Page 27 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

Sierra laughed softly. “You did, but now I’m wondering if things are getting serious between the two of you.”

Zara was aghast at the suggestion and figured her expression showed it. “Of course not.”

“Oh.”

Sierra honestly sounded surprised, and for that reason, Zara wanted to explain. She sipped her coffee, then said, “Like I told you, I honestly didn’t think I’d see Saint again after our one night together two and a half years ago. Now I’ve seen him practically every time I’ve returned to Catalina Cove. First at your and Vaughn’s celebration cookout when I learned his real identity. Then again at your wedding. Now I’m back and it seems natural for us to be together while I’m here. But trust me when I say that it is not, and I repeat, not, a serious involvement.”

“So, the two of you are friends with benefits?”

Zara paused a moment before answering. “To me that denotes a more structured relationship than the arrangement we have. Saint and I have reasons not to want to get seriously involved with anyone, not even with each other. We like spending time together and nothing more than that. It isn’t serious or permanent. In fact, we don’t even have each other’s contact information. If I happen to be in the cove and we run into each other, that’s fine. If we don’t, that’s fine, too.”

Sierra nodded. “Well, just like we told you the other day, people in the cove have always liked and respected Saint and considered him a nice guy. He’s always been courteous, thoughtful and respectful. Back in the day, mothers would always try fixing him up with their daughters because they knew he was a perfect gentleman. He wasn’t one to lead a girl on, and he wouldn’t become involved with one unless he meant it.”

Sierra bit into her muffin as if giving what she’d said time to sink in. “Saint’s mother and mine are friends,” she continued, “and according to Mom, Ms. Irene always wanted a house full of kids. However, due to medical reasons she only had Saint. She thinks she can remedy that by having a bunch of grandkids instead. That’s why she’s set her mind to finding him a wife.”

“He told me about his mother’s determination to do that, and he’s not happy about it,” Zara replied.

“And he has a right not to be,” Sierra said. “From what Vaughn said, he can barely eat a meal anywhere without some woman inviting herself to join him or deliberately walking by his table to speak to him. There are one or two who know his whereabouts before and after work hours and show up where he is, hoping to get noticed. I understand Saint’s mother is feeding them that information.”

Zara frowned. “That’s a bit much for those women. To run behind a man that way.”

“I totally agree. But I guess if you’re a woman in the market for a husband, especially a handsome man who doesn’t have commitment phobia, you’d see the chase as worth it. I bet some are even taking his disinterest as a challenge.”

The thought of that bothered Zara. “They are wasting their time. I know for a fact that a serious relationship with a woman is the last thing Saint wants.”

“Why? Because he’s still in love with his old girlfriend?”

“That’s not it,” Zara said without much thought and in a tone that she regretted sounded annoyed.

Sierra eyed Zara speculatively. “If you and Saint aren’t friends with benefits, then what are you?”

Zara honestly couldn’t answer that, other than saying, “We’re two people who have decided we enjoy each other’s company whenever we want without the trappings of an emotional attachment, commitment and any expectation of anything other than the moment. I guess you can say that we’re hookup partners.”

Sierra bit into her muffin, chewing thoughtfully. Then she asked, “Whose idea was that?”

“Mine, but he agreed to it.”

Sierra stared at her for a moment before asking, “And how is it working for you? This hookup-partners thing?”

Zara shrugged. “I think it would work better if I wasn’t planning on being in Catalina Cove for a longer stay this time. The other two times I was in and out within days. For this visit I’m here for six weeks. Now I want to...”

Sierra gave her a curious stare. “Want to what?”

“Spend more time with him.” Zara let out a deep sigh. “I look forward to being with him, Sierra.”

“So, for you it’s only sexual.”

Zara noted Sierra had said it as a statement and not a question. “Maybe it was at first. I like being with him in every sense of the word. The lovemaking is wonderful, off the charts, the best I’ve ever had. And then we communicate on a level that I’d never experienced with Maurice. I run stuff by Saint for his ideas, thoughts and suggestions. He even thinks I should consider buying that vacant building.”

“He does?”

“Yes. He feels it will be a good investment move for me.”

“He’s probably right, Zara. Buying that building when I did and turning it into the Green Fig was the best business decision I could have made. Vaughn and I have even talked about expanding to the second floor to include banquet rooms when we move out and the upstairs living quarters are no longer needed.”

“Wow, that will be a huge undertaking.”

“Yes, but a good business decision for us. We’ll promote Levi from assistant manager to manager when we start a family.”

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