by Lucy Quinn
“No,” Winter interjected. “But I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to see my man. Not after being separated like we were. I employed the help of a lobsterman who owed me a favor or two.” She gave Cookie a sly smile. “He has a sweet tooth for the edibles Rain’s been concocting.”
“Sure,” Cookie said, staring at the ceiling while Hunter snorted. She glanced over at him and wondered when he’d stopped caring about Rain and Winter’s questionable activities. Not long ago, any talk of their side business and he’d ignore it completely, acting as if he hadn’t heard a word. Being an FBI agent meant he was in a tricky spot if anyone found out he knew anything about illegal drugs. In that sense, Rain and Winter had been a huge thorn in his side.
“Anyway, I got him to go pick up Blake. We were on our way back to his house for our Valentine’s Day reunion and wanted to stop by and thank you properly.” She slipped her arm around Blake and ran a hand down his chest. “You have no idea how much what you did means to us.”
“I’m pretty sure we get the idea,” Cookie said as she moved past them and opened the front door. “And we really don’t want to hold up the reunion. Why don’t you two go on and we’ll catch up over brunch in a few days.”
Winter eyed Cookie, seemingly taking in her red dress for the first time since she’d arrived. “Oh, I see. Looks like someone has hot plans of their own.”
Cookie’s face heated up from the assumption.
“So cute. Look at her blush, Blake,” Winter gushed. “Well, we don’t want to keep you from your date with…” she glanced at Hunter and back to Cookie and raised both eyebrows in question.
“Oh! No.” Cookie shook her head. “I’m on my way to Dylan’s.”
“Gotcha. Well, Hunter, Cookie, have a good evening. We’ll see you in a few days or so after we emerge from the love nest.”
Blake laughed at Winter and thanked them both again. Then they were gone, and Hunter and Cookie were alone… again.
“I should probably get going,” Cookie said.
Hunter shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded. “Probably. You don’t want to keep the boyfriend waiting.”
“If he’s waiting at all,” Cookie said under her breath.
“I’m sure he is, Charlie. If he’s not, he’s an idiot.”
She met his gaze, staring at him with love and friendship filling her heart. “You’re a good man, Hunter. Thank you for always being here for me.”
He reached out and took her hand gently in his. “I know things have been a little weird. It’s been hard to accept another man taking the role I hoped would be mine one day. But you have to know all I want is for you to be happy. And if Dylan is the person who puts a smile on your face, then that’s who you should be with.”
Cookie squeezed his fingers and in a thick voice said, “You don’t know what your words mean to me.”
“I think I do,” he said with that cocky half-smile he wore so often. “Just tell him if he hurts you, he’s going to have the FBI breathing down his neck.”
Cookie let out a huff of laugher. “I’m sure he knows.”
The front door swung open and Scarlett walked back in. “Truck’s ready.” She glanced at Hunter and swept her gaze over him. “Well, damn, O’Neill, you’re looking mighty fine tonight. How about that date?”
“Date?” he shot back.
She glanced at Cookie then back at Hunter. “Didn’t he just ask me out on Valentine’s Day?”
“Actually, I think it was the other way around,” Cookie said. She knew there’d been something between them the other night. “You should go. Have dinner. Get out of this inn with someone other than me or Rain for a change.”
Scarlett turned her attention to her friend, studying her. “Are you sure about that? I could stay home, be here just in case…”
“Oh no.” Cookie raised her hands and started to back up toward the door. “I’m not going into my date with Dylan expecting it to go south. And I sure as heck don’t want you sitting home by yourself while Mom and I are out on Valentine’s Day. Let Hunter take you out and show you a good time. He’s not so bad when he’s on his best behavior.”
“Hey, no one said anything about best behavior,” Hunter interjected.
Scarlett scoffed. “If you aren’t, I’ll just kick you in the balls. Still want to take me out for dinner?”
He laughed and placed his hand on the small of her back. “Absolutely. I wouldn’t know what to do with a woman who wasn’t occasionally threatening my manhood.”
