He looked up with a frown and something like irritation in his eyes. “My sister, Ashley.”
What would it be like to have a real family—not just a mom who was more a boss than anything?
Maybe, at the end of all this, Bella would finally know.
Keep him talking. Right. “So, what’s there to do around here?”
A printer whirred to life behind Ben. He snagged some papers and turned, handing them to Bella along with a pen. “Tons. Of course, there’s surfing, kayaking, and other water sports. If you need any equipment or want to take a tour, my cousin Cameron manages a rental shop and could set up something for you. There’s also a lot of shopping downtown if antiques, art galleries, and specialty shops are your thing.”
She flourished her signature across the safety waiver and contract detailing the security deposit regulations. “Any good places to eat?”
“My personal favorites are Froggies Pizza and the Frosted Cake.”
Her stomach rumbled to life at the suggestions. The tiny pack of airplane peanuts she’d found at the bottom of her purse hardly sufficed for a meal, but that’s all she’d eaten since breakfast. “Those sound amazing.” She angled her head and pushed her lips into a grin that felt anything but natural. “Would you happen to be available to join me?”
Ben stiffened. “Can’t. The earthquake put me behind on everything.”
Great. The prickly owner clearly wanted nothing to do with her—except to take her money, of course. What now? “Rain check, maybe?”
“I’m really slammed.” He averted his eyes and slid a key card against the desk’s polished surface. “Your room is just upstairs and down the south hallway. Third door on the left. If you need anything, I’ll be in my office, which is just around the corner off the kitchen.”
Bella snatched the key card and tried for a casual tone. “Sounds good. Thanks.”
She strode toward the staircase, wincing at the tightened skin on her kneecaps. Maybe this was more like that first time riding a bike than she’d realized, with the hill too steep and Bella too bullheaded to see she shouldn’t attempt it.
But just like that day twenty years ago, she was going to keep dragging her bike all the way to the top. She was going to have to change her strategy, but she’d try again and again until she finally mastered it.
No matter her own reservations, she would get Ben Baker to agree to sell his inn to her mom. It didn’t matter that Mom had been trying for at least six months. Bella could accomplish what no one else could simply because she had more riding on this than anyone else.
Sure, Mom wanted the deal so she could finally build the resort she’d been dreaming of. The place would be a gold mine.
But Bella wanted something more than money. She and her mom had come from poverty, and poverty could find them again at any time. But a family—well, families were forever. And Bella wanted to know if she had one out there, somewhere.
So, bring on the hill because Bella Moody would do just about anything to find out who her father was and whether he’d been survived by any family when he’d died twenty-seven years ago.
Numbers were Ben Baker’s enemy.
Especially when they were red. Very, very red.
Ben scrubbed a hand across his face and leaned back in his office chair as the spreadsheet swam in front of him on the screen. Grandpa would roll over in his grave if he could see how badly Ben was botching his legacy.
His one saving grace would be the insurance money from the earthquake, which he hoped he would get an update on by Monday. He’d likely have to do most of the repairs himself—and maybe he’d snag his buddy Evan or a few of his cousins to help out—but that would leave extra money on the table to pay off some of his debts.
Like the mortgage he’d defaulted on three months ago.
But if the four cancellations that had just come in this afternoon and the numbers bleeding on the screen indicated what was to come, the Iridescent Inn was in dire trouble.
Ugh. He needed a break.
Easing away from the desk, Ben strode to his office door then into the hallway and up the stairs toward the lobby, where the world’s most comfortable couches awaited him. Maybe a little time stretched out on one of those bad boys would refresh him enough to come up with a plan.
But as he reached the top of the stairs and pivoted toward the pair of deep green couches ringing the stone fireplace against the south wall, Ben halted.
There sat the woman who had checked in only a few hours ago, a large pizza box on the scratched oak coffee table in front of her along with a stack of plates and napkins. She glanced up at his arrival. “Oh. Hi. I hope it’s OK I’m in here.”
