Love Came Calling

by C. A. Popovich

  Love Came Calling

  When Kelly Newton decided at the last minute to join her friends for a two week getaway, all she expected was time away from the stress of her job, a hot tub, and hiking trails by the water. She didn’t count on her powerful attraction to Josie Harlow, the charismatic and totally unavailable owner of the lesbian resort in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

  Josie Harlow knows from past experience that happily ever after is a fairytale. When she meets Kelly, her desire is instantaneous, but a beautiful distraction is the last thing she needs as she works to make the resort a success, withstand the pressure to sell her land and hunt down the hooligans damaging her property. When her grandmother is no longer able to care for herself, Josie has to figure out how to support her Elder and deal with her growing feelings for Kelly too.

  Can a romantic looking for a long term, committed relationship and a jaded cynic too busy for love conquer life’s struggles and find their way to what matters most?

  Love Came Calling

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  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

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  Love Came Calling

  © 2018 By C.A. Popovich. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13:978-1-63555-206-5

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: May 2018

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editors: Victoria Villasenor and Cindy Cresap

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design by Tammy Seidick

  By the Author

  Edge of Awareness

  The Courage to Try

  Imperfect Truth

  Love Came Calling

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to gratefully acknowledge all the hardworking folks at Bold Strokes Books who help me give my books a home and fulfill my dream of writing. Victoria Villasenor and Cindy Cresap, editors extraordinaire, thank you for helping me make this work so much better. I especially want to thank Victoria for her extra push and encouragement with this manuscript. She guided me to “dig deeper” and “make it matter.” Painful but necessary lessons.

  Thank you to my friend and retired English teacher, Fran, for her invaluable feedback and suggestions. And to her wonderful book club members who never fail to offer their beneficial thoughts and ideas. To Carsen Taite, awesome BSB author, I thank you for taking time to answer my legal questions. Thank you to my friends and fellow BSB authors Friz and Kris, for your listening ear and helpful suggestions. Thank you, my friend Chris, for allowing me to bounce ideas off you. And thank you to Sandi for your support and recommendations. I’m grateful for all the ways you’re in my life.

  Finally, thanks to all the readers of lesbian romance. Your support means everything.

  To Sandi.

  Thank you for calling.

  Chapter One

  Joslyn Harlow sat on the wooden rocker facing the snow-covered ice and appreciated the partial view of the Ice Bridge to Canada. She enjoyed watching the snowmobilers follow the tree-lined pathway she’d helped create, and it usually marked the busiest part of the winter season for her cabin rentals. The snow sparkled in the sunlit expanse, and the peaceful scene strengthened her resolve to keep the cabins she’d inherited on Drummond Island in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The three acres of waterfront property had grown in value after falling drastically during the recession and forcing her father to remortgage. It was hers now, and she had plans for the place. If she could keep the cabins rented for a couple more months, she could refinance the existing high-interest loan. Just two more months and she could finally put her business degree to use for the birth of her lesbian resort, Harlow’s by the Bay. Her dream. She stood, dusted the snow off the steps, and headed to her office to review her finances. Half an hour later, her concentration was interrupted by the jingling of the bell on the lobby door.

  “Hello. Anyone here?”

  Joslyn looked up from her desk toward the sound of a male voice. She shoved her ledger into a drawer and locked it before moving to the front counter. She didn’t recognize the burly man wearing a black snowmobile suit. “Hello. Can I help you?” She smiled, wondering about his confused look.

  “Yeah. I wanna know where Jack is?”

  She tried not to squirm under his glare. “I’m not sure who this Jack is you’re looking for, but I’m Joslyn Harlow, the owner of these cabins, but please call me Josie.” She waited hoping he’d elaborate.

  “The owner, eh? I don’t think so. I know the owner, and he ain’t you.” He looked side to side, examining the room.

  “Could I ask your name, sir?” Josie figured being polite would get her further than revealing her annoyance.

  “I’m Abe Bernstein. Jack and I were huntin’ buddies, but I’ve been downstate takin’ care of some business. I’m back now, and I want to talk to Jack about buyin’ this place.” He stomped some snow from his boots and wandered to the wall covered in pictures. “Yeah. I remember this.” He pointed a stubby finger at one of the photos.

  “I’m sorry, Abe, but I’m not sure who Jack is. Those pictures are of my grandfather when he built this place. They’re my cabins now, and I’m not interested in selling them, but if you want to leave your name and number, I promise to contact you first if I ever do sell.”

  Abe turned back to her and narrowed his eyes. “Your grandpa, huh?”

  “Yes. My grandfather, Harold Patterson.”

  “I’ll be in touch. Don’t you worry.” He turned, pushed the door open, and banged it shut before hopping onto a snowmobile and riding away.

