Secretly Smitten

by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, Diann Hunt

Carson got that disappointed look on his face. The one her mother gave her when she’d knowingly done something wrong. Shame flooded her face, and she could feel its intense heat.

  “I see.”

  “I listened to Fireman Brand because he gave me the answer I wanted.”

  “Well, the inspection department will soon be more vigilant in its inspections.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, Fireman Brand and his cohorts are currently studying the code intensely. There will be a test.”

  Great. Now she’d sent the firemen back to school. No doubt she wouldn’t be signing any hot firemen for her business. “Will William need to approve everything?”

  “You misunderstand. William Singer has tendered his resignation, and I’ve accepted it. Ellie will have to update the space if she intends to rent it at all. I don’t think you realize how dangerous that situation could have been, Zoe.”

  “What?”

  “Ellie is responsible as the owner. No matter what kind of deal she made with you, she can’t legally rent out an unsafe building.”

  “No, what did you say about Mr. Singer?”

  “He’s leaving us. It’s a mutual agreement. If he’s going to make deals with city business owners, well, that’s exactly the problem we’ve had in the past. We can’t have a good ol’ boys network and continue to grow the city’s tourism revenue. One lawsuit could ruin us all. And if word got back to the railroad . . .”

  “A good ol’ boys network?” Zoe felt overwhelmed and light-headed. She’d known the law. She’d known what William told her was the truth, and yet she’d relied on Smitten’s old ways. She’d taken advantage. “William was fired because of this? I mean, it can’t be a good ol’ boys network if William was involved. He just got here, and like I said, he told me I wasn’t ready to open, but I had so much invested already—”

  “As I said, we mutually decided to end his tenure here. I think his services are not what we’re looking for. We need a fresh start. Someone who isn’t afraid to do the hard tasks.”

  Zoe shook her head frantically. “No, he wasn’t afraid. He told me the law. William shouldn’t be fired!”

  Carson gave her a look.

  “Or let go, or mutually anything. He told me the law. I ignored it.”

  And worse yet, she’d allowed what could have been William’s feelings for her to override his intuition. In fact, if she was honest, she’d been manipulative. She didn’t dare tell Carson about their upcoming date, though, or William might be accused of even worse.

  “The fact is, Zoe, he could have turned you in and prevented the event. That’s the kind of decision we need our new city manager to make.”

  “But if the event hadn’t been so big, no one would have known about the electrical. This is my fault, Carson. You have to allow me to make it right. Please!”

  “It’s not about whose fault it is, Zoe. It’s that we brought Mr. Singer on to uphold the laws and take our city into the black. We wanted him to work with the railroad and bring it here. This is the simplest of his duties. If he can’t do this, we can hardly expect him to get the railroad and manage the city budget.”

  “You can. I took advantage!” She looked out the window and saw that William was packing his car. “Carson, please give William another chance!” She stared at the carpet while she added the truth. “I flirted my way out of the issue.”

  Her mother smiled proudly. “So you did notice him!”

  “Maybe you’d like to be on the search committee for our next city manager.”

  “No!” she shouted, louder than she’d meant to. “We don’t need a new city manager.” As she watched out the window, she saw William walking out the door of his cabin with a suitcase. “Oh no, I’ve got to go.”

  She swung open the door and bounded down the steps. She watched as William loaded the suitcase into his trunk and walked around to the driver’s side door. “William!” she shouted. “William!”

  With the lake in front of her, she was certain her voice carried across the entire area, but he didn’t turn. Instead, he glanced back at the cabin, then got into the car.

  The lakefront cabins were strung like a necklace of pearls along the water, and the road itself was shaped like a horseshoe. Zoe turned in between the cabins, determined to cut him off as he circled the road. She ran over the grassy knoll and came down the hill before his car appeared.

  She approached the small, white picket fence that surrounded the property and took a running leap over it—and landed with a slide on her backside on the gravel roadway. William’s car appeared suddenly, and he slammed on the brakes, skidding over the rocky path so that his car stopped mere inches from her.

