“You know I do.” She’d told him all about the Sweet ’n Savory Dessert Festival, which took place three times a year, each time in a different part of the country. Being an exhibitor in the festival was so sought after, it was almost impossible to get a spot. Participants were hand-selected. Penny was always trying to increase visibility for her ice cream shop and offer new things for customers. She’d applied as a participant to the festival several times but had yet to be accepted. “I told you I’ve wanted to go for the last three years and I haven’t gotten accepted. I can’t even score tickets. They sell out—”
“In less than three hours,” he said, parroting what she’d told him months ago. “This year it sold out in two, but guess who’s got tickets?”
Penny sat up in disbelief. “You do not!”
He laughed. “We do, sweets. That’s where we’re heading right after we shower.”
She squealed and threw her arms around him, kissing him hard. “Thank you!” IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou! “You’re amazing. How did you get them?”
“Maybe you can seduce that answer out of me in the shower.” He stood up and helped her to her feet, keeping her close as they headed into the cabin.
With the early summer breeze at her back, a heart so full it bubbled over, and the man she adored kissing her lips, she could almost forget that their future stars were not aligned.
Chapter Two
ECHO BEACH WAS a charming seaside town with rows of brightly colored vintage cottages overlooking pristine beaches, and in the summers, a beachside Ferris wheel, a kiddie roller coaster, and a merry-go-round graced the waterfront. Scott had been to Echo Beach only once for a brief meeting. He was looking forward to exploring the town with Penny after they enjoyed the festival.
The festival was in full swing. Strings of lights crisscrossed over rows of white canopies on the crowded pier, each one boasting a different dessert vendor. A band was playing on a stage at the far end of the pier, competing with noise from the kid-friendly rides and the surrounding grounds, which were bustling with families, food trucks, and a juggling clown.
Penny pulled Scott through the crowds, smiling brightly and talking animatedly as they made their way from one exhibit to the next, tasting desserts from all over the country. He’d been drawn to Penny’s carefree nature and snarky sass from the very moment they’d met. As he’d gotten to know her better, he’d realized she was also one hell of a businesswoman, always focused on what she could do better, what else she could offer to her customers. He loved her business prowess just as much as he adored everything else about her, from her enthusiasm for life and her caring nature to the way their mouths and bodies fit together so perfectly.
“This is giving me so many ideas!” she exclaimed as they walked away from a booth. “I’ve never thought about putting salted-caramel popcorn on ice cream. It’s the perfect topping. Sweet and salty are always good together, and it adds a bite of crunch. I can put my own twist on it using peach or strawberry ice cream, and instead of caramel, use another flavor. I wish I had my notebook. I really need to write this down. There’s so much here, I’m liable to forget half of what I think up.”
“I’ve got it, babe.” He whipped out his phone, typing as he said, “Salted-caramel popcorn on some other flavor like peach or strawberry. What else?”
“The ice cream pizza! I bet that’d be a hit with teenagers. And I want to try making coconut strawberry and coconut pineapple ice cream. Oh, look! Sweetie Pie Bakery. Yum! We have to go there.”
She was so damn cute, bouncing from one booth to the next in those sexy cutoffs, her eyes dancing with delight. They tasted pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, and just about every type of dessert under the sun, and she rattled off ideas after nearly every one of them. Her happiness made him feel things that had boggled him at first. He hadn’t thought anything could make him happier than knowing his sisters were safe and building better lives. But Penny’s happiness had become his own. Loving her and taking care of her fulfilled him like nothing else ever had.
If only he could give her what she really wanted.
“Open up,” Penny said, holding up a forkful of butter pecan bread pudding with cream cheese glaze.
She fed it to him and then she ate a bite, moaning like it was the best thing she’d ever tasted. That sinful sound brought his lips to hers in a long, sensual kiss.
He kept her close, whispering, “There is absolutely nothing on this planet sweeter than you.”
