I gasped in complete surprise. “Why?”
“I miss my friends and family. My father just got diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and I just…” She shook her head. “It’s just all too much.”
My head spun with all the worst-case scenarios like my not finding another job or having to use up my savings or—
“It’s such a thriving business.” I shook my head. “Most people would kill to have a place take off like this the first time around.”
Sally laughed. “Isn’t that the truth? Everyone said I couldn’t do it. Well, I did it.”
“And now you don’t want it.”
Sally nodded and straightened in her chair. “Probably something to that.”
The thought of a bare Christmas tree with nothing underneath skated through my mind, and I pressed my lips together.
“I know it’s awful timing with the holidays…” Sally’s voice trailed off. “But I’ve put it up for sale, and my hope is that someone will come right in and buy it.”
“How likely is that?”
She let out a deep breath. “If I wanted to stick around and wait for a buyer, pretty likely. It just might take a year or more.” Sally shook her head. “But I don’t want to wait. I’ll be closing the first week in December.”
It was like the woman punched me in the gut. I’d actually fallen in love with the café, my job, and the people.
And now it was going to be ripped away.
I frowned and let out a sigh. “That’s not what I was expecting to hear today.”
“I haven’t informed the others yet. I wanted to tell you first.”
I nodded, looking at my phone. “Thank you. It’s quite a shock, but I won’t mention it to the staff. I should get going to pick up Colby.”
I stood and waved before walking through the café and out the door to my car in a complete fog. I felt like I’d just turned into a zombie. The cars passing by went into slow motion. My mind was fuzzy as I thought about all the options that would land Colby and me back in Portland. It was just awful.
By the time I’d picked up Colby and headed back to the apartment, I felt insane. Right when things were going well for my family, I got the worst news ever.
Colby knew something was wrong, but he didn’t ask. He went to his bedroom and started his homework while I shook chicken tenders onto a baking sheet. Tonight’s meal wasn’t going to be fancy.
My phone rang, and I thought about turning it off, but instead, I picked it up.
“Howdy, stranger.” Dwayne’s voice instantly calmed me, but I sighed heavily into the phone. “Bad time?”
I giggled. “Well…”
“Is it Marvin?” Dwayne’s voice turned harsh and ready to spring into action.
“No, no. I haven’t heard from him since you had the squad cars searching for him in the woods.” I chuckled, picturing Marvin squatting in the trees trying to dodge headlights. “Sally just informed me that she’s going to close down the café.”
“What?” Disbelief etched his words.
“I know. She’s got a great thing going, but she’s just too far away from home.”
“So she’s just going to shut it down?”
“Yup.”
“When?”
“First week in December.” I sighed, toying with a tin box. “And I’m really bummed because I actually loved my job. And yes, I know I’m crazy for loving being a server, but—”
“That’s not crazy.” He was silent for a few seconds. “Why don’t you buy it?”
Laughter spontaneously erupted from my gut. “I can’t.”
“Says who?” he shot back.
“My bank account.”
“Do you think all business owners start out well-off?” he challenged.
“Maybe not millionaire status, but I bet they’re not worried whether the bachelor they just purchased might be returned for insufficient funds.”
Dwayne laughed. “In all seriousness—”
“I’m being serious.” I laughed.
“I don’t think it’s that far-fetched. One of the other bachelors from the other night is a banker. I know for a fact that he does business loans.”
“That would be some loan,” I muttered.
“Listen, you’ve got a lot of things going for you. Being a woman can also work to your advantage, and I think you’ve got a fair shot at this. Maybe Sally would even give you a break or be willing to just get the equipment costs out of the deal. She’s going to lose a ton by just closing down. Who knows? Besides, the bank would love to see how well it’s doing and—”
“Maybe it is possible.” My mind started doing marathon laps around this surprise dream that had suddenly implanted itself into my brain.
“Good. I’m glad that’s settled.” He chuckled. “The real reason I called was to see if you’d be interested in coming over to my house for Thanksgiving. My parents will be there, but I thought Colby and Aaron might enjoy spending the holiday together.”
“Right, totally for the boys,” I teased. “I think that would be absolutely amazing.”
The tension was draining from my body with every passing second. I didn’t know what it was about Dwayne, but he just instantly calmed me.
“Great. I’ll tell them.”
“And Sophie and Anthony came to the café today, and they wondered if we were free this Saturday for dinner.”
“If it means getting to see you again, of course.”
I giggled. “Nice…”
“It’s true.”
A knock at my door made me chuckle. “Are you on my front step?”
“No.” His voice changed.
“Oh, okay. Well, hold on. I’ll go see who it is.”
“Sure.” I could feel the tension in his voice as I made my way to the door.
I peered out the window and didn’t see a soul, so I swung it open to see my weasel of a husband running toward his car.
Completely out of the blue, I called his name, and he froze.
“Marvin,” I yelled again.
I heard the buzz of the sheriff saying something on my phone, but it wasn’t near my ear.
My ex turned around as I charged over to him. He suddenly looked like a pathetic little man, a bully who needed to be dunked in Puget Sound.
