by Nicole Ellis
Velma glared at him. His fists clenched and he felt anger boil up through his veins, but he pushed it down. As much as he’d like to take the older woman to task, as a member of the Candle Beach police department, he had to maintain a good image for the department.
“She went home,” Velma said flatly, and left the room.
Angel and Jake watched her leave.
“I’m so sorry about that.” Angel walked over to the sink to wash her hands and then regloved. “I don’t know why she would have said that. In the week I’ve been here, Maggie has been the best boss I could possibly ask for. And she’s always telling stories about Alex. I can tell she loves being a mother. I don’t know what she’s been through in the past, but she seems to be making being a career woman and a mother work for her.”
He smiled at her. “Thanks. I appreciate the support.”
“No problem. I can tell you’re a good guy and you care about her.” She laughed bitterly. “I’ve dated some real winners and I’d marry the first one who came to my rescue the way you just did for Maggie.”
He chuckled a little. “I hope she feels the same way about me. She’s come to mean a lot to me in the small amount of time we’ve been together.” He turned to leave. “It was nice to meet you, Angel. I’ll check to see if Maggie’s home now.”
She waved from her station and he left. In this day and age, he was surprised to meet anyone who still thought a woman couldn’t work outside the home and be a good mother.
He drove to her house, hoping that she’d finally give in and talk to him.
He knocked on Maggie’s door. Although there was a light on in her bedroom, no one answered the door. He waited a few minutes and then left. When she was ready to talk to him, she knew where to find him.
20
Maggie had dropped Alex off the night before at her parents’ house so she could come in for the five o’clock morning shift with Angel. The younger woman was working out well at the café, but Maggie still needed to teach her how to make a few more of the café’s signature pastries. And if they weren’t ready early in the morning, her regular customers would not be happy.
Jake had stopped calling and coming by her apartment. She’d had a full day to cool down and she still wasn’t sure how she felt about him. The news that he was only interested in her to fulfill a promise to her deceased husband had shocked her to the core, but he was still her son’s uncle and she didn’t want to come between him and Alex.
After a morning of rolling dough for cinnamon rolls and wrangling the staff, she took a well-deserved coffee break in her office. She was enjoying the luxury of time to stare off into space when her phone rang. It was Gretchen.
“Hey.” Gretchen’s voice was cheery and music to Maggie’s ears after the long morning she’d had.
“Hey, yourself. What’s up?”
“I have some news for you.” Gretchen let the tension build.
“What?” Maggie couldn’t help asking.
“You know the farmhouse property you liked so much? Well, I have some good news for you.”
“You do?” The property had gone under contract almost two weeks before, and she wasn’t sure she’d call that good news.
“The other buyer’s offer fell through.”
Gretchen’s words slipped through Maggie’s brain like water dripping down a staircase. She’d thought the farm property was out of the picture and had put it out of her mind.
“What does that mean?” A sliver of hope edged at her consciousness.
“It means you can put an offer in now. It’s back on the market.”
Maggie leaned back in her chair. On one hand, she was excited about the possibility of buying the property, but it had already caused her so much stress and with things with Jake up in the air and falling fast, she didn’t know if she could handle going through that again.
“Can I think about it and let you know?”
“Sure,” Gretchen said. “But keep in mind there could be other interested parties. If you’re serious about it, we need to put an offer in ASAP.”
“Got it. Thanks, Gretchen. I’ll let you know by later this afternoon.”
She hung up the phone and her eyes wandered around her office. Her legs twitched, wanting to get out of the tiny room. She pushed herself up from the chair and took her coat off the hook.
“I’m taking my lunch break,” she called to her staff. They nodded to show they’d heard.
With everything going on, she wasn’t hungry, but coffee sounded good. She stopped off at the espresso stand near the beach and ordered a grande latte. Her legs carried her down to the beach by muscle memory. In a few minutes, she was standing on the sand and wondering how she got there. This was where she always came to think—something she desperately needed today.
She perched on a beach log and slowly sipped the creamy coffee. Two weeks ago, she’d been devastated by the loss of the farm property, but buoyed by a budding romance with Jake. Now, things had turned about-face and she had another crack at her catering center, but she’d lost the guy. Amazing how fast things could change. She knew that all too well.
Was owning the barn and farmhouse in her future? She’d purchased the café using Brian’s life insurance policy and worked hard to make it a success, taking it from a greasy spoon to a popular eating spot for locals and tourists. It was a legacy she hoped to pass down to Alex. Could she really put that at risk to pursue this new dream of hers?
She stared out at the waves. They crashed rhythmically on the shore, washing away any imperfections in the sand. The wind blew her hair back and she shivered before taking a sip of her hot drink. Most people flocked to the ocean beaches in the summer, but this was when she really enjoyed them. In the winter, she often had the beach to herself—a perfect place of solitude to reflect on things. Usually, when she had a problem, she could sit here and let the shifting sands melt away her concerns. But Jake’s betrayal and the immense responsibility of taking on a new business venture were too big for the sands to sweep away.
