by Mia Ross
“That’s my goal, too.” She’d meant every word, but his wary look made her think he didn’t believe her. “Did I say something wrong?”
He hesitated, clearly debating whether to start something with her. They didn’t know each other well, and she wondered just how much backbone this small-town mayor had under that neatly pressed blue oxford shirt.
Leaning in, his eyes darkened to a murky color that warned her a storm was coming. “Let’s get one thing straight right now. I know you’re here to rescue your career from the trash heap. I also know this is the last spot on earth you want to be. So let’s not pretend you came because Holiday Harbor fascinates you and you’re thrilled with this assignment.”
Narrowing her eyes, she angled closer just to show him she wasn’t intimidated. She seldom went toe-to-toe with such a worthy opponent, and she relished the opportunity. “Fair enough. Since we’re being so honest, tell me why you really came back to a town so small, you need a magnifying glass to find it on a map.”
A waitress headed their way, and they both eased back to create a more sociable appearance. She took their appetizer order, casting several admiring looks at Cooper before strolling back inside.
“Sickening,” Bree groused. “Does every woman within five miles have a thing for you?”
“Actually the older ones prefer my Uncle Joe.”
He said it with a completely straight face, and she had to laugh. “You must have killed in the courtroom. I’m usually good at reading people, and I couldn’t tell you were joking.”
“I wasn’t.” Taking a sip of water, he set it down and began. “Anyway, like I told you earlier, after Yale I worked at a big firm in New York. Lots of cases, high-profile clients, all the trimmings.”
Not all of it had been good, she deduced from his shifting expressions. Watching him tell it was even better than digging it up online. “And you dated—let me guess—an actress.”
“A model.” His mouth quirked into a cute half grin. “I was almost engaged to Felicia.”
“The Felicia?” When he nodded, she clapped quietly. “Very nice. But you said ‘almost.’ What happened?”
“I had a major court case that went on forever. Long story short, we won, and my client was thrilled with the result.” He paused, waiting until the waitress set down their crab cakes and informed them their lobsters would be out shortly. Once she was gone, he continued. “Then the moron told me I’d had a little help winning the case.”
Bree leaned in. “From the judge?”
Cooper shook his head. “From my client. Apparently, he didn’t tell me everything, just what he felt I needed to know to get him acquitted.”
“He lied to you?”
“Withheld key facts,” Cooper corrected her with a grimace. “Since it was a complex financial issue, the details might not have mattered to the jury, but they mattered to me. I’d faced that kind of thing a few times before, but this time I couldn’t rationalize it away. The next day I quit my job and asked Felicia to come back here and marry me.”
Bree made a show of looking around. “Not exactly nirvana for models.”
“No, but I thought she loved me and wanted to be my wife.” Another grimace. “Turned out she loved New York more.”
A few choice words came to mind, but Bree kept them to herself. He’d loved the woman enough to marry her after all. It wouldn’t make him feel any better if Bree insulted the self-centered twit, even if she totally deserved it.
“Now it’s your turn,” Cooper said, popping half a crab cake into his mouth. “Should I be worried about some jealous boyfriend coming to beat me up for taking you out to dinner?”
“You might,” she said in between bites. “If I had one.”
“You’re kidding.” When she shook her head, he stared at her like she’d just beamed in from another galaxy. “How does that happen to someone as pretty as you?”
Since the man had been engaged to one of People magazine’s Most Beautiful Women, and had a very dry wit besides, Bree wasn’t sure she should take him seriously. But his stunned demeanor never changed, and she decided he was playing it straight this time.
“I’m too busy,” she said simply. When he cocked his head in disbelief, she figured that since he’d been up front with her, she owed him the truth. “Even if I wasn’t, my parents’ messy divorce convinced me that constant traveling and marriage don’t mix.”
Cooper absorbed it with a somber expression. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be. I was in college when they finally split, and to be honest, it was a relief. My dad was an AP correspondent, and we moved around a lot. When he was on assignment, they fought about him being away too much. When he was home, they fought about him being underfoot. Not the best model for happily ever after.”
“I guess not.” After a sip of water, he asked, “Which one of them came up with your unique name?”
Bree groaned. “My mother. She’s a hopeless romantic, and her favorite movie is Sabrina. You know, the one where the two rich brothers fall in love with the butler’s daughter who used to be a plain Jane and—poof!—turns into Audrey Hepburn?”
Grinning, Cooper forked up a cherry tomato from his salad. “Sounds familiar.”
“As if that wasn’t mortifying enough, she saddled me with Constance for a middle name. It’s a tribute to some aunt she adored, but really, who uses names like that anymore?”
He laughed, and even though it was at her expense, she couldn’t help joining in. There was something about him that made her feel at ease, as if he’d pushed some invisible “relax” button inside her that no one else had ever found. While they devoured their lobsters, they chatted comfortably about nothing in particular. Before long, it felt as if they’d known each other for years instead of only a few hours.
For dessert they ordered a humongous slice of Boston cream pie and two forks. It was like a scene from some gushy romantic movie, but Bree was having such a great time, she decided to ignore the sappiness and just enjoy the evening.
