by Nicole Ellis
Pinks and oranges streaked the sky as the sun fell slowly downward into the ocean. From this elevation, he couldn’t see past the trees lining the tall cliffs that flanked the sandy beaches, but the roar of the Pacific Ocean carried well into town. The tree branches provided an interesting frame for the sunset and he found his gaze pulled to it.
He put his feet up on one of the wood chairs from nearby and leaned back against the picnic table, closing his eyes. The air still held a touch of warmth, and although he was exhausted from a long day, the peacefulness of the scene kept him there instead of heading home.
“Oh, drat,” a woman’s voice said as something clattered onto the gravel in between his truck and Charlotte’s trailer.
His eyes popped open and he looked around. No one else was in the lot with him, so where had that come from? He looked up.
In the dimming light, he saw Charlotte perched on the roof of the Airstream, a small easel and canvas set up in front of her. She was intent on her painting and didn’t seem to notice him. He sat there, watching her.
She was silhouetted against the sky and from what he could see from this angle, had been painting the sunset he’d been admiring. Her blonde hair fluttered around her shoulders in the breeze. From here, she looked like a captivating fairy—a very beautiful one. His breath caught.
What was he thinking? This was his friend’s sister, not some woman he’d met in a bar. Even if there was any chance she’d ever be attracted to him, she was off-limits.
He walked over to where he’d heard something drop to the gravel. A piece of artists’ charcoal lay on the ground, unbroken. He plucked it from between two small rocks and held it up to her.
“Do you need this?”
She leaned over the top of the trailer and stared at him in surprise.
“I didn’t know anyone was here.” She stretched her arm out for the charcoal and he passed it up to her. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t know anyone was here either. It was so quiet.” He stood there awkwardly for a moment, hoping that she’d offer him a nugget of conversation to indicate she might be ready for a truce. “It’s a nice night.”
“It is.” She eyed him and looked like she was about to say something, then sat upright and pointed at the canvas in front of her. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to finish this.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Of course. I’ll leave you be.”
Without another word, she moved her attention back to her work.
He grabbed the bucket with the soiled rags and walked the seven blocks to his apartment. What was going on with Charlotte? It seemed like she’d been about to say something nice and have a normal conversation with him, but then had reverted back to her old standoffish self. He didn’t know if he was making any progress with her or if she had no intention of ever forgiving him for his blunders the first day they’d seen each other on the shared lot.
When he reached his apartment, he opened the door and brought the rags into the laundry area in the bathroom to wash. Afterward, he found himself pacing the small studio. Although it was usually plenty of room for him, today he felt as though he was trapped in there. Quickly, he changed his clothes, threw on his sneakers and jogged off toward the beach. Maybe he could run off all the conflicting emotions about Charlotte that were swirling through his head. Or, he could further exhaust himself enough that he’d fall asleep easily without having to think of her again until the next day.
8
Luke entered Pete’s Pizzeria at half past six and scanned the pizza joint for Parker. He’d been in town for four weeks already, but he and his best friend had both been so busy that this was the first time they’d been able to clear time in their schedules for dinner together. On a Thursday night, the restaurant was busy, but not crowded, and he spotted Parker right away, sitting in a booth near the corner.
“Is the food any good here?” Luke asked as he slid into the bench seat across from his friend.
Parker grinned. “It’s the best pizza in Candle Beach.”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “That’s not saying much.”
Parker laughed at his joke. “No, seriously, Pete’s rivals any place in the city.”
Luke had his doubts about that. In San Francisco, he’d had a favorite place to get pizza and no one could do a deep-dish pizza like Tony’s. “We’ll see.”
“Do you still like sausage and mushroom?” Parker asked.
Luke nodded. When they’d been starving teenage boys, between the two of them, they’d easily consumed a large sausage and mushroom pizza during an afternoon study session. While he didn’t think he could handle that much pizza now, it was still his favorite combination.
The waitress came around and they placed their pizza order and requested two beers. Luke wanted to ask Parker about Charlotte, but as soon as they’d ordered, his friend launched into a lengthy description of his new real estate company. Much as he wanted to pay attention, he found his mind wandering. Why did Charlotte hate him so much?
They’d been there for twenty minutes before he was able to cut in and broach the subject of Charlotte.
“So, what’s the deal with your sister?” Luke asked.
“Which one?”
“Charlotte. The one that’s here in town.” He’d almost forgotten that Parker had another brother and sister. The concept of having so much family was alien to him, as it had just been himself, his sister and their grandparents for as long as he could remember growing up.
“What do you mean?” Parker asked carefully.
“Does she hate me, or what?” He picked up his frosty beer mug and took a big gulp from it.
Parker shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked with her much lately. She’s been so busy with the shop and preparing for an art show. She doesn’t have much time for anything else.” He looked at Luke more closely. “Why do you ask? Is she still mad about you moving into that space next to her?”
“Yes. I don’t think she’s ever going to get over it.”
