by Ellie Hall
“I felt it, I really did, but we just can’t be together. We’re from different worlds. Not to mention he wants to build a resort in my town. I just don’t see how it could work between us.”
“But you said the office is gone,” Memaw reminded her.
“Yeah. I’m guessing they found something permanent.”
“I’m not so sure. I knew Rhodes was searching to fill something inside, to prove himself to Martin. I knew he needed to fall in love and that might just save Blue Bay Beach.”
He couldn’t imagine what Billie was thinking.
“It all just happened so fast. I think I got caught up in things. Thank you for being understanding, Mrs. Thorpe.”
That was it. She was leaving.
“Remember the story I told you of that ring? Like with Rhodes Senior and me, sometimes the amount of time doesn’t matter. It’s the depth of the connection. It may have been happening fast, but you have the rest of your lives to slow things down.”
“So you knew we weren’t really engaged and you went along with it?” Surprise elevated Billie’s voice an octave.
“I had a suspicion. I went too easy on my daughter. Look how she turned out. I don’t always go easy on Rhodes. Then again, he was in town and didn’t even stop by until you needed help. That says something. Plus, I have to keep myself entertained.” Memaw’s tone suggested she knew he was listening.
“Was that what the staring contest was about? To see if one of us would look away first?”
Memaw chuckled softly. “Ages ago I heard about a study that if two people asked each other the right questions and gazed into each other’s eyes for four minutes, they’d fall in love.”
“Did it work? Did we ask each other the right questions?
“You tell me.”
Rhodes rushed down the stairs. He couldn’t let the opportunity to ask the right question and tell her the truest truth he knew slip through his fingers even if the ring had come off.
Chapter 13
Billie
Loud footsteps pounded toward where Memaw sat in the rocking chair on the front porch. Billie had just gotten to her feet and had her fingers on the engagement ring, preparing to take it off, but the humidity had caused her skin to swell and she was having a tough time.
“Wait.” Rhodes’s low and rumbly voice called.
Billie’s heart leaped in her chest.
“How about you two go take a walk in the garden so you can talk privately,” Memaw suggested.
“Maybe the beach instead?” Rhodes asked. “I promise, we won’t let the ring fly into the water.”
Billie nodded, not sure what to make of his sudden appearance. She’d imagined he was in his lair, hatching plans to bulldoze Blue Bay Beach.
As they crossed the street, Billie wasn’t sure what to do with her arms or hands since she still wore the ring. She tugged on it a few more times when they reached the sand.
“Not yet. Please, just listen to what I have to say.”
They were standing toe to toe and she swallowed hard. “Okay.”
“I know I showed up here full of bravado and swagger. I’m still that guy, but Memaw was talking to me about how hardship can help a person to grow. Well, I’m in the business of building so while I may still be a cocky jerk from time to time, I want to be better for you, for us, for the future of Blue Bay Beach. You said we can’t make things work between us, but I have to ask you an important question. What do you value, Billie?”
She drew a long breath. “I value independence, freedom, and being able to make my own choices.”
He nodded. “Me too and I choose you. I don’t think it’s a mistake that ring on your finger returned to my grandparents, but I’m not entirely sure it was intended for them. I think it came from the past to teach us a lesson.”
“But we’re not meant to be together. Remember, we have different goals and are from different worlds. We’re enemies.”
“It would seem that way. Call it fate or destiny, but I believe we were meant to get to know each other. I also value growth and building—”
“Do you mean seeking and destroying?” She was almost more afraid of what would happen if he laid down his arms. She knew how to fight for her town, but not for love. That was a battle she feared she’d lose in the end.
“No, please listen to me. Give me a chance to explain. It’s true I’m about seeking opportunities to improve things and create jobs for people, but I’m not going to destroy those very things in the process.”
“Does that mean no resort?” Hope flared inside of her then faded because if that fight was over, she faced a bigger one.
“That means all the funds I was going to invest go to preserving the town and preventing idiots like me from getting any bright ideas. I kind of like this town. Maybe even love it.”
He captured her gaze in his. Reminded of their staring contest and the connection they shared, maybe the fight for love would be worth it. Maybe she could endure it and maybe even enjoy it.
The wind blew a loose piece of her hair in her face and he brushed it away. He leaned in and took a deep breath as though catching her scent of coconut, of the beach, and summer.
“I might even be tired of wearing suits all the time,” he whispered.
“But you look good in a suit.”
“You think so?”
A smirk bloomed on her face. “I do.”
“I like the sound of those two words coming out of your mouth.”
The ring practically pulsed on her finger, like it had a flashing light. She gazed into his dark eyes. “When we met, I saw sadness in your eyes.”
“Not sad. Rugged. Man.” He thumped his chest like a caveman.
She knocked him with her hip.
“I guess I knew there was something off in my life, something missing. Now you know why and I want to have my own family. I want you to be my family, Billie.”
Rhodes reached to lace his fingers in hers and something fell out of his pocket.
