by LuAnn McLane
“Five months old, and she already has Grady wrapped around her tiny finger. Arabella will have to be the voice of discipline,” Jimmy said with a chuckle.
“Well, we already know she can fill that role. She sure as hell whipped us back into shape for the reunion concert. Choreographer? More like drill sergeant.”
“Yeah, but we’re not cupid-faced little sweetie-pies. I’ve never seen a cuter baby,” Jimmy said. He melted every time he held Ella in his arms. “So, what else is going on?”
“Just seeing how you’re coming along with the song. Belinda wanted me to ask you when it will be ready. We’ve been throwing out hints during the show that we’ll be debuting a new Jimmy Heart tune soon.”
“I’m trying.” Jimmy groaned and looked up at the ceiling. “The dog next door is driving me nuts.”
“Still? You haven’t approached the owner again?”
“I finally made a little bit of progress just a few minutes ago. Maggie explained that Trixie is a rescue and was abused. She hates men in general.”
“Ah, well at least not you in particular.”
“Yeah.” Jimmy started putting slices of turkey on bread, thinking that he’d like to have some of what Maggie was cooking instead.
“So use some of that Heart charm on the owner.”
“The flirt gene skipped me.”
“That’s fucking silly.”
“I wish. I need some pointers.”
“Try flowers or something, then. No pressure, but Oliver, I really need the new song soon.”
“That kinda sounds like pressure.”
Oliver chuckled. “Belinda and I are toying with heading into the studio, and we want another Jimmy Heart masterpiece.”
“You’re recording again? Really?”
“Yeah, maybe, and making an EP to sell in the theater’s gift shop. I want to give some of the proceeds to mom’s lupus foundation. I’ve already mentioned it to Grady. Sorry, but you might get some pressure from him soon too.”
Jimmy squirted mayo on the bread with one hand. “I’m gonna grab a bite to eat and give it another try later,” he promised. “I’ve already got the melody in my head. But remember, I’m not used to writing duets.”
“I know. The other thing is that when we get all of this wrapped up, we can take some time off at summer’s end before the crazy busy fall season hits. And then we need to plan the wedding.”
“Are you doing a beach wedding, then?”
“No, Belinda wants to have it here. She might be an only child, but the entire town of Brookside Bend knows her and wants to be invited to the ceremony. We’re thinking of having it at the theater next spring and making it into a giant music festival.”
“Cool.”
“Yeah, I think so, but I’d do anything she wants,” Oliver admitted. “But first we need the song.”
“I hear ya. I’m on it. Give Belinda a hug from me. I want to come to the theater and take in a show sometime soon too.”
“We’d love that. I miss you, man. Talk to you later.”
“See ya,” Jimmy said, and ended the call. He looked at the bland sandwich ingredients and vowed to go to the grocery store later and stock up on some real food. He didn’t mind cooking—he just hadn’t been in the mood lately. With Grady married and a new father with a baby, Oliver having moved to Tennessee, and Jesse busy doing double duty at the family music store, Jimmy felt loneliness closing in on him. And, uh, maybe the difficulty composing his latest love song might have something to do with the lack of romance in his own life—not just the interruption of the little dog next door.
While spreading the mayo on the hearty seven-grain bread, he started humming the melody to the song he’d been working on. He sliced a tomato and added shredded lettuce and avocado slices to the sandwich to feel as if he were eating a balanced bite, and not just another quick-fix meal.
Hopefully, Trixie would stay inside for the remainder of the night … although he’d like to see feisty Maggie Murphy again. “Flowers,” he said under his breath. “Worth a shot.”
While Jimmy ate his sandwich, he jotted down words, phrases, but his mind kept drifting to Maggie, and he finally tossed his pen down and leaned back in his chair. Jimmy couldn’t remember the last time thoughts of a woman had crowded his mind. He liked the way his pulse quickened when he looked at her, and he wanted to know what it would feel like to have her in his arms and to kiss her. He glanced at the time on his phone and nodded slowly. If he left now, he could make it to the store before closing time.
With a little luck, maybe Maggie Murphy would give him a chance.
