Page 57 of Stars Shine In Your Eyes

Malcolm turned to Josie. “Got any preference?”

She looked a little steamrolled, but said, “Whatever works for you works for me.”

“See?” Alice said. “That’s one of the reasons why we all adore you. You’re so easygoing. And also fabulous and brilliant. I don’t know what we’re going to do when you leave. I suppose you’re going to have a long-distance relationship? Malcolm, you could always open an office in New York.”

“Prying much?” Malcolm said, then led the way to the van. Alice opened it up so that they could each grab a flat of flowers.

“Actually,” Josie told Alice, “I might not be leaving.”

He was 99.9 percent sure she would stay. After all, he knew firsthand how much she loved everything about Elderflower Island so far. She got along great with his family. And he knew the idea of being completely in charge of the reading retreats appealed to her.

“Why? Are you getting another job here after you finish setting up the retreat and the cottages?”

“Mari came by this morning and said the retreats are completely booked out for the rest of the year. She’s asked me to take them over.”

“You could do more than that even,” Malcolm said. “Remember how you said it would be fun to have reading retreats on houseboats? What if that’s what we did? What if we renovated a bunch of houseboats and turned each of them into a floating reading retreat?”

He didn’t know where the idea had come from, only that he knew it would work.

“Oh my gosh,” Alice said. “That would be amazing. And I could help set up all of the plants on the decks, and some flower boxes by the windows, and any land around the dock of wherever the houseboats are, if you needed it.”

Josie held up her hands. “That sounds amazing, but right now I just need to focus on one thing at a time. I’ve got to get these cottages ready faster than ever, and then decide whether it’s feasible for me to stay.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to pressure you,” Alice said.

But Malcolm didn’t apologize. He wanted her to stay. And that meant she needed to take this job.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Josie had never worked so hard or so quickly on so many different fronts—the garden, the furnishings, and filling the bookcases Malcolm had put together with books and more books. The people who had signed up for the retreats were already emailing to ask questions about how it all worked and to give her their information on the kind of books that they loved, which meant that she didn’t have a moment to breathe until the sun had fallen and only she and Malcolm were left on the property.

They hadn’t had a chance to talk again since this morning, not even to eat alone together. His parents had dropped by with lunch and raved about how much they’d done. Penny took on the task of stocking the kitchen with snacks for the retreat guests. She pulled on rubber gloves and washed the mismatched china they’d found in the cupboards, and talked about stocking the brand-new fridge with juice, water, and soft drinks.

Simon helped Malcolm put together the remaining bookcases, and Josie could see how happy it made the two Sullivan men to work together, chatting easily as they did so. Fiona had brought by some pillows and throw blankets for the couches and the outside furniture, reminding Josie that even in summer, it could get cool outside. Fiona was a lifesaver in so many ways. But she hadn’t been able to stay, saying that she was working on yet another event for her husband and his clients.

When Josie went into the kitchen, she found Penny happily drying dishes and placing them inside the kitchen cupboards. Malcolm’s mother smiled at her. “We’re so pleased to hear the news. Simon and I both think you and Malcolm are wonderful together.”

Josie blushed, feeling like she’d received the greatest compliment. Alice hadn’t wasted any time telling the others about her and Malcolm. She wondered if that was why Penny and Simon had dropped by today—to let Josie know they approved.

Even Tom and Aria came by after school. Luckily, Josie had already shelved some children’s picture books that contained useful lessons for adults as well. She showed Aria the shelf containing Winnie-the-Pooh, The Little Prince, and The Velveteen Rabbit among others. But the one she reached for was a book that had been a childhood favorite of hers. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak was about managing difficult emotions, but it was also about the power of imagination, something she knew Aria had in spades.

While Tom helped the men, she and Aria went outside to a cozy nook Alice and Fiona had created. An old rosebush was blooming, now freed from the weeds that had surrounded it, and the pretty flowers Alice had planted that morning added splashes of color and fragrance. They curled up together on an old wooden bench that was comfortable thanks to Fiona’s cushions. A sundial caught the sun in one corner of the garden, and butterflies and birds seemed to love the garden as much as Josie did.

As they read together, Josie was filled with happiness.

After everyone had left for the day except Malcolm, she went back out and sat in another part of the garden. Alice had said this was an old kitchen garden, and she smelled thyme and rosemary and lavender.

She loved it here. Even more than that, she was falling in love with the people, with everybody she’d met and worked with. And especially Malcolm. She couldn’t deny what was in her heart, and being scared to risk again no longer felt like reason enough to keep her distance.

The truth was, she could go back to her old life in Coeur d’Alene, and she could continue to live exactly as she had. Or she could risk it all by moving here for an amazing new opportunity, shifting her career yet again to have more of a focus on Elderflower Island reading retreats. Maybe even to pursue what Malcolm had mentioned with the houseboats, something they could work on together.

And she could risk her heart. One more time. She could trust that the man she loved had changed. And that he was ready for more than he had ever let himself have, or had ever gone for in a relationship.

She took a deep breath, letting the idea of saying yes, yes to everything, sink in. Letting herself feel it.

She hadn’t heard him approach until he was sitting beside her. He reached out and threaded his fingers through hers.

“Nice spot you’ve created here,” he said.

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