Sweet Dreams (Indigo Bay Sweet Romance Series Book 1)

by Stacy Claflin

  Her eyebrows came together, but she said nothing.

  Jace took a deep breath. "You know, if I didn't care, I'd just walk away. But I do care—I just don't know what you want me to tell you."

  "How can you not know?" she demanded.

  "Because you won't tell me!"

  They stared each other down, neither saying anything.

  Sky put her hands on her hips. "You still won't tell me?"

  "I can't, since I don't know what it is." He narrowed his eyes.

  "This is ridiculous."

  "You're telling me." He clenched his jaw so tightly he expected to feel teeth cracking.

  "I'm done dealing with this garbage."

  Jace snorted. "Seriously?"

  "Just tell me!"

  "I don't know what you want to know!"

  "Oh! You're infuriating."

  He gave her a double-take. "You're the one playing mind games."

  "Mind games?" she exclaimed.

  "You won't tell me what you know!"

  "I don't have to put up with this. If you don't want to tell me, fine. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." She stared at him, obviously still expecting him to read her mind.

  "Great." He crossed his arms over his chest. His mind raced with things he wanted to say but would regret later, so he kept quiet.

  They stared each other down. Then Jace's phone rang. It was Dallas.

  "I have to go. I'm supposed to be working."

  "Well, I guess we'll have to finish this conversation later."

  He nodded. That was probably for the best, given how angry he was at that moment. He would feel a lot better after physical labor.

  Twenty-Five

  Sky stopped typing again. Tears kept blurring her vision, making it impossible to see the screen. She blinked them away and tried to focus on the words. They all ran together, making no sense.

  "Great. Now I'm too upset to keep up with my blog." She got up and walked through the cottage, trying to clear her head, but it was useless. The only thing that would help would be if Jace told her about being married—and that was never going to happen because he had no intention of ever telling her. She'd given him a chance, and he'd told her she was playing games with him!

  It'd been two days, and Sky didn't feel any better than she had when they'd argued. She'd eaten enough chocolate and ice cream to gain four pounds.

  The doorbell rang. Probably the makeup samples she was expecting. If she could pull herself together, she might be able to record an unboxing and a makeup tutorial. Her readers were bugging her for another post.

  Pixie ran around in front of the door, barking.

  "Okay, okay." She went to the door and opened it.

  It wasn't a package.

  "Haley?" she exclaimed.

  Sky's long-time friend from back home threw her arms around her, squeezing her. "It looks like I got here just in time."

  "What…? How…?" Sky shook her head. "I told you not to bother coming down."

  "And you thought I'd listen?" Haley arched a brow and wiped some blonde hair behind her ears. "Mind if I come inside? The humidity's killing me."

  Sky stepped aside, letting her in. "Why'd you come? You're in the middle of planning your wedding."

  "Because you're more important. I brought wine and chocolate." Haley grinned as she shrugged her bags to the floor. "There's no way I could let you suffer alone."

  "Seriously, your wedding."

  "My future sister-in-law is a wedding planner for celebrities, remember? Dakota has it covered. If she has any questions, she'll call me. But she won't, because she understands the importance of girl time."

  Sky embraced her friend. "You don't know how much this means to me."

  "Are you kidding?" Haley pulled out an enormous bottle of wine. "Where's your corkscrew?"

  "Over here." Sky found it, and Haley took it from her.

  "Sit at the table while I get everything ready."

  "But I—"

  "Sit. Now."

  Sky did as she was told and watched as Haley set up the kitchen table with tubs of ice cream, wine glasses, tissues, some DVDs, and several boxes of chocolate—like Sky really needed more, but she wasn't going to turn it down.

  Haley finally sat, and she handed Sky an empty bowl and spoon along with ice cream toppings. "Now tell me all about it, starting with how you met this Jace character."

  Sky scooped several flavors of ice cream into her bowl as she told Haley the whole story. By the time she finished telling her friend about the fight on the beach, they'd gone through two bowls, plus half a box of chocolates and a glass of wine. Sky broke down, sobbing.