CHAPTER TWO
CATCH MY BREATH
Trixie whined by the sliding glass door that led to the balcony, then gave Maggie her best doggie pout and saddest big-eyed stare. She added a little pawing of the floor for good measure. “You know how to get to me, don’t ya, girl?” Maggie chuckled.
At the rescue shelter, most of the other dogs had clamored for attention, barking, placing their paws in the fence, whining, wagging their tails—please pet me, pick me! Ah, but bony, wiry-haired Trixie had sat cowering in the corner, trying her best not to be noticed. Maggie had understood and immediately connected with her. “I want that one,” she’d said, much to the surprise of the shelter attendant, who then explained the previous owner’s neglect and abuse. But instead of being scared off, Maggie was immediately sold.
“Sorry, girl. I’d let you out, but I don’t want you to start barking at Jimmy Heart,” Maggie said while ladling steaming Irish stew into a deep green ceramic bowl. “I’m still recovering from seeing him shirtless.” She sliced off a piece of crusty bread. “Did you get a load of that chest? Hot damn.” Maggie felt a flash of warmth that had nothing to do with the heat of the stove. “I may never recover.”
From the first heart-pounding moment she’d met Jimmy at the mailbox over ten months ago, she’d pretended not to know that he was a Heart brother of Heartbeat fame. Her favorite of the Heart brothers! And she’d hidden her nervousness with the same aloof disdain she’d learned to wield like a slashing sword long ago. Of course, her nose-in-the-air attitude remained a big act, but letting Jimmy think she was coldly unapproachable when she was actually melting on the inside was an award-winning performance. Still, she couldn’t quite hide her mortification when Trixie had nipped at her biggest celebrity crush’s ankles. The Heart brothers had lived in LA when she’d been a fan, so she wasn’t aware they were from Sea Breeze until she moved there and spotted the welcome sign as she drove into town. She sure hadn’t expected Jimmy Heart to be living right next door … with their balconies nearly touching.
During her teenybopper days, Maggie had Heartbeat posters all over her bedroom wall and every CD Heartbeat had ever recorded. While most girls had gone gaga for Grady, the lead singer, Maggie crushed on Jimmy. With his soulful brown eyes and quiet demeanor, he’d seemed so sweet and kind. She’d thought that he’d be one of those guys who would want to hold your hand, bring you wildflowers. Or maybe that was the kind of guy she wanted him to be. She had to remind herself to distance her childhood fantasy from her present reality.
As an overweight, nerdy teenager with wild red hair and an abundance of freckles, Maggie hadn’t felt pretty. She’d never been asked out on a date or gone to a prom or school dance. Her friends were social outcasts like her, but they were all close, trying to look out for one another when haters poked fun. They’d banded together, created their own diverse world that included rather than excluded and that gathered strength from adversity. She remained in touch with most of them, and they’d all achieved some impressive degree of success.
Ha, nerds ruled the world!
When she’d been body-shamed and bullied, Jimmy Heart had become her pretend boyfriend, warmly smiling at her from the posters on her wall. The other Heart brothers were super cute too, but Jimmy seemed to be gazing directly at her, telling her with those brown eyes to be brave. Surely nothing mean would ever come out of his mouth.
> And now he lived next door!
Her heart pounded. Life was weird.
“God, I can’t even,” Maggie whispered, and placed her hand to her chest, unable to decide if this was a dream come true or her worst nightmare. But she wasn’t about to fawn all over Jimmy, or get her hopes up that he might have an interest in her. She couldn’t even fathom that thought, even though it made her angry that she thought he couldn’t possibly be attracted to her, because that notion went against everything she stood for.
Maggie worked hard to boost the self-esteem of teenage girls and young women, but even so, she still carried a bit of a chip on her shoulder when it came to guys. She’d hardly ever received a kind word from her father, but she’d still felt the pain of his disappearance. And the boys in school who made her stutter and blush were often dismissive, if not actually mean. And then later, in college, when she’d come into her own, blossomed, she’d still felt the pang of resentment that her looks were valued more than her brain. Guys would buzz around her like bees around honeysuckle, but she lifted her nose and shooed them away. I wasn’t good for you then, so I’m not interested now. Granny Mags said she was cutting off her nose to spite her face and that she should find herself a nice boy, but Maggie just couldn’t get over her miserable teenage years when she’d been shunned.
