“I heard you’re going to babysit her girls while Sherry’s here speaking and signing?” She gave an evil giggle and I swatted at her. “They’re little angels.”
“I hope so, for your sake.” She leaned against the counter, and I glanced at the clock. Somehow, it was already early afternoon. Soon, the Mystery Writers’ Group would be here and the rest of the setup would commence, and I could stay focused on anything and everything except wondering what and why Jake felt the need to eliminate certain portions of his past around me. “I’ve got some emails to catch up on and an agenda to set for our board meeting on Thursday.”
“Sounds riveting.”
“Always is.”
“I heard the city was looking at cutting library funds next year. Is that true?” She folded her arms.
“I heard the same and spoke with the mayor. She assured me it was nothing more than a pesky rumor, but my gut says they’ve noticed how well the library has done on fundraising over the years.”
She groaned and rolled her eyes as I slid into my seat. “You’d tell us if our jobs were on the line, right?”
My heart rate quickened and my stomach clenched. What kind of rumors had been flying around?
“Absolutely. There’s nothing like that on the horizon. Our budgetary needs have already been met for the fiscal year, and we’ve been able to save two percent more than last year.” I tapped my finger on my keyboard and studied Val. “Would you mind telling me who’s been saying these things?”
“I shouldn’t.”
I smiled. It was her husband. He tended to put his nose everywhere and rarely had anything to back it up.
“Well, if anything ever changes, I’ll let you know.”
“I’ll tell my source to quit worrying.” She winked.
“You do that.”
I looked out the window and saw Jake wandering across the street with a couple of bags from some local shops. The poor guy was probably wandering all over town buying things he didn’t need just to be seen. I chuckled and shook my head as Val caught my gaze.
“You’re falling for him.”
“Not at all,” I said, smiling.
“You are. Who wouldn’t?” She winked.
“He’s just a nice guy.”
“Sure that’s all?”
“He leaves me with just enough information to keep me interested,” I confessed. “But beyond that, there is no future. I’m too happy being single.”
I spotted Jake jogging to his Volvo. He climbed inside and pulled onto the main street. For no reason at all, my heart dipped a little knowing he was headed out of town and to wherever it was he called home.
“Sometimes, when a person doesn’t want to be found, they have a good reason for hiding until the right reason appears in front of them and reminds them how energizing life can be,” Val said softly. “I know, because it happened to me.”
I stared at my screen and read over the last paragraph I’d written for my Friday blog post.
I’ve often found that certain books appear in my life when I need them most, and I’m starting to wonder if this rule applies to people as well. I had an odd encounter when I was stuck in a tree not too long ago, and because of that harrowing experience, I met an interesting person who has been adding some mystery and intrigue to my life. Every time I’m around this individual, it feels like I’m in the middle of a good book, and I want to keep flipping the pages to find out more. It never occurred to me that maybe this was what I needed to be looking for in friendship. If I applied the same characteristics I felt made up a good book to friendships and relationships, maybe I’d have less mess and heartache. Wow, all this venting because I read an amazing book at the same time I met an interesting person. I’ll let you know in the months to come if my hypothesis is correct. This could be a huge development for the dating world.
I let out a sigh and decided to hit submit. I highly doubted Jake would be reading my blog, and even if he did, I didn’t think I said too much to scare him away, and if I did, better sooner than later.
The truth of the situation was that since meeting Jake, my world had been thrown off. I found myself wondering what he was up to throughout the week, whether I was at the library or cozied on my couch with a good book. Regardless if he knew it or not, he’d been placing himself in my thoughts and slightly confusing my direction. Thankfully, BlznBookie was still around to keep me entertained in between daydreaming about an impossible outcome.
Hmm. Maybe that was something I specialized in.
The impossible.
Earlier this morning, I looked Jake up on Google and found nothing more than a mention of his volunteer status on Fireweed Island along with his resume—which highlighted certain riveting facts like his EMT certification and his graduation from Fire Academy—but nothing juicy like what he did for a living, hobbies, or even an astrological sign. Not that I’d know what his sign meant anyway.
I glanced at the clock right before a notification popped up that BlznBookie left a comment on my post. Jake would be here soon, and I didn’t want to get caught chatting with my online crush that wasn’t a crush.
Last night, I’d checked out BlznBookie’s latest blog article where he posted some gorgeous photographs of the Olympic Peninsula. I had a second of giddiness thinking he was in the state before realizing the images were shot a few years ago. I’d left a comment on his post, but he didn’t respond like he usually did, so this notification was nice to see.
I refreshed my page, and I quickly scrolled down to his see comment.
I think your hypothesis is headed in the right direction. Some love a quickie, fun-filled read, while others love a long and drawn out story with no resolution. In the love department, some people love flings, while others prefer to draw out relationships far past the expiration date. I’ve noticed when it comes to relationships, my friends tend to take more time picking out a library book than their potential soul mate. I tend to stick to mountain climbing and swinging from trees to avoid the subject altogether. Great post. I think you’re on to something.