Marvin stared at me, and even though I was shorter than he was, it felt like I was towering over him.
“If you ever step foot on Fireweed Island again, I promise you that I’ll make your life a living hell. You will never send anyone here to watch me, check on me, or torment me ever again. Because if you do, I’ll have the IRS breathing down your neck so fast you’ll be praying to Uncle Sam.”
His eyes narrowed on me. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, baby. I would. In fact, I did. While you were running around and hiding in the bushes on the island, I gave my attorney all the items I kept copies of in my very own safe deposit box.”
Marvin’s expression turned grim, and he opened his mouth, only to shut it quickly.
“He has copies of everything. Bank statements, ledgers, travel documents…” I smiled. “Gosh, anything I could think of, really.”
“You didn’t.” He shook his head. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, but I did.”
“You’ve never had the courage to do anything but run, Claire. I don’t believe you. I owned you. I’ll always own you.” His words were meant to sting, meant to hurt, but I wouldn’t let them touch me anymore, so I smiled wider, watching the bully in front of me doubt his own words.
“Do you want to test that theory, Marvin? I wouldn’t if I were you.” I glared at my ex. “I really wouldn’t because the difference between now and then is that I’m free from you. I don’t have to pretend any longer to make peace. I don’t have to be the buffer between your other women and Colby. I don’t have to play along with your games. You’re a bully, Marvin. A pathetic piece of a human. Being away from you made me discover who I really am.”
“Why would you give your att
orney—”
“Because I’m done playing by your rules.” I took a step forward. “Don’t utter my name to anyone, ever. If you want to be a positive part of your son’s life, speak to my attorney, and I’ll honor whatever we negotiate. But I will not for one second put up with your crap ever again. Not once.” I held up my index finger and took a step forward, closing the gap.
Marvin looked down at the cement of the parking lot.
“Look at me.” I had no idea what someone had snuck into my coffee at the café, but I liked it. “I need to hear that you understand what I’m saying.”
He brought his gaze to mine and nodded.
“Say it.”
“I understand.”
I nodded. “Good. Because you don’t want me. You never did. You just wanted to control me, and I’m done being controlled. I’m guessing whoever you’ve been sleeping with lately is done, too, or I wouldn’t have looked like a fun target for you.”
Marvin let out a heavy sigh and scrunched his face as he looked across the parking lot toward the Sound.
“Will I be expecting a call about visitation with your son?” I asked.
He turned around without saying a word and climbed in his car.
Marvin didn’t answer. I already knew we’d probably never see him again.
He started the car and backed out of the parking space and tore out of the parking lot when I remembered I still had Dwayne on the phone.
My pulse rang between my ears, and I hid a chuckle as I saw spots in my vision. I think I must’ve really gotten my heartrate going.
If that didn’t scare Dwayne off, nothing would.
I put the phone back to my ear and wandered toward my apartment. “I kind of forgot you were on the phone.”
Dwayne whistled. “And I thought you got prickly at your friend. That was some eye-opening dialogue there.”
My chest tightened. Not only had I finally scared Marvin away, but I scared Dwayne away too.
“I’m completely impressed.”
I smiled. “Impressed?”
“And kind of turned on.”
I giggled.
“And I just might be pulling into your complex right now.” His voice lowered into a sultry drawl, and my knees got weak just thinking about kissing him.
“Really?”
I turned around, and sure enough, the sheriff’s SUV was pulling in.
“When I heard what was going on, I jumped in the car, but I’m proud of you. Really proud of you.”
“Yeah?”
“I am.” He let out a low chuckle. “But I do have a surprise of my own.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Marvin has several unpaid speeding tickets. SPD is waiting to arrest him when his ferry lands in about thirty minutes.”
“Oh, Dwayne. You just made my awful day quite pretty.”
Dwayne stepped out of his SUV and hung up the phone as I made my way to him.
“Was that the surprise that Aaron mentioned to Colby a few weeks back?” I asked.
“I’ve got to remember that little six-year-olds are horrible secret keepers.” He grinned, pulling me into him. “But, no. That’s not the surprise.”
“Then what is the surprise?” I asked, looking into his gorgeous green eyes.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now would it?” Heat ran through his gaze as he pressed his lips down to mine, and I finally let myself dream about a world that was my own.
Chapter Eighteen
“You should have heard her,” Dwayne told Sophie. “This sweet and gorgeous woman put that man in his place.” He shook his head. “Way better than I ever could.”
“I don’t know.” I laughed. “You were able to get him arrested.”
Sophie chuckled. “Your ex just sounds like such a creep.”
I nodded. “Marvin made me think love was only in fairy tales.”
For years, I’d been embarrassed about my bad choices in love and marriage. The reasoning that kept me in a lifeless marriage was something I kept hidden, but when I realized that I was keeping myself planted in the same cycle, even in divorce, I knew I had to change.
Maybe it was having a bad day at the café and a call from the man who turned my thinking around that made me jump down Marvin’s throat when he appeared on my doorstep to start tormenting me again.
Or maybe I’d just had it. Either way, it had been several days, and I was still on a high.
