by Amy Lyon
Inside her cottage, she changed into ratty shorts, mixed up some cleaning supplies, and headed over to scrub the walls of Sweet Serenity with a strong solution of vinegar, water and lemon juice. Music from her favorite female artists played from her phone, and she pumped a constant stream of sage into the air from three essential oil diffusers.
The cleansing smells cleared her mind and helped her refocus on her business goals.
Moving to Mimosa Key coincided perfectly with the next phase of her business, launching the Sweet Serenity storefront. She’d bring a holistic experience to the island with educational sessions, girls’ nights and make-and-take product events. She needed to move forward with her life and helping other people appeared to be the best way to reconcile with her past.
Her focus would not be to worry about Vivian Fine and the woman’s relationship to her handsome landlord. Jackson clearly had a life before Sara arrived and it only made sense he would continue with that life.
Sara unlatched the front window of her shop and lifted. The pane slid up effortlessly and she snorted. Clearly Jackson had done more than peek through the windows of her shop; he’d fixed them. Each one now opened and a salty breeze blew through the room. The temperature was hot enough to warrant air conditioning, but Sara ran a box fan instead. She didn’t want to waste energy by cooling the neighborhood, since Jackson was taking care of the utilities.
As she cleaned, she made a mental pros and cons list of helping Jackson market his business.
She had ideas; that wasn’t the issue. Instead, she worried that spending a lot of time with a man to whom she was clearly attracted wouldn’t be good for either of them.
She winced at the admission, even if it was only to herself.
Not only was Jackson her landlord, he was very likely involved with someone. Even though Andi labeled Jackson as single, Sara saw the sparks fly from Vivian’s eyes when she looked at him. She needed to repay him for the deal he gave her on rent, but the time she spent marketing his business would be time away from building her own business. Could she do both? She had the energy and the drive, but could she find the right balance and still protect her heart?
CHAPTER FIVE
Jackson leaned against the brick exterior of South of the Border, a restaurant affectionately known as the SOB by locals. Thankfully the entrance was on the east side of the building and he could relish the early evening shade, a rare gift that almost made the August heat bearable.
A soft breeze blew off the ocean as a couple with a golden retriever passed by. Jackson thought about the way Sara interacted with Jax. The dog was a good judge of character, so it was no surprise he’d taken an immediate liking to their new neighbor. Jackson felt the same way about her. Her abrupt departure that morning left him feeling a void for most of the afternoon. The fact he’d see her tonight at dinner made it easier to let her walk away.
And, boy, she’d walked away. High-tailed it right out of there when Vivian arrived. Sure, Vivian could be haughty and abrupt, but her directness made her the ideal president for the Mimosa Key Chamber of Commerce, a group of business owners focused on helping the island’s small shops succeed. Unfortunately, Jackson had been so busy the last six months trying to keep Beachside Rentals afloat that he’d only made it to a couple of meetings.
With Sara’s interest in marketing and her experience with an online business, he imagined she’d get a lot out of the meetings and have plenty of ideas to contribute.
Like clockwork, she came across the parking lot toward the entrance, her chestnut hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. He watched the way patrons on the patio noticed her as she walked by and he understood why. She smiled at everyone she made eye contact with and absolutely lit up the place.
But she didn’t notice him.
Before she could breeze right past him through the door that another guest held open for her, Jackson reached out and touched her arm.
“I already put our name in for a table,” he said, nodding at the other man in friendly dismissal. I got this.
She slapped her chest. “Oh, you scared me.”
He grinned. Such a jumpy little thing.
She adjusted her purse on her shoulder. “Are Matt and Andi here yet?”
“Not yet,” Jackson said and guided her back to his spot by the wall, out of foot traffic.
They made small talk about the weather and the progress she’d made in the shop.
“You’ll have to come by for a sniff,” she said. “You’d never know it was a bait shop.”
“Sounds like you have the magic touch.”
She blushed. “Being able to open the windows helped. Thank you for fixing them so quickly.”
Jackson nodded. “Anything for you.”
She looked away and he focused on the tight line of her lips. Was she trying not to smile? If his suspicions were correct, which they usually were, Sara wasn’t accustomed to receiving compliments. He imagined good ole Mack kept her tucked neatly under his thumb with limited flattery.
And she deserved flattery.
The way she was treated in the past was a shame, but if Jackson had any say, her future was about to change.
He moved in closer. “Did you consider my proposal?”
She smiled wide and there was a definite uptick in her energy level. “I did.” She reached into her purse and produced a piece of paper with scribbled notes on both sides. “This is going to take you completely outside of your comfort zone and bring you into the twenty-first century.”
“Sounds painful.” He laughed. “So should I take that as a yes?”
“Yes, but we have a lot to do. We’ll be celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of Beachside Rentals and the opening of Sweet Serenity Labor Day weekend. That should draw a good crowd to our little shops and help us both get a jump-start on fall.”
“That’s less than three weeks away.”
She nodded. “Plenty of time.”