I sat smiling like a dummy at the computer. It wasn’t like he divulged a huge secret, but it was fun to see some dialogue on the subject. Maybe I wasn’t completely off base. I slumped back in my chair and Jake popped into my head.
Would he be a library book I’d grab off the shelf? I chuckled in the silence of my home, knowing full well what the answer would be.
The doorbell chimed and I shot up, leaving my laptop on the chair, and nearly tumbled through the living room to get to the front door.
I stood for a second in front of the door, tugging on my fitted, low-cut black top and smoothed down my grey knit circle skirt in an effort to pull myself together. Closing my eyes, I sucked in a deep breath and promised myself I’d behave tonight. No calling him a recluse or asking him about his divorce.
He knocked on the door, and I realized I must have been standing in front of it trying to center myself for longer than I thought. Maybe I did need to get out of the library more often.
I flung open the door to see Jake Harlen holding a mason jar full of fresh cut lavender with a burlap bow tied around the glass.
My heart nearly squeezed itself with happiness. Jake looked incredible. His blond hair was tousled, and his striking blue eyes took me in with such intensity it felt like I could see directly into his soul.
The smell of lavender wafted into the foyer, and I motioned for him to come inside, taking the arrangement from him in the process.
“These are beautiful and so sweet of you.” I placed them on one of my short bookshelves and moved the stack of mail I’d forgotten to put in the kitchen.
“I hope you’re hungry, because I’m starving, and I don’t want to look like a beast in front of you.” He laughed while I dropped the mail off in the dining room.
“It takes a lot of fuel to keep a machine like yours running. You rescue idiots like me all day, and that takes real strength and determination.”
“Yo
u’re not an idiot. You’re a woman with a heart of gold and a soft spot for rescue dogs and elderly women.”
“And apparently, the combination of the two might kill me.”
“I’d like to think not.” His eyes connected with mine, and every cell of my body ignited with merely the possibility of spending one night with him. It didn’t help that I already knew what it was like to be held tightly in his strong arms.
“You ready?” he asked.
I nodded, still allowing my mind to picture the fun I could have with him. I locked the door quickly behind us and got into his car.
“So is Mrs. Coleville behaving herself?” he teased.
“She is, but I don’t think Coco ever will.”
“She sent the firehouse a basket of cookies from a place called Gabby’s Goodies. Have you heard of it?”
“Have I heard of it? It’s only the best bakery in Puget Sound. I bet Gabby will be at the party tonight. They’re all a group of friends my sister knows.”
“Well, I stopped by and snagged a few, and they were mind-blowing.” He grinned, turning onto the main road leading to Island Bluff. We probably could’ve walked, but then getting to Tori and Mason’s would’ve become a chore. Besides, I kind of liked being trapped in small quarters with Jake.
“I think that might be where Natalie gets some of her baked goods for her shop too.” Natalie’s florist shop also had a little café with espresso drinks and baked goods.
“I just might need to start coming into town more often.”
I giggled and looked at the bustling sidewalks filled with tourists and locals enjoying the summer weather. The blue skies provided the perfect backdrop for the sparkling water, marinas, boutiques, and restaurants. Jake found a spot to park and turned off the car. He slid his hand to my knee, and a spark caused my breath to catch.
“Thank you for coming out with me tonight,” he said softly.
“Thank you for inviting me. Sometimes, it’s nice to get out of my own little world.”
“Tell me about it.” He slid his hand off my knee, and I kept my breathing quiet and steady. I didn’t want him to see how much his touch affected me.
Because it did. Every single time. In fact, my knee still tingled from where his fingers were.
He climbed out of the car and I followed, hopping onto the sidewalk.
“Hi, Jewels.” I looked over to where the voice came from, and there stood Gary, the owner of Loxxy, Fireweed’s boutique hotel on the water.
“Hi, Gary.” I waved and saw his wife, Rhonda, dash outside from Misty Shallow’s boutique to say hi. They were regulars at the library and always donated books that got left behind by guests.
“How are you? That must have been so awful, dangling from that sapling and all,” she teased, giving me a quick hug. She still had two skirts draped over her arm from inside the boutique. “Good thing that sexy fireman was able to save you.”
My cheeks reddened, and she glanced a few feet away where Jake stood, smiling.
“Leave it to my wife . . .” Gary laughed. “She loves a man in uniform. That’s how we met.”
“Yes, it was, my dear, and you’re still the hottest man in town.” She rolled her eyes in my direction, and Jake laughed. “I have a couple of boxes of books to drop off. I just keep forgetting.”
“That’ll be great. Thank you. Our summer library sale will be coming up soon.”
“I thought so. Now, if only I can remember to deliver them.”
“I can swing by,” Jake offered. It only took one step, and he was next to me.
“You don’t have to do that,” she told him. “Now that I know the sale is coming up, I’ll drop them by when I return my books.”
“I think we interrupted a date,” Gary whispered to his wife. “Go back inside and let the man make his moves.”
This time, it was my turn to laugh while Rhonda gave me a quick hug and turned on her feet to continue shopping.
Jake pressed his hand to the small of my back, gave me a gentle nudge forward toward Island Bluff, and slid his arm around my waist. He leaned his head down and whispered.