She bent over to pick up what looked like an old order slip from the restaurant. She unfolded it and read, Will you go on a date with me? She straightened. “You saved this?”
“I was hoping I could cash it in some time.”
Betty’s insistence that she go through with the dare and everything that had happened since spun in Billie’s mind. Maybe it was meant to be. She tucked the note in her pocket. “That night after the gala I told you that I’m not the kind of woman you’re used to.”
“That’s one of the many things I like about you.”
She took a deep breath mustering her courage, but as the words came to her tongue, they felt as natural and perfect as the sun settling over the horizon. At last, she could reveal the truth because she knew she was strong enough to handle whatever came next. “Rhodes, will you go on a date with me? A long date. Maybe we’ll start on August fourteen and end somewhere around, oh, I don’t know. Fifty, sixty years or so.”
It was as though what she said took a moment to register. He blinked a few times then a smile tugged the corners of his mouth wide. He scooped her into his arms then set her back down before planting his lips on hers.
It was a long, luxurious, and lavish kiss that made her sparkle inside like the sun on the water as the clouds parted to reveal the setting sun.
His hands drifted along her neck followed by his lips, dusting her collarbone before returning to her mouth. He kissed her in response to her question, in forgiveness, in hope, and with a promise.
The gentle scratch of his stubble made her cheeks pink, the way he liked it. Then the kiss deepened as the sun descended for the day. But the power behind the kiss told Billie that they’d see many, many more sunsets and sunrises.
When they finally parted, Billie drew a long breath. “You haven’t answered.”
“I do like the way that ring looks on your finger.” He kissed her knuckles, the inside of her wrist, and up her arm. He planted one more kiss on her lips then said, “Yes, Billie. I wo
uld be honored to marry you, but I have one condition.”
She arched an eyebrow.
“We hold the ceremony and reception on the beach, and you let me fix your house, the dock, and the roof of the restaurant.”
“That was three conditions. Let’s not get carried away.”
“This is my promise to you. For as long as we’re married, I will take care of you. You will let me. I will send you flowers and chocolates. I’ll fix leaky sinks and roofs. I will take you on trips and out for fancy meals. I will rub your feet after a long day working. I promise to show you the world, but will always bring you back home.”
“You’ll really do all that?”
“I’ll do more.”
She lit up all over. “And I’ll let you. I’ll love you. I do love you, Rhodes.” She circled her arms around his neck and lifted onto her toes.
“I love you, Billie.”
He held her gaze then and wouldn’t let go. Not for the first uncomfortable minute. Not for the next one that softened them. Not even for the third where the magic, the crackling, and the electricity sparked. And not for the fourth minute when she was sure that what they had wasn’t the result of an experiment or circumstance. It was something real.
Epilogue
The weeks leading up to the wedding date—exactly six months since Valentine’s Day when they’d supposedly met—Billie fluttered around her room, filled with a mixture of excitement and something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on as she got ready with Eisley, Claudia, and Betty. Courtesy of the latter, oldies played in the background. Coco, Eisley’s daughter, bounced on the bed with her stuffed bunny and the dog sat nearby looking out the window. Memaw and Scarlett were slated to be by any moment.
Although the wedding party was small—just the five of them, along with five of Rhodes’s friends and cousins, the entire town was invited. It was Billie’s decision and maybe that’s what made her nervous or like she’d forgotten something important.
“Your make up is perfect,” Eisley said.
“As is your hair,” Claudia chimed in.
“I can’t help but feel like something is missing.”
“Have you girls heard the saying something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?” Betty asked.
The three women nodded.
“She has something new—friendship. Something borrowed? The gown with thanks to Memaw.” It was the dress Memaw had worn when she and Mr. Thorpe had renewed their vows on their twenty-fifth anniversary. It was a soft white, off the shoulder gown with fine embroidery on the bodice and a flowing skirt that reached her ankles and swirled when she moved.
“I like how it’s vintage.”
“And who thought something so traditional could also be so beachy?”
“So perfectly you,” Claudia added.
“There’s something blue—your eyes and heart for this town. But you’re missing something old and don’t you dare say me.” Betty winked. She unfolded a silk handkerchief that also had a retro fifties look. She pulled out a gold locket in the shape of a seashell.
“Betty, this looks brand new. You didn’t have to—” Billie started.
Betty interrupted. “Open it.”
Billie did so and inside was a small black and white photo of her parents. Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away. As Betty clasped it around her neck, she no longer felt like anything was missing. Not a thing.
From outside came a honk. The limo had arrived—Rhodes didn’t have too much to say about the wedding details, but he wanted to spoil Billie so she went along with the limo ride for the three blocks to the beach. She teetered in the high heels as everyone helped her outside. Thankfully, the porch had been repaired and she didn’t get stuck in a loose or broken board.
