The Summer Cottage: Includes a bonus story

by Annie Rains

  Lucy laughed. “That’s true. I never plan on coming out here, but the thought of not being here on a Friday evening just doesn’t feel right. I drag my feet, and once I reach the village green, I’m having the time of my life.” She pointed at a blanket a few yards away. “I came with Moira and Tess, of course.”

  Jake looked over at the other blanket and waved at the two women who were watching them. Then he looked at Trisha. “Have you met Moira and Tess yet?”

  Trisha shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. The one with dark hair looks kind of familiar.”

  “That’s Tess,” Lucy said. “She owns Lakeside Books on Hannigan Street.”

  Trisha didn’t think that’s where she’d seen Tess. Maybe it was at the market because that’s really the only place that Trisha had ventured since moving to town. “I haven’t been to the bookstore yet.”

  Lucy put her hands on her hips. “How long have you been here?”

  “A little over a month.”

  Lucy shook her head and reached down her hand, wriggling her fingers in a come-on gesture when Trisha didn’t immediately take it. “Up you go. I’ll introduce you to my two best friends. Moira is an emergency helpline operator. You’ll love both of these ladies, I promise.”

  Trisha reluctantly let Lucy pull her to stand. Then she looked at Petey. “I can’t leave my son though.”

  “Of course not. Come on, Petey,” Lucy said.

  They followed Lucy to the blanket with the other two women, and Lucy introduced Trisha.

  “Trisha has been hiding out at one of the Somerset Rental Cottages,” Lucy told the two. “She’s the one I told you about. Vi’s new property manager.”

  “Oh, you’ll have to talk to Della Rose,” the brown-skinned woman with dark hair and eyes said. “Della is a real estate agent. Maybe she can help you get those places rented once you’ve fixed them up. I’m Tess, by the way.” She bumped her arm against the woman beside her. “This is Moira.”

  “Nice to meet you both. And that’s good to know about the real estate agent. Maybe she can give me some pointers on renting the places out.” Trisha grimaced. “If we ever get them fixed up. I’m so glad that Jake is here to help me. I was beginning to wonder if the job wasn’t bigger than I’d bargained for.”

  The ladies looked at Jake and back at Trisha, their eyes not so subtly widening just like their grins.

  “Jake is helping you, huh?” Something playful twinkled in Tess’s eyes.

  “I’m helping Vi, okay? Trisha and I are both helping Vi.” Jake emphasized his grandmother’s name and put his hands on his hips, shaking his head with playful exasperation.

  “Speaking of the cottages, when do you think they’ll be ready?” Lucy asked. “I have a friend who’s considering moving to Somerset Lake. Maybe I’ll tell her to contact you.”

  “That would be great.” Trisha glanced over at Jake. “Now that I have help, I’m hoping they’ll be ready next month.” She nibbled her lower lip and turned to Jake. “Or is that too ambitious? You seem to have experience with the kind of work that needs to be done.”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “We’re a two-person team and there are six empty cottages. It’s ambitious, but not impossible.”

  “Great,” Lucy said. “Then I’ll give my friend your contact information.” She sat back down on her blanket beside the other two women, who were looking up at Trisha.

  “Do you like to read?” Tess asked.

  Trisha’s mouth fell open. “Yes, when I have free time.”

  “Which probably isn’t often as a working single mother,” Moira offered. “I’m just guessing. I don’t have kids of my own. None of us do,” she said, gesturing at the other two. “But Della Rose does. The real estate agent we told you about. And her boys are about your son’s age. You two will make fast friends.”

  Trisha nodded. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “Well, I have a book club going on at my store every Thursday evening,” Tess said. “Six p.m. We’ll all be there. You’re welcome to join us this coming week.”

  “I don’t have the book selection. And Petey…” Trisha trailed off with her excuses.

  “Della Rose brings her boys too. There’s a kids’ section with LEGOs and games. They’ll have a blast. Us too.” Tess reached into the bag at her side. “And I just happen to have a copy of our current selection on hand. We only read romance and only three chapters a week. If you don’t get to those pages, you can still come.” Tess nudged the book into Trisha’s hands.