Earlier she’d been all business in that skirt that had hugged her curvy lower half and heels that had looked painful to walk in. Now she looked much more relaxed—though somehow still classy—in black yoga pants and a flowy blue shirt that brought out the chocolate brown of her eyes.
The same eyes that had drawn him in earlier when he’d “rescued” her in the courtyard. Ben had imagined something mysterious and vulnerable in their depths. Probably he’d just whacked his head harder than he’d thought.
“Of course it’s OK.” His voice came out gruffer than he’d intended. He attempted to soften his tone. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“You’re not. I was just thinking it would be nice to have some company. And there’s plenty of food.” The woman—Bella, if he remembered correctly—waved her hand toward the Froggies pizza box. Even from here the smell of hot cheese and his uncle’s secret pizza sauce tantalized his senses. “Would you like to join me?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I have a ton of work to do.” He really did but that wasn’t his prime motivation for turning her down. “And I’m not hungry.” Neither was that.
His stomach chose that moment to betray him. It rumbled like a train coming into the station.
The woman quirked an eyebrow. “Of course you’re not.”
When she opened the lid of the box, Ben couldn’t help but lean forward at the sight of pepperoni and sausage spread generously across the top of the pizza. “I guess I’ll have some.” He reached into his back pocket, snagged his wallet, and pulled out a ten, which he tossed next to her onto the couch. “That should cover my half.”
“Not necessary. It’s my treat.” Bella took a piece of pizza from the box, slid it onto a plate, and held it out for Ben. “Here.”
Ben accepted the plate then shifted on his feet. “Thanks. But seriously, keep the money.” On the off chance she was trying to make this into some sort of date, maybe his insistence would make it clear he was not interested. “I should go back to my office.”
Bella settled back against the couch. “I understand.” Her tone remained crisp, professional. “Hope you get a lot done.” Moving her gaze to the unlit fireplace, she bit into the pizza and chewed.
Aw, man. Something about the interaction wasn’t sitting right with him. His mom’s voice yapping at him to treat women well—dumb chivalry—resounded in his mind, and it seemed wrong to leave Bella to eat here alone in a town where she might not know anyone.
And all because he was, what? Afraid she was flirting with him? Most likely she was just a nice person and offering a hungry guy some food.
Not all women were conniving like Elena.
Besides, he didn’t want to insult the one paying customer willing to stay in an inn falling down around her ears. “All right. I can stay for a few minutes.” Then he’d get out of there and back to the safety of his office. Ben slid onto the other couch and bit into the pizza but didn’t taste a thing.
The clock on the mantel ticked. Loudly.
After several minutes of silence, Bella finished her pizza. Once she’d placed the plate on the coffee table, she wiped her lips with a napkin. “That was really good. Thanks for the recommendation.”
Maybe she’d go back to her room now.
But nope. She stayed put.
Ben suppressed
a sigh. “I’ll pass along the compliment to my uncle and aunt. Froggies is their restaurant.”
“Please do. I think I met another Baker when I was out, just before I grabbed the pizza. The owner of Serene Art? Any relation?”
“My aunt Jules.”
Bella crossed her legs. “Your aunt? She looked really young.”
“She’s forty-two.” Only ten years older than him. His first babysitter.
“It sounds like you have a lot of family in town.”
“Yeah. My dad has four siblings, and they’re all here.”
She tilted her head. “Are all of them business owners?”
“Yep.”
“Wait, seriously?”
Was her response disbelief or awe? Or maybe a mix of both. So strange because it was just Ben’s reality and always had been. “My dad owns Walker Beach Construction. Froggies is my Uncle Thomas’s. Aunt Kiki owns the antique store on Main. And Aunt Louise runs a shop that sells fancy oils and vinegars.”
He nearly gagged as the words tumbled out. Since when did he tell strangers his family history? Ben stuffed the rest of his slice into his mouth.
