by Regina Hart
For several long moments, they held each other. Audra sighed with deep contentment. Her muscles were sweetly drained. “I’m going to sleep well tonight.”
Jack kissed her shoulder, the touch gentle with affection. “So am I.”
Audra was especially hungry Friday morning. Was it the thorough lovemaking she’d enjoyed the night before or the grueling jog with Jack she hadn’t liked as much this morning?
After their hour-long race—it hadn’t been a jog—Audra had offered to cook their breakfast. She didn’t speculate on her reason for wanting to spend her morning with the sexy rental owner or her reaction to his criminally beautiful smile. Instead, she’d crawled back to her cabin to clean up and cook.
Minutes later, Audra stepped from the shower and dried off. As she dressed in lemon yellow shorts and a lime green tank top, she realized she was humming a melody she’d never heard before. She hurried from her bedroom and found her spiral notebook where she’d left it on the coffee table. Her cellular phone chirped at her. Audra ignored it, focusing on the song in her head. She roughed the music on a fresh sheet of paper.
The chirping stopped only to begin again as she turned toward her bedroom. The caller identification read Restricted.
She answered it anyway. What the heck? I’m in a good mood. “Hello?”
“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to pick up.” Wendell’s voice teased her.
Audra’s mood took a nosedive. The troll had blocked his phone number. “I told you not to call me. Ever. Again.”
His low chuckle used to be appealing. Now it set her teeth on edge. “You didn’t mean it.”
“Actually, I did.” Audra started back to her bedroom. Her bare feet were soundless against the honey-wood flooring.
“Come on, Audra.” Wendell lowered his voice to a wheedling huskiness. “You were angry then.”
“I still am.” She pulled a comb through her hair with short, jerky motions of her right hand. Her dark brown curls were still damp from her shower.
“I handled things badly. I was wrong.”
“So was I. I thought we were in a relationship.”
“Give me a chance to make it up to you, honey.”
“Don’t call me that.” Audra tensed with remembered heartache, shame, and anger. She marched from her bedroom. “Your baby’s mother is the one you should be pleading with. She’s the one wearing your ring. Call her and stop pestering me.”
Wendell sighed. “Come home, honey. Let’s talk about this.”
A knock on the front door interrupted Audra’s tirade.
Jack!
“I told you not to call me that.” Audra pulled open the door. She offered Jack a forced smile.
Jack’s expression dimmed to concern when he saw her. His gaze swung from her cell phone back to her eyes. “Everything OK?”
Audra nodded before returning to Wendell’s call. “Good-bye.”
“Audra, wait! We need to talk. Honey, I miss you.”
Audra barely heard Wendell. She watched Jack wander farther into her cabin. Her gaze drank him in. He looked good in his navy T-shirt and gunmetal gray shorts. He looked even better naked. Audra’s body warmed at the memory.
“Stop calling me. I mean it.” Audra hung up, ignoring Wendell’s entreaties.
Jack turned to her. “Problem?”
“The ex.” She forced her mind away from the call and toward the gorgeous man in front of her. Could she kiss him? She wanted to, but they hadn’t discussed the rules of their relationship.
“Is your ex a problem?”
“No, we broke up more than a month ago.” Audra set her cell phone on the coffee table. “But I have a more important question. Are we allowed to touch each other outside of the bedroom?”
A slow smile stretched Jack’s lips and weakened Audra’s knees. “Yes.”
“I love a man of few words.” She closed the distance between them and twined her arms around his neck.
Jack settled his large hands on her waist and drew her into his body. Audra’s senses came alive. Her temperature rose; her nipples tightened; her pulse raced. All that before he even lowered his head to hers.
His lips were warm and cool, soft and firm. His taste was pure heaven. When he deepened the kiss, Audra molded her body to his. Jack held her tighter. Her head spun. She couldn’t catch her breath.
Shaken by the intensity of her feelings, Audra broke the kiss and made herself step back. She dug her short nails into the palms of her hands. “I promised you breakfast.”
