Hometown Hope: A Small Town Romance Anthology

by Zoe York

  “Thanks for fitting me in at the end of your day.” She took a deep breath. “I was thinking that if you come up for two days, we should hold a public information night to explain the impact and benefits of the project to the town.” On the screen, her boss didn’t say anything, he just pinched his brows together and made a note on the paper in front of him. In for a penny…she ploughed ahead. “I imagine that in larger urban areas, a film shoot just happens and is a matter of some curiosity, but you don’t need anything from the surrounding community. Here it’s a little different. In a good way,” she rushed to add when Greg looked concerned. “In a let’s get them on our side kind of way.”

  He leaned back in his chair, then turned and spoke to Ashley who was halfway out of the shot because they were in his office, not the boardroom. Olivia couldn’t hear what he was saying, and prepared herself for a gentle—or not so gentle—letdown.

  “This is something I’d need to take to the production team, to be honest. And only one of them is here in Toronto, while the others are in Los Angeles. I’m not sure when they’re meeting next, so hang on to that idea and I’ll get back to you, okay?”

  It wasn’t a no. It wasn’t, thanks but no thanks, waitress girl. She’d take it. “I put together a proposal, it’s in the shared drive now.”

  “Great. Now tell me more about these cottages. It looks like the dock is really nice, maybe we could use that for some of the lakeside scenes.” He was talking mostly to Ashley, and Olivia realized that she still didn’t know much about the movie. There were lakeside scenes? Well, that made sense, given that they chose Pine Harbour. While Greg talked, she flipped to another browser window and did a search for “Hope Creswell and Joshua Pearce new movie”. The Internet knew more about this project, tentatively called Unexpected, than she did.

  She jerked her attention back to the conversation in time to explain that there were photos of the wide, easy path down to the dock, and actually there were two docks, about forty feet apart. Greg asked a few more questions, then he signed off after confirming her availability the following week for other location scouting.

  From the couch, Dani cleared her throat. Olivia glanced over just in time to catch her friend waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

  “You sound and look like your brother when you do that, you know?”

  Her friend laughed. “Uh huh. Is that your way of avoiding the subject of your super hot boss?”

  Olivia shook her head. “I have no idea what you’re getting at.”

  “Are you sure your excitement about this job has nothing to do with Mr. Smooth In a Suit?” Dani leaned forward, her eyes bright with mischief. “Maybe underneath that suave exterior lies the perfect rebound.”

  She stiffened. Ew. No. Greg was good-looking, sure, but he wasn’t Rafe.

  Rafe. She rolled her eyes at her friend and made an excuse about needing another cup of tea. On the way to the kitchen she grabbed the white note she’d stuffed under the notepad. With shaking hands, she ripped the flap open. The first two had been short, and this one was the same, but unlike the others, it included an invitation of sorts.

  Liv,

  I should have written you love letters when we were married. You deserve a mountain of notes telling you how beautiful you are. You’re simply gorgeous, from the inside out.

  This Christmas might be our last in the same town. The last two have been pretty lonely, I have to be honest. I’d like you to consider spending part of this holiday with me. As friends, if that’s all you want.

  Yours,

  Rafe

  How could he think she didn’t ache for him? She didn’t have time to think about that, though, because from the other room, Dani started carrying on again about how yummy suits were. Olivia tucked the note carefully between two cookbooks to retrieve later, shook off her nerves, and poured herself a new cup of tea. “That sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself of something,” she called out.

  Dani blew a loud raspberry.

  “That’s mature.”

  “That’s me. The kid sister, forever and ever.”

  Olivia flopped onto the couch and put her feet up on the ottoman. “You’re not a kid.”

  Real, heavy pain sliced across Dani’s face. “You’re the only one who knows that.”

  Oh no. A sinking feeling came over Olivia and she winced in anticipation. “What happened?”

