Discovering Love on Cranberry Lane (Island County Book 11)

by Karice Bolton

  Colby chuckled harder. “No, spinach and turnips.”

  The sheriff’s eyes connected with mine, and a flush of heat ran through me as he smiled at me.

  I laughed, shaking my head and trying to ignore the feelings washing over me. “These boys are going to keep our hands full, Sheriff.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” The sheriff opened the menu. “And as I’ve said, you can call me Dwayne.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I’m not sure I can. I look at you and see Sheriff, not Dwayne.”

  “I’ll just have to change that.” He looked down at the menu. “How about family size, half-combo and then half pepperoni and salami?”

  My stomach growled, and Colby looked up from the microscope and laughed. “I think she’s hungry.”

  “My detective skills tell me that too.” The sheriff shut the menu as the server came over. “Would you like a glass of merlot or pinot noir?”

  “You certainly got fancy pretty quickly.” I chuckled. “But yes, I’d love a glass of merlot.”

  The sheriff nodded and ordered our pizza, and when the server went away, I grinned at the sheriff. “You didn’t just order me a glass of wine so I’d get in trouble, did you?”

  “Nothing wrong with having a drink.” He glanced at the boys. “Besides, I know we will be here a very long time once they start playing the arcades.”

  Both boys’ eyes widened, and they nodded, laughing. “Can we go play, Mama?”

  I looked at the sheriff, who nodded.

  “I don’t see why not. Let me dig out some quarters…” I reached for my purse.

  “No need. The games are free,” the sheriff informed me.

  “Are you serious?” I shook my head. “In Portland, they nickel-and-dimed us to death.”

  The boys scooted out of the booth, and Colby turned around to wave at me before following Aaron to the arcade room that was still in complete view from where we were sitting.

  “I bet someday, Colby won’t turn around and wave before he goes places.” I let out a wistful sigh, still in denial about how fast he was growing up.

  “Ahh, enjoy every second.” The sheriff turned his attention back to me. “It all goes by in a blink of an eye, doesn’t it?”

  I nodded and swallowed, hoping that we wouldn’t get to that awkward part about talking about our dating and relationships past.

  “So, how long have you been the sheriff in Fireweed?” I asked.

  “About three years. I was a deputy before that. The last sheriff retired.”

  “That’s cool. Did you always know you wanted to be on the police force?”

  “I did. I thought I’d be on at a big city force, playing detective in the homicide department.”

  “And that changed with the accident?” I asked, lowering my voice.

  He nodded. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I grew up here and came back to get experience before I was going to leave again, but as things turned out, it was better that I stay.”

  “Do you like it, or do you feel like you’re missing out?”

  His head cocked slightly as he studied me. “No one has ever asked me that before.”

  I crinkled my nose. “Really?”

  “But no. I don’t think I’m missing out. I believe I was put here for a reason, maybe two.” A glimmer of something mysterious dashed through his gaze, and I could feel a blush again.

  Was this what happened when I was out of the dating world so long? I blushed at every little tingle and glance?

  “I tend to believe that as well.” I grinned, nodding in Colby’s direction. “I wouldn’t change anything in the world about how life has worked out for us.” I sighed and took another bite of the garlic bread. “Maybe that’s not completely true. I wish Colby could have his father in his life more, or have a father who wanted to be in his life.”

  The sheriff shook his head slowly. “That’s rough.”

  I nodded. “It is, but I think having Aaron by his side might make things a little better.”

  The pizza came, and the boys ran back to the table, breathless and hungry.

  “Pizza. Pizza.” Aaron giggled as they both scooped sloppy slices onto their plates.

  “Can they come this weekend?” Aaron asked his uncle.

  “Come where?” Colby asked, taking a bite of the combo pizza.

  “We’re going to check out llamas at the Harlen farm.” Aaron took another bite.

  “Cool.” Colby grinned as if he’d found his version of pizza. “They spit.”

  The sheriff laughed. “I think camels spit.”

  “Llamas too.” I wiped my mouth.

  The sheriff’s brows shot up. “Really?”

