Love After Dark (48 page)

He wrapped his arms around her. “Happy to be anywhere you are.”

***

They stashed Patrick’s bags in Cameron’s black SUV. “Where’d you get this beast?”

“Will insisted I trade the MINI for something built for Vermont winters. I don’t love it, but as I haven’t survived a winter here yet, I’ll take his word for it.”

“So this is the store, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Show me around.”

“You really want to see it?”

“I really do.”

She took Patrick’s hand, eager to introduce him to all her new friends. “Right this way.”

He followed her up the stairs to the porch and into the Green Mountain Country Store in all its glory.

“Wow.” Patrick took a look around and glanced up at the vintage bicycle fastened to one of the wooden beams above the store. “I feel like I just stepped into an episode of
Little House on the Prairie.
”

“Isn’t it amazing? I’ll never forget the first time I came in here. It was like I’d been transported or something.” She looked up at him as he took in the barrels full of peanuts and iced bottles of Coke and products from a bygone era, a simpler time, hoping he’d see the magic she saw every time she came through the doors to the store. “That’s dumb, right?”

“Not at all. It’s quite something. I’m wondering, though, how in the name of hell you build a website for a place like this.”

Cameron laughed. “Slowly and painstakingly.”

“I can’t wait to see how you’ve captured it.”

She tugged on his hand. “Come meet Dottie and have a cider doughnut.”

“Oh, I don’t think—”

“You have to! Your visit won’t be complete without one.” She led him back to the doughnut counter where Dottie was pulling a fresh batch from the oven. “Perfect timing. Dottie, this is my dad, Patrick, and he’s in bad need of a doughnut.”

Dottie wiped her hands on a towel before reaching across the counter to shake Patrick’s hand. “So nice to meet you, Patrick. We’re all very big fans of your daughter.”

“As am I.”

“Can I get one of those for him?”

“Of course! Another for you, sweetie?”

“Absolutely not! I’ve got a dress to fit into on Saturday, so don’t tempt me.” To Patrick, Cameron added, “Dottie is the devil when it comes to these doughnuts.”

“Why, thank you,” Dottie said with a proud smile as she handed over a piping-hot doughnut to Patrick.

Both women watched expectantly as he took a bite.

His blue eyes lit up. “Holy Moses, that’s good.”

“
Right?
” Cameron said, pleased by his obvious pleasure. “I limit myself to two a week, or I wouldn’t fit through the doors around here. Come on upstairs and check out the office. See you later, Dottie.”

“Bye, Cam. Nice to meet you, Patrick.”

“You, too.”

He followed her through the store, stopping to look at various items as they went.

“That’s Hannah’s jewelry,” Cameron said of the pieces that had stopped him for a closer look. “She’s Will’s older sister, twin to Hunter, who’s the company CFO.”

“She does beautiful work.”

“I know! I’m a huge fan. I have a couple of her bracelets. Helps to have friends in high places.”

“I’m glad you’re making friends here.”

They proceeded up the stairs to the offices on the second floor. “So many friends. And now Lucy’s here a lot, too, which makes it even better.”

“Back so soon?” Mary asked when they arrived in the reception area. “I didn’t think I’d see you here again for at least two weeks.”

“I wanted you to meet my dad, Patrick.”

Mary came around her desk to shake his hand. “So nice to meet Cameron’s dad. We adore her here.”

“So I’m hearing. Nice to meet you, too.”

“This is our office.” Cameron opened the door and turned on the lights so her dad could see her workspace.

“
Our
office?”

“Mine and Will’s.”

“You two
share
an office? They didn’t give you one of your own?”

“We tried,” Mary said. “Those kids are inseparable.”

Cameron blushed and shrugged. “What she said. Besides, if I’m in another office, how am I supposed to play footsie with him during the day?”

“Ugh,” Patrick said with a grunt of laughter. “TMI. I’d go crazy sharing office space with anyone, especially such a small one.”

“Not everyone can have an acre in the sky to call their own,” Cameron said disdainfully.

He tweaked her nose. “It’s not a full acre, and I do need my elbow room.”

“You’re a spoiled, pampered brat, and we all know it.”

Mary laughed at their sparring.

“Don’t listen to her, Mary,” Patrick said with a wink, which had Mary blushing to the roots of her brown hair. “We all know who the spoiled brat is here.”

“Yeah, and it’s not me.”

“I’m afraid I have to side with your daughter, Patrick. There’s nothing spoiled about her. She works harder than all of us put together.”

“Thank you, Mary. I’ll make sure Hunter hears about your fifty percent raise.”

They left Mary laughing as they went back downstairs.

“What’s her story?” Patrick asked.

“Who, Mary?”

“Yeah. She’s adorable.”

“Dad . . . Don’t. She’s a really nice person. Leave her alone. She wouldn’t stand a chance against your brand of charm.”

“Why can’t I have a little fun while I’m in town?”

Cameron stopped on the landing and turned to him. “She’s off-limits. I mean that.”

“Don’t be so touchy, Cam.” He kissed her cheek and proceeded ahead of her into the store.

She watched him go with a growing sense of unease. She’d be watching him this weekend and keeping him far, far away from Mary—and all the other single women in Butler.

You’ll Be Mine
is out on October 20, 2015!
 

