“Don’t overthink this, Dakota.” He squeezed my hand before letting go and reached into his back pocket. “Here’s the key for the church.”
“Thank you.”
“I should probably go. I don’t want to do anything that would give Sammi a story to tell.”
I nodded in agreement, ignoring the disappointment that was inching its way in as he stood up.
I walked him to the door and his hand rested on the doorknob.
“Thank you for making tonight so unforgettable,” I whispered, looping my arms around his waist.
“Thank you for making every minute unforgettable.”
I laughed. “Always got to one-up me, huh?”
“It’s a nasty habit.” He bent down and brought his lips down to once more. “But just know I’m excellent at waiting.”
“I’m not.” I smiled and kissed him one more time.
For the first time in a long time, I was only thinking about the beginning, not the middle or the end.
Chapter Twelve
“You tell that boy, hands off.” I gave Sammi a hug, and she rolled her eyes. “And if you ever need anything, you promise you’ll call me, right?”
“Of course.” She grinned and pecked my cheek. “The same goes for you. If Shane gives you any trouble, you call me. Deal?”
I smiled and shook my head. “Deal.”
The mere mention of Shane Parker made me nearly delirious with delight. He spent Saturday working with his design team at the warehouse, and today he was dealing with contractors at the church. I didn’t have any idea how he got contractors to show up to a job site on a Sunday but more power to him.
I’d planned to stop by so I could go over measurements, but I didn’t expect him be there when I arrived, so Tess promised she’d come with me.
“Love ya, Dakota.” Sammi waved and walked along the corridor to load onto the ferry.
“Love you too, Sammi.” My heart filled with joy for Sammi, her dad, and Cynthia. They were going to be okay. There might be a few bumps, but I don’t think they’ll be anything other than the typical teenager hiccups.
My stomach knotted when I thought about how much I cared for Sammi. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be fortunate enough to have my own daughter or son, so I always wanted to protect Sammi. She was probably as close as I’d ever get.
I forced down a hard swallow and walked back to my car. Sure. I could freeze my eggs, but I wasn’t there yet mentally. Maybe on some level, there was some kernel of hope that I still might meet the one.
Shane popped into my head. Actually, who was I kidding? He never popped out of my head, and regardless, he lived in Montana and I lived in Washington, which was why I probably did need to consider freezing my eggs or something. Just a safety precaution. Although, I had heard of all the pain and mood swings I’d go through just to prepare for the procedure.
By the time I pulled up in front of Tess’s house, I was a confused wreck and didn’t have a clue how or why I suddenly wanted to worry about procreation.
Tess opened her front door and waved as she grabbed her bag and locked the door behind her.
I unlocked the car door, and she climbed in putting her bag in between her legs.
“You look dazed,” Tess noticed, smiling. “Frolic in the sack go well?”
“Hardly. The last time I saw Shane was on Friday and we only kissed.” I grinned and glanced at Tess. “The way that man kisses has me thinking of all kind of crazy things and that’s probably why I look crazed.”
Tess laughed as I turned onto the main road. “I didn’t say crazed. I said dazed.”
“Same thing under the circumstance.” I laughed and took in the beautiful flowers that were starting to bloom along the island roads now that summer had nearly begun.
“How did your visit with Sammi go?” she asked.
“Thankfully, she’s the innocent kid I’d hoped, and it was her friend who had a pregnancy scare.” I let out a sigh. “At least for now. She swears her boyfriend won’t try anything because of baseball. I’m not sure how long that will last.”
Tess chuckled. “To be a kid again.”
“I sometimes feel like Sammi has it more together than I do.”
“Well, in this instance she just might.” Tess tapped my knee. “But that’s okay. You can’t excel in all areas. You already have a great family, amazing business, and cute house. Speaking of, how is your brother doing with his blogger girlfriend?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Josh and Emilia are doing really well. I think he’s still a tad gun-shy with her history, but that’s not stopping him from giving it his all.”
My brother, Josh, had his heart broken by his high school sweetheart, who also happened to be my best friend. Then without warning she vanished into thin air, breaking my brother’s heart in the process. The fact that all these years later she showed up again is confusing, to say the least.
“Well, I hope he finds his happily-ever-after so you can see that it really is possible.”
“I’m not jaded. I know long-term love works for a lot of people. I’m not sure if it’s in the cards for me, but I think it’s great for others.”
Tess let out an exasperated sigh. “Why are you so guarded?”
“You think I’m guarded?” I asked surprised.
“You break things off before there’s ever any hope of the relationship getting deep, so yeah. I’d say so.”
“It makes life easier. That’s all.” I gave her the side eye. “I wouldn’t call it guarded, exactly.”
“What am I going to do with you?” she hummed, and I chuckled.
“Says the woman who is too busy for men.” I flashed a wry grin. “I think the fact that you’d rather grade papers all night than snuggle with a man is telling too, you know. Some might call it guarded.”
“Nah.” She waved her hand in the air. “Not guarded. Just busy.”