  I chuckled. “I know this because I got spit on by one in sixth grade on a field trip, and no one would sit by me.”

  My son laughed and took an olive off the top of his pizza to treasure for later.

  “This trip wouldn’t be too traumatizing, I hope.” The sheriff’s eyes sparkled.

  “I think I’ve gotten over it.” I glanced at Colby, who looked utterly excited and on edge for my answer. “But I think we’d love to go if it’s not an imposition.”

  “Not at all.” The sheriff shook his head. “Jake’s a great guy, and—”

  “Oh, is he the fireman? I think someone told me he was helping you get a car out of a ditch.”

  “That would be Anthony’s.” He rolled his eyes.

  As I took another bite of pizza, an odd sensation crawled up my spine. I quickly looked outside, only to see the constant drizzle of fall, and pushed the feeling aside. I was just crazy. There wasn’t a reason in the world to be looking over my shoulder any longer.

  “Everything okay?” the sheriff asked, and I nodded quickly.

  “Totally.”

  We all ate far too much pizza, and since it was a school night, we decided to call it a night. Colby leant his microscope to Aaron, and the sheriff walked us to our car.

  “Oh…” The sheriff whistled. “Looks like you’ve got a flat.”

  My stomach clenched as my gaze followed his to the flat tire.

  “Crap,” I muttered, bending over to take a look.

  “I’ve got it handled. Don’t worry about it.” He looked at the two boys and back at my car.

  “How about I just take you guys home, and you can watch Aaron while I come back and change it so you’re not having to wait on me?”

  I bit my lip and looked at the slump of rubber. I felt super guilty about letting my kind-of-date change a tire on our sort-of-date, but it was pretty wet out.

  “Okay, but I’ll owe you big time.” I quickly grabbed Colby’s booster seat.

  The sheriff smiled and ushered us to his SUV, and we all climbed in.

  “Whoa,” Colby squealed. “This is so cool.”

  I sat in the front after getting Colby all squared away.

  “Will you do it, Uncle Dwayne?” Aaron asked, and before I knew it, the sheriff had tweaked his siren a couple of times, scaring the crap out of me.

  “You’ve gotta start giving me some kind of warning.”

  The sheriff laughed as he drove us to our apartment. He pulled up to the building, and all three of us hopped out. I gave a quick wave as the boys got under cover and the sheriff drove back to the pizza parlor.

  When I caught up to the boys, I saw a note hanging on my front door, but this time I knew it wasn’t one I’d ever wanted to see again.

  I snatched it off the door. “Okay, boys. Let’s get warm and heat up some hot chocolate.”

  Anything for a distraction. Colby eyed me curiously as I clutched the note in my hand and wandered to the kitchen.

  The boys hopped on the couch and turned on the television as I slowly unfolded the piece of paper.

  There will come a time when your boy toy sheriff can’t come to your rescue, but I’ll be sure to be there. You can count on it.

  Marvin’s words sank deep into my bones as my hands trembled in fear. I would never be able to be
rid of this man who’d never wanted me in the first place.

  Chapter Seven

  “You’ve got to tell the sheriff,” Becca’s raspy voice screeched over the speakerphone.

  She’d caught a cold since she’d left our house, but she was doped up enough on cold medicine to breathe through her nose just so she could give me a lecture.

  “What do you expect me to say?” I asked. “Hey, I know we’ve just met, but my crazy ex is leaving me notes to scare you off, and well, it worked, didn’t it? Probably don’t want to date me now, right?”

  Becca sniffled and let out a deep sigh. “He can intimidate the man right back. The sheriff is twice the size of your pipsqueak ex, and he’s in law enforcement. The man carries a gun for a living.”

  “It’s just not the right time. Our kids are having a blast, and today, we’re even off to visit a llama farm. It’s just not a good moment to bring it up. I’m not even sure if we’re dating. No, actually I’m sure we’re not dating. We merely have two little boys who love to hang out. Basically, it’s not a good time today.”

  “It will never be a good time.” Becca hacked. “Hold on. I need to blow my nose.”

