Hearts of Emerald Bay

by D G Barnes

  Mac looked down at her as she pushed a piece of popcorn between her lips, and it sent tingly sensations through her. Her green eyes shone like emeralds from the light of the TV. “What?”

  “Nothing,” Dana said and snuggled closer. “Just happy to be here with you.” She closed her eyes as Mac squeezed her and placed a soft kiss on her head.

  “I can’t think of any place I’d rather be either.”

  When the movie ended half an hour later, neither of them moved, content to watch the credits roll by. Moving would mean breaking contact, and that wasn’t an option right now. Ellie, on the other hand, was of a different mind.

  She stood, stretched, then glanced at them questioningly. “Movie’s over,” she said as if it wasn’t apparent to them.

  “Um-hmm.” They replied in unison.

  “Okay then.” Ellie scooped up the remote and turned off the TV. “Well, you two enjoy whatever you’ve got going on here.” She waggled a finger at them. “I need to go to bed and get some sleep. Night,” she said as she headed off to her room.

  They wished Ellie a good night and sat in silence for a while longer. As much as Dana enjoyed their closeness, she needed to move her cramped legs. “I think maybe Ellie has the right idea.” She stood and stretched the muscles in her legs.

  “About getting sleep?”

  “About going to bed.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and held a hand out to her.

  Mac took her hand, and she led her to the bedroom. Their clothes soon lay in a heap on the floor, and they fell as one onto the bed. Gentle kisses turned hot and passionate while their hands roamed. Fingers teased and explored the most intimate places of their bodies, bringing each to climax multiple times before they collapsed, both sated and exhausted.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Mac set Ellie’s copy of What the Heart Desires on the coffee table and sighed contently at the happily ever after Dana had crafted for Marcy and Lisa, the main characters of the story. She had meant to read it weeks ago when she learned Dana, the one on her sofa with the twisted ankle, was the author. But life tended to get in the way, and lately, it was Dana that occupied much of her free time.

  She glanced at the table where Dana and Ellie sat shuffling through pages and discussing aspects of Ellie’s manuscript. Dana caught her looking and blew her a kiss before turning back to Ellie. It was all Mac needed to make her feel warm inside and it drew a contented sigh from her.

  This had been the fifth morning in a row she had woken up with Dana snuggled against her. It was a record for Mac and in violation of her cardinal rule of not bring women home while Ellie was there. She thought back over the last four years and realized she had never spent more than two nights with the same woman, and that itself was rare. When Jenny was in town for a weekend, they would only spend one night together in bed.

  For Mac, a lasting, meaningful relationship with someone had seemed impossible while she raised Ellie, and running her tavern required all her energies. Still, she was only human with needs and desires, so a night out with an attractive woman that ended in great sex was all she wanted. Until now. Until the day Dana Lawson walked into her tavern and into her life. Slowly, over the last several weeks, she had come to realize what she wanted wasn’t necessarily what she needed.

  She liked Dana. Really liked Dana, and it wasn’t just the sex, though that was awesome too. Besides being sexy and beautiful, witty, and caring, she made her feel something else, something she had never felt before. Complete. Was Dana meant to be part of her life? Part of Ellie’s life? Ellie certainly liked her; that was for sure. A thought occurred to Mac then. These feeling she was having, the way her skin tingled when they touched, the way her stomach pulled when Dana entered the room, the longing she felt when they were apart. Could she be falling in love?

  She shifted on the sofa to face Dana and quietly watched her, and her heart fluttered. Dana’s eyes sparkled as she chatted with Ellie, and Mac couldn’t help but enjoy the warmth it brought her as she watched them interact. Yeah, Dana belonged here with her and Ellie.

  “You're awfully quiet over there,” Dana said while she helped Ellie gather the pages of the manuscript together.

  “Hmm? Oh, yeah. Just thinking.”

  “About?”

  “Umm,” Mac stammered, thinking of something to say other than that she thought she was in love with her. Which may be the truth, but this wasn’t the time or place to share that bit of info. Instead, she snatched the book and held it up. “Your book! I was thinking about your book.”