Jackson didn’t miss the quick change in her demeanor. She could talk about business and marketing all day long, but as soon as the conversation turned personal she clammed up. If only her eyes sparkled like that when she talked about herself.
Sara cleared her throat. “I also outlined a plan for a low-maintenance website with your Facebook and Twitter feeds right on the homepage, so it always looks fresh and up-to-date. I think we can get that done by this weekend.”
“It’s Wednesday,” Jackson said.
“No time like the present.”
He was impressed. “Does your mind ever stop turning with ideas?”
“Not really, which is probably why I have a hard time falling asleep at night.” She shrugged. “There’s so much untapped potential with your business. I can’t wait to dig in.”
He admired her energy and felt confident they were brought together for a reason. Marketing his business was only a small piece of that reason.
She pointed to the parking lot. “Oh, look. Here comes the happy couple.”
Jackson thought he heard a twinge of sadness, or maybe it was envy, in her voice, but when Andi approached, Sara spread her arms wide and they hugged like they hadn’t seen each other in years rather than just a day.
Matt and Jackson exchanged a handshake.
“We would have been here earlier, but we had to go back for her list,” Matt said, playfully rolling his eyes.
Andi swatted him with her notebook. “You know me, I’m lost without my lists.”
Jackson nudged Sara. “Run in the family?”
Matt pulled Andi into a side hug and kissed the top of her head. “I do know you,” he said. “And I’m making a list of my own with all the things I love about you.”
Jackson watched Sara’s eyes as she feigned disgust with the enamored couple’s public display. He guessed she’d respond well to romantic gestures. Maybe not at first, because she likely hadn’t been shown that side of herself, but in time she’d love having a man dote over her.
The conversation at dinner flowed e
asily. Matt had dozens of questions for Sara about Andi as a child, which gave Jackson a much-appreciated glimpse into Sara’s own childhood. Andi took her role as the older cousin seriously when they were young, but as Sara spent more time hanging out with her dad at his auto body shop, she developed the thicker skin.
“Sara came to my rescue on a few occasions in high school,” Andi said, eliciting a blush from her cousin.
“You would have managed fine on your own,” Sara said.
Andi snorted. “Thank God I didn’t have to.”
The dynamic between them was fascinating. They finished each other’s sentences and had a way of communicating through body language and secret looks that left Jackson and Matt shrugging in confusion.
When the food came, Andi held up a glass for a toast.
“To fresh starts,” she said and winked at Sara.
“To fresh starts,” they said in unison.
Sara dropped her napkin in her lap and stared at her folded hands. Jackson wasn’t sure if she was praying or if something was said that got her thinking. He recognized the glassy look in her eyes and reached a hand behind her to rub her back.
Even in death there is life, he thought, and felt grateful Sara chose Mimosa Key for her fresh start.
* * *
Jackson’s touch comforted Sara enough that she was able to chase away the tears with deep breaths. For someone who rarely showed emotion, she’d become a leaky faucet since arriving on Mimosa Key. And right now, she couldn’t help but feel emotional with the supportive people surrounding her. She’d managed for so long on her own, and after Mack passed away, she accepted her fate in life as a widow, estranged from her mother and cast out by her church.
But tonight she caught a glimpse of something new. Something more. And her outlook shifted as a bit of hope found its way back into her life.
When the dinner plates were cleared, Jackson leaned back and stretched his arm across the back of Sara’s chair.
“I like the way you’ve planned your wedding,” he said. “Small and intimate. I never did understand those elaborate affairs that stress out the whole family and drain the bank account.”
“I agree,” Sara said. “People put so much money into the details of that one day and forget about the bigger picture, the lifetime together.”
Jackson nodded his agreement and Matt took Andi’s hand.
“This lady has done an amazing job planning everything,” Matt said, and Sara understood why Andi fell so quickly for the handsome, dark-haired pastor with an athletic physique similar to Jackson’s. He got Andi and seemed to genuinely cherish all of the eccentricities Sara loved about her cousin.
Her exceptional organizational skills were just one of those quirks.
“And don’t forget you’re in charge of the groom’s dinner Friday night,” Andi said, nudging Matt in the ribs with her elbow.
“Right. We need to talk about that.” He motioned to Jackson, then pointed to Andi’s notebook. “It’s on my list.”
The two guys leaned in and talked details while Andi scooted closer to Sara.
“Hey, I didn’t invite your mom,” she whispered. “I wanted to check with you first to make sure that’s what you wanted.”
“I don’t want her there,” Sara said flatly, then softened. “I mean, it’s your wedding. The decision is totally up to you, but I would prefer not to see her. I’m not ready.”
“Totally understand,” Andi said.
“I don’t even think my mother knows I moved here,” Sara said, and the words came out louder than she expected. She glanced at Jackson and he raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Just girl talk,” Andi said, waving in the men’s direction. “Go back to your planning.”
After they said their good-byes, Jackson and Sara walked across the parking lot together and both waved as Matt and Andi drove away. Rather than jealousy, Sara felt another burst of hope, this time sparked by the possibility that true happiness with another person could actually exist. She saw it so clearly in her cousin’s eyes when she looked at Matt, and when he looked at Andi.
