Small-Town Girl

by Jessica Keller

  Her Small-Town Guy

  Goose Harbor, Michigan, is the perfect place for Kendall Mayes to start over and open her date-planning business. When she encounters handsome loner Brice Daniels, who is struggling to keep the shipping business he runs going, she sees an opportunity. A weekly sunset cruise catering to couples and tourists will keep their dealings strictly business. Kendall has had enough of failed romances, and Brice is too burned by love to give it another chance. But despite their reservations, they soon let down their walls. Yet when Kendall’s silent business partner is revealed to be Brice’s longtime enemy, staying together might be next to impossible.

  Kendall found an open spot along the boat’s railing and turned to watch the sunset.

  Before he realized what he was doing, Brice’s feet ate up the distance between the steering wheel and Kendall and he joined her. Her gaze was fixed on the setting sun, her eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. She was beautiful, and for the first time since they began this venture together, he wished he was one of the guys on the date instead of running the event. If he’d brought Kendall, he’d have his arm around her right now.

  He shook his thoughts away and moved to put space between them, but Kendall reached over and slipped her fingers over his wrist. “Stay.”

  He nodded and swallowed against the lump in his throat. What was he doing to himself? Kendall had made it clear that she didn’t want a relationship with any man. She’d said she’d left dating in the past. He had, too.

  She turned toward him and whispered, “We did good, didn’t we?”

  “Better than good.” His words came out hoarse.

  Jessica Keller is a Starbucks drinker, avid reader and chocolate aficionado. Jessica holds degrees in communications and biblical studies. She is multipublished in both romance and young-adult fiction and loves to interact with readers through social media. Jessica lives in the Chicagoland suburbs with her amazing husband, beautiful daughter and two annoyingly outgoing cats who happen to be named after superheroes. Find all her contact information at jessicakellerbooks.com.

  Books by Jessica Keller

  Love Inspired

  Goose Harbor

  The Widower’s Second Chance

  The Fireman’s Secret

  The Single Dad Next Door

  Small-Town Girl

  Home for Good

  Get rewarded every time you buy a Harlequin ebook!

  Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards

  http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010002

  SMALL-TOWN GIRL

  Jessica Keller

  Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.

  —Psalms 9:10

  For Kristen, who “gets it.” Always.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Lakeside Romance by Lisa Jordan

  Chapter One

  Kendall Mayes shoved the freshly signed contract papers into her purse as she turned the corner and walked through the main section of downtown Goose Harbor.

  She couldn’t hold back her grin.

  Love on a Dime—the business she had dreamed about for so many years—was going to open. Next week. According to the contract, all she had to do was stay silent about her business partner and find a weekly outing that would attract tourists. The weekly outing hadn’t been part of her original business plan, but she could see why Sesser Atwood, her business partner, insisted it was needed. Success wouldn’t come her way simply by waiting for people who wanted events and dates planned for them. A weekly event people could sign up for in advance translated into a more predictable income flow.

  Her heels clipped against the bricked sidewalk. The businesses in downtown Goose Harbor were all situated around a large, grassy parklike square at the heart of the town and then fanned out down the streets that branched off the edges of the square.

  Now one of those businesses was hers.

  Building 836 boasted a slightly curved path made with round pavers that was lined on each side by an intricately carved wooden bench. Kendall traced her finger over the top of the nearest bench. They were beautiful. A mint-and-cherry awning hung above a door that opened to a tiny entryway leading to two more doors. The front door was heavy and squeaked a little when she opened it. The building was divided into two rentable spaces. Love on a Dime would take up residence on the left side, and a sign reading Goose Harbor Furniture let her know who her neighbor was on the other side.

  The sweet smell of sawdust wafted from Goose Harbor Furniture’s propped-open door. Reaching into her pocket, Kendall closed her hand around the key Sesser had handed her after their meeting. Trepidation gnawed away at the pit of her stomach. This was it.

  Laying her other hand on the door, Kendall bowed her head. She didn’t pray as often as she should, but then again, she found it difficult to think of the right words when it felt as if they never made it past the ceiling. Kendall was one girl among millions. The daily issues she faced didn’t matter to the creator of the universe, did they? No. If her earthly father had been able to walk out of her life and forget about her, God could too.

  Still, she had to believe that God had led local tycoon Sesser Atwood to overhear the bank turning down her application for a business loan. If the elderly man hadn’t asked to hear her pitch and then offered to go into business with her, Kendall would be on her way back to Kentucky by now.

  Thank You for bringing me here. For orchestrating all this. If it’s not too much to ask, please let this be a place I can call home. Finally.