I knew in my heart that I’d never have to deal with Marvin again.
Sophie glanced at Anthony, who smiled. “What about now? Do you think it’s all a fairy tale?”
I drew a deep breath and kept my eyes on Sophie. “I think there might be something to love, after all.”
“I’m so glad you moved to Fireweed.” Sophie smiled and reached for a platter of asparagus.
Dwayne held my hand under the table and squeezed it.
I nodded. “Me too.”
Both boys were at Dwayne’s parents' house for the night. I hadn’t met them yet, but it all happened kind of suddenly. Colby and Aaron were more than welcome to come with us, but the next thing I knew, Dwayne was picking them up and delivering them to Aaron’s grandparents.
Having a night without a child in tow was…
Odd.
“I knew Claire had it in her,” Dwayne boasted. “I heard her debating with her friend in the grocery aisle when she first moved here, and—”
“Okay, that’s enough.” I held up my hand, laughing. “We don’t need to rehash every encounter in front of poor Sophie and Anthony.”
“Are you serious? I live for this stuff.” Sophie chuckled.
I rolled my eyes and giggled. “So, what do you guys have planned for the holidays?”
“My brother and Natty will be coming over for the annual bird.” Anthony smiled, cutting into his rib eye.
“Have you met Natalie?” Sophie asked, and I shook my head. “She’s the town florist.”
“This place is so quaint.”
“It pulls you in, and you can’t shake it.” Anthony laughed. “Have you visited Hound island yet?”
“No, I have an invitation from Hildie, but we haven’t made our way there yet.” I took a bite of steak and glanced at Dwayne.
He was just quietly watching me, taking me in, and a little flutter of hope and anticipation swept through me.
It wasn’t every night that I didn’t have Colby crawling all over me.
“What about you?” Sophie asked.
“I’m actually spending it with Dwayne, and I’ll be meeting his parents.” I flashed a nervous grin.
“Oh, they are sweethearts. You will absolutely love them,” Sophie assured me. “Are your parents coming up?”
Once again, I felt like the oddball. I hadn’t even spoken to my parents since I moved. They didn’t approve of my moving out of Portland, even though they didn’t live there, and the conversation blew up. I’d called and left a couple of messages, but I hadn’t heard back. I did know they were still alive because my dad kept posting pictures.
Rather than go deep into all that, I smiled at Sophie and shook my head. “Nope. They’ll be spending it in Hawaii. They tend to fly there for most holidays.”
Sophie smiled at me as if my eyes gave away more than my words, and that was when I realized there really were no secrets on this island.
“What do you love most about Fireweed?” Sophie sat back in her chair.
“The people.” I looked over at Dwayne. I hadn’t even had a chance to share the good news with him. “Actually, I found out where I’m working is closing down.”
“It’s so popular,” Sophie exclaimed.
“It is, but Sally misses her family and her dad is ill. She just wants out.” I looked over at Dwayne and felt a flutter of excitement. “Dwayne recommended that I talk to a banker, who’s also a renowned island bachelor, here on Fireweed, so I did.”
Surprise registered across Dwayne’s face. “You did?”
I nodded as Sophie and Anthony looked at each other, confused.
“I spoke to him about getting a business loan to buy the café from Sally.” I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. “And I got preapproved. Right before you picked me up, Sally accepted my offer.”
Dwayne sat stunned but grinning like the Cheshire cat. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Congratulations.” Sophie clapped her hands. “This is so exciting.”
“I’m beyond thrilled. I can still keep my nose in everyone’s business and still keep the schedule that works for my son.” I took the last bite of steak and sat back in the chair.
Dwayne squeezed my knee gently, and a different type of thrill shot up my thigh. I blushed, but I doubted anyone saw.
“I’m just so glad you guys could come over.”
“You can’t butter me up with steaks to cover your butt with the next ticket,” Dwayne teased Anthony.
“There will be no next ticket.” Anthony smiled, shoving his napkin next to his plate.
I glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows behind Anthony and Sophie and took in the beautiful night view. A few boats with nothing more than a glowing cabin bobbed in the distance, and a ferry chugged back to the mainland.
“Well, tonight has been incredible.” Dwayne stood, and I glanced up at him. “But I think we should head back.”
I glanced at Sophie, who hid a smile.
“Umm,…I—” I began. “Should we just leave the dessert I brought?”
Dwayne traded a look with Anthony, who grinned. “Oh, gosh. I’m too full to eat pie.” Anthony rubbed his flat abs, and I laughed.
“Yes, completely full,” Sophie added. “You two could come back tomorrow, and we could share it.”
I chuckled and stood. “Can I help with the dishes?”
“Nonsense.” Sophie waved me away, and I laughed, getting the hint from all directions.
“I’d love to have you over to my place for the holidays. It’s not quite as roomy, but it works for us.”
“It’s a little over the top here.” Sophie laughed. “You name the day and time, and we’ll be there.”
We’d wandered to the foyer, and she gave me a hug as Dwayne and Anthony smacked each other on the back.
Discovering Love on Cranberry Lane (Island County Book 11) Page 14