  He jumped out of his car and came toward her. “Zoe?”

  She nodded. “It’s me.”

  “Zoe, I almost killed you. What on earth are you doing? You scared the daylights out of me.”

  She took his offered hand and allowed him to help her up. His arms wrapped around her waist, and she rested her head against his chest. It felt solid against her ear, and the rapid, consistent thump of his heart confirmed his words.

  “You were fired?”

  “Mutually resigned, if you don’t mind.” He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Are you sure you’re all right? You took quite a leap.”

  She waited breathlessly as he touched her, hopeful that he’d kiss her again. But once she nodded that she was okay, he dropped his hand and stepped away. She stepped toward him again. “You were just going to leave without saying good-bye? We have a date tonight. Were you going to stand me up?”

  He chuckled. “I didn’t think you’d miss me all that much.”

  “You tried to prove to me that you were a man of character. Good enough for Cupid’s Arrow—and yet you were going to leave town while we had a date set up. That does not bode well for your character.”

  “No, it doesn’t, but I wasn’t really trying to join Cupid’s Arrow. I was only trying to get on the owner’s good side.”

  “I’m sorry I took advantage of that.”

  He smiled and cupped his hand along her jaw. “I’m not. If you didn’t feel guilty about it, you wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t be you, Zoe.”

  She tugged at his hand. “Please come talk to Carson with me.”

  “You really want our date that badly?”

  She nodded. “I do, actually.”

  “Even if it means you’re wrong?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You predicted that I wouldn’t make it to the railroad fund-raiser, much less the bicentennial celebration. My leaving would make you right.”

  “Then I’d prefer to be wrong. I was so obnoxious. Will you forgive me? Smitten is a town that welcomes everyone, and I tried to let you know right from the beginning that you weren’t welcome. I’m ashamed of myself.” She looked into his eyes. “Wait a minute.” She dashed to the car, opened the passenger door, and reached inside to grab the small wooden turtle that William kept on his dashboard.

  “The turtle?”

  “You told me the turtle is always home because he brings his home with him wherever he goes.” She wrapped her fingers around the turtle’s shell. “I think your turtle should stay here.”

  “You’re stealing my turtle?”

  She shrugged. “It’s not stealing. Not if you give it to me. Anyway, I’m thinking you need to put down roots somewhere. Mr. Turtle can’t be your mascot anymore, so I’m going to keep him here with me. If you want him back, I suggest you go talk to Carson with me.”

  He grinned. “Will giving you my turtle help me get back into your good graces?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Does that mean you’ll accept my application to Cupid’s Arrow?”

  She shook her head. “I’m the jealous sort.”

  “I’ll bet you are.”

  “Carson’s at my house right now. Please come talk to him with me. You owe it to me to help me make this right.”

  “I owe
you?”

  “If you hadn’t been telling me the rules right off the bat, I might have listened to your warning and none of this would have happened.”

  “Ah, so this is all my fault.”

  She giggled. “Maybe not all your fault, but I know I can convince Carson if you’ll give me the chance.”

  “I have no doubt you can convince Carson, but there’s still the matter of this being a temporary position.”

  She held up the wooden turtle. “And if it’s not temporary?”

  “Then maybe you’ll have to teach me what it’s like to put down roots.”

  “Maybe you’ll have to teach me what it’s like to go on an adventure.” Her heart hammered in her chest as they talked. For the first time in her life, leaving Smitten didn’t seem so outrageous. Like the turtle, she carried her home with her.

  William bent to kiss her, and she returned his kiss passionately. Cupid’s arrow had struck with exacting precision.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The Sit ’n Knit was Anna Thomas’s world. Her definition of family had widened to embrace the women who came into her yarn shop—especially the regulars.

  Some days that was enough.