Maggie took the steaming bowl over to the breakfast bar and then opened the fridge for butter. She suddenly thought she shouldn’t have been so uppity with Jimmy about the pretzel incident, but then sighed. No, stay strong. Don’t get hurt.
In truth, Maggie felt guilty being attracted to Jimmy just because he was so damned gorgeous. Just looking at him made her feel warm all over—and not just because of his appearance. He seemed so incredibly nice. She had to remind herself that he might not be as nice as her imagination played him up to be as a young girl, and part of her didn’t want to risk her idea of him getting ruined. So she needed to keep her distance and her guard firmly intact. She put a large spoon and fork on the granite counter with more force than needed, drawing a curious look from Trixie.
Maggie had fought all her adult life to value people for their heart, their brains, and their kindness and compassion. Falling at the former heartthrob’s feet wasn’t something she would allow herself to do … even though, damn, she sure wanted to throw herself at him. The crazy part was that he seemed interested in her.
No! She would simply have to admire him from afar and keep her nose in the air whenever they ran into each other.
Oh, but the man could sing. She’d leave her sliding glass door open at night just so she could listen to Jimmy singing and strumming his guitar. “And you had to go and ruin it by barking at him all the time,” she said to Trixie, and then tapped her cheek. Maybe his suggestion of befriending her dog had merit. But that would mean spending quality time with Jimmy Heart, and she didn’t know how she’d be able to keep her cool exterior for an extended period of time—aka for any longer than ten minutes. Nope, sticking with the sassy attitude was her best defense, just like it always had been. Still, it was damned difficult to pull off a glare when just looking at Jimmy made her melt like a Popsicle on a hot summer day.
With a little groan, Maggie put another slice of bread on a small plate and grabbed a napkin. Thankfully, she had learned to mask her true feelings at a young age. When her father had gone out for a pack of cigarettes and never returned, her mother turned to wine and Maggie found comfort in food, while her grandma Mags turned to a nip of Irish whiskey every now and then.
Maggie’s trust in men had plummeted over the years. She knew it wasn’t fair to men in general, and that she should let her guard down and at least try to find love … but she just couldn’t. She never wanted to feel the same emotional devastation that her mother had experienced. And while she finally—well, usually—felt comfortable in her own skin, she was still a work in progress.
Maggie took a slice of her freshly baked baguette and spread softened Kerrygold butter across the warm middle. After sitting down at her breakfast bar, she took a bite of the savory stew. The vegetables were still firm, but the meat melted in her mouth. “Mmm … perfection.” Maggie nodded in appreciation of her grandmother’s recipe. Red wine and dark beer gave the broth a deep, rich flavor. She didn’t understand when single people said that you couldn’t cook for one. “Of course you can,” Maggie said across the room to Trixie. She talked to the little dog as if the animal understood, but Trixie was miffed that she couldn’t go outside and so she sat on her haunches, giving Maggie a stone-cold accusing stare.
“You can’t answer me, but you’ll bark.” Maggie sighed, finding it difficult not to give in to Trixie. When she’d rescued her, the little dog had been nothing but skin and bones and big, sad eyes. Now she’d filled out, and although her coat was still wiry and wild, it was also glossy. “I’ll make it up to you with a long walk later,” Maggie promised, thinking she’d take Trixie down to the dog park on the premises and let her run. Late night meant cooler temperatures and fewer dogs to deal with for Trixie, who tended to bark furiously at big breeds but cower from people. Passive-aggressive.
Maggie broke off a piece of the crusty bread and dipped it into the rich broth. Cooking was therapeutic. So was her writing. And while she wrote her blogs and bestselling books to empower young women, her brave words continued to heal her younger self. Still, she was much more comfortable giving a speech to a large audience than making small talk or socializing. She realized since she was still new to the area that she needed to join some groups—a book club, a wine club … something at which she could make friends and that would help her get out, and yet she had not.
