The Second Time’s the Charm…

Well, it would have to be. Because Vivian Jackson’s first honeymoon—to her creepy now-ex—was a disaster. So while the last place she would like to be at the moment is Honeymoon Mountain, she, along with her sisters, has to get her late father’s lodge ready to sell. Until she has a change of plans—and she swears that her unrequited teenage crush on former star quarterback Benjamin Hunter, Honeymoon Mountain resident, has nothing to do with it.

But old sparks burst into flames once again. And this time, Benjamin has made his intentions all too clear. The result is a night of passion—and Vivian saying those three little words: I am pregnant. Will this lead to Benjamin saying the three little words Vivian wants to hear? And a wedding…and honeymoon…on the mountain?

“I remember the time your father told me he would skin me alive if he ever caught me with one of his daughters. Scared the living daylights out of me.”

A slice of surprise caught at her. “I didn’t know he’d warned you off. So that’s why you didn’t give any of us a second look.”

“Oh, I took more than a second look. I just made sure you didn’t know it. There were plenty of times I thought about you long after my polite, Jedediah-approved chats with you.”

Vivian saw the dark hunger in his eyes she’d been sure she’d imagined all those years ago and her heart started to hammer in her chest while her stomach took a big dip. It was as if she was fifteen again and all she wanted was for Benjamin to look at her. And maybe want her a little so she didn’t feel like such a fool.

Benjamin lowered his mouth, inch by excruciating inch. She could hardly breathe and thinking was out of the question. When his lips touched hers, she couldn’t stop a soft sigh. He must have taken that as an affirmation because then he slid his hand behind her neck and deepened the pressure, exploring her mouth as if he’d been waiting a long time.

Vivian felt herself sinking into the taste and sensation of his hunger. Her body reacted like lightning, taking her completely off guard.

* * *

Honeymoon Mountain: Love on a hilltop!

Honeymoon Mountain Bride

Leanne Banks

www.millsandboon.co.uk

LEANNE BANKS is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with over sixty-eight books to her credit. Leanne loves her family, the beach and chocolate. You can reach her at www.leannebanks.com.

This book is dedicated to all of you who encouraged me to write it and finish it! You know who you are!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“To Dad,” Vivian Jackson said, lifting her glass of cheap wine as she looked beyond the dock to the blue waters of the North Carolina lake. “Peaceful sailing.”

“Catch the big one,” her sister Temple said, lifting her glass.

“To Dad,” her youngest sister, Jillian, said. “Drop that eight-point buck with one shot right between the eyes.”

Vivian winced at the image but knew her father, Jedediah Jackson, the son of a son of a sailor, retired navy himself and hunter/fisher extraordinaire, would approve.

Although Vivian had never quite thought she’d measured up to her father’s expectations, she felt a painful sense of loss. “I almost can’t believe he’s really gone. I expect him to come down that hill from the lodge with a bait box and two fishing poles, telling me not to be afraid of worms and insects and not to throw the pole in the water when I get a little bite on the line.”

“He didn’t always know what to do with girls. I think he was hoping for a son,” Temple said.

“I’m as close as he got,” Jillian said.

Vivian couldn’t help but chuckle at her sister’s statement. With a bombshell body, bad-girl-red lips, smoky eyes and wild ways with men, platinum blonde Jilly had caused more than her share of their dear dad’s indigestion.

“Not close at all,” Temple muttered and moved her glass of wine from one hand to the other. She cleared her throat. “I hate to be a mood-killer, but I think we all know what we need to do with the lodge.”

Vivian felt a twinge of pain at giving up the lodge, even though it was the practical thing to do. “I didn’t think it would bother me,” she said, feeling a flood of memories rush through her. Staying with her father in the summers had meant she could get dirty without her mother becoming upset. Vivian had experienced her first crush here at Honeymoon Mountain Lake. The memory was more humiliating than sweet, but she didn’t want to give it all away. “Or maybe I just hoped it wouldn’t bother me.”

Temple gave her a considering glance from behind her glasses. “But you do agree we should sell it. As it is, it’s a money pit. The cabins and main house are in disrepair, and I don’t think any of us wants to sink our life’s savings into it. Plus, Dad canceled all reservations once he got truly sick. I’m not sure we’ll get our regulars back since they had to find another resort for their vacations.”

“He was sicker than we realized,” Vivian said, feeling regret that she hadn’t caught on to his illness. But she was certain Temple, an accountant and financial planner, had done her homework on the best options for their inheritance.

Jilly nodded and tossed back the rest of her wine. “I’m just glad we all got to see him during that last month he was alive. Makes me believe in fate and luck.” She sighed. “I have practical skills in many areas, but not enough money to save the lodge.”

“Then we’re agreed,” Temple said. “We’re selling it. We may have to accept a low offer due to the condition of the property.”

“I didn’t ever expect to get any money out of it, anyway,” Jilly said.

Vivian put her arm around her youngest sister. Jilly talked and acted tough, but she had a tender heart about some things.