“What’s on the menu?” Unasked questions hovered in Jack’s eyes.
Audra wasn’t ready to address them. She escaped into the kitchen. “Bacon, waffles, and blueberries.”
“Blueberries?”
Audra paused to look at him. Her voice was sharp with concern. “Are you allergic?”
“No, but—”
“Then don’t knock it.” Audra led the way into the kitchen.
Blueberries? Jack still had his doubts, but at least there would be bacon. “Do you need a hand?”
“Just keep me company.”
He settled on the maple chair, at the matching square kitchen table, and treated himself to the pleasure of watching Audra. She was dressed in sunshine with her bright yellow shorts and green top. She moved around the kitchen with efficiency, collecting the makings of their breakfast. In moments, bacon sizzled in the frying pan, waffles browned in the toaster, and coffee brewed in its machine.
Jack let Audra steer the conversation with light topics: their morning jog, fishing, and what they each planned to do today. But as she fixed their plates, his curiosity got the better of him.
“Whose idea was the breakup?” He stood to take their breakfast plates to the table.
Thankfully, Audra didn’t pretend not to understand his question. She set a mug of coffee beside his plate. “Mine.”
He’d suspected as much. “Why?”
Jack took his seat and sipped his coffee. She’d remembered he took it black with only one sugar. Every time he was with her, it got harder for that stubborn block of ice to remain around his heart.
Audra settled on the chair across from him. She sketched circles of syrup all over her waffles, then passed the bottle to Jack. “It was a combination of things—his fiancée and their unborn child.”
Jack’s brows lifted. “I see.”
“It took me a while, but so did I.” Audra sliced into her waffles.
Jack picked up a blueberry and examined it suspiciously. “Did you confront him?”
Audra sipped her coffee. “Wendell—”
“‘Wendell’? That’s his name?”
Audra ignored his interruption. “He said they’d broken off their engagement.”
“But you didn’t believe him?”
Audra gave him a wry smile. “You didn’t see the ring.”
“Suppose there hadn’t been a ring?” Jack ate the blueberry. It wasn’t bad.
Audra shook her head as she chewed a forkful of waffles. She added a blueberry. “I don’t deal in hypotheticals. The fact is, there’s a ring. There’s a fiancée and she’s pregnant with Wendell’s child. He told me he cared about me, but all the while, he was leading a double life.”
“So the problem is you don’t trust him?”
Audra frowned. “Could you?”
“No.”
“We both got into a relationship with people we couldn’t trust. What does that say about us?”
“It says more about the people we trusted. Do you think you could ever trust him again?”
Audra stabbed a blueberry with her fork. “Hiding a fiancée who’s pregnant with your child is a pretty big lie.”
Jack ate a slice of bacon as he considered Audra. “What if Wendell told you his engagement was a mistake? Would you take him back?”
Audra shook her head. “He’d be leaving more than a fiancée. I couldn’t let him walk away from his baby.”
Jack pressed her. “Suppose he agreed to
take care of his child, but he wanted to marry you? Would you take him back then?”
Audra frowned. “Why are you asking these questions? I thought we were going to keep our summer romance light?”
He didn’t understand his persistence, either. Audra wasn’t Kerry. She hadn’t cheated on her boyfriend. It was the other way around. She was the injured party. Still, he wanted to know whether Wendell was history.
Jack shrugged. “Just curious. Would you give him another chance?”
Audra met his gaze. “What would you do if your ex-wife returned? If she told you she’d made a mistake. She’s still in love with you and wants you to forgive her. Would you give her another chance?”
Jack tensed. He pushed his plate aside. “Do you think our situations are the same?”
“I didn’t say that. Your wife didn’t just leave you.”
Jack’s eyes never wavered from Audra’s. “I know. She left our daughter, too. For that, I could never forgive her. What does that make me?”
Audra leaned toward him. “Your situation doesn’t define you. Other people can’t do that, either. Only you can define you.”
Jack crossed his arms. “Is that some sort of New Age crap?”
“No, it’s not. How do you see yourself?”
