Moonstruck Marine
Quinn Valley Ranch
Kirsten Osbourne
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Also by Kirsten Osbourne
About the Author
One
Melinda Chase leaned forward as she talked about her plans for the restaurant she now managed. “I really want to do more with it than Michael ever did. I don’t think he ever really saw the potential, and I do.” Her voice was both professional and earnest as she tried to convince the owner to let her do the things she knew would make it better.
Bob Quinn, owner of the restaurant and the hotel it resided in, tilted his head to one side as he listened. “I think that sounds reasonable. What do you have in mind?”
“Let’s make it the fanciest restaurant in Quinn Valley. Even your family goes to the pub or out of town for a night out. Why not bring them here? I think we upscale the menu. Steak, lobster, better quality meals. We’ll keep a good house burger and some chicken fingers for the kiddos and more plebian tastes, but I want the restaurant to reflect the rest of this beautiful resort you’ve made here. With four restaurants here, you need one that serves a better cuisine.”
Bob’s lips quirked into a smile. “It is pretty incredible, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it really is! I’ve never seen anything like it. And the restaurant is just a place where people plop down after a day at the pool—if they don’t head out and go to the pizza place or some other random restaurant in town.” Melinda shook her head. “We need this to be a sanctuary people want to come to for celebrations, not where people wear their wet swimsuits.” She frowned for a moment. “About that—”
Bob jumped up at that moment. “Bobling! You’re finally home!”
A man in a Marine’s uniform walked to Bob and hugged him tight. “Hi, Dad.”
Melinda watched them closely, having heard more about Bobling than she’d ever wanted to know about anyone.
“Your mother is going to go insane. You’re a day earlier than expected.”
Bobling shrugged. “Isn’t that what you taught me? Never do what people expect of you, or you’ll get into a rut? Under-promise and over-deliver?”
“It sure is. You look good.” Bob looked over at Melinda, who was watching them. “This is Melinda. She’s taking over the restaurant here at the hotel, and we’re discussing options.”
Bobling smiled at Melinda. “Hi. I’m Jake.”
Melinda blinked a couple of times. “I’ve heard you referred to as Bobling for the entire two years I’ve worked here.”
“Jake. Please.” He sat down beside Melinda in another chair. “I’d love to be part of the discussion on what to do with the restaurant.”
Bob took his chair behind the desk again. “You’ve never shown much of an interest in the hotel before.”
“I’m home now. I’ll be showing a lot of interest in things that will surprise you.” Bobling—no, Jake—turned toward Melinda. “I’d like to see some vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. So many people come to this area to get healthier, and I think we’ll find they sell quite well. Also, some good lean cuts of meat, prepared without oil and using little salt. Then my dad can eat there without worrying too much. So maybe you do a vegetarian menu, with things that are also vegan clearly marked, and a heart healthy menu on top of the other things you’re planning.”
Melinda grinned at him. “I was just about to get there in my plans for the restaurant.” She was surprised to hear Bobling’s ideas for the place, because she hadn’t expected to like him. He’d been built up too much in her mind by everyone around her. “I want to change the name, Bob.”
Bob frowned at her. “I like the name Bob’s Restaurant.”
“I’m sure you do, but it doesn’t bring people in. I’m thinking Impressions. I want people to leave with a good impression. I know you like the casual restaurants in the hotel, Bob, but even the employees don’t eat there.”
Bob sighed. “You think all these changes would be good for the bottom line?”
“I think they’d be wonderful.” She caught sight of Jake nodding out of the corner of her eye. “Your son agrees with me.”
“My son has always agreed with beautiful women. Especially ones who smell like food all the time. You should see how close he is to his mother.” Bob leaned back in his chair with his hands folded in front of him. “Let’s do it. I’ll think about some advertising for it as well.”
“Dad, let me do the advertising. I know what will sell it. And when can I start at the workout center? I’m ready to start helping people.”
Melinda turned to Jake, her interest piqued. “Wait . . . what are you going to be doing in the workout center?”
“Personal training. It probably won’t appeal to a lot of the guests, but it will appeal to people in town. Lots of them get memberships to the workout center from what I recall.”
Bob frowned. “That’s changed in recent years. It’s never used now.”
Melinda ignored Bob as she faced his son, feeling her excitement building. “Really? I want a session first thing Monday morning, if you have time available.”
He laughed. “You’re the first person I’ve talked to about it, so sure. You let me know what time, and I’ll make you sweat.”
“Let’s say nine. I have to work at eleven, but I can do an hour with you, and then hit the showers.” Melinda was excited to work out with him for a multitude of reasons. She wanted to get healthy, but more than that, she wanted to spend more time with the mysterious Bobling she’d heard so much about. But Bobling’s mystery had nothing on Jake’s sexiness.
“Perfect. I’ll see you at nine, then.” He got to his feet, holding his hand out to his father. “I’m going to head out. My master sergeant got out of the Marines the same day I did, and he wants me to show him around town. I talked about it so much that he’s interested in settling here.”
