“I can’t either. I mean it was planned, but I still can’t believe it. I’m so glad we didn’t open up the other bakery. I think it would have been a little too much.”
“Totally. I miss you guys though.”
“We miss you too, but I’m so glad you and Derek worked out.” She trailed her fingers along her extended belly and leaned back on the couch. “How is it going?”
Even the question filled me up with happiness.
“We’re doing fantastic. I don’t think I ever knew what true love felt like.”
“It’s pretty spectacular,” Gabby laughed. “Hey, I wasn’t sure if you knew about this.”
She reached into her purse and began fishing around. I glanced at Katie and watched her play with Samantha as Bodie looked on like he was a proud papa.
“Did you know about this?” Gabby handed me a newspaper clipping.
“I guess there’s a celebration of life next weekend.”
My heart sped up as I looked at the newspaper. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Mr. Gibb’s Celebration of Life at D’s Antique Gallery.
Mr. Gibbs was preceded in death by his one and only, Dorothy Gibbs. He’ll forever be indebted to the ducks that brought her to him so many decades ago. He was a true adventurer and reveled in the collecting of crap because his beloved enjoyed it so. Mr. Gibbs passed away in his home on November 1st, surrounded by friends and family, but he wanted fewer tears at his memorial and even fewer people so he asked that it be held off for exactly half-a-year, plus a month just to keep you on your toes. Come if you must, but leave with something in hand, preferably someone else’s.
Tears filled my eyes as I looked up at Gabby. I knew he was older, but I never expected this. I never thought he wouldn’t be coming in for cups of coffee and then I looked back down at the paper through blurry eyes and focused on the date, November 1st.
“This doesn’t make sense.”
“What doesn’t?” Gabby asked.
“It says he died on November 1st, but that’s not true.”
“What do you mean it’s not true?”
“He was at the bakery the week of your wedding. I remember it specifically because I’d just met Derek, and Mr. Gibbs gave me that advice about how it was better to have someone you’re fond of somewhere than have no one you’re fond of anywhere.”
She looked at me blankly.
“Remember? You saw him. You’d just come in somewhat frantic, and it was during our snowstorm. You wanted to make sure I got the Christmas decorations up. You stood there and held open the door for him, and that’s when I told you about him meeting someone.”
“Emily, he wasn’t there that day. I didn’t hold the door for him.”
“Sure you did. You were probably just too preoccupied with your wedding to notice.”
Gabby sucked on her lip and shook her head.
“No. I know I’d remember that because I remember standing in the door talking to you, but we were alone.”
“No, he walked right under your arm,” I insisted.
“No he really didn’t, hun. I would remember.”
“Then what are you saying? I imagined the entire conversation? I even made him two cappuccinos.”
“I really don’t know what to say. The paper says he passed on November 1st, and I got married in December. It just isn’t possible.”
“All things are possible. Life is full of endless possibilities.” I took a second and thought about it. “Then how in the world do I know about the ducks?”
“Ducks?” Gabby sighed, looking skeptical.
And then it clicked. Her name was Dorothy. It wasn’t a new love. It was his forever love. She was his long distance relationship.
I looked back up at Gabby who was waiting for some sort of explanation, but I knew there wasn’t one she’d understand.
“Do you mind if I keep this?” I asked.
“Not at all. I brought it for you.”
I wiped away the tears that kept spilling down my cheek when Derek walked in.
“You okay?” he asked.
Jason glanced at Gabby and walked over to her.
“Mr. Gibbs passed away.” I told Derek.
“I’m so sorry.” He knelt down and hugged me, knowing just how much Mr. Gibbs meant to me. How much his words changed my life. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have accepted life’s possibilities. I wouldn’t have tried the long distance relationship with Derek. I owed him everything.
“We owe him a lot,” Derek whispered.
“Yes, we do,” I sniffled. “Sorry, guys. Not sure what came over me.”
“He was a kind old man,” Gabby said.
“He was a wise man.” I smiled, thinking about him and Dorothy and hoped he’d finally gotten to his destination with cappuccinos in hand. After all, they’d had the longest long-distance relationship of them all.
Thank you so much for reading Beyond the Mistletoe! I hope the holiday spirit has filled your reading time and allowed you to relax during this busy season. I enjoyed writing every second of Mistletoe, and I even got to start the Christmas season early because of it.
I’ve absolutely loved writing each book in the Beyond Love Series, and I’m looking forward to revisiting all the characters in the Island County Series in the coming months. Thanks again for reading about Emily and Derek. As always, feel free to reach out. My contact information is at the end of this book.
Enjoy the Season,
Karice
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Keep Reading for excerpts from Finding Love in Forgotten Cove and Beyond Control.
