by Anthology
“Come on,” Trent said to her. “You can admit it now. It’s been two months, and the Springs has been good for business. Hasn’t it?”
Sam wrinkled her nose at him and refilled Carmen and Dylan’s glasses from the jug on the table instead of answering him.
“He’s right,” Archer chimed in. “And you know I hate admitting that.”
Trent nodded and his grin widened.
“Okay, okay.” Sam gave in. “You were right. The resort has been good. We’ve been busier than ever and although I still have some catching up to do, things actually look good.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Dylan raised his glass.
The circle of friends all toasted to the success of the Springs, to their town and to friends, new and old.
“So,” Beth said with a sly smile in Sam’s direction. “I heard a rumor.”
“Oh yeah?” Carmen leaned forward.
“Yup.” Beth turned and pinned Sam with her gaze. “I heard there’s a certain hotel suite that’s empty most nights.”
Both Sam and Trent blushed, but it was Trent who finally said, “I’m trying to convince our girl here to move up to the resort with me.”
“No way,” Sam cut in. “I need to be here at the bar. Trent’s moving down here.”
“Is he?” Dylan tilted his head and gave his brother a wry grin.
“No.”
“Yes.”
They both spoke at the same time before locking eyes in a stare down that held more heat than was probably appropriate around friends.
“Looks like I started something.” Beth laughed and raised her glass to her lips before putting it down and calling out, “Rhys. You’re here.”
Everyone turned to look in the direction of Rhys Anderson, the local sheriff, and good friend, who was making his way around the back of the building to the deck.
“Hey buddy.” Archer pulled up a chair for him, and Rhys dropped his large frame in it.
For Rhys, it had been a long week. And it wasn’t over yet. He still had at least another hour left before he could relax for the evening and have a beer with his friends. A much anticipated beer. As it was, he’d have to settle for some good company and maybe if he was lucky, some of Archer’s nachos.
“Good to see you guys,” he said, and meant it. With the afternoon sun shining down on you while you gazed out over the lake and caught up with your buddies, there was nowhere better to be.
Trent, Sam, Carmen and Dylan, his two newest friends, greeted him with a wave and a smile. Beth gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek when he sat down next to her. There was a time when he thought he’d end up marrying Beth, but things changed as they tended to do when you were kids, and now they were just good friends. He watched her from the corner of his eye. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. Maybe there was still a chance for them?
He didn’t have time to dwell on the thought, because before he knew it, he was swept up in the conversation and a beer was placed in front of him.
“Not for me.” He pushed it away. “I still have an hour on my shift.”
“And you think you’re going to get a call in the next hour?” Dylan asked. “In this sleepy little town?”
“Sleepy?” Rhys scoffed. “Maybe once it was. But ever since you boys showed up…”
Trent gave him a friendly punch on the arm. “You love it,” he said. “It gives you something to do.”
Rhys nodded and accepted the iced tea Sam handed him instead. “I do.” He held up his drink to toast before taking a large gulp.
“I think what you really love is handing out speeding tickets to innocent drivers.” Trent peered over his sunglasses at him.
“Only you, buddy,” Rhys fired back at Trent. “And maybe not so innocent.” In the eight weeks since they’d met and the resort had officially opened, Trent had managed to score two speeding violations and an impressive four warnings. “If you’re not careful, you’re going to set some sort of record.”
Sam shot her boyfriend a look and turned back to Rhys. “Want something to eat?”
“I’d love something. But you don’t have to—”
But she was already up from the table. “For Cedar Springs finest?” She gave him a knowing smile. Rhys wasn’t about to turn his nose up to food. Especially since he’d barely had enough time to stop at the grocery store, let alone cook anything for himself. If he had any culinary skills at all. Which he didn’t.
“Thanks, Sam.” He smiled. “I’d really appreciate it.”
She waved away his thanks. “I’ll be right back.”
“And get Archer out here,” Beth called after her.
The group lapsed into easy conversation and when Archer and Sam rejoined them, the talk turned to the resort and how busy everyone was keeping things at the Springs running smoothly. All except Sam, who had her hands full with her pub and the increased business she’d experienced, too.
“I have to admit,” Sam said. “And you know I won’t say this again.” She narrowed her eyes at Trent before continuing. “You were right. The resort was good for business.”
“I knew it.” He jumped to his feet and did a ridiculous fist pump. “She never admits when she’s wrong.”
“I didn’t say I was wrong.” Sam held up a finger. “Just that you were right. There is a distinct difference.”
“Uh huh.” Beth rolled her eyes and they all laughed.
“Well, I’m glad the Grizzly Paw is doing so well,” Carmen declared. “Because there is no better place in town to come and enjoy the summer sun.”