“I’ll find a real estate agent, but someone needs to tell the full-time employees.” Temple looked expectantly at Vivian.

Vivian frowned. “Why me?”

“You’re the oldest,” Temple said.

“What does that have to do with anything? In fact, I think you would be the perfect one to deliver the news since you’re so eager to get rid of the lodge.”

“I don’t like it any more than you two do, but someone has to be practical, and as usual, that someone is me,” Temple said. “I don’t want to overthink or overfeel this.”

Vivian understood what Temple was saying. Even though Temple could seem cold and calculating, underneath it all, she was suffering, too.

Vivian took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll do it,” she said. “But it’s not going to be fun. Do you think we’ll be able to find a home for Jet?” she asked, thinking of her father’s hound dog.

“It’s gonna be tough. Maybe Grayson will take him.” Grayson was the lodge’s handyman and bartender. Temple extended her glass toward Vivian. “You want my wine?”

Vivian rolled her eyes. “This is going to be hard.” She hated to think about how the permanent workers would receive the news. After all, they’d been more like family than employees.

“Wish me luck,” Vivian said, snatching Temple’s glass and downing the contents.

“Luck,” Temple and Jilly said together, but Vivian felt not a lick of comfort.

Vivian winced at the bittersweet taste of the cheap wine. As much as she wished differently, the alcohol content wouldn’t build her fortitude. She would have to find it in herself.

“Here we go,” Vivian muttered and trudged up the hill to the lodge. Grayson and Millicent, the housekeeper, had worked at the lodge before her father had taken it over when his father passed away. It didn’t seem fair that the two of them should be booted off the property at this point, but Vivian felt it was only right to give them as much warning as possible. She and her sisters could request that Millicent and Grayson remain employed by the new owner for a limited time, but any reprieve would be temporary.

Climbing the steps to the large dock furnished with all-weather chairs and three well-worn tables with umbrellas, she paused and took a deep breath. She could do this, she told herself. She would do this.

* * *

Vivian’s discussion with Millicent and Grayson hadn’t gone well. Both had started to cry. Grayson revealed both he and Millie had spent their retirement savings at a casino. Millie grew so restless Vivian feared the woman was going to break down.

Distraught, Millie requested that Vivian drive her into town to provide a diversion. An hour and a half later, Vivian had carted Millie to the new big-box store, a wine shop and a convenience store to buy lottery tickets. “I need as much luck as ever after today,” Millie said as she got back in the car. “I just want to make one more stop. A couple of beers with my friends should cheer me up. Honeymoon Bar.”

Vivian twitched at Millie’s final request. Years and years had passed, but when they were teens, Vivian had once suffered a major crush on the man who now owned the Honeymoon Bar. She remembered the summer she’d done her best to get Benjamin Hunter’s attention. All to no avail. She felt the heat of embarrassment as she remembered his rejection.

“You sure you don’t want to go back to the lodge?” Vivian asked. “You have wine.”

“That won’t help me like a visit with friends,” Millie said. “I won’t be long. Just a beer or two.”

Vivian stopped to let Millie out at the front door, then parked along the street. Perhaps she could just sit in the car and kill some time checking her email. Pulling out her cell phone, she answered messages and deleted all the useless, impersonal advertisements. She glanced at the outside of the bar again and drummed her fingertips on her steering wheel.

So, what was she going to do? Hide in her car for an hour because she was afraid of coming face-to-face with Benjamin Hunter? That was ridiculous. She was a grown woman. She’d dated several men since then, even gotten married, although that had been a disaster from which she was still recovering.

Shaking her head at herself, she pulled together a molecule of the gumption she’d inherited from her father, strode into the bar and looked around. Millicent, along with a small group of people, sat at a table. A few men sat at the bar while they sipped their beers and watched the game on the wide-screen television. An older man tended the bar.

No sign of Benjamin. Her twinge of disappointment irritated her. Stepping deeper into the large room decorated with sports photos and memorabilia, she noticed a sign—Outdoor Seating. The idea appealed to her. After the events of the day, she felt as if the walls were starting to close in on her. She wandered outside and approved of the wrought iron tables and still-green plants and small trees, a courtyard at odds with the good ol’ boy bar.

Sinking into one of the chairs at a table, she let out the pent-up breath she’d been holding for way too long. She drew in the scent of a moonflower blooming as the sun began to set and closed her eyes to savor the peaceful moment.

“Would you care for something to drink or eat?” a voice asked, drawing out of her reverie.

Vivian blinked and nodded at the female server. “White wine,” she said, assuming the choices were minimal. “Whatever you have.”

The server proceeded to name an impressive list. “Pinot Grigio and water,” Vivian said. “Thank you.”

“I’ll be right back,” the server said, then walked into the bar.

Vivian raised her eyebrows. Benjamin had definitely made the bar more classy. The last time she’d sneaked in here, she remembered the place as rough and rowdy. Not so tonight. Then again, it was Thursday night. Maybe the weekends were different.