  “Um, thank you. I’ll try to make it,” Trisha said, knowing she probably wouldn’t, but she was fresh out of excuses right now.

  Jake bumped against her shoulder. “And I’ll remind her.” He winked as Trisha looked over at him.

  “Mom, people are dancing. Can we dance too?” Petey asked.

  Trisha was about to jump at the opportunity to dance with him herself. Then Tess stood up and reached for his hand.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” she told Petey. “Will you be my dance partner?”

  Petey looked at Trisha for permission.

  Lucy swatted Trisha’s shoulder. “Stop worrying. Tess will take good care of him.”

  Trisha didn’t feel like she could say no. “Don’t step on her feet, okay?”

  “I won’t!” Petey tugged Tess’s hand as he led her away. He’d never met a stranger in his life. He was still a happy-go-lucky boy despite everything that had happened in his short life.

  Trisha turned back to Lucy, Moira, and Jake, her nerves buzzing louder than the music.

  Lucy reached for Jake’s hand. “Okay, if Trisha here isn’t going to snatch you up for a dance, I will.”

  Trisha thought she’d feel relieved with two of the three heading off to dance. Instead, something different buzzed in her awareness. Something irritating. Jealousy?

  “Don’t worry about those two,” Moira said. “Lucy isn’t interested in Jake.”

  Trisha didn’t know where to start with her response. Did she argue that she wasn’t interested either? Or did she ask the other obvious question. “Why isn’t Lucy interested?”

  Moira seemed entertained by this question. She patted the blanket beside her. “Sit. Let’s talk.”

  Trisha took a seat and faced the crowd, moving her attention from Petey and Tess to Jake and Lucy.

  “Lucy and Jake go way back,” Moira explained over the music. “They’re just friends. He dated her best friend in high school.”

  “Rachel?”

  Moira looked at her with interest. “Jake told you about Rachel?”

  Trisha noted the surprise in her new friend’s voice. “Just a little bit.”

  “Wow. I didn’t think he ever talked about that part of his life anymore. How’d you get him to tell you about her?”

  “He took me to the Lost Love Cemetery.”

  Moira gave her a knowing look. “Ah, yes. I’ve buried a few exes in there.”

  A laugh tumbled off Trisha’s lips. “That sounds like a crime.”

  “The crime was dating those guys.” Moira cast her a mischievous grin. “Rachel and Jake were the perfect couple. They never fought. They were always holding hands and making goo-goo eyes at each other. They were never apart. It was kind of disgusting actually.” Moira shook her head. “At least until she died. Then Jake was always alone.” Moira grew silent for a long moment, focusing her attention back on the music. Then she looked over at Trisha. “Are you and Jake really just here as friends?”

  “I…well, we…” she stammered. “Jake is staying in the cottage next to mine,” she finally explained.

  “And you’re staying there as the property manager?”

  “That’s right. It’s part of the deal.”

  Moira leaned back on her hands, looking relaxed and happy. Trisha envied her a little bit in that respect. “Tending to a few cottages on the lake sounds like fun. Especially if Jake is helping.” Moira cackled softly.

  The conversation continued to ebb and flow u
ntil Trisha found herself leaning back on her hands, too, almost as relaxed and happy as Moira seemed to be.

  Then a man came to stand in front of their blanket and reached a hand out to Trisha.

  Trisha didn’t take it immediately. She’d never met the man before.

  “Trisha, this is Miles Bruno,” Moira said.

  “Nice to meet you,” Miles said, still offering his hand. “You’re new in town so I thought we’d share a dance and become fast friends.”

  Moira gave Trisha’s shoulder a playful shove. “I’ll vouch for this guy. Plus, he’s a deputy sheriff. A good person to know in case you’re ever in trouble.”

  All the relaxation that Trisha had worked hard to conjure within her body drained in a mere second. She didn’t want to get up. Didn’t want to dance. And she especially didn’t want to put herself on law enforcement’s radar around here.

  Moira gave her a gentle shove though and Trisha found herself reaching for Miles’s hand. “Okay. One dance.”