Cookie chuckled. “That’s true.”
“Well then, it’s settled,” Scarlett said. “Let’s get dinner. And I insist on dessert.”
Cookie grabbed her coat and followed them outside. She watched them climb into Hunter’s Mustang then hopped into the truck. The cab was all warm and toasty just as Scarlett had promised. She only hoped Dylan’s reception would be the same.
Chapter 25
Nerves flared to life in Cookie’s gut as she put the work truck into gear. She took a deep breath and stepped on the gas. Five blocks later as she pulled to a stop in front of Dylan Creed’s house, the butterflies in her belly were still fluttering to match the ticking of the engine. She turned the key and the rumble stopped. Dylan’s porch was lit up and light flooded from the front bay window, bathing the snow in a soft yellow glow. Warm. Welcoming. Cozy. She hoped.
Dylan’s slate blue craftsman-style home was in pristine condition. He’d inherited it from his grandfather and had painstakingly restored it over the years. His house was gorgeous, and besides the inn, it was her favorite place on the island.
Clutching her coat tightly around her, Cookie carefully made her way up the icy walkway. A gusty wind blew off the ocean, chilling her to the bone, and she shivered, praying she wasn’t going to lose a toe or two to frostbite. She still couldn’t believe she’d let Scarlett talk her into the four-inch stilettos. But if they did their job, it’d be worth every second of pain.
When she arrived on the porch, she took a deep breath and rang the bell. It took less than a minute for Dylan to come to the door, but it felt like a lifetime before he opened up and blinked in surprise.
Cookie did too. Because Dylan was in pair of dark gray suit slacks, a white dress shirt closed at the collar and an open jacket. Two blue neckties were in his hand. “Cookie. What are you doing here?”
Her heart sank as a wave of nausea came over her. Dylan had a date all right, but it mustn’t be with Cookie. Tears filled her eyes as she realized how foolish she looked. “I… Ah—I just wanted to stop by and—” Dylan’s expression turned to amusement, and the idea that he was laughing at her made anger begin to simmer in her veins. “Never mind,” she snapped.
Cookie was about to turn and run as fast as she could in her stupid heels before Dylan reached out and grabbed her hand. “Get in here. I expected to pick you up, not the other way around.”
“Oh,” she said as she stepped into Dylan’s warm house. “Ooohhhh.” Cookie squeezed her eyes shut as she tugged her coat tightly around herself while a wave of embarrassment turned her face the shade of her dress.
To his credit, Dylan pretended not to notice and asked, “Which tie?”
Cookie opened her eyes, and without missing a beat she pointed to the one he was holding in his right hand. “That one.”
Dylan walked over to the mirror hanging above a small catchall table in the entryway and as he looped the tie together, he said, “I’d planned to take you to Blue Poisson, but since the ferry is closed, we have a reservation at the Salty Dog at seven. Since you’re early we can sit at the bar for a drink or we can have one here.” Since dining options on the island were limited the Salty Dog was known to spruce up the place with linens and candles for special occasions like Valentine’s Day.
She looked over at the most comfortable leather couch she’d ever sat on and then the warm fireplace where she’d spent a few evenings cuddled next to Dylan, and suddenly she had no desire to go anywhere. “I think a drink here woul
d be nice.”
“Great. Let me take your coat, and I’ll get us the champagne I have chilling.” He walked behind her and helped her out of her jacket. Once she was free, Dylan stepped back and took in the sight of Cookie. “Wow. That’s quite the dress.”
Now she blushed in a good way. “Thanks. I borrowed it from Scarlett.”
“Steal it.” Dylan winked at her before he turned to go into the kitchen.
As he got the drinks, Cookie grabbed the remote for the gas fireplace, and it whooshed with flames when she turned it on. She placed herself on the couch, trying her best to sit in a way that was ladylike, even though she longed to kick off her shoes and tuck her feet under herself.
