“That’ll be wonderful. I’m sure she’s been wanting to talk to you for a long time.”
“That’s what Jasmine says.” Charlotte took a sip of wine. “So… have you thought of becoming a permanent Sugar Cove resident?” she asked gently, her eyes lingering on Gabe’s face to pick up every flicker of emotion.
Gabe carefully controlled his expression. “I’ve been thinking about it.” He had mentioned it in passing that it might be time to return to Sugar Cove.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about it actually,” Gabe said as he tucked his hand into his pocket.
“Really?” Charlotte asked, her eyes sparkling.
“And I think I need to ask you something first.” Gabe pulled out a small black box and then slowly slid from his chair to his knee.
Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat as she put her hand to her chest. “Gabe,” she breathed.
“Charlotte,” he said, his eyes glowing. He opened the box. “Will you marry me?”
The box held a sparkling diamond ring.
“Yes,” Charlotte gasped. “Yes, yes! I’ll marry you.” She threw her arms around Gabe’s neck, making him chuckle.
Gabe slipped the ring on Charlotte’s finger. Charlotte looked at it, tears rolling softly down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe it. She’d gone from having only the bakery as a distraction to her aching heart to having a half-sister, a mother, and now a soon-to-be husband to share her life with.
Charlotte would live happily ever after with a love who loved her for her… and her doughnuts.
A Preview of PART OF THE DEAL by Anna Lakewood
Chapter 1
The sweet tang of country music notes strung on nebulous guitars, swaying through the sycamores behind the Woods’ family home in Tennessee. Julia was loading up her car with half picked apart college boxes, with stray items clattering towards the dirt road beneath her.
“Jules,” her mother sang with her slight southern accent from the white front porch jutting from their blue paneled home, “are you sure you have everything? Do you need me to run out and get anything?”
“No ma, I’m good,” Julia called back as she stuffed her last box less than gracefully in the back of the small green car that she’d had since high school.
“Are you sure you need to leave so soon? You’ve only been home for a few weeks, hun.” Her mom was getting teary eyed already, looking lovingly down at her daughter who was sweaty and out of breath from the heavy boxes.
“I know, but I want to do this. I think it’ll be good for me.” Julia didn’t want to make it any harder on herself, so she gave her mother a hug, avoiding eye contact, and ran to the car before she had the chance to cry.
“Bye, Sweetie. Call me when you get there.” Her mom called after her, but Julia was already pulling out of the long dirt driveway.
“Love ya.” She shouted through the window before closing it to keep in the cool air from the air conditioner. It was sweltering outside. Julia had her GPS already programmed to take her to Sugar Cove, Alabama. All she had to do was drive.
Now, the only problem was that there was too much time to think or convince herself to turn around and head back home. Julia tried to keep her mind open. However, the rolling expansions of green and grays, of maize and wheat, made her blue irises relax and drift back into her mind. Without purpose, her thoughts immediately went to her boyfriend...her ex-boyfriend.
Thinking about their breakup while driving on a long, infinitely stretching road, Julia’s hand gripped the wheel white-knuckled with tears in her eyes. She reminded herself to breathe. The wound was still fresh. Staying home without a job, left alone to relive the harsh reality of her graduation and her broken heart, had become too painful.
Julia’s hands relaxed at the wheel, her thoughts rushing through her mind slowed to a steady, thick drip of reassurance. Remembering how miserable she was at home only reminded her that applying for this was a good idea. When she first saw the advertisement on a job board she frequented, she wrote it off completely. After four years of hard work, Julia did not want to settle for being a nanny. However, the location intrigued her, so she read more.
The nanny job was in the small beach town Sugar Cove, resting at the southern tip of Alabama. She had never heard of it, but it had that quaint southern charm she couldn’t resist. The ad also said there was only one child to look after, and room and board would be provided. After only a week, Julia heard back from Mr. Greene, the single father of the girl, and he'd offered her the position.
The thought of living for free in a small beach town, and having the time to work on her writing, sounded like the perfect way to get over her heartbreak and take her mind off of things before she decided what kind of career she truly wanted to pursue. Plus, Mr. Greene had mentioned a private beach.