  Josie sighed and went back to her office to finish updating her books and figure out her next move, but first she opened her wall safe and took out the deed to the property. It was there in black and white. Her father had left everything to her in his will, and she’d had the deed recorded and title transferred. The property was legally hers. Abe was an odd guy, and gruff, but he seemed puzzled and frustrated at not finding whoever Jack was, not really threatening. Still, she noted the time and date of Abe’s appearance on her calendar and an hour later, pushed aside any uneasiness as she locked her office and outer door.

  * * *

  Josie tossed the pile of towels, the final load for the day, into the oversized washing machine. The group of Canadian guests had been a welcome surprise when they’d pulled into the parking lot right after sunup with three trailers full of snowmobiles. She’d finished plowing the twenty-by-twenty-foot parking lot merely half an hour before their arrival. The first week in February generally began the busiest time during the winter, but this lucky group found her with two cabins available. It didn’t matter why they were there, or why they hadn’t bothered to make reservations, because it meant she’d be able to pay the tax bill easily next month.

  She added bleach and soap to the washer and then headed to the woodshed. She wanted an ample supply of firewood in case her guests wanted to warm up and relax in the main lodge when they returned from their snowy ride. The tiny cottages had electric heaters, but the chilled snowmobilers found the main lodge with its massive stone f
ireplace ideal. She loaded the firewood rack and set up the forty-two-cup coffeemaker. She filled a second smaller one with water and set two baskets filled with hot chocolate packets next to it, along with a few stacks of Styrofoam cups. She circuited the large open room and shifted the leather couch and chairs to face the fireplace and made sure the worn wooden end tables were within easy reach for cups. She scanned the room a last time, assuring visibility of the large signs declaring the room alcohol-free. Her father had dealt with numerous drunken guests over the years and had demanded the visitors keep their booze in their cabins if they wanted to drink. Josie planned to keep that requirement and hoped she wasn’t naive to believe a group of lesbians would be respectful of it.

  She interrupted her chores to pour herself a cup of hot chocolate and take a moment to reflect on her life since the death of her father four months ago. A twinge of guilt twisted her gut when she realized she’d let the time slip away without seeing Nooko. She smiled at the memory of the Ojibwe word for grandmother, nookomis, and how, as a child, she’d shortened it to nooko. Josie wasn’t full-blooded American Indian, but her nooko was an Ojibwe elder. She’d been fairly steady on her feet with the use of a cane while they stood greeting friends at the funeral, but when she’d talked to her since, she’d noticed a weakness in her voice she’d attributed to grief.

  Her grandmother had hinted the last time they’d talked about the empty bedroom in her two-story bungalow located in the Lower Peninsula, and Josie knew her intimations were partly based on her progressing immobility. She wondered if Nooko would consider moving back to Drummond Island with her, once she got her renovated resort off the ground. Tomorrow she’d call and make a plan to visit her. Maybe she’d even get a chance to spend an evening at the local lesbian bar for a hookup. She’d been working to keep the cabins rented to the exclusion of any fun since her father’s death, and she missed the physical connection with a woman. She knew her prospects for a suitable bed partner were better downstate, so maybe she could find time to hook up with a beautiful lady and relieve some stress.

  * * *

  “Good morning, Nooko. It’s Joslyn.” Josie would have preferred to use her cell phone than be tethered to the corded landline, but she’d learned not to place much faith in the wireless connection from the island. She sat on her bed, leaned back against her headboard, and stretched out her legs as she watched the morning sun begin to brighten the eastern sky. Maybe being stuck by the window isn’t such a bad thing.

  “Oh, it’s so good to hear your voice, honey. How are you?”

  “I’m good. Everything’s going well here. I thought I’d give you a call before my guests get up. How’re you feeling?” Josie shifted her phone to her left ear and grabbed her coffee cup.

  “I feel fine, dear. Do you have a full house this month?”

  Her grandmother always referred to all the cabins being rented as a “full house.” “I do, Nooko. I just filled the last two yesterday. A group of snowmobilers, and they’re having a ball. How’s the weather there?”

  “It’s cold and snowy.” She exhaled loudly. “I’m not even bothering to have the driveway plowed. I can’t drive anymore anyway. I don’t know what I’m going to do with your grandfather’s Jeep. Did I ask you if you wanted it? I can’t remember. I know your father didn’t want it.”

  “I’ll take a look at it next time I’m there. I wanted to talk to you about when.” She worried about her nooko being trapped in the house in an emergency.

  “You come anytime you want to, honey. You know you’re always welcome. I haven’t been upstairs…in a while. The extra bedroom may need a little dusting, but it’s yours whenever you want it.”

  Josie hesitated, hearing the message beneath her words and the weakness in her voice. She made an instant decision. “I’m thinking of wrapping up the season at the end of this month. Fishing doesn’t get going until April, so how does March sound for me to come visit?” She set her coffee cup on her nightstand and stood to gaze out the window, already beginning to plan ahead.

  “Oh, yes, that would be lovely! I’ll plan on it.”