  “Jake came over to give my mom a quote on new windows. He had to take measurements in every room. And in my room, he made a dumb-ass comment about me doing my homework at my desk.”

  She should get out the tequila. Why had Jake been so stupid? “That really sucks, Dani.”

  Her friend pinked up, from her nose to the tips of her ears. “I wish it was just that.”

  “Oh no, what did you say?” Olivia’s eyes got really wide as her mind raced through the worst responses she could imagine Dani giving.

  “I told him the only homework I needed to do these days was researching new and exciting ways to use my vibrator.” She wailed and flung her head back against the cushions. “I don’t even have a vibrator!”

  “You don’t?”

  Dani gave her a wide-eyed stare. “You do?”

  Uhm, yes? “I haven’t had sex in two years, what do you think?”

  “I think you should hook up with the guy in the computer. He looks like he wouldn’t run scared at the first mention of a dildo.”

  Neither would Rafe.

  “Ew, are you—“ Dani squeaked buried her face in a throw cushion. “You’re thinking of my brother right now, aren’t you?”

  “Jeez, maybe Jake was right to make a high school joke, you brat,” Olivia said without malice. It wasn’t fair that Dani’s crush would never be returned. The last thing she needed was a friend poking holes in her self-confidence too.

  “Come on. You’re not looking for a rebound, are you?”

  Olivia shook her head and smiled.

  “Oh my god, my mom’s going to have a heart attack.” Dani fluttered her hands in the air. “Well, she’s going to pretend to have one. Then she’ll go out and buy baby stuff.”

  “Whoa there, chickadee. That’s putting the cart way before the horse. We haven’t seen each other in almost a month.”

  “Then what has you smiling?”

  “He’s been leaving me notes.”

  Dani squealed and kicked her feet in the air. Sex was gross, but romance was one hundred percent shareable. Olivia grinned. “So now I need to find a way to make a move. But not, like, you know…a big move. Something PG-13.”

  Her sister-in-law clapped her hands together. “Haunt the Park. Hayride in the dark, spooky goblins…it’s sweet and sexy and totally public. He’s going to be there, working, but we can probably work it out so he has a break around when you get there.”

  “We?” The thought of others knowing her and Rafe were…were…what were they doing? Flirting again? Oh, jeez. “Hang on, maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  “Sure it is. Just Dean needs to know, and he’s good with secrets.”

  But you aren’t, sister-of-mine. Olivia offered a weak smile and nodded. “Sure.”

  After Dani left, Olivia pulled the note from its hiding place in the kitchen and lay on her bed, reading the words over and over again. Yes, she’d make a move. And if it didn’t work out, they’d have Christmas together as friends and then she’d move on in the spring. That would give her seven weeks to gird her heart in impenetrable steel and find a way to truly just be friends. Or not. The tiny voice that represented her heart squeaked the ever-so-seductive alternative. Maybe this is the start of something new and special.

  But he hadn’t written any love letters when they were married. And while she wanted him to have turned a new leaf, this wasn’t really proof of that. This was just another attempt to woo her back to the same old, same old. Which maybe you gave up too quickly, too easily. Yep. Maybe she had.

  With a growl, she shoved to her feet, stashed the note beside her be
d and put on some running clothes. Not that she was actually going running—she’d done the Couch to 5k app on her phone a few times and decided that week three was her favourite workout. So that’s where she stayed. It also had the best playlist.

  She left the house at a brisk walk, hoping the fresh air and extra oxygen pumping to her heart would help her sort out her mixed up feelings about Rafe.

  Thirty minutes later she was sweaty, marginally healthier, and had absolutely no more clarity regarding her gorgeous hunk of an ex-husband.

  Love notes.

  Seriously.

  What was a girl to do with that?

  Chapter 12

  SHE was going to Haunt the Park in two days. To surprise Rafe. Right after Olivia tucked into bed with a book that night, Dani texted to confirm Dean would point Rafe in her direction, and they’d take a wagon ride together. It would be fun.