“Oil Me This, right? I stopped in there and bought some smoky bacon olive oil.”
“Mmhmm.” He swallowed. How could he end their conversation without seeming rude?
Bella stood and walked to one of the old brown bookcases flanking the fireplace then squatted next to a stack of board games. “And did I see that the beach and that large community park on the water are named after your family?”
Maybe one-word answers would kill her inquiries. “Yeah.”
She glanced back at him, eyes wide. “Is the entire town run by the Baker clan?”
“We were just one of the founding families.” The way her mouth hung open was kind of comical. Ben couldn’t help but chuckle. “OK, the biggest founding family. I have eleven first cousins on the Baker side, and that doesn’t even include all of the cousins on my great-aunt’s side—the Griffins. Almost all of them live in town.”
“That’s intense.” Bella pulled a red box from the bookcase. “Where does this inn come in? Is it part of the Baker family legacy too?” She wandered back to the couches and sat with Yahtzee in her hands. What did she plan to do with that? Didn’t she know the game required more than one player?
He scratched behind his ear. “My great-great-grandparents originally built the inn.”
“That must be nice—to be part of something bigger than yourself.” Bella’s voice was almost wistful as she cleared a spot on the coffee table then opened the lid of the box. She placed two pads of paper, pens, a plastic cup, and five dice on the table.
Guess he’d been wrong about her not knowing anyone here. Bella was expecting company.
Instead of relief, a hollow ache pinched Ben’s chest.
What was he doing? He couldn’t afford to get distracted by a pretty face. Not again. The inn was too important, and he’d already allowed his grief to overshadow his responsibilities for the last seven months.
Here, at least, was a clear chance for him to escape. Ben cleared his throat. “I guess. It’s a lot of work. And I probably should get back to it.”
Bella eyed him. “You up for a game first?”
“Oh. I—”
“Unless you’re afraid to lose. This was my favorite game when I was a kid, and I warn you—I am good.” She smiled in challenge. The gesture softened the edges of her businesslike aura, making her a bit more . . . approachable.
Definitely more beautiful, if that were possible.
Danger, danger, Will Robinson. “I really shouldn’t.”
“Right. Sorry. I don’t want to stop you from doing your work. Believe me, I understand having a busy schedule.” Bella worried her lip and there—another flash of the vulnerability he’d glimpsed earlier in her eyes.
Was she playing him? Trying to manipulate him? Or actually disappointed he wasn’t staying? Ben couldn’t trust himself to tell anymore.
Curse you, Elena.
Probably he should give Bella the benefit of the doubt. At the very least, he should be a gracious host. “No, no. I’d love to play.” Fine, love to was a reach. A big one.
“You sure? Really, I don’t want to keep you.” The sincerity in her tone rang true. At least, he thought so.
He groaned inwardly at the seesaw in his mind. “I’m sure.”
“Awesome. You know the rules?”
“Yep.”
Bella placed the dice in the cup and held it out toward him.
“Ladies first.”
A hint of another smile graced her lips before she shook the cup then tipped it. Dice spilled onto the table. Gathering three of them, she dropped the dice into the cup and rolled again. “I can’t help noticing that you don’t sound too happy about owning the inn.”
Was she a mind reader? Or maybe a lawyer. That would explain the fancy getup from earlier and her ability to trick him into spilling his guts. “No. It’s great. Just a lot of pressure.” Pressure he was caving under.
Bella recorded her play on her paper pad and passed him the cup of dice. “So why not sell?”
He scoffed at her casual question. “Yeah, right.”
“Why not?”
Ben shook and rolled the dice, snagging three fours, a six, and a one. He collected the last two and rerolled them. “My family has owned the inn for just about a hundred years. They built it from the ground up. I couldn’t sell it even if I wanted to.”
And some days, he did. He’d never planned to inherit it, had always figured he’d keep working for his dad’s construction company like he’d been doing since he was sixteen. Maybe, eventually, partner with him.