By the time Julia arrived in Sugar Cove, it was nearly dark. Unlike most towns at night where the noise was low, and the dusk was all consuming, Sugar Cove seemed to dazzle. Fairy lights hung willowing along trees and outside restaurants. So many people were outside walking around, and chatting with heavy drawls Julia had immediately heard from inside her car. A few nice ones even waved to her as she was stopped at a red light. Julia smiled at the quaintness and subtle air of elegance this small southern town held. Her heart dropped when her GPS said she arrived at the Greene family home. This is impossible, Julia thought.
She pulled up to a long, wide, hilly driveway at the end of the street, and looked out at the mansion in front of her. The house was much bigger than she had ever imagined, with a large wraparound porch framing the white paneled house that seemed to span acres. The stiff, hot air greeted her as she stepped out of her car, her legs getting used to standing after such a long time sitting down. However, the music of the lapping waves behind the house took her mind off of the stifling heat as she slowly made her way up to the front door tucked next to the porch swing and decorative plants.
As the door opened, Julia was caught off guard when a man not much older than herself walked out to greet her. She had expected a stiff old butler to come out of a mansion like this. Not a tall, muscular man wearing a casual denim button down and fitted black pants. She met his golden brown eyes that almost matched the waves of hair that gave him a youthful presence. The man smiled at her, warm and welcoming.
“You must be Julia. It’s good to finally meet you. I’m Dylan.” He extended his hand and met Julia’s in a firmly gripped handshake. Julia was shocked by his immediate touch. As Dylan showed Julia around the beautiful, sea-inspired manor, she was almost speechless. The house was impeccably decorated, and a grand staircase in the middle of the floor separated two views of the calm sea behind them. Julia couldn’t help but smile. She already knew this would be a good summer.
“Okay,” Dylan said after leading her upstairs to a room that was fully furnished, “this will be your bedroom. I hope it’s okay.”
“It’s perfect.” Julia sputtered, marveling at the Queen sized bed and the flowing curtains.
“Great," Dylan responded. "Feel free to take a few moments to freshen up, and then you can head downstairs for dinner where you’ll meet Ava. Would you like anything?” Dylan smirked, watching the look of awe envelop this young girl before him.
“No, thank you so much. I’ll be down soon.” Julia was eager to have a moment alone to explore her new home without the watchful and stressful supervision of their very attractive butler, or chef, or whatever Dylan was. She put her bag down on the bed and was immediately drawn to the bookshelf. Scanning the titles, her heart skipped a beat. They have it. Of course. Of course they do. The book Julia had been reading when she broke up with her boyfriend.
The anger and sadness washed over her like an ocean wave. Julia could see it before her, replaying over and over again in her mind. All she wanted to do was come back to her dorm and take a nap after her last final, but as she opened the door, she saw her best friend, her roommate, in bed. At first, Julia didn't realize anything was wrong, but when her
boyfriend’s head peaked out from underneath the covers, and her roommate began apologizing profusely, she knew. The book that had been in her hand had dropped to the floor. That noise still echoed in Julia's head from time to time.
A clatter from the kitchen below knocked Julia out of her nightmare but left her mind wandering. Would she ever be able to trust anyone again? She asked herself, for the hundredth time. She still didn’t have the answer. She was never lucky in love, and Julia thought that she was destined for her luck never to change.
Julia absently walked over to the full-length mirror next to the deep mahogany bureau and inspected herself before she left for dinner. Her face looked pale and slightly shiny, but overall the drive didn’t take its toll too much. Her hair still hung down in blonde waves that went to her collarbone, with only slight frizz around the crown of her head.
I could look worse, Julia thought.
Her eyeliner smudged a bit around her pale blue eyes, but it was barely noticeable. Her white, flowing sundress didn’t look wrinkled. Julia quickly pinched her cheeks, hoping the color would return to her face, and headed down the stairs to dinner.