We chuckled as I turned the car down Meadow Cove Lane. Tess spotted the church and let out a little gasp.
“Scares me as much now as it did then.” Tess slithered down in her seat.
“I’m not saying that ghosts don’t exist, but none came out to haunt us when we were here last time.”
“Yeah, but now it’s almost dark.” She glanced at me. “And that’s when ghosts come out.”
“Really? I thought they just hung out whenever.” I pulled in front of the church and parked. Shane’s SUV wasn’t around and my heart kind of fell. “You can stay in the car if you want.”
“And be alone with the ghosts?” She shook her head. “No way.”
“I thought they were inside?” I pointed at the church.
“Ghosts can be outside just as easy as inside.” She shivered, and I realized she actually was scared of ghosts.
“Okay. I’ll make it quick.” I reached for my purse and fished out my notebook and tape measure before getting out of the car.
“Can’t be quick enough.”
“I definitely owe you dinner tonight.”
“That’s the only thing that got me here.” She grinned as she crawled out of the car.
I locked the car and noticed that some construction equipment had already been dropped off.
“The man wastes no time.” I pointed at the dismantled scaffolding.
“How long is he on the island for?” she asked as I unlocked the church and we went inside.
She froze in the foyer. “This is so freaky.”
“I thought it was beautiful.”
Tess drew a breath and looked at the stone walls and slowly moved her gaze to some of the glasswork. “Well, the architecture is beautiful and what you’re going to do with it is gorgeous, but I wouldn’t want to share my space with anyone else.”
“Makes sense to me.” I moved into the next room and noticed all the pews had been pushed to the far wall.
I made my way to where the altar was and climbed a couple steps and looked around. There was a beautiful arched window that I’d need to measure, but
today was not the day. I glanced at the floor and noticed tiny bits of rubbish and stones. A thick coat of dust covered everything.
Tess hurriedly walked over to me and followed me over to some alcoves.
“That’s where it happened,” she whispered and a chill went through me.
“Did you feel that?” she asked.
“The breeze?”
“Ghosts make you feel cold.”
My brows furrowed as I noticed a tipped-over-candle, except there were batteries that had spilled out of the bottom.
“Was the candle that magically lit a taper?” I asked.
“Yeah. How’d you know?” Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
I kicked the plastic candle and the batteries fell completely out. “I think what you saw was a battery-operated candle, not a ghost lighting a candle.”
Tess bent down and stared at the candle for a few seconds. She looked to her right and saw another one with a piece of paper tied to it that read Gotcha.
“Do you realize how many years I thought a ghost was carrying these candles?”
“And it was some funny boy’s prank?” I shook my head and tried to hold in my laughter. “Sounds about right.”
“The male sex is stunted. I’m sure of it.” She stood up and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Well, you were very convincing, and I have to confess that I’m really relieved that I’m only working in an old church with battery operated candles, not Casper the Friendly Ghost. Do you mind helping me with the measuring?” I waved my measuring tape and she grinned sheepishly.
“Let’s not tell anyone.”
“I think that’s a really good idea.” I nodded.
Tess followed me over to the window I was most concerned about and helped me get the measurements I needed.
We managed to measure three more and then my phone rang.
“It’s Shane.”
“Well, don’t let me get in the way. I’ll just step over here,” she teased, walking to the other side of the room.
I giggled as I answered the phone.
“Hey, Shane.”
“Hi. I was wondering if you’d gotten everything you needed at the church?”
“I’m actually still here with Tess, but I’m finishing up. Tess is very relieved to find out the church is actually not haunted.”
“Was there ever a question?” Shane asked intrigued.
“Hey,” Tess shouted. “You weren’t supposed to say anything.” She pretended to scowl, and I covered my mouth.
“Oops.”
Shane laughed. “How was the rest of the weekend with Sammi?”
“Amazing, and her dad said she could visit your ranch as long as I was with her since she hasn’t been on many horses.”
“Really. So you’ll actually fly to Montana to see me?”
“Well, you’re sending your plane, so it’s not like we’re really putting ourselves out,” I joked lovingly.
“Good point,” he said wryly. “Do you have any plans for dinner tonight?”
“I’m taking Tess out since she faced her fears of ghosts and haunted churches.”
“You are so foul,” Tess hollered, and I chuckled.
“How about tomorrow?”
“I’m free after my studio tour or do you plan on hijacking that one too?”
“Why would I ever do that?” I heard the laughter in his voice.
“Oh, maybe because you did it last time and know it works.”
I glanced at Tess who was smiling and trying to get my attention.
I muted the phone and mouthed, “What?”
“How about we go out for dinner a different night? I have a busy day tomorrow and I usually use my Sundays to get ready for the rest of the week.”
I shook my head. “No. I promised you dinner and—”
“I’m still getting dinner just on a different night.”
I was never someone to cancel with one person to go with someone else, but Tess seemed pretty adamant.
“No. We are going out to dinner tonight whether you like it or not.”