Parker smiled. “Charlotte can hold a grudge, that’s for sure. One time when we were kids, I used one of her Barbie dolls for an outdoor camping adventure with my GI Joes, and let’s just say Barbie didn’t return looking the same. I thought she’d never forgive me. But even for her, that’s a little ridiculous. It’s not like you did anything wrong.”
The waitress brought over their sausage and mushroom deep-dish pizza and placed the steaming pie on a pedestal in the middle of their table.
Luke took a slice and bit into it, gooey cheese dripping everywhere. His eyes widened and he went in for another bite. “I thought I was going to miss my favorite pizza place in San Francisco, but this is even better.” It didn’t even matter that he burned his tongue with every bite he took. It was that amazing.
“How’s it going here? Has business been good? I always see a line in front of the food truck at lunchtime.” Parker took a bite too, then set his pizza down on his plate to wash it down with a swig of beer. “Man, that’s hot. You must have a Teflon tongue to not feel that.”
He smiled. “No, but I’m hungry. I’ve been smelling barbecue all day and dreaming of pizza.”
Parker laughed.
“I like it here,” Luke said. “It’s nice to be back near Pops.” After he’d moved to California, he hadn’t seen his grandparents nearly as much as he’d wanted to, or should have done. When his grandmother died, he’d only been able to take a few days away from work to attend her funeral and help his grandfather get things settled. He took another bite of pizza and swallowed before continuing. “I’d be a lot happier if your sister wasn’t glaring at me from the steps of her shop all day.”
“It can’t be that bad, right?” Parker narrowed his eyes at Luke. “Why’s she so mad at you? It’s not just the sharing a lot thing, is it?”
Luke wiped his hands on the paper napkin and twisted it between his fingers. “I may have called her Chatty Charlie when we first met.”
“She’s mad about that? I me
an, I know she hated it when we called her that back in high school, but it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.”
“That’s all I can think of, other than she’s not happy having me anywhere near her shop.”
“I’ll ask her about it. Other than that, how are things? I heard you and Charlotte are working together on a benefit event for the Bike Barn.”
He nodded. “We are. Which is another reason why I’d love it if she’d talk to me. Do you know how difficult it is to get things done when your co-planner won’t talk to you?”
Parker raised an eyebrow and then grabbed another slice of pizza. “I can imagine. I’ll talk to her. Maybe I can arrange a peace treaty or something.” He looked at Luke. “You seem awfully concerned with what Charlotte thinks of you. Do you have a thing for her or something?”
Luke pushed himself as far back on the booth seat as he could and raised his hands defensively. “No, no. Of course not. Besides, she has a boyfriend.” He flagged the waitress over and asked for a refill on his beer.
“Uh, as far as I know, there’s no boyfriend in the picture.” Parker laughed. “She doesn’t have time for anything except the shop and her art. Mom’s been complaining that she hasn’t heard from her in a month.”
Luke took in that piece of information. He’d assumed that Charlotte had a boyfriend that was taking up all her free time, but this put a different spin on things. He tried to push that thought away.
“She’s your sister.”
“Yeah, she’s my sister, not yours.”
“Well, in my mind, she’s off-limits, even if she’d give me the time of day. But she won’t, so it’s not an issue.” He turned the tables on Parker. “How are you and Gretchen? Is it weird working together?”
Parker and Gretchen had started a new real estate company together in the area and had recently become engaged. He couldn’t imagine working with someone he was that close to, but then again, he’d never had a relationship get to that point either, so what did he know?
Parker lit up. “It’s great. We have our differences sometimes, but you know how it is—when you work long hours, it’s hard to see your loved ones. This way I get to see Gretchen every day.”
Luke watched his friend’s face as he spoke of his fiancée. Before meeting Gretchen, Parker had been somewhat of a playboy, so it was a bit of a shock to see him so devoted. A familiar sense of jealousy shot through him, just as it had when he was thinking about Charlotte’s boyfriend.
Why was he thinking like that though? With a new business, he didn’t have time for dating, much less dating Charlotte.
When Charlotte came home from the shop on Friday night, the bookstore was closed for business, but was full of people. Garrett and Dahlia were leaving for their European vacation the next day and would be gone for over a month.
Charlotte went upstairs first to put her stuff away and then came back down to join the party. Her apartment was empty, but the voices from below filled the space. Her comfy couch and TV were calling her name and part of her didn’t want to go downstairs. Before she could get too fond of the idea of staying in for the night, she forced herself to go down the stairs.
The guests of honor were holding court under a Bon Voyage streamer near the espresso bar, which had been turned into a hosted bar for the evening. Dahlia threw back her head and laughed at something Garrett’s mother Meg said, her face flushed with happiness. Garrett wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
Gretchen and Parker were chatting with Maggie and Jake in the corner. Charlotte’s heart ached at the sight of all the happy couples. She just needed to keep telling herself that she had her art and the shop. There wasn’t time for anything else. Her stomach grumbled and the table in the corner piled high with food called her name. She made way over there to check out the selection. It looked like the Bluebonnet Café had catered the party, but was that a serving dish full of Luke’s barbecue in the back? She looked around but didn’t see him and figured it was safe to take some.
