by Kaylea Cross
Noah blocked a frown from forming. Poker at a bookshop-slash-tearoom? “I know some guys.”
She beamed at him, her sunny smile transforming her entire face. And it had already been pretty before. “Great. I’ll be doing board game nights there as well, some Dungeons and Dragons, things like that. And by the way, I haven’t forgotten that I promised you a cherry pie for helping me paint the shop. I just haven’t had the chance to make it yet.”
His lips quirked. “I wouldn’t say no to a cherry pie, but I don’t want you to go to any trouble. You’re really busy.”
She shrugged. “I’ll fit it in. I always keep my promises.”
“Well that’s nice to hear. Since we’re neighbors, and all.”
Her eyes sparkled at him. Not flirtatious, however. Warm. Sincere. “Exactly.”
No flirting and she’d been in a rush to cover up. He was getting more curious about her by the minute. She also made it damn hard to stay wary of her and her background. “Tell you what. I’ll make some calls and see if I can get a couple of my buddies to come out on Thursday.”
“That’d be great, thank you.”
“No problem. And don’t hold off on the power washing on my account. I’m up now.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“All right.” She held up the plate, raised her tawny eyebrows. “Want anything else?”
Oh, he did. But it wasn’t on the menu, and wasn’t going to be. “I’m good. Gimme a couple minutes to make some calls and I’ll let you know about Thursday.”
The first person he called was Beckett.
“It’s not even seven-thirty in the morning,” his best friend grumbled. Noah’s sister, Sierra, had moved in with him just over a month ago. “Better be important.”
“I thought anything after oh-four-hundred was considered sleeping in for a Green Beret.”
“Former Green Beret. Now that I’m a civilian again, I remembered how much I love sleeping. So, what’s up?”
“You, me and Weaver, poker game this Thursday night.”
“Poker? Man, we haven’t done that in years. At your place?” Beckett asked.
“Seven at the new bookshop in town. Whale’s Tale.”
“Whale’s Tale? What?”
“Just be there. We still on for tonight?” They were having a barbecue at Beckett and Sierra’s.
Beckett grunted. “If you hang up right now and let your sister and me get back to sleep, then yeah.”
Now that was a mental image Noah didn’t need. He loved them both, but even after a few weeks to adjust, it was still weird to think of Beckett and Sierra getting married and having a family together someday. “Okay. But next time you see your yard guy, can you have him call me? My neighbor might be interested in hiring him.”
“I’ll text him. If you hang up right now.”
“Fine. See you later.” He hung up and called Weaver, a former teammate of Beckett’s, who was much perkier than Beckett had been.
Noah ended the call and walked back to the fence. Poppy had hauled the power washer over to the far corner, still wearing her shirt over her bikini top. Noah flagged her down before she could fire it up. “The three of us are in for Thursday night.”
Her face lit up. “That’s fantastic, thank you. If you think of anyone else, please let them know.”
“Will do.” He turned and headed back toward his house, in a far better mood than he’d been in ten minutes ago. And maybe, if he was lucky, Poppy would decide to take that flannel shirt off once he went back inside. Then he could enjoy his morning coffee while standing in front of the kitchen window and admire the view.
Yep, no doubt about it. Hardwired cynicism aside, his neighborhood had gotten a major upgrade the day she’d moved in next door.
Chapter Two
Yes! The poker night was a go. With any luck, it might even catch on and give her regular business one evening a week. One step at a time, that was how she was viewing her new business.
Poppy headed up the steps to her back porch with a smile on her face, and not just because she had some guaranteed customers for Thursday night. Her sheriff neighbor was a genuinely nice guy. She hadn’t known many of those before moving here, except for her grandfather, but he’d passed away seven years ago.
Noah Buchanan had been a complete surprise. The first time they’d met, he’d shown up as she was struggling to paint the exterior of her shop, alone and by hand. He’d not only offered her his sprayer, he’d immediately gone home to get it, returning wearing a faded pair of jeans and a T-shirt rather than his uniform, and stayed to help until it was done.
He was also sexy as all get out, something she was trying like hell not to notice. Even though she was pretty sure the image of his naked, muscular chest and arms was permanently burned into the backs of her eyeballs now. But they were neighbors. She was here to start her new life and wasn’t looking for any entanglements or unnecessary complications. This time in her life was for her and no one else.
Still, she felt bad about depriving him of sleep when he’d just come off shift, so she’d decided to forego power washing until Monday morning. There was plenty of other work she could get done in the meantime.
She spent the next two hours unpacking the last of her moving boxes and giving the inside of the house a good scrub. She was in love with her little cottage on Honeysuckle Lane. It was the first thing she’d owned that was all hers, and she couldn’t be prouder.
She had big plans for it, too, which would culminate in her own private retreat. Everything would be bright and cheerful. Tranquil. The small rooms would be done in light colors so she wouldn’t feel claustrophobic, and she would have lamps everywhere because she hated being alone in the dark. When she was done this would be a place where she could leave the pain and chaos of her past behind and heal fully.