No matter, she thought. Maybe she should take the moment to take a breath. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes again and heard the distant sound of the ball game on TV, but also the sound of a soft breeze rippling the leaves. She concentrated on that, enjoying the peacefulness. But then her restlessness grabbed at her again and she stood, wandering around the small courtyard.

“Pinot Grigio,” a deep male voice said, and she instantly knew it was Benjamin.

Vivian turned around and stared into the brown eyes of Benjamin Hunter. She took in the whole of him in one glance. Unfortunately, he had not become soft and potbellied. In fact, he was leaner and harder than she remembered, and somehow his shoulders seemed even broader.

“Hi, Vivian,” he said, giving her glass to her as he studied her face. “I’m sorry about Jedediah.”

She swallowed and tried to find her voice. Why did she suddenly feel fifteen again? “Thanks. I got to see him a week before he passed. None of us really realized how sick he was even though he made sure we all came to see him,” she said and took a sip of her wine.

“He told me,” Benjamin said.

A slice of resentment cut through her. “He did?”

“Just a few days before he passed. He made me swear not to tell anyone.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “That sounds like him. I’m just glad my sisters and I got to see him one last time. We’re here this weekend, too. Since he didn’t want any kind of memorial service, we toasted his memory on the dock.”

“That’s what he would have wanted,” Benjamin said.

“I know,” she said. “It just feels odd not to have an official service.”

“I think he liked the idea of drifting away. People are going to miss him. He taught me a lot about fishing and some about being a man. Since my father wasn’t around much, that counted for a lot. Lord knows I could have gotten into a lot more trouble than I did.” Benjamin chuckled to himself. “I remember the time he told me he would skin me alive if he ever caught me with one of his daughters. Scared the living daylights out of me.”

Surprise caught her off guard. “I didn’t know he’d warned you off. So that’s why you didn’t give any of us a second look.”

“Oh, I took more than a second look. I just made sure you didn’t know it. There were plenty of times I thought about you long after my polite Jedediah-approved chats with you.”

Vivian saw the dark hunger in his eyes she’d been sure she’d imagined all those years ago, and her heart started to hammer in her chest while her stomach took a big dip. It was as if she was fifteen again and all she wanted was for Benjamin to look at her. And maybe want her a little so she didn’t feel like such a fool.

“I always regretted not...” His voice trailed off. “No one here to throw me in the lake. I’d say we’re overdue. What’s one kiss?”

Vivian stared at him in shock. He wasn’t really going to—

Benjamin lowered his mouth, inch by excruciating inch. She could hardly breathe, and thinking was out of the question. When his lips touched hers, she couldn’t stop a soft sigh. He must have taken that as an affirmation, because then he slid his hand behind her neck, deepened the pressure and explored her mouth as if he’d been waiting a long time.

Vivian felt herself sinking into the taste and sensation of his hunger. Her body reacted like lightning, taking her completely off guard.

“Mr. Hunter,” a male voice called from behind Benjamin, throwing cold reality at her.

Vivian stumbled, backing away and staring at Benjamin. She didn’t know if she was more surprised by his action or her reaction to him.

Not turning from her, Benjamin responded. “Yeah, what do you need?”

“You got a phone call. Somebody wants to hold a party here,” the server said.

Benjamin glanced over his shoulder. “Thanks. Take a message. Get the number. Tell them I’ll call right back.”

He turned back to Vivian, and she was thankful the darkness would cover the heat in her cheeks. “I—uh, I need to go. I just brought Millicent into town because her car isn’t working properly.” She tugged at her purse. “I’ll just pay for my wine.”

“It’s on me,” he said.

She took another deep breath, still trying to get rid of her jitteriness. “Thank you. I’ll be going, then.”

“I look forward to seeing you around town,” he said.

She shook her head. “No. My sisters and I have decided to sell the lodge.”

He lifted his eyebrows. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, no,” she said, discombobulated. She needed to get away.

Chapter Two

“I’m glad I stopped in to see my friends at the bar. Cheered me up. I coulda used just one more beer,” Millicent said, her words slightly slurred.

Vivian thought Millicent appeared to be quite relaxed, so she tried to make easy conversation. “I haven’t visited the bar in years. It looks like Benjamin has made several changes.”

“Oh, yeah,” Millicent said and hiccupped. “He’s a go-getter. He would have made it far if his mother hadn’t taken ill when he was in college. And then his sister...”

Benjamin’s family was none of Vivian’s business. “His sister?” she prodded, because she couldn’t resist.

“Well,” Millicent said, “she’s gotten into trouble a few times.”

“Hmm,” Vivian said, remembering that Benjamin hadn’t talked about his sister much when they were younger. “I saw him briefly at the bar.”

“He’s nice enough, but he gets one lady friend, then moves on to the next. I heard he was engaged a long time ago and got burned. Never recovered from it. He’s handsome, but he’s not the kind to rely on. Your father would tell you the same thing,” she warned her.

