by Mia Ross
“Doesn’t that bug you? I mean, you didn’t want the job in the first place, when it was only temporary. Two years is a long time.”
He shrugged. “Someone has to do it. Better me than some money-grubbing backstabber.”
She’d seldom heard that kind of venom in his tone, but she understood it wasn’t driven by anger. It was driven by love. For the home he treasured, and had come back to not because he’d had nowhere else to go, but because it was where he truly wanted to be.
In that moment something totally unexpected dawned on her. She’d fought against Derek, exposing his greed, because she loved the town, too.
“I finally understand why this place means so much to you. Why you came back, even though it’s not always easy to live here.” Heaving a resigned sigh, she added, “I get it now.”
* * *
Her confession was so unlike the brash woman he’d gotten to know, it floored him. Maybe, with a gentle nudge, she’d actually change her mind about staying.
“I was thinking,” he began noncommittally, “this storm is a doozy, and the roads will probably be a mess in the morning. You might want to hang out here a couple more days and leave later in the week.”
“I can’t. I reused my bus ticket, but my flight to Wisconsin is nonrefundable. If I’m not on it, Nick will have a fit.”
So much for improvising, Cooper thought. “Well, then, the least I can do is drive you to the airport.”
“That’s sweet, but it’s a long trip to Rockland.”
“Not really. On the way you can read your article to me.”
She tilted her head in that I’m-thinking pose he’d seen so often over the summer. “Are you trying to invent a way to spend more time with me?”
Busted. Normally he’d never admit it, but since she had him dead to rights, he figured there was no harm in being honest. “Yeah. I thought I was being pretty smooth, though.”
“You were,” she said with a grin. “I’m just good at reading between the lines.”
No confession of love, he noted with a frown. If she was ever going to tell him, it would be now. That must mean she didn’t share his feelings, and she was avoiding the subject to keep from hurting him.
He’d deal with his disappointment later. “Well, then, I’ll go with you to the bus stop.”
“That’s really not necessary.”
“I came to meet you when you got here,” he insisted, “and I’ll walk you out. You’re not gonna argue with the mayor, are you?”
Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes, but didn’t flat out refuse to let him do it. It had taken him all summer, but he’d finally made some progress with the headstrong reporter.
He just wished she’d stick around long enough for him to enjoy it.
This time it was even harder to say goodbye to Mavis and Reggie.
Bree powered through their farewell without crying, but it was a close call. Her last view of the lighthouse and its keeper was the same as before: Mavis standing in the yard, watching them drive away. Sturdy and immovable, like the rocks surrounding the historic home she cared for so faithfully.
Tears threatened again, and in self-defense, Bree put a stop to the poetic train of thought. If she turned into a sap, Nick would probably fire her, and she’d be right back where she started before she’d begun working for him.
“You’re pretty quiet this morning,” Cooper noted as he drove with one hand and rested the other on her shoulder. “You okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I guess I’m just a little achy from the cold and rain last night.” There was a persistent one in her chest that refused to let up, no matter how much she rubbed it. She must have pulled a muscle hauling her suitcase down the three flights of stairs from the tower room.
“You must have a lot more stories to tell your readers about your summer here. Real life adventures are the best.”
The chipper tone in his voice struck her as being a little forced, and she turned to face him. “I want to thank you again for letting me do this series, Cooper. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t taken a chance on me.”
“You’d have figured something out.” He added a confident grin. “You’re smarter than you think.”
Was she? Bree wondered. Did a smart woman turn her back on a strong, sensitive guy who told her he loved her, expecting nothing in return? The answer to that was obvious, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Her plans were set, and if she wanted a long-term contract with Kaleidoscope, she had to prove her recent success wasn’t a fluke.
Thankfully her article was finished. As dejected as she was feeling this morning, she’d never have been able to give it the happy ending it deserved. Cooper stopped at his office long enough for her to say goodbye to Mrs. Andrews and Julia.
“Send me pictures when you open,” Bree ordered while they hugged. “I want to see all those incredible toys.”
“I will.” With a trembling smile, Julia backed away and folded her arms. The tears welling in her eyes almost did Bree in, and she waved goodbye before they both started blubbering like babies.
Cooper insisted on carrying her bags, and after her overly emotional morning, she didn’t have the heart to argue with him. While they walked, he gave her a sympathetic smile. “Nervous about Wisconsin?”
“I guess. I’ve never been there, so I’m not sure what to expect.”
“You had the same situation here at first, and you did great. Once folks there get to know you, it’ll go fine.”
“I hope so.”
The trouble was, over the summer she’d gradually come to grips with some of the character flaws that had caused her so much grief in her previous jobs. She had a different view of the world than other people did, and she now understood how that could make her difficult to deal with. Holiday Harbor was filled with eccentrics who cherished their own uniqueness and were generous enough to embrace it in her.