  Haley handed her a tissue. "Let's take this to the couch." She handed Sky the box of tissues, then she gathered the DVDs and wine, putting them on the coffee table.

  Sky sobbed so hard her breathing became labored. Haley handed her more tissues and then put her arm around Sky. "Let it all out."

  "I should've known better—I really should have. What made me think I could have a relationship that actually worked?"

  "Because you're worth it. We just need to find a guy who recognizes that."

  Sky frowned. "I thought Jace was that guy."

  Haley tilted her head. "Do you still?"

  Sky couldn't answer. She wanted him to be, but was he?

  "You don't think there's any chance there's a miscommunication?" Haley patted Sky's hand.

  "I don't see how." Sky thought back over their interactions. He'd always been mannerly and honorable. All of this was so out of character for him. Why would he keep his marriage a secret? Especially since it was obviously in the past.

  "What did he say when you confronted him about being married?" Haley asked.

  Sky paused. She hadn't actually told him what was bothering her. But then again, he should've known.

  "Well, the good news is that you can move anywhere that has wifi. That's all you need for work, right?" Haley smiled.

  "Yeah."

  "Do you want to come back to Enchantment Bay?"

  Sky sighed, feeling deflated. "I just paid for another month here."

  "Can't you get a refund for the time unused?"

  "I don't think so."

  "You don't have to worry about that now, anyway. Here, pick a movie. I made sure not to pick anything Aspen was in."

  Sky cracked a smile and then looked through the stack, finally settling on Someone Like You. Before long, Sky found herself laughing at the hilariousness of it. They ended up going through the entire stack, and Sky dozed off halfway through Jerry Maguire.

  She woke to the aromas of bacon and coffee. Sky threw off the blanket and sat up, a headache making her dizzy. "What are you doing?"

  Haley grinned at her. "Making breakfast. What does it look like?"

  Sky's stomach rumbled. Coffee and food would probably help. "Thanks."

  "No problem. Come on over here and eat up. We have a busy day ahead of us."

  "We do?"

  "You're showing me around town and then we're going to the beach."

  "I hope that doesn't involve wearing a swimsuit. I think I've gained ten pounds since yesterday."

  Haley flipped over a hash brown. "Could've fooled me. Besides, even if you did, a walk around this humid town will burn all that right off you. Come on—time to eat."

  Sky rubbed her eyes and stumbled her way to the table. "Thanks for all this. I really didn't expect you to fly in."

  "What are friends for? Besides, my aunt works for the airline. It didn't cost me more than the rental car and the snacks I picked up."

  "Still…"

  Haley set a full plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast in front of her. Then she brought over a cup of coffee and some creamer before sitting with her own food. "Do you feel any better?"

  "Other than this headache, I think so."

  "Food will help." Haley poured ketchup onto her hash browns.

  Sky dug into her eggs. Things actually did seem a l
ittle better than they had been the night before. The heartache still lingered, of course, but there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

  Twenty-Six

  Jace pulled his sketch pad out and tried to get comfortable on the sand. His new secret place left a lot to be desired. If only Sky hadn't found the one he'd relied on for years. But she had, and he would have to make do with this new hiding spot.

  He craned his neck to get a better view of the water. If he sat like that for an hour, he'd end up with a sore neck. Sighing, he readjusted himself. It didn't help much.

  If there wasn't a chance Sky would find him at the other place, he would've gone there. Not after the things she had said. He'd just deal with not having as good of a view.

  Why had he allowed himself to think a relationship could work? Because he'd let himself become smitten by the pretty traveler—but that wasn't a mistake he was going to make again. He was done with women. He couldn't figure them out, nor did he want to. It was too much trouble, and one thing he didn't need in his life was more heartache. He should've known better. Keeping everyone away was his best course of action. He hadn't gotten hurt the whole time he kept everyone at an arm's length. The second he let someone in? Pain.