  Anna inhaled the scent of coffee that always perked on the counter behind her. She tore open her UPS package—a high-grade merino-nylon blend of yarn—and smiled. Warm and versatile, the yarn was a great choice for sock knitting. Some people grabbed cheap yarns off the shelf of a department store with no idea of the difference quality yarn could make in a project. She looked around her shop at the bins filled with colored textiles, some bulky, some intricate and thin for lace projects, and gave a contented sigh. She offered quality—and a piece of herself—with every sale. The women in her shop, there for the lesson on picking up stitches, milled around, commenting to one another on their projects, laughing together. Anna’s business also offered a place where women could encourage one another in their creativity and in life in general. Who could ask for more?

  The bell on the shop door jangled as someone stepped inside. Anna gathered her ball of cotton yarn, knitting needles, and half-finished peach-colored dishcloth, then bent over and tossed them into the bulging bag where she kept her current projects. She stood upright and stretched a bit. It was then she spotted a man of about fifty. He had a firm, strong jaw; a trim, fit body; and salt-and-pepper hair that looked good on him. His smile was warm and welcoming, and his blue eyes sparkled.

  He looked familiar. The lopsided grin on his face told her he knew she was trying to place him. Her heart gave a funny leap as he walked toward her and stretched out his hand. “Michael Conners,” he said. “That’s my mom, Emma.” He pointed her way.

  His hand was strong and warm. It shamed Anna that she didn’t want to let go.

  “Oh, Emma is one of my best customers. A lovely lady.” She’d spoken of her newly-retired-from-the-marines son often and fondly. “Nice to meet you. I’m Anna Thomas.”

  “Yes, I know.” He paused. “We’re neighbors.” There was a teasing glint in his eyes that caught her a little off guard.

  “Oh, so that’s where I’ve seen you. Sorry, I—”

  “No need to apologize. I’ve only lived there about six months. But we also go to the same church.” He winked.

  Emma had cancer. Her body grew more fragile with every passing day, but she still managed to come to the Sit ’n Knit. When Michael looked away, Anna studied him. It was noble of him to come to his mother’s side. Still, Anna would be careful. Clearly, he didn’t plan to settle down in Smitten. Not that she wanted him to. So why was her hand still tingling?

  She nodded, trying to calm the unsettled feeling in her stomach.

  “Well, good to see you.” He walked over to his mom. Anna watched his every step, her heart pounding as though she’d been running. What was the matter with her?

  When the knitting class was over, the ladies spilled into the other rooms, pouring cups of coffee from the brewing pot, browsing through knitting books, touching cashmere yarns. Anna walked around the chairs and scooped up yarn debris, then dropped it into the trash can. Arms elbow-deep into the sofa, then the chair cushions, she dug around for lost hooks and needles. Her efforts were always rewarded. She found several crochet hooks and threw them into a large plastic container with other strays.

  Michael, who had suddenly appeared beside her, winced.

  “Something wrong?” she asked.

  “Would you like a rubber band for those hooks? That would keep them all together so you wouldn’t have to dig around for them.”

  “I—well, uh, yeah, I guess.” Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. Did he think her incompetent?

  Michael walked over to her counter, picked up a rubber band, then playfully stretched it in front of him, acting as though he would snap her with it. She smiled in spite of herself.

  He picked the hooks up one by one from the container in her hand, bunched them together in a single bouquet, wrapped the rubber band tightly around it, and offered it to Anna with a slight bow. “For you, ma’am.”

  Was that supposed to make her feel better? Was he hitting on her? Did this work with other women? Was that what they taught him in the military? Please. Her husband had been a military man. She wasn’t going back there.

  “Thanks,” she said, tossing the bundled hooks back into the container and snapping it shut. She forced a grin, then picked up her load.

  “Can I help you carry that?” Michael asked.

  “No, I’m fine, thank you.” She was a woman, not a weakling. Her feet moved faster than the rest of her and she nearly lost her balance. What was wrong with her? She turned for one last glance at Michael and saw him helping his mother out of the shop.

