Page 57 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

He grinned. Everybody living in the cove, both young and old, knew what a busybody Mrs. Ivanstall was. “So, they saw me. Should I apologize for kissing you?”

“No, don’t apologize for anything you ever do with me.”

“In that case.” He leaned in to kiss her again. It was short but longer than the last one. There was no doubt in his mind it left her knowing what he had in store for later.

When they began walking again, he said, “Oh, by the way, the folks invited you to their Fourth of July cookout. I know it’s the day before you leave to return to Boston, so I understand if you can’t make it.”

“I can make it and I’d love to go.”

Levi Canady was enjoying another walk home and inhaled the scent of the sea. Then there was the smell of blueberries, which always seemed more prevalent during the Blueberry Festival. Business at the café had been booming with lots of people in town for the past three days. Instead of staying open for half a day like usual on Saturdays, the Green Fig had been open all day to take advantage of the festival crowd. Although Vaughn and Sierra had returned, Sierra hadn’t yet come to the café. That made him feel good knowing she knew he had everything under control.

He glanced up at the sky. As usual, the stars were shining brightly, and all was quiet. This was one of the few nights Chip wouldn’t be there when he got home. Malcolm Leopold, who owned a female French bulldog named Bell, had asked months ago if Chip could mate with Bell. Hopefully, the union would produce enough puppies for each of Malcolm’s four grandkids to have one.

Levi figured over the next two days Chip would be having the time of his life with Bell. In a way he was a wee bit jealous. That surprised him since he’d never given thought about mating with a woman since Lydia. It didn’t take much to figure out the reason why such a thing had crossed his mind.

Margie.

He hadn’t seen her since their stroll on the boardwalk and she’d stated she only wanted to be friends. He should have been happy with that, since friendship had been all he’d wanted...at first. But that Sunday when he’d been invited to dinner, he could feel himself wanting more. But there was nothing he could do when the lady of his thoughts wasn’t interested.

He was about to cross the street, heading in the direction of his house, when a figure coming toward him stopped him. He immediately noted from the slight build it was a woman and not a man. As the person came closer, he saw who it was.

“Margie? What are you doing out so late? Don’t tell me Butterball got out again.”

When she came to a stop in front of him beneath the streetlight, he could see the worried lines beneath her eyes. “Levi, hello. Fancy running into you tonight. Dad and Butterball are fine. In fact, they called it an early night and are home asleep.”

“So, what got you out walking alone after nine at night so far from home?”

She glanced over her shoulder. When she turned her head back, he saw her surprise at how far she’d walked. “I hadn’t realized I walked so far. I had a lot on my mind. But it’s just a couple of blocks. Besides, this is Catalina Cove.”

“Yes, this is Catalina Cove, but you should never get the feeling of being too safe in any environment.”

“I know you’re right. But the same goes for you, too.”

He grinned. “I might be a banged-up ex-cop but I’m an ex-cop nonetheless. I can still handle the bad guys. However, thanks to Sheriff Grisham, I would be the first to admit crime is almost nonexistent in this town.”

She grinned as well. “See what I mean?”

“Yes, but we had a lot of visitors for the festival, although I noticed that Catalina Cove’s policemen are out in full force.”

He then remembered what she’d said about the reason she was out walking. “Is everything alright with you, Margie?”

She broke eye contact with him and looked down at the sidewalk. When she raised her head, he saw tears glistening in her eyes. In concern, he reached out and took hold of her arm. “Margie? What’s wrong?”

She said, “It’s my daughter.”

“Your daughter? Is she okay?”

“Physically, Bellamy is fine, but I don’t know how she’s doing emotionally.”

He could hear the pain in her voice. “Do you want to talk about it over coffee, Margie?”

She lifted a brow. “Over coffee?”

“Yes. We’re a lot closer to my place than we are to yours. I make a pretty decent cup of coffee, and I’d love for you to have a cup with me.”

She didn’t answer at first. He knew she was thinking about his invitation to his home. When he thought she would refuse, she said, “I would love to have a cup of coffee with you, Levi.”

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