Kayaks and Kisses
A Vintage Romance
Maria Hoagland
Copyright © 2018 by Maria Hoagland
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Ice Cream and an Invitation
Dear Reader,
We are thrilled to bring you the first book in the Vintage Romance Series filled with contemporary retellings of some of your favorite classic novels and chick flicks. To celebrate, we’ve created custom ice cream flavors for each book. You can find the recipe to accompany
“Kayaks and Kisses”
S’mores Ice Cream
at the back of the book.
And, we’ll have a new flavor with each new release to don’t hesitate to pick them up and enjoy these sweet summer reads.
You can pick up a FREE bonus book from Maria Hoagland by signing up for her newsletter here.
Contents
Also by Maria Hoagland
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Vintage Romance Ice Cream
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also By Maria Hoagland:
Also by Maria Hoagland
Home for the Holidays
The ReModel Marriage
Beauty and the Billionaire Beast
The Inventive Bride
The Practically Romantic Groom
The Combustible Engagement
A “You’ve Got Mail” retelling with a twist of roasted marshmallows, pine trees, and fresh air.
Brynn Caley is about to start her dream career running an outdoor sporting goods store when an out-of-town business guru makes an offer on the property. A temporary partnership between Brynn, a ski expert, and Gage, a fishing guide, is the only way to keep the shop open year-round. She’s furious and she hasn’t even met the guy yet since he’s too busy to step out of his office and actually show up.
Through a series of innocent misconceptions and a few blatant lies while working on the construction crew updating the store, Gage manages to keep his identity as Brynn’s hated rival a secret while winning her heart.
As opening weekend looms, Gage will have to reveal his identity or lose everything he’s worked for—including the love of his life.
To Courtney, my chick-flick-loving, peanut-butter-eating romantic who knew this book needed to be set in Ruidoso. You bring me so much happiness.
Chapter 1
Brynn Caley was a competitive person. No doubt about it.
And by golly, she knew how to use that character trait—or flaw, depending on perception—to its fullest potential. A challenge was simply an opportunity for Brynn to push herself. She would meet and conquer whatever obstacle was in her way. After all, that’s what she’d been working her tail end off for ever since she was half the height of a ski. Well, okay, so maybe she hadn’t been working toward this specifically, but ingrained fierce determination left her with no option other than to fight for her newest goal.
As long as she could remember, Brynn had trained beyond the point of exhaustion even when she was bruised, bleeding, chafed, and frozen. She’d fallen, rolled, skidded, and sunk. Not only had she endured a torn ACL and subsequent surgery, she constantly sported multiple contusions in various colors of healing. She’d sustained one major concussion and two fractures. Brynn could force tears of frustration, pain, and defeat to evaporate into the air, crystalizing like snowflakes that no one would ever notice, and use those emotions to push herself that much farther the next time. She had a fighter attitude, and she wouldn’t give up. If defeatism had ever been part of her nature, it had long since metamorphosed into blinding, stubborn tenaciousness.
Having worked in retail before, Brynn wasn’t naïve enough to think that beating out the competition in the business world was the same as besting the top name on the leaderboard down the slopes, but she was confident that her determination would help her succeed as a small-business owner. Her experience—both in marketing and athletics—could be her driving force to overcome now that her latest dream was balancing over the edge of the cliff. Which was why, when she received an early-morning call from her real estate agent, Liz Spencer, Brynn was ready to act. She wouldn’t back down from this fight, though it might require more finesse than Brynn was used to exerting.
She breathed out, and then back in, allowing the thin mountain air to clear her mind as well as invigorate her lungs. With the start of fall, the overnight temperature had dipped under forty degrees. Instinct and years of experience had her body responding to the chilled air with the same adrenaline rush she felt on the cusp of every ski season. She was in her element, even if she wasn’t at the top of a black-diamond run. She could do this. No one knew ski equipment more than she did—which made her more than qualified to take over the resort town’s only outfitter. And she’d been here first—which made it justifiably hers, even if it did sound juvenile. She collected these assurances to bolster her conviction. She would charm the previous owner into selling to her, no problem.
Brynn waved as Liz stepped from her late-model sedan in the nearly empty parking lot. “Are you ready for this?” Brynn asked as soon as Liz reached her on the sidewalk. Liz had been cryptic over the phone—something about another interested party and stressing the need to make a decision today.
“Of course. We’ve got this.” Liz breezed it off as if a competitive offer was no problem at all. And to her, it probably wasn’t. Liz had probably done this hundreds of times. She was encouraging and accommodating with her clients, yet calculating and charismatic when fighting for their interests. “Let me give you the rundown before we step in.”
As they entered the commercial building for the second time in two weeks, the faded green awning that shaded the door crackled above their heads. Owen’s Outfitters was an oversized store that anchored a string of artsy boutiques on the main street of Ruidoso’s midtown shops. It was the perfect location for claiming both the casual window-shopper and the last-minute outdoorsman. But Brynn’s acquiring the store was a huge decision. Over the past two weeks, she had taken all the preliminary steps, yet she had struggled to sign on the dotted line. And now, perhaps she had hesitated a breath too long.