“Not even the—”
“Not even the pools at the Springs,” Carmen interrupted Dylan. “I love it there, but there’s nothing like the lake in the summer.”
“And good friends,” Dylan added.
“Too bad summer’s almost over and I’ve barely had time to enjoy it,” Rhys mused.
Carmen groaned. “No. Don’t rush it. It may be the end of August, but surely it’ll stay hot for a bit, won’t it?”
Sam shrugged. “It’s hard to tell in the mountains. If we’re lucky, it might stay nice.”
“Well, we better get lucky,” Carmen said and Dylan wiggled his eyebrows.
Rhys laughed along with the others. “I’m with you, Carmen. I need a—”
“Officer Anderson?” His radio crackled with the familiar voice of Janice, the police dispatcher. He tried to stifle his sigh while everyone at the table groaned their sympathy.
“I’m here, Janice. What’s up?”
“There’s been an…”
“Come in?” Rhys hit the button on his radio. “I didn’t copy, Janice.”
“Granite and Pine.” The voice crackled.
He’d heard enough. It was only a few blocks away. Heck, everything in Cedar Springs was only a few blocks away. He shoved up from the table. “Gotta go,” he said to his friends.
“I hope it’s not serious.” Concern shone in Beth’s eyes, and for a minute, the old idea that maybe she had feelings for him flashed through his head. He shook it away. Even if by some miracle she did care about him after all these years of him pining for her, he could honestly say he didn’t feel the same way anymore. Did he?
No. He’d moved on years ago. She might always have the power to make his head turn, but his heart was his own again.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he said to Beth. “There may be a lot more people in town all of a sudden, but we don’t have big city drama yet.”
“We’ll be waiting, buddy,” Archer called. “I promise to save you a beer.”
He waved in their direction and hopped down off the deck, speaking into his radio at the same time. “On my way, Janice.”
He’d told his friends that there was no big city crime in Cedar Springs…and there wasn’t, yet. It was just a matter of time. Although he had a pretty good guess that he was only heading into a minor situation, his heart still picked up the pace and he could feel the excitement starting to build. Despite trying to get clarifi
cation from Janice over the radio, nothing but static had come back. He had to see about getting those radios fixed. He liked to know what was going on, never mind the fact that it was a security issue.
It only took a few minutes to make the quick drive to the corner of Granite and Pine. Rhys didn’t bother putting on the sirens or lights, but as he pulled up behind the stalled car, its hood up and flashers on, he kept his hand on his weapon.
THE END
If you enjoyed Summer of Change, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the next in the series, Falling Into Forever. You can download it now!
Thank you so much for taking a chance on Summer of Change. I absolutely believe the mountains are a magical place and they hold a very special place in my heart. The love continues at The Springs with Falling Into Forever, the next in the series.
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~ ~
Residing in the Alberta Foothills with her husband and twins, Elena escapes to the mountains as often as possible and can often be found sitting by the lake plotting her next story.
Besides her fiction projects, Elena has been published in multiple Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, as well as the Seal Press anthology, How to Put a Car Seat on a Camel- and other misadventures traveling with children.
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Caught Up in Her
Book #0.5 in the New York Times and USA Today
Bestselling Caught Up in Love series
A prequel novella
by
Lauren Blakely
Website ~ Facebook ~ Newsletter
Caught Up in Her
Bryan Leighton never expected to fall madly in love with his best friend’s sister. But that’s exactly what happened that fateful summer when she walked into his life. It was a sweet romance so perfect it could have been scripted by Hollywood. They kissed in the back row of the movie theater, on the beach at night, even on the quiet streets of her hometown when no one was looking. But can a first love survive past the first summer?
Caught Up in Her is a prequel novella in the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Caught Up in Love series. NOTE: This is a retelling of the summer romance in Bryan’s point of view for the first time.
CHAPTER ONE
Five Years Ago
I’m not going to say it was love at first sight when I met her. I don’t believe in that. I don’t think anyone should. Because love isn’t about falling for someone’s looks. Though she had that. Believe me, she had that. She was beautiful in every single way, from her dark, wavy hair to her gorgeous brown eyes, to the soft curves of her body. But that’s not why I fell so hard for her that summer.
She took my breath away for reasons that had nothing to do with her looks. It was the coffee, the movies, the conversations, the popcorn, the walks through the small town, the nights on the beach with the waves rolling in, the way I could hold her hand and feel as if the world had simply melted away and we were all that was left. So, there was no love-at-first-sight. That would come later, and if it happened first it would take away all the reasons that stayed with me for the next five years.
But when I stepped out of the car that fateful day and set eyes on Kat Harper, it was more like possibility at first sight.
