Island Refuge (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 1) (18 page)

“With Rachel, playing another game of Memory.” She sat beside him shoulder to shoulder. “I think it’s his new favorite game.”

“Sounds like it.”

“You’ve been out here a long time. Everything okay?”

“Yes, sorry. What time is it?”

“Almost five.”

“Whoa! I’ve been here for two hours. Aiden must be starving.” How had time slipped away so quickly? And not even one phone call the entire time.

“Relax. I gave him a snack and have a light dinner prepared. I wanted to see how you’re doing.”

He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thanks.” He quickly dropped her hand and stood when he realized what he’d done. Zoe didn’t need him complicating her life. She was fresh off a serious and painful relationship, and he needed to tread carefully. “Guess I’d better get back before anyone else misses me.”

A smile touched her lips. “I checked in the new guests.”

“I meant to return before they arrived. I really appreciate you jumping in and taking over when necessary. Not a lot of people would.”

Pink tinged her cheeks. “No thanks necessary. I like to help out where needed.” She shot him a shy smile.

His insides nearly melted. He stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for hers again. He didn’t want to scare her away, but he wouldn’t be able to hide his feelings forever.

****

Z
OE GLANCED OVER
at Nick as they walked side by side over the pebbled beach. Something was different about him, but she couldn’t quite place what it was. If he’d been praying like she suspected, that could very well be the difference. She was learning that God had that effect on a person. “I thought Rachel could join us for dinner.”

Nick looked her way. “Great idea. I always feel bad when we don’t include her.”

“I know what you mean. She and Aiden seem to really hit it off. You may have yourself a built-in sitter this week.”

“I don’t mind him hanging around with me. He’s fun to be with, most of the time.”

She chuckled. “Except when he gets overly tired or hungry.”

“Right.”

She stepped onto the grass at the back of Nick’s property. “Thought we could eat at the picnic table.”

“Perfect.” He strode ahead. “I’ll be out shortly with Aiden and Rachel.”

Zoe meandered into the kitchen and placed the cold-cut sandwiches on a tray along with the coleslaw and beverages. All that was left was setting the table and that would only take a few minutes.

A short time later they all gathered around the table. Nick sat across from her beside Aiden.

“Thanks for inviting me to dinner.” Rachel poured a glass of lemonade. “I’m sure you are all getting sick of having me around.”

“Not at all.” Zoe refused to let the young woman feel bad over her circumstances. A pity party was seldom healthy.

“Thanks. I’m worried though. I don’t think that ring will ever turn up.” Her voice caught. “I never should’ve made that promise.”

“What ring?” Aiden asked with a full mouth.

Nick explained how Rachel’s husband had lived at the B&B when he was growing up and that he’d hidden a ring somewhere on the property.

Aiden’s face lit, and without a word, he slipped from the table and charged toward the back door.

Zoe looked from Nick to Rachel and placed both palms on the table. “I don’t know about the two of you, but I think we’d better follow.” She stood up then darted for the house. She could feel Nick on her heels.

“Don’t wait for me!” Rachel called.

Zoe stifled a giggle. Rachel might not be showing much more than a small baby bump, but clearly she wasn’t up to running. Zoe charged inside and stopped when she spotted Nick’s open apartment door. She looked over her shoulder at him. “Mind if I go down?”

“Come on.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the door. “What do you think he’s up to?”

“Beats me.” She trotted down the stairs behind him and stopped at the bottom. “Where’d he go?”

“Aiden!” They called out together.

The child crawled out from under the open bar and held his palm out to them. “Is this it?”

Zoe caught her breath. “You found it!” A large round ruby was set in what she guessed to be platinum. She took the ring then squatted down to his level and pulled him into a bear hug. “Way to go, Aiden.” She looked up and locked eyes with Nick, who stood with a silly grin on his face.

Nick reached for his nephew and hoisted him onto his back. “Great detective work, buddy. Why didn’t you tell us about the ring before?”

“I didn’t know it mattered.”

Zoe chuckled along with Nick. It made sense to her. “We’d better go up and tell Rachel. I’m sure she was afraid to come down.”

Nick nodded and led the way up the stairs where Rachel waited, an anxious look on her face.

Nick swung Aiden to the floor.

