Because of You (Blue Harbor Book 3)

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Because of You (Blue Harbor Book 3) Page 13

by Olivia Miles


  She wanted to help.

  Because she of all people knew how it felt.

  “Cancer?” She didn’t dare look at him. Her heart squeezed tight just thinking of how she’d felt, all those years ago, when the reality that she was going to lose her mother was sharp and raw. It was terrifying, and unbearable, and the dread sometimes felt scarier than the thought of a future without her mother in it.

  “How’d you guess?” Cole eventually asked.

  Maddie looked up, seeing the sadness that now hooded his eyes, and felt her heart pull for him. “Personal experience.”

  “It’s not easy,” Cole said, looking out over the water.

  “No,” Maddie replied firmly. “It’s not. But…I’m here, you know. I get it. It’s like you said, I was lucky to have the support of all my sisters and cousins and my aunt and uncle. It can’t easy for you.”

  Cole shrugged. “I manage. That’s what you do, right?”

  Maddie didn’t know whether to press the topic, but she felt the need to. For the boy he’d once been. For the man he now was. For the little girl who had tried to reach out to him, but maybe not hard enough.

  “There’s an entire community here, too, Cole. You know that, right? I mean, Blue Harbor is small. Everyone knows your business, sure, but they also care.” Sensing that he didn’t buy into any of this, she hesitated a moment before saying, “I care.”

  She waited for him to protest, to make an excuse, to push away the words or even her. To stand up, to leave.

  Instead he looked at her, really looked at her, for what felt like minutes but was probably only seconds, but all too soon, he was leaning in, and she was leaning in, and then his mouth was on hers, warm and firm, slow and sure, and oh, he was kissing her. And he was a very good kisser.

  She pulled back, looking him in the eye, feeling suddenly just as shy and a little out of place as he might have at times. This was new territory for her, even more uncertain than the bakery, but it was just as exciting too.

  And it was something she wanted, she realized, as she gave him a slow smile.

  “Well, that was a surprise,” he said, laughing lowly, taking a big bite of what remained of his sandwich as he inched a little closer to her and turned his gaze to the water.

  “There’ve been a lot of surprises lately,” Maddie replied. And all good ones, too.

  12

  Maddie couldn’t believe how quickly the bakery was transforming into a space of her own. Cole had left her a message the following morning that he’d be working with another contractor to install the glass display case that day, and once that was finished, the only thing that would need to be done was to add the light fixtures and hang the sign that he had ordered for her.

  The project was nearly finished, and so was their time together. Only after yesterday’s kiss, Maddie wasn’t so sure that was entirely true.

  A little over a month ago, the idea of running her own bakery was a distant dream, and the thought of finding love in this small town seemed almost more impossible. Now, both were within reach. Her life felt full, and exciting, and not in a bad and scary way.

  Knowing all too well that the old saying “too many cooks in the kitchen” applied when it came to this massive installation, she decided to stay clear of the bakery today, secretly relieved for the opportunity to have some time away from Cole to process everything that had happened yesterday. After their lunch, she’d gone home; it had seemed too awkward to go back to the bakery, working side by side, especially when she was technically his…boss?

  No, she wasn’t his boss. But she was going to be the boss to someone, and maybe more than one someone. And the sooner she had this part of her business plan sorted out, the sooner she could start to relax. She had interviewed Franny Benson’s granddaughter on Monday and quickly discovered that it would be a good fit; Maddie would start training Amy over the weekend. But she’d need at least one more person on a part-time basis, and for backup.

  The newspaper office was just ahead, in a small, converted house just past the Town Hall. She caught a glance of Matt walking down the steps as she approached, and slowed her pace.

  “How’s the bakery?” he asked.

  “You should see how it’s all coming along!”

  “You seem much more relaxed about it all than the last time I saw you,” he observed.