“Good night,” Jackson said when they reached her car.
“Oh, good night,” she said. “See you tomorrow.”
Jackson laughed. “No, I meant it was a good night, don’t you think? They really do make a great couple.”
Sara drew in a deep breath. “Yeah. I sure hope it lasts.”
Jackson flinched and Sara covered her mouth. “Oh, man, I can’t believe I said that. Please don’t tell them. It just came out—”
Jackson curled his fingers gently around Sara’s wrist and pulled her hand away from her mouth. “I won’t say a word. But you have to promise me you’ll try to stop looking at every glass as half empty.”
Sara tipped her head to look up at him. “Deal,” she said and unlocked her car door.
Jackson opened the door for her and leaned his forearm on the roof while she started the car. “Drive safely,” he said in a delightfully deep voice that sent shivers through her body.
“It’s only three miles,” she said with a small laugh.
“And my house is three miles in the opposite direction, so we’ll be six miles apart.”
“Good math,” she teased, feeling the heat in her cheeks.
He leaned in closer and winked when he caught her eye. “So, you coming to the shop in the morning?”
She gave an adventurous nod of her head. “I’ll be there bright and early to take some photos for the website.”
“Website?”
Sara reached for the door handle and Jackson backed out of the way. “I’ve got everything under control,” she said and winked.
Jackson pushed the door closed and shoved his hands into his pockets, and Sara swore he was the kindest man she’d ever met. Pretty fantastic to look at, too, with that playful grin and those soul-searing eyes.
Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.
CHAPTER SIX
Sara worked by the light of her laptop as night fell over the cottage. She set up the shell of Jackson’s website with a contact form and a page that listed the items Beachside Rentals had available. Eventually customers could reserve equipment online, but for now, having the virtual presence was a huge step in a hopefully profitable direction.
She scribbled down the words small freezer on her notepad. With minimal investment, Jackson could make bait fish available and put to use all that fishing equipment he’d moved to the shed behind his shop. Sure, he wouldn’t have the selection Bob’s Bait Shop had, but that would be one more offering for tourists who wanted to drop a line.
Plus, frozen fish didn’t stink.
Sara flipped over to the Sweet Serenity website. Her regular customers knew she was limited on time for the next few weeks with the move and setting up her storefront. She’d already put a notice on her home page alerting customers that there might be a slight delay on orders compared to her normal one-day turnaround. Now she added a banner to the top of the page: Look for photos of the all-new Sweet Serenity storefront in September!
She closed her laptop and curled up on the blow-up mattress. For the first time in a long time, she snuggled up with excitement for the future.
The next morning, Jax rested in his usual place on the front stoop of Beachside Rentals and greeted Sara with a lick. The front door was open, but the familiar island music wasn’t playing. Sara checked the hours posted on the front door and then confirmed on her phone the time was after nine.
Inside, Jax led her to his owner, who was sleeping behind the counter, reclined in a white Adirondack chair with his feet propped on a box. Sara considered backing away slowly and exiting, but Jax gave a low bark and Jackson jumped, both sandaled feet hitting the ground at the same time.
“Sleeping on the job?” Sara quipped.
Jackson grunted and pointed a finger at Jax. “Buddy, you’re supposed to wake me before someone comes in.”
Sara laughed. “You two do this all the time?”
&
nbsp; “Naw,” Jackson said and reached his arms overhead in a stretch. “Didn’t sleep well last night and couldn’t get motivated this morning.”
Sara caught a glimpse of his tanned torso as he stretched. If his night was anything like hers, he’d been awake off and on thinking about dinner, their walk to the car and the flirtatious banter.
“You look well rested,” he said and his eyes traveled from her sandals and over the knee-length sundress she wore.
She adjusted her camera strap on her shoulder and clasped her hands in front of her. “Funny thing. I didn’t sleep well either.”
“A lot on your mind?”
She turned away before he could see the blush creep up her neck. “Go back to what you were doing. I’m taking photos around the shop.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Just pretend I’m not here.”
He put his hands on the counter and gifted her with another magnificent smile. “Impossible. Too much to do … and see.”
She held his gaze for an extra beat, and Jackson challenged her with his eyes not to look away. But she had to. The air around him seemed electrified and her gut told her she could get hurt if she didn’t dial down the attraction that was building between them.
If only he had one glaring flaw.
She looked him over. “You should be in the pictures,” she said, just as surprised by the words as he was. “Hey, let’s go do a photo shoot by the beach.”
Jackson furrowed his brow. “Now?”
Impulsiveness took over. “Sure, why not? We’ll just be across the street. Put a note on your door and forward your calls to your cell phone.”
“I don’t know how to do that.”
Sara rolled her eyes. “Add a new phone to the to-do list,” she said. “I’m sure there are plenty of senior citizens who’d love your old one.”
Jackson grinned and waved to a pile of boxes. “I should get this new snorkel gear unpacked.” He checked his watch. “And I’ve got a family coming in at eleven to rent beach bikes.”