Zoe pushed past them and held out the ring to Rachel. “I believe this is what you’ve been searching for.”

Rachel caught her breath and reached a shaky hand toward the ring. “I can’t believe it. All this time is was in your apartment.” She looked at them with wonder in her eyes. “Where was it? How did you miss it, Nick?”

“That’s easy. I’m six-foot-three and didn’t think to crawl around on the floor.”

“Good point.” She laughed.

Aiden giggled. “It was under the bar sitting on the ledge. I saw it when I was playing yesterday.”

“Amazing. Thank you, Aiden,” Rachel said. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

The child shrugged. “Can I finish my sandwich?”

Nick ruffled the boy’s hair. “Sure. We’ll be right out.”

Zoe leaned her hip against the counter. “So, what are you going to do now, Rachel?”

“Return this to its rightful owner.” Her eyes glistened as she slipped the ring onto her finger. “Then I need to figure out some things.” She looked to Nick. “Is it still okay for me to spend the rest of the summer here?”

“Yes, if that’s what you’d like to do, but wouldn’t you rather get settled someplace before your baby comes?”

“Like I said, I have a lot of thinking to do.” She moved toward the swinging door and stopped. “Thanks for dinner, but I don’t think I can eat any more. Too much excitement.” She pushed through the door.

“Wow.” Zoe grinned and slipped her arm through Nick’s, drawing him toward the back door. “I did
not
expect any of that.”

“Me neither. What do you think she has to think about?”

Zoe pursed her lips. She’d gotten to know the younger woman a little over the past month or so and she suspected Rachel wasn’t sure about becoming a single mother. She couldn’t blame her either, considering she had no means to support herself. “I can’t say for sure.”

He nodded silently and released her arm as they separated and sat down.

Zoe couldn’t imagine what Rachel had going on in her head, but one thing was certain, things would be changing around here. Now that Rachel had the ring, she had no reason to stay on at the B&B–and if she didn’t, there would no longer be a buffer between her and Nick.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Z
OE STROLLED INTO THE GOLF CLUB
and met Autumn at the counter. “Long time no see. How’ve you been?”

Dark circles stood out under Autumn’s eyes, and her face was flushed. “Busy. Sorry for not stopping by. Are you here to accept the position?”

Zoe pursed her lips and shook her head. “Afraid not. I don’t think Nick can manage without me. Are you okay? You don’t look well.”

She shrugged. “Nick hired Olivia. Surely he can survive a couple of days a week without you.”

“Truth is, when I asked about the position, I was upset and acted without thinking. I’m happy at the B&B.”

“You could be happy here, too.” Autumn coughed into her elbow.

“I agree. And if the time should arise that I feel comfortable about working here, you’ll be the first to know.”

Autumn grinned. “Fair enough.” She glanced at the wall clock. “I’m off in thirty minutes. Want to hang out?”

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay then. I need to find Mr. Trask. I’ll be back.”

Zoe marched toward the restaurant but didn’t make it all the way there because Mr. Trask was standing in the hall talking with someone. She waited quietly off to the side.

His face lit when he spotted her, and he quickly ended his conversation. “Zoe! Are you here with good news?”

She approached him, keeping her voice low. “I’m afraid not. At least for the present, I’m going to continue at the B&B.”

“You realize doing both is possible?”

“I want to give one hundred percent to what I do, and I couldn’t do that if I was half awake. I’m sorry for troubling you, Mr. Trask, but I must decline the offer.”

He nodded curtly. “I understand.” He straightened his shoulders and marched away.

Zoe found Autumn where she’d left her. “I’m going to get an iced coffee and sit out by the lake.”

“I’ll find you when I’m done here,” Autumn said.

“Okay.” Zoe went and ordered her drink. All things considered, she thought it had gone well with Mr. Trask. Of course, she might have ruined any chance she ever had of running a restaurant kitchen again, but for whatever reason, she was fine with that.

She stepped outside with her drink and found a seat facing the water. Sipping the sweet iced coffee, she rested her head back and let her shoulders relax. When had her dream of being an executive chef changed? She’d loved her job in Portland, at least most of the time. Maybe it was the relaxed atmosphere of the B&B. Nick’s face flashed in her mind. Was he the reason she wanted to stay on at the B&B? She really enjoyed the time they’d spent working and visiting together.