Jack wanted to squirm under Audra’s intense regard. It took some effort to remain still. “You and half the people in this town say I’ve become the Beast in that fairy tale.”
“That was before I got to know you.”
“And now?” Jack steeled himself for her answer.
“I see a loving father who’s coping with his grief the best he can.”
It wasn’t pity he saw in her eyes. It was admiration. Jack didn’t want pity, but he didn’t deserve admiration. He wasn’t anybody’s hero. But Audra made him feel as though he could be.
CHAPTER 10
Audra’s afternoon trips to Books & Bakery had become her drug of choice. Trinity Falls Fudge Walnut Brownies were her addiction. After purchasing a copy of Friday’s The Trinity Falls Monitor, she lingered in the book stacks, considering the romances, mysteries, and sweeping epic fantasies. She paused when she happened across a familiar author, then moved on when she realized she’d already read that novel. The scents of sugar, chocolate, and coffee grew stronger as she neared the bakery.
How did Jack stand sequestering himself in Harmony Cabins day in and day out for months? She’d been like that in Los Angeles. But she couldn’t imagine living that way anymore. She was tired of being afraid to try new things and go to new places. She’d changed her location and her perspective.
“You’re just the woman I’d hoped to see.” Doreen greeted Audra as she finally made her way to the counter.
Audra raised a hand, palm out. “First, I owe you an apology. My name isn’t Penny. It’s Audra. I’m sorry I misled you about my identity.”
“I understand that you don’t want people to recognize you, but that’s what I wanted to talk with you about.” Doreen lowered her voice. “Rumor has it that you’re in the music industry.”
“The rumor’s true.” Audra slid onto a bar stool opposite the baker. The dining area was moderately full. Only one or two cozy tables were free. “Why are we whispering?”
“I thought your identity was a secret.” Doreen poured her a mug of coffee.
“That was Benita’s idea. Benita Hawkins is my business manager.”
“Of course.” Doreen nodded. “She was bossy as a child.”
Audra’s lips curved with amusement. “She still is.”
“She doesn’t return to Trinity Falls often. When she does, she doesn’t stay long, but I can tell she hasn’t changed.” Doreen hesitated nervously. “Do you know any singers who might be willing to perform at our sesquicentennial celebration?”
“I’ll ask around.” Audra added cream and sweetener to her coffee. “Why don’t you check with Benita?”
“I did.” Doreen gave her a bashful smile. “When I told her our budget, she laughed.”
That also sounded like her business manager. Nothing motivated Benita like the almighty dollar.
Audra sipped her coffee. “What’s your budget?” Doreen named an amount that made Audra wince. She thought about the up-and-coming singers she knew. “I might be able to find someone who would perform for that. But it won’t be a big-name star, and you’ll have to pay expenses, travel, and lodging.”
Doreen gave her a grateful look. “We can handle that. Thank you for agreeing to help.”
“The performer will also need a band.”
Doreen brightened. “The university has a concert band.”
Audra’s brows quirked. “Are they any good?” “They earned first place in last year’s regional concert competition.”
Audra wasn’t convinced. “I’ll have to hear them before we make any final arrangements.”
“Fair enough.” Doreen sounded relieved. “Now what can I get for you?”
“How are the Trinity Falls Fudge Walnut Brownies today?”
“Just as moist and delicious as they are every day.”
Audra could barely wait. “May I have one?”
“Coming right up. I’ve got a fresh batch in the oven.” Doreen disappeared into the kitchen.
Audra perused The Trinity Falls Monitor. Her breath caught in her throat. A large photo of Jack stared up at her from page two beneath the title FOUNDER’S GREAT-GREAT-GRANDSON HEADLINES MAIN EVENT. She became lost in the article, learning about Ezekiel Sansbury’s trials and triumphs while founding Trinity Falls, Jack’s parents’ contributions to the town, and Jack’s efforts to protect his family’s legacy.
“Mind if we join you?” Darius’s voice interrupted her.