First she’d tackle the outside. Once she had the exterior cleaned and painted, she was going to tackle the yard. Noah’s friend Beckett ran a successful custom home renovation business. He had handled a few things for her in the shop at a fair price, but her budget was pretty much gone, so any improvements to the house had to be done by her and she was okay with that.
After she had the inside cleaned and smelling pleasantly of lemon soap, Poppy grabbed her purse and drove to the shop to check in on things before running the rest of her errands. The drive was gorgeous, and she was certain she would never get tired of it.
Crimson Point was about the most beautiful place she’d ever seen. A hundred times more stunning than any part of South Dakota. And far more open-minded, too, from what she’d seen so far. She’d always wanted to see the ocean, so after her mother finally passed and Poppy was free to leave, she’d packed up her few belongings and headed west to the coast. As soon as she’d come to Crimson Point, she’d known it was where she was meant to be.
It was only a two-minute drive into town from her cottage. Front Street was the main drag, located right along the waterfront where all the shops and restaurants were. Whale’s Tale was located on the non-water side, almost directly across from the local bar named the Sea Hag. She’d painted the cedar shingled building a periwinkle blue with off-white trim, and the front doors were a glossy butter yellow. The custom-carved and painted sign hanging from a bracket out front was of a humpback’s fluke rising out of the water.
Just looking at the place made her happy. Fulfilling her dream of running her own business, and one that allowed her to indulge in her love of books, baking and tea parties, was incredible. Her plate was more than full but it would be worth it in the end, once she got everything finished and running the way she wanted. Then she should be able to hire more staff, enjoy some free time and explore the beaches and forest trails in the area.
The moist, salt-tinged air filled her lungs as she stepped out of her car, the high-pitched cry of gulls carrying on the breeze. She inhaled deeply, a sense of rightness filling her.
Here, she could breathe. It was exciting to be able
to make her dreams come true, and finally outrun the past she had feared she would never escape.
Inside the shop, the smell of freshly baked pastries greeted her. A handful of customers were perusing the shelves in the bookshop section, and another handful were having their morning coffee and a treat in the tearoom.
She smiled at one of her employees stationed behind the counter. “How’s it going?” she asked Caroline, a nineteen-year-old girl home from the University of Oregon for the summer. Poppy couldn’t afford much in the way of staff yet but she could keep two people on at minimum wage. Her other employee was back in the kitchen finishing up the last batch of baking for the day.
“Pretty good, I think. It’s been steady, if not super busy. Not too many book sales, though. Mostly people wanting some coffee or tea and a pastry.”
“Ah, yes, the universal power of caffeine. Book sales will pick up, I’m sure of it.” They had to, if she was going to pay for her overhead and inventory. The shop carried giftware, a few toys and art supplies, in addition to books and stationery. She had a few ideas to try to see if they could bring in more business. Paint party nights, author appearances, themed events like Harry Potter tea parties, special Halloween and Christmas events. Whatever worked.
“Yeah, especially with tourist season just starting.” Caroline glanced around as if to make sure no one was listening, then leaned an elbow on the countertop, her gaze fixed on Poppy. “So I heard a rumor that you moved into Mrs. Cardello’s old place last week.”
“I did, yes.”
She propped her chin in her hand, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “And? What’s it like living next door to Sheriff Buchanan?”
“What’s it like?”
“Yeah, I mean he’s hot. I wouldn’t mind seeing him every day, even if it was only over the fence.”
Noah was hot. No disputing that. But what was it like living next door to him? “It feels…safe,” Poppy said, after thinking about it a moment.
Caroline’s expression went blank with confusion. “Well, yeah. I mean, Crimson Point’s the safest place ever, and you’re next door to a cop. But what’s it like?”
Poppy shrugged. “That’s how it feels. Safe.” She could get used to it, that was for sure.
Caroline looked so disappointed by the lack of juicy details that Poppy almost grinned. But she’d learned an unforgettable lesson about the opposite sex when she was just a kid. Men were not to be trusted, and getting involved with them guaranteed heartbreak. Not to mention that in a small town, reputation was everything.
Once it was ruined, life got really hard. Sometimes it even became unbearable.
Glancing down at her inner wrists, she tugged at the cuffs of her sleeves self-consciously and cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m just heading out of town to grab a few things. Do we need anything here?”
“No, I think everything’s under control.”
“Perfect. Call me if anything comes up. If not, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Outside, she drew in another big breath of that delicious sea air, hopped in her car and drove a few miles inland to the garden center. This was her fourth visit to The Stalk Market, though so far, she’d avoided temptation and hadn’t bought anything. Today, that was going to change. She might not have a green thumb, but she had her heart set on some cobalt blue pots for the front porch and some annuals to plant in them, and she wasn’t going home without them.
She grabbed the gorgeous glazed pots and put them on her cart before someone else could take them. In the midst of perusing her options for what to put in them, a faint prickle at her nape told her someone was staring.
Darting a glance over her shoulder, she suppressed a groan. That obnoxious employee was here. Danny, his nametag said. He’d been here on two of her previous visits as well, and while he probably thought he was being subtle about it, there was no way she couldn’t notice the way he practically stripped her with his eyes.
