Page 82 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Seven

“Hmm.” He stared inside for a while. “It used to be a casual restaurant?”

“Yeah, like sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs. There’s too many of them around so it never caught on with the tourists. There’s even a patio in the back that overlooks the beach, which was a nice feature, but makes the price steep.”

“Hmm.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. Bear sniffed around the edges of the building and peed. “What are you thinking?”

“That it’s interesting. Seems like there’s a lot of five-star restaurants around here. Too much competition, you think?”

“Not for the summer season. I think to do well, you need to cultivate a stellar reputation for food and service, then the people will come. But you also have to accept you’ll make a lot less money off season.”

“Hmm. What do other businesses do to meet expenses? Any idea?”

“You need to cater to the locals off-season. Mad Batter does very well here, and so do a few others. Beach front is a bit harder to pull off in the winter though. You’d need to offer something unique to keep the locals coming back. That’s always the challenge.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re a deep thinker, huh?”

He bumped her shoulder playfully. “I am. There’s a lot going on in my head.”

“That’s sexy.”

He laughed and kissed her. The snow began to fall harder, swirling around them and dancing in the fierce wind. She tilted her head up and breathed deep, treasuring this perfect momentin time, in a snowstorm, in a home she loved, with her dog and the man she was falling in love with.

It was silly. A bit ridiculous. Way past her comfort zone.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

She was falling in love with Jameson Franklin.

What a mess.

His phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket. “Sorry, sweetheart, I gotta take this. It’s Mac.”

“Of course.”

He lifted the phone to his ear. “Hey, buddy. How’s it going?”

Devon took the leash and led Bear toward the beach, giving Jameson some privacy. She pondered this new revelation of her feelings. He’d warned her this could get messy. She just hadn’t counted on such intense emotion for the man so quickly. He was like this winter storm-- starting with a touch of grumpiness and distrust, gaining slow speed and confidence, then falling to catch her in an embrace with such grace and beauty she had no choice but to surrender.

What was she going to do?

Jameson lived in the city. He loved his job, and worked endless hours. There was no time for a long-distance relationship, and she was afraid if they tried, they’d end up tearing each other apart. Did they have enough between them for her to move to New York if he asked? She could work in a floral shop near him. Or see if she wanted to start her own business there. She loved Cape May with her heart and soul, but he may be more important. She’d never loved like this before so she didn’t know the rules. But if she mentioned any of this, he may think she was being ridiculous talking so seriously after three weeks.

Maybe she was.

Devon played with Bear until he got off the phone. His back was turned from her as he deposited the cell back in his jacket pocket. She walked toward him.

“Mac’s okay, I hope?”

His voice sounded a bit funny. “Actually, he’s doing really good. He’s ecstatic. She had the baby—a healthy boy. Five pounds one ounce. Named him Broderick.”

Devon tilted her head, trying to understand why he didn’t seem happy. “That’s great news! His sister is good? No issues?”

“Nope. Delivery was fine, they gave her a C-section, but she’ll heal fast. Even better? Her husband will be coming next week—he was able to get orders home earlier than expected.”

“This is wonderful.” He wouldn’t look at her. She stared at his profile, as if carved in stone, and tried not to feel sick. “What’s the matter, Jameson? Why don’t you seem like this is a good thing?”

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