by Jean Oram
“Where are you going?” Henry demanded.
“Indigo Bay.” The prospect of spending time near the ocean while visiting Kit lifted her spirits in a way nothing else had recently. She and Roy used to take the kids to Indigo Bay each summer to see a cousin on Roy’s side of the family, play in the waves and take a break from the Texas heat and life on the ranch. It had been good for them all, and she hadn’t been back in years—not since his cousin Danny, who took over the ranch during their vacation—had passed away.
“To visit the Wylders?” His expression had grown stormy.
“My friend Kittim Lane still lives there.”
“You know Roy is happily remarried.”
“And you know my life is officially none of your business.” Maria said, standing up. She resented the implication she was going to Indigo Bay to stir something up between Sophia and Roy by visiting Roy’s family. As far as she was concerned, Sophia could keep Roy.
Fiona arrived with the peppermint tea, her jaw dropping as she overheard Maria’s words.
“Put it on my tab, please.”
Fiona nodded quickly, but Maria knew the untouched tea would never show up on her running tally.
“Merry Christmas,” Maria said softly. She strode to the door, hoping her invitation to Indigo Bay was still open.
“Hang on. I want to get a muffin,” Maria said, reaching for her son Brant’s arm as he drove past the Longhorn Diner.
“They have muffins at the airport,” he protested, checking his watch. With a frown, he made a U-turn in the middle of Main Street and parked in front of the diner.
“The diner has the best bran muffins.” If she was going to sit on a plane for over four hours, she wanted something good to snack on.
“Better than yours?”
“Yes, and Fiona won’t share their recipe. They’re that perfect blend. Not so dry you feel like you’re eating sawdust,” she said, undoing her seat belt, “and not so moist it’s oily.”
“You make bran muffins sound so appealing.”
“It’s a skill.” She grinned and slipped out of his fully equipped veterinarian pickup truck.
“Like dodging Uncle Henry’s Christmas party. How did everyone get out of going except me?”
“It never occurred to you because you’re the best one out of all of us.” Due to her week-long Indigo Bay trip, she would miss tonight’s party. Maria gestured toward the restaurant. “Want anything?”
“Nope, I’m good, thanks.” Brant held up his insulated travel mug and took a sip of coffee. April MacFarlane had a matching one, and Maria glanced at her son. April had grown up along with the boys, while her dad had worked as their ranch hand. April was a Wylder as far as the family was concerned, and they were all there for her now as she was going through a divorce.
Her marriage had been on the rocks practically from the moment she and Heath had uttered “I do.” But sometimes Maria wondered if Brant had had anything to do with its rockiness. He was a good friend to April, and as his mother, Maria was proud of him and trusted him to do the right thing. Yet she couldn’t help but wonder if some of April’s problems had to do with Brant always being around to support her and be the friend her husband couldn’t seem to be.
Shaking off those thoughts, Maria hurried into the diner, then tracked down Fiona at the back counter.
“You’re off?” her friend asked, looking up with a smile. She shifted, sending the white fringe on her pink Western blouse swinging.
“Yes. And I need a muffin to go.”
“You got it. Anything else?” Fiona handed her an already-wrapped bran muffin. “Pack your sunscreen?”
“And a hat.”
“Where are you going?” asked a familiar, smooth male voice, sending tremors down Maria’s spine.
She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck, ensuring tendrils hadn’t escaped the loose bun. She fought the smile that always seemed to appear when Clint Walker was around.
Maria turned to face him. He was fit for being fifty-nine, his shoulders broad and strong. No doubt those muscles came from having to work rusted old bolts off the wrecks people called vehicles out here in Texas Hill Country.
“Indigo Bay. Kittim Lane asked me to come help with a fundraiser they’re putting on for a local animal shelter.”
“Barks and Bows?”
“How do you know?” she asked in surprise, handing Fiona her debit card. “Can I clear my tab, too, please?”
“Not coming back for a while?” her friend teased.
Clint took a more careful look at Maria, who blushed and said, “What?” She felt inexplicably guilty. “I clear it every week.”
“My friend Jeff Brewster and I were talking about restoring an old scooter for the auction.”
“For the Indigo Bay gala?” she asked, feeling as though the world was a little too small at the moment for this to be purely coincidental.
Clint nodded.
“And are you going?” she asked.
The prospect of seeing Clint away from Sweetheart Creek thrilled her. But another part of her was scared of the thought of the two of them being free of everything that held them in their respective roles here in town.
“Brewster’s been working on it alone, as I haven’t been able to get away to help. I’m fixin’ to take an extra long Christmas break and head out there. I haven’t had a vacation in a long time.”
“You should go,” Maria said, starting to slip past him, and trying to avoid inhaling his wonderfully familiar scent of Old Spice and motor oil. “It’s supposed to be a great event.” She gave a confirming nod. “For a good cause.”
Clint turned as she went by, and his slow, kind smile made her heart flutter. “Maybe I will,” he said slowly.
Maria nodded again and tried to stop herself from scooting out the door, panicked that Clint might indeed show up in Indigo Bay. And that the real reason he did so might be because of her.
