Page 20 of Beachside Kisses With My Enemy

We walk together, right past an older couple getting in their steps who wave and wish us a good morning.

“I own an adventure tours and beach equipment rentals company. Go Round Adventures. It’s just south of downtown, past Red Sauce Pizza and the Golden Highlight.”

“Awesome. You left for a while to attend business school, yeah?”

“I did.”

“So what brought you back to Hallmark Beach?” From what Marilee told me, he moved home around the time our parents died. His son is only four, so he didn’t come back to be near family for his sake. There must have been some other reason.

We stop walking for a minute, moving just off the boardwalk onto the sand. Jordan squints at the ocean, where there’s a sailboat bobbing in the distance. “Guess you could say that everything I wanted was in this little town. It’s home.” Then he turns to me. “What about you? Why’d you come back?”

I clear my throat, unsure I want to share all of that with Jordan. So I stick with the easiest answer. “Had a break in my schedule and thought it was time to reconnect with Mare.”

“I know she’s missed you, so that’s awesome.”

It kind of rankles that this guy seems to know more about my sister than I do. “Just wish the rest of the town felt the same way.”

He stretches his arm over his head. “How do you mean? Is business bad?”

“It wasn’t, until Lucy showed up and sweet-talked all of my customers into leaving me.”

“Ouch.” Jordan shakes out his hand like something burned him. “I wouldn’t want to go head-to-head with Lucy in a sweet-talking contest. Especially because that woman is genuinely sweet.” He then lunges into a lower-body stretch. “Kind of makes me wonder what you did to earn her wrath.”

“You and me both, man.”

We both laugh, and I rub a hand along the back of my neck. “If you’ve got any tips on how to garner favor in this town, I’m all ears. I don’t really want to be at war with Lucy, but she seems convinced that every resident is either her customer or mine—like we can’t coexist somehow. And she’s been busy convincing everyone else of the same thing.”

Switching legs, Jordan nods. “What you need to do is remind people that you’re from Hallmark Beach just as much—if not more than—Lucy.”

“Yeah, but how?”

“That’s for you to figure out, dude. If Lucy knew I was helping you, she’d have my head.” He slices a finger across his throat and sticks his tongue out like he’s dead. “But while she’s my friend, I’m loyal to Lee too. And you mean a lot to her.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” He straightens and glances at his watch. “Aw, dang, gotta run. My elderly neighbor’s keeping an eye on Ryder, and he should be waking up soon. Gotta get him off to my mom’s and then shower before the festival meeting. You coming to that, by the way?”

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it. What festival?”

“I’m surprised Chloe didn’t hit you up for help.”

“That’s the princess, right?”

Jordan grins. “I see Lee has caught you up on all the local gossip. Yeah, she’s a princess, but she’s also the new owner of Something Blue and got drafted last minute to plan the town’s Fourth of July Festival.”

“Yikes.” Now there’s a job I don’t envy.

“Right?” Jordan pauses, tilts his head. “You really haven’t met her yet? She and Marilee are pretty tight, and you’ve been back, what? Two weeks?”

“Almost. But I’ve been pretty focused on getting the truck up and running.” And starting—and scrapping—recipe after new recipe. “Haven’t really interacted with many people except from behind the window.”

“There’s your problem, dude.” Jordan snaps at me. “Hallmark Beach is all about loyalty, but you’ve got to remind them you belong here. That you actually care about the community and aren’t just here to make a buck.”

Okay, that makes sense. And it’s something that I know about my hometown. Maybe I just forgot it. “I’m in. How do I do that, though?”

“I’ve got an idea. Are you free this morning at eight-thirty?”

“I’ll make myself free.” Whatever it takes to get my business plan back on track. To get customers so I can generate a test market.

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