Page 37 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

After breakfast, he walked Zara to her car. When they passed by the vacant building, she didn’t say anything about it, and he didn’t, either. He noticed she hadn’t glanced in the window to see if the For Sale sign was still there.

After opening the car door for her, he leaned in and brushed a kiss across her lips. That hadn’t been part of their plan, but for some reason, it felt right doing so at the moment. “Have a good day, sweetheart.”

“Oh, alright.”

Saint could tell the kiss had caught her off guard, as well as the term of endearment. He smiled at the thought of that as he turned and walked off.

Zara didn’t immediately start her car. She sat there and watched Saint until he was no longer in sight. She understood the brush across the lips since you never knew who might have been watching. But why the term of endearment?

And why was a smile spreading across her lips that he was really getting into this fake affair? More than likely, he was trying to get into the role, so calling her that would come naturally if they were around others. That made sense.

She started the car and drove toward Zara’s Haven. Vaughn had delivered a lot of empty boxes to her on Sunday. Although he hadn’t mentioned anything about what she now thought of as “the Kiss,” she knew Vaughn had to have seen it.

Instead, he talked about the trip he and Sierra were taking and how excited they were about it. He said he felt bad about her being in Catalina Cove when he wouldn’t be around. However, she had assured him she would be fine and had plenty to keep her busy. And just for good measure—and to answer any unasked questions—she told him since she and Saint would be spending time together, she would be okay while he was gone.

Zara knew Vaughn would assume, like others, that she and Saint were a couple. That wasn’t a lie since for the rest of her time in Catalina Cove, they would be.

Earlier that morning she had checked in with Sherri to see how things were going with her boutiques. All the store managers had checked in and inventory was good, and three of the boutiques had held successful sales over the weekend. It felt good knowing she could be away and she had capable people in charge of her shops.

Her thoughts shifted to how nice it had felt sharing breakfast with Saint. He had looked good in his business suit. When she’d entered the café, she couldn’t help but admire just how handsome he was. Her gaze had done a leisurely scan of his impressive body.

Visions of how they’d spent Saturday night after their talk—enjoying wild, raging sex—had her mind spinning. Even now, she felt desire clawing inside her. She’d never considered herself a particularly passionate being—until Saint. With him she was doing things in the bedroom that she’d never done before and hadn’t realized could be done. With Saint, she held nothing back and let all inhibitions go. Usually, that was when things got wild.

A short while later, with a smile from those memories still on her face, she pulled into Zara’s Haven, ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work. Before she could exit the car, her cell phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Zara, this is Vashti. Ray and Ashley’s son arrived before daybreak this morning, weighing almost ten pounds.”

“Ten pounds? No wonder we thought she was having more twins. What did they name him?”

“Logan Ashton.”

“Logan Ashton Sullivan. I like it.”

“I do, too. I just wanted to let you know. We’re all happy with the news. I texted Sierra, but if you talk to her, make sure she knows. I’m not sure how the text messaging will work over international waters.”

“I will.”

After ending the call, Zara stepped out of the car, pushing the disheartening thought out of her mind that although she loved kids, thanks to Maurice’s betrayal and her inability to love and trust again, she would never have any of her own.

Margie Lawson checked her watch as she entered the room and looked over at her father. After eating the breakfast she’d prepared and saying over and over how good it was, he had left the kitchen to watch his favorite game show on television. It wasn’t even noon yet but now he was stretched out asleep on the sofa with Butterball lying on his chest.

More than likely, he was still exhausted from last night’s Memorial Day fireworks show. It had been years since she’d last been in Catalina Cove for Memorial Day. Not since she’d left for college. Her father had been excited about going and she was glad that this year she had been with him.

She’d made the right decision to move back home. Like she’d told her son and daughter, with their father gone, there was no reason for her to remain living in Dallas. It wasn’t like they lived there. David, who was thirty-two, and his wife, Cheryl, were living in Wisconsin. Her daughter, Bellamy, who was twenty-seven, and her husband, Sam, lived in Syracuse.

Both of her children had followed in their father’s footsteps and become medical doctors. Both David and Cheryl were neurosurgeons, and Bellamy was a cardiologist. Her husband, Sam, was CEO of his own finance company. She was proud that both her kids were happily married and doing well in their chosen careers.

When Margie’s husband, Ronald Lawson, had died of an aneurysm three years ago, her adult children were both married with lives of their own. Although they had invited her to move in with them, the thought of moving to New York or Wisconsin hadn’t appealed to her. Of course, if either David or Bellamy had given her grandkids by now, she might have reconsidered.

She looked at her father and thought, maybe not. Her father needed her more. It had made perfect sense to move back to the town she’d always loved. The only reason she hadn’t done so before now was because when they’d married, Ron already had a medical practice in Dallas. Still, they brought the kids to the cove to visit their grandparents every chance they got. There was a time when David and Bellamy would spend the entire summer here with her parents.

Her mother had died fifteen years ago, and her father had pretty much accepted a life alone. For years he’d been active in his church. Now he was six years from turning ninety, and although he’d always had a sharp mind, he’d been hospitalized twice the previous year because he had forgotten to take his medicine. When she retired recently, she made the decision to sell her home in Dallas and move back here.

It didn’t take long to get reacquainted with former friends in Catalina Cove. Most of her classmates had moved elsewhere. Like her, they had left for college and never returned other than to visit loved ones during holidays.

Margie had always intended to return after college to work at the hospital here as a nurse practitioner. But then she’d met Ron and fallen in love. They had been married for thirty-five years, and they had been good years.

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