

  Mark braked hard and jumped off. Bending over the women, he peered down and scanned for injuries. “Anyone hurt?”

  Silence greeted his question. His heart hammered. He assessed each of the women quickly but couldn’t see any visible injuries.

  The women met each other’s eyes. Then a soft snort escaped the redhead. The woman to her right erupted in a fit of giggles. In a moment the three of them were leaning against each other, laughing.

  He squatted to their level. “I take it everyone is okay.” He grinned and offered his hand.

  “Yes, officer.” The redhead brushed her palms together, then grasped his hand. “I guess I shouldn’t have followed so closely.”

  He pulled her up before offering a hand to her friend.

  A dark haired woman rolled her eyes. “Tina, you and tailgating go together like peanut butter and jelly. Come on. Let’s get a move on before Connor gets too far ahead of us.”

  “Connor?” Mark couldn’t squelch his curiosity.

  The woman nodded and brushed her hands off on her denim shorts. “Yes, my thirteen-year-old cousin is visiting for the summer, and believe me, he’s a handful.” She pursed her lips. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I just meant—”

  “Don’t worry, I understand teenagers.” Mark chuckled. “I was a handful myself at his age.”

  The woman gave him a grateful smile. “I’m Sarah, and these are my reckless friends, Tina and Marge.”

  Tina righted her bike and blatantly checked out Mark. “We’re staying in Sarah’s Circle Four Ranch Cabin. Would you like to join us tonight for a barbeque? It’s the least we can do, considering.”