It was weird and unsettling because she was fully dressed. Noah had seen her in her skimpy shorts and bikini top this morning, and he’d never looked at her in a way that made her feel creepy. Worse, this guy was just a kid, had to be even younger than her.
“Hey, you’re back,” he said with a smile she supposed he thought was charming as he approached.
“I am.” She went back to looking at the annuals. She wanted something bright and colorful for the middle of the pots, then something that trailed to soften the look. Yellow and white and pink. Maybe some coleus and bacopa?
He stopped next to her. Right next to her, so close that if she turned so much as a few inches, she would bump into him. And while he didn’t frighten her exactly, he made her uncomfortable as hell. He was a big guy who obviously spent a lot of time at the gym. “Finding everything okay?”
“Yep.” She kept her tone civil but didn’t look at him. A lot of men took eye contact as a come on, something she had learned early on.
“Sure I can’t help you with something?”
“I’m sure. But thanks.” She gave him a polite smile and pushed her cart away, foregoing her first plant choices just to get away from him.
He watched her for a long moment, then thankfully another customer flagged him down. Relieved, she darted back over to grab the plants she wanted and hurried to the checkout.
Of course he showed up right as she was leaving.
“Let me get the door for you and help you load your car,” he said, pushing the door open just as she was about to say no thanks.
Again, she didn’t look at him.
He followed her to her car.
“I can load it myself,” she said.
“No, I can’t let you do that. Store policy.” He shot her a smile, his hazel eyes alight with interest.
Well, it wasn’t mutual. “Really, I’ve got it.”
He ignored her, and as soon as the hatch opened, he lifted the first pot in. Poppy bit back an irritated sigh and waited next to the cart while he finished loading everything. “Thanks,” she bit out.
She started to walk the cart back but he quickly stepped over and grabbed the handle. Their hands touched, and she had no illusions that it was an accident on his part.
Poppy snatched hers back, a sharp rejection forming on her tongue. She didn’t want to be rude, but she also was no longer a doormat for anyone to walk all over.
“Any chance you need some landscaping done at your place? My buddy Rick and I do some work on the side, if you’re interested.” He gestured to a twenty-something man standing outside the building. Rick smiled at her, lifted a hand in greeting. His vibe wasn’t quite as creepy but he still made her uncomfortable.
As she turned to face Danny, she didn’t even bother to fake a smile. “Sorry, no.”
His smile faded slightly. “Well if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“Okay.” She walked around him and got straight into her car. But as she pulled away, it bothered her that he now knew what kind of car she drove and might have her license plate.
By the time she got home, she’d put it behind her. Noah’s patrol car was still missing when she passed by his place, but there was a white van parked in his driveway.
The first thing she did was unload her new pots, position them to flank the front porch steps, then plant them up. Dusting her hands off, she walked out to stand in the middle of the front lawn to admire her handiwork. The brilliant blue looked amazing against the weathered house, but once she painted it with a fresh coat of creamy white and covered the door in a glossy aqua, it would look spectacular.
As for the yard… It was a bit of an eyesore right now. Sad and neglected. She knew exactly how that felt. But like her, this house was getting a fresh start. Once she was through it would be the beautiful cottage it was meant to be.
“Hello.”
She spun around at the unfamiliar male voice behind her. “Hello.”
Heavyset, somewhere in his fifties or sixties with a head of white hair and a beard, he smiled back
and reached down to pull a handful of weeds from the bed hugging the front fence. “Hi.” He nodded toward Noah’s property. “Your neighbor called earlier to say that you might be looking for some help with your property. I was in the area, so I thought I’d stop by on my way to my next client’s place and introduce myself.”
“Oh.” Talk about efficient. Both him and Noah.
“I’m Paul.”
His eyes were blue as the summer sky. “I’m Poppy.”
“Nice to meet you.” He glanced around the front yard, taking it all in.
“I know, it’s a bit of a mess right now. I haven’t had time to do anything with it yet.”
He nodded, scanning the overgrown flowerbeds and long grass with weeds sprouting from it. “I used to keep the yard up for Mrs. Cardello until she went into the nursing home. She liked to take care of the flowers and vegetables herself, but not the lawns and cleanup. When she got older I took over the gardening too.”
“Vegetables?” Poppy didn’t know she’d had any.
He gave her a surprised look, then his eyes crinkled at the corners in a gentle smile. “Over there.” He pointed to a bed near the front fence that she had been certain was full of weeds and nothing else. “We had a real mild winter this past year. Some of the plants made it through okay, but they should still be dug up and replaced with fresh ones, to prevent disease and ensure a healthy crop. That spot gets full sun most of the day in late spring and summer, so it’s great for veggies. In the past I’ve planted some tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumber and bell peppers.”
Now that he said it, she could see various vines and stuff with yellow blossoms on them. Zucchini maybe? “Wow, I never realized that’s what those plants were. I assumed they were just weeds.”
He chuckled. “Not a gardener?”
She sighed. “No. I was hoping to try my hand at it, though.” She folded her arms across her middle, debating her next words. Help would be great, but unfortunately that kind of expense wasn’t possible right now. “I’m not sure what my neighbor told you, but I run the new bookshop in town.”