If nothing else, Liz’s phone call that morning had cemented Brynn’s resolve. That someone might steal her dream out from under her made her more than ready to act. Brynn felt an antsy nervousness to get inside and take care of this before she lost her opportunity.
“This is no more than a slight hiccup,” Liz said about the other interested buyer. “It’s nothing we can’t work through.”
“So, what am I looking at here? Am I going to have to offer more money?” A knot formed in Brynn’s stomach. The listing price already had Brynn worried she’d be stretched too thin, but thinking she might have to offer more made her physically sick. Brynn attempted to snag a look of her competition through the shop’s front door, but the glass reflected the midmorning sunlight and blocked any view.
Liz turn
ed her back to the window and crossed her arms over her chest. “Originally, you’d planned to take one last look at the property before deciding if you wanted to make an offer on Owen’s Outfitters, correct?”
“That was the plan.” Brynn punctuated the statement with a nod. She wished Liz would get to the unknown part, the part that had her on edge, but decided to be patient, bracing herself for the bad news that had to be coming.
“The store has been on the market for almost a year. The fact that you’ve been the first serious buyer to come forward has been working in your favor, giving you plenty of time to mull over your decision. Until now. An out-of-town businessman approached Mrs. Bradshaw this morning with a generous offer.” Liz paused.
Brynn felt the weight of the statement settle around her. An actual, official offer. Rats! One of the reasons Brynn had been dragging her feet was worry over the list price; she’d hoped to lowball an offer to ease the strain. A “generous” offer meant she’d have to be competitive if she wanted to be considered. Brynn felt her dream of owning the outdoor sporting goods store slipping away like snowpack in a spring thaw. She opened her mouth to protest, but Liz put up a ringed hand to stop her, a sleeve of bangles clattered from her wrist down her forearm.
“I know. But hear me out. There’s still hope.” Liz paused, letting Brynn get a hold of herself before she continued. “Mrs. Bradshaw hasn’t accepted his offer yet. She knows you. You’ve been in her store since you were ‘knee-high to a black bear’—her words, not mine—and she was thrilled when you started considering taking over the business. So, despite the fact that they are offering more, Mrs. Bradshaw felt some loyalty to you and wanted you to have a chance to negotiate.”
Brynn shook her head, unsure what to say and wondering what tack she should take. She wasn’t giving up.
“Before you worry too much, let’s go in and see what they have to say.” Liz turned to open the door.
“Who’s ‘they’? Who’s in there?”
“Mr. Konewko and his real estate agent, as well as—”
“Wait.” Brynn stopped Liz and gently closed the door so they wouldn’t be overheard. “‘Mr. Canoe Co.,’ as in, he owns a canoe company?” Brynn refused to let this intimidate her. “That’s the name of the business, not the person, right?” It was an insignificant detail, she knew, but Brynn didn’t want to say something to make herself look stupid.
“Sorry, no. I should have explained. It sounds like a company, but it’s actually the buyer’s name.” Liz spelled it for her.
“Hmm. Okay.” Brynn remembered what Liz had been saying when she’d interrupted. “When I walk inside, I’m going to be ambushed by Mr. Konewko and his agent, as well as …”
“Mrs. Bradshaw, of course. And that’s all. But you can’t blame Mrs. Bradshaw. As owner of Owen’s Outfitters, she wanted to talk with both interested parties together.”
“So she can incite a bidding war?” Brynn had to admire the octogenarian’s pluck.
Liz laughed at Brynn’s attempt at humor, but quickly turned serious. “Maybe, but I think she’s got something else on her mind.” She took a confident step toward the door. “Ready to go in? Let’s hear what they have to say and make a plan from there. I’m here for advice, if you have any questions. I’ll step in if I don’t think something is kosher. Got it?”
“Let’s do this.” Brynn put her game face on—which, as an athlete, was pretty much default mode.
Liz pulled on the door handle once again. A vintage brass bell tinkled as the door swung open. Accompanying the sound was the scent of mildewy carpet rushing into the autumn air. That stinky matted mess will be the first thing to go when I own the place, Brynn thought. The mental image Brynn had of ripping out the flooring and hauling it away was both satisfying and empowering.
“Here they are!” Mrs. Bradshaw sounded relieved, as if she’d been struggling to keep up a conversation with the young man who stood next to her.
Although Brynn tried not to notice, she saw that he was a handsome man in his mid-to-late twenties. His blond hair went from nearly brown at the roots to almost white at the ends with waves that swept toward the front. Brynn wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d just stepped out of the Pacific with a surfboard in hand or away from a mall-store photo shoot. Either way, somehow a beach had to be involved—a beach nowhere within a thousand miles of their tiny mountain town of Ruidoso, New Mexico.