Vivian, however, was filled with more questions and curiosity than ever. What did Benjamin’s sister do to get into trouble? What had happened during his engagement? Who were all these lady friends?

And why did she care?

Vivian tamped down her curiosity and drove up the mountain to the lodge. She had enough on her mind. She didn’t need to add Benjamin to the mix.

* * *

Benjamin returned to the bar, wondering what in hell had possessed him to kiss Vivian like that. She was still beautiful in a classy, natural way. Honey-blond hair, blue eyes, creamy skin that burned far too easily and a full pink mouth that had always tempted him. He shook his head. Must have been all those years of denial and restraint, he told himself, and picked up his messages as he headed for his office.

One message was from the McAllisters. They wanted to hold a party on a Sunday night. That would work, he thought. He just couldn’t set aside Fridays or Saturdays unless it was a dead weekend. The second message was from his sister. His heart clenched. “Please come get me,” the voice mail from Eliza said. “I ran out of gas.”

Benjamin took a deep breath. She seemed coherent. He could only hope she was okay.

Benjamin immediately responded to his sister’s message. His stomach clenched as it always did. “Eliza,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m mostly good,” she said. “But I decided to go for a ride and ran out of gas.”

He stifled a groan. “Where are you?”

“I think I’m about twelve miles south of town,” she said. “I’m on Route 33.”

“Okay, I’ll head out. How much charge do you have on your phone battery?”

“Not that much,” she said. “Sorry. I just needed to take a drive. I was feeling cramped.”

Benjamin nodded. He had heard this story before. “I’m coming for you. Don’t use your phone for anything else.”

He walked to his SUV and started toward Route 33. He hoped Eliza was okay, but she didn’t seem overly panicked. She struggled with her illness, but she had seemed fairly even lately. Driving freed his mind from busy work enough to also think about his unexpected meeting with Vivian. Although he’d been tempted, he’d never thought he would kiss her. If he had, he’d never thought it would affect him after all this time. But it had. It damn well had.

He continued driving south on 33, but his mind kept gravitating back to Vivian. Why had her lips felt so good beneath his? Why did he want to kiss her again? No single encounter with a woman had affected him like this in a long time.

He shook off his thoughts. He would wake up tomorrow and put the whole thing aside. Right now, he needed to make sure his sister was okay.

Benjamin saw the headlights of his sister’s vehicle on the side of the road and pulled over. He got out of his SUV with the gas can he kept in the back of his car and strode toward her, immediately filling her tank. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

His younger sister was wide-eyed and restless, but she nodded. “I’m okay.”

“You don’t look it,” he said.

She twisted her mouth. “I’m working on it.”

“Next time, call me before you leave the house,” he said, escorting her to her car.

“You ever just want to get in your car and drive forever?” she asked.

“Yeah, but there are people counting on me,” he said.

“You’ve always been the responsible one,” she said as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

“You’re getting there,” Benjamin said. “You told me you’re becoming. You’re on a journey.”

“Getting there?” she echoed with a laugh. “Sometimes I’m not sure about that.”

“Becoming,” he said. “You’re becoming. We’re all damn becoming.”

She met his gaze and grinned. “You believe in me when you shouldn’t.”

“I believe in who you are becoming,” he said. Someone had to believe in her so she could believe in herself.

“I’ll keep working on it,” she said. “Thanks for coming for me.”

Benjamin took a deep breath, got in his car and followed his sister home. On the way, however, his lips burned as he remembered kissing Vivian. She tempted him now more than ever. More than that time she’d invited him into the lake to skinny-dip with her.

He gritted his teeth and shook his head. Vivian was not in his future. She wasn’t for him. She never had been, and she never would be. He had responsibilities, and he’d learned the hard way when his fiancé had ditched him. His obligations and life in this small town would cramp the style of a Southern flower like Vivian.

* * *

After Vivian arrived at the lodge, she went to her room and took a shower. In other circumstances, this might have been an opportunity to reconnect with her sisters, but between her outing with Millicent and her encounter with Benjamin, she felt tapped out. All she wanted was a good night’s rest. It took mere seconds for her to fall asleep.

A few hours later, a sharp rap on the door abruptly awakened her. Vivian jerked upright in her bed.

“Missy! There’s been a fire,” Grayson called from the other side of the door.

Panic raced through her. “Oh, no. Please come in. What’s wrong?”

The door opened and Grayson lifted his hands in distress. “There’s a fire. One of the cabins is burning.”

“No! No!” Alarm hit her like icy water. “Did you dial emergency?”

“The fire department is on the way, but I don’t know if they’ll get here in time.”

“Let me get dressed and I’ll come right out.” Grayson left the room and she traded her pajamas for a pair of jeans, T-shirt and jacket.

Vivian raced down the hall past Grayson and pounded on Temple’s room. Within a few seconds, Temple jerked open her door. “What’s going on?”

“A fire in one of the cabins,” Vivian said. “Get Jillian.”

Vivian raced out the back door of the lodge, down the steps and across the back lawn to the cabin that was burning. She stared at it, wishing she could douse the fire. Thank goodness there were no guests. Surely she could do something.