  “Okay. What about it?”

  Mac hesitated and cleared her throat. “Well, first. I loved it.”

  “Thank you. And?”

  She thought about it for a moment. Damn. She searched her memory for a bit of the story she could comment on. Then an intriguing scene came back to her. “Marcy. All those allegations. Did she sleep with her aunt or not?”

  “What do you think?” Dana crossed the room and sat beside her.

  “I don’t think she did. I think it was a lie created by that shit of a brother of hers to keep her from the inheritance.” She studied Dana as she spoke, looking for a tell in her expression.

  “Ellie, what do you think?” Dana asked. Turning her attention to the teen. “Did Marcy sleep with her aunt?”

  Ellie didn’t hesitate. “I certainly think it’s possible. Throughout the story, we see these two are close. It's obvious that they care for each other very much, but it isn’t presented in a way that makes it sound like anything more than what any aunt and niece would feel for each other.” She closed her laptop and took a seat in the armchair across from the sofa. “But the thing is, Dana never tells the reader if the aunt is so by blood or marriage. We know the alleged affair happened when Marcy was an adult, and if the aunt is one by marriage, then it is quite possible it did happen.”

  Mac starred at Ellie dumbfounded. “When did you become all Sherlock like?”

  Ellie shrugged. “Just seemed reasonable.”

  “So, miss author lady, which is it?” Mac asked. “Did she, or didn’t she?”

  Dana grinned and looked between the two. “Well, actually you’re both right.”

  “What?” they asked in unison, their jaws dropping.

  “There is no wrong answer. I intentionally wrote it so the reader would have to think about it and come to their own conclusion. But I do like Ellie’s reasoning, so points to her.”

  Ellie cheered, and Mac frowned. “That is so not fair. Showing favoritism to the newbie author instead of your girlfriend.”

  “Aww. Poor baby.” Dana slid over and nipped at her earlobe. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

  A shiver of excitement ran the length of her spine. “Promise?” she whispered back.

  “Guys! Please! I’m sitting right here.” Ellie groaned.

  “We watched you and Monica kiss,” Mac shot back in jest.

  Ellie’s cheeks turned pink. “Yeah, well. We didn’t know you were watching.”

  The doorbell chimed. “And speaking of the object of your affections; I bet that’s her.” Mac stood and went to the door.

  She had no sooner opened the door and Ellie was at her side. Barb and Monica stood at the threshold, and Mac invited them in. Monica pulled a small travel suitcase behind her and Ellie led her into the living room.

  “Hi, Barb. How are you?” Mac asked as the woman entered, and she closed the door behind her.

  “Great, thanks. I apologize if we’re early. Monica has been a nut case all morning. Couldn’t wait to get here.”

  “It’s fine. You know you’re both welcome anytime. I was about to whip up lunch. Would you like to join us?”

  Barb shook her head. “Thank you, but I really can’t. I need to head to work soon.”

  “Hi, Barb,” Dana said as she approached them.

  “Hi, Dana. Listen, good luck with the awards tonight. I hope you win,” Barb said clasping Dana’s hand in hers.

&nb
sp; “Thanks, Barb. I appreciate that.”

  “Monica. Come and give your mother a kiss,” Barb called.

  Monica dashed over and wrapped her arms around her mother, then kissed her cheek. Her happy, carefree expression was contagious. “Bye, Mama, love you.”

  “You have a good time and behave for Mac and Dana. You hear?”

  “Yes, Mama. I will.”

  “Good girl. I love you too,” Barb said and gave Monica a quick kiss before the excited teen rushed back to Ellie.

  Mac and Dana said their goodbyes to Barb, then headed into the kitchen to make lunch before they left for the city. With the girls’ backs to them, Mac took the opportunity to clasp Dana’s chin in her hand and stare into her soft brown eyes for a moment before capturing her mouth. The kiss was unhurried, and Mac savored the texture and flavor of her lips. She pulled away and watched her.