  Colby was in the shower, and I knew I had a limited time to talk to Becca. Once I heard her stop honking her nose, I took the phone off speaker.

  “Listen, your ex never crossed the line back then, but you can’t be sure he won’t.”

  I hated that she was right. Marvin was a loose cannon. I didn’t understand him while I was married to him, and I certainly didn’t understand him now.

  “I know, and I do take his threats seriously—”

  “It’s not a threat when someone lets the air out of your tire.”

  I let out a sigh as my chest tightened. “You’re completely right, and I will tell the sheriff.”

  “Good. Now go get spat on again like you did in sixth grade.” She chuckled and sneezed at the same time.

  I laughed. “You remember that?”

  “I’m sure everyone in that class remembers the spitting incident. It was the snottiest, gooiest, gross—”

  “Okay, okay. I get it. I was there, remember?” I laughed, feeling so much better just from talking to Becca.

  The water from Colby’s shower turned off, and I glanced at the clock. “I should probably hang up and finish getting ready.”

  “Okay. Have fun, and think of me when you’re making out with the sheriff.”

  I let out a groan. “You’re impossible.”

  She coughed herself into a goodbye, and I hung up the phone.

  I’d had absolutely no other notes from Marvin or seemingly off encounters on the island in the last few days. I highly doubted that Marvin was on the island or even knew where Fireweed was, but whoever he’d hired obviously did.

  During the entire divorce, Marvin had hired PIs to intimidate and spy on me. The good news for me was that I was completely boring, and the bad news for Marvin was the same. He’d spent a fortune watching me do absolutely nothing.

  But one thing I refused to be was intimidated. I was going to enjoy the outing with my son. My ex wouldn’t dare do something in front of a policeman to jeopardize his standing within his family, community, or business. That was about the only assurance I had.

  The problem was that my ex was a control freak, and the fact that he couldn’t control me any longer, even though he didn’t want me, drove him nuts.

  But I would let the sheriff know what was going on. Maybe not today, but I would.

  I glanced at myself in the mirror and braided the loose strands around the crown of my head and clipped them with a couple of clips while leaving my hair long in the back.

  “I’m ready!” Colby’s little voice rang through the air.

  “Me too, little man.” I pulled on a red sweater over my T-shirt and found Colby standing by the door.

  I’d never seen him this excited to spend time with a friend before, and it made me thrilled that he’d found such a happy little boy in Aaron to befriend.

  By the time we’d followed the map directions to the farm, I was nervous that I’d never find my way back home. Even though Fireweed wasn’t a huge island, there were a ton of side streets, private driveways, and coastlines to get lost in and around.

  I turned down the road to a private gate, which opened slowly the moment the car pulled forward. A rolling pasture to my left and several barns dotted the landscape. I looked straight ahead and to my right saw the beautiful Puget Sound.

  “Wow,” I whispered, shaking my head. “This is quite a farm.”

  “Check out that helicopter,” Colby shouted from the backseat.

  I looked back toward the barns and saw a hanger wide open with a chopper tucked inside.

  “This place is so cool.”

  I chuckled at how cool everything was and continued down the long private driveway. A large estate sat proudly in front of us as my heart skipped a beat. The sheriff’s SUV was parked under a portico, and I pulled up next to it.

  I had absolutely no idea why I was getting nervous. I didn’t know if it was that I was stepping into a world of helicopters and llamas or if it was because I was about to see the sheriff again, but either way, my heart was racing.

  Colby giggled, unbuckling himself from the booster seat. “This is a mansion.”

  “I think you could be right.” I smiled at Colby in the rearview mirror, and he gave me a quick nod as if we were both bracing for something big to happen.

  “Okay, let’s go knock on the door.” I climbed out of the car and barely had time to help Colby before he jumped out of the seat and raced up the steps to the door.

  Colby rang the doorbell just as I made it up the steps behind him.

  The massive wrought iron double doors opened to tiny Aaron, hopping up and down for Colby to come inside. A large golden retriever came bounding up behind Aaron with a very attractive man right on his tail.