Chapter 2
Maria inhaled the salty ocean air, absorbing the soothing vista of sea-green waves and the feel of sugary sand underfoot. She’d arrived in Indigo Bay last night and had slept in this morning, gone out for brunch, then spent a leisurely Sunday afternoon catching up with Kit on her condo’s deck. Now they were walking the beach.
“I’m so glad you invited me to come out here,” Maria said to Kittim. Her friend’s heritage extended from the Middle East, and as a result she had gorgeous glossy black hair, beautiful brown eyes and a carriage and presence that always made Maria think of a princess. She was all the things Maria was not, and yet Kit somehow made her feel strong and as though her functional build was a foundation that could weather any storm.
“And I’m so glad you came,” her friend said, brushing back a strand of hair that kept blowing across her face. It had a streak of white that hadn’t been there the last time they’d visited, and was just another indicator of time passing. Kit bumped her hip against Maria’s and wrapped her hand around her arm, giving it a squeeze. The affectionate gesture caused Maria’s eyes to fill with tears.
When she sniffed, Kit drew back to look at her. “What’s wrong?”
“I think it’s been too long since I’ve had a hug.” Maria swiped at her eyes, unsure where the sudden bout of emotion had come from. She wasn’t like this.
“Aw, honey.” Kittim pulled her into a tender embrace. “You’re always so strong, and I’m sure everyone has leaned on you this past year. But who’s been there for you?”
“I have friends like Fiona, of course,” she answered. But Fiona had been going through her own hardships since her husband’s accident. It had been several years now, but he wasn’t doing well emotionally, his disabled status impacting him and their marriage more than his inability to walk.
And there was Clint. He’d been a wonderful friend, taking care of her car, making her laugh, bringing her a cup of coffee when she was volunteering around town. Little things to make her feel there was someone who noticed and cared, someone who
had her back even though she was doing fine.
But she worried he wanted more than she could give, and as a result, accepted his small tokens with hesitance.
“Of course you have dear Fiona, but I’m sure you’ve had to put on a brave front even with her.” They continued walking, Kit’s arm hooked through Maria’s. “I’m glad you got away for a few days so you can focus on the simple things.” She gestured to the ocean, where some brave souls were playing in the waves, even in December. “And what’s better than a beach walk?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to move back to Texas with me?” Maria asked with a laugh.
“Are you sure you don’t want to move to Indigo Bay? We have beautiful weather all year long.”
“So do we.”
“Your part of Texas doesn’t have the ocean, and it gets too hot to breathe in the summer.”
“If we’re splitting hairs, Hill Country isn’t the hottest part of the state.”
“And your boys are still there. You can’t leave, especially since Myles and Levi have finally found love. The other three will follow, now that they’ve seen the waters aren’t shark infested. Soon there might be grandbabies, and you’ll want to be there for that.”
She would. Retirement hadn’t proved to be the golden ticket. Maria had discovered during her months in town that she was a rancher, born and bred, and it wasn’t something she could remove from her bloodstream. And maybe being a grandmother would fit her beautifully.
“I have to run out and meet the mayor at Sweet Caroline’s about the shelter’s gala. I’m the project’s treasurer.” Kit gave a wry smile. As an accountant, she was the treasurer for just about everything she volunteered for. “Did you ever meet Amanda Strickland?” Maria shook her head. “She’s a great mayor. She does it all while balancing her own architectural firm. You’d like her. Do you want to continue your walk and meet me at Sweet Caroline’s for supper in an hour?”
“Sure.” Maria recalled the small cafe from years before. “It’s still in the same place?”
“It is. Look for the blue awning if you get lost.”
“Are you sure I won’t interrupt anything?”
“You showing up will ensure the meeting doesn’t go on for ages. Or lead to murder, if Miss Lucille Sanderson shows up and horns in. She’s really nosing her way into this project.” Her friend smiled wickedly before she peeled off to head across the sand toward town.
Maria continued to walk the beach, memories of Miss Lucille coming to mind. She’d all but run the town eons ago, and it wasn’t difficult to believe she still had her nose in everyone’s business.
Gulls circled above as Maria stopped to pick up a fragment of shell. It was smooth from the sand and waves, and she wondered how long it took for shells to wear down. Likely like life, a little at a time.
She began walking again, increasing her pace. The burn in her thighs and calves from the effort of staying balanced in the loose sand reminded her of all the things she’d neglected over the past year.
Back home, whenever she tried to go for a walk, she was stopped by people thinking her vehicle had broken down and she needed a ride. It was lovely, but it didn’t help trim her hips or increase her cardiovascular fitness.
Soon Indigo Bay’s public beach ended and homes appeared along the shore. Maria stuck close to the water, avoiding the private beaches so she wouldn’t trespass. She’d made it past the first home, a stately renovated old mansion, when she heard her name on the ocean breeze.
The voice was awfully familiar and she turned toward the sound, her heart lifting. “Clint?”
He had come to Indigo Bay. And now, on her second day, they were already bumping into each other? How could that be a coincidence?
“I was wondering if I’d see you.” Clint came across the sand wearing uncharacteristically bright surfing shorts. He also had on a rash guard shirt, and his shaggy graying hair was wet and tousled. He looked handsome. Healthy. Happy. And different from the quiet mechanic she knew back home.