  “Sounds good. My lodgers are up now, so I better go get the coffeemaker started. I’ll give you a call tomorrow, and we can plan some more.” Josie didn’t mention her calls would continue to be daily until she could figure out a way to keep her nooko safe.

  She quickly set up the coffeepot she kept in the lodge and went to her office to review her schedule. She had no bookings for April despite the excellent fishing that time of year, so she calculated that she could afford to spend the time with Nooko if necessary. She had one group booked for the beginning of March, and reservations for her first lesbian group weren’t until May. She looked forward to reconnecting with her nooko before beginning her new endeavor in earnest.

  Chapter Two

  “Come on, Kelly. It’ll be fun, and we could all use a relaxing getaway.” Debby leaned back in her chair. Her brown eyes sparkled.

  Kelly Newton took a bite of her sandwich and considered what her friend and coworker had told her about a newly opened lesbian resort located on an island in northern Michigan. The owner advertised it with furnished cabins, private decks, and a huge fireplace and hot tub in the main lodge. The latter nearly made her decide on the spot as she tipped her head from side to side to stretch her neck. She needed a vacation to clear her mind and help with her decision to change jobs. She gazed about the lunch area where they sat at one of the small round tables. Getting away for a while would be heaven. She began a mental list of preparations before turning to face Debby. “I don’t know, Deb. I’ll think about it. You and Alex are going for sure, huh?”

  “Yep. I’ve put in for a two-week vacation starting the end of May, and I’ve convinced Kristen and Jaylin to come along. Jaylin said she might be able to get Maria and Dana to join us, too. We’re almost ready to confirm our reservations. We’re going to sit by the water, or the fireplace, depending on the weather, and unwind.” Debby speared a piece of chicken from her salad and popped it into her mouth.

  “I’d like to support this lesbian-owned place. She just opened, huh?”

  “Yes. We’ll be her first lesbian group.” Debby grinned.

  Kelly took a deep breath and exhaled to release the tension in her shoulders. “I could sure use a holiday. We’re stressed to the max around here.” She pictured herself sitting in a peaceful cabin on a remote island until the cabin picture morphed into a wooden shack with drafty windows, leaky roof, and a moldy bathroom. “It’s new, though, right?”

  Debby sipped her water before answering. “Right. The woman’s family has owned the cabins for years, so they’re not new, new, but she’s remodeled them. She’s a descendant of the Ojibwe American Indians. She grew up on Drummond Island and wants to make a go of the place. It’s called Harlow’s by the Bay. Look it up. She’s got a website with great pictures.”

  “Thanks. I’ll check it out and let you know what I decide. I’ve got to get back to work. See you later.” Kelly dropped off her used tray and lunch dishes in the kitchen and wrenched her thoughts from lounging in a hot tub to juggling the nurse’s schedules to cover the new patients arriving. She’d only been back at her desk moments before she was dealing with another staffing issue.

  “But I worked a twelve-hour shift yesterday.” Megan, one of the new registered nurses, leaned on the counter opposite Kelly and tapped on the schedule. “I’m only staying until five today.” She glared a challenge at her.

  “When you hired in last week, I reviewed the schedule thoroughly with you. Our influx of patients requires all of us to put in a few extra shifts. At least for a while. I need you to work twelve hours today. You’ll get tomorrow morning off, and Rachael will fill in. We have two new aides starting tomorrow, too. I’m sorry, but there are three new residents who need to be checked in, reviewed, and have treatment protocols set up.”

  Kelly pinched the bridge of her nose and turned away from Megan to face her computer screen, hoping she’d tak
e the hint. She heard her huff as she stomped away. If this kept up, her decision to leave the nursing home would come sooner rather than later. The thought reminded her she hadn’t heard back from the VNAA, Visiting Nurses Association of America, regarding her application. It didn’t sound ideal, carrying a bag and working out of her car, but she couldn’t stay in the stressful environment of the nursing home much longer. She’d been with Serenity Care for twenty of her twenty-five years as a nurse, and she’d seen it change as healthcare changed. The number of patients had grown throughout the years, and the facility had developed a reputation for being one of the best in the state. The aging population, growing number of seniors needing care, and the increasing number of people obtaining health insurance had resulted in more patients than healthcare workers to care for them. Janis Smith, the administrator, did an excellent job of managing the nursing home, but it had become increasingly difficult for her to find the required staff to care for the residents. Her nurses were overworked and in danger of burning out, and Kelly was thinking of walking away after twenty years. What did that say about the situation? Kelly shut down her computer and headed to check on their newest patient. She’d just finished taking the ninety-year-old’s vitals when one of the aides poked her head in the door.

  “Hey, Kelly. Janis asked me to let you know she wants to see you in her office when you’re done here.”

  “Thanks, Jean. I’m almost done.” Kelly frowned, wondering why the administrator wanted to see her. She hoped she wouldn’t tell her there were more residents being admitted. They were out of room. She recorded the patient’s critical information into her laptop before heading to Janis’s office.