‘You …’
‘I saw you hesitate, Fiona.’
‘Abe.’ She’d been wrong before. This might be the worst thing ever. ‘I didn’t –’
‘I know. That’s what I’m saying. I know you didn’t do it on purpose, and I know you didn’t let it burn on purpose. Anyone would have paused, to watch, to see what happened next. You hesitated for less than a second. Less than a breath. I saw you call 911. Then I saw you run inside the house.’
‘The snowflake …’ Fiona looked up at the snowflakes falling around her. There were more now.
‘I figured. And where I was, I could do nothing – nothing – to help. The only thing I could do was get safely in to shore. Get to you. To know you were going to be okay. To pray to any God that would listen that you would be.’
She smiled. ‘I am.’
‘It was the same that night, when I swam away from Dad. The only thing I could do was get safely in to shore.’
She reached out, needing to feel his skin. He grasped her hand.
‘I know,’ she said.
The snow fell faster, thicker now.
Abe took another step forward. Fiona closed the gap. His arms went around her, and she felt his heat through her sweater. Her hat fell to the ground, and she didn’t care.
‘I love you, Snowflake.’
‘Shoozwhump.’ She cleared her throat and tried again. ‘Someday you should totally call me Wrench.’
His laugh rumbled in her ear. ‘I love you, Wrench.’
‘That’s better, Abalone. And goddammit, I love you too,’ she said.
He kissed her then. A long, slow kiss that went on forever and barely felt as if it had started when he pulled back.
‘Holy crap.’ Abe looked upward.
‘Lots of snow,’ Fiona said in delight. ‘I can’t believe what you did.’
‘Me neither. Not my snow.’
‘What?’
He roared with laughter. ‘It’s not my snow. This is the real deal, love.’
‘Oh, that. I know that,’ Fiona said, drawing her mouth back to his. Her lips on his, she said again, ‘I know.’
MEETING MINUTES
City Council Session
City Hall Complex,
Cypress Hollow, CA
Wednesday, June 10th, 7pm
PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public may speak to agendized items; up to three minutes per speaker, to be determined by the presiding officer. If you wish to address the Council on any issue that is on this agenda, please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers, and deliver it to the City Clerk prior to discussion of the item. You are not required to give your name on the speaker card in order to speak to the Council, but it is very helpful and the City Clerk is a very busy woman who doesn’t appreciate her time being wasted.
CALL TO ORDER
The City Council convened in a Regular Meeting. The City Clerk Hazel Montrose took the Roll Call as follows:
Present: 7 – Mayor Finley, Councilmembers Smith, Capps, Harrington, Smith (L.), Walker, Fitzsimmons.
Absent: 1 – Councilmember Keller (J.)
City Clerk Hazel Montrose announced that Councilmember Keller is out of town fighting a wildfire in Ukiah. Evelyn Archer led a motion to send him good thoughts. Motion passed though Mayor Finley said she shouldn’t have brought it up before the Pledge of Allegiance.
The (carefully nondenominational so as not to tick off Sam Waters again) invocation was led by Pastor Trimble.
Mayor Finley led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
Approval of May Minutes
Councilmember Harrington moved to approve the minutes of the May meeting. Harrington’s motion passed 6-1. Councilmember Walker moved that they be filed as a waste of time since he’s still apparently mad at Harrington not paying him rent on the Strawberries For Sale sign in his broccoli field. Walker’s motion failed 1-6.
ACTION ITEMS
ZONING CASE #Z42: Cindi Smythe of Animal Control moved to look into leasing the old Valle property for a spay/neuter clinic. Buddy Hansen seconded. Tim Snopes wondered if this would be against the natural order, stating that cats and dogs ‘like to get it on and why would we stop them?’ Retired veterinarian Jim Younger stated Tim Snopes should get his rat terrier Randy fixed before it knocks up the rest of the female canine population, passing on its stubby legs and crossed eyes. Veterinarian Mac Wildwood offered his services free of charge for any potential spay/neuter clinic. Tim Snopes stated he’d meet his wife Tina Snopes at the Rite Spot after everyone else came to their senses. Motion passed unanimously in favor of exploring leasing options.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
Pirate’s Cove
Mayor Finley called upon Elbert Romo to speak.
Elbert Romo addressed the City Council in opposition to the new staircase being built at Pirate’s Cove. Mayor Finley pointed out that Mr. Romo had missed the council meeting in April when everything was hammered out and that if he was so hopping mad about it he should have found time in his calendar to attend. Mr. Romo stated that as Head Pirate, he should have been alerted as soon as the proposal was drafted. Mayor Finley expressed surprise that Head Pirate was an actual position. Mr. Romo countered, saying it was indeed a position of quite some merit. Mr. Romo then called the Mayor a ‘horse’s patootie’ and said that if she wanted open access to every damn tourist that drove through town, then the resulting anarchy would be upon her own head. He then departed, slamming the door behind him. The City Clerk is pleased to report that all present remained clothed throughout this exchange.