“What on earth are you doing?” she asked, taking him in with a lingering second glance. He’d just come from the water, a short, wide board under his arm.
“Oh,” he said, shoving a hand through his dripping hair. “I was learning to boogie board. The waves aren’t that big, so it was about perfect for an old guy like me.” There was that happy grin again.
“You’re not that old.”
“I’ll feel old tomorrow when these muscles tell me I’m not twenty-three anymore.”
“When did you get here?”
“A few hours ago.”
“And you’re already hitting the beach? I thought you had a moped to revamp?”
“Brewster’s busy in his custom motorcycle shop, finishing up some Christmas orders. We’ll work on the scooter this evening. Or at least that’s the plan. I’m staying at his wife’s B&B right here.” Clint tipped his head toward the freshly painted mansion behind them. “Want to come in for a drink?”
Maria had never stayed in a bed-and-breakfast, but suspected inviting guests in for a drink wasn’t standard practice.
“Sonja puts out sweet tea and snacks in the afternoon. There’s a wonderful living room that guests are welcome to enjoy.”
“It sounds lovely.”
“And because I’m a family friend, I also have access to the liquor cabinet. So if you want something a little stronger than tea, just let me know.” He gave her a devilish smile that took her by surprise. “I used to be a bartender in college.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
The breeze was playing with Maria’s shoulder-length hair and she pushed it off her face, wishing she had thought to wear a hat.
“Want to come in?”
The invitation felt as though it was for more than just a drink. It was an invitation into his life, into something new. Into something she hadn’t had since high school, when she’d started dating Roy.
That had been so long ago, she didn’t believe she could do something like that again. New relationships took so much time and fuss. And anyway, how would their lives ever fit together?
Maria checked her watch, relieved to find it was time to head back and meet Kit. She gave Clint a regretful smile. “Sorry, I’m meeting Kittim for dinner soon.”
“You’re staying with Kit?” Clint asked.
She nodded.
“Is she working this week?”
Maria nodded again. “She runs an accounting firm.”
“Maybe we could go out for coffee or something tomorrow while our hosts are tied up at work.”
Maria knew from her stint as a retired woman that she was likely to go stir-crazy by tomorrow afternoon. But she also wasn’t sure if Clint was inviting her out on a date. He’d been playing it cool back home, and right now he wasn’t acting like a man who had followed her all this way. But still. Coincidence? She thought not.
“I’ll call you if I have free time,” she said, hoping to curb any false hope that she might inadvertently build by saying yes. She pointed to the mansion. “What’s this place called?”
“Morrison Mansion Bed and Breakfast. But you can just text me. You still have my number?” The way he said it was flirty, and Maria paused, uncertain how to react to this new version of Clint. He was fun and free, and presenting himself like a very tempting distraction.
Not that she wanted to go home with a boyfriend. At her age! That was such a ridiculous idea. She had a ranch to help out on, no time for frivolity like some whimsical twenty-year-old.
But she was also curious about this newly revealed side of Clint.
Pulse thrumming, she turned into the wind, calling over her shoulder as she walked away, “I’ll text you in the morning.”
The woman behind the glassed-in dessert counter at Sweet Caroline’s had short brown hair and a warm smile. If Maria’s memory was as good as she thought it might be, this was the owner, Caroline, now in her early fifties.
“I’m having that for dessert,
” Kittim announced, pointing to a slice of key lime pie nestled among sprigs of holly and mistletoe.
“Aren’t we having supper?” Maria asked. The small cafe smelled of cinnamon, coffee and something sweet. Some of her favorite fragrances. The place was warm and bustling, nearly every table filled.
“We are, but we need to select our dessert first so we know how much to order for our first course.”
The woman behind the counter grinned. “I like the way you think.”
“Strategic,” Maria murmured in approval.
“You remember Maria Wylder?” Kit asked Caroline. “She used to vacation here with her family years ago.”
“I don’t expect you to,” Maria said, “but I sure recall your cinnamon rolls.”
“Thank you.” Caroline studied her thoughtfully. “Texas, right? Big family of boys?”
Maria nodded. “You have an excellent memory.”
“Your Texas accent helped me out.”
“It follows me wherever I go.”
“Nick was here last summer. He’s one of yours, isn’t he?”
“My nephew.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Well, he and Polly are working together on my niece Alexa’s ranch back in Texas. They seem happy.” The duo had rekindled their old flame while saving Roy and Sophia’s wedding here in June.
“Oh, I remember Alexa. She was another good one. Smart and sweet. Deadly combo. She was putting on a Christmas wedding—no, a vow renewal and reception for Luke Cohen and Emma Carrington, if I recall correctly?”
“She was.” And had fallen in love with her boss, Cash Campbell, while doing so. It was lucky Maria wasn’t here for anything wedding-related, seeing as two of her family members had fallen in love here while doing so.
Someone joined the line behind Maria and Kit, and Caroline got down to business, “So what would you like for your first course? Have you decided?”
They settled on two specials, then selected a table near the window, Caroline promising to bring out their meals when they were ready.