In the real world Bree feared she’d once again be written off as a wacky writer. She wasn’t looking forward to the change. “So, what are your plans now that the town has decided to nix the development?”
“More tourists. Bookings are up thanks to your articles, but we’ll have to figure out a way to make it work. Jack called last night with a plan for rehabbing that closed dock for sports fishermen and pleasure boats.”
Bree smothered a grin. “Did he now?”
“He said he got the idea from you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’d never interfere in town business that way.”
Chuckling, he went on. “Anyway, we agreed it’s the best way to keep the vacation traffic from making life miserable for the commercial fishing crews. We just have to find the money to make it happen,” he added with a wry grin.
“You will,” she predicted confidently. “If you think another article or two would help, let me know. I’ve got plenty of notes I never used.”
This grin had a hint of regret in it. “Thanks. I’ll do that.”
But they both knew he wouldn’t. There was really nothing left to say, and they walked the rest of the way in silence. It didn’t take long, and before she knew it, Ed was taking her bags and she had to say goodbye.
She started with Sammy, thinking it would be easier. His shaggy face hung in a canine frown, and he whimpered, standing on his hind legs to give her his version of a hug. Biting back a whimper of her own, she buried her face in his neck and tried really, really hard not to cry.
“You be a good boy,” she whispered, ruffling his ears while tears snuck down her cheeks. “And take good care of Cooper, okay?”
He replied with a muted bark, tilting his head in a questioning pose. “I’m sorry, big guy. I have to go.”
She glanced at Cooper, and got a faint shadow of his usual grin. “Is that apology fo
r me, too?”
“I—” Her heart was firmly lodged in her throat, and she just shook her head.
“Thanks for coming to help us out,” he said quietly.
There were so many things she wanted to say, but most of them would send her into tears, which would make him feel terrible. Instead she smiled, and he returned it with a halfhearted one of his own. He’d made it clear he loved her and didn’t want her to leave, and she’d made it just as clear there was a job waiting for her and she had to go. But if he asked her one more time...
“I should get back,” he finally said, leaning in to brush a kiss over her lips. “It was a real pleasure getting to know you, Sabrina Constance Farrell.”
It took every ounce of restraint she had not to haul him in for a longer kiss. To savor one last time the inexplicable connection that had drawn them together from their very first meeting.
Pulling back, he smiled at her and made his way back down the sidewalk. As he went, she watched hopefully, waiting for him to turn around.
But he never did. And after a few more minutes she knew it was time to go.
She found a seat near the back and scrunched down, sliding on her headphones to block out everything but the movie on her tablet. Her mind stubbornly kept drifting back to Cooper, and she rewound to the previous scene three times before giving up. Switching over to music, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Just as she was falling asleep, the coach lurched onto the side of the road, brakes squealing as it came to a stop. Curious about what had caused the delay, she glanced out in time to find a burgundy Jeep race past her window and disappear from view.
When Ed opened the door, a breathless Cooper flew up the steps and pointed right at her. “You. Outside.”
She’d never appreciated the caveman routine, and it didn’t thrill her now. But the desperation on Cooper’s face silenced her sharp comeback, and she mutely followed him out of the bus.
“I hate to do this, son,” Ed hollered, “but I’m on a tight schedule.”
Cooper held up five fingers, and the good-natured driver chuckled. “Okay.”
He thoughtfully closed the door, leaving Bree alone with a wild-eyed man she barely recognized.
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” she demanded. Now that her shock had worn off, she was more annoyed than anything.
In response, Cooper hauled her into his arms and kissed her until she was breathless. When he released her, all she could do was blink up at him. “Oh!”
“I love you, Bree. I really don’t want you to go.”
The force of those emotions shone in his eyes, and she felt her own filling with tears. “No guy’s ever come after me before.”
“No guy’s ever loved you the way I do, and you know it.”
On the verge of crying, she managed a ragged sigh. “You’re right. But there’s something else you don’t know.”
Cocking his head, he gave her a curious look. “What’s that?”
“I love you, too. I’m not sure when it happened, but I do.” Smiling up at this wonderful man who’d risked life and limb to chase after her, she added, “But if I stay here, Nick’s gonna kill me.”
“Do you really want to do this story in Wisconsin?”
“Water rights?” She laughed. “Are you kidding? Snooze city.”
“Then I’ll square things with Nick, and you can stay.” Leaning in, he kissed her more gently. “With me.”
Bree couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Cooper Landry, is that a marriage proposal?”
“Yes, it is.” He melted the last bit of her reservations with a warm kiss. Eyes twinkling in the sunlight, he smiled down at her. “Whattya say?”
Gazing up at the man who was generous enough to love her just the way she was, she smiled back. “I say yes.”
Epilogue
“Now this is a honeymoon.” Sighing, Bree stretched her arms out to soak in the Caribbean sunshine. “I love that there are places where it’s summer in November.”