  So why did she feel so damn nervous?

  All the way through Friday morning breakfast rush, with everyone talking about the event, she was flustered. What would she wear?

  That was a stupid question. It was the end of October in the Bruce, she’d be wrapped in warm stuff from head to toe.

  Her phone chirped at ten o’clock, and then again at quarter after. By the time she sat down with a fresh cup of coffee, four messages were waiting from Greg. Good to go on the town meeting read the first one. Then, You’re working this morning, sorry. She laughed to herself. When you get a chance, call me. And then the last one was the longest. Will you call sooner if I tell you we want to offer you a full-time job until June?

  Her head shot up and looked toward Frank in the kitchen. As it was, her Dancelight paycheque already matched her take-home from the diner, tips aside. He’d told her he wasn’t expecting her to stay forever, but still…her hands shook as she texted back. Swamped this morning, will call soon. And then, worried that wasn’t enthusiastic enough, she sent another. Really thrilled on all counts, have many questions.

  She put her phone on silent and did the rest of the morning on autopilot.

  Her first instinct was to talk it out with Rafe. No, he won’t see the drawbacks. From what she’d observed already, everyone on this project worked long hours. The same kind of workload she’d always resented Rafe having. Did she want to take that on, just as she was considering re-investing in their relationship? He didn’t choose you over his job. She rubbed the space between her eyebrows and slowed her breathing. That wasn’t fair. He couldn’t choose her. She’d known he was fulfilling a life-long goal of becoming a police officer when she met him. That he was a soldier, like his brother, and he felt that calling deep in his bones. He couldn’t separate himself from those roles, not without stripping a part of his soul. She shouldn’t have asked him to, no matter how subtly. And maybe if she was doing something she was passionate about, they’d be on more equal footing. So…take the job for him? Her head spun with all the possible implications of a job offer that hadn’t even been officially made yet.

  No, she needed to make her own decision. Stand on her own two feet.

  What was in Olivia’s best interest? She needed to trust herself to make the right call.

  And when she thought about not taking the job, of turning Greg down and staying at the diner full-time…that tipped her sideways. A profound sense of loss and sadness gripped her from the inside, and she realized this was what it was like to love your job. She’d known in her head, but never truly understood in her heart, what compelled Rafe to work so hard all of the time. Now she got it and panic threatened at the idea of missing out.

  No way was she letting this opportunity slide through her fingers.

  After punching out, she waited for Frank to hand off to the afternoon cook, Lily Gill, whose name was so cute everyone used both first and last when referring to her.

  When he saw her waiting on the steps outside, Frank shoved one hand through his hair. “It’s too cold to be loitering outside today, Olivia.”

  “I wanted to talk to you.” Her voice wavered and she tried to smile to compensate. It didn’t work. Her lip wobbled and when he patted her on the back, she started to cry.

  “This is either really good or really bad.” He nodded toward his beige SUV. “Want to sit for a minute?”

  Inside his car, he handed over a box of tissues. “Are you pregnant?”

  She laughed and hiccuped. “No.”

  “Someone die?”

  “No.”

  “Then whatever it is, just tell me.”

  “The movie people…I think they’re going to offer me a full-time job.” She took a deep breath. “And if they do, I’m probably going to take it. I’ll give you lots of notice and help you find someone else, of course. But…” She trailed off and started crying again. This was embarrassing. If she was pregnant she could blame it on hormones at least.

  “But you’ll miss me.” He grinned, his eyes disappearing into crinkly skin. “Totally understandable. I’ll let you stay on the roster and take the occasional shift to make you feel better.”

  That made her laugh, and actually was a great idea. “You’re not mad?”

  “No, sweetheart. I’m proud of you.” He made a shooing motion with his hand. “Now get out of my car, I’ve got to meet a hot date for bingo at the Wiarton Legion.”

