Page 61 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

Saint could now accept that Mia’s turning down his marriage proposals had been a blessing. He hadn’t seen it then, but he sure as hell saw it now. Mentally, he was doing a lot better without her. However, he couldn’t say the same thing when it came to Zara. He wasn’t sure how he would handle things when she left and they ended their affair.

He turned when he heard the knock on his office door. “Come in.”

Vaughn walked in smiling, but evidently, there was a look on Saint’s face that made his smile vanish and him ask, “Saint? Are you okay?”

Saint wished he could answer truthfully and admit that no, he wasn’t okay. The woman he loved more than life itself, who happened to be Vaughn’s sister, would be walking out of his life in a little more than a week and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Not a damn thing.

So instead, he said, “Yes, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure you’re okay, Zara?”

Zara glanced across the booth at Sierra. Her sister-in-law had called and invited her to lunch at the Green Fig. Although she tried being herself, undoubtedly Sierra had picked up on something. She could say that yes, she was fine, but that wouldn’t be true. She wasn’t fine and just the thought that she would be leaving Catalina Cove next week had her rethinking things.

She was certain Sierra had heard that she and Saint had been spending a lot of time together while she and Vaughn had been away. However, Sierra hadn’t asked her anything about it.

“No, I’m not okay,” she said, honestly.

“What’s wrong?”

It took Zara about twenty minutes to cover everything. Since Sierra had seen the dance and kiss, she thought the idea of a faked affair had been a good one. And she wasn’t surprised of the outcome. She’d detected Zara was falling for Saint a while ago. She also thought Saint was falling for Zara as well. Zara didn’t agree with Sierra on the latter.

“Will you tell Saint how you feel?”

Zara was surprised Sierra would even think that she would. “No, of course not.”

“So, you plan to give him up?”

Zara drew in a deep breath. “I don’t have him in the first place. Falling in love wasn’t part of the agreement.” She looked away, not wanting Sierra to see the tears glistening in her eyes.

Sierra reached out and touched her hand. “Things change, Zara. People change and so do the paths they establish for themselves. It most certainly did for me.” She paused a moment and said, “When I returned to Catalina Cove, I’d pretty much determined in my mind and heart what my pathway would be and what it would not be. After being betrayed the way I had, no man was in my future. Then in walked your brother. I fought Vaughn on every turn. Even after I’d realized he had captured my heart, I fought him. In the end love won. Maybe it will for you, too.”

Sierra let go of her hand, leaned back in her seat and gave Zara a conspiratorial smile. “You know what I’d do if I were you?”

Zara lifted a brow. “No, what?”

“Do the same thing Vaughn did to me. Change how a person thinks about love being a part of their future. You and Saint have established a close relationship, and I can see it’s not just based on sex. I’ve watched the two of you together since Vaughn and I returned. Especially that night the four of us went to dinner. He was so attentive to you. So caring. I don’t believe it was an act. He was sincere.”

Zara refused to get her hopes up about anything. “Saint was just being Saint. You’ve even said everyone knows what a nice person he is.”

“I think it was more. I believe it and Vaughn believes it as well.”

“Vaughn?” Zara asked, surprised.

“Yes. He saw that very public display between you and Saint at the engagement party. Granted, he knows you can handle your business and won’t interfere, but he’s still your brother and would be concerned about your reputation. And before you ask, the answer is no. Vaughn hasn’t said anything about it to me. But I know my husband. He’s probably glad everyone assumes there’s more going on between you and Saint, and Vaughn might assume that as well.”

“Well, there’s not more going on. Like I said, it’s all an act.” Zara could tell that Sierra wasn’t all that convinced but figured it would be obvious when she left to return to Boston.

“Dinner was wonderful, Margie. I hope you let me invite you to dinner the next time,” Levi said as they strolled along the boardwalk.

“You don’t have to do that, Levi. Besides, you invited me over for cake and coffee that night I poured all my troubles out to you. I needed someone to talk to and I’m glad you listened.”

“I appreciated your company.”

Levi meant what he said and was glad he’d been there for her that night. “Have you talked to your daughter again? How is she doing?”

“Bellamy is tough, and I think she will survive this. Of course, it’s somewhat embarrassing for her because now she’s discovering who her real friends were. It seems a few of them knew about Sam’s affair but didn’t tell her about it. She feels betrayed. But then...”

He looked at Margie and prompted her. “But then what?”

---