About the Author
Melissa Brown is a hopeless romantic living in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and two kids. She writes contemporary romance, coming of age stories and romantic suspense. She speaks fluent movie quotes from the 1980s, loves 90s music and is addicted to Netflix.
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Swept Away
Swept Away
By Lea Coll
Swept Away
Copyright © 2020 by Lea Coll
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Chapter One
ALLY
I crossed the enclosed porch of Cabbage Key Inn, Restaurant & Bar, its large windows open to the marina and stepped into the main bar area. I stopped at the hostess stand, my attention drawn to the dollar bills covering the walls, ceilings, and every available surface.
A man with weathered tan skin in a Cabbage Key Restaurant & Bar shirt and cargo pants paused in front of me. “Table for two?”
I turned around, confused, to find a man standing behind me. I was momentarily stunned to find his brown hair swept back to reveal light blue eyes which sparkled in amusement. I’d never seen eyes that color before. Turning back to the host, I said, “Oh no, table for one. It’s just me.” I gestured from me to the man who waited behind me. “We’re not together.” It was more than a little awkward that I’d just announced myself as single in front of one of the hottest men I’d seen in a long time.
I’d arranged this romantic Valentine’s Day getaway for my boyfriend of three years, but when I’d walked into our shared apartment a few weeks ago I found Jon fucking another woman in our bed. I wanted to cancel the trip but my friends encouraged me to come. Jon was moving out of our shared apartment this weekend and I was alone on an island on the most romantic holiday of the year.
The host checked the seating chart and grabbed a menu. The man behind me lightly touched my elbow. “I’m here alone too. Would you like to have lunch together?” His voice was low and rumbly, sending a tingle down my spine.
“Um what?” I’d only just laid eyes on this man and he was asking me out? Or did he just not want to eat alone? I knew I didn’t.
That was what had worried me the most about this weekend. There was only a small fridge in my cottage so I’d need to venture to the restaurant for all of my meals.
He tipped his head toward the dining room. “The restaurant is busy with day-trippers who just arrived off the boat. Why not share a table instead of eating alone? I promise I’m good company.”
He smiled, revealing a dimple, and held his hand out to me. “I’m Ryker Macklin. My friends call me Mack.”
“Ally.” My body tingled when he’d said his name was Ryker. It was sexy. There was no way I’d call this man Mack. I shook his hand, making a point not to give him my last name since we’d only just met.
“Now that we aren’t strangers anymore, would you like to have lunch with me?”
“Um, sure.” Why was I agreeing to eat with a stranger? A very hot stranger? I was supposed to be regrouping, taking stock of my past relationship, figuring out where I screwed up so it wouldn’t happen again. Not jumping into something else.
“We’ll share a table,” Ryker said to the host.
The host raised a brow and directed his question at me. “Yeah?”
I swallowed. “Yes.”
The man’s hand stayed on my elbow as the host gestured for us to follow him to one of the last free tables by the window. Ryker pulled out my chair for me.
Once we were settled with the menus placed in front of us, Ryker rested his elbows on the table, carefully studying me. “You look really familiar.”
“Yeah?” I was positive I’d never seen this man before. I would have remembered him, especially his eyes. Now that I had a chance to see him up close, I noticed that his eyes were actually flecked with yellow.
“I swear you went to my high school. You look just like this girl who was a few years older than me.”
“Where did you go to school?” I doubted he knew me. It was either a ridiculous pick-up line or a case of mistaken identity.
“Palmetto Ridge in Naples.”
I almost choked on the water I’d been drinking.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
After coughing for a few seconds, I was able to recover and take a deep breath. “Yeah, sorry, that went down the wrong pipe.”
“Did you go to Palmetto Ridge?”
“I did. Graduated 2005.”
His eyes widened. “I graduated 2007.” He paused for a second, a smile spreading slowly over his face.“You’re Allyson Brooks.”
My cheeks felt hot under his scrutiny. He clearly remembered me. I tried to rack my memory for a boy with his unique eyes but I couldn’t place him. “It’s Ally, but I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember you.”
“You were unforgettable back then, at least to my teenaged self.” His finger traced the lip of his water glass as he considered what he wanted to say.“You were popular.”
“I don’t like to describe myself that way.” I picked up the menu to have something to do with my hands. I desperately wanted to give him a reason why I didn’t know who he was but he knew me. “Back then I only had eyes for upperclassmen. I wouldn’t have paid attention to someone younger than me, no matter how good looking they were.” I couldn’t believe I said that out loud. I glanced at him, hoping he didn’t catch what I’d admitted.
He smiled. “You think I’m good looking?”
I waved him off. “You know you are.” Maybe it was most recent letdown with a man but I wasn’t going to pretend to be something I wasn’t. I was going to be upfront and honest.
The waitress passed by our table. “Are you ready to order?”