She sighed, gazing up at him with a dreamy expression he’d come to love. Her light-brown hair flowed sexily over her shoulders. She was always gorgeous, even when she wore her hair pinned up in a messy bun secured with a straw or a pencil speared through it and one of the dozens of tiny colorful clips she hoarded. But today, with the sheen of a fresh tan and a navy tank top that made her big blue eyes stand out, she was even more stunning. Or maybe it had nothing to do with that tan or her clothes and everything to do with how big a part of his life she’d become. He often found those little hair clips in his couch cushions, and it made him happy every damn time.
A fucking hair clip.
He chuckled at the thought.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked.
As she came back into focus, he realized they were standing in the middle of the walkway with dozens of people maneuvering around them. He got caught up in her so easily, he was used to the rest of the world fading away. She had become the voice that calmed and centered him, which he hadn’t even realized he’d needed. The fact that he had never slept through the night before her should have clued him in. When they’d first started seeing each other, he wouldn’t spend the night with her because he was such a fitful sleeper. But one night she’d told him how much she’d missed him when he left each evening. She’d said it had started to make her feel like their lovemaking wasn’t as special to him as it had felt to her. She was honest like that about everything, and he’d confided in her about sleeping with one ear open because of the abuse he’d endured and said he didn’t want to keep her up. The truth was, he’d slept even worse during their time apart. He’d stay up at night worrying about Penny, alone in her apartment.
He’d never forget the depth of emotions he’d seen in her eyes and had heard in her voice when she’d said, I’d rather sleep an hour a night in your arms than several without you. No part of him had wanted to deny her—or himself—and though it had taken some getting used to, she’d never complained about his initial restlessness. They’d quickly realized that he slept better at his house than in her apartment. He liked being in control of his surroundings, which stemmed from the way his father’s temper could ignite at any moment, often in the middle of the night.
Scott knew the sounds of his house settling, the creaks caused by wind, and even the feel and sound of the silence. Penny didn’t mind staying at his house. The more nights they’d spent together, the less fitfully he’d slept, which had brought another revelation. As long as Penny was in his arms, he knew she was safe, and that had calmed another part of him. Now, as long as she was safely by his side, he slept deeply.
He gazed into her beautiful eyes and said, “You, sweets. Always you.”
He pressed his lips to hers, and they spent the next few hours talking with vendors, jotting down ideas for her shop, and having a blast. Later in the afternoon, they shared a burger from a food truck on the grounds near the rides.
“This brings back so many good memories,” Penny said as they strolled past the kiddie roller coaster. “My parents took us to the summer festival in Peaceful Harbor every year, and we always rode the Ferris wheel.”
He pulled her tighter against his side and kissed the top of her head. She’d told him about her idyllic childhood. Her father had celebrated all of hers and Finlay’s milestones with gifts wrapped up in big pink bows, and her mother had fed their passions, teaching Finlay to cook and Penny to make homemade ice cream and other desserts.
“I’ve never been on a Ferris wheel. L
et’s take a ride.”
Her eyes lit up, and in the next breath, they saddened. “I know your childhood was horrible, but was it ever not as bad? When you were much younger? Four? Five?”
“Nope,” he said, and headed for the Ferris wheel.
He’d hated telling her about the horrors of his youth. She’d cried for him and his sisters, breaking his heart anew. But she’d needed to know who she was getting involved with, because while she’d grown up with cotton candy and bubble gum, he’d gotten belts and bruises. He’d been up front with her about everything, and he’d told her that he wasn’t looking for a wife or planning on having a family of his own. He loved his nieces and nephews to the ends of the earth, and he had never hurt a woman or child, or a man who hadn’t been either causing someone else harm or threatening him. But he feared that his parents’ abusive patterns might be lurking deep inside him, etched into his DNA, and he wasn’t going to saddle any woman with a ticking time bomb like that.
The trouble was, he hadn’t anticipated falling in love with her.
“You know we have to kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel,” she said as they took their place in line.
He gathered her in his arms. “Is that a rule?”