There was a time in her life when Cookie wished she were more like other woman who enjoyed dressing up and dining at the finest restaurants or frequenting the trendy nightspots. But living on an island where those options were limited, Cookie hadn’t missed the nightlife of the city at all. While she did like to dress up once in a while, it was fast becoming clear that Cookie really was a comfortable-clothing kind of girl. She almost wished Dylan and she were getting take-out pizza and spending their evening talking and laughing in front of the fire.
When Dylan walked back into the room with two flutes and the champagne in an ice bucket, his smile pulled Cookie out of her thoughts. He said, “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you.” She noticed the way Dylan made a suit appear as if he wore it every day. And he wore it well. It was tapered nicely down his torso, and she longed for a peek of what it did for his backside. “You look pretty amazing tonight, too.”
“This old thing?” he quipped.
She laughed as he handed her a flute of champagne and sat next to her. He had a serious look on his face, and Cookie knew they both needed to clear the air. Before he could speak she went first. “Dylan, I’m sorry about my behavior over Daisy earlier.” And since she was putting it all out there, she said, “And about the pushy way I came over tonight. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m a little insecure.”
“It’s okay. I know how it looked, and I’m not always the best communicator. It’s understandable you weren’t sure about tonight. I’ll try to do better with that.” He gave her the once-over with his gaze. “And I like a woman who takes charge.” Dylan chuckled and took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “I wasn’t exactly rational when I saw you with Hunter at breakfast this morning.”
“It’s okay.” Cookie smiled as she repeated his words. “I know how it looked, and I’ll try to be more sensitive to that in the future.”
Dylan lifted his glass for a toast and Cookie did the same as he said, “To the only woman I want to spend Valentine’s Day with. May there be many more.”
“I’d like that.” Their glasses clinked as they tapped them. “Very much,” Cookie added before she took a sip of her drink. Bubbles danced on her tongue as she tasted the tart champagne and swallowed it down.
“What are the occupants of the inn up to tonight?” Dylan asked.
“Let’s see. Well, Rain is on a date with Hale, and Scarlett and Hunter went out as well.”
“Did they?” Dylan reached for her glass. “So you haven’t got anyone to worry about tonight.”
“No.” She handed him her drink so he could set it on the coffee table.
“That makes you all mine until tomorrow morning,” Dylan said, and when he leaned in for a kiss, Cookie met him. The faint taste of alcohol was on his lips, but as their tongues flitted and twined together the flavor was all Dylan, and she drank him in.
When they broke apart he placed a finger along the edge of her dress by her collarbone. Cookie shivered a little from his touch as he traced her neckline lower. “You wore a red dress.”
She reached out, tucking her fingers under the lapel of his jacket. “And you wore a dress shirt I assume requires cuff links.”
He lifted his arm to show her the cuff of his shirt. “It does.”
Dylan gave her a sly look and then bent down to lift up one of her feet. He slipped off a shoe. “Stilettos. Nice,” he said as he set it down and removed her other one.
Cookie reached forward and grabbed his tie with a mischievous smile of her own. “Blue tie to match your eyes.” Cookie undid the knot to remove it. Because as sexy as Dylan looked in a suit, she preferred the casual version she was accustomed to better. The tie slithered off his neck as she tugged it. “Very nice,” she said as she tossed it on the floor near her discarded heels. She had a feeling Dylan liked the real Cookie too.
Dylan stood and unfastened the top button on his shirt. He held out his hand. “Want to see what these pants do for my butt?”
Cookie nodded as her desire for more than a kiss ramped up, and she placed her hand in his. He led them to his bedroom, and when they got there Cookie gasped in surprise. The room was filled with dozens of candles, and on the bedside table was a vase of red roses. She walked over to smell them and noticed what looked like a take-out menu. “Uber Eats by Stone Harris?” she asked. She chuckled when she read the choices. It was basically a pared-down version of items from Stone’s family’s restaurant, the Salty Dog. She suspected he was the chef for this endeavor too, because the food options leaned toward the kinds of things a stoner would want to eat.
“Dylan Creed, you’re not taking me out to dinner are you?”