And get
It’s Only Love
,
Green Mountain Book 5, Gavin and Ella’s story, on November 3!

It’s Only Love

Green Mountain Series, Book 5

Ella Abbott has had a secret burning love for Gavin Guthrie for almost as long as her sister Hannah loved his late brother, Caleb. A few recent encounters have only added to her infatuation, especially the kiss they shared on the day Hannah got remarried and Gavin admitted that the re-marriage of his brother’s widow was hitting him hard. It doesn’t matter to Ella that Gavin is in a bad place or that he says he has nothing to offer her. It doesn’t matter that he’s made it clear there’s no hope for a future for them. All that matters is the overwhelming love and compassion she feels for him.

Gavin Guthrie is spiraling. It’s been seven long years since he lost his only sibling and closest friend, and he thought he had things under control until Caleb’s beloved dog died and his adored wife re-married. Since then, he’s been off the rails, drinking and fighting and even getting arrested for the first time in his life. It seems the only time the spinning stops and his demons leave him alone is when lovely Ella Abbott is around. Gavin knows it wouldn’t be fair to drag Ella into his darkness, but when Ella inserts herself into his life, what choice does he have but to allow her to soothe the ache with her sweetness and light?

Preorder
It’s Only Love
here!

Who’s Who on Gansett Island

Updated through
Kisses After Dark
, Book 12. May contain spoilers for those who haven’t read all the books.
 

The McCarthy Family

“Big Mac” and Linda McCarthy, owners of McCarthy’s Gansett Island Marina and McCarthy’s Gansett Island Inn, are parents to:

• Mac McCarthy Jr., who is married to Maddie Chester McCarthy and father to Thomas and Hailey McCarthy
  
• Grant McCarthy, screenwriter, engaged to Stephanie Logan, owner of Stephanie’s Bistro
  
• Adam McCarthy, computer geek, engaged to Abby Callahan, owner of Abby’s Attic
  
• Evan McCarthy, owner of Island Breeze Records, engaged to Grace Ryan, owner of Ryan’s Pharmacy
  
• Janey McCarthy Cantrell, married to Joe Cantrell, owner of the Gansett Island Ferry Company; mother of P.J. Cantrell
  
• Mallory Vaughn, daughter of Big Mac McCarthy and Diana Vaughn
  

Judge Frank McCarthy, brother to “Big Mac” McCarthy, father to:

• Laura McCarthy Lawry, cousin to Mac, Grant, Adam, Evan and Janey; married to Owen Lawry, mother of Holden Newsome
  
• Shane McCarthy, cousin to Mac, Grant, Adam, Evan and Janey; brother to Laura Lawry; engaged to Katie Lawry
  

Dr. Kevin McCarthy, brother to Big Mac and Frank McCarthy; psychiatrist:

• Deb McCarthy, estranged wife of Kevin McCarthy; mother of Riley and Finn McCarthy
  
• Riley McCarthy, son of Kevin and Deb McCarthy
  
• Finn McCarthy, son of Kevin and Deb McCarthy
  

McCarthy Friends & Family

Owen Lawry, musician and best friend of Evan McCarthy; married to Laura McCarthy Lawry

Luke Harris, co-owner of McCarthys Gansett Island Marina and married to Sydney Donovan

Sydney Donovan, interior decorator, married to Luke Harris

Ned Saunders, best friend to Big Mac McCarthy; married to Francine Chester Saunders, mother of Maddie McCarthy and Tiffany Taylor

Francine Chester Saunders, mother of Maddie McCarthy and Tiffany Taylor; married to Ned Saunders

Tiffany Taylor, sister to Maddie McCarthy, daughter of Francine Saunders, mother to Ashleigh Sturgil; married to Police Chief Blaine Taylor

Blaine Taylor, Gansett Island police chief, married to Tiffany Taylor

Bobby Chester, estranged father of Maddie McCarthy and Tiffany Taylor, ex-husband of Francine Saunders

Jim Sturgil, ex-husband of Tiffany Taylor, father to Ashleigh Sturgil

Seamus O’Grady, manager of the Gansett Island Ferry Company; married to Carolina Cantrell

Carolina Cantrell O'Grady, mother of Joe Cantrell, married to Seamus O’Grady

Lisa Chandler, neighbor to Seamus and Carolina Cantrell

Kyle Chandler, son of Lisa

Jackson Chandler, son of Lisa

Dan Torrington, celebrity lawyer and friend to Grant McCarthy, engaged to Kara Ballard

Kara Ballard, operator of Ballard’s Launch Service, engaged to Dan Torrington

Abby Callahan, owner of Abby’s Attic, former girlfriend of Grant McCarthy, engaged to Adam McCarthy

Dr. Cal Maitland, former island doctor and ex-fiancé of Abby Callahan

Charlie Grandchamp, stepfather of Stephanie Logan, engaged to Sarah Lawry

Sarah Lawry, mother of Owen Lawry, engaged to Charlie Grandchamp

Mark Lawry, father of Owen Lawry; estranged husband of Sarah Lawry

Katie Lawry, sister of Owen Lawry; daughter of Sarah Lawry; twin to Julia; engaged to Shane McCarthy

Julia Lawry, sister of Owen Lawry; daughter of Sarah Lawry; twin to Katie

Slim Jackson, Gansett Island pilot