I saw possibilities unfolding, unfurling before me, and I felt the start of something. I knew it from the way my heart thrummed against my chest, and my mind whirred with thoughts of the next two weeks at her house.
Only, it wasn’t going to be just the two of us.
More like the three of us.
Kat and me. And her brother Nate.
Yeah, that was kind of the problem. You’re not supposed to fall for your best friend’s little sister.
But really, I had no choice.
* * *
Bruce Springsteen rattled through the stereo system of Nate’s car as we turned onto the exit ramp, listening to The Boss as the sun beat down hard through the windshield. “Man, we need to enjoy these last few weeks of freedom,” Nate said. He’d been my roommate throughout most of college at NYU and then during the MBA program. “The Boss would want us to.”
“You act like we’re in chains. We just have jobs. You know. A J-O-B. That thing you have to get when you finish business school,” I joked.
“You do. I don’t.”
“You have one more interview. You’re going to get the gig,” I said since he’d been talking to a tech company and was this close to landing a coveted junior position.
“If I get another interview. And I know I’m lucky to even be in the running. But, c’mon, this is the last time we’re really free,” he pointed out as he slowed at the light.
“Hate to break it to you, but if you were thinking about having two weeks to party, we should have gone to Mexico or something. Not your parents’ house to run their store.”
Nate laughed. “Okay fine. You got me on that.”
“Sounds like they could use a break though,” I said, as he turned down the street.
Nate glanced at me, hands on the wheel, a serious look in his eyes. “Yeah, they definitely can. I appreciate you helping my sister and me out. My mom hasn’t had any time off since the car accident,” he said. His mom had endured multiple surgeries and physical therapy after a car crash two years ago, Nate had told me. She was finally doing better, and to celebrate her recovery, she and her husband were taking a few weeks off at a lake house in Maine. They ran a little gift shop in the tourist town so our role as newly minted MBA-ers was to make sure the operations at their shop, Mystic Landing, ran smoothly. “It’s least I can do seeing as how they paid for college with that store,” Nat said. “And Mystic Landing will be the bank for Kat to go to NYU too.”
Nate had told me plenty about her in the years I’d known him. Well, to the degree that any guy talks about his sister – I knew she loved movies, was whip smart, and liked to make jewelry.
“She’s following in our footsteps going to the same school,” I said.
“You can warn her about all the professors and classes she needs to avoid.”
“That’s what I want to do. Spend the next two weeks telling your sister what to do and not do in college,” I said dryly.
“Just keep your paws off her,” he joked. “That’s all I ask.”
I held up my hands in surrender. “I’ve got no plans whatsoever to hit on your sister, but you should know the same applies to you and you need to stay away from Jess.”
Nate scoffed. “Your sister is what? Fifteen? And a freshman in high school in California?”
I nodded. My parents lived in sunny Los Angeles, having moved there from the frozen tundra of Buffalo with my younger sister after I left for college. “Yup. But I’m already issuing the official sister warning,” I said, and I think we were both joking, but not joking at the same time.
I wanted to say I’m not surprised. Hell, I’d seen Kat’s picture on Facebook and on his phone. But I’d never given her a second thought. But when we pulled into the driveway and cut the engine, about the only thing I could think about was her.
She flung open the door to the house, and my heart stopped in my throat.
No. Fucking. Way.
It was not okay for Nate to have a sister this beautiful.
There should be rules against this.
Sisters like her should be forbidden.
Her pictures didn’t do her justice. Nothing could do her justice. She was the kind of pretty that would erase every other woman in the world.
She ran across the front lawn and launched herself at Nate, while I tried to collect myself, and reorganize my thoughts.
“I missed you, you big knucklehead,” she said, wrapping him in a huge hug.
“Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of time to get sick of me,” he said, hugging her back. “You having a good summer before college starts?
“The best,” she said, then turned to me as I popped open the passenger side door to the car.
Remember what I said about love at first sight? I’m not going back on my word. It wasn’t love. But there was a moment when we locked eyes and just looked at each other. I swear I could feel time slow down in those seconds, to become nothing more than the heady possibility of two people who maybe, possibly, just might feel some kind of spark. She gave me this look, her dark brown eyes meeting mine, then trying not to look at me, and the thought that she could potentially feel some kind of attraction too nearly knocked me out. I was trying not to be too obvious about checking her out in her light blue T-shirt, jean shorts and flip flops. She had that Ivory Soap feel to her her, the kind of girl who didn’t need makeup, who could wake up in the morning and look gorgeous from the second she rolled out of bed. Her eyes sparkled and she radiated happiness with a smile that could light up a room.