But seven months ago Grandpa died, and Grandma signed over the inn to her eldest grandchild. She’d said it was too much for her “old bones” and that maybe he could infuse new life into the place.
And here he was, leading it toward an early grave.
He knew Grandma had probably just pitied him, was trying to give him something to focus on instead of how he’d been embarrassed and betrayed in front of the entire town two months before that. But he hadn’t had the heart to tell her he wasn’t ready to own a business, especially one he knew next to nothing about.
Bella glanced at his dice. “Four fours. Nice!” Then she looked back at him and shrugged. “Surely your family would understand. It’s your life, after all.” Her eyes caught his, and for a moment his insides buzzed around the edges—a foreign feeling he couldn’t quite define. “This is a beautiful property. You must have received offers at some point.”
He picked up the final dice, tossed it into the cup. It rattled around inside. “A few.”
“Did you consider them?”
He let the dice fly across the table, hoping to see a four. Wouldn’t he end the game by rolling a Yahtzee? It had been a while since he’d played.
A three stared up at him. So close.
Ben sighed. “For about a minute. But I can’t in good faith sell. It’s not just about me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, this is Walker Beach. My home. I’ve lived here my entire life. Unlike the two idiots who used to own the properties on either side of me, I’m not selling to some money-grubbing real estate developer whose main goal is to ruin my town.”
Bella flinched. And for good reason—he’d practically shouted the words. Oops.
“How would selling your inn ruin the town?” Bella collected the dice off the table. “It’s not like you’re running a vibrant business that’s contributing massively to the economy.”
Wow. “Way to shoot a guy in the heart.”
Bella fumbled the dice onto the floor. “Sorry.” She grimaced. “I shouldn’t have said that. This place, its history, means a lot to you.”
“It does.” And a city girl like her couldn’t possibly get it. “If I sell to the highest bidder, what is a peaceful vacation destination will become overrun with tourists who don’t appreciate what makes
Walker Beach special.”
“And what is that?” She straightened in her seat.
“We’re an artsy community with some unique shops and restaurants, but it’s more than that.” He really shouldn’t have to justify himself to this stranger. But for some inexplicable reason, he wanted her to understand. “I guess, for me, it’s just . . . everyone here is family, whether you’re related or not. Folks care about each other and help each other. You can’t find that in the big city or even in every small town you visit.”
Bella leaned forward, hands folded over her stomach, wincing. Once again, he’d let his forceful tone loose. Some gracious host he was turning out to be.
“Sorry. You hit on a sore subject.”
Without either of them officially ending the game, Bella began to put it away. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean . . . didn’t realize . . .” She looked up at him, cheeks red.
Great. He’d embarrassed her. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not.” The game packed, she closed the pizza box and stood. “Thanks for the pizza and the game, but I’ll leave you in peace now. Good night, Ben.”
Then she turned on her heel and was gone.
Lying back on the couch, he rubbed his face and stared at the stark white popcorn ceiling. Peace? Ha. It seemed like Ben would never find peace again.
Guys failing miserably were bound to live in turmoil.
Chapter 2
It was a gorgeous day.
Too bad that instead of enjoying it, Bella would be doing recon on Ben Baker.
Baker Beach’s warm sand sifted between her toes as she walked south from the inn. Bella’s ears reverberated with the ocean’s roar, her constant companion for the last mile she’d walked from the Iridescent Inn toward town.
The beach south of Ben’s and Moody Development’s properties became part of the six-acre Baker Community Park—a pleasant scene that, at noon on a Saturday, was already crowded with families cooking in the barbecue pits, kids running around in the grassy playground area, and beachgoers lounging with umbrellas and chairs in the sand.
The song from the latest Broadway musical blasted from Bella’s back pocket. Even though she felt more powerful when dressed in her business outfits, Walker Beach required a more casual touch, so today she’d opted for her Lucky white jean shorts and a sleeveless black tunic.
All of You, Always Page 2
