by Taylor Anne
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Also by Taylor Anne
About the Author
Copyright © 2016 by Taylor Anne
This story is a complete work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Taylor Anne.
ISBN: 9781536513813
Contact information: [email protected]
Cover art by EJR Digital Art
Formatting by Wyrding Ways Press
Editing by Alicia Dean Editing
Acknowledgments:
Thanks to all of my fans!
Thank you for allowing me to bring my world to you. Enjoy!
Love to my family who stands by and supports me in
my crazy adventures.
Many thanks to the wonderful people at Authors on the Air
and Poised Pen Productions.
Pam and Teresa… This would not have happened
without your support, direction, and love.
Hugs and kisses to you all.
Elle, you nailed it with the cover. You took my vision and made
something unforgettable. Thanks!
As always, thanks to Ally. You took a chance on me several years ago,
and we are still working strong together. Much appreciated!
Kayla Boudreaux peered up at the wooden sign. Gracie’s Place. “We’re here.” Turning to find her best friend’s head bobbing up and down in tune with the pop music, Kayla burst out laughing. “Christi, if you could see yourself. Seven months pregnant, glowing, and so relaxed you look like you don’t have a care in the world. I hope my brides’ lives are that good when they get married.”
“You give them the perfect wedding, and they’ll be happy no matter who they marry. And don’t leave yourself out of that equation.”
“Ha! You know I’ll never get married. I don’t have time to look for Mr. Right.” Being a wedding coordinator in no way made her an expert in marriage, especially since she was still single.
Christi shook her head, a smile lighting her face. “Sure. New town, new career, daughter off to college. You never know what will happen.”
They got out of the car and walked the short distance to the wooden building that sat amidst the sugary sands of Perdido Key. Kayla inhaled the crisp ocean air. The salty tang beat out the city muck any day. Christi opened the screen door of the bar, motioned for Kayla to go first, then entered after her friend.
The late afternoon crowd filled up half of the tables in the sandwich bar. A group of women at the center table glanced up when the door swished closed. The anxious expressions on their faces hinted that they were waiting on someone in particular. That someone wasn’t Kayla or Christi. They turned back to their drinks and chips.
Three guys sitting at the bar wearing board shorts and t-shirts tipped their beer mugs at the two women. Kayla nodded as she and Christi made their way to a table next to an open window.
At a nearby table, a woman barely covered by her black bikini straddled her partner, lazily running her fingers along his bare thighs. Her tongue toyed with his lips until her mouth hungrily closed over his. His hands roamed over her back. The two were oblivious to their surroundings. Judging by the amount of beer bottles on the table, the couple wasn’t feeling much pain.
Kayla sat down, her back to the uninhibited couple. “Geez, get a room.”
Christi took the seat next to Kayla. “It takes all kinds to make the world go round.”
“Yeah, and looks like you can find every one of them at Grandpa Earl’s bar. But according to him, they are all loyal customers.”
From the looks of the place, Grandpa Earl had let the interior dwindle in appearance. The deli area needed more room to operate; the bar area needed a face-lift. However, Grandpa must have done something right because business was hopping with customers coming in and out, picking up to-go sandwiches or grabbing a seat for lunch. Transforming the bar into a wedding venue would take some minor renovations, but Kayla was confident it could be done. The biggest obstacle was going to be to convince Grandpa’s co-owner of what an improvement it would be. Grandpa said he was a tough businessman.
A young, attractive waitress approached the table asking for their orders.
“Club sandwich with plain chips. Oh, and Pinot Grigio for me, please,” Kayla said.
“I’ll have the same, only with a Diet Coke.”
The woman’s warm smile matched the sunlight streaming in the open windows. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, accentuating her high cheekbones. She gave a wink. “Be right out, ladies.”
“Kayla, before you ramrod whoever is in charge, you need to get your wedding business up and running. You have four clients already and one prospect. Concentrate on that first. The bar is obviously taking care of itself.”
“I know. I just can’t put the idea out of my mind that this would be the perfect location to host weddings and receptions.”
“Excuse me, ladies, I believe these drinks belong to you.” A deep, whiskey voice cut through the breezy air.
Kayla turned. The man’s dark menacing eyes caught her off guard. He didn’t look too happy about something. Was he unhappy with his job? Women problems? Whatever caused him to look so unapproachable was his problem, not hers. Except that she wanted everyone working there to portray a happy face. The next thing she noticed was that he was the only person in the bar wearing long pants. It was the beginning of summer and already dreadfully hot. He had to be sweltering in those soft, faded blue jeans. But damn, they fit him so well. He set their drinks in front of them, turned, and walked away. And from the back, those jeans…
Christi cleared her throat, bringing Kayla back to the table.
“Anyway, like I was saying.” Kayla shifted in her seat, took a huge gulp of her wine, and wiped her sweaty palms on her gauzy cover-up. “The deli bar is on the beach, steps away from the water. Listen, you can hear the waves crashing against the shore. Imagine that late in the evening with the sun setting and a warm breeze blowing. My brides would be so happy and high on nature and life itself.”