Contact Karice
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About the Author
Karice received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W. She has written twenty novels, and she has several exciting projects in the works (or at least she thinks they're exciting). Karice lives in the Pacific Northwest with her awesome husband and two cute English Bulldogs. She loves anything to do with snow, and she seeks out the stuff whenever she can, especially if there's a toasty fire to read by.
Acknowledgments
I want to say a simple thank you to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all of the other avenues available for the indie publishing world. It allows the art of storytelling to continue to flourish in unexpected ways!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Finding Love in Forgotten Cove...
The last of the students shuffled out of the room, and I leaned against my desk wondering what in the world I’d signed up for. The silence wrapped around me and so did the dawning realization that I’d be stuck on the island all summer. It seemed like a good idea a few weeks ago, but once I arrived, I started having immediate doubts. Maybe teaching tenth grade summer school wasn’t the best idea to keep busy. I had more than enough to occupy myself with managing my dad’s affairs and getting his house ready to sell, but it was too late now. I’d signed a contract, and I needed to make the best of the situation. It was very clear none of the students wanted to be here and I didn’t blame them. Who would want to spend a summer indoors on the island? I needed to come up with a plan to get them interested and keep myself focused along the way.
Easier said than done.
I looked around the dull and dingy classroom and eyed the yellowed Shakespeare poster that been on the wall since I’d attended school here, and I didn’t need to count the years to know that had been a very long time ago. The beige walls were spotty from years of touch-up paint, and the only improvement I’d noticed was that the individual scarred wooden desks had been replaced with long, plastic tables. This space was dismal. I totally grasped why the kids wouldn’t want to be stuck inside this room all summer while their friends got to run around the island.
I’d always loved summers on the island, but that was before my family splintered apart with never the hope of coming back together again.
I kept in a sigh and began organizing the students’ papers in a folder. So much of this place had stayed the same. It was like going back in time and the only thing that had managed to age during the process was me. Not a very amusing thought since there were moments l still felt like a teenager inside.
A breeze swept through an open window in the classroom lifting up one of the loose papers from the desk. I reached over and snatched the sheet out of the air and plunked it back down, anchoring it with my empty coffee mug. The sound of a metal ladder clanging along the side of the brick building caught my attention, and I glanced out the window to see the most well-defined stomach peeking out from under some guy’s shirt as he climbed up the ladder. My eyes were glued to his abdomen as he reached up to work on whatever it was he was doing, and it appeared I really had been flung back into high school.
I needed to get out more.
Instead of turning my attention away, however, I kept staring at this small gift from above and trundled over to the window as he worked his way up the ladder. Complete disappointment washed over me when his shirt fell to cover his stomach, but I still stood at complete attention hoping for one last glimpse. It wasn’t until I heard a woman clearing her throat behind me that I realized how close I’d gotten to the window and the man outside it. I had no idea what had come over me.
I spun around, and my eyes met with the woman who’d hired me and two other female teachers who I’d seen around the campus.
Such was my luck.
As the embarrassment slowly permeated every ounce of my body, I noticed all of the women displayed a sort of knowing smile, but none of them said a word so I stood in place, cheeks flaming. My mind raced in every different direction to come up with a clever comeback, and of course, nothing of the sort came to mind.
“I was just checking to see what all of that ruckus was about outside,” I stuttered, knowing my fair complexion gave me away. One of the many gifts about being a redhead—I lit up like a Christmas tree. “You know…in case he was in danger or the ladder wasn’t steady. I thought I should get a closer look. It sounded pretty dire.”
“Indeed. I can understand that,” Rosa replied, still grinning. She was the principal and the woman behind getting me onboard for summer school. Her dark hair was trimmed short, and despite the warmth of summer, she wore a cream linen suit. Most teaching positions went to locals, but she had known my father and understood my situation and for that I was grateful. “We wanted to stop by and see how your first day went. You didn’t run screaming out the doors, which I take as a good sign.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Nope. Not gonna run. I’m hoping I can get the students interested in history before the summer is over. I only had a couple of texters, and I can’t say I blame them. The weather is beautiful, and I couldn’t imagine being stuck in school all summer at that age.” I smiled and heard the clank of the ladder again as it got moved along the building, but I stayed put, staring directly in front of me. I wasn’t going to fall for that trap twice, but I noticed one of the teachers looked out the window, and it was difficult not to follow her gaze.
“As the summer goes on, their attention span gets worse,” the other teacher said, stepping out from behind Rosa. She reached out her hand and I shook it. “I’m Samantha. If you need anything, I’m only two doors down.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” I nodded. “What’s your subject?”
“This summer I’m teaching biology,” Samantha replied.
The other teacher ripped her gaze away from the peep show outside and brought her eyes to mine. “I’m Tessa and I’m four doors down, across the hall. I teach math.”