  She slipped the key into the old-fashioned doorknob and opened the door. The tiniest bell, hung on the upper part of the door, rang sweetly as she entered. A note taped to the desk from Claire, Sesser’s adult daughter, read that she had picked out the furniture and decorations and hoped Kendall liked everything. The furniture was meant as a gift, partner-to-partner. The note ended with a huge smiley face. Kendall started adding up the costs in her head and was beginning to wonder if she’d ever be able to pay Sesser back if she had to. Could Mr. Atwood really be so generous? Hopefully it came without strings, but in her experience, gifts rarely did. Especially gifts from wealthy men.

  On a separate note card Claire had written a verse in her pretty, swirling script. Kendall ran her thumb over the card, reading Isaiah 43:19 out loud. “‘See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.’” Finding a thumbtack, she stuck the verse onto the corkboard near her monitor. Claire didn’t know her, but she couldn’t have picked a better verse to encourage Kendall. Perhaps God did care about something as insignificant as Kendall’s dreams.

  She laid her purse on the desk and was just about to turn on the computer when an awful screeching sound vibrated the walls. “Oh. That’s not going to work at all.”

  Instantly she started for the door leading to the shared entryway. A high-pitched beeping sound echoed as she walked thro
ugh the furniture store’s front door. Goose Harbor Furniture consisted of two sections; one area showcased completed handmade pieces and items that were ready to purchase, and the other was full of sawdust and half-finished projects. In the middle, two men hunched over a block of wood. One was wielding a power saw, which explained the noise.

  “Excuse me!” Kendall hollered.

  Both men turned in her direction. The taller, broader-shouldered man had sandy-brown, close-cropped hair, a firm jaw and a tug of a smile on his lips. His heavy boots, worn jeans and rolled-up flannel shirt screamed hard work. The shorter of the two had floppy brown hair and a full-blown grin lighting his boyish features. But what struck her most was both men had the same unique eye coloring. A pale green, like the underside of a leaf.

  Thankfully the smaller-statured one switched off the saw before swiveling around. “If you’re here for the whittling class, tonight’s lesson is canceled on account of the concert in the square.”

  She quirked an eyebrow. “Whittling? No.” She shook her head. “I’m here about that horrible noise.”

  The taller one walked forward. “Brice Daniels.” He extended his hand for a handshake, the calluses along his palm rubbing against her soft skin. “Back there—” Brice jutted a thumb over his shoulder toward the man with the saw “—is my brother Evan. He owns this place. You can blame him for all the racket.”

  “I’m Kendall. Kendall Mayes.” She laid her hand across her chest. “Nice to meet you both.” Then she zeroed in on Evan. “Do you normally use that during business hours?”

  He set down the saw and then hooked his hands on his tool belt. “Hey, it’s almost closing time.”

  Kendall popped her hands to her hips. “Well, I’m your new neighbor, and I don’t know how that’s going to affect my clients.” Her small office would mostly be used for planning, but she had to imagine that potential clients would want to be able to meet with her in a saw-free environment. Had Sesser been aware of the woodworker next door when he chose this location for her? If Evan was going to be carving loudly all day, she might not last in the shared storefront for long.

  “Relax.” Evan unclipped his tool belt and laid it on the workstation in the back of the room. “The tools I mostly use are quiet. The saw is used sparingly and only ever before the shop opens or near closing.”

  Kendall released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

  Brice tilted his head, considering her. “I spotted you at church last weekend, didn’t I? You’re new in town.” He had a slight cleft in his chin. Kendall tried not to stare, but there was no doubt about it; the man was an all-American hunk.

  “I am.” She offered a smile. “Is it so easy to tell?”

  Evan peeled off his heavy gloves. “We’re Goose Harbor lifers. Born and raised. We know almost everyone.”

  “You grew up here?” Kendall’s attention volleyed between the brothers. What must it have been like to live in such a picturesque place? Probably far better than the trailer homes she and her mother had constantly been kicked out of for not paying rent. “That must have been nice.”

  “At times. But not always.” Brice leaned against the counter that held the cash register and crossed his arms.

  Kendall took a few steps, pretending to examine the furniture for sale. “So, what’s this about a whittling class?”

  Straightening, Brice grabbed the stapler off the counter and twisted it around in his hand. His gaze quickly appraised her from head to toe. “You don’t strike me as someone interested in whittling.”

  “Don’t listen to him.” Evan rounded the small partition that separated the woodworking area from the store. “He doesn’t even work here.”

  “Okay.” Kendall put up her hands in surrender. “The truth is, I’m not interested in whittling at all. But I just had an idea. I’m trying to brainstorm some events that I could offer for tourists...on a weekly basis in correlation with my business.” Not that whittling would be the most exciting thing, but she didn’t know anyone besides a handful of ladies from a Bible study she’d attended for a few weeks when she first moved to town and she was currently grasping at straws. Sesser expected her to kick off her business with a bang and she didn’t want to disappoint him. Not after the risk he’d taken on her.