Lighthouse Memorial Park
Theo McCormick offered a motion that the art installation to be erected where the old lighthouse stood be his newly completed work, ‘Radio Tubes Through the Ages’. Mr. McCormick’s motion rejected.
Fiona Lynde then offered a motion that Stephen Lu, of Fiona’s Fill, be contracted to build a scale replica of the lighthouse in memoriam of those lost at sea. The City Clerk is pleased as punch to say that all present were in favor of this motion, and it passed unanimously.
Taking of Minutes
Mayor Finley motioned that the City Clerk be obliged to keep her own opinion out of the Meeting Minutes since ‘the meeting minutes are, after all, turned over to Trixie at The Independent for everyone in town to read and it’s kind of embarrassing when you do that, Hazel.’ Motion failed, 6-1. The City Clerk was pleased.
Proposal
Abe Atwell motioned that he be allowed to take the podium. Mayor Finley allowed the request.
What follows is transcribed from the City Clerk’s voice recorder (which, it should be noted, should be replaced since it doesn’t connect to her new MacBook).
Atwell: You all know me, but for the record, I’m Harbormaster Atwell. Most of you know I hate talking in front of people. The last time I did this, it didn’t go very well.
Pause for laughter.
Atwell: And the last time I stood up here, I was fighting for something that didn’t matter. I put a whole bunch of stock in an old pile of timber, thinking my old man would have been proud of me for doing so. It took a while to figure out how wrong I was, but I think I’ve got the important stuff figured out now.
Atwell left the podium, taking the microphone with him. The City Council microphone squealed. Marshall Gedding adjusted the amp.
Atwell: There’s nothing worth saving in this life that you can burn down. The only thing worth fighting for is love. My father would be proud that I finally figured that out, thanks to the woman in front of me.
Atwell kneeled in front of Fiona Lynde. The microphone was about to bust a gut and even though Marshall Gedding fussed with it, Atwell turned it off. It was okay, though, because the Council Chambers were quiet as church on Monday morning and the City Clerk could hear just fine.
Atwell took a ring out of his pocket. The City Clerk noted it was quite a bit bigger than her own, which wasn’t
that surprising given what the City Clerk’s husband spent on it.
Atwell: Snowflake, will you marry me?
Lynde: Zamwow.
Atwell: Is that a yes?
Lynde: Frabimous!
Atwell looked desperately at Zeke Hawkins, who whispered something to Daisy Lane.
Atwell: You’re killing me, Snowflake.
Lynde didn’t answer. Instead, she launched at Atwell in a kiss that made this City Clerk think the two seem quite compatible. Neither of them came up for a while, which was fine because the City Council Chambers erupted in so much hooting and hollering that Mayor Finley had to use her new gavel for three straight minutes (7:19–7:22).
Eventually Ms. Lynde indicated to the Mayor that her answer was in the affirmative.
The City Clerk isn’t ashamed to admit there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
SNOWFLAKE EARRINGS, BY JANET MCMAHON
(Crocheted, because Fiona thinks the crocheters deserve a Cypress Hollow pattern.)
Yarn – a small amount of white crochet cotton
Hook – 1mm Notions – earring hooks
Pattern (English terms used)
Finished size – 3cm in diameter
Base ring: using white make 6 ch, sl st to join into a ring. 1st round: 1 ch, [1 dc (US =sc) into ring, 3 ch] 12 times, sl st into 1st dc. (12 spaces) 2nd round: sl st into 3 ch arch, 1 ch, 1 dc into same 3 ch arch, [3 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch arch] 11 times, 1 ch, 1 htr (US =hdc) into top of first dc.
3rd round: [6 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch arch, 3 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch arch] 5 times, 6 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch arch, 1 ch, 1 htr into htr which ended previous round. 4th round: 5 tr (US =dc) into next 6 ch arch, 5ch, sl st into 4th ch from hook (to make picot), 1 ch, 5 tr into same arch, 1 dc into next 3ch arch] 5 times, 5 tr into next 6 ch arch, 5 ch, sl st into 4th ch from hook, 1 ch, 5 tr into same arch, sl st into top of 1st tr.
Fasten off.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As always, thanks go to Susanna Einstein for believing in me and for being my friend as well as the best agent in the world. Deep, heartfelt thanks to Beverley Cousins and the whole crew at Random House Australia (especially Lex Hirst, Kirsty Noffke, and Elena Gomez) for helping me build Cypress Hollow, where every man looks good in Wranglers. Thanks to John Spitlor for the small-town mayoral advice, to Todd Thomas for Snowflake’s nickname, to Kenneth Ely for untangling my sailing lines (any error is my own), and to Lorajean Kelley. Every author has a perfect reader she writes for, and Lorajean is that reader. Even when she breaks up with me temporarily.