  She called Greg as soon as she got home. He was agreeable to a gradual transition to full-time, starting in mid-December or as soon as she could get away from the diner. He emailed a revised job description while they were talking, and explained that over the holidays she’d be expected to do some remote office reception to cover rotating time off, but for the most part she’d do work on the ground to prepare for the arrival of just over a hundred crew members and another dozen in the cast. By the time they arrived, she’d know everyone’s assistants and be the location liaison for the duration of filming.

  “And we’re just one of three production companies involved in this film, remember. You’ll be able to do a lot of networking. I don’t know if you’d be interested in traveling for work, but these types of things have a way of turning permanent.”

  “Oh.” The thought of moving to Toronto or Vancouver to work on movie projects thrilled and terrified her. Mostly the latter, given that she’d just allowed herself to start fantasizing about a new start with Rafe. Not just fantasizing—actually doing it. She couldn’t think about leaving Pine Harbour. Except this job made her heart thump in an entirely different but equally awesome way.

  Hot tears pricked behind her eyelids. She didn’t want to think about leaving.

  She didn’t want to leave. But she didn’t want to drift without a purpose, either.

  “Olivia?” Greg’s voice filtered through the noise of her thoughts.

  “I’m sorry, Greg. I got a bit overwhelmed there. Can you repeat that last bit?”

  “If you aren’t interested in a permanent position with a single production company, than freelance work might be more up your alley.”

  She cleared her throat. “This would be the second time today that I asked one of my bosses if he’d mind if I worked for someone else, so you’ll have to excuse me if this sounds rude, but … I’d like to know more about that.”

  He laughed. “No worries. I get that you’re attached to your home town. You’re a real rock star of hard work, Olivia, you’ll land on your feet at the end of this project.”

  A different kind of heat rocketed through her veins. Frank had always said she was a good waitress and she liked that work, but this was on a different level. Pride. It made her a little lightheaded to think that she might have value to other producers.

  A niggle of an idea took hold, something she’d have months to work out all the details on. But the kernel of an idea was there, something she might be able to do in Pine Harbour.

  Excitement took hold and for the afternoon she almost forgot to be nervous about the next day.

  Almost.

  Chapter 13

  HAUNT The Park was a family affair.
>
  Even if his brother hadn’t been the park ranger in charge, Rafe would probably still have signed up for off-duty service for the annual pre-Halloween event. He had fond memories of making out on the hayrides in high school and never tired of hearing kids talk about how they survived the loop through the dark campground and all the scenes of gore and horror they encountered on the way.

  His mother donated the hot chocolate and apple cider, and Dani was manning the table on the far side of the parking lot. When Liv had worked for his mom, she’d stood right there next to his sister. That familiar ache pulsed in his chest—regret and confusion, because it wasn’t supposed to be like this. And then the newer but still just as recognizable reaction of self-loathing. Fuck, he needed to get over himself. The notes had been his last attempt to ask for a second chance and she’d obviously passed.

  Maintaining distance while he sorted his head out had been hard. Now that he was avoiding her, he caught tail-end glimpses everywhere. Her car driving away from the diner at the end of a shift. Her ponytail swishing into the bank mid-afternoon. And on Facebook, all of a sudden this morning everyone was sharing a flyer notice about a public meeting about the film shoot. And there was Olivia’s name as a local contact down in the bottom right hand corner. Olivia Minelli. He traced the letters with his eyes, over and over again. She still used his name. She was still his. Except he didn’t have a decent plan to remind her of that fact in a way that didn’t send her running for the hills.

  He even thought he’d seen her here tonight, but that was wishful thinking. Liv hadn’t come to Haunt the Park since they broke up.

  The detachment had been asked to provide two officers for traffic control as the fundraising night brought more visitors to the park than any other evening event of the year. As always, Dean and Rafe were the first volunteers. And as usual, both of them weren’t needed for the whole night, so they took turns riding the loop. Dean returned from his ride on the wagon just in time to nip Rafe’s melancholy in the bud.