Before she knew it, she felt Temple grab one of her hands. Jillian took her other hand. She stared at the fire and knew her sisters were staring into it, too.

“Why is it taking so long for the fire department to get here?” Jillian asked.

“We’re too far away,” Vivian said. “Up the mountain, and they’re down in the valley.”

“They should be able to get here faster,” Jilly said helplessly.

She and her sisters clung to each other as they watched the cabin burn. A fire engine finally arrived and sprayed the cabin, but it was too late. The cabin was a smoldering ruin.

Vivian couldn’t explain it, but her heart was broken. Grayson came to her and shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I tried to keep everything in the lodge up to code, but the last couple of years, Jedediah didn’t want to overspend on the cabins, and he just didn’t seem to have the energy.”

Vivian took a deep breath. She knew the wiring for the cabins was primitive at best. She put her hand on his. “I’m just glad no one was in there tonight.”

Grayson nodded. A fireman approached her and Grayson, asked a few questions, filled out a report and left.

Exhausted, Vivian returned to the lodge with her sisters.

“Let’s have something to eat,” Jillian said and urged the three of them to the kitchen.

“I’m not that hungry,” Vivian said.

“Neither am I,” Temple added.

“You will be in a few minutes,” Jillian said and placed a pan on the stove top. Soon she was frying potatoes, bacon and eggs. She placed plates in front of Vivian and Temple, then served herself.

Vivian tried but couldn’t take a bite. She closed her eyes and opened them. “I’m not sure I want to sell,” she whispered.

“I don’t want to, either,” Jilly said and shoveled a forkful of food into her mouth.

Temple gaped at both of them. “Are you out of your minds? This place is a money pit.”

“Maybe. Probably,” Vivian said. “But I can’t let it go yet. Especially after tonight. The whole place feels like an elderly relative and I can’t stand to see the whole place go down. We couldn’t save Dad. Maybe we can save the lodge.”

“Even though we may need to fix the wiring in the cabins?” Temple asked.

Vivian’s stomach twisted because she knew Temple was the most financially astute of the three of them. “Yep,” she said.

Temple groaned. “Everything about this is wrong. I’ve studied this six ways from Sunday, and we’re going to have a very tough trip to make it successful.”

“So, you’re saying we can make it successful,” Jilly said.

Temple frowned at her. “It’s an outside chance.”

“I think it’s a chance I have to take,” Vivian said.

“Me, too,” Jilly said and shoveled another big bite into her mouth.

Temple sighed, looking from one of them to the other. “Well. Against my better judgment.”

“You’re in,” Jilly said, clapping her hands.

“Let her finish,” Vivian said. “I want to hear her say it.”

Temple sighed. “I’m in.”

“Yay,” Jilly said, and gave a hoot of victory.

“That said, I’ll be watching every nickel and dime,” Temple warned. “Every nickel and dime.”

“I guess that means I can’t write off pedicures,” Jilly said.

Vivian snickered, but Temple squeezed her forehead as if she were in pain.

* * *

After an extensive discussion with a local electrician, it appeared that all the cabins might require rewiring and possible plumbing repairs. The job of fixing one cabin was growing by the minute. Vivian went into town, concerned because the man she’d called wouldn’t commit to putting a priority on the full project if necessary. Plus there was the issue of choosing new fixtures to replace the out-of-date ones.

She walked into the Honeymoon Hardware store and headed toward the electrical section. Staring at the array of fixtures, she felt overwhelmed. There were even more choices here than online.

“Hey, how ya doing?” asked a male voice from behind her.

Vivian’s stomach clenched. She knew that voice. She knew it was Benjamin’s. She took a deep breath before she turned to face him. “Hello. What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I could ask the same,” he said. “I’m picking up some paint for the kitchen at the bar. What about you?”

“I can’t decide on anything. And I need a faster electrician.”

“I can help with that,” Benjamin said. “I’ve got the fastest electrician in town.”

“How did you find him?” she asked. “Everyone wants to charge us extra because we live on the mountain.”

“Give the guy a room while he does the work,” Benjamin said. “He can enjoy the amenities when he’s off the clock.”

Vivian blinked. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because you don’t fish or hunt,” he said.

Her stomach took a dip as she looked at him, but she sure didn’t want that response. “I guess you’re right. But I still need to choose the fixtures.”

“Choose the most long-lasting, not the prettiest,” he told her. “Just a thought,” he added.

Vivian nodded. Sounded like words of wisdom to her. She made notes as she walked down the aisle.

“I heard about the fire. Sorry.”

“Thank you. It was upsetting to say the least.”

“Tough timing,” he said.

She nodded. “So,” she said, feeling a bit awkward, “I didn’t get to ask you about how you’ve been. The bar seems to be doing well. What about you?”

“I’m good,” he said. “I’ve purchased a couple of businesses other than the bar, so that keeps me busy.”

“What about your sister?” she asked, remembering what Millie had told her.