Coming down the stairs, Julia noticed a persistent shuffling sound like a soft scrape on the hardwood flooring. Panicked it was her ruining the floors with her shoes, Julia picked her feet up. Then she was met by two eager and excited Maltese’s. They jumped up to play, and Julia was equally excited to please them. She rubbed both their bellies and gave them attention.
“Hi.” A soft voice squeaked right in front of her, and Julia rebounded, startled that someone was standing so close. She didn’t hear any footsteps at all.
“Oh, hello,” Julia said eagerly, knowing the small girl in front of her must be Ava. She watched as Ava shifted, crossing her arms in front of her body, fiddling with her long brunette hair that was pulled back in a braid. “My name’s Julia, and you must be Ava. I love your dogs. What are their names?”
“Uhm... the white one is Peanut, and the one with the gray spot is Pancake,” Ava said in a voice that was barely audible.
Julia smiled as she remembered when she was Ava’s age. Right when her parents were going through their messy divorce. She was just as shy as Ava, so she took pity on the quiet girl. Julia knew exactly where she was coming from.
“Aw, I love those names. Why don’t we go into the dining room and have some dinner?” Julia wasn’t exactly sure where the dining room was and was thankful that Dylan had arrived. Ava seemed to disappear with her two puppies down the long hallway.
“So, the dining room is this way?” Ava questioned, as Dylan smiled at her.
“Yes," he answered. "Just follow the sound of Ava’s pups, and you won’t be able to miss it.” Julia laughed a bit too hard. As they headed down the hallway together, the heat suddenly struck Julia. It was much hotter here than it was is Tennessee.
“Hey Dylan, could I get a large glass of water with dinner?” Julia asked, feeling her throat turn dry and scratchy at the mention of it. At that moment, Dylan looked at her, his eyes widening for only a moment, and then he chuckled. Julia furiously hoped she hadn’t been impolite.
“Sure, I think I can arrange that,” Dylan said.
Entering the grand, window-covered dining room took Julia’s breath away. The gold chandelier that hung in the center of the room dazzled in decadence. The table was set as if she was at a five-star restaurant, complete with a large bouquet of sunflowers in the center. Taking her seat across from Ava, Julia sat down and smiled, excited to meet her father and learn more about the family that lived in this stunning home.
“Luis,” Dylan called while taking his seat at the head of the table, “would you mind getting some water for Ms. Woods?”
Julia looked at Dylan, a perplexed glow emanating off her warm features, and was suddenly curious how close Dylan was to the family. An older, Spanish gentleman walked out of the kitchen holding a glass of water that Julia quickly took, and began gulping down.
“No problem, Mr. Greene, the food will be out shortly,” Luis responded, smiling at Dylan.
Julia almost spit out her water. Dylan was Mr. Greene, Ava’s father? He looked so young that she'd assumed he worked in the house. Julia felt a crimson heat rise in her face and flush her cheeks. She’d never felt this mortified before and quickly turned to Dylan, who seemed to have guessed her thoughts by the smile creeping onto his face.
“Mr. Greene... I am so sorry. I don’t know what to say. I thought you were–”
“It’s fine, Julia, don’t worry about it,” Dylan cut her off, not wanting her to feel too uncomfortable with him.
But Julia already felt humiliated.
Chapter 2
After an unsuccessful dinner of Dylan attempting in vain to alleviate Julia’s embarrassment, Julia excused herself early. She'd used the excuse that it had been a long day and she wanted to get some rest so she could have fun with Ava tomorrow.
Walking up the grand staircase, tears prickled in the corners of Julia's eyes. She felt so stupid for her lazy assumption. The only cure for this, Julia knew, was sleep. But after she had drawn the blinds, closed the door, and had gotten into bed without even unpacking, sleep was hard to come by. Her restless mind stirred, matching her body’s subtle movements under the hot blankets. She kicked them off, tried counting sheep, and tried forcing her mind to be quiet. It didn’t. Her cheeks still reddened at the thought of dinner, and she was plagued by doubts that she would continue to make a fool of herself. Or even worse. What if Ava didn’t like her?