  “Walter, sit.” The man’s voice boomed through the air, and I spotted the sheriff walking toward the door with an older woman.

  The dog obeyed, and Aaron ran his little fingers through the dog’s coat.

  “Can I pet him?” Colby asked the man towering over him.

  “Absolutely.” He smiled and nodded, catching my gaze. “I’m Jake Harlen.”

  “Hi, thanks for having us over. I hope we’re not intruding.” I held out my hand, and Jake chuckled, shaking it. “But my son is over the moon about getting to see llamas.”

  The older woman patted Jake’s shoulder and grinned. “I’m Jake’s mom, Hildie. I live over on Hound Island. Have you been there?” Her bright blue eyes sparkled with warmth and kindness, and the silver waves between her dark strands were beautiful. I could definitely see the family resemblance between Jake and his mom.

  I shook my head as Jake motioned for us to step inside. “Not yet. We’re still in the unpacking phase.”

  “Well, as soon as you have a free weekend, you must come over and visit. My other son, Chance, built up my lavender farm, and now there’s a restaurant, hotel, tours…”

  “Can you tell which is her favorite son?” Jake teased as I stepped into the foyer. “My brother’s a hotshot chef, so…”

  “I love you both.” Hildie grinned. “Because I know you’ll use your wonderful helicopter to bring this lovely family over.” She turned her attention to me and smiled even wider. “I’ll always have a room ready for you.”

  I was utterly astonished and a little taken aback. The friendliness clung to me like a trusty comforter in a winter’s storm. It wasn’t that Portland wasn’t a friendly city. It was just so big that it was impossible to know anyone.

  “I really can’t thank you enough for an opportunity like that.” I let out a shaky breath and glanced at the sheriff.

  “What about me, Hildie?” the sheriff asked, holding Aaron’s shoulder.

  Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “What about you?”

  They laughed, and I had a moment to look around the two, maybe thr
ee-story-tall foyer. The rustic touches like exposed beams gave the grandiose room a cozy feel. I wouldn’t be surprised if half my apartment tucked right in the foyer with room to spare.

  A woman around my age walked down the hall toward us wearing a pair of cowboy boots and an oversized red paisley dress. Her brown hair was scooped into a low ponytail, and she didn’t have a stitch of makeup on but was absolutely gorgeous.

  She waved at Colby, who grinned and let out a giggle. “I don’t think I’ve seen you at story time yet.”

  Colby looked up at me, and I shook my head.

  “Jewels is the head librarian at the Fireweed Library,” Jake said proudly, looping his left arm around her waist. “And my wife.”

  “Oh, wow.” My eyes widened in complete admiration. “I live in books. I mean, I live in books after Colby has fallen asleep.”

  “I love to read,” Colby announced.

  Jewels smiled and nodded. “That’s the best news a librarian could ever hear.”

  “I do too.” Aaron pounded his chest, and we all chuckled.

  A little friendly competition never hurt anyone.

  “All week, I’ve been telling myself that we’d go sign up for our library cards.” I drew a happy breath. “But now we’ll make it a priority.”

  “Good!” Jewels smiled, and I felt oddly comfortable around her.

  I wasn’t good at making fast friends. Usually, I sputtered all over myself, forgot names, and basically couldn’t wait to get back to my book that had been waiting for me all day. It wasn’t even that I was an introvert because I liked chatting with people, but it took a lot to get me to open up beyond typical chatter. I often kept things superficial, except with Becca.

  But Jewels was just so…

  Nice.

  The sheriff glanced in my direction. “Not that anyone asked, but I love to read too.”

  I chuckled and shook my head, feeling his gaze on me. I glanced over at him, but once our eyes connected, I didn’t want to look away.

  Jewels kneeled in front of the boys, and I was grateful for the distraction. “I’ve got a hot dog station set up in the kitchen. You can have chili-cheese hotdogs, cheesy jalapeño hot dogs, and you can have pretzel hot dogs or plain. We’ll eat first and then we’ll go see the alpacas. Dotty and Todd are excited to see you today.”