Benjamin seemed to freeze.

Vivian took a big step backward internally and gave a shrug. “I have two sisters and you have a sister, and I thought it was just considerate to ask about yours. I never met her because I was always at the lake.”

His shoulders lowered just a bit. “She’s doing okay.”

“Millicent told me your sister is creative and artistic. Maybe she could create something for the lodge.”

Benjamin tilted his head from one side to the other. “Maybe. So, your sisters are all in about you fixing the lodge? The last time I talked to you, you said you were leaving.”

“Jilly and I are in. We are dragging Temple. She’s an accountant, but after the fire, it just didn’t seem right to abandon the lodge.”

“I’m impressed that you’re going to try to fix it. Your dad would be proud,” he said, his gaze locking with hers.

“I’m scared. Especially financially.”

“You can make it happen. I’ll help you when I can,” he said.

She felt a sense of relief. “I’ll accept that offer, and since you’re here, help me select fixtures. Yes?”

“Sure, if you’ll go for coffee with me afterward,” he said.

Her stomach dipped at the intent expression on his face. It was just coffee, she chided herself and shrugged. “Why not?”

Chapter Three

“So, how do you feel about living in such a small town?” Benjamin asked after they sat at a small table in the local coffee shop.

“I’m okay with it for now,” Vivian said. “I’m still telecommuting with my firm in Atlanta and will have to return for some major events. Eventually I’ll need to cut the ties. I’m actually kinda glad to get away from the big city.”

“Really?” he asked and took a long draw from his cup. “You didn’t like Atlanta?”

“I did and didn’t,” she said. “Who would love that traffic? At the same time, I loved the sense of history and culture. I was raised in Richmond, so of course I loved that city.”

“Why not go back to Richmond?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Oh, no. No. My mother lives there and that would be an invitation to...well...insanity, in the worst way.”

“That bad?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes. Well, she’s quite the perfectionist.” She took a breath. “But enough about me. I still can’t figure out why you didn’t go pro with football.”

“My mom was sick.”

“I heard about that. I’m sorry. But after that,” she said. “Couldn’t you have gone pro after that?”

“I had other obligations by then,” he said, his expression moody.

“Do you wish you had continued playing?”

He shrugged. “Depends on the day. Mostly not. It would have been physical torture. Why all the questions?”

She laughed. “My first opportunity. I barely got to talk with you when we were teens.”

He chuckled and seems to relax just a smidge. “Yeah, that’s true. Speaking of getting to know you, I’m glad you’re fixing the lodge, but I’m wondering if you decided to take on fixing Honeymoon Lodge out of obligation,” he said.

She thought about that for a moment, then shook her head. “No. Not for the most part. I think we’re not ready to let go of our memories and what we experienced here. It took the fire to bring back how important those memories are to us. At the same time, we want to make it better for those who are new visitors to the lodge. It’s tricky.”

“Yeah, I guess so. If you want it to be more than a fishing and hunting lodge,” he said.

“We do,” she said. “We think you can still enjoy the lake and the scenery even if you don’t hunt or fish.”

“Because you don’t like worms,” he added with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Or crawdads,” she said. “The lake and the mountains are still beautiful. A walk along the lake will rejuvenate you,” she said.

“Even if you hate worms,” he said.

She glowered at him. “Yes. Even if you hate worms. Or cocky men who need to be taken down a notch.”

“You couldn’t be speaking of me,” he said.

“Of course not,” she lied.

He laughed loudly, and she really liked him for it.

“Viv, you have a lot more kick than I thought you would,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “Benjamin, how could you expect anything less from Jedediah Jackson’s daughter? My middle name is Monterey after the aircraft carrier. Eleven battle stars. My father was determined we wouldn’t be wussy women, and he was big on Navy history. Each of our middle names is from an aircraft carrier. As for me, I’ve tripped and fallen a few times, but I’ve gotten back up.”

Benjamin’s eyes widened. “Monterey,” he echoed. “I’m impressed. Does that mean I can call you Monty?”

“Only if you want me to clock you,” she said.

“I’m bigger than you are,” he said.

“I’ll catch you when you’re sleeping,” she returned.

“I can only hope,” he said. “If you catch me when I’m sleeping, that means you’ll be sleeping with me.”

A shiver rushed through her, all the way through her core. “Well, that’s not going to happen,” she said, because it couldn’t and shouldn’t. She might have been playing with the idea of flirting with Benjamin, but something inside her told her Benjamin was trouble for her. He appeared to be a pillar of the community and an all-around great guy, but for her, he could be big, big trouble. He could be a distraction to her and she wasn’t ready for that kind of distraction, especially now that she needed to focus on the lodge.

Benjamin walked her to her car. She took a deep breath and searched for her sanity. “Thanks for your help with the fixtures. And especially your recommendation for an electrician who can do speedy work,” she said.

“Glad I could help,” he said, leaning toward her.

She instinctively held her breath. “Thanks again,” she managed.