  A rumbling sounded in the distance. Jace sat taller and stared out over the water. There were dark clouds a little ways away. He checked the weather app on his phone. It called for the possibility of a brief thunderstorm. He put the phone back and studied the skyline. A tiny flash of light appeared in the midst of the menacing clouds.

  "Looks like I found something interesting to draw." Jace grabbed a dark pencil and started near the top of the page. The edge of the sky was growing darker by the moment. Another flash of lightning. More rumbling.

  He drew furiously, trying to keep up with the moving storm. The skyline intrigued him—it was still sunny and beautiful over Indigo Bay, but farther away, the bright blue melted into the black thunderclouds. The storm was so far away, nobody playing by the water seemed to notice. It was headed their way, so it was only a matter of time.

  Jace went through half a dozen sheets of paper, drawing the scenery as the storm moved their way. A chilly wind picked up and the sky over Indigo Bay turned gray. Some of the beachgoers gathered their things and ran off. Others watched, curious, while some people still hadn't noticed anything unusual—they just kept jogging, building sandcastles, swimming, and sunbathing. It was quite a sight, and Jace's hand cramped as he drew the scene before him.

  Thunder rumbled, this time closer and louder. Nobody missed that. The beach cleared quickly, leaving only Jace and a few others. He was mesmerized by the array of colors from the clouds and the way they reflected onto the bay. He had to sharpen some of his pencils several times.

  The wind picked up and started to blow his bag. Jace grabbed it just in time and pulled it over his shoulder. There wouldn't be much time before he would have to leave the beach. A twig blew his way. He ducked, barely missing it as it flew over his head.

  It was time to leave. He stuck his sketchpad and pencil in his bag and ran home. A few drops of rain splashed down, but it was a far cry from the impending downpour.

  Just as he opened his front door, a loud crack of thunder shook the ground. Jace's ears rang as he entered the empty house and slammed the door. He sat on the sofa and watched the storm through a window as it came in. His eyelids grew heavy, and he watched as long as he could keep them open.

  His dreams were filled with Sky's beautiful smile, and when he woke, his heart was as heavy as it had been with all the other heartbreaks he'd suffered. It felt like he was standing at the altar alone again, only this time, he didn't have hundreds of eyes staring at him.

  Jace got up, grabbed his bag, and sat by the sliding glass door. The clouds had gotten a lot darker. He checked the time. His nap had only been an hour—it was barely past noon—but it looked like late evening outside. Everything lit up for a moment, followed immediately by a clap of loud thunder. His walls shook.

  It was time to relax and be glad he was inside. Once the storm passed, he would be busy with the cottages. These storms tended to pull boards loose and cause leaks or even flooding. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat at the table, flipping through his sketch book starting at his most recent drawing. The storm had progressed a lot since he'd been on the beach.

  Once he was done, he would draw the scene before him. It only seemed fitting considering how many pictures he'd drawn of the storm slowly making its way to Indigo Bay. He continued looking at the drawings of the beach and various wildlife until he came to one he'd sketched of Sky—he hadn't even realized it when he'd drawn it. He'd been in the zone, and completely entranced by the storm.

  Jace froze, his breath hitched. He'd captured her well—her stunning eyes, captivating smile, and sweet spirit. Well, sweet until she started accusing him of who-knows-what since she wouldn't even tell him what it was she thought she knew. He gazed at the picture, longing for what they'd had. It had been magical and far too short-lived.

  It was for the best that it ended, though. If it had gone on for a long time, the hurt of breaking up would be all that much worse. It was already bad enough.

  He went back to the blank pages and drew what he could see outside. The storm already seemed to be losing steam. He hadn't seen any new lightning. A branch tapped against the cottage, reminding him that the wind hadn't lightened up any yet.

  Time escaped him as he put the pencil to the paper again. Jace drew several more pictures of the storm. He was in the zone, almost feeling like the sketches were drawing themselves. That was when he did his best work.

  When he was done, he set down his pencil and glanced at the image before him. He jumped in surprise. It was Sky. He'd drawn her face without even realizing it. His heart leaped into his throat.

