Can't Fight The Moonlight (Whisper Lake Book 3)

by Barbara Freethy

  "Today I am. I wear a lot of hats." She got behind the wheel as he slid into the passenger seat. The cab of the truck smelled like manure, and there were a bunch of empty food wrappers on the floor.

  "You like tacos, huh?"

  She followed his gaze. "Ramon likes tacos and burgers and anything else that comes fast and hot. This is his truck. My gardener sprained his ankle and couldn't make the pickup, so I had to do it." She paused. "Where can I take you?"

  He thought about that. He needed a car, but the first thing he needed to do was call his office. "That depends. Can I borrow your phone?"

  "Sure." She handed him her phone. "But I still have to drive you somewhere."

  "If I can make a call, then I don't need to get a car just yet. I'd rather go to the inn. Maybe they'll have a computer I can use until I can get a new one."

  Her face paled as she stared back at him. "The inn?"

  "The Firefly Inn. Do you know it?"

  "Yes. I'm Lizzie Cole, the owner. Who are you?"

  "Justin Blackwood. My grandparents made the booking. They're coming in tonight."

  "Actually, they won't be here until tomorrow. I got a call a half hour ago that their flight was canceled and the next flight they can get is tomorrow."

  Of course their flight was canceled, he thought cynically. So far, the trip was a complete bust.

  "All right then," Lizzie said, as she started the truck. "I'll take you to the inn and we'll get your vacation going in the right direction."

  "It's not a vacation," he said automatically. "I don't take vacations."

  "Then what would you call it?"

  "An obligation. My grandparents want me at their vow renewal."

  "I know. They told me how excited they were that you were coming. It's going to be a lovely ceremony," she added, as she pulled back onto the road. "In fact, this whole week will be packed with fun. It's a busy time in Whisper Lake. We have our usual Wednesday night happy hour tomorrow, the lunar eclipse beach picnic on Friday, and the ceremony Saturday night will be in the garden, with candles and music. It's going to be very special—magical, really. I want your grandparents to have a day they'll remember. And I want your visit to be memorable, too. I know it's not starting off on the best note, but it will get better."

  He gave her a doubtful look. "Is being an optimistic cheerleader part of your duties at the inn?"

  "Sometimes. But I'm just a positive person. Problems are challenges. Most can be fixed."

  Despite her words, there was a tension beneath them that suggested she didn't quite believe her own hype. "I don't think my rental car, computer or phone can be fixed. Not unless you have a magic wand to go with that idealism."

  "No wand, but…" She smiled as she turned her warm gaze on him.

  "What?" he asked, curious about the gleam in her eyes.

  "I have lemons, and I know exactly what I'm going to do with them."

  "Make lemonade," he said, as a reluctant smile crossed his lips.

  "Exactly. It's what I do. I make lemonade out of lemons. You're going to love it. It's delicious."

  He didn't want to love her lemonade. He didn't want to like her happy, determinedly cheerful spirit, but he had a feeling he was going to lose on both counts.

  "You know what else I'm going to do?" she asked.

  "I'm afraid to ask."

  "I'm going to turn your obligation into a vacation."

  "That's impossible."

  "Challenge accepted."

  He shook his head. "You will fail."

  "I don't think so." Her eyes sparkled with confidence. "You're going to have the time of your life, Justin Blackwood. Just wait and see."

  There was a very small part of him that wanted to believe her, but he'd lost his faith in the impossible a long time ago.

  Chapter Two

  Lizzie drew several deep breaths as she drove Justin to the inn. Despite her confident words, she was not feeling that sure of herself, but that's the way she rolled. She believed in faking it until she could make it. She'd spent most of her life finding ways to cover up her deficiencies and look like the success story she believed she would one day be. But even her positive attitude was starting to sag under the weight of one problem after another. And this latest problem…well, her heart was still beating way too fast, and it wasn't just because of the crash she might have inadvertently played a role in; it was also because of Justin.