  Once inside the sanctity of her office, Anna closed the door and tried to calm her pounding heart. She couldn’t imagine why Michael had unnerved her so. Maybe because he was a man of uniform—or had been. She’d been there, done that.

  When she regained her composure, she went back into the store and walked over to Sally Sanderson. Sally was one of Anna’s dearest customers and friends. “I’m going to the bakery, Sally. I’ll be right back.

  Will you watch the shop?”

  “Will do,” the older woman said.

  Anna would rather walk down to Mountain Perks, say hello to her niece Natalie, and grab a mocha, but she thought her customers might enjoy some cookies.

  After a quick trip to the bakery, Anna stepped back inside the Sit ’n Knit, brushed the snow from her shoulders, and pulled off her coat. “I’m back.” She hung her coat on the wooden rack, then walked over to the group of knitters sitting in the circle, needles clacking away. She waved her bag through the air. “I got some cookies from next door.” Oohs and aahs followed.

  “You’re too good to us,” Sally said. “But I like it.” Her needles paused long enough for her to pluck a cookie from the bag. “Mm, they’re still warm.”

  “Count yourself lucky,” Anna said, straightening her checkout station. “It’s getting colder outside. Wind gusts up to thirty miles an hour.”

  “Brr,” Debbie Matney said with a shiver. “That’s why I love being in here where it’s warm, knitting with my favorite people.”

  The others nodded while munching on their cookies. Anna smiled and counted herself blessed. How many people could say they had a job they could hardly wait to get to in the mornings? When Joe left her ten years ago, she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to smile again, let alone own a business. But with the encouragement of her girls, she’d invested her divorce settlement money into her dream business: a yarn shop where women of the Smitten community could gather to craft, create, and share life. Anna loved the feel of the yarn between her fingers. It gave her pleasure when a customer brought in a finished masterpiece: a sweater, a hat, a blanket. She rejoiced in their creation. When a customer brought in a project gone bad, Anna enjoyed that too. She loved helping them get their stitches back on track, bringing hope to the project. It had occurred to Anna more than
once that God did the same for her when she got off track . . .

  The bell on the door jangled. Zoe, Anna’s youngest, stepped inside, stomped her feet on the mat, and walked toward her mother. “It’s freezing outside.”

  “I’ve got some cookies and hot chocolate or coffee, if you have a minute,” Anna said.

  “No thanks, Mom. I just wanted to pick up another skein of yarn. I underestimated what I would need for Will’s sweater.”

  “Hi, Zoe,” the ladies called out.

  “Hello, everyone.” She bent down to look at Sally’s knitting. “Beautiful scarf.”

  “Thanks, sweetie,” Sally said, winding her yarn around the needles.

  Anna couldn’t be happier that God had brought William Singer into Zoe’s life. He was a wonderful young man. The future looked bright for her youngest daughter.

  “Let me see. What dye lot have you got there?” Anna took the wrapper from Zoe and matched it with the wool blends in the appropriate wooden bin. “You lucked out. One such animal left.” She waved the coveted skein and walked it over to the cash register.

  “I love this stuff. It’s so soft. It will make a nice sweater. I’m getting Will ready for his first Vermont winter.” She leaned in toward her mom and whispered, “Hopefully the first of many.”

  “How’s the dating business coming along?” Sally asked.

  “It’s a little slow, but I believe it will catch on,” Zoe said.

  “I still say you need to find romance through the normal course of life. You can’t force these things,” Anna said, ringing up Zoe’s purchase. She tucked it into a pretty bag and closed it with a raffia bow.

  “I don’t force things at Cupid’s Arrow, Mom. People have to fill out information. No one makes them date anyone they don’t want to date.” Zoe shook her head and smiled at Sally.

  “This world, she is a-changin’,” said a woman named Betty. “What with the Internet and all, people are finding each other who never would have had the chance otherwise.”

  “Exactly.” Zoe grabbed a cookie after all and nibbled at it. “I just want to spread a little love in Smitten.”