  She nodded, feeling that his assessment was accurate. She wouldn’t say that she was confident, but she was close. And she was at least enjoying the experience, not fretting and losing sleep.

  The only sleep she’d lost last night had been on account of that kiss.

  She pulled in a breath, forcing her thoughts back to the present.

  “Well, I have you to thank for helping set this all in motion.”

  Matt brushed a hand through the air, but she could tell by his grin that he was pleased. “I was just heading over to steal Amelia away for a coffee break. You want to join me?”

  Maddie knew how busy Amelia was, and how little time it left for her to spend with Matt. She shook her head. “I have to get over to the newspaper so I can get my help wanted ad in before they go to print. If I have half the success that Amelia has had, I won’t be able to run that bakery all on my own.”

  Matt leaned in, his eyes glimmering with amusement. “Don’t you sort of love that we live in a town where people still read the local newspaper every day?”

  Maddie laughed. “I do. It’s one of the reasons I never left.”

  “One of the reasons I’m glad I’m back to stay.” He shrugged. “Well, I’m off. The main reason to stay is waiting for me as we speak.”

  Maddie grinned as she watched him walk off in the direction of the café. He loved her sister. Always had. And she was happy for them both.

  And maybe, she had reason to be happy for herself now, too.

  Maddie pressed on to her destination, admiring the colorful clusters of mums that lined the sidewalks and flanked the door to the white, clapboard house with the cedar-shingle roof. A bell greeted her as she pushed through the paned glass door and entered the offices of the Harbor Herald.

  Rita Thompson looked up from her computer and smiled. “Maddie Conway! Haven’t seen you in a while!”

  It was true. Rita had been a good friend of her mother’s, once upon a time, and the women used to stick together at all the school events, since Rita’s daughter was the same age as Britt.

  “I hear you’re opening a bakery!”

  Maddie nodded proudly as she retrieved the printed ad from her tote and spread it on the counter. “That’s actually while I’m here. I wanted to post this in the Help Wanted section of the classifieds. I’m not too late to make tomorrow’s paper, am I?” She glanced at the clock on the wall.

  “That won’t be a problem at all,” Rita assured her, taking the paper and glancing it over. “I might tighten some of this up for the sake of space, but your contact information will all be there.”

  “Thanks,” Maddie said as her heart began to thump, much as it had when she’d offered Amy Benson a position. Once she officially opened, she’d be responsible, have to pay staff, hold up her end of the promise she’d make them in bringing them on. It was one thing to let herself down, but once someone else was included, she wouldn’t be alone in this anymore.

  Though, come to think of it, she hadn’t felt alone in it since Cole came along.

  She smiled.

  “Your mother would be so proud of you,” Rita said, her smile turning a little sad. “I always said no one could bake like Betsy Conway!”

  “I certainly have big shoes to fill,” Maddie agreed.

  Rita gave her hand a reassuring pat. “I’m sure it will be a huge success. And I want to be the first in line. What day does it open?”

  “Next Tuesday. At least, that’s the plan.” It was all happening so quickly. Maddie felt the old panic rear again and pushed it back into place. “Cole is installing the display case today. Then there will just be a few little finishing touche
s.” She gave a braver smile than she felt. Would everyone else love it as much as she did? Would everyone else like what she baked?

  She knew that her mother would have been proud. Of course she would have. But would she agree with Maddie’s choices? Was it what she would have done?

  “Oh, Cole McCarthy!” Rita smiled, but not in the suggestive way that Candy or Cole’s mother had. “My daughter was just mentioning him this morning. Guess he asked her to meet for a drink tonight once he got off the job. Well, now we know what that job is!”

  Rita laughed lightly, but Maddie felt her smile slip. Lanie was pretty, and single, and a successful real estate agent in town. It was no secret that her good looks helped her with the out-of-town investors who got so swept up in their summer getaway that they decided to buy something seasonal.

  “Cole always struck me as being a bit…rough around the edges,” Rita confided, lowering her voice. She widened her eyebrows. “But then, people can change, right? They can surprise you.”