“Let’s get together again. Saturday,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

Vivian bit her lip and shook her head. “I don’t think that will work,” she said.

“Monday?” he asked.

Her lungs seemed to compress, and she shook her head again. “I’m not sure this is a good idea,” she managed.

“What’s not a good idea?” he asked.

“You and me,” she said.

“Maybe we could finally get to know each other,” he said, lowering his head.

He took her mouth in a kiss.

Vivian pulled back. “You have got to stop this,” she whispered and walked away, her body in complete chaos.

* * *

Vivian huddled with Temple and Jillian on the screened-in porch. Temple was glued her laptop and Jillian was trying a new yoga pose. “I ordered fixtures with the help of Benjamin,” Vivian announced.

“How did that happen?” Temple asked, clearly suspicious. “Did you arrange to meet him?”

“I did not,” Vivian said and wished her cheeks wouldn’t heat. “He was at the hardware store and I took advantage of his expertise. Should I not have asked for his advice?”

Temple met her gaze. “Of course not. But I must ask, is he as hunky as ever?”

“I’d like to say he isn’t, but I would be lying,” Vivian said. “It doesn’t matter, though, because we have too much to do for me to be distracted by an ex-football star.”

“He’s more than an ex-football star, isn’t he?” Jillian asked. “He’s the town entrepreneur.”

Vivian frowned. “He is, but we can’t be distracted. Right?”

“Right,” Temple said.

“So, we have fixtures ordered. I scheduled a consultation with a plumber. And in other good news, we’ll offer a room to an electrician. While they are performing repairs, they can go fishing or hunting in their off hours.”

Temple mused. “That could work.”

“I wish I could claim it as my idea, but Benjamin suggested it,” she said.

“Well, perhaps we should consult him more often,” Jillian said.

“I think this is enough for a start,” Vivian said, because she didn’t want Benjamin around to distract her. She and her sisters needed to get the lodge up to code as soon as possible. “In the meantime, I’d like us to work on the decor for the cabins.”

“Decor?” Temple echoed. “We don’t have money for decor,” she said firmly. “I’m looking at our budget, and we’re squeezed tight as it is.”

“This may require an investment from all of us. I’m willing to contribute,” Vivian said.

Temple tightened her lips. “I don’t want to go overbudget.”

“What budget?” Vivian asked. “We don’t even have one yet.”

“Well, we need one,” Temple said. “And we should stick to it. This could get totally out of hand.”

“Let’s just look at the cottages and brainstorm,” Vivian said, opening the door from the screened-in porch.

“I don’t like this,” Temple said, but the three of them walked down to the cabins.

Vivian stepped inside the dark, musty interior of the first. “They need wallpaper, a complete freshening, mold abatement, modern air-conditioning, new minikitchens and beds. Definitely new beds.”

“No to the wallpaper,” Temple said. “It’s just an invitation to more refurbishment.”

“I can paint,” Jilly said enthusiastically, lifting her hand. “I’ve even been paid for it.”

Vivian looked at her youngest sister and wondered what in the world she’d done for the last five years that included being paid for painting. She nodded and placed that fact in a file to think about at 2:00 a.m. when she awakened as she so often did. Unfortunately insomnia had recently become Vivian’s friend. “Thank you. That’s wonderful. But the AC, minikitchens and—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Temple said, lifting her hand. “These aren’t luxury villas. They’re cabins. Rustic cabins.”

“Do you want to stay anywhere that doesn’t have heat and air-conditioning, the ability to cook some food and a good mattress for sleeping?”

Temple frowned, then sighed. “We can work on the heat and AC. No to the full kitchens. I’ll price stove tops and microwaves.”

“And mattresses,” Vivian said.

“I suppose,” Temple said, clearly unhappy.

“Don’t forget the paint,” Jilly said. “We don’t have to make these luxurious. A lot of people are trying to get back to nature.

“Just so you know I may not want to camp, but I can do it,” Jillian said and walked out the cabin door.

“That girl worries me. I wonder if she’s been in some kind of trouble that we don’t know about,” Temple said, staring after her.

“Me, too. I’m afraid of what she’s been doing the last few years. I should have kept in touch better.”

“I should have, too,” Temple said. “I think Mom did a real number on her. I mean, more of a number than she did on you and me.”

“We should take her into town for lunch,” Vivian said. “Lunch with no distractions about the lodge. We could ask her more about what’s been going on in her life.”

Temple shot her a dark look. “You think lunch will fix anything? That almost sounds like Mom.”

“That was insulting and unnecessary,” Vivian said. “I think you know I’m different than Mom. Although I wouldn’t mind having her best strengths without her weaknesses,” she said, thinking of how socially adept her mother was.

“You’re right,” Temple said. “Lunch it is. We can make it a goal after we’ve painted one of the cabins.”

“That’s perfect,” she said. “Thank you.”

Temple met her gaze. “The numbers don’t add up for this,” she said. “I keep trying, but—”

“I’ll add my savings,” Vivian said.