“It’s a legend of a curse. If a couple sits on the Ferris wheel, they’re destined to break up. But if they kiss when it reaches the highest point, the curse is broken, and they’ll be together forever.”
“Forever, huh?”
He’d tried to convince himself more than once that he was being selfish by staying with Penny when he couldn’t give her the family she wanted and deserved. He’d told himself he needed to end things with her, but he just couldn’t do it. He loved her so damn much, he wished he was the type of person who could push past their issues and move forward more freely, like his buddy Quincy, who had overcome years of substance abuse.
Or Sarah.
His chest constricted thinking of the sister who had suffered as much abuse as he had. She’d left home soon after he did, only to fall into the hands of another abuser. Thank God she’d escaped him and was marrying a good man who adored her and her children. He had no idea why his parents had never abused Josie, but he thanked God every day she’d escaped their wrath. Although Josie hadn’t gone unscathed. She carried heaps of guilt for having an easier time of it than they’d had. At least she’d ended up with a kind and generous young man who had gotten her away from their parents when she was thirteen and eventually had become her loving husband. She’d lost him too quickly to an undiagnosed medical condition, which was heartbreaking, but at least now she was happy and safe once again and married to a good man.
“That’s right,” Penny said with a hint of challenge, and pressed a kiss to the center of his chest. “Forever.”
She was always challenging him, and he really dug that about her, too. But she never challenged him about his choice not to have children. She acted like she was cool with not having a ring on her finger or making plans for a family, but he knew her too well. He’d seen her with her niece, Tallulah, and his nieces and nephews, for whom they often babysat, and it always brought conflicting emotions for both of them. She was a natural with children, and she’d be an amazing mother one day. Which was why the fact that he was going to kiss her the whole time they were on the Ferris wheel to earn as much of forever as he possibly could probably made him a dick.
But there were far worse sins than loving someone too much.
THE TOWN OF Echo Beach was even more charming than Scott had remembered, with painted brick-front shops, old-fashioned streetlamps, and flower boxes bursting with gorgeous blooms. The street names—Peony Way, Daffodil Drive, Black-Eyed Susan Lane—followed the same floral theme as the garden and park, which anchored either end of the main drag, Bluebell Gardens and Primrose Park.
As they explored the shops, they picked up a cute mermaid rattle for Tallulah and gifts for each of Scott’s nieces and nephews. They bought a truck whistle for Hail, a toy motorcycle for Bradley, who at five wanted replicas of everything his daddy had, a xylophone for two-and-a-half-year-old Lila, and a stuffed kitty for Maggie Rose, who was fifteen months.
They spent hours looking around, and as they were leaving an eclectic shop with everything from clothing to knickknacks, Scott caught sight of a small oval sign with green lettering that read LIFE IS BETTER WITH SWEETS, bordered by tiny ice cream cones with ice cream dribbling down their sides.
“Hold on, sweets.” He picked up the sign and said, “We need this.”
She laughed.
He slipped his arm around her, tugging her against him, and feigned a serious tone. “Did you just laugh at my choice of signs?”
“Yes, but only because I love it so much.”
Not nearly as much as I love you. It pained him to hold back that declaration, but it wouldn’t be fair to give it wings. Instead, he kissed her, pouring the passion he felt into their connection.
They bought the sign and then headed down the street to the Blue Fin restaurant where Scott had secretly made reservations. He had another surprise in store for Penny, and he knew her well enough to realize that if he’d told her what it was ahead of time, she’d have been a nervous wreck all day. He’d wanted her to enjoy every minute of the festival.
When they arrived at the restaurant, he said, “This looks perfect.”
“I heard a couple talking about this place at the festival. I think we need reservations.”
“Don’t I always take care of you?” He’d researched the restaurants in the area to find one that had excellent food and service but allowed casual attire. The Blue Fin was noted as the best in casual dining. He opened the door and waved her in. “After you, gorgeous.”
He took her hand as they followed a hostess through the restaurant to the back patio with a beautiful water view.