The minutes turned to hours, and after her restlessness had become too much to bear, Julia rolled out of bed and decided to head down to the kitchen. After all, she hadn’t touched her dinner. Julia’s last hope for sleep was ridding the hunger pains that filled her stomach.
After throwing a light sweater over her pink nightgown, Julia kicked on her flip-flops and quietly shuffled downstairs. Heading towards the kitchen, she saw the light peak out in shadows from underneath the dining room door, and the faint carry of laughter slipped through the cracks. Julia considered going back upstairs for a moment, but the hunger churned in her stomach when she smelled magnificent spices seep through the doorway.
The laughing suddenly stopped at the creak of the door opening, and two pairs of eyes greeted Julia as she entered the spacious kitchen. The chef, the Spanish man from before, was sitting at an island in the center of the room with a middle-aged woman wearing a white button down top and a long black skirt.
“I am so sorry to interrupt, I just—” Julia started, blushing that she had entered in only her pajamas.
“Nonsense child, we were just eating dinner. Why don’t you pull over a chair and join us?” The woman drawled in a honey-thick southern accent, the words curling around her tongue like the brunette curls that clung tightly to her shiny forehead.
“Are you sure?” Julia asked faintly. But the deep blue, sparkling eyes of the woman and the smile that spread across the chef’s face put her mind at ease.
“Finally, I’ve been looking for a replacement for this one for years,” the man said while taking a quick chug of his beer. He got up, grabbed a bowl, and passed it to Julia.
“Oh hush, Luis. You wouldn’t know what to do without me.” The woman sneered, causing Luis to laugh out loud. He made a silly face as soon as she turned her back to him. “You must be Julia, the new nanny. My name is Virginia Walden, the maid of the house. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s lovely to meet you too,” Julia said, stuck in Virginia’s sudden embrace.
“And this is Luis Flores, the house chef. Though I believe y’all have already met.” Virginia cooed, while Luis filled Julia’s untouched bowl with what looked like rice, beans, and some meat.
“Yes, Virginia, now stop suffocating the poor girl. She needs to eat. Her plate was full when I took it back.” The mention of dinner brought strokes of red back to her cheeks, and her heart began to thud.
“Aw, hun, I’m glad you came down then
. Luis makes some of his specialty Cuban cuisine for us to eat after our work is done. Please, eat up, you poor thing.”
Virginia didn’t have to tell Julia twice. Within minutes the full bowl was almost empty. The food was delicious. Julia had never tasted anything as flavorful. With a full stomach, her racing mind began to slow down. For the first time all day, Julia felt peaceful.
“So, how was your first day at Greene Manor?” Virginia asked as soon as Julia was finished. The eagerness dripped from her voice, and Julia could tell the pair was fond of their late night gossip.
“It was... good. I mean it’s beautiful here. It truly is. But, I did manage to embarrass myself.” Julia confided in the two.
“Ah, Virginia knows a lot about embarrassing herself,” Luis chided, causing Virginia to glare at him before easing up with a laugh. "I’m sure she can help."
“I thought … well, I kind of thought Mr. Greene was part of the staff,” Julia said. The thought of the incident, now that it was out in the open, did not weigh so much on her mind. But it still caused her to cringe.
“That’s it? Oh, honey, that’s nothing.” Virginia laughed along with Luis over the grave way Julia had told them.
“That’s not bad at all,” Luis said, trying to cheer Julia up, who was now looking sullen and disparaged. "Trust me. Mr. Greene is used to it by now. Everyone always assumes he’s much older than he is."
“He’s heard much worse," Virginia added. "At least you didn’t ask if he was Ava’s brother. He gets that one a lot.” Virginia put her hand on Julia’s shoulder, giving her an encouraging rub.
“I still can’t believe he looks that young, especially with a house like this.” Julia looked up at Luis and Virginia, who smiled knowingly at her.
“Dylan Greene was a nobody a few years ago when Ava was first born,” Luis started, with Virginia eagerly jumping in to finish the story.
Her Sweet Affair: The Brides Of Sugar Cove Page 6