Ryker spoke, never taking his eyes from mine. “Can you give us a few minutes?”
“Of course,” she said before walking to another table.
I picked up my menu, thinking I should pick something before she came back. When I glanced up, Ryker was watching me thoughtfully. “What?”
“You’re different than I imagined.”
He’d imagined how I was? “And you can tell that from one brief conversation?”
“I can. You’re beautiful, intelligent, kind, and humble.”
My face heated at his words. My ego had taken a beating at Jon’s betrayal. “That’s sweet of you, but you can’t possibly know that.”
“I’m a pretty good judge of character.”
“I guess I’m at a disadvantage then, because I didn’t know you at all in high school and we’ve only just met.” How could he know me from a few exchanged words?
“Don’t you have some instinct about me?”
I studied his face, his elbows resting on the table, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms, the strong line of his jaw with a day’s scruff, his soft lips. “No,” I said softly.
“Then you don’t trust yourself. You must have had some feeling about me or you wouldn’t have agreed to have lunch with me.”
I had to look away from the intensity of his stare. He was right. After Jon’s betrayal, I didn’t trust myself, my choices, or my taste in men, but I’d agreed to have lunch with him. My initial instinct was that he’d be a distraction—one I desperately needed.
“What happened to you that you don’t trust your instincts? They’re usually right, you know.” His voice was low and husky.
I snorted. “That’s definitely not the case.” He continued to watch me, not saying anything. I sighed. “I’m supposed to be here with my boyfriend. I planned this romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day, but—”
“He didn’t want to come? He was working, what? I can’t imagine why he’d miss this opportunity to be alone with you.” He waved his hand at the window, which overlooked the water.
I shrugged. It was too painful to admit out loud. I was embarrassed that I’d been such a fool, trusting Jon to be faithful. “I found him in our apartment with another woman.” I winced at my bluntness. I hadn’t meant to blurt that out, especially not to him. Why couldn’t I remain mysterious? A beautiful stranger he’d met on a day trip to the island. I didn’t need him to know I was rejected by my long-term boyfriend in the worst way possible.
“You’re fucking kidding me.” His eyes turned hard and his face was tight.
I shook my head. “I wish I was.”
“Then he was an idiot.”
I took a sip of water to cover the emotion rising to my face. My friends had similar sentiments but nothing had penetrated until this man. I wanted to change the subject—divert his attention from me. “Are you dating anyone special?”
“No. It’s tough to meet anyone on Sanibel. I usually have to go to Ft. Myers to meet new people. The island is small, workers come just for the day, tourists are here only for a week, and I’m looking for something more permanent.”
That sounded good—something permanent. That’s exactly what I had thought I wanted with Jon. At thirty-two years old and after dating for three years I thought he’d propose on this trip. But we were clearly not on the same page. I didn’t realize that until I’d gotten the very unnecessary visual of him moving on.
When was the last time Jon and I had a real conversation about where we were going, where we stood? Maybe if I’d paid more attention it wouldn’t have happened. I could have prevented it. “Well, I’m not looking to meet anyone. I thought I was with the guy I was supposed to be with, but I was wrong.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you, but maybe it was a good thing. He wasn’t the one for you. Better to find out now than after you’re already married.”
“True.” The thought that Jon cheating was positive had never even crossed my mind. Was Ryker right?
Ryker was quiet, allowing me to take that in but then his warm eyes settled on mine. “Where do you live?”
I wouldn’t normally offer that information to a stranger, but he wasn’t. Not really. We’d gone to school together and he seemed like a good guy. He was certainly saying all of the right things. “I still live in Naples. I like living near my family. My sisters are all married with children. I get to see them as often as I want.”
“You’re really involved with your family?”
“I am. I like being able to go to dance recitals, baseball games, and babysit on weekends.”
“You love your family and you planned an amazing romantic weekend with your boyfriend.” He was quiet for a few seconds, like he was thinking carefully about what he wanted to say next.“If you were mine, I’d cherish you.”
I felt those words all the way down to my toes. He’d cherish me. “How can you possibly know that?”
Pink tinged his cheeks. “I’ve crushed on you since high school and I told myself if I ever got a real shot with you I wouldn’t screw it up.”
My mouth dropped open slightly. “How’s that possible?”
He shifted in his chair. “We didn’t hang out in the same crowds. I was invisible then.”
“I’m sorry.” I never wanted to be popular. I didn’t like the expectations that came with the status—that I had to be mean to other kids and put them down. So I didn’t. I was myself. I was friendly. I refused to talk to anyone who gossiped about others and it still did nothing to deter people from flocking to me. My mom said I was a natural leader and that responsibility came with that role.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m just glad that I was lucky enough to run into you on a small secluded island.” He leaned in closer to me and lowered his voice. “It’s almost like fate.”
I pulled back from him, feeling shaky. “Well, I don’t believe in fate.” Not anymore.