  Dana’s eyes remained closed, and her face showed the happiness she felt. “Umm. That was nice,” she said softly as her eyes fluttered open. “What did I do to deserve that?”

  Mac brushed Dana’s face with the back of her hand. “Just by being you.”

  Dana took her hand and gave it a soft kiss. “Well, I’ll just be me more often if you’re going to keep kissing me like that.”

  “Deal,” she said as she turned and opened the fridge. “Shall we get lunch ready now?”

  ***

  They arrived in the city a little before three that afternoon and checked into the suite Dana had reserved for them. It wasn’t like any hotel room Mac had ever stayed in before. Then again, she’d never actually stayed in a hotel. There was that motel outside of town, but that’s another story. Mac stood in the living room of the two-bedroom suite and marveled at its size.

  “Are all hotel rooms like this?” Ellie asked. “It’s huge!”

  Dana chuckled. “No, sweetie. This is a suite. Larger hotels usually have a few of them.”

  “It must be expensive,” Mac said as Ellie and Monica explored the space.

  “Not really. I get a discount because the awards ceremony is here and we’re attending. Let’s unpack, then maybe we could go for a walk along the waterfront and check out the sights.” She grabbed her suitcase and headed for the master bedroom.

  “Find your room okay?” Mac asked a few moments later when Ellie and Monica appeared in the doorway.

  “Yeah,” Ellie said. “The bed is huge, and did you know there’s a TV in there? This is awesome.”

  “That’s right. There is only one bed in that room. The sofa folds out if it’s an issue,” Dana offered.

  “Nah, we’ve been sleeping together for years.” No sooner had the words come out of her mouth, when her face turned a deep shade of pink.

  “Really, now?” Dana smirked.

  “No! What I mean is…Crud, it sounded so much better in my head.” Ellie groaned and looked sheepishly to Monica.

  Both Mac and Dana laughed. Monica hid her face in her hands for a moment.

  “It’s okay. We know what you meant,” Mac said still chuckling.

  With their bags unpacked and the outfits they planned on wearing that evening ready, they left the hotel and made their way along the boardwalk on the busy waterfront. The sounds of live music and the aroma from the numerous restaurants and street vendors’ carts that were preparing a wide variety of gastronomic delights bombarded their senses. Mac held Dana’s hand as they walked, stopping every now and then to wander through the shops that opened onto the boardwalk.

  The Bluenose happened to be in port, and the girls were thrilled to get a chance to see her up close. Next to her was the HMCS Sackville, a Second World War Navy Corvette, which they took a tour of before stopping for supper at one of the several restaurants they had to choose from. Not surprisingly, the place was busy, but they were able to quickly snag a table in the cordoned-off section outside the eatery.

  “This was fun, walking the boardwalk,” Monica said softly. “I would have liked to have gone through the Maritime Museum though.”

  Mac saw a hint of disappointment in the girl’s expression. “Still lots of summer left. We could come back and make a day of it.”

  Both Monica and Ellie beamed and let out a little cheer, drawing the attention of the people seated around them. “Sorry.” Ellie giggled and then speared a ketchup-covered French fry from her plate.

  “What do you think?” Mac asked, turning to Dana. “I’ve kinda committed myself here. Feel like tagging along?”

  Dana nodded. “Sounds like a blast to me. Count me in.”

  ***

  Two columns of chairs sat in neatly aligned rows and filled most of the auditorium. At the back of the stage, an oversized projection screen displayed a stylistic blue and white ACLA logo. With most of the guests already seated, the cavernous room still felt empty. Surely there must have been a smaller room they could have used.

  Dana’s arm slipped into Mac’s. “We’re on the left, third row from the front,” Dana said after checking the seating chart. The quartet made their way up the aisle to the designated seats. As they moved arm in arm, Dana waved and called out a hello to a couple of individuals already seated. Probably fellow authors or the likes, Mac reckoned.