She stood and breathed in the cool air, allowing herself some peace before returning to her busy life. She didn’t want to lose Jake, but it seemed as though she already had. Now she needed to get up the courage to tell him things were over and somehow do it in a way that didn’t make things awkward between Jake and Alex. That would be tricky.
She knew what she had to do about the farm property. Buying it just wasn’t a smart move for her current situation. Her stomach churned at the realization, but her mind felt clearer as the decision jelled.
She stopped at the garbage can at the top of the beach access stairs and threw in the coffee cup, turning to stare one more time into the ocean’s abyss. Things had to get better from here, right?
After work, Maggie stopped by Jake’s room at the B&B. She exited her car, eyeing the door with trepidation. It was a far cry from the joy she’d experienced a few days before when she’d come over to tell him she loved him and was ready to move forward with their relationship.
Before she reached the door, it swung open. Jake stepped outside, a tentative smile on his face.
“Maggie. I didn’t expect to see you.” He held his hand out to her, but she didn’t take it. He stopped on the step.
“I had some thinking to do.”
He nodded. “And what did you decide?”
She took a deep breath. “I don’t think this is going to work.”
The color drained from his face and he looked as sad as she felt herself. “Can you tell me why? I thought everything was going great until you ran away from me. Was my gift choice that bad?” He laughed nervously.
She shook her head. “It wasn’t your gift. It was a lovely gesture. Thank you.”
Her heart pounded. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go with him. She’d been so sure that he was the right person for her. That is, until she’d overheard those fateful words, “I promised Brian I’d take care of her.” She reached up behind her neck to unclasp the silver neckl
ace chain and held it up to him, but he waved it away.
“Keep it,” he said gruffly. “I want you to have it.”
He wasn’t a bad person—after all, he’d kept the promise he’d made to his brother. The problem was that he didn’t love her, and she needed that. All the caring in the world didn’t mean anything if there wasn’t love attached to it.
“I want things to stay the same between you and Alex.” She looked directly into his eyes, which glistened with unshed tears. If he was only in it because of a strange sense of duty, why was it bothering him so much for her to end things? Did he feel that strong of a commitment to his promise?
“Of course.” He reached for her shoulder. “Are you sure we can’t work things out? I really thought there was something between us.”
She shrank back. If he touched her, it would be over. She’d turn into a melting puddle of tears and she couldn’t let him see her like that.
“Maggie.” He hesitated. “Is it because of Brian? Are you not ready to date again?”
He didn’t need to know why she’d broken things off. He was a good guy, and it seemed easier to agree with him.
She nodded, glanced at him tearfully and speed walked back to her car. She could feel his eyes following her until she was down the street.
21
Jake retreated into his room, the small space closing in on him. He opened the back window for some air and sat on the queen-sized bed, staring at the blank television screen on the wall.
What had just happened? Things had been going well with Maggie, and even after she’d freaked out on Christmas Day he’d expected they’d be able to patch things up. Now, there didn’t seem to be much hope of that ever happening. He loved his brother, but there wasn’t any way he could compete with a dead man.
How was he going to stay in Candle Beach now? Memories of Maggie were everywhere in town. And it wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go. He leaned down with his elbows on his knees and hung his head low. The town had started to grow on him. He’d just gotten settled here and didn’t want to leave. But did he have a choice?
As if on cue, his cell phone rang, with the readout showing an unknown caller. He tapped the answer icon. “Hello?”
“Jake Price?”
“Yes, this is Jake.”
“This is Adler Saymet from the United States Border Patrol. I’m calling about your application for a Border Patrol agent job in our Blaine, Washington office.”
He sat up straight. “Yes, sir.”
“The Senior Agent you interviewed with was very impressed with your skills and qualifications. We’d like to offer you the position. We need you up there immediately as we have a training class starting Wednesday of next week.”
His thoughts tumbled over each other. His feelings were mixed. This could be the way out of Candle Beach that he needed, but was it what he wanted?
“Can I think about it?”
The man on the other end of the line laughed. “We have thousands of people applying for every opening we get. As I said before, the position starts immediately. Are you interested in the position or should we move on to the next person on the list?”
There wasn’t much choice. He knew if he didn’t take the job offer, he’d never get another chance.
“Yes. I’ll be there.” He took down the details and hung up. Then he flopped backwards on the bed. Well, it was done. He was leaving Candle Beach—and Maggie—behind. Before he could make a permanent move to Northern Washington, he needed to get some things in Portland straightened out, including clearing out his storage unit.
Most importantly, he needed to say goodbye to Alex. He knew Maggie planned to drive down the next day to visit his parents in Portland, so he’d do it then. It wouldn’t be a forever goodbye, he’d only be five hours away when he started his new job, but it would be a major change in the relationship he’d cultivated with the boy over the last month. His stomach twinged. He didn’t want to leave Alex, but as much as Maggie said she didn’t want things to be awkward, he knew things would never be the same between Alex and him again.