And for Digit, the worst cat who ever lived. He was alive when I wrote the book. I knew he might not be around when it came out. I love you always, you big stupid jerk.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachael Herron lives in Oakland, California, with her family and has way more animals than she ever planned to, though no sheep or alpaca (yet). She learned to knit at the age of five, and generally only puts the needles down to eat, write, or sleep, and sometimes not even then.
She is the author of five Cypress Hollow novels: Eliza’s Gift, Lucy’s Kiss, Naomi’s Wish, Cora’s Heart and Fiona’s Flame and one standalone, Pack Up the Moon. Her novella, Eliza’s Home, a prequel to Eliza’s Gift, is now available as an ebook.
In 2013 Rachael proudly became a dual US/New Zealand citizen.
Also by Rachael Herron
Cypress Hollow Books
Eliza’s Gift
(US title: How to Knit a Love Song)
Lucy’s Kiss
(US title: How to Knit a Heart Back Home)
Naomi’s Wish
(US title: Wishes and Stitches)
Cora’s Heart
Eliza’s Home
(Ebook novella)
Pack Up the Moon
The Little Book of Knitting Wisdoms
Eliza’s Gift
Only one thing stands between Abigail and her dream life. And it’s cowboy-shaped …
When Abigail Durant inherits a cottage from her friend, the world-famous knitting guru Eliza Carpenter, she sees it as her chance to start anew after the distressing end of her last relationship.
Only problem is, the cottage is slap-bang in the middle of a sheep ranch owned by Cade MacArthur, Eliza’s tall, dark and infuriating nephew.
Cade’s a man’s man, a cowboy through and through, and he’s none too pleased there’s now a young – albeit very pretty – woman living on his property. And that’s before she tells him she plans to turn her new home into a knitting shop …
With battlelines drawn, city girl and cowboy go head to head. But soon, with the sexual chemistry fizzing between them, both start to question the real nature of Eliza’s gift …
AVAILABLE NOW
Lucy’s Kiss
Lucy never forgot ‘The Kiss’. Or the bad boy she shared it with. Now, 17 years later, he’s back – and, dammit, he’s still sexy as hell …
As owner of The Book Spire in the sleepy town of Cypress Hollow, Lucy Harrison isn’t used to too much excitement. But in one night all that changes when Owen Bancroft walks back into her life and sparks – quite literally – fly.
The question is, does he even remember their one perfect kiss?
And, perhaps more importantly, does she really want him to?
Then, when a secret stash of books and lost patterns by world-famous knitting guru Eliza Carpenter are discovered in the Bancroft family home, the pair is thrown together once more. There’s no denying the electricity between them – but this time will ‘bad penny’ Owen prove to be heart-stealer or heart-breaker?
AVAILABLE NOW
Naomi’s Wish
A sizzling, sexy romantic comedy from the author of Cora’s Heart and Lucy’s Kiss.
It had always been Dr Naomi Fontaine’s dream to practice small-town medicine – an ambition that has brought her to the quirky, tight-knit community of Cypress Hollow. But no matter how hard she tries, the locals still treat her with suspicion.
Then ruggedly handsome Rig Keller walks into town and Naomi’s heart stops for all the wrong reasons.
For a few months back Rig was a rip-roaring, throw-caution-to-the wind one night stand. Now he’s her partner at the practice – and keen to play doctors once more …
Will the instantly popular new medic wreck her dreams? Or be the one to help make her wish come true …?
AVAILABLE NOW
Cora’s Heart
A funny and sexy rom com set in the sleepy Californian town of Cypress Hollow.
Cora has been hurt too many times. And by one man in particular …
Abandoned by her mother and widowed in her mid-twenties, Cora Sylvan has learnt the hard way that you should take nothing in life for granted.
So everything is planned out to the nth degree – from how to run her farm on a shoestring, to how to survive a major earthquake.
Unfortunately there’s nothing in those notes to cover the return of the infuriatingly handsome Mac Wildwood. Her husband’s cousin. The man she loved and lost. And Mac, it seems, has a shattering plan of his own up his sleeve.
Dammit. Cora Sylvan safeguarded everything – but she didn’t protect her heart …
AVAILABLE NOW
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Version 1.0
Fiona’s Flame
Published by Bantam in 2014
Copyright © Rachael Herron, 2014
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
&nb
sp; A Bantam book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW, 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
http://www.randomhouse.com.au/about/contacts.aspx
First published by Random House Australia in 2014
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: (ebook)
Herron, Rachael, author.
Fiona’s flame/Rachael Herron.
ISBN 9780857980830 (ebook)
Love stories.
813.6
Cover images: Lighthouse © Mmphotos/Getty Images; Woman wearing black cowboy hat © Ocean/Corbis
Cover design by Blue Cork Designs
Ebook by First Source
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