“Dakota? Are you still there?”
I quickly unmuted the phone. “Sorry. Yeah. I’m here and dinner tomorrow would be great.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at six?”
“I look forward to it.”
Tess marched over and snagged the phone from me. “Sorry, it’s Dakota’s friend, Tess. I’m canceling on her tonight so she’s free tonight for dinner too.”
“Tess,” I hissed.
“I insist.”
Shane’s laughter over the phone made my heart sing and I mouthed a quick thank you to Tess who grinned and nodded.
“Okay. So I’ll pick you up in about an hour? Does that sound good?” he asked.
“It does.”
“And we’re still on for tomorrow too, right?”
I chuckled. “Well, this is our first official date so who knows. You might not want date two.”
“Not a chance, and that’s not exactly true. Our first date was the zombie movie and popcorn.”
“If you say so.”
“And you say I like to have the last word?”
“I better finish measuring or none of us will be eating tonight.”
“See you soon.”
“See you too.” I hung up the phone and felt my fingers trembling with excitement.
“Now aren’t you happy I backed out?” Tess grinned.
“You’re a good friend.”
“I know you’d do the same.” She smiled and I nodded.
“I would. Now let’s get on it so I can change before he arrives.”
Tess and I quickly finished the last couple of measurements, and the excitement was building at the thought of getting to see Shane again.
Only this time there wasn’t a reason in the world I wouldn’t let my emotions take hold.
We walked to my car and climbed in when Tess turned to face me. “My only request is that you fill me in. I just feel like Shane might be the one.”
“The one for what?” I didn’t want to admit what I’d been feeling, what I’d been pushing down since I met him, which was an accidental hope that love might actually exist for me.
The real kind. The kind of love that makes your body ache and your heart swell. The kind of love that makes you hurt with the thought of it ending or the kind that devastates the other if a mistake is made because everything affects both of you.
That’s been my fear. That I might have the real kind of love with Shane Parker and that scares the hell out of me.
“The one who finally breaks down your walls and allows you to feel love again.”
The air inside the car stilled. “You don’t think I feel love?”
“Not that kind of love. No.”
I pulled down Meadow Cove Lane wondering how Tess saw right through me so easily when I wouldn’t even admit that to myself.
“But I think you might soon,” she added.
“I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
“That is the whole point of love. Get your hopes up. Let your mind run wild with the possibilities of loving someone so wholly you can’t wait to see them and when they leave, you miss them. Not because you need them to survive but because you want to survive with them.”
“I think you’ve read Romeo and Juliet one too many times for your class,” I teased, trying not to allow the realness of her words hit me as hard as they felt.
“Hey, I wish I could find someone who caught my interest, but it just hasn’t happened. It may not.” She shrugged. “But it kills me when I can see it right in front of me for one of my best friends, and she doesn’t want to let herself at least give it a try.” She tapped her knee. “Because I’m telling you with this guy, you don’t want to go in with a cautious heart. You need to go all in.”
“All in?” I repeated.
“All in. You need to go in knowing you might feel pain you’ve never felt before, but the joy in between is worth it.”
As we came up to her home, I glanced at her and noticed a touch of sadness behind her gaze.
“You okay?” I asked.
“I think I need to take some of my own advice.”
I let out a sigh. “I know how that goes.”
She leaned over and gave me a big hug and then unbuckled. “Now make sure you leave him wanting plenty more.”
“I’ll try my best.” I chuckled and watched Tess go to her door and step inside her home.
I leaned my head against the headrest and shut my eyes for a brief second. I could do this. I could reveal all of me to him. I could let myself fall for him.
By the time I’d gotten home, showered, and put on a sundress my heart was beating wildly with anticipation.
The truth of it was that I missed Shane. I missed being around him and hearing what he’d been up to. Knowing he was on Fireweed and we weren’t together was excruciating.
Did that mean I was starting to actually let myself feel the start of something?
The doorbell rang, and I dabbed a little more mascara on my lashes and made my way to the door. I peeked at Shane through the window, and my heart skipped a beat.
He was just too sexy for his own good.
I opened the door, and his eyes fell along my body. I’d chosen a dress with a deep heart-shaped neckline, and the waist cinched in pretty tightly with a matching floral belt.
When his gaze returned to mine, it was heated, and I suddenly wanted to skip dinner and go straight to bed.
“You’re breathtaking,” he said, smiling. “Absolutely beautiful.”
“Oh, this old thing?” I teased, lifting up the hem of my skirt slightly.
His eyes were quick to follow up my exposed leg and desire thrummed through my body.
He held out his hand, which I quickly grabbed as I locked the door with my other one.
“I hope your friend doesn’t mind about tonight.” He sounded apologetic.
“No. I think she would have been disappointed in me if I didn’t go to dinner with you tonight.”
“What about you? Would you have been disappointed?” he asked as we walked down the path to my gate.
Accidental Love on Meadow Cove Lane (Island County Series Book 10) Page 10