“We’ll see about that.” He teased, his eyes sparkling with humor.
“Are you ready to order now?” The waitress said, breaking the moment.
After we’d ordered and the waitress left, I asked, “What brings you to the island?” I was happy to take the focus off of me.
“I work for Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. I met with the owner to discuss his assistance in testing the waters here for red tide.”
All playfulness gone, Ryker’s serious side took over at the mention of work.
“The owner? You mean the owner of the island?” I asked.
“Technically, the Wells own it and their sons manage it. So, I met with them.”
“I can’t imagine owning an island.” I looked at him with newfound respect.
“And you’re what? A marine biologist?”
“Yes. I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean.” He leaned his elbows on the table looking out over the water. “It’s hard not to be, growing up next to this.”
“It sounds like an amazing job. Are you just here for the day?” I’d only just met him but my stomach sank a little at the thought that he’d be leaving with the boat this afternoon.
He glanced from the water to me, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “I am and I’ve never had the opportunity to eat here so thought I’d try it out.” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “You know they think Jimmy Buffett wrote ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ in this restaurant?”
“I saw that when I researched the island.” I had been looking for something romantic, secluded, with history. I fell in love with the quaint cottages. Most visitors only stay a few hours before departing on the boat back to Captiva in the afternoon, so I thought Jon and I would have an opportunity to reconnect without the daily interferences of work, friends, and electronics.
Wanting to focus on something besides my dismal personal life, I pointed to the dollar bills taped to the walls. “What I want to know is, what’s the deal with the dollar bills?”
“Apparently, it started out with fishermen who’d write their name on the bills and leave them to make sure they’d have money for beer when they returned.”
“Interesting. It was their version of a bank.”
Ryker nodded at the waitress walking by, the back of her shirt read: The Top 10 Questions. “The staff wears shirts that answer the most common questions they get here. How much money is on the wall—seventy thousand. How much money falls off each year—ten thousand, which the restaurant donates to local hospitals. That’s all I’ve been able to read so far.”
“I can’t believe,” I gestured around the room, “all of this equals seventy-thousand dollars.”
“It’s hard to believe.” He lowered his voice and leaned in conspiratorially. “Do you think someone actually counted?”
I laughed. “There’s no way. That would take forever.” My breath caught as something passed between us. The tension released from my muscles, the pain behind my eyes dissipated. He’d done it. He’d taken my mind off of why I was here.
Ryker leaned back in his chair breaking the moment. “Did you arrive today?”
“Yesterday.”My face pinched at the memory of checking into the Dollhouse Cottage, also known as the honeymoon suite, alone.
Ryker must have noticed my pained expression because he said, “I think you shouldn’t waste any more time worrying about your ex. It’s on him. You have a right to enjoy this weekend, whatever happens.”
“Oh yeah?” I tilted my head. “Are you part of this enjoyable weekend I’m going to have?”
“I’m sitting across from a beautifu
l woman having lunch, so I think so.”
Chapter Two
RYKER
The server slid our plates in front of us, leaving once we said we didn’t need anything else. Ally unfolded her napkin on her lap. “Tell me about yourself. Who were you in high school?”
I took a bite of my Mahi-mahi sandwich, giving myself a minute to think. I couldn’t believe I was having lunch with Allyson Brooks—the most popular girl in my high school. She’d made quite an impression on me back then. “I don’t know if I want you to remember how I was back then. You never would have looked at me twice in high school, even if we were the same age.”
“Wouldn’t that make me shallow if I only cared about looks?”
“Isn’t that how it is in high school?” I spoke without thinking, probably due to my own bitterness from my adolescent experiences. But I regretted my words when I saw the hurt flash through her eyes.
“I’d like to think I was popular because I was nice and friendly to everyone, not because of my looks.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t inferring anything about you.” It was mainly the jocks who I had an issue with. I cleared my throat and took a sip of water. Should I tell her how we met? I didn’t want to remind her of who I was back then, but at the same time if I wanted something with this woman, I needed to be honest. “We talked one time in high school.”
“We did?”
I sighed. It was humbling to realize a pivotal moment in my life centered around her and she had no memory of it. “I didn’t look like this then.” I gestured at myself. “I was short, thin, and wore horrible thick glasses.” Thank God for contacts.
She smiled. “That explains it. I would have remembered those eyes.”
Warmth spread through my body at her words. “Some kids were picking on me by the lockers. You came around the corner, and I’ll never forget it—you yelled for them to stop. You said, Step back. Leave him alone. You were so angry.” I shook my head at the memory. When she turned the corner and she’d seen them slam me against the locker, she ran toward me, her long brown hair flying behind her. She’d dropped her book bag on the floor, her hands on her hips while the boys quickly dropped me and stepped back. She’d said if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave him alone. Her threat had the intended effect.
A Little Bit Cupid: A Collection of Short Stories Page 5