Cooper trimmed the sails of their catamaran and dropped anchor before joining her on the long, padded bench. Leaning in for a quick kiss, he said, “When you told me you’d never been down here, I figured I needed to do something about that.”
“I’m so glad you did.” Happier than she’d ever been in her life, she smiled at her newly minted husband and draped her arms over his shoulders. “What did your mom have to say when you called her from the hotel earlier?”
“That it’s been snowing since she left us at the airport, and they’re supposed to get another foot by morning.” When Bree laughed, he shook his head. “That’s not very nice.”
“Sorry. How’s Sammy enjoying the snow?”
“She said he loves it, and he and Mitzy are getting along just fine. She was keeping him in the mudroom at night, but this morning she caught the two of them curled up asleep in front of the fireplace. She still has no idea how he got out.”
“The Amazing Sammy.” Bree laughed, waving her fingers melodramatically.
Grinning, Cooper kissed her again. “He managed to get us together, too. Not bad for a big pile of fur.”
The love glowing in his eyes warmed Bree even more than the sun overhead, and she sighed. “It really is amazing here. How long can we stay?”
“As long as you want. Things are usually pretty slow around the holidays, and Granddad’s old partner offered to take care of anything that can’t wait. He can handle whatever comes up.” Chuckling, he added, “I’m not sure Nick feels the same way about his ace reporter, though.”
“I still can’t believe he wouldn’t come to the wedding,” she complained. “I mean, who hates weddings?”
“It’s not that, exactly,” Cooper corrected her quietly.
“Then what?”
“It’s complicated—and very personal,” he added quickly when she opened her mouth to speak. “If you want more than that, you’ll have to ask him.”
“Well, in return for annoying the bride, he can make do without me for a while.”
Cooper’s expression made it clear he admired her more laid-back career plan. “If he fires you, you can always take Mom up on her offer to work at the bookstore.”
“I’m doing that anyway, just for fun.” Looking like someone who’d just seen Bigfoot, he fell onto the deck with a convincing thunk. “Oh, you’re hilarious.”
He clawed his way up the side of the bench and clung to the cushion like a rescued swimmer. “I must be hearing things. I thought my beautiful, very intense wife said she was planning on doing something for fun.”
“I do lots of things like that now,” she reminded him with a playful kiss. “I learned it from you.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from Bride Wanted by Renee Andrews.
Dear Reader,
I had a blast writing Bree and Cooper’s story! They’re so different, and they clash on pretty much everything, so there were lots of fireworks. Add to that a quirky little town on the edge of nowhere, and there was plenty to keep me occupied.
The sad part was they were both allowing bad things that had happened in the past to keep them from being happy now. Too often we take past results to heart and forget that the future is always in motion. Because of that we can change our story if we put our minds to it. Watching these two characters let go of their failures and move toward a successful future together was fun for me. I hope you enjoyed it, too.
If you’d like to stop by for a visit, you’ll find me online at www.miaross.com, Facebook and Twitter. While you’re there, send me a message in your favorite format. I’d love to hear from you!
Mia Ross
Questions for Discussion
The opening Bible verse comes from Corinthians: Wha
t is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Being a pragmatic person, at first Bree doesn’t understand it. By the end of the story, she believes it wholeheartedly. What does this phrase mean to you?
Cooper’s life and legal career went awry when he was too practical and didn’t listen to what his heart was telling him. Have you had situations like that in your own life? What did you do?
Cooper chides Bree for observing life rather than living it. Do you know anyone like that? If so, how would you encourage them to enjoy things around them more?
Mavis Freeman planned on taking in a shelter dog or cat but fell in love with a potbellied pig. If you’ve adopted a pet this way, what prompted your decision?
Bree remains completely objective about her assignment until she and Cooper find Sammy all alone at Sandy Cove. Something about the brave, loyal dog touches her, and she feels compelled to write a very moving article about him. Have you ever had an unexpected emotional response to an animal?
Because her parents’ divorce was so painful for her family, Bree is convinced that her nomadic life would doom a marriage and has never had a serious relationship. Do you know anyone who’s put their career before their personal life? Are they happy that way?
Cooper revered his late grandfather. When he discovers that the judge decided on his own to reject the development project, Cooper is furious with him for behaving so unfairly. Has anyone you admire disappointed you in a similar way? How did you handle it?
Holiday Harbor enjoys some unique celebrations. Can you think of towns near you that hold similar festivals? Which one is your favorite?
The declining fishing industry is a real-life threat many areas face today. Is something similar going on near you? If so, what are residents doing to help solve the problem?
Cooper is content living in his tiny hometown, while Bree is a city girl. Which lifestyle do you prefer? Why?
At the end of the story Bree and Cooper are no more alike than they were at the beginning, but they agree that they make a great team. Do you believe that opposites attract, or are successful couples more alike than not?