Soon, the limo pulled up to the beach. Guests filled the many chairs. Everyone was there, including Alvin and Elmer. It wasn’t a small affair, but there wasn’t a lot of fuss despite Memaw’s offer for an extravagant, over the top wedding. Well, maybe a little bit with the makeshift boardwalk lined with rose petals, the arched canopy atop the podium, and sprays of every kind of white flower imaginable. The pastor stood beneath the arch along with Rhodes and his groomsmen—all looking dapper.
The wedding party gathered, giggled, and made sure Billie was ready before the music started.
As she waited for the others to go ahead of her, she felt settled, relaxed, and like her parents were there with her even though she walked the aisle alone. It was fitting, leaving her old, solo life behind and entering into a partnership with Rhodes. She kicked off her high heels, happy to feel the sand under her feet.
When she reached him and he took her hands, his breath caught. They were really doing it. She found her smile and it seemed to light him up. His dark eyes sparkled as they danced over her. He mouthed You look beautiful.
After a greeting and a reading by the pastor, the pair said their vows. A few people hooted and whistled after the I dos were exchanged.
Just before they kissed, their eyes met, sealing their promise to each other with something more powerful than words or rings, but light and love exchanged that could never be broken.
The reception was held at the Coconut Cove Café. It spilled onto the patio, down the dock, and onto the beach. As the sun set, a bonfire was lit; the lights and tiki torches came on. Courtesy of Eisley’s talents, a massive ice cream cake was kept cold until time for dessert.
Billie’s father’s mint green Chevy waited on the road. The girls had strung cans from the back bumper and attached a sign that said Just Married.
Since she got to plan the wedding, Rhodes made arrangements for the surprise honeymoon. Betty assured her the restaurant would be in good hands for the two weeks they’d be gone.
Soon, Claudia and Carter announced that they were going to play a special song for the new couple’s first dance. When the first strains of Unchained Melody sounded, Rhodes took her in his arms, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back and clasping the other. They swayed together, getting lost in the music, lost in each other. He sang the lyrics in her ear, tickling the small hairs there, making her feel at once serene and stirred up like one of the colorful and fruity drinks for the guests.
Partway through, Billie lifted to her toes to reach Rhodes’s ear. “This was not how I expected my summer to end.”
“It’s not over. It’s only August.”
“You’re right. It’s just the beginning.” She smiled happily. “I love you. It feels really good to finally say that out loud.”
“I love you, Billie. I’ve loved you since we gazed into each other’s eyes.”
“I guess Memaw really was right. Things have a way of working out and I’ll add that it doesn’t matter if it’s the beginning, middle or end. If something is meant to be, it’ll happen.”
“That’s the truth.” At that, Rhodes planted a kiss on her lips.
Bimini Bread Recipe
How do I describe Bimini bread? Perfection! It’s a variation on a warm-out-of-the-oven appetizer that I first tried when in Florida, but it originates in the Bahamas.
What does it taste like? Lightly, pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness that’s almost, but not quite, a sweet bread. Rather, it’s somewhere in between satisfying the carb lover with a regular homemade bread and the person with a sweet tooth alike. Oh, and did I mention the hint of coconut? Yum!
At Coconut Cove Café, they use mini loaf pans for smaller servings to bring to each table, but since I don’t imagine everyone has mini loaf pans lying around the house, this recipe is for one regular sized bread loaf pan.
Be sure to tell me on Facebook or email if you try this recipe!
Ingredients
Dry:
2 ¼ cups flour
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp dry milk powder
2 ½ tbsp. sugar
1 tsp active dry yeast (if using yeast from a packet, measure)
½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened preferred
Wet:
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ tbsp butter, softened
1 ½ tbsp coconut oil, room temperature or liquid—if not available, vegetable oil is fine
½ cup of canned coconut milk, room temperature
Method
In a large bowl mix flour, salt, dry milk powder, sugar, yeast, and coconut.
Mix in ¾ of the beaten eggs (reserve and refrigerate the rest for an egg wash), softened butter, and oil.
Mix in coconut milk until a soft dough is formed.
Sprinkle flour over a clean surface, turn the dough out, and knead for several minutes.
Clean the mixing bowl and spray with cooking spray or coat with butter. Form dough into a ball. Place seam-side down inside the bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size (about an hour).
Give it one more knead then place in a greased loaf pan. Brush remaining egg mixture. Bake in an oven heated to 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and when a long toothpick or knife is inserted, it comes out clean.
Cool slightly, but serve warm with butter or cinnamon-vanilla infused butter.
Recipe: using a quarter stick of room temperature butter, add ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ cinnamon, and a slight splash of vanilla. Mix thoroughly and slather on!
Excerpt for Summer with the Marine
Did you miss book one in the Blue Bay Beach series? Read a portion of the first chapter of book 1 to get to know Eisley, and find out how it all began.
Chapter 1
Eisley
Eisley Higgins hoped that moving to Retirement-Ville USA wouldn’t be that bad. No, that wasn’t entirely true. She didn’t just hope, she begged, wished, crossed her fingers, and prayed that she’d survive moving in with her mother in the small, coastal Florida town.