Maggie glanced over to the sliding glass doors that led to a gorgeous ocean view. A home overlooking the sea was one of the goals she’d set for herself at the tender age of eighteen. She supposed her drive to succeed stemmed from her desire to prove her self-worth to those who had bullied her. Or maybe she hoped her father would open the newspaper and see her name on the bestsellers list. Her ambitions had included buying a house for her mother and grandmother, getting them out of a tiny apartment surrounded by gray concrete and noise. Maggie had accomplished that goal five years ago, moving her mom and Granny Mags into a quaint brick house complete with a big oak tree, neatly trimmed bushes, and lush green grass. Someday, she hoped to get her mom and grandmother to come to Florida and escape the harsh Cleveland winters. She sure did miss them.
While eating, Maggie usually jotted down notes or read something, but tonight, her thoughts drifted to her heartthrob neighbor. In truth, it wasn’t fair to Jimmy that Trixie barked her head off at him. Maybe she should seriously consider his offer to get to know her little dog. Did she have the nerve to head next door after dinner with Trixie and a treat for him to offer her?
No, she didn’t. Not one little bit.
Maggie took a bite of the thick, savory stew, ticked at herself for being such a wuss when she preached otherwise. She pulled off another piece of warm bread with more strength than needed. “He’s just a guy,” she muttered. Yeah, a guy with perfectly messy hair, incredibly wide shoulders, and a tan, sculpted chest that she wanted for her own personal playground. Oh, and a killer smile that made her forget her own name. A guy whose face had once been plastered on her bedroom wall. Maggie scooped up a chunk of potato. What were the odds that she’d live next door to her childhood fantasy? The very same boy who had once looked down from her wall with kind eyes and a sweet grin?
Maggie sighed. She had Heartbeat memorabilia in a box somewhere. She’d wanted to attend their concerts, but the tickets were too expensive so she’d never even asked her mother, worried that her mom would splurge, using money meant for paying bills.
Ah, Jimmy Heart …
How could she possibly act normal around him?
And then there was the voice.
While Grady and sometimes Oliver Heart were the lead singers for Heartbeat, Jimmy had a softer, sultry tone that caused her breath to catch. And his lyrics? He
was currently working on a sexy love song that made her eyes flutter shut and toes curl.
Stop thinking about him!
Impossible.
Maggie finished her dinner and headed over to the sink to clean the dishes and stow away the leftovers. A rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning had Trixie leaving her stubborn post at the sliding glass doors. With a wheezy whimper, she trotted over and hovered by Maggie. “It’s okay, girlie,” Maggie said in a soothing tone, but she felt a sizzle of anxiety slide down her spine. She reached down and scratched Trixie behind her pointy ears. “Maybe it will blow over. I don’t like being alone when it storms either, but now we have each other.”
After her father had flown the coop, her mom worked full-time and her grandmother part-time, often leaving Maggie a latchkey kid. Storms that knocked out the power always had her cowering in the corner, clinging to a flickering old flashlight with iffy batteries. Burning candles wasn’t permitted by her mother, and Maggie always followed the rules.
Maggie had begged for a dog to keep her company, but pets weren’t allowed in the complex, so it would be Maggie against the elements with no cell phone and just a little backpack of necessary emergency items that she’d assembled herself. Maggie always had a big stack of library books on hand, which would take her on grand adventures and chase away her loneliness.
A cranky heater and ancient window air conditioner meant that Maggie had grown up feeling either too hot or too cold. The temperamental water heater meant quick showers, and so now Maggie loved long, hot, pelting showers or a luxurious soak in a fragrant bubble bath.
A rumble of thunder had Maggie wincing. The storm wasn’t likely to blow over. She had quickly found out that there was a trade-off for what would be a glorious, snow-free, warm winter. Florida weather was an unpredictable business. Severe storms could pop up out of nowhere, and Maggie wasn’t a fan of surprises. “Okay, it’s about time to locate my survival kit and huddle beneath the covers.” While Trixie usually slept in her doggie bed in the living room, Maggie allowed Trixie to join her in her bedroom during thunderstorms.