  They certainly can, Maddie thought, blinking back the sting in her eyes.

  “And of course, Lanie isn’t getting any younger. She’s a career woman, and I’m proud of all she’s accomplished, but I’d love to see her find someone who makes her happy. It’s not exactly easy in a small town like this. But then, I suppose you understand that.” She smiled.

  “All too well,” Maddie said, pinching her lips. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “How much do I owe? For the ad? I was hoping to run it through the weekend.”

  Rita shook her head. “Your money is no good here, Maddie. You are my dearest friend’s daughter, and I know how difficult it is to start a new business. Consider me your first fan.”

  Now Maddie really felt the tears start to well, and backed away, managing a thick smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. You’re too sweet.”

  “I’ll tell Lanie I saw you!” Rita called after her, as Maddie pushed hard at the door she had just come through.

  Maddie managed a nod and stood on the porch as the door closed behind her, taking in big gulps of crisp, autumn air.

  Cole was going out for drinks. Tonight. With Lanie.

  And she had kissed him. Yesterday. Dared to think that it had meant something. That there was—what? A future? With Cole?

  She’d tried to believe that history didn’t repeat itself. That each day was fresh. That the future was separate from the past.

  That people could change.

  She should have known not to get ahead of herself, that things didn’t always work out, and that she was in over her head.

  That she couldn’t trust her own gut.

  Or even her own heart.

  *

  Maddie couldn’t bear to go back to the bakery, not now. Not when now every inch of it bore Cole’s mark. It felt nearly as much a part of him as it did her. And she’d liked that. Let it happen. Liked the camaraderie.

  The encouragement.

  Instead, she marched to the flower shop. Even though she hadn’t planned on it, when she saw it, she couldn’t pass it by. Gabby was filling a watering can when Maddie burst in. She knew she probably looked as wild as she felt, and one glance at her cousin confirmed it.

  She was grateful to see that she was alone in the shop.

  “Is everything okay?” Gabby set down the watering can, giving Maddie her full attention.

  “You know those romance books you love so much?” Maddie demanded.

  “Oh, now, don’t get in between me and my happy endings,” Gabby chided, but her smile dropped when she saw that Maddie was serious.

  “Who says that everyone gets a happy ending? Like it’s some guarantee?”

  “Okay.” Gabby held up her hands. “Start at the beginning. What’s going on?”

  Maddie walked around the counter and dropped onto one of the stools at the worktable where Gabby could arrange her bouquets while manning the storefront. Her eyes welled up as she picked up a particularly lovely rose in the palest shade of yellow. The color immediately made her think of the walls of her bakery. The color that Cole had encouraged her to pick.

  Or maybe, the one she had chosen, and that he had agreed with wholeheartedly?

  She set the flower down. “I never should have let Candy convince me to hire Cole.”

  Gabby pursed her lips. “I suspected it had something to do with him. Although, I don’t think that Candy left you much choice. And I thought things were working out with Cole? But then, things did seem a little…weird that day at the pub.”

  “Exactly,” Maddie said. She shook her head, wondering why she hadn’t seen it before. Cole was anything but predictable. He was moody, and quiet.

  And sweet. She looked at the rose again, thinking of how he had actually seemed to care that she chose a color for her walls that she would be happy with.

  “But you guys seemed so…well, close, I guess, at the Harvest Fest.”

  “He kissed me,” Maddie blurted.

  Gabby’s eyes widened to giant circles. She didn’t speak for what felt like an eternity, and when she did, she couldn’t suppress her smile.

  “Maddie!” She gave her a fake swat on the arm. “And you didn’t tell me? Come on. Every detail. Now.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Maddie said, shaking her head. “I was just talking to Rita Thompson, and she told me that Lanie is having drinks with Cole. Tonight.”

