Dare to Love (Pride Oregon Book 5)

by Jill Sanders

  Now, as she glanced through the selection, she pulled her glasses up into her hair as she moved around the store.

  Riley’s heart skipped a beat when a hint of recognition flashed.

  She turned, but realized the man was watching her closely, so she pasted on her practiced smile again.

  Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Where are you two visiting from?”

  “California,” the man answered quickly.

  “Too bad it’s raining for your visit,” she added easily.

  “When doesn’t it rain around here,” the woman joked from across the room as she ran a finger over one of Riley’s mother’s paintings. “These are spectacular.”

  “Thanks,” Riley said, trying to keep her eyes on both of them. Lilly had disappeared into the back room once she’d greeted the customers.

  Riley’s heart was pounding so fast in her chest, she wondered if the man could hear it from where he stood a few feet away from her.

  “I’ll take these.” The woman pointed to a smaller painting that her mother had done of seagulls and one of a great blue heron.

  “Wonderful.” She walked past the man and took the paintings down from the wall. “Do you want me to wrap these?”

  “If you could, to protect them from the rain, yes please.” The woman smiled at her and then continued to walk around the store.

  “I’ll… be right back.” She took the paintings and disappeared into the back room. Setting the paintings down on the counter, she closed her eyes before turning to Lilly.

  “You’ll never guess who’s out there,” she said in a calm voice.

  “Who?” Lilly looked worried. “It’s not Reece is it?” Lilly jumped up.

  “No.” She smiled. “Miley Cyrus.” She almost squealed it. “Freaking Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth!” She did squeal the last bit.

  “No. Freaking. Way.”

  “Way. They’re buying my mom’s paintings.” She nodded to the pair of paintings she had just set down.

  “Oh my…” Lilly rushed to the door.

  “No, help me with these. My hands are shaking so bad. Oh my god. Liam is so… dreamy. He has a beard right now.”

  “Sexy.” Lilly moved over, and they quickly wrapped the paintings. Riley made sure to add her mother’s business card and flyer in the mix, so they would know more about them.

  She carried one painting out, and Lilly took the other out and set them on the counter.

  Lilly’s jaw dropped, as Riley had known it would when she saw how pretty the couple was. They’d tried to hide their identities, but they must have known their secret was out after Lilly asked if she could take a picture of the couple, since she doubted her mother would believe her about their visit.

  For the next ten minutes, they chatted with the couple about their recent marriage and the fires that had ravaged their home. After wrapping up a few more items they had purchased, they watched them leave the store.

  “I can’t believe it!” Lilly jumped up and down as she hugged Riley. “We’ve sold merch to famous people. Gosh, they were so nice.”

  “Not just any merchandise, my mother’s paintings.” She laughed. “I have to call Mom.” She giggled when she noticed her hands were shaking.

  “Look.” Lilly pointed. “They’re going into Baked.”

  “Shit, I have to…” She sent a text off to Carter.

  -Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth just walked in your door.

  His reply was almost immediate.

  -Who?

  Riley laughed as she texted.

  -Thor’s brother

  -Loki?

  -No, the actor who… you’re messing with me, right?

  -LOL, gotta go. Making pizza for the rich and famous

  “Jerk.” She laughed.

  Lilly laid her hand on her chin and looked out the windows as the rain continued to fall. “Wow, who would have thought that Pride could be a getaway spot for the stars.”

  “Me,” she answered sincerely. “Look at this town. There’s not many like it left. Small towns are a dying breed. Now there’s a Starbucks and a McDonald’s on every corner of every small town. Pride has weathered that storm.”

  She walked over to the window and looked out at the old buildings surrounding them. Every single brick building along main street and the surrounding streets was full now.

  The very last vacant spot in town, which sat directly across the street from the store and down two buildings, had just opened up as a book store with a coffee and wine bar. Riley didn’t know the owner, Cindy Elliot, personally, but she had been two years younger than her brother Rafe, who was due to graduate from grad school soon.

  Cindy’s sister Cora had opened a new flower shop, Fashion Flower, at the end of the block just two years ago. The sisters were very competitive, something known to everyone in Pride, which is probably why Cindy had opened the bookstore. Cora was happily married with two kids, while Cindy was on her second husband, and if Riley could believe the rumors that were going around town, the marriage wasn’t destined to last.

  “Do you ever stop to think of how lucky we are?” she asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

  “All of the time.” Lilly came up beside her.

  She turned and looked into her cousin’s eyes. “I mean, since Grandpa George, no Jordan has gotten divorced.”

  “Thankfully,” Lilly said under her breath.

  “We’re all healthy,”

  “Your father is deaf,” Lilly reminded her.

  “He’s healthy.” Riley smiled. “And alive. That counts.”

  Lilly nodded in agreement.

  “We don’t bicker like Cora and Cindy.” Riley nodded towards the bookstore.

  Lilly sighed. “Poor Rafe. I remember one time seeing him after class when his sisters were standing in the parking lot fighting over who was going to drive them home.”

  “That’s just it. I mean, we opened this place.” She turned and waved her arms at what they had built. “I don’t think we’ve argued once over… well, anything.”