They’d nearly finished off their pie when he said, “I almost forgot to tell you how the lighthouse got its name.”
Actually Mavis already had, but Bree decided to let him have his moment. “That’s right. Go ahead.”
“After a dozen ships or so broke up on those rocks, the townsfolk got together and built the tower. They called it Last Chance because it was the captains’ last chance to correct their course before running aground.”
“Neat story,” she murmured, scribbling it down even though she’d recorded Mavis telling it earlier. Normally she wouldn’t humor a source this way, but Cooper had been so great with her, she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
“So, that’s it.” Setting down his dessert fork, he checked his watch. “I guess I should get you back, then.”
It had been a long, exhausting day, and she was definitely ready to hit the sack. But when she opened her mouth to agree, she heard herself say, “If you’ve got time, I wouldn’t mind hearing some more about the summer-long regatta.”
What? Where had that come from? Betrayed by her suddenly unpredictable emotions, Bree forced herself to smile as if she hadn’t completely lost her mind.
Fortunately Cooper either didn’t notice her momentary lapse of sanity or he was so accustomed to odd characters it didn’t bother him. “Sure. What do you want to know?”
“Whatever you think people who aren’t from around here would find interesting. Quirky,” she clarified, pulling her steno pad over to take notes. “Like what kind of costume does Reggie wear?”
Threading his fingers together on the table, Cooper grinned. “He’s always Teddy Roosevelt. Even wears little glasses and a forest ranger’s hat.”
“Who does Mavis go as?”
“Mavis. She doesn’t think much of dressing up herself
, but she’s got no reservations about decking out Reggie. She says he enjoys pretending to be someone else once in a while.”
Laughing, Bree jotted that down and set up her phone to record. If this first nugget was any indication, she was in for some Holiday Harbor gold.
Chapter Four
Cooper had neglected to tell Bree the tan hatchback he’d borrowed for her was a standard. Shifting wasn’t her favorite thing to do at seven in the morning, and she ground her teeth along with the transmission. She vaguely recalled learning the basic concepts in high school, but stalled it several times before getting the hang of the clutch and shifter. Mavis paused in her laundry hanging to watch, and while Bree couldn’t hear anything, in the side mirror she saw the woman laughing at her.
Ignoring her, Bree finally slid the little car into gear, working the pedals to keep it running while she gradually built up speed. It was fortunate she didn’t have to use the highway, she thought as she drove up over the ridge and headed for town. She would’ve gotten a ticket for impeding traffic.
On Main Street the sleepy village had already come to life. Cars and pickups were lined up in the diagonal parking spots, and she had to park a good distance from the business district. Glancing toward the docks, she noticed those lots were full up, and the fleet of fishing vessels was gone. Every pier post was occupied by a seagull, snoozing while they waited for the boats to come back and toss out something for them to eat.
Since there wouldn’t be much activity down there for a while, Bree set her sights on what was going on in town. Cooper’s law office was closed, but she was surprised to find the neighboring door wide open. Brown paper covered the huge display windows, but classical music was playing inside. Taking a shot, she strolled in, hoping to find someone interesting to talk to.
The ceilings had to be fourteen feet high, and judging by the built-in shelving that ringed the open space, the building had once been a general store. The hardwood floors and trim had been recently sanded, with several patches of different stains scattered here and there. An archway led into a dark hallway at the back, and a carved door marked Private obviously led upstairs to offices or an apartment. It was pretty rough now, but it didn’t take much imagination to see how it would look when everything was restored to its former character-filled glory.
“Hello?” Bree’s voice echoed through the cavernous room, and she heard footsteps in the hallway.
When the shop’s owner appeared, Bree almost swallowed her tongue. The gorgeous blonde dressed for a casual day at the country club could be only one person. “Whoa,” she breathed. “You’re Julia Stanton.”
Irritation flashed through the woman’s blue eyes before she masked it with a smile. “Yes. May I help you?”
What a coup this was. The daughter of Ambassador Frederick Stanton had disappeared from public life nearly a year ago, and the various media had tried to locate her, without success. Neglecting her recent vow to be more circumspect about things, Bree blurted out, “What are you doing here?”
“Renovating my building. What are you doing here?”
“Looking for someone to talk to. People get up and going pretty early around here.”
“We like to make the most of the day.” She eyed Bree’s steno pad like it was a pit viper. “I don’t speak to reporters.”
“Sorry.” Bree shoved the pad into her bag and offered her hand. “Bree Farrell. I’m doing a story on Holiday Harbor for Kaleidoscope magazine.”
That got her a frosty look. “So I’ve heard.”
Before the woman had a chance to boot her onto the sidewalk, Bree rushed ahead. “As a new resident, I’d love to get your take on the town. No names, I promise.”
Julia gave her a dubious look. “I’ve never had much success with reporters keeping promises.”
“That’s not how I operate.” Hoping to convince her, Bree added, “Do you have time for coffee? We can chat for a few minutes, and if you don’t like what I have to say, I’ll pretend I never met you.”
