Cottage on Oceanview Lane (Emerald Cove Book 1)
Page 24
She held a breath deep in her lungs, the things she wanted to say, and her fear, fighting over the words that rose to her tongue. "I wasn't ready then…but the past few weeks have given me time to think, to heal. You caught me right after Jeremy left, I was upset, shaken… I wasn't ready then, but I am now."
He sat in silence, stroking her hand with his fingertips. Then, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. A deep passion welled within her at his touch. She pulled away to catch her breath.
"I want us to try…" he began. "I'm ready to commit fully to this thing between us, wherever it goes."
She kissed him then, and they rose from their seats at the same time until their bodies were pressed against one another. On tiptoe, she stared into his eyes. They were dark, but even in the dim light, she saw his heart. He was a good man - patient, strong, kind and part of the home she'd been searching for. "Even though I've known you my whole life, I think you're just the man I've been looking for."
THE END
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THE WARATAH INN (BOOK 1)
Wrested back to Cabarita Beach by her grandmother's sudden death, Kate Summer discovers a mystery buried in the past that changes everything.
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Excerpt: The Waratah Inn
Brisbane
The wind clutched at Kate Summer’s straight, brown hair blowing it in wild bursts around her head and into her green eyes. The ferry lurched forward. She grabbed onto a cold, metal handrail with one hand and held her flyaway hair against her neck with the other. Then she stepped through the doorway and into the City Ferry cabin. The rush of wind in her ears quieted, replaced by the dull murmur of conversation between commuters as they huddled together in clumps throughout the cabin.
The Kangaroo Point terminal faded out of sight behind them as the ferry chugged across the sluggish, brown Brisbane River toward the city centre. Kate tugged her coat tighter around her body and inhaled a steadying breath through her reddened nose. It’d once been smattered with freckles, but time had faded them to a pale remnant of their former selves.
Sighing, she sank into one of the hard chairs that were lined up like so many church pews, smoothed her hair with one hand as best she could, and set her purse on the empty seat beside her.
She had to get to work on time today. Marco was stressed out about the new menu. He’d called her at home to tell her he wasn’t entirely convinced it was a good idea to take the restaurant in a new direction, what with the economic climate the way it was. She reminded him the economic climate was fine and it was the perfect time to try something new, as they’d discussed a hundred times over the past six months. That he’d named her head chef at the Orchid for a reason and should listen to her ideas.
He’d agreed and hung up. But she’d heard the tension in his voice. He hated change. She knew that well enough, having worked for him for five years. But five years of creating food that was expected, safe, the same as it had always been, was more than enough for her. If he didn’t want to make the change, then she would. Her creative spirit itched for something different.
The ferry pulled to a stop, growling back and forth until its ramp lined up with the dock. When she stepped onto solid ground, she couldn’t help one wistful glance back at the river. She missed the water. The ocean had been like a second home to her once. She’d spent so much of her teenage years diving under the waves, floating on her back, and staring up at the sky on a calm day, or surfing the break when the wind was up. But since she didn’t live near the beach these days, she had to make do with the river. It wasn’t the same but paddling a kayak or riding the ferry brought a measure of peace.
By the time she reached the restaurant, she’d already run over the menu again in her mind and was convinced they were doing the right thing by reinvigorating their offerings. It was fresh, unique, delicious — it would bring diners into the restaurant in droves. She was sure of it.
Or it would drive them away.
Her stomach tightened at the thought of what Marco would say if it didn’t work the way she hoped it would. Reputation was everything for a chef, and in a small city like Brisbane, failures weren’t something you could hide.
“‘Morning chef.” Her Sous Chef greeted her with a warm smile. “Ready to change the world?”
She chuckled. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Fresh groceries from the market lined one of the bench tops along the wall. She always placed her orders the day before. Fresh produce, direct from the farmers, was the best way to make delicious meals, and the write-ups she’d received so far in the local newspapers showed it. She’d sent one review to Nan.