  Gabby chewed her lip and leaned into the counter. Her gaze drifted to the side, as it did whenever she was hatching a plan, like the times when they were younger and all the cousins would sleepover, and Gabby was always thinking of a way to spice things up, whether it be with more snacks from the pantry or, later, calls to the cuter boys in school, even if she did usually lose her nerve and hang up as soon as someone answered.

  “How do you know that they’re not just friends?”

  Maddie gave her cousin a long, hard look. “Friends? Cole doesn’t have friends in town.” Only that wasn’t true, was it? She was his friend. At least, she had been. Now she wasn’t sure what they were.

  Boss and employee. God, she should be ashamed of herself!

  “Besides,” she said, remembering the horrible excitement in Rita’s eyes. “Rita seemed pretty titillated by this. Like she was excited for her daughter to be asked out for a night.”

  “Drinks, not dinner?” Gabby looked at her for confirmation. “They’re probably going to the pub.” Meaning, the Carriage House Inn.

  “Probably,” she groaned. Though, secretly, Maddie wished that they were going to Harrisons, with its pool tables and beer and dartboards. Then she would know it was nothing more than friends.

  “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do,” Gabby said, setting her hands on her hips. “We’re going to go to the pub tonight. Have a drink of our own!”

  “Gabby! No!” Maddie stared at her in horror, even as the idea started to take hold. She and Gabby did like to meet up whenever they could, and once the bakery opened, she probably wouldn’t have as much time for it, at least, not at first.

  She shook the temptation away. Nonsense!

  “I already know that he’s going on a date with another woman. I don’t need to sit back and watch it with my own eyes.”

  “How are you so sure it’s a date?” Gabby asked pertly.

  Maddie opened her mouth and then closed it. “What else could it be?” she finally asked.

  Gabby shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

  *

  Cole knew as soon as Lanie Thompson walked into the pub that he had made a mistake. A big one. He should have made things more clear when he’d called and asked her to meet him. Should have maybe gone to her office instead of suggesting common ground—but he hadn’t wanted to make his business public, and he knew that if someone saw him sitting in a real estate office, talk would start to fly all over town.

  Now, he had every reason to believe talk would still fly. Because from the way that Lanie was dressed in tight jeans and high heels and looking at him like she
was memorizing every detail of his face, she had completely misunderstood the point of this meeting.

  He should have met her somewhere less…social. Coffee at the Firefly Café would have been ideal, but given the way Candy seemed to follow him around with her eyes every time he crossed her path, he suspected that it would have led to more gossip than just striding into the real estate office and sitting right in front of the window, for all of Main Street to see.

  “Hey.” Lanie was a little breathless as she shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the back of her chair.

  Cole hesitated, not sure if he should stand to greet her or remain sitting. He hadn’t dated in years, and when he had, it had been casual, short-lived, and always with someone either passing through town for the summer, or residing in a neighboring town.

  But this wasn’t a date. It was a business meeting. And he’d better make that clear as quickly as possible.

  Lanie blinked rapidly as she slid into her seat. Her lipstick was fresh, and red, and her sweater was low cut and clearly something she had changed into after leaving the office.

  He pulled in a breath. Really, this was half the reason why he needed to get out of this town. He’d gone to great lengths to uphold his privacy and now he had created a bigger mess for himself. He longed to move to a city where no one knew him, or his background, or cared enough to ask any questions.

  He smiled tightly, eager to get to the chase. “What can I get you?” he asked as he made eyes with a waiter across the room.

  “White wine,” she said with a smile.

  Cole turned to the waiter. “White wine and uh…” A beer would really take the edge off what was sure to be an awkward way to start a business relationship, but it would probably only fuel the wrong message he had started to send. “A…water. Just water for me.”

  Lanie frowned slightly, but composed herself quickly, adjusting herself in the chair, wiggling her torso in a rather suggestive way.

  “This is a nice surprise,” she said, dragging out the words playfully.

 

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