  “It’s a paid class that meets once a week and runs six weeks long. Most of the tourists are only here for a week or two, tops. There’s the occasional ones that stay for the whole season. But they’re few and far between.” Evan shrugged an apology.

  Kendall sighed. Whittling wouldn’t work for her weekly event. Which was probably for the best.

  Brice cleared his throat. “Maybe I can help point you in the right direction? What sort of business are you starting next door?”

  Here it goes. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. While Kendall really believed in her idea, embarrassment always rolled around in her chest whenever she had to explain it. Most people didn’t understand the need for such a place. “It’s called Love on a Dime. It’s a date-planning service, and—”

  “Hear that? A dating service.” Evan slapped Brice on the back. “She can finally find you a match.”

  Brice shot his brother a look that said if the lady wasn’t here right now I’d strangle you. “I don’t date.”

  She waved her hands. “I don’t find significant others for people. None of that matching stuff. I plan dates for people who are already together.” Despite Brice’s scowl, she rambled on. “So, say a man wants to take his girlfriend out on a fun date but doesn’t want to fuss with the details. I step in and take care of everything.”

  Eyebrows diving, Brice worked his jaw back and forth. “So some guy can spend a bunch of money to impress a girl who will just dump him later on?”

  Well, that went horribly.

  “Some people actually end up happy and married.” Not her. Or anyone she knew very well. But that didn’t stop her from hoping it was true. Kendall blew out a long stream of air that ruffled her dark bangs. “Anyway. I wanted to introduce myself and make sure that sound wasn’t going to be a constant thing. Since you said it’s not, I’ll head back to my place and try to accomplish something before locking up for the night. Nice meeting you both.”

  She retreated to her side before either of them could get in another word. Rounding her desk, she dropped into the rolling chair and pressed her face into her hands.

  Five weeks ago she’d sold more than half of her possessions and moved to a town she’d never visited before to open a new business. Her home back in Kentucky hadn’t been the type of place to attract tourists, and the pull for a business like hers there was almost nonexistent. There was one small country club in her hometown where she’d worked, but that would have been the extent of her clientele. In Goose Harbor, where new tourists flooded the streets each week of the summer, the possibility for work was endless.

  But had it all been another mistake waiting to happen? Would everyone react the way Brice had? One more thing to add to the list of failures she’d experienced in her life?

  Kendall prayed for guidance but only heard the murmur of the Daniels brothers talking next door.

  * * *

  Brice grabbed the broom out of the back room and started sweeping the sawdust from his brother’s latest creation into a pile. He’d already put in a full day’s work down at his shipping business near the dock but hadn’t felt like going back to his empty cabin after he sent his men home for the day. The cryptic voice mail from his father on his business’s answering machine might have something to do with that.

  Evan locked the front door and grinned at Brice. “She’s cute.”

  “Leave the poor woman alone, Evan.” Brice shook his head. His brother always showered attention on attractive women. Actually the trait had gotten Evan into trouble far too many times in his life. The whispers even reached th
e docks. Women visiting Goose Harbor loved batting their eyes at Brice’s younger brother. There were some who came a few months each summer trying to win Evan over. Little did they know, Evan was a lost cause where love was concerned. Brice had been around and seen the women in action, though. His brother didn’t shy from their attention, and—right or wrong—it brought him sales.

  “Admit it.” Evan nudged him in the ribs. “You thought she was cute too.”

  Evan had always been considered the best-looking and most charismatic of the Daniels brothers. Not that he had much competition when compared to only Brice. Most people had forgotten or chose not to talk about their middle brother, Andrew, who took off years ago. Brice hadn’t heard from him in a good four years. He clenched his fist. Their little sister, Laura, hadn’t even been ten years old when Andrew left. How could his brother have done that to the family?

  Brice found the dustpan and filled it twice. “You know better than me—cute is dangerous.”

  His brother watched him work for a moment before speaking. “Not every woman is Audra.”

  Brice winced. While thoughts of Audra didn’t bother him any longer, he still wanted to avoid that part of his life. Love had the same effect on the heart as a stingray barb did. It hurt and had the potential of killing something inside a man that didn’t ever want to be revived again.

  “I didn’t come here to talk to you about women.”

  Evan cocked his head and clearly fought a smile. “Half the time you act like you’re allergic to all of humanity and hole yourself up in your cabin all alone. Tonight you just happen to wander down to my shop in the heart of where the tourists hang out. I know you too well. You wouldn’t be here unless you had something serious to talk about.”

  Brice scrubbed his hand over his aching jaw. His TMJ was acting up again. “How many times do I have to tell you that introverts don’t necessarily dislike people, we just prefer being alone more?”