  Lilly wrapped her arms around Riley. “That’s because we’re like-minded.”

  Riley laughed. “Not always.”

  “We know what’s important and what isn’t.”

  “True. There they go.” She motioned to the couple leaving Baked with a pizza box in hand.

  They both sighed together. “Let’s hope they tell their star friends about this place,” Lilly added.

  “I kissed Carter,” she blurted out.

  “Yes, I know… And?” Lilly said after a pause.

  “And nothing.” She frowned. “He keeps pulling away from me.”

  Her cousin thought for a moment. “It might have to do with the attack.”

  “So, what? He’s not going to be with me because someone wants his money?” She shook her head and walked towards the back of the store to straighten a few items. “I call bull-ship on that one.”

  Lilly’s laughter stopped her. “You can’t even curse. Carter’s probably concerned that you’re too good for him.”

  “Why would he think that?” She turned on her cousin. “Corey’s with you.”

  “And it took a lot of persuading on my part to prove that he wasn’t damaged because of his bloodline.”

  “Carter said something like that to me.” She tapped her nails against the table. “Do you really think that’s all it is?”

  Lilly came up and wrapped her arms around Riley. “Trust me, if you’re patient enough, Carter will come around.”

  “I’m not patient.”

  Lilly laughed. “I know that. So, what are you going to do about it?”

  “I’m not sure.” She sighed. “But it’s been almost a week since the attack. I know he’s itching to get back home.”

  “He moved back this morning,” Lilly told her.

  “He did?” She straightened.

  “Robert gave him the all clear, since they don’t officially know anything. But he had a new security alarm installed out
at the place. One with cameras.”

  “Good.” She refolded a scarf just as the door chimed.

  “Back to work,” Lilly said softly.

  “I’ve got this, go finish your table.” She waved her towards the back room.

  By the time Riley closed up shop, almost everyone in town had come in to the store to get the story of their famous guests firsthand. She received a call from both her mother and her aunt about kicking her cousin out of the store. Since Carter had been allowed to go back to his house two nights after the shooting, she convinced her family that they didn’t need any extra security. Besides, her brother and cousin had better things to do than babysit them.

  She’d proven to everyone last year that she could take care of herself when she’d tackled Reece, who had been holding a gun on Lilly and Blake in the store after hours.

  After she locked up and watched Lilly drive away, she walked across the street. Instead of heading up to her place, she decided to stop by the Brew-Ha-Ha, the newest bookstore and wine bar. She’d finished the stack of books she’d borrowed from the lending section there last week and needed some new ones to feed her reading addiction.

  Stepping into the store, she shook her umbrella off and set it in the rack with all of the others. The place wasn’t as packed as Baked, but several people sat around sipping coffee or wine while reading books or working on their electronic devices.

  The old building had at one point been a hobby store. Cindy, the owner, had transformed the place into a cozy place to sit and enjoy books. Her current husband had built most of the bookshelves himself.

  There was an iron fireplace in the middle of the sitting area, which most of the people were currently sitting around, since the temperature had dropped with the onslaught of rain they were getting.

  Walking over to the bar top, she sat down on one of the stools. Cindy was behind the tall counter, talking softly into the phone. Riley waited patiently while the woman argued in hushed tones with someone. Probably her husband, since the rumor was spreading around that the man was sleeping with one of Pride Elementary School’s newest teachers.

  “I have to go, I have a customer,” she said before hanging up.

  “Hi.” The woman turned towards her as she pushed her dark curly hair out of her face. Cindy wasn’t terrible looking. No one in the Elliot family was. That included her brother, Rafe. At one point, Riley’d had a crush on him in school. He’d been two years older than her and had filled most of her high school fantasies. He was smart, athletic, and kind. The perfect blend. Carter filled those requirements as well.

  “Evening.” She smiled. “Can I have a glass of Chardonnay?”

  “Sure thing.” Cindy got down a glass and then opened a bottle of wine.

  “Riley?” Hearing her voice, she turned to see Rafe Elliot stroll towards her. Hot damn, the man looked good.

  “Rafe?” She jumped off her stool and he easily caught her up in a friendly hug with her feet dangling in the air. As much as she’d hoped something romantic would happen between the two of them, they had never had sparks beyond friendship. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”

  “I am for just a week.” He set her back down.

  “I heard you’re graduating soon.” She moved back over to the countertop and he followed her, setting the book he’d been reading down on the bar top.

  “Yes, in two weeks. Technically, I’m done with my classes. I just have to go back and get the diploma at this point.”

  “How exciting. What will you do then?”

  He shrugged. “I’m hoping to open my own practice.”

  “Practice?” she asked.

  “I’ll have my psychology degree,” he reminded her.

  “Right.” She nodded. “Wow, now I feel stupid. You were just two years ahead of me and look at what you’ve accomplished.”

  “From what I hear, you’ve accomplished a lot yourself. Opening your own store isn’t easy. I hear it’s a huge success. Actually, I think it’s one of the reasons Cindy started this project.” He glanced around the space. “Not that I’m complaining. I love it here.”