Julia hesitated, glancing around while she considered Bree’s offer. Clearly she was trying not to be rude, a skill she’d mastered while traveling the world as part of the U.S. Diplomatic Corps. Finally she met Bree’s gaze and said, “I’ve got coffee made already, but it’s pretty dusty in here. We can sit outside and talk, if you want.”
Bree had anticipated a flat-out no. Before Julia could change her mind, Bree agreed and headed for the door. Outside she ran into Derek Timms. Literally.
“Oh, man,” he said as he reached out to steady her. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“It was my fault,” she assured him with a laugh. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
He gave her the same broad friendly smile she’d gotten last night. Only now, in the sunlight, she noticed the gesture didn’t light up his eyes the way Cooper’s did. It had a practiced quality to it, as if he’d rehearsed so he could pull it out at a moment’s notice. She wasn’t sure what that meant, if anything, but she tucked the observation into her rapidly growing mental file.
Leaning back against a sporty red convertible parked at the curb, he said, “You look like you’re in a hurry. Can I give you a lift somewhere?”
The move plainly said, “This is my cool toy,” and she fought the urge to roll her eyes at his subtle boasting. “I’m just waiting for someone. Thanks, though.”
“A source? That’s what you journalists call them, right?”
He knew the answer to that, but for some reason he was pretending otherwise to get on her good side. Bree got the feeling he was well acquainted with how egos worked, since he seemed to have a healthy one of his own.
“That’s what we call them, all right,” she said as Julia glided up beside her. Including her in the conversation, Bree took the coffee Julia offered her with a smile. “But this one I just call ‘local shop owner.’”
“Our Julia doesn’t talk to the press,” he warned, flashing the lady in question an appreciative look. “We like having her all to ourselves.”
The warm atmosphere cooled slightly, but Julia’s gracious smile never faltered. “Thank you for the compliment, Derek. When you see Frances, please give her my best.”
That dampened his chipper mood, and he quickly disengaged from their conversation. After handing each of them a Vote for Derek! button, he got into his car and sped away.
“Were you talking about Frances Cook?” Bree asked quietly as she and Julia settled on a wrought-iron bench under the blue awning. The scent of vanilla and something more exotic drifted from their mugs, and she took a long delicious swallow. It tasted even better than it smelled.
“I’m not one for gossip.” Julia paused for a sip of coffee. “But I’ve seen them together, and she obviously adores him. I’m sure he’s harmless, but I don’t want to encourage his flirting when she seems to have her heart set on him.”
Derek was handsome and funny, and there was no question he had the Prince Charming routine down pat. Still Bree couldn’t for the life of her comprehend why any woman would put up with his roaming eye. Fortunately she managed not to say so. Instead she went with a noncommittal, “Huh. That’s interesting.”
Julia gave her a sharp look, then seemed to catch on and shifted to a knowing smile. “That’s your way of stalling, isn’t it? A response that doesn’t say anything, but keeps the discussion moving.”
Bree was impressed. Apparently, there was a lot more to Julia Stanton than Hollywood goddess looks and a bottomless bank account. “You seem to know a lot about my business.” Glancing backward at the blank storefront, she added, “I’d love to know more about yours.”
“Such as?”
“This is such a beautiful old building. What’s it going to be?”
The practiced expression gave way to excitement, and her eyes danced with enthusiasm. “A toy store.”
&nb
sp; “Really? In this economy, isn’t that kind of risky? I mean, how do you plan to compete with the big discount stores?”
“By offering things they don’t even know exist,” Julia replied proudly. “I’ll stock unique toys from all over the world, but for prices everyone can afford. The things they buy at Toyland will be their children’s favorites, and I’ll be the only one providing them.”
“A niche market,” Bree said, nodding to show she understood. “Very smart.”
“Thank you.”
Smiling, Julia leaned back and crossed one long elegant leg over the other. It was a movie star pose, and Bree was dying to snap a picture. But she’d made a promise to protect Julia’s privacy, and she wouldn’t dream of breaking it.
Completely by accident she’d stumbled across a woman who was neither her professional competition nor a rival for some guy’s attention. In her experience women like that were so rare, she could count her female friends on one hand.
It was too bad she’d be in town for such a short time, Bree thought wistfully. Under different circumstances she and Julia probably would have become friends.
* * *
“So, how was your morning?” Cooper asked when he connected with Bree outside his office early Friday afternoon.
“Great.” As she settled into the passenger seat, she added, “I met Julia Stanton, and we had a great time together. I even helped her do some work in her shop.”
“Funny, you didn’t strike me as the handy, do-it-yourself type.”
“I’m no contractor, but I’m perfectly capable of tearing down layers of old wallpaper,” she informed him airily. “That car you loaned me is another story.”
She gave him a wry smile, and he chuckled. “Sorry about that. All the rental companies were sold out.”
“It took me a while, but I remembered my driver’s ed lessons before I completely shredded the transmission. Mavis just about died laughing, though.”
“No doubt.” Tapping the to-go cups in the console, he nodded at the bag sitting on the dash. “I didn’t know what you’d like for lunch, so I brought a bunch of different sandwiches. Help yourself.”