Tessa was in a pair of black capri leggings and an oversized pink shirt. Her hair was in a bouncy ponytail, and her smile made me feel as if I’d known her for years. Samantha, not so much. Samantha followed Rosa’s lead and wore a white tailored suit, and I had the distinct feeling it would only be to my detriment if I asked her for any help or advice. I sensed she was a woman with an agenda and any questions would be a sign of weakness.
“Well, I hope to be able to get the kids outside,” I started.
“Off school property? That’s always a hassle and never worth the headache,” Samantha spouted.
Tessa opened her mouth as if she was going to object, but shut it quickly, locking eyes with me.
“Stop by the office on the way out, and Martha will get you all the necessary paperwork you need ahead of time if you decide to do that. I think any method that encourages the students to learn is a plus,” Rosa replied, giving me a wry smile.
Samantha looked agitated and flashed me a cold stare, and it was hard not to chuckle as Tessa rolled her eyes at Samantha’s agitation. The island dynamics were already at play.
“Well, thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to teach this summer,” I said, hoping to tidy up the classroom quickly and get to the house that had so much left to do. Every second I devoted to the home was a second closer to getting off the island.
“Don’t forget, we have an opening for full-time status this fall,” Rosa reminded me.
My stomach clenched at the thought of having to stay around any longer than the end of August. It wasn’t that I didn’t have good memories being back here, but there were also plenty of sad ones, and I doubted I was ready to relive any of them, good or bad. The sooner I could get off the island, the better.
“I appreciate the offer, but I think this assignment fits me perfectly.”
Rosa nodded, and I smiled as I watched all three women walk out. Only a few seconds passed before Tessa reappeared.
“Just ignore Samantha. That’s what we all do. She knows Rosa is going to be retiring in a few years and has decided to make it her mission to be the next principal. Not gonna happen if you ask me, which you didn’t.” Her grin widened, and I noticed what a pretty plum color her lips were naturally. In order to get anyone to see mine, I had to paint several coats of gloss on top and hope that I didn’t lick it all off before the morning was over.
“I figured something had to be going on.” I glanced out the window without even thinking and saw that the ladder had been moved but was still in view.
“It’s always a treat when he shows up,” Tessa chuckled.
“How often does he show up?” I asked.
“Not often enough.”
I laughed and reached up to close the window as the mystery man began stepping down the ladder. My fingers fumbled as I dropped the blinds right before his face appeared in the window. I could shut the window later.
“You won’t be disappointed,” Tessa explained, wiping my board down for me.
I wondered if she knew I hadn’t closed the window yet.
“With what?”
“The whole package,” she mused.
“Package?” I asked, trying to act as if I had no idea what she was referring to.
“The guy outside. He’s the complete package. One hundred and ten percent perfection.”
I shook my head. “Doubtful. No man ever is and if they are, it’s only a mirage. I’ve sworn off men completely—no matter what kind of package appears.”
Tessa threw up her hands and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m tellin’ ya. He’s really got it going on. And he’s a twin.”
I co
uldn’t help but chuckle at her latest revelation. As if being a twin was a benefit. My chest tightened, and I dropped my gaze to the desk, pushing away the guilt that flooded through me.
“Does he work at the school?” I asked.
She shook her head, her ponytail extra springy with the excitement of relaying the bits of gossip. This was one of the many things I remembered about living on the island. Word always traveled fast about a person. “He works for some construction company on the mainland.”
“Aww… I see.” I smiled as her words hit me. I’d forgotten how most of the islanders referred to Seattle and the general vicinity as the mainland. It was an entirely different world over here. The pace was slower and the smiles kinder. Maybe being here was what I needed for the summer, a way to escape the reality that had so stubbornly presented itself time and again back in New York.
“But I’ll tell you this, whenever the construction contract is up for renewal, all of our moods change as we wait to hear who’s won the bid. It happens every two years, and I can tell you it’s a real mood shifter around here. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t the main reason so many of us sign up to teach summer school.” She winked.
“It’s not for the betterment of the students?” I teased.
“Well that too. But he’s a strong second. And most of the repairs and maintenance around the campus are done in the summer. I always make sure my classroom is in tip-top shape before summer school ends and fall quarter begins.” She was almost beaming and I couldn’t help but laugh. Being around Tessa was a definite mood lifter.
“I can’t imagine why,” I replied, still smiling. “But his workout regimen certainly seems to be working well for him.” I couldn’t believe those words tumbled out. I would absolutely die if the man on the ladder knew I was in here even having a discussion like this. I wasn’t easily impressed, and I never really talked about men or the fact that I noticed them to anyone. It wasn’t my style and within a matter of hours on my job here, I got caught red-handed ogling over some stranger’s six-pack. Not my finest hour and certainly not the gossip I wanted circulating around the island. There was already enough misinformation running rampant about my family here. I needed to stay buttoned up and not let myself make any mistakes. It was the least I could do to honor my father’s memory.
Beyond the Mistletoe: A Christmas Romance (Beyond Love Book 7) Page 18