“I don’t know, Kayla.”
“I think it sounds wonderful.”
Kayla turned her head when the female voice spoke behind her. She was greeted with the smiling face of a pretty, young woman whose hands were full of books, magazines, and cloth samples. “Hi, Christi. And I assume you are Kayla.” The books landed on the table with a thunk.
Christi was out of her seat in an instant, hugging the newcomer and making introductions. “Marcy, meet Kayla. She will give you the wedding of your dreams.”
“Marcy, it’s so good to finally meet you face-to-face. Now we can finalize everything for yours and Jerry’s wedding and make you a happy, blushing bride. I see you brought some pictures and info for me.” Kayla eyed the pile before her.
“I did. Don’t worry, half of this stuff can be tossed. I just wanted you to see all of it before I trashed some of the ideas.” Marcy waved her hand at the waitress and when she had her attention, pointed to the wine.
Kayla picked up the cloth samples from the top and ran her fingers ov
er the silky material. “Beautiful. Your dress?”
“Yes ma’am. I have a picture of it here somewhere.” She rummaged through the pictures, pulled out a glossy print from a bridal magazine, and handed it to Kayla.
Kayla smiled, picturing the young woman in the dress. She would make a beautiful bride. “Look, I know we only have two weeks before your wedding, but I want you to know everything is set. Really, all we have left to do is decorate the hall. The caterer, band, photographer, and minister are all scheduled. I’ve been in contact with all of your bridesmaids and the groomsmen. It took more work doing this by email and phone calls, but we did it.” For the next half hour, Kayla helped Marcy tie up loose ends on the wedding plans.
Needing another refill, Kayla looked around for the waitress. She was busy taking orders at a full round table. The sexy bartender was behind the bar, so Kayla waved her hands to get his attention. He nodded, acknowledging her request.
Marcy gushed. “I don’t know how I will ever thank you. And Christi, thanks for recommending her.”
The bartender sauntered up to their table and replaced empty glasses with full ones. They watched as he headed back to the bar.
“Damn,” Kayla muttered. “Too bad I don’t have time to play.” Laughter erupted around the table. After another round of drinks, Kayla had wrapped up her plan for Marcy’s wedding.
“Thank you. This is perfect.” Marcy’s pleased smile beamed, giving Kayla a warm glow of satisfaction. She stood and hugged Marcy. Christi did the same.
Kayla looked around the bar. There was an entirely different crowd inside now. The calm afternoon patrons gave way to more rambunctious partygoers. People were laughing and drinking, swaying to whatever music played. With the variety of pop, country, oldies, and reggae, everyone was bound to hear something they liked.
She liked the atmosphere there. It was open, friendly, and put off a good vibe. A great setting for fun times and good memories. Grandpa and her late grandma made this little deli bar a beach icon. Apparently, everyone in Perdido Key knew about Gracie’s. It was the place to go for good music and good times.
Kayla didn’t want to change any of that. All she wanted to do was add to it. Make it a site to hold weddings and receptions. Surely that could be incorporated into the small space. Somehow. First, she had to convince Colton. Whoever he was. Her visits over the last years had been too scarce with her tied up in her own business, so she never had the opportunity to meet the man. She only knew he was in charge of running the operation for Grandpa. But that would change soon enough. It had to. She took a huge leap of faith by selling her restaurant in New Orleans and moving to Florida after her grandfather suffered a stroke.
So now, instead of running a famous restaurant, she would try her hand at managing a beach deli bar. And at the persistence of Christi and Paul, she took the steps to start her dream business of planning weddings. If only she could tie the two together.
Kayla spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and getting the beach house ready to be lived in once again. It had been years since there had been a permanent resident living there. Christi and Paul rented it out to tourists after they moved into a bigger house farther up the coast. Kayla was thrilled when Christi offered her a month-to-month lease. Her friend’s help made the move a lot smoother.
Just as they finished breaking down the last of the empty boxes, Christi’s cell phone rang. With Christi’s “Hello, baby,” Kayla knew it had to be her husband, Paul.
Kayla pulled out mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, and ham for sandwich fixings while Christi talked to him.
A few minutes later, Christi strolled back into the kitchen to help with the supper. “Fix one for Paul too. He’s on his way.” Christi pulled out a vegetable tray from the refrigerator. “I’m starving. Must be the pregnancy.”
Kayla laughed. “I’m sure. And we were pretty damn busy today. I can’t believe we got it all done. Thanks for the help.” Kayla pulled out a bag of chips then burst out laughing. “We have enough food here to feed an army. I hope Paul has a big appetite.”
“Believe me, he always has an appetite.”
A thought occurred to Kayla. She would like to see the action at the bar in the evening. See what kind of crowd it attracted. “After we eat, let’s go back to the bar and scope it out again. Even though I want to make it a wedding venue, I still want to keep that open and active.”