What she really wanted to do was drive down to Cabarita and bring Nan back with her, so her grandmother could taste the food for herself. Not that she was such a big fan of Asian fusion cuisine. Nan preferred her meat and three veg, like most Australians of her generation. Still, Kate wanted her to see the restaurant, see the career she’d built for herself over the past decade. She was proud of what she’d achieved and wanted someone to share that with.
Just thinking of Nan and the inn put a twist in her gut. She hadn’t been back to see Nan in months, and when she’d gone the last time she’d only visited briefly. Nan had made her promise to stay longer on the next trip, but with everything she had going on, the visit never happened.
If the new menu didn’t work out, Kate would have plenty of time on her hands to visit Nan and the Waratah Inn. Maybe she’d be a permanent guest there. She shook her head, her pulse accelerating as worry over the future, her career, and personal life washed over her again. She was used to it, this anxiety. It clogged her thoughts, put knots in her gut and sent waves of adrenaline coursing through her veins.
The new menu had to work. It was the first time Marco had given her complete control over what they’d serve. If people didn’t like it, he might never offer her the chance again.
She wasn’t ready to concede defeat and move in with her grandmother yet. But a holiday, a beach holiday, was a great idea. Davis had been bugging her about getting away together, away from the city and their crazy, hectic schedules, ever since he proposed six months earlier. She’d suggest it when she saw him that night after work. They often met up late for a light meal, since she worked when most people were done for the day. He didn’t like it, but what could she do? It was her career. He’d said they should take a vacation, but they hadn’t spoken of it since. Perhaps it was time to raise the subject together. They could both do with some time off. And more than that, she missed Nan.
Keep reading…
Also by Lilly Mirren
The Waratah Inn Series
The Waratah Inn
Wrested back to Cabarita Beach by her grandmother's sudden death, Kate Summer discovers a mystery buried in the past that changes everything.
One Summer in Italy
Reeda leaves the Waratah Inn and returns to Sydney, her husband, and her thriving interior design business, only to find her marriage in tatters. She's lost sight of what she wants in life and can't recognise the person she's become.
The Summer Sisters
Set against the golden sands and crystal clear waters of Cabarita Beach three sisters inherit an inn and discover a mystery about their grandmother's past that changes everything they thought they knew about their family...
Christmas at The Waratah Inn
Liz
Cranwell is divorced and alone at Christmas. When her friends convince her to holiday at The Waratah Inn, she’s dreading her first Christmas on her own. Instead she discovers that strangers can be the balm to heal the wounds of a lonely heart in this heartwarming Christmas story.
Emerald Cove Series
Cottage on Oceanview Lane
When a renowned book editor returns to her roots, she rediscovers her strength & her passion in this heartwarming novel.
Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast
The Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast has been an institution in Emerald Cove for as long as anyone can remember. But things are changing and Diana is nervous about what the future might hold for her and her husband, not to mention the historic business.
Glossary of Terms
Dear reader,
Since this book is set in Australia there may be some terms you’re not familiar with. I’ve included them below to help you out! I hope they didn’t trip you up too much.
Cheers, Lilly xo
Terms
Boot - car trunk
Pavlova - a meringue based dessert piled high with whipped cream and slices of fresh fruit.
“Love” - a term of endearment for friends and lovers alike
Tea - used to describe either a hot beverage made from leaves, or the evening meal
Unit - apartment or condo
Mobile - cell phone
Fringe - bangs
RSL Club - Returned Services League (war veterans) Club
Proby - Probationary Constable
Sarge - Sergeant
Senior Connies - Senior Constables
Biscuits - Crackers or cookies (could be either)
Sea Change - Moving to the beach from the city for a change of lifestyle
About the Author
Lilly Mirren lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and three children.
Lilly always dreamed of being a writer and is now living that dream. She is a graduate of both the University of Queensland, where she studied International Relations and Griffith University, where she completed a degree in Information Technology.
When she's not writing, she's chasing her children, doing housework or spending time with friends.
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Copyright © 2020 by Lilly Mirren
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.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Emerald Cove is a fictitious town, as are the characters who live there.