  When Marie and Benjamin Blackwood had said they were booking a room for their grandson, she'd had no idea he would be the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. Justin's dark- blue eyes were the color of the sea, his brown hair was filled with thick waves, and the scruff on his cheeks only made him sexier. But the man was also wound super tight. And his obsession with his work, his phone, and his computer made it clear he was all about his job.

  Not that she minded a man with a passion; she certainly had passion for her work. But she tried to keep at least a little balance in her life. She wondered if Justin had any balance. It didn't appear that way. He'd called his vacation an obligation, which seemed strange, because his grandparents were two of the nicest people she'd ever met, and they were fun. They had energy and charm. They liked to dance and eat and talk to people. Coming to their wedding should not have been a chore for him.

  "Why aren't you excited about your grandparents' vow renewal?" she asked, the question slipping past her lips before she could stop herself from butting into his life. On the other hand, being a good innkeeper meant understanding her guests—knowing what they needed and trying to meet that need.

  "It's not coming at a good time for me. I was supposed to be in London on Friday," he answered.

  "For work?"

  "Yes. I'm about to close a big deal. The person I had hoped to send in my place is now unavailable, so I have to hand off a very important presentation to someone who probably isn't qualified to do the best job. That's why I need my electronics. I have to help him with the pitch, make sure he can get through the presentation without looking like an idiot."

  "What kind of deal is it? What do you do?"

  "I own a robotics company."

  "Robots?" she echoed, flinging him a surprised look. "How did you get into that? Are you a geek?"

  He smiled, bringing warmth into his eyes for the first time, and damn if it didn't make him more attractive. "Maybe. I got into robotics a long time ago, but I'm not the technological genius; that's my partner Eric. I run the business side."

  "What do your robots do?"

  "All kinds of things from packaging to mobility solutions, food preparation and law enforcement. It's a rapidly growing field, and a global one."

  "Which is why you're supposed to be in London and not in Whisper Lake."

  "Exactly."

  "Well, at the end of the day your presence will make your grandparents happy. That must count for something."

  "It's the only reason I'm here."

  "It will be fun."

  "So you've promised. I hope you don't let me down, but you certainly wouldn't be the first."

  The cynical edge was back in his voice. She wondered who'd let him down. She had a feeling it was someone very close to him. "I will not let you down," she heard herself promise, hoping she wouldn't prove to be a liar.

  "Tell me about yourself," Justin said, surprising her with his interest.

  Up until this point, she'd written him off as someone only interested in himself, but maybe she had judged him too quickly.

  "You said you're the innkeeper," he continued. "Do you work for someone?"

  "The toughest boss in the world—myself," she said with a smile. "My dream of owning an inn started when I was about fifteen, but it took me thirteen years to make it happen."

  "Do you have a partner?"

  "No, I'm on my own, but I have investors who need me to succeed, so my success is as much for them as for me." She paused, her gaze narrowing as she saw the swelling on his face. "Your cheek is turning purple, and your eye is swelling."r />
  "It's not a big deal."

  "Do you have a headache?"

  "A small one," he conceded.

  She made a quick decision and made a fast right turn.

  "Whoa, what are you doing?" he asked, as he braced his hand on the side of the door. "Do you want to cause another accident?"

  "I didn't cause the first one, but I want to get you checked out by a doctor. You could have a concussion."

  "I don't have a concussion."

  "How do you know?"

  "Because I've had one, and I know what it feels like."

  "It will just take a few minutes."

  "In my experience, no hospital visit takes a few minutes."

  "I have connections. My friend is a nurse in the ER. She can take a quick look at you and get those cuts cleaned up."

  "I don't need a doctor," he argued. "What I need is a phone and a computer and a few minutes to check in with my office."

  "You have my phone. You can use it if you have to wait more than five minutes. But it's three o'clock on a Tuesday—we'll be in and out."