  * * *

  “Feels like we’re teenagers again.” Lucy looked up at Jake with a wide grin.

  Jake chuckled. “That was a long time ago, huh?”

  “Seems like forever ago,” she agreed.

  “How’ve you been doing, Luce?”

  She looked away, which told him everything he needed to know. She was still struggling after losing her mom last year. Lucy had come home when her mom got sick. Now she lived alone in her childhood house in The Village.

  “You decided to stay?” he asked.

  “I haven’t decided anything. I’m just taking one day at a time.” She looked up at him again. “You?”

  “Oh no. I’m definitely not here to stay.”

  “That’s what they all say,” she said in a singsong voice. “So if you’re not staying, why are you here? What are you up to?” She narrowed her eyes as one corner of her mouth curled.

  “What makes you think I’m up to something?”

  She swatted him playfully as they swayed back and forth, two old friends who’d been through a lot together. “Our teenage years were maybe forever ago, but you haven’t changed that much, Jake Fletcher. You were always up to something. I’m guessing that’s still true.”

  “I’m here for Vi.” Which was true. It just wasn’t the whole truth.

  “Fine. Don’t tell me then.” Lucy glanced out into the crowd. “Looks like Trisha has been swept off her feet while you weren’t paying attention.”

  Jake followed her gaze to where Trisha was dancing with Miles Bruno. His body tensed uncomfortably. He and Miles weren’t exactly friends. Miles was a former Boy Scout, a sheriff’s deputy, and a volunteer at the youth center. Somerset’s Most Eligible Bachelor according to the little blog that Reva Dawson ran now in her retirement. Jake subscribed to it online because it was like a little extension of the small-town grapevine that he’d managed to escape but couldn’t let go of completely.

  There was no good reason to dislike Miles Bruno. Except for the fact that his hands were on Trisha right now—and Jake didn’t like that one bit.

  “Go on.” Lucy pulled her arms away from him. “She came with you. She should be dancing with you.”

  Jake looked at Lucy. “You don’t mind?”

  “Of course not. In fact, let’s both break that dance up. I wouldn’t mind a dance with Miles. I’ve got a beef to pick with him.”

  “Of course you do.” Jake chuckled and started walking, picking up speed as he drew closer to Trisha and Miles. They both noticed him and Lucy at the same time.

  “We’re cutting in,” Lucy said, taking the lead. Jake was grateful. There was nothing wrong with Miles. He’d just gone on a couple dates with Rachel back in school, which had rubbed Jake all wrong.

  Trisha and Miles dropped their arms. Lucy didn’t waste a second stepping in front of Miles. She tossed a you-owe-me look over her shoulder at Jake. He’d make it up to her before he left town.

  Jake met Trisha’s uncertain gaze. “Sorry to intrude.”

  “It was just a friendly dance.” She gestured at Miles. “And Miles has offered to get the youth center to help clean the rest of the cottages as part of their community service.”

  “It’s a good opportunity for the kids to help others,” Miles agreed, overhearing.

  “That’s a great idea.” Jake held out his hand. “So, care for another friendly dance with your friendly neighbor?”

  Trisha looked at his outstretched palm for a long moment and then back up into his eyes. Jake noticed the golden flecks in the brown color of her irises. Fool’s gold, but tempting all the same.

  “One dance,” he said. “Everyone’s doing it.”

  Trisha smiled. Then she finally took his hand, and their arms fell into place around each other. “If your buddy jumped off a cliff, would you do that too?” she asked. It sounded like something his mom would’ve asked him once upon a time.

  Jake thought for a moment. “It depends. How high is the cliff?”

  Her smile stretched wider. “Really high.”

  “Is there water below?” he asked, loving the easy banter that he and Trisha hadn’t had until now.

  “Shallow,” she said.

  Jake grimaced. “Then it’s a hard no. I would not jump off that cliff.”

  Trisha felt light in his arms as they moved to the beat of the music. “Smart man,” she said in a playful tone.

  “Good-looking too,” he joked. “From what I hear, at least.”

