by Angela Evans
His mother’s expression turned from joyous to troubled. “Oh, I’m afraid not.”
“What?” Dex’s gut clenched with worry. Had Amelia left? He was prepared to fly all the way to Alaska if he had to, but he really was hoping it didn’t come to that.
“She saw you walking with your sisters on the beach. I ran into her outside. She was…upset.” His mother urged him with a push on his arm. “You need to go find her if that’s what you’re going to do. I don’t think she plans to stay much longer. She had her suitcase with her.”
“Shit,” he mumbled under his breath. “Mom, I gotta go, but I promise I’ll be back.”
“Do what you need to do.” His mother and Marco both agreed. Their love for each other was infectious. Suddenly the idea of wearing a monkey suit and waiting at the altar didn’t sound like as much of a death sentence as he’d thought it would.
He took off through the back door of the venue, making a direct path towards the bungalow where Amelia had been staying even though he already knew what he’d find. If she’d had her suitcase with her she was checking out, heading home, and he just might have lost her forever. He should have come to find her first before the wedding, but his flight had been delayed and he’d been hurrying to get there on time. He’d wanted to make sure his mother knew he was there and intended to walk her down the aisle just as she’d asked him to. He should have at least called Amelia though, or gotten word to her somehow that he wasn’t leaving without seeing her. That he wasn’t just back for the wedding; he was back for her.
The front door to Amelia’s bungalow was open so he rushed in without knocking. But he didn’t find Amelia inside. Instead he found the housekeeper stripping the bed and piling the linens in the hallway outside the bedroom door.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled when he clearly startled the tiny woman. “Do you know where Amelia is? The woman who was staying here?”
“Oh, my gosh, you scared me!” she gasped.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized again.
“The woman who was staying here?” she asked.
“Yes. Do you know where she is?”
“Oh, no I’m sorry. She was gone when I got here. You might check the beach, though. Most guests like to make one last walk down the beach before they leave. Kind of saying goodbye, I guess,” she laughed nervously.
He was clearly still scaring the petite housekeeper, and Amelia wasn’t here, so he might as well leave. Maybe she had taken a last walk on the beach. If not, he had no idea where to look.
Rushing back out the front door of her bungalow, he paused on the top step to scan the horizon. Up and down the beach he saw people milling about, enjoying an afternoon in the crystal blue water and pristine sandy beaches. He looked for her reddish blonde hair, her creamy soft skin, and her beautiful, sexy smile. No sign of her. With a sigh, he was about to give up when he finally caught a glimpse of her. He knew it was her instantly; he recognized the frame of her shoulders and the familiar way she tossed her head to move her hair back from her face. Her suitcase rested nearby on the beach, but she had waded out into the ocean up to her knees. Holding her skirt inches above the water to keep it dry, she tipped her face back towards the sky and inhaled. Was she saying goodbye to Barefoot Bay? Was she remembering the time she had swam with him and enjoyed those tempting kisses just before they made love the first time? Or was she cursing him? Honestly he had no idea what to expect.
He’d walked into rooms filled with armed drug dealers and had less anxiety. At least in that situation he knew what to expect, and knew how to defend himself so he got back out alive. In this situation, she was holding all the cards. If she decided to walk away, there was nothing he could do about it, and he wouldn’t blame her. But he would leave Barefoot Bay with a broken heart. And that was more terrifying than any situation he’d ever faced as a cop.
He descended the stairs slowly and made his way across the beach. It was as if he was approaching a timid animal in the woods, afraid he might scare her away before he got to say his piece. Only problem was he had absolutely no idea what he was going to say to her.
“Amelia.” He spoke her name to get her attention, and at first he didn’t think she heard him because she didn’t turn around. After what felt like an eternity, she slowly turned to face him. Her expression unreadable.
“You came,” she said.