  "I don't want to go to the hospital."

  "Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do for your own good," she said, hearing her mother's voice coming out of her mouth. "Damn, I can't believe I just said that."

  "I can't, either," he said with bemusement. "You're not my mother."

  "I didn't think I was my mother, either, but she always used to say that. I guess it stuck in my head. Has that ever happened to you? Do you find yourself saying things your parents used to say?"

  "No. That never happens. But then, they didn't have much to say to me."

  "You aren't close?"

  "Geographically we are sometimes in the same time zone, but emotionally…a million miles apart." He sighed. "And I can't believe I just told you that. Please, take me to the inn."

  "We'll get there. You might not be thinking clearly because you have a head injury. I can't take that chance."

  "It's my chance to take, Lizzie. I'm not your responsibility."

  "You're my guest at the inn. I take care of all my guests. And we're here." She pulled into the half-empty parking lot by the new medical center. "It doesn't look crowded at all. Come on."

  He gave her an annoyed look. "This is a waste of time."

  "Come on, Justin. Do it for your grandparents. You know if they see you looking like this, they'll be worried. They'll want to know if you've seen a doctor. And if you say no, they'll be the ones driving you here."

  "Damn, you're probably right," he said, as he unbuckled his seat belt. "Fine, I'll see the doctor. But if the wait is more than ten minutes, I'm out of there."

  She blew out a breath of relief as she got out of the truck and walked into the ER with him. The nurse at the desk, Monica Albright, was one of Hannah's friends and Lizzie had had drinks with her on a few occasions.

  "Hi, Monica," she said. "My friend was in a car accident, and he needs to get checked out. Is Hannah here?"

  "She's just finishing up with a patient." Monica turned her gaze to Justin. "Are you in pain, sir? Are you experiencing any dizziness, nausea?"

  "No, I'm fine," he replied. "This really isn't necessary."

  "I just want to make sure he doesn't have a concussion," Lizzie interjected.

  "Do you have an insurance card?" Monica asked.

  Justin pulled out his wallet and handed her his card. As Monica made a copy of the card, Hannah came through the clinic doors and gave Lizzie a surprised look.

  "Lizzie, are you all right? Are you hurt?"

  "No, he is." She tipped her head toward Justin. "He was in a car accident."

  "It wasn't an accident; I just hit a fence," Justin said.

  "With his car," she added. "The windshield shattered, and the airbag deployed."

  "Got it. Were you in the car as well, Lizzie?"

  "No, she was driving the truck that slammed on its brakes," Justin interjected.

  "It's a long story," she told her friend. "Can you check him out?"

  "Of course," Hannah said, with a curious gleam in her brown eyes. "And Dr. Melnick should be free shortly. Come with me, Mr.…"

  "Blackwood. Justin Blackwood."

  "Well, you're in good hands, Mr. Blackwood."

  "I really don't need to be here," he said.

  "Good, then this won't take long," Hannah replied.

  As they disappeared through the double doors, Monica handed her Justin's insurance card. "Do you want to hang on to this for him?"

  "Sure."

  "So, he's pretty cute," Monica said with a pointed smile.

  "Really? I hadn't noticed."

  "Then maybe you're the one who should be getting her head checked."

  Fortunately, she didn't have to come up with a reply as the ringing phone drew Monica's attention away from her. She walked into the waiting room and sat down, wishing she had her phone, but it was now in Justin's pocket. Hopefully, this wouldn't take too long. He wasn't the only one who had work to do. But she'd made the right decision in bringing him here.

  She couldn't take the chance that some serious medical problem might show up down the road. She liked his grandparents a lot, and he was one of her guests, so she wanted him to be all right. Then she could put this entire incident behind her.