  “So do I. Pride needed a bookstore.” She touched his arm, just as she heard the bell above the door chime.

  Turning, she watched Carter stroll in to the bookstore. She felt her heart skip at the sight of him. He stood in the doorway, his dark hair dripping with droplets of rain as he scanned the room. When his eyes locked on hers, she felt the heat from his gaze from across the room. Then they moved beyond her and landed on Rafe, and she could have sworn jealousy flared.

  She would have smiled, but her body had frozen, locked in place from just his gaze.

  As she held her breath, he walked across the room towards them as if in slow motion.

  “Evening,” he said, nodding his head at Rafe.

  “Evening,” Rafe said cheerfully, obviously unaware that Carter was tense.

  “I’m Carter Miller.” He held out a hand towards Rafe.

  “Rafe Elliott. My sister owns this place. You and your brother own Baked, across the street, right?”

  “Yes.” Carter nodded, then his eyes turned towards her.

  “Rafe and I went to school together. He’s back for a week before he graduates,” she explained, not wanting Carter to think there was something more going on between them. She wasn’t the type of woman who liked men to fight over her. Not that Rafe would, unless he needed to protect her. Then she believed he’d jump to her defense. After all, he cared a lot about his two sisters.

  “Well, it was great catching up with you, Riley. I’ll have to stop in your store sometime before I head out again.” Rafe picked up the book he’d set down.

  “Yes,” she agreed. “Please do. Lilly would like to see you as well.”

  Rafe nodded and then disappeared across the room.

  “Evening,” Cindy jumped in behind them. “What can I get you? Corey?”

  His instant smile told Riley that it wasn’t the first time he’d been mistaken for his brother. “Carter.”

  “Oh, right.” Cindy sounded embarrassed. “You two…” She waved at him. “I’m sure you get that all of the time.”

  “We do,” he agreed. “I’ll have what she’s having.” He motioned to the glass Cindy had set down in front of her.

  Reaching for her glass, she sipped to soothe the fire that was building inside her.

  “I saw you walk in here,” he said when Cindy moved on to clean a table across the room.

  “I needed some books and wine.” She motioned with her glass.

  “Good idea. I could use both myself.” He sat on the bar stool next to her, causing their knees to bump together and her heart to skip another beat.

  “I… didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” He motioned to where Rafe was sitting by the fireplace, engrossed in his book.

  “You didn’t,” she said easily. “Rafe is just a friend,” she assured him.

  Lilly was right. She could tell by the way he was looking between her and Rafe that Carter didn’t think himself worthy of her. But if that was the case, why had he crossed the street to see her now?

  “Is everything alright?” she asked, suddenly worried.

  “Yes,” he said after a sip of his wine. “How are things at the shop?”

  “Good.” She relaxed slightly. So he wanted to have small talk. She could do that. “It was pretty cool having two famous people stroll into Classy and Sassy and purchase my mother’s paintings.” She leaned a little closer to him and lowered her voice. “Although my mother was pretty stoked about it, she assured me that they weren’t the first rich and famous people to own some of her paintings and they won’t be the last.”

  He smiled. “I heard that Elton John actually owns one of your mother’s pieces.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? She doesn’t paint and tell.” She sighed. “Sometimes I wish she would tell me all of the famous people she’s rubbed elbows with.”

  He chuckled and turned on the barstool to
look around the room.

  “Did you get off work early tonight or are you just on break?”

  He glanced at her sideways. “I took the rest of the night off.”

  “Oh?” she asked, holding her breath.

  “Yeah, I was hoping… you’d like to grab some dinner with me?”

  “Dinner?” She was trying not to sound too eager. “Sure.” She could hear the desperation in her tone and mentally kicked herself.

  “Great. How about we finish this up first, grab those books, and then we can head out.”

  She nodded, since she didn’t trust her voice until she had herself back under control.

  “Riley?” He had turned towards her, his knees on either side of her own.

  “Hmm?” she said as she enjoyed looking into his eyes.

  “My brother has informed me that I’m a… dork for not asking you out sooner. And after walking you home last night, I think he’s right. I should have asked you sooner.”

  She couldn’t stop the smile as he reached for her hand. “I’m glad you came around,” she said, causing him to laugh.

  “Me too.” He held up his wine glass and she took hers and tapped them together.

  Chapter Thirteen

  He was probably going to hell for thinking about touching her, but he figured he might as well enjoy the ride down to the underworld. Something told him that she’d be worth it.

  When he’d watched her cross the street and enter the bookstore, his brother had practically thrown him out of Baked.

  “Go get the girl,” Corey had told him. “You deserve her, no matter what our father’s voice says in your head.”

  So, he’d marched across the street. He’d walked in to see her talking to Rafe. He’d instantly wanted to back out of the bookstore and run back home with his tail tucked between his legs.

  But there had been something in Riley’s eyes when she’d seen him. Something that had told him it was him she wished to be talking to. So, he’d moved towards her, and Rafe had been quickly forgotten.

  He enjoyed chatting with her about her day as they finished up their wine. Then he followed her around the bookshelves as she picked out a few books for herself. He even grabbed the latest Stephen King book for himself.