“Yeah, I came. I didn’t get to come find you before the wedding because my flight was delayed,” he rushed to explain, but she gave him no quarter. He had no idea what she was thinking or if she even cared.
“Oh,” she said.
“I was an ass, and you were right.” He wasn’t one for fancy words or painting pretty pictures, so he gave up trying to find the right words to say and just said what he was thinking.
“About what?” she asked, her head tilted slightly to the right like she was trying to figure out a difficult puzzle.
“Everything,” he said simply. “You have every right to be mad. After what happened at the bakery, I should have handled things differently. I told myself I was protecting you by keeping my distance, but you were right. I was protecting myself. Keeping everyone at arm’s reach so nobody could really get close enough to me to hurt me.”
“No, I wasn’t right. I was scared and I was hurt and I lashed out at you. I shouldn’t have expected any more from you than you were willing to give. You made it clear from the start you weren’t looking for more than a vacation fling. I messed that up when I let myself fall in love with you.”
Dex’s heart stutter-stepped at her declaration. She loved him! He wanted to shout and cheer, but her body language told him she wasn’t as happy about it as he was. He couldn’t suppress a smile, though, no matter how hard he tried.
He was standing on the beach looking at the most beautiful sight he’d ever laid eyes on, grinning like a fool.
“Stop smiling,” she snapped, but he saw the edges of her own mouth twitch as she tried not to.
“I love you, too,” he said, once again relying on his plainspoken ways to say what needed saying.
“You do?” She was shocked, her mouth no longer smiling, but hanging open in surprise. Her eyes filled with tears he hoped came from happiness.
“Yeah. And it scares the hell out of me.” Now she did laugh. Dex couldn’t resist anymore; he pulled her into his arms, soaking his pants from the knees down, and he lifted her up, pulling her into a kiss. It had not even been three days since he’d last kissed her, but it felt like a lifetime had passed. He’d never get his fill of her, not even if he kissed her like this every day for the rest of his life. But it would sure be enjoyable to try.
Breathless, she lifted her head and met his eyes with her own, now heavy with desire. “I checked out of my bungalow already, and I have a flight to catch home.”
“My bungalow has turned into the honeymoon suite,” he laughed. “What are you telling your family? What did you decide to do?” He held his breath while he waited for his answer.
“Until about five minutes ago, I truly had no idea. I know I’m not staying in Alaska, but I didn’t know if I could stay here without you. Everywhere I look is filled with memories of you,” she admitted, and he knew he had her. She was his, and he was hers.
Reaching behind him with one hand, while the other arm still held her firmly against him, he pulled the piece of paper from his pocket. “I quit my job with the department.”
“What? You did what?” She pushed back away from him. “I never asked you to do that. You love being a cop.”
“Agent Anderson, from that day at the bakery, offered me an amazing opportunity, and I can do it from anywhere. Here, Alaska, or anywhere else you want to live.” He held the paper up for her to see.
She snatched the paper from his hand and read. “The FBI?”
“Yeah, they apparently had been looking to expand their unit here, but since I didn’t know where you planned to land, I asked to keep things open-ended for now.” He watched as the words
sunk in and she realized what he meant. That he intended to go wherever she was going. “If you’ll have me,” he added.
“If I’ll have you?” she said in awe.
“Life with a cop isn’t easy. There will be times you won’t know where I am, and there will be a lot of late nights waiting for me to get home. But I promise to always do my best to come back to you safely.”
“I contacted the owner of the bakery, The Donut Hole, and they’re willing to sell it to me.” She said in a rush. “I wouldn’t mind staying here.”
“If you’re here, then here is home,” he vowed.
“Could you say it again?” she asked with a slight blush tinting her cheeks beneath her freckles.
“What?”
“I love you,” she said.
“I do. I love you,” he said, with more conviction than he thought he was capable of a few weeks ago.