He walked up behind her and leaned down to kiss the back of her neck. “That’s up to you.” She let out a small sigh, and Dylan said, “I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
Chapter 26
Cookie gazed out at the crowd gathered for Deputy Swan’s memorial ceremony. While an event of this sort was rare on Secret Seal Isle, causing a number of people to come just for the chance to get out and shake off some cabin fever, Cookie suspected there were a vast majority of residents who missed the man and really were here to mourn his loss.
Rain and Winter had done a lovely job decorating the VFW hall in a tasteful way. They’d used just the right amount of flowers while staying well within the town’s budget, which surprisingly had a line item for memorial services. It helped that Andy DePaul’s stationery shop was having a going-out-of-business sale where they’d picked up white and purple ribbon for next to nothing. Cookie’d heard that one of Andy’s nephews had just returned from Switzerland after training to be a chocolatier and planned to cut his teeth opening a sweet shop for the summer.
Cookie noticed Winter fussing over the refreshment table with Blake by her side. He said something to the woman that made her laugh, and they exchanged a brief kiss. Cookie’s heart swelled with happiness for them. They were one of the reasons she loved being in law enforcement. Restoring order to everyday lives so that people could be happy was incredibly rewarding.
Cookie searched the room for her mother, a little nervous about what she’d find. It had been three days since her mother had found any trouble, and lately that was almost a record. She discovered Rain sitting next to one of Swan’s relatives in the rows of chairs lined up in the hall. Hale was backstage helping Dylan with the lighting and sound, and Cookie imagined Rain was merely entertaining herself with conversation. Well, perhaps flirting was a better word for it, since Rain was talking with a very fit man who she was sure her mother was trying to console with more than words, judging by the way Rain was squeezing his bicep. Cookie almost wished Rain hadn’t got past the idea that her charm could kill.
She smiled as she recalled the story surrounding Swan’s death that’d had Hunter and Dylan laughing to the point of tears. And now that a few days had passed, she too had to admit it was funny.
“Cookie, hun, it’s almost time,” Scarlett said as she approached her with a camera around her neck. Scarlett had agreed to cover the memorial for the small town paper since the editor, writer, and photographer was on a cruise. Cookie smoothed out her suit jacket as she thought about her best friend, and her former partner, Hunter. While she hadn’t gotten a lot of details about their date on Valentine’s D
ay, Cookie had a feeling something more than friendship was brewing between two of the people she cared about most. And she approved.
Especially since her heart was firmly in camp Dylan. Or, more accurately, in Dylan Creed’s hands. A tiny shiver of desire ran down her back as she recalled their evening staying in.
“Cookie?” Scarlett asked before she chuckled. “Briefs or boxers?”
“What?”
“I’m just asking which you just threw on the floor of your imaginary bedroom, because you sure as hell aren’t here.”
Cookie flushed. “That’s not what I—oh never mind.” She knew that no matter what she tried to tell Scarlett, the truth was her friend knew her well enough that it was a waste of time to lie. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to step on the stage and address the town on behalf of Deputy Swan.
That is until a thunderous sound, much like a storm, began. As it got louder, Cookie recognized the noise. Was that a—She glanced over at Dylan who was on the stage making sure the microphone was working. He frowned at her and they both mouthed the word helicopter at the same time. The building around them shuddered, and someone threw open the doors to reveal it was, in fact, a helicopter that had just landed on the street, smack dab in front of the VFW hall.
A man and a woman with television cameras hopped out first, followed by another guy in a police uniform. He held out his hand for a woman who stepped out in a navy blue skirt and jacket. The woman was short. She was also round. And something about her smile was familiar.
As the woman began to walk down the aisle between the rows of chairs toward Cookie, she smiled and waved to the seated crowd as if she was a queen or perhaps a very friendly bride. “Who in the world is that?” Scarlett asked in a loud whisper.
Dylan was now by Cookie’s side and asked, “Is that—”
Cookie’s jaw dropped when she noticed something very large and shimmery on the woman’s jacket.
“Blue eye shadow she’s wearing?” Scarlett asked as she shuddered. “That color is reserved for Cher and Ru Paul.”