“Fresh blood is exactly what Quinn Valley needs. Look at Melinda here. She’s looking at something I didn’t realize was broken, and she’s finding ways to fix it. Yup. New people are needed in this valley of ours.” Bob looked at his son for a moment. “Plan on being at the house around seven for supper. We’ll surprise your mother.”
“I’m sure she already knows I’m here, Dad.”
“She’ll pretend to be surprised, then!” Bob watched as his son left, finally sitting back down and looking at Melinda. “I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me to see that boy back in Quinn Valley where he belongs.”
Melinda smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about him during the years I’ve worked here. Now, let’s talk about the restaurant’s décor . . . it’s perfect for being a place where people lounge after swimming, but it’s not good for people who want to take their love out for a nice night on the town . . .”
Jake walked through a couple of long hallways to get to the lobby of the hotel. As soon as he was there, he spotted Jackson. Raising one hand in greeting, he smiled and strode toward the other man, who was still in uniform as well, stopping before the other man and saluting. “Sarge.”
Jackson saluted back, and then he grinned, grasping Jake’s hand. “If you’d reenlisted, you’d have had my job.”
“Oh, no one could replace you, sir.” Jake smiled. “Let’s go see my little town.”
“It’s not quite what I expected. The way you talked, I was expecting there to be double rainbows leading you to the center of town, a golden sidewalk, and leprechauns throwing luck at you wherev
er you went. And none of the houses even have golden roofs. It’s definitely not living up to my expectations.”
Jake laughed. “It’s home, sir. I think everyone feels the way about their home that I do.” He walked out toward the parking lot. “I know this town, so we’ll take my truck.”
“This is the only time I’m going to let you get away with driving me anyway, Jake.”
Jake stopped short when a very pregnant woman dropped something on the floor.
“Bobling!” she squealed, throwing herself at him with gusto, ignoring the papers she’d dropped.
“Roxie!” He threw his arms around her, picking her up with ease and spinning her in a circle. “How’s my favorite nephew doing?”
Roxie rolled her eyes. “Better than his mother, who feels like she’s dying any minute. Are we all doing dinner at the parents’ tonight? To welcome the prodigal son home from his mission far away?”
“Of course we are. Dad’s trying to hide from Mom that I’m here, but we both know how well that’s going to work.”
“I don’t know . . . if I hadn’t seen recent pictures of you, I’m not sure I would have recognized you.”
Jake laughed, knowing he’d bulked up and looked a lot better than the teenage boy who had left so long before. “Well, I have my sergeant waiting for me, so I’d better move on.” He leaned down and kissed Roxie’s cheek. “We have years’ worth of memories to catch up on tonight.” He bent over, picked up everything she’d been carrying, and handed it all back to her. “Take care of that baby.”
“Oh, I will.” Roxie took her things and waddled off. She walked very quickly as she waddled, but it was definitely a waddle. He would do his best not to tell her that, though. In a way, she reminded him of the old Weebles that children had played with. His mother had some from her childhood that he and his siblings had often enjoyed. They wobbled, but they could never tip over. He sure hoped Roxie wouldn’t tip over while she was so big.
“Bobling, huh?” Jackson asked, a huge grin on his face.
Jake rolled his eyes, groaning softly. “Yes. Unfortunately. My dad’s a Bob, so when they named me Robert Junior, everyone started calling me Bobling. It’s awful, and I absolutely refuse to let anyone keep going with that name. I feel like I should order a ‘Hello, my name is sticker’ . . . or maybe a whole pack of them.” They continued walking toward his truck, and he stopped beside it. “It’s just a rental for today. I’m buying a truck as soon as I get the chance.” He slipped into the driver’s seat. “I’m just going to give you the quick tour. We could easily walk it, but I’m a civilian now, and I can drive if I feel like it.” He knew he would get sick of driving and want to walk again in a week or two, but for that moment, it felt good to not have to walk everywhere.
Jackson shrugged. “Just don’t let yourself get soft, Marine!”
“I’ll do my very best.” He started the drive down Main Street, commenting on the different businesses along the way. He planned to skip right over Earth Mother, but Jackson spotted it.
“What is that place?” Jackson asked, staring in wonder. Probably because there were now phallic-shaped crystals in the window of the store. Jake couldn’t help but wonder if Ambrosia even knew what they were.
“It’s a crystal shop owned by . . . well, I’ll let you see for yourself.” He parallel parked on the street in front of the store and got out. “Come on.”
Jackson jumped out of the passenger side. “I don’t know what is drawing me to this place so completely, but I feel like I have to see it.”
Jake wondered if it was the penises in the window, but he said nothing. Opening the door, he walked in and looked around him. It was different than he remembered, but that was no surprise at all. Ambrosia rearranged everything in the place every other week, it seemed. As if thinking her name had made her appear, Ambrosia flitted into the room, wearing something that looked straight out of the sixties. The backroom was sectioned off by beads of all things.
“How may I help you today?” Ambrosia asked, sounding mysterious. Or at least trying to sound mysterious. Jake knew she put on that voice for tourists.