  Jace closed the pad and stuffed it back into the bag. He needed some air.

  Twenty-Seven

  Sky stretched. "Do you want to watch another movie?"

  Haley glanced out the window. "It looks like the storm has died down. Why don't you show me around town?"

  "It's still windy. Pixie could blow away."

  Haley didn't laugh. "That might've been a possibility earlier, but not now. Come on. We need to get out of the house."

  And risk running into Jace? Sky shook her head and flipped through the streaming choices. "Hey, look. This is new. It's about a clothing designer who goes crazy and kills everyone that—"

  "I saw it in the theater. Get your coat."

  Sky arched an eyebrow. "You do realize it's still going to be hot outside, don't you? The humidity's probably going to be worse than before."

  Haley groaned. "You're right. This isn't a northwestern storm."

  "I bet a movie isn't sounding so bad now, is it? We can find something else to watch. What about that new mini-series based on that Stephen King novel?"

  "We need to get you out of the house. I want to see that cafe you told me about."

  "It's just a cafe—they serve coffee, sweet tea, and snacks."

  Haley gave her a knowing look. "What's it going to take to get you outside?"

  "Can you guarantee I won't run into Jace?"

  "So that's what this is about. Why don't you show me his picture, and I'll keep an eye out for you?"

  Sky glared at her. "You're impossible."

  "What are friends for? Show me his picture. I'll protect you."

  Sighing, Sky pulled out her phone. Haley wouldn't give up, so she needed to accept the fact they were going to walk around Indigo Bay in the wind and puddles. She found a selfie they'd taken on the beach.

  Haley snatched the phone. "Oh, he's gorgeous—I mean, he looks horrible. Mean and rude. Just plain rotten."

  "You're not convincing at all." Sky frowned.

  "I've never been a good liar. Come on. We're leaving, and the longer you stall, the longer we're staying out."

  "Fine." Begrudgingly, Sky picked up Pixie's leash. "Wanna go for a walk?" Her voice wa
s so flat, the pup didn't even notice she was talking to her. Pixie just stayed at her spot by the sliding door, watching what remained of the storm.

  Haley patted her legs. "Pixie! Wanna go for a walk?"

  She spun around and barked, running over to Sky, who attached the leash.

  "That's how it's done," Haley teased.

  "Let's just get this over with." Sky found Pixie's mauve raincoat and tiny, matching boots.

  "Those are the cutest things I've ever seen," Haley gushed. "Does she actually wear them?"

  "We'll find out. She kept them on long enough for me to get pictures for my blog last week." Sky held Pixie in her lap while she slid on the outfit. Pixie jumped up and ran around as soon as she was dressed.

  Haley pulled out her phone and snapped a couple pictures. Sky pulled the hood over Pixie's head, and they all made their way outside. The wind wasn't as bad as Sky had thought, and the rain had nearly stopped.

  "Ugh, you were right about the humidity." Haley pulled her shirt out and fanned it.

  Sky had to admit it was pretty bad. "It still beats the way the cold clings to us back home."

  They debated about which place was better to be caught in a storm until they had nearly reached Sweet Caroline's.

  Haley stopped. "Don't look now."

  Sky's stomach twisted in knots. "Jace?"

  "Worse."

  "What could be…?" Sky's voice trailed off.

  A group of teenage girls in red and white cheer uniforms streaming out from a yellow school bus with Cheer Camp scrawled on the side. The girls were headed toward the cafe, and the ones nearest were whispering and pointing at Sky.

  She took a step back. "I'm leaving."

  It was too late. The girls were running toward them, and they were blocking the way back to the cottages.

  Sky's stomach lurched. She picked up Pixie and prepared to run. Her legs wouldn't cooperate.

  "Aspen!" one girl called out, waving her hands.

  "I can't believe she's here," said another.

  "In this little, boring town of all places."

  Before Sky knew it, girls crowded all around her, talking over each other. They begged for autographs and selfies with her. Sky struggled to breathe. Dizziness overcame her. "I need space."