Audra looked up as he settled onto a bar stool beside her. “Not at all. I want to apologize for misleading you about my name. It’s not Penny. It’s Audra.”
Quincy shook his head. “We understand.”
“It was Benita’s idea, wasn’t it?” Ramona took the stool to Darius’s right and Quincy sat beside her. “Jack told Darius she was your business manager and that she’d made your reservation to the cabins. She’s always been a bossy know-it-all.”
Audra silently agreed. Relieved, she turned back to Darius. “I was just enjoying your interview with Jack.”
“Thank you.” Darius gave her a slow smile that made her wonder how many hearts he’d broken.
Audra tapped the paper. “I feel as though I know him a lot better now.”
Ramona rolled her eyes. “Don’t feed his ego.”
Audra smiled at the other woman’s warning. “I also didn’t realize he was your boss.”
Quincy laughed out loud. “I don’t think Darius acknowledges he has one.”
Darius leaned forward to see his friend. “Since Jack’s the publisher of the Monitor, I know he’s my boss.”
Audra looked around. “Where’s Ean?”
Quincy inclined his head toward the opposite side of the store. “He’s getting Megan.”
Quincy and Ramona, Ean and Megan. Did Darius have someone special?
Doreen returned with a tray of Trinity Falls Fudge Walnut Brownies. “I thought you all would be here by now.”
She placed one plate in front of Audra and gave the others to Darius, Ramona, and Quincy. The final brownie was put to rest in front of an empty chair, presumably for Ean.
Doreen pinned Quincy and Ramona with a stern look as she filled their mugs with coffee. “It’s already mid-July. We can’t put off plans for your going-away party any longer.”
Ramona cut a small slice of brownie with her fork. “Don’t look at me. I’ve been trying to get him to help me with the planning for months.”
Doreen tsked. “You’re not supposed to plan your own send-off. That’s what friends are for.”
“That’s what friends are for.” Audra nodded at Doreen’s sentiment.
Quincy forked up his pastry. “You’re already planning the town’s sesquicentennial. Don’t worry about thro
wing a party for us.”
Ramona gaped at him. “Speak for yourself. I want a party, especially if I don’t have to plan it.”
Who wouldn’t? Audra took another bite of brownie, reminding herself to get one for Jack. Perhaps she could use it to lure him back to town.
Megan added her voice to the chorus. “Quincy, we’re not going to let you leave next month unless you let us throw you and Ramona a party.”
The bookstore owner joined Doreen behind the counter. Megan looked as though she’d stepped off the cover of Forbes magazine. Her emerald green skirt suit complemented her tall, slender figure. Her warm honey skin glowed.
Ean sank onto the stool beside Quincy. “Megan’s right. And Mom isn’t going to arrange the party by herself. We’ll help.”
“It must be hard, leaving friends who care so much for you.” Audra spoke without thinking.
Darius drained his coffee. “We grew up together. You must have friends you’re close to back in L.A.”
How had she lost touch with her friends over the years? “My industry is too competitive for real friendships, but I’m enjoying yours.”
Ramona looked around. “So what were you thinking? Flashing lights, streamers, a live band, confetti?”
Darius snorted. “Flashing lights? Are you going with a disco theme?”
Quincy sighed. “A live band? Really?”
Ramona turned to him. “Why not? Aren’t we worth it?”
“No.” Darius bit into his dessert.
Ramona glared at the reporter. “No one’s talking to you.”
Darius shrugged. “When has that stopped me from volunteering my opinions?”
Audra smothered a grin. “I like the idea of flashing lights. It’s very retro.”
Quincy rested his hand on Ramona’s fist. “Calm down, honey. This isn’t your wedding.”
A flush pinkened Ramona’s cheeks. “Are you proposing?”
Quincy grunted, retrieving his hand. He turned back to his brownie. “When I propose, we won’t be surrounded by other people.”
Ramona grinned. “You said ‘when’ you propose.”
A blush darkened Quincy’s brown cheeks. “No, I didn’t.”
Ramona poked a finger into his arm. “Yes, you did. I heard you.”