He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her until they both got lost in the moment. Forgetting they were on a beach in front of anyone who cared to watch, he wondered if that’s how it would always be with them. He angled his head to the perfect alignment to kiss her; his tongue sought entrance to her mouth and, immediately given access, he groaned. Her hands were in his hair and he urgently wished he had a room reserved at the resort.
They were startled apart by a crowd cheering just beside them. He looked up in shock to see his mother, her new husband, both of his sisters, Willow Hershey, and her husband standing on the beach cheering them on.
Naomi couldn’t resist the opportunity to give him a hard time. “You two should get a room.”
“Ah, bad news there. The resort is completely full!” Willow said with a smile.
“We’re not staying. We have a flight to catch.” Dex said.
“You’re coming with me?” Amelia asked in surprise.
“Just try to get away. I told you I have a weakness for sweet things.” He didn’t intend to let her out of his reach, and he wanted to stand beside her when she told her family she was moving to Mimosa Key to follow her dream and live happily ever after with him.
* * *
Amelia wiped her hands nervously on the apron she wore over her pink sundress. Pink was now the signature color of Dangerously Sweet, the only bakery in Mimosa Key. Today was opening day.
Leslie approached her behind the counter and gave her a gentle nudge. “You ready?” she asked, nodding to the line of customers waiting outside the door.
“I had no idea…” Amelia said with amazement. She had hoped she’d have some customers on the first day, but she had not expected to have a line down the block. She could see familiar faces in the crowd; Willow Hershey and her partners at Barefoot Brides were waiting eagerly. There were others she’d gotten to know in the whirlwind month she’d spent since moving to Mimosa Key. The one face she was searching for didn’t seem to be waiting, though. Dex was working and had promised he would get here before she flipped the sign to ‘open’ for the first time, but she knew sometimes with his job things didn’t go according to his plan. She wouldn’t hold it against him if he couldn’t make it, but she really hoped he would.
The glass bakery cases were filled with gourmet cupcakes of every variety, and with a nod to the old name of the bakery, she and Leslie had made every type of doughnut they could think of. It was important to Amelia to give the bakery a new name, something that fit her new life so the sign out front now proudly read Dangerously Sweet. It was the one part of her dream of owning a small town bakery that had changed. No longer did she envision the bakery with a proper French name. Other than that, every single one of her dreams had come true. Some of them in the most unexpected ways.
“Okay, I guess it’s time to do this,” Amelia said as she glanced at the clock and over her shoulder at the back door once more.
“I’m sure he’ll make it. Maybe we could wait a few minutes?” Leslie had become a good friend as they worked side by side to reopen the bakery. She knew Mimosa Key like the back of her hand, and she’d given Amelia terrific advice as they remodeled the damaged building and worked to perfect recipes for the menu.
“Let’s just go ahead and open. I don’t want to leave everyone waiting out there any longer. He’ll get here, and it’s okay if he’s not here right when I open the doors.” She was convincing herself as much as she was Leslie.
“Hey, I’m here!” Dex’s voice echoed from the kitchen as he rushed through the door.
“You made it!” She couldn’t contain her happiness. “I didn’t think you were going to.”
“Never doubt me,” he said with a loud kiss on her lips. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Besides, I need a doughnut,” he laughed as he snatched one from the tray waiting on the counter. Amelia’s plan was to give away dozens of free doughnuts today as samples in hopes it would create loyal customers later.
“You can’t resist your sweets,” Amelia teased.
“You’re my favorite sweet, and you’re right. I can’t resist you…or the baked goods.” Dex’s smile was infectious.
“Okay let’s open the doors!” Amelia declared and flipped the sign on the front window to read open, unlocking the door to let the streams of customers inside. She couldn’t contain the enormous smile on her face, so she didn’t bother to try.
The rest of the day passed in a delicious blur. Amelia met more people and shook more hands than she could remember. The local newspaper had come by to take pictures for an article they planned to run later in the week. The local police chief had come by and placed a standing order for a dozen doughnuts every morning. She had already signed an agreement with Barefoot Brides to provide wedding cakes for all of the destination weddings the trio of women organized at the resort.