“Have you ever noticed the people on Fireweed are overly friendly? It’s like there’s something in the water.”
“And the scary part is that it’s genuine.” I laughed.
Jake opened the door and I walked under his arm into the island’s most upscale restaurant. Tonight, it was filled with tourists and locals celebrating special occasions. The décor was sophisticated, but nautical elements featured an exposed stone wall behind the hostess area, and brass anchor lamps dotted the wall behind her. Sounds of dishes clanking with the bustle of the wait staff and laughter echoing through the air led the way to the packed dining room overlooking the water.
The hostess led us to a window table tucked in the corner. Something told me Jake had reserved this one especially for us.
“This is lovely,” I said as the hostess pulled out my chair and waited until I sat down before handing me the menu.
Jake sat across from me and took the menu from the hostess. I noticed her gaze linger on him a beat too long, but he didn’t even notice.
Or if he did, Jake didn’t show it, and for that, I was grateful.
“This is a pretty perfect place to sit,” I said, leaning forward.
“You’ll get an incredible view as the sun sets.”
“You’ve been at this table before?” I asked, wondering if this was where he took all his dates.
“This is my mom’s favorite restaurant.”
I must have looked a little too relieved, because his brow arched as he studied me.
“What did you think I was going to say?” he asked.
I smiled and looked down at the menu.
“Do you like calamari?” I asked.
“Love it, and their aioli is amazing. Perfect amount of lemon.”
My gaze shot to his, and I hid a smile.
“So you know a lot about Seagulls and aioli. I’m really not getting a clear picture of who you are yet.”
“Does it keep things interesting?” he asked.
“It has so far, but I’m going to need more soon, or else I may lose interest,” I teased, studying him. He ran his hands through his blond hair and flashed a sexy grin without saying a word.
“Or my imagination might go really crazy, and I’ll have you working for the CIA or scaling mountains when you’re not volunteering as a fire-putter-outer, and then my fantasies will be destroyed when I discover the man behind the mystery.”
“Well, we can’t have that. I’d better pick up some dangerous hobbies.”
The server came over and took our drink and appetizer orders.
“Go ahead and ask me anything.” His gaze intensified as he sat back in the chair.
“What do you do during the day?” I asked, my brow arching. Finally, I was about to get some answers.
“It depends on the day.”
“Why did I ask?” I laughed. “But seriously. You know where I spend my days. Where do you spend yours?”
“At home, working away on various projects. Last week, I installed shelving in the garage Mason built. Yesterday, I had to go to Seattle to meet with some partners.”
“Partners?”
“For one of my businesses.”
The server brought over the calamari and set it on the table.
Now we were getting somewhere.
“How many do you have?”
“More than I should.”
“Are they all successful?”
“Yeah. That’s what makes it difficult to want to let any of them go.”
“Would I recognize any of them?” I asked, praying he wasn’t in the adult toy industry or the who-knows-what-someone-will-do-in-front-of-a-camera industry.
I shuddered at the thought. What a terrible end to a beginning that never began. I never really thought about it before, but I actually didn’t think I’d be able to handle being with someone who was involved with the sex industry
. I mean, no judgment from me, but I just don’t think I’d be happy. I wasn’t a prude, but I doubt I’d be thrilled if my man spent his time directing things that didn’t usually need to be directed or selling things that—
“You doing okay over there?” Jake asked. “You look like the squid just got up and walked off the table.”
“Yeah. Totally fine.” My cheeks flamed red. “Just worried I left my door unlocked.”
Oh, no. What if that was why he could fix my blog?
“Sure that’s it?” he asked, seemingly amused by the expression I couldn’t get off my face. Why was I so transparent?
I nodded, which then turned into a swift shake of my head. “How do you know so much about websites and blogs?”
“In my industry, you have to be able to move rapidly with the changes. Between video technology and—”
He was a really attractive guy. Maybe I could look past this little issue. Maybe it would make the sex even better.
“So you’re an IT guy?”
“Not at all. It’s just a tool. When you come over, I’ll show you some of what I’m up to.”
“It’s not anything—” I stopped myself.
“Anything like?” he prompted, smiling.
“You know . . .”
“I don’t, actually.”
“Well, you’re so private and secretive.”
He tilted his head slightly. “And?”
I leaned closer to the table and whispered. “It’s not . . .”
Why couldn’t I just say it? I was a grown woman.
“Not what?”
I sucked in my breath and whispered. “Porn?”
He threw his head back in laughter, and my entire body relaxed until he brought his gaze back to mine.
“Would that be a problem if it was that industry?” His voice was quiet.
“I mean, you’re an attractive guy, and I would understand—”
“So being good-looking helps you overlook that?” he interrupted.
“No. I don’t know. Of course not. I don’t think that has anything to do with it one way or another. Yes. Actually. No. I have no idea . . . so that’s what your businesses are?” I nearly hissed as my heart plummeted like I took a little dive off the Empire State Building.
Forever Love on Fireweed Island (Island County Book 4) Page 10