Penny whispered, “I can’t believe you got tickets to the festival and made reservations here. You thought of everything.”
“Because you are my everything,” he whispered back.
He spotted his surprise, Alyssa Braden, a tall, dimple-cheeked brunette and the director of the Sweet ’n Savory Dessert Festival, waving from her table on the far side of the patio.
“Old girlfriend?” Penny teased.
“Hardly,” he said with a laugh.
She knew that wasn’t the case. He’d explained early on in their relationship that after leaving his hometown in Florida, he’d kept personal connections to a minimum to avoid having to answer too many questions about his past and to allow him to use his free time searching for his sisters. When he and Sarah had first reconnected after a decade apart and moved to the Harbor, they’d been on their way home from a celebratory dinner and had gotten into a horrible car accident. Bullet Whiskey had been the one to pull them from the wreckage, which was how they’d met him and his family. Sarah had been pregnant at the time, and she’d come out of it with scratches and bruises but thankfully, no major injuries. Lila had suffered a minor head injury, along with cuts and bruises. Bradley, luckily, had come away with only a few scrapes. Scott had gotten the worst of it with a broken leg, his other femur shattered, and a collapsed lung. While he was in the hospital, he’d developed an embolism and was in ICU. He’d had a long recovery and was left with a permanent plate and pins in one leg, along with a slight limp. He’d been focusing on recovering, physical therapy, and taking care of Sarah and her children, who had lived with him, when he’d met Penny. He’d also thought Quincy had been interested in her and had respectfully kept his distance. Not long after Sarah and the kids moved in with Bones, he’d reconnected with Josie. They’d moved into his house, and he’d cared for her and Hail, too.
Penny had never been far from his thoughts or his desires. While he’d hooked up with a couple of women, he’d thought that having a girlfriend wasn’t even on his radar. But now he knew that wasn’t quite true. He and Penny were together often during that time, as they hung out with the same group of friends, and over those months his f
eelings for her had deepened, obliterating even the desire to look at another woman.
“Scotty, why is she taking us to that woman’s table?” Penny whispered.
“Because we’re having dinner with her,” he said.
Her eyes bloomed wide. “What? Why?”
He winked at the same time the hostess stopped walking and said, “Here you are,” and motioned for them to walk past her to Alyssa’s table. “Your waiter will be by momentarily.”
“Thank you,” Scott said as Alyssa pushed to her feet.
Before he could get another word out, Alyssa said, “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Beckley.” She offered her hand to Penny and said, “You must be Penny. I’m Alyssa Braden, the director of the Sweet ’n Savory Dessert Festival. Your relentless—and clever—boyfriend has been singing your praises for weeks.”
“Alyssa…” Penny said with disbelief as she shook her hand.
“Yes, Alyssa Braden,” she repeated.
“I know who you are. I’m sorry. I’m just in shock,” Penny said, flashing her killer smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your parents founded the festival.”
“That’s right, sixteen years ago. You’ve done your homework,” Alyssa said.
“I’ve wanted to get into the festival for years. But I’m confused as to what’s going on.” Penny glanced curiously at Scott and said, “Scott contacted you?”
“I did. Why don’t we sit down and I’ll explain,” Scott said as he pulled out her chair and they sat down. “Some businesses look great on paper. But you are your business, Pen, and Alyssa was kind enough to grant us an hour so she can make her own assessment about allowing Luscious Licks into the festival.”
Penny’s cheeks pinked up as she whispered, “Scotty!”
Alyssa chuckled. “Don’t be embarrassed. You have quite a guy by your side.”
“Yes, I do,” she said, taking his hand under the table and squeezing it tight.
“Scott didn’t just contact me, Penny. He called my office every day for two weeks and sent daily emails praising you, complete with descriptions of your special mood-driven sundaes and the other unique items you create. He also sent a slew of recommendations and quotes from other Peaceful Harbor business owners and residents. And when I didn’t immediately respond, he printed them all out and overnighted them to my office.”
In for a Penny Page 2