  She had to admit that Justin was nothing like his grandparents. Benjamin and Marie were lovely, warm, charming people, who were kind, friendly and very easygoing. Justin didn't appear to be anything like them. He was attractive, though. Monica was right about that. But he was just a stranger passing through town on his way to somewhere else, so she wasn't going to think about how his compelling blue eyes made little shivers run down her spine. Instead, she reminded herself that her life, her inn, everything she wanted, was in this town. And once the doctor said Justin was all right, she could let go of her concern for him and go back to just being his friendly innkeeper.

  Justin didn't know how he'd ended up in a hospital exam room, but he was beginning to realize that when Lizzie Cole wanted something, she got it. Fortunately, she hadn't lied about the examination being quick and painless. The pretty, redheaded nurse had barely gotten him onto the table when the doctor arrived. After asking several questions and putting him through a series of simple tests, Dr. Arthur Melnick, a middle-aged man with friendly light-blue eyes, determined that Justin was concussion-free and left Hannah to tend to the cuts on his face.

  "This might sting a little," she warned.

  "Do your worst."

  "You should never say that to a nurse," she teased. "You have no idea what kind of pain I can inflict on you."

  He liked her sharp smile. "Fair point. Don't hurt me too much."

  "That's better. How do you know, Lizzie?"

  "I don't know her. We met when she slammed on her brakes, and I swerved to avoid hitting her truck and ended up against a fence. Lizzie told me she was giving me a ride to the inn but made a sudden decision to come here instead. Apparently, my bruises started to make her nervous. The next thing I knew, we were on our way to the hospital despite my assurances that I was fine."

  "Lizzie can be a force of nature," Hannah said with a grin. "I sometimes end up places I never expected to be when she's involved. But in this situation, she made the right call. Sometimes people don't think clearly after an accident. It's always good to get checked out."

  "But I am fine," he reminded her.

  "You are, but you may also find yourself in a bit more pain tomorrow."

  "I can handle it."

  "You said Lizzie was supposed to take you to the inn—you're staying there?"

  "Yes, I'm in town for my grandparents' vow renewal ceremony."

  "Marie and Benjamin's ceremony?"

  "You know my grandparents?" he asked with surprise.

  "I met them at the inn and then we got better acquainted when your grandfather brought Marie into the ER the day after Valentine's Day. They were in town that weekend, and she had gotten a nasty spider bite. One of
her eyes swelled shut."

  "I didn't hear about that."

  "Well, she was okay. She's a sweetheart, and your grandfather takes very good care of her."

  "He always has."

  "I'm glad they decided to renew their vows. They were talking about it when they came in. They wanted to do it here on their wedding anniversary. They said that this town is one of their favorite places."

  "I know. They've started coming like four times a year," he said. "I'm not sure how they discovered it, but once they did, they were hooked."

  "That happens a lot. It's why the population has tripled in the last five years."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. We have snow action in the winter and lake activities in the summer, along with as many festivals and parties as you could possibly imagine. There are new housing developments going up on every shore of the lake. I'm not sure when it will start to feel crowded, but right now, it's still pretty perfect."

  "Did you grow up here?"

  "I did. I left for a while, but I found my way back. Where are you from?"

  "California."

  "Do you live near your grandparents in Los Angeles?"

  "No. I grew up in LA, but I'm in San Francisco now."

  "I've been there. Beautiful city."

  "It is."

  "Well, Whisper Lake has its charm, too, and you'll love the Firefly Inn. Lizzie takes extremely good care of her guests. You're in good hands."

  "I don't expect to be needing much. I'll be working when I'm not with my grandparents."

  "Too bad. The town has a lot to offer. You should find time to enjoy it." She stepped back, as she finished applying a bandage to his forehead. "You're done. The swelling on your face should go down by tomorrow, but you might want to use an ice pack tonight."

  "Thanks." He slid off the table and followed her out of the room and down the hall. She ushered him into the waiting room.

  Lizzie jumped to her feet when she saw him, and an odd feeling ran through him at the concern in her eyes. She seemed genuinely worried about him, and that wasn't an emotion he was used to seeing on anyone's face.