A scoop of shredded barbecued chicken went on her plate, along with the sweet and spicy barbecue sauce he’d given her to try the week before. She dipped her fork in it and took a bite before leaving the table. It was just as amazing as it had been before—although there was no way she’d ever let Luke know that.
Someone poked her shoulder and she almost jumped, hastily wiping away any sign of barbecue sauce from her lips before turning around. Luckily, it was only Parker.
“Hey,” she said with relief.
“Hey. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
She tilted her head up. “What about? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine, don’t worry. I had dinner with Luke last night and he said the two of you were working on the Bike Barn fundraiser together.” He peered at her. “How’s that going?”
“Oh, fine. I could have managed well enough on my own though.” She frowned. If Luke hadn’t volunteered, things would have been much easier.
Parker’s eyes danced with mirth. “I’m sure you could have. But it’s nice for him to get involved. He’s new in town, remember?”
“Yeah? So?” She winced at the harshness in her tone, but she couldn’t take it back.
“So, you could give him a break.” Parker’s eyes drilled into her face.
“Did he say something to you?” That took some nerve, complaining about her to her brother.
“He mentioned that you didn’t seem too happy to have him helping.”
“Well, he’s right. I’m not.” She eyed the barbecue on her plate. Her mouth was salivating for another bite, but she didn’t want to eat it in front of Parker.
“Charlotte. Give him a chance, okay? You don’t have to be best friends, but I’d like for the two of you to get along. If he did something to offend you, I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose.”
Her resolve softened and she rolled her eyes. “Okay. I’ll be nicer about his helping. Happy?”
“Yes.” He grinned at her and slugged her on the shoulder. “See ya later, sis.”
She watched him walk away, then took another bite of barbecue. The chicken was so tender that it melted in her mouth, blending with the sweetness and spice of the sauce.
“Do you like it?” A voice said from behind her.
She whirled around. Luke. She quickly placed her napkin over the plate. “I’m sorry?”
“The barbecue.” He pointed at her plate and the concealed chicken. “Did you like it?” His voice held a hint of uncertainty, probably because she’d spat it out last time she’d tasted it in front of him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She walked over to a garbage can and threw the plate in. It hurt to throw such delicious food away, but she didn’t have any other choice.
“Oh. I thought you had some.”
She felt his eyes on her face and she suddenly felt self-conscious. “What?”
“You’ve got something right there.” He reached out and brushed her cheek with his thumb.
Her breath caught at the sensations that rippled through her body from his delicate touch, followed quickly by indignation. “Do you mind?”
He examined a splotch of red on his thumb. “Looks a lot like barbecue sauce.” His lips quivered, as though he were fighting to hide a smile.
She opened and closed her mouth like a guppy. Argh! He made her so mad. There was definitely no way she could admit to him now that she’d loved the barbecue. She stared at him without saying a word, then walked away.
When she’d distanced herself from him, she silently scolded herself. Why had she lied to him? She’d just told her brother she’d try to be nice to him, but there was something about Luke Tisdale that got her all riled up. She looked around for someone to talk to, her eyes landing on a woman sitting alone in the corner, looking as lonely as she felt.
“Hey,” Charlotte said. “Sarah, right?”
The woman nodded and tucked her brunette hair behind her ears. “Yes. And you’re Charlotte,
Parker’s sister, right?”
Charlotte smiled. “I am.” She pulled up a chair next to Sarah. “How’s it going?”
“Great. I’m a teacher, and school is almost over for the summer, so I’m happy about that.” She looked at Charlotte. “Did Dahlia tell you I’m managing the bookstore for her while she’s gone?”
“She said something about someone taking over for her, but she didn’t say who. I’m the one who lives in the apartment above the store, so we’ll see a lot of each other over the next few months.” Charlotte looked around the room. “Not to be nosy, but are you dating anyone?”
Sarah laughed. “Nope, I’m going to be an old maid.” She made a face. “Why, do you have someone to fix me up with?”
“No, but I’m starting to feel like the proverbial third wheel at this party. Everyone here seems to have brought a date.” She motioned to all the couples in the room. “It’s refreshing to meet someone else in the same boat as me.”
“We’ll have to start an old maid’s club,” Sarah quipped. “Then again, I thought my brother Adam would be a bachelor forever and he’s dating someone now. Maybe there’s hope for us yet.”
“Maybe.” Charlotte stared wistfully at Parker, who was now standing with his arm around Gretchen. She wouldn’t have thought her brother would ever settle down, but he’d met Gretchen and that had been the end of his single life. It seemed like fate with them, as they’d met when Charlotte rented Gretchen’s house when she first moved to town. Well, they’d officially met before that, but she liked to think she’d brought them together.
All her friends had found their matches and she was running out of eligible bachelors in town. It would have to be a newcomer to Candle Beach. An image of Luke popped into her head. He may not be high on her list of potential mates, but he was an eligible bachelor. As if on cue, he crossed her line of sight. She eyed him as he walked over to Parker and Gretchen to join their conversation. She had promised Parker to be nice to him. Maybe some matchmaking was in order.