  Finding their seats, they settled in. It occurred to Mac that during the trek along the red carpet, arm in arm, a tune had played in the back of her mind. Bum-bum-babum. What the hell? She glanced at Dana and her thoughts from earlier that morning flooded back, and a pleasant warmth filled her. Taking her hand in hers, she brought it to her face and softly kissed it.

  “For luck,” she said when Dana looked at her. They held each other’s gaze, and Mac lost herself in her soft brown eyes. A loud crackle followed by a shrill squeal quickly drew their attention and hurt their ears. On stage, a woman fussed with the microphone and the awful noises ceased to everyone’s relief.

  “Well, that was pleasant.” The woman drew a chuckle from the audience. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this year’s Atlantic Canada Literary Awards. I’m Heather Grey, and I’ll be your Emcee for the evening.”

  “Is she an author too?” Ellie whispered to Dana as the crowd erupted in applause.

  “Yes, she is. She’s been writing mystery novels for over thirty years.”

  “Wow!” Ellie said softly.

  The applause died away, and Heather held out an arm indicating the sharply dressed man who made his way to the side of the stage. “To get this evenings event started, I give you Mister Alister Coakley, President and Chair of the Atlantic Canada Literary Society.” She stepped back from the podium and clapped along with the audience as Alister crossed the stage, waving to the crowd as he went. He gave her a friendly hug and spoke to her briefly before taking his place behind the podium.

  Alister gave a short opening speech praising all the evening's nominees for their outstanding work and wishing them all good luck. When he had finished speaking, he left the stage with another wave and round of applause.

  After a few more words from Heather, she moved into awards presentations. Mac sat patiently as she introduced each presenter and they read out the category and its nominees. She clapped as the winner was announced and they accepted their award. Damn! How many categories were there?

  Finally, Heather announced the category Mac had been waiting for. She grabbed Dana’s hand and squeezed it as her excitement grew. It was entirely possible she was more excited than Dana.

  “Next is the award for Romantic Novel of the Year in the category of Contemporary Romance. The nominees are, Summer Love by Kathleen Collins, Wine and Roses by Patricia Scott, and What the Heart Desires by Dana Lawson.”

  Mac’s heart pounded in anticipation, and she held her breath as she waited. She glanced at Dana who looked amazingly calm at that moment. How in the hell could she be so damn calm? Next to Dana, Ellie squeaked, vibrating in her seat with nervous energy.

  “And the winner is…” The presenter paused, taking her time as she opened the envelope. “What the Hear
t Desires by Dana Lawson.”

  Ellie and Monica screamed and clapped. Mac released her breath and wrapped an arm around Dana, kissing her cheek. The room applauded as Dana rose and made her way to the stage. Mac watched her go, and her heart swelled with pride and adoration. Dana graciously accepted the award and faced the gathering of her peers. Her face couldn’t hide the thrill of her win as she took the mic and thanked everyone for the honor.

  Mac sighed, looking up at Dana on the stage and thinking how beautiful she looked. She had never known a woman quite like her before, and she realized she had never felt for any other woman what she was feeling for Dana. Her idea of a summer fling had fallen by the wayside long ago, but still, she knew summer would end and Dana would inevitably return to her life in the city. The pain of that thought struck her hard, and a wave of sadness washed across her. She pushed the thought aside, not wanting to think about it. As she had told Monica earlier in the day, there was lots of summer left, and she was going to enjoy every moment of it she could with Dana.

  When Dana returned to their row, Ellie and Monica met her in the aisle and gave her a huge hug. She thanked them both and returned their hug. When she sat a moment later, Mac pulled her into an embrace and kissed her.

  “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart,” she said softly, taking the engraved acrylic award from her and holding it in her lap, studying it.

  Dana hesitated, giving Mac a curious look. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

  She traced the engraved letters of Dana’s name with her thumb, but before she could finish, she felt Dana’s fingers on her chin, coaxing her to look up. When she did, soft brown eyes pulled at her heart. “Mac? What’s wrong?” Her voice was full of concern.