“Sounds good to me, I could use a drink,” Paul said as he walked into the kitchen and kissed his wife. “Didn’t mean to barge in, but the patio door was open.”
“No problem. I left it open so the breeze could cool it off in here.”
After eating, they headed back down the beach to the bar. It wasn’t even dusk, but the inside was already full. They found a table just outside of the opened side doors. The screens that earlier enclosed the bar were now pulled back, letting the warm evening breeze flow through. Kayla listened to the music, chatted with her friends, and actually felt a touch of jealousy when Paul placed his hand over Christi’s enlarged belly. He did it absentmindedly, which made it so genuine. Kayla pushed the feelings away. She didn’t have the time or energy to think about babies or husbands for herself.
Paul leaned over to the man sitting at the next table and carried on a conversation about sports. Kayla scooted her chair closer to Christi. “He makes friends anywhere, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah. It’s like all male sports freaks have an internal magnet that identifies them.” Christi squeezed Kayla’s hand. “Oh, Kayla. I wish we didn’t have to leave tomorrow. It’s been a lot of work getting you settled in, but it has been so much fun. We loved our little beach house. You are going to enjoy living here.”
“I hope so. Big difference from city life. Hey, I’m going to miss you too. But you will only be gone for a week on vacation. I think I can handle myself for that long.” She smiled at the wistful expression on her friend’s face. “You guys deserve this break.”
“Yeah, and it will be the last one for a while. Once this little one pops out, we will be busy with her. When we get back from vacation, we are only an hour’s drive up the coast. Really not that far away.”
Kayla turned her head, looking for someone to serve them a drink. “Hey, where did our waitress go? Looks like the sexy bartender is all by himself. And I wonder where the man Grandpa has running this place is.”
“The only people we’ve seen are the bartender and waitress.” A slow smile crept across Christi’s face.
“What?” Kayla asked.
“Nothing. Just wondering where this guy, Colton, is.”
“I don’t know, but I sure could use a Strawberry Surge right about now.” Kayla scanned the bar area.
The woman next to Kayla leaned in, joining the conversation. “What’s that? A drink? By the way, I’m Beth and this is my husband, Randy.” Her husband was still engaged in conversation with Paul. Kayla caught the brief eye contact made by the couple. Sweet. They looked like they had lived on the beach forever. Both had sun-weathered skin that probably made them look older than they were. His dark hair was long and tied in a ponytail. Hers was sandy brown, short, and poked out of a ball cap.
“Nice to meet you.” Kayla moved her chair over, indicating for Beth to join them. “It was my signature drink at my restaurant in New Orleans. I’m itching to get behind that bar and mix up a batch.”
Beth’s eyes twinkled. “Go for it.”
Christi shrugged. “Once you get something in your head, there’s no stopping you.”
Smiling from ear to ear, Kayla popped out of her seat and headed straight for the bar while the bartender delivered a tray full of drinks to another table. It took her a few seconds to orient herself to the setup. But she was right at home. She had done this so many times at her own bar, she could mix the drink in her sleep. Glasses, Strawberry Vodka, Sparkling Moscato, fresh strawberries, and her secret ingredient. The ice clinked in the glasses. One for her and one for Beth. Christi would have to stick with Diet Coke.
For the baby’s sake.
The drink was mixed and ready to pour into the glasses. Just as she raised the pitcher, a man’s voice called out over the crowd, “Hey, Colton, who’s the new bartender?”
The dark-haired man with the whiskey voice and black marble eyes straightened up from the table he was delivering drinks to and turned toward the bar. “I don’t have a new bartend—”
Kayla caught the surprised and amused look on Christi’s face. “Colton.” The two women mouthed at once. Kayla turned her head and made eye contact with the dark depths of the deli bar’s manager. Her hands froze in midair while her stomach plummeted. Finally regaining her composure, she finished pouring the drinks and darted back to the table before the angry looking Colton reached her.
Colton stormed to the bar. It didn’t matter that the woman had been here most of the afternoon. It didn’t matter that her flowing cover-up didn’t do much to hide her black and red bathing suit. And it certainly didn’t matter that her easy movements came off sexy as all hell. This was his territory, and no one went behind the bar without his permission.
Colton stalked to the table she shared with several others. He recognized one of the couples. A few years back, Colton assisted in putting the man behind bars. He was surprised to see him set foot in there. But, the business was open to the public. As long as the man didn’t cause any trouble, Colton had no right to throw him out of the establishment.
All eyes were on Colton. Except that woman’s. She eyed her drink, stirring the liquid with her pinkie finger. The drink she made behind his bar. Her ignoring him bit at his temper.
Beth wrapped one arm around Randy, picked up her glass in her other hand, and tipped it to Colton. “Great drink. Cheers.” The other two women sitting with her giggled.
“Yeah, cheers.” Randy’s lip curled up as he clinked his beer bottle against his wife’s glass.
“Cheers, buddy.” Colton’s blood boiled. He should not have even acknowledged Randy. He turned away from them.
