Rachel Brimble - A Stranger In The Cove

As unfair as that might be, considering a woman’s limited choices almost fifty years ago, it helped Mac to bury his anger. He wanted to find Marian Ball and lay his father to rest. He hadn’t come here to find a grandmother he might like.

The bakery didn’t fit with any of his imaginings, and that scared him.

What if she was welcoming and warm? What if she’d had other kids and his father was mistaken?

He gritted his teeth, focusing on the pain of all he’d lost. The woman needed to know how her decisions had affected her son and, in turn, his children.

Yet, the enormity of what might happen next continued to badger him. He needed to think some more. Tomorrow he would come back here, order some breakfast, check out the locals and, of course, check out Marian and her bonniest bakery.

Chapter Three

KATE PUSHED OPEN the door of the View and entered the chic art gallery.

Across the room, Izzy, her best friend and the gallery’s manager, stood in front of a painted landscape, her arms crossed and her head tilted in contemplation.

“Iz?”

“Mmm?”

Kate prodded her friend’s arm. “Hey.”

Izzy turned, her eyes glazed in obvious thought. “What do you think of this piece? I’m trying to decide if I like it or not.” She turned back to the painting. “Jay acquired it on one of his business trips. He loves it, but I’m not sure.”

Kate glanced at the painting and shrugged. “Sea, sand, sky. What’s not to like? Now...” She gripped Izzy’s arm and pulled her to one of the cushioned seats in the center of the gallery’s open floor plan. “We, me and you, have to figure out what we’re going to do about Mac Orman.”

Izzy frowned. “Who?”

“Mac. The guy I texted you about last night.”

Izzy raised her eyebrows as they sat. “What we’re going to do? You have noticed I’m working at the gallery full-time now, as well as trying to organize my wedding. Do you really think I have time to worry whether or not a mysterious stranger who just arrived in town is going to end up sleeping with my too highly strung, too much in need of sex, best friend?” Izzy sighed. “Sorry, my life’s far too busy right now.”

Kate feigned a glare and playfully swatted Izzy’s shoulder. “Are you actually trying not to laugh?”

“Of course not.”

Kate narrowed her eyes and nudged Izzy again. “Nothing about this guy, nothing about my text to you last night is funny. Absolutely nothing.”

Izzy’s blue eyes glinted with undisguised glee. “This is priceless.”

“What is?”

“You.”

Kate’s cheeks warmed with indignation. “Some friend you are.”

Izzy frowned, and when she spoke, her tone was less amused. “You need to calm down.” She searched Kate’s eyes. “My God, this guy has really gotten to you, hasn’t he? Just how good-looking is he?”

“He’s...he’s... Oh, damn it.” Kate slumped. “He’s hot. Really, really hot, but that doesn’t mean he’s trustworthy. He’s up to something. Something that can only mean bad news.”

“Just because some guy strolls into town and puts your knickers in a twist doesn’t mean he’s up to anything. Maybe you don’t trust him because he’s made you think about sex for the first time in far too many months.”

Kate huffed a laugh. “Ah, see? That’s where you’re wrong. I think about sex a lot. It’s the doing I haven’t done for months. That’s by the by. The point is, Mac admitted he’s in town looking for someone.”

“And?”

“And the look on his face, all chiseled jaw and flashing blue eyes, when he said it, told me that when he finds this unfortunate person, he isn’t going to give them a hug. No, siree. The man looked more likely to bite their head off and feed it to the seagulls.” Kate shook her head and pushed the curls from her cheeks. “I don’t like it. Not one bit.”

“But you like him.”

Did she? Even after a night of almost zero sleep and hours of thinking about Mac, she still wasn’t sure what to make of him. “Yes. No. I don’t know.” She stood and walked around the seat before facing Izzy once more. “I have no choice but to find out what he’s up to. What if my instinct’s right and someone we know is going to be upset by Mac’s arrival, or whatever it is he plans to do or say to this person? Won’t I be in some way culpable?”

“How?”

“Because I could’ve forewarned them. Maybe helped to smooth a few of Mac’s clearly ruffled feathers. You didn’t see his face. He’s up to something, and it doesn’t bode well.”

“But he’ll only see you as nosing into his business.”

“I’m not nosing, I’m concerned. For him and whoever he’s here to see.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Anyway, I’m trained for this sort of thing.”

“What sort of thing? Prying?”

Kate glared. “Caring. I’m a charity worker. I care about people. It’s what I do.”

Izzy stood. “Look, if this guy is looking for someone, there’s not a lot you can do about it. Leave him be. If, on the other hand, you like him, why don’t you drop by the Coast tonight and talk to him? Maybe he’ll tell you more about the reason he’s here. But if this is another one of your lost soul missions, Kate, you need to steer clear. I get the impression he spooked you. Maybe it’s better you leave him alone.”

“Spooked me?” Kate laughed, ignoring the pang of truth she felt at Izzy’s words. “Since when has anyone spooked me? Let alone a long-haired, teeth-flashing, blue-eyed, incredibly tall...man.”

Izzy raised her eyebrows. “Are you forgetting who you’re talking to? What about Dean?”

“What about him?”

“He hurt you. Badly. Maybe this Mac guy spooked you because he reminds you of Dean.”

“He’s nothing like Dean.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Kate opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, a hundred comparisons between Mac and her ex flickered through her mind. She swallowed. “Okay, fine. You’ve nothing to worry about because Mac doesn’t seem at all interested in hooking up with a woman. He practically sneered at everything I had to say, and he was by no means impressed with Vanessa’s teasing.”

“Then the man must be an ass. Which is exactly what I thought about Dean when I first met him.”

“That’s not fair.” Kate whirled away and strode toward the painting Izzy had been staring at when Kate came into the studio. Her friend had hit on the nerve that had been the cause of the most fitful night Kate had suffered in months. Mac did have the same dark hair and broodiness about him as her filthy, cheating ex. Yet, there was something different about Mac. Something she wanted to explore.

Needing to change the subject and simultaneously lash out, she chose a new target. “Jay Garrett has really bad taste.”

“You think?”

“Well, not in gallery managers, obviously.” She flashed Izzy a smile over her shoulder. “But in paintings, yes.”

Izzy came to stand beside her and draped her arm around Kate’s shoulders. “Why don’t we talk about my wedding instead? Maybe that will take your mind off Mac Orman.”

“How are the plans going? Is there anything you want my help with?”

“Not right now, but you could come over later and help me drink a fine bottle of Chablis.”

Kate grinned. “Absolutely. Look, I’d better go, but I’ll come by your place around seven.”

“Perfect.” Izzy walked Kate to the front door. “So, what are you going to do about Mac?”

“I don’t know. Yet. But you’re right. I can’t afford to get mixed up with a bad boy again.”

“Dean was a long time ago. You can’t let one bad relationship put you off the type of guys you’re attracted to forever.”