Jackson stared at her in awe. “I’m interested in buying a couple of rocks,” he said.
“Rocks? We don’t sell rocks here!” Ambrosia sounded offended that he would call her precious merchandise something as pedestrian as rocks. “These are all crystals, and each one has a tiny little fairy who lives inside. The fairies decide who should know about the powers held by each crystal. Let me show you.”
Jackson followed her as if mesmerized. “I think I’m in love,” he whispered to Jake, who wanted to check his temperature. “Please, show me anything you think might interest me, including your phone number.”
Ambrosia smiled at him, but she looked a little alarmed as well. She probably hadn’t been asked for her phone number by a man she’d just met in more than twenty years. “I think your heart chakra should be opened more before you can think about getting my phone number.” She pulled a heart-shaped pink rock—crystal, Jake reminded himself—out of a display case and handed it to Jackson. “This is rose quartz, and its whole purpose is healing hearts, both figuratively and physically. You see, the rose quartz has been gifted with the ability to open a person’s heart in a way that nothing else can.” She looked down at the stone in her hand with a smile. “Just imagine what the fairy in the crystal would say to you if you had the ability to hear it. You see, the fairies only talk to worthy people. Are you worthy?”
“I’ll take it,” Jackson said. “If you think my heart needs to be opened, then that’s just what I’ll do.” He leaned on the display case, moving closer toward her, while Jake watched in awe and fear for his friend. “How ’bout dinner tonight?”
“I eat dinner every night,” Ambrosia said primly. “I’ll wrap this for you?”
“How about eating dinner with me tonight?” he asked. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
“I’m not sure. You’re a virtual stranger to me.”
Jake knew he had to vouch for his friend, though he didn’t think anything good could possibly come of it. “Miss Ambrosia, you know me. I’m Bob Quinn’s boy, Jake.”
“Bob Quinn’s boy is Bobling,” she argued.
Jake sighed. “Well, I was Bobling as a boy, but I started using my middle name in the military, and that’s Jacob, shortened to Jake.” He hated having to explain why he had a normal name. What was wrong with this town? He loved it, but the people were set in their ways. There was no doubt about that. “Jackson here was my commanding officer in the Marines. He’s as good a man as you’ll ever meet. I think if you want to go to supper with him, it will be perfectly safe.”
Ambrosia pursed her lips, looking at Bobling. “I like the name Bobling. It makes you sound like a little duck off the old block.”
“That’s fine, ma’am, but consider my friend.” Jake knew he couldn’t let her get lost in discussing his name, because she would never give Jackson an answer if she did that.
Jackson took Ambrosia’s hand in his. “Please let me take you to supper tonight. I promise it will be the most wonderful evening of your entire life.”
“Don’t think you can talk me out of my flower, just because you’re a charmer, Mr. Jackson.”
“It’s Jackson James, ma’am, but you can call me anything you want. Heck, if you want to call me Bobling, I’ll answer to it.”
“Why would I want to call you Bobling?” she asked. “You are a very confusing man.” Ambrosia frowned at him as if he was a child who needed to be reprimanded.
Jackson nodded emphatically. “I know I am. I’m very sorry for that. I’ll try to be less confusing over supper . . .”
Ambrosia sighed. “Will you leave me alone to finish cleaning my store if I say yes?”
“Oh, yes. I’d be happy to.”
“All right. My store closes promptly at six, and you may pick me up then.” She eyed him for a moment. “I promise you that I will be wearing my protective cryst
als, though. I need to guard my heart against men like you.”
“I think you’d probably want to guard your flower, too, ma’am.” He winked at her. “I’ll see you at six, then. I’ll probably be parked outside at quarter ’til, just to avoid being late.”
Jake couldn’t believe his eyes. In his whole life, he didn’t remember anyone ever dating Ambrosia, and Jackson, one of the most logical and levelheaded men he had ever met, wanted to go out with her? The world felt as if it had spun on its axis. “Goodbye, Miss Ambrosia!” he said with a wave, wanting to get the heck out of Dodge. The woman was scaring him.
When they got back to the truck, he looked over at Jackson, who had a glassy-eyed look to him. “Have you been drinking this morning?” he asked.
Jackson shook his head adamantly. “Of course not. You know I’m not a big drinker.”
“So, you’re going out with Ambrosia tonight . . .” Jake needed a reason for the strange behavior, but he wasn’t sure if he was going to get one. Jackson probably had no idea what he’d just done.
“And every other night I can talk her into it until she agrees to be my wife. Do you know of anyone in town selling a house? It looks like I need to buy one . . .” Jackson had a silly little grin on his face that was truly frightening to Jake.
“I hope you’re happy with her. I’ll ask around about a house.”
“Oh, trust me. No one will be happier.”
Jake finished the tour of the town, showing him different Quinn-owned businesses. “I would try to go to the pub tonight, if she likes that idea,” he said when they passed it. “Best food in town, and the atmosphere is fun. There’s usually a live band playing.”
Jackson nodded, making a note in his phone. “I will ask her if she wants to come here, then. Any other suggestions?”
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