He walked the mile distance to the police station and tendered his resignation to the police chief.
“I’m sorry to see you go. We don’t often get candidates with as much experience as you have.” Chief Lee looked at him with a keen eye. “Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to convince you to stay?”
Jake drew his lips into a thin line. “I’m sorry sir, but there isn’t. Due to personal reasons, I don’t feel I can stay in Candle Beach any longer.”
“Does this have anything to do with a certain young lady?” The chief stared at him.
“It may,” Jake admitted. “But things aren’t working out with her the way I’d like.”
“I understand.” The chief clapped him on the back. “If you ever need anything, let me know. I’d be happy to provide a recommendation for you if you ever need one. In the short time you’ve been here, you’ve done excellent work.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ll miss everyone here too.”
Jake left the police station and walked out to Main Street. If he was going to leave early the next morning, he needed to make his goodbyes now.
He pushed open the door to To Be Read. Dahlia was with a customer at the counter, but she waved at him to let him know she’d seen him. He ordered a drip black coffee from the espresso bar and perused the titles in the mystery section while he waited for her to be free.
“Hey.” She tapped him on the arm. “How are things going with Maggie? Did you get everything worked out?” She stared at him expectantly.
“No.” He breathed deeply. “Actually, she broke up with me. That’s the reason I came by. I’m leaving town to take a job with the Border Patrol. I wanted to thank you and Garrett for being so welcoming. I’ve truly enjoyed being here in Candle Beach.”
Dahlia’s smile faded and her expression became puzzled. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. She hasn’t said anything to Gretchen or me about there being any issues. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand her? I’d hate for you to leave here. I know she cares deeply about you.”
He laughed harshly. “Oh yeah. She was quite clear.” He pursed his lips. “The truth is, she’s not over my brother.” He sighed. “I understand her position, I just wish I’d known before I fell in love with her.”
Dahlia’s eyebrows rose and her mouth dropped open. Jake immediately realized what he’d said.
“I shouldn’t have said that. I should have known she wasn’t ready for anything serious. But she’s so darn wonderful, I couldn’t keep myself from falling for her.”
She laughed. “I know the feeling. The same thing happened to me with Garrett. I didn’t think I was ready for a relationship until it practically bit me on the rear.”
“Well, in your case, Garrett wasn’t attached to someone else.” He put his hand on her arm for a moment. “Anyways. Thanks. I’ve appreciated your friendship.”
His next stop was the property management company.
Gretchen looked up from her desk with surprise. “Jake. I didn’t expect to see you.”
“I’m only here for a minute. I wanted to tell you I was leaving town.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Does Maggie know?”
“No. But I think she’ll be relieved I’m going. She broke up with me about two hours ago.”
Gretchen stood to hug him and then sat down on the edge of her desk. “I can’t believe it. She seemed so happy.”
“That’s what I thought.” He shrugged. “But I guess appearances are deceiving.”
“She turned down the opportunity to buy the Sorensen farm too. She just called me about an hour ago.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “What do you mean? Did the prior offer fall through?”
She nodded. “It did. But Maggie said she couldn’t risk everything to buy it. I was surprised. She seemed to really want it. Usually when Maggie wants something, she hangs onto it like a dog with a bone.”<
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He smiled sadly. “I know. Her tenacity is one of the things that attracted me to her.”
“Something’s going on with her, but I don’t know what. She’s not talking—at least to me. Are you sure you have to leave?”
“The job I’d applied for before coming to Candle Beach came through. If I don’t take it now, it won’t be there waiting for me.” He looked ruefully at her. “I can’t stay in Candle Beach, not without Maggie.”
“I understand. I’ll let Maggie know, okay?” She glanced at him with concern. “Did you tell Alex yet? He’s going to miss you.”
“I’m heading down to Portland tomorrow morning to see my parents and collect some of my belongings. Maggie said she was bringing Alex down there too, so I’ll see him then. Probably good to see him on neutral territory.”
She hugged him again. “We’ll miss you. Good luck with your new job.”
“Thanks.” He left the office and walked aimlessly down Main Street. Across the street, children were playing on the swings in the grassy park next to the town square. He’d planned to put down roots and spend the rest of his life in this idyllic town. When he first arrived, he’d doubted the town’s charms would affect him, but he’d grown to love the place in the short time he’d lived there. Now it would be just another place he’d lived temporarily.
Maggie threw herself into her work to forget about Jake. She planned to take Alex down to Portland to visit his grandparents for a few days and she needed to get everything sorted out at the café before she left. Hiring Angel had made things easier, but she didn’t yet have Bernadette’s experience as Maggie’s right-hand woman, so she’d had to string together a team to manage the place in her absence. Luckily, she’d gotten the schedule finalized and everything seemed to have fallen into place.
That was, until Velma cornered her next to the schedule hanging on the café’s kitchen wall.