His posture and dress exuded an air of superiority and entitlement. Brynn fought the urge to despise him on sight, but it didn’t matter if she didn’t like him. She wasn’t here to broker a deal with him, but rather, to best him in one with Mrs. Bradshaw.
Three long, overconfident strides brought him within handshake distance of Brynn. She considered not responding to the gesture. “Martin. Martin Grey. I represent Mr. Konewko.”
As if he was a lawyer. Her assessment of Martin Slimeball Grey plummeted further. That was okay—she wasn’t into blonds anyway. She looked around for her real competition but saw no one else.
“It sounds like you and my client have similar tastes.” Martin brought Brynn’s attention back to him. “Or at least similar hobbies.” He dropped her hand. “Though I am not sure why you’re here. As I understand it, you have yet to make an offer. My client saw the place this morning and is ready to make a deal—and pay more than fair market value. I have to say—”
Being willing to overpay didn’t exactly make someone an intelligent businessman, but Brynn simply gave her best condescending smile, unwilling to take the bait.
“Thank you for coming in early, Ms. Caley,” Mrs. Bradshaw interrupted Martin as she walked around him, placing herself between the young people and taking Brynn’s arm. “As you see, something’s come up, but I’m certain we can work through it.” Mrs. Bradshaw guided Brynn from the front door toward the side of the store, inviting everyone else to follow with the nod of her head and wave of her feathered earrings. “Why don’t we have a seat?”
The group followed Mrs. Bradshaw to a clump of camp stools and folding chairs circling a portable fire pit. A two-man tent and cot completed the grouping, and together the vignette signaled the edge of the camping section. It was a favorite with the children who shopped with their parents, and one Brynn remembered playing in herself.
As she neared, Brynn considered claiming the knotted rope hammock chair but discarded the idea, deciding that swinging and twirling weren’t professional enough, so she settled for a bucket with a cushioned lid. She immediately regretted it. While it might be functional for a campout and doubled as waterproof storage, it was completely uncomfortable. She tried not to scowl when Martin chose the hammock. He threaded his fingers through the ropes and dragged his feet beneath him like a six-year-old.
“As I was saying…” Martin focused on Mrs. Bradshaw. “My client is willing to pay more than fair market value for the property if we do it today.”
Brynn resented that Martin claimed the conversation from the start. She should have spoken first, but now that he was talking, she couldn’t think of a way to interrupt him without looking petty, pathetic, and desperate.
“I’ve got the papers ready.” Martin’s words spilled around Brynn as if she were nothing more than a smooth stone at the bottom of a raging river. “All you have to do is sign, and you’ll be on your way to an easy retirement, Mrs. Bradshaw. The timing is ideal because it will give Mr. Konewko a few months to get the shop ready. He’ll have it open again before next year’s spring thaw when early anglers and campers find their way into the shop. He’ll be ready to help them out.”
Except for Brynn. She bore a death glare into the side of Martin’s head for leaving her out of the equation, but he refused to look at her. However, a satisfactory blush crept up his neck, which she hoped meant she was getting to him.
“Wait.” Mrs. Bradshaw held up a hand like a traffic cop. Despite being a small woman, she commanded the situation with ease and a little something extra. Was she enjoying this? “I brought Miss Cal
ey here for a reason …”
Brynn was literally on the edge of her seat, ready to find out what that reason might be, but the older woman narrowed her eyes at Martin, and spoke directly to him.
“It seems we need to clarify something from the start here, Mr. Grey,” Mrs. Bradshaw said. “Do you mean to tell me that Mr. Konewko plans to close the store for six months? What about the winter inventory? What about the skiers who rely on us on their way to the slopes? Winter sports are the core of our business. Without winter sales, this store will never survive.”
Placing his feet solidly on the ground, Martin sat straighter. “Mr. Konewko is an avid camper and prize-winning angler. He plans on expanding the canoe and kayak rentals, as well as offering fishing charter packages. Mr. Konewko is first and foremost a strong businessman and has a strong record to prove it.” He dug a sheet of paper from a portfolio and handed it to Mrs. Bradshaw. Was that a résumé? “There’s no need to fret about his business failing.”
Martin’s tone hinted that it wouldn’t be Mrs. Bradshaw’s concern after the sale anyway. The business would belong to someone else as soon as she sold it.
“I understand what you are saying, Mr. Grey.” Mrs. Bradshaw set the paper upside down on her lap without a glance. “However, you did not address my concerns about my winter sports customers. Have you looked at the documents associated with this listing? My listing is perhaps unique compared with most you’ve seen, but I very clearly state that I refuse to entertain offers from buyers who won’t run the store as a year-round outdoor outfitter. The wonderful residents of our community know exactly where to go to find the best deal on wax for their skis, and the out-of-town guests need a place to rent and purchase sled and ski equipment and clothing.”
Kayaks and Kisses: A Romance Renovation Novel (Vintage Romance) Page 1