“There you are.”

Zoe shielded her eyes and looked up at Autumn. “That was fast.”

“Since I’m not feeling one hundred percent, the girl on the shift after me offered to start a few minutes early.” She coughed into her arm.

The deep cough concerned Zoe, but her friend wasn’t a child. Surely she’d know if she needed to see a doctor. Zoe sucked down the rest of her drink and stood. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go home and rest?”

“Positive. That would be accepting defeat, and I refuse to give into feeling sick.”

“Well, if you’re sure. Where do you want to go?”

Autumn rolled her eyes. “Anywhere but here.” She spun around. “Come on.”

Zoe tossed the cup in the receptacle and strolled beside Autumn.

“I’m ready for this week to end.” She coughed again, and her step faltered.

Zoe groaned inwardly. She couldn’t afford to get sick, but there was clearly no polite way out of this. “We can head to the B&B and sit out back.” At least if they stayed outside in the fresh air, it wouldn’t be as easy to catch whatever Autumn had, and her friend wouldn’t be exerting any energy.

“Is your handsome boss there?”

Zoe’s insides stilled at the mention of Nick. “You have a thing for him?”

“Nope, just an offhanded comment. But, by the tone of your voice, it sounds like
you
may.”

“He’s my boss, and I’m fresh off a relationship.”

“How fresh?” Autumn stopped beside a Ford Focus, her faced flushed.

“A little more than a month.”

Autumn waved a hand in front of her face as if to dismiss the notion of Zoe being on the rebound and slowly sat in her car. “I’ll meet you at the B&B.”

Zoe slid behind the wheel of her convertible and backed up. Autumn’s dismissal gave her pause. Kyle was in the past—sure his betrayal hurt, but her heart was intact and she’d forgiven him. Besides she was lucky she found out what kind of person he was before she married him. She gripped the steering wheel tightly and pulled out of the parking lot.

Nick sat in the forefront of her mind. He’d given her the impression a couple of times that he might be interested, but something was holding him back. Maybe he wasn’t over his wife, or maybe since he was her boss he wouldn’t go there. Although, lately he’d felt more like a good friend than her boss. They were a team and worked well together running the Wildflower. It still rankled her that he’d hired Olivia, but all things considered, his heart was in the right place, and she did need a day off occasionally.

When Zoe drove into the B&B’s driveway, several cars were parked in the small lot near the house. She took the last remaining spot beside Autumn and hopped out.

Autumn stood with her arms crossed studying the house. “You know, this place is looking fantastic. Nick has done a superb job fixing it up. It hasn’t looked this good in years.”

“Thanks. I’ll let him know.” They strolled around to the back of the house.

“I don’t blame you for not wanting to give this up. Even if you aren’t seeing Nick.” She shot her a teasing look. “Oh, I see a spot with my name on it.” She sank into one of the Adirondack chairs facing the Sound and started coughing.

“You okay?”

Autumn held her hand to her chest and nodded. “I have asthma, and it’s bothered by my allergies.” She took a deep labored breath and offered a weak smile.

“Oh, okay. I’ll go get some refreshments and be right back.” She headed to the kitchen and caught Nick with his head in the refrigerator. “Looking for something?”

He jerked back so fast he bumped his head on the freezer. “Ouch.”

“Sorry.” She reached up and gently rubbed the spot he’d hit. “Are you okay?”

He covered her hand with his and drew it away from his head, his gaze never leaving hers. “I’ll live.”

She reminded herself to breathe, and stepped back, tugging her hand from his gentle grasp. Her entire arm tingled from his touch. She cleared her throat. “What would you like? I’m getting a snack for me and my friend. I can whip up something for you, too.”

Arms crossed and with a lazy smile on his handsome face, he leaned against the fridge. “I’d love a sandwich, if it’s not too much trouble.”

She nodded toward the fridge. “You’ll have to move.”

He pushed off, and his arm grazed hers as he passed.

She grasped the door with trembling fingers and grabbed sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and mustard. Nick wasn’t a big fan of mayonnaise, which she’d recently found out when she caught him scraping it off his bread. “Give me a minute and I’ll have you set.” Trying to still her response to Nick, she took several slow breaths.