Dex was back when she flipped the sign to closed. After they wished Leslie a good evening, they took a cup of coffee to the kitchen. The same place where Amelia had once been locked in the cooler with Dex’s family. That day seemed like a distant memory now, and Amelia felt wrapped in so many layers of happiness and joy that nothing bad could touch her. The kitchen had been so damaged by the gunshots and small fire that had started she had taken it as an opportunity to remodel. Today it looked nothing like it had that day. The walkout cooler had been replaced with a new model that had a safety latch so it could always be opened from the inside.
“Good day?” Dex asked with a smile.
“I couldn’t have dreamed it to go any better,” Amelia admitted with her own smile. “My brothers called this morning before we opened to wish me well. I think each of them is planning their own visit in the next few months.”
Dex and Amelia had flown to Alaska together, holding hands and sneaking stolen kisses the entire way, to tell her family she wouldn’t be returning to run the lodge’s kitchen. She was chasing her own dreams and making her own life with the man she loved with all her heart. They were surprised and skeptical of her sudden change of mind, but in the end they couldn’t deny how happy she was now.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw you smiling this much. It’s like you’re radiating happiness!” Luke had exclaimed when he pulled her aside to make sure she knew what she was doing.
“I feel like I woke up from a really long nap. I was sleeping the entire time I was living here, agreeing to marry Jeffery and running the kitchen here. I love all of you and nothing will ever change that, but Alaska was your dream,” she gestured around to encompass all of her brothers. “You guys and Dad wanted this. Mom went along because it made Dad happy. I was never happy here. It never felt like home to me.”
“And you feel like Florida is home?” he asked, with a raised eyebrow almost daring her to say yes.
“I feel like wherever Dex is will be my home. But I also feel like I’m more relaxed and more comfortable in Mimosa Key than I’ve ever been in my life. Whether that’s the place or the person, I may never know,” Amelia said with a sigh.
“That’s good enough for me.” Luke kissed her on top of the head and went off to find th
e rest of the guys.
“Hello? You still with me?” Dex waved his hand in front of her face to bring her out of her daydream.
“Yeah, I was just remembering the last conversation I had with Luke before we left,” she told him.
“Oh?” Dex had stood toe to toe with her imposing brothers. Each one of them was over six feet tall, and their musclebound shoulders strained their flannel-insulated shirts. He’d never backed down, but he’d also managed to win them over with his love for Amelia and his desire to make her happy.
“He asked me if Mimosa Key felt like home,” she answered.
“And what did you say?” Dex asked.
Amelia put her coffee cup down and circled the center island to wrap herself in Dex’s arms. “I told him wherever you were felt like home.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Dex kissed her and she felt the familiar tingle begin to sing through her veins. “So, tell me…do you have any of that frosting sitting around here we could take home with us?”
Amelia laughed. Dex had been saying since the first time she baked for him he wanted to smear the sugary stuff all over her and enjoy himself as he licked it off. “Are you serious?” She could feel herself blushing.
“Oh, you have no idea. I told you I can’t resist sweets.” Dex nibbled on her neck.
“I think your love of sweets could become dangerous if we don’t watch it,” Amelia sighed as he kissed her again.
“The only sweet I want now is you,” Dex said as he grabbed the bowl of icing Amelia had pointed out and pulled her towards the door. “Let’s lock up. Quick.”
As much as the idea made her blush, Amelia found herself hurrying to lock up the bakery so she could get home with Dex. On a sigh, she stopped as she was pulling the door closed. Looking around, she marveled again how every single one of her dreams had come true; even if some of them looked a little different than she’d expected. Sometimes the best things really did happen when she ignored her recipe.
Closing the door, she turned to find Dex waiting for her, leaning against the SUV the FBI had given him to drive. “What are you thinking?” he asked.