  Trisha laughed easily. He was glad to see that she was enjoying herself tonight. He’d hoped that would be the case. She looked over at Tess and Petey, who were still dancing and also seeming to enjoy themselves.

  “I have a feeling that boy of yours could dance all night,” Jake said.

  “And you’d be right.” Trisha met his gaze again. They were close. At this distance, he could smell the soft flowery scent of her hair. Her body seemed to buzz beneath his hands. There was an electricity running between them like a live wire.

  “So you’ve met Lucy, Moira, Tess, and now Miles.”

  Trisha lifted an eye. “And you don’t like Miles,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

  His gaze narrowed. “That’s not exactly true. He’s a nice enough guy.”

  “I saw the look you gave him a few minutes ago. It was much worse than the one you gave me across Vi’s dinner table the first day we met.”

  Jake grinned. “I guess I’m a bit wary of strangers.”

  “That explains why you were suspicious of me. But Miles isn’t a stranger.”

  Jake looked over at Miles, who was now twirling Lucy. As far as he knew, there was no romantic potential there. They were both from the same small town. They’d dated and fizzled more than once. They were just two friends having fun. “He was kind of like the teacher’s pet in every class growing up. He was the star athlete for every sport. He didn’t have a lot of money, but he had all the girls’ attention. He was such a charmer.”

  Trisha blew out a breath. “I know the type.”

  Jake heard a hint of something in her voice that made him wonder if she’d dated the type before. Or maybe married the type. Jake glanced at his archenemy again. “My main beef with him though is that he took Rachel on a date once when we were broken up. And he kissed her. I guess I’m still holding a grudge about that.”

  “I see. I guess that’s fair.”

  “Not really. We were all just kids. It’s in the past.” Jake looked around the crowd, needing to find a less painful subject. “What do you think about Sunset Over Somerset so far?”

  Trisha looked around. “It’s fun. This happens every Friday night?”

  “During the summers, yeah. During the year, a lot of folks are at the local high school games and events too. And it gets too cold for this kind of thing in the winter.” Jake tipped his head at the stage. “I used to play up there sometimes.”

  “Really?” Trisha met his gaze again. He felt a little shock to his chest every time she did.

&
nbsp; “Yep. Harmonica. Self-taught.”

  “A how-to manual?” she asked on a small laugh.

  He loved watching her laugh. The way her head fell back and her hair caught in the wind. “That’s how I learn everything for the most part.”

  “You’re an interesting man, Jake Fletcher,” she said as her laughter died down.

  “And you are an interesting woman.”

  Her eyes grew serious. “You don’t know anything about me.”

  “I guess that’s part of what makes you interesting. I want to know more about you. I don’t guess there’s a how-to manual on Trisha Langly, is there?”

  She shook her head. “I hope not. It would be awfully boring.”

  “Something tells me that’s not true.”

  The song ended, but another one started up. Their dance was slow. The space between them tense.

  “You want to learn about me so that you can decide if I can be trusted to work for your grandmother?” she asked.

  “I do trust you.” Maybe he hadn’t when he’d first met her, but that had changed. He had a good feel for people and whether they were trustworthy. As much as he’d wanted to find something not to trust about Trisha, because that would make it easier to get rid of her, he’d failed. “I was a lot like your son growing up. I had questions that needed answers. That’s the appeal of those manuals I read.” He swallowed, hoping this didn’t come out wrong. “That’s part of the appeal of you.”

  * * *

  Trisha reminded herself to breathe. Was Jake hitting on her? She didn’t think so because he was likening her to a how-to book. “Okay.” She glanced over to check on Petey. He was dancing with Moira now. Tess was dancing with Miles. Lucy was swaying with an older gentleman. Mr. S?

  “Since there’s no book at Tess’s bookstore about you, you stand a mystery to me.” He looked around the crowd before returning his gaze to her. “This is a small town. I already know everyone else’s stories.”

  Trisha swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “Okay,” she said against her better judgment. Maybe it was the music and commotion surrounding them, clouding her thoughts. “Ask me anything.”

  Jake’s eyes subtly narrowed.

  She braced herself for something invasive.