“But what about your retirement?” Temple asked.

“I guess I’ll just work till I die,” she said with a laugh.

“That’s how you’re different than Mom,” Temple said. “She would rather marry money than work for it.”

“It might look like she’s had a free ride, but I don’t think she has always been happy. She’s been paying for that second marriage ever since she took her vows with the good doctor.”

“I never thought of it that way, but now that you say it... Hmm,” Temple said.

“She wanted her girls to be taken care of,” Vivian said.

“But Dad wasn’t broke,” Temple said. “He could have afforded our college education.”

“Mostly,” Vivian said. “You and I got scholarships.”

“Jilly was always a wandering soul.” Temple paused. “Oh, Lord, I hope I never feel like I have to marry for money.”

Vivian looked at her slim sister with shoulder-length brown hair. She wore baggy jeans, a T-shirt and black-framed glasses she was always pushing up her nose. Temple was too intelligent to suffer fools gladly. Her hair hung in dark strands down to her shoulders.

“I don’t think that’s in your near future,” she said.

Temple seemed to snap out of her reverie. “Are you saying I’m no bombshell?”

Vivian lifted her hand. “You are formidable and beautiful. Most men couldn’t begin to handle you.”

“Another way of saying I’m not suitable for anyone,” Temple said and started toward the door.

Vivian touched her sister’s shoulder. “Another way of saying you deserve someone amazing.”

Temple’s expression softened. “How’d you turn out so nice when Mom was so sharp she cut you nearly every day when we were teenagers?”

Vivian smiled, but she knew her expression was stiff. “I took the first cuts,” she said.

“Why don’t you hate her?” Temple asked.

“A little therapy didn’t hurt. I think she did her best. Her best wasn’t yours or mine or Jilly’s.”

Temple sighed and left the cabin.

Vivian felt her tight shoulders slump. This was becoming about so much more than saving her father’s lodge. Far more than she knew or was ready to face at the moment. All she knew was that she was all in. Vivian wanted her sisters back, and she was growing surer by the day that this was the way she could get them.

* * *

Five days later, Benjamin’s recommended electrician had arrived and appeared to be fishing far more than he was wiring. Vivian thought about calling Benjamin, but instead conjured her father’s spirit and rose early to confront the electrician, Bill, as he was headed out for another fishing venture.

She stepped in front of him. “Good morning, Bill. How are you?”

“Good,” he said. “Just hoping to catch a few before I start work on the rewiring for the cabins today.”

“How many cabins have you rewired?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, it’s been taking longer than I expected. I’ve done one and a half.”

“Bill, Benjamin Hunter recommended you. He said you would be a good worker. He said you would do good, fair work.” She forced herself to stop. She’d heard that remaining silent was an important tool in negotiations. Vivian chewed the inside of her lip and narrowed her eyes. She hoped she looked vicious and intimidating and Bill didn’t notice the nervous twitch in her left eye.

“You wouldn’t be trying to take advantage of me, would you?” she challenged.

Bill sighed. “No. I wouldn’t want to do that.” He rubbed his hand across his face. “I don’t gotta fish today. I’ll work on that next cabin.” He paused. “You’re not gonna mention this to Ben, are you?”

“Not at the moment,” she said, her ire rising at the realization that he might not have responded to her confrontation unless she’d mentioned Benjamin’s name. “You do know who is signing your paycheck, writing your future recommendations and allowing you to live rent-free? My name is Vivian Monterey Jackson...”

Bill took a step back and nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” he said and headed back to his room, supposedly to get his toolbox so he could get to work on the cabins.

Vivian tried not to grind her teeth, but she couldn’t help it. She heard a sound behind her and turned to spot her sister Jilly, who stared at her with a wide-eyed glance.

“You’ve got balls,” Jilly said in wonder.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Vivian said, although she wouldn’t trust Bill’s performance until he’d made more progress. She was her father’s daughter.

That day, she and her sisters worked their butts off painting and completing work on the first cabin. They’d painted the walls a calming spa green and replaced the ratty scatter rugs. A small sitting area with two chairs and a table along with a new microwave, coffeepot and minifridge occupied the side of the room opposite the bed. New shades on the windows would provide a bit of privacy, and new mattresses were on the way for five of the cabins. The other three cabins could wait until they booked some new guests and started making some income again.

“It looks nice. I wouldn’t mind staying here, except for the lack of television,” Vivian said as the afternoon sun faded from the open blinds.

“You could probably watch some on your iPad by ripping the Wi-Fi from the lodge,” Jilly said as if she had experience ripping.

Vivian exchanged a glance with Temple, then brushed her hands together the same way she would have liked to brush aside her concerns about Jilly. After all, her sister was an adult. She’d appeared to survive whatever she’d been doing for the last several years well enough.

“How about we eat an easy dinner, then roast marshmallows and drink wine by the fire pit?” Vivian suggested.

“Can you start a fire from scratch?” Temple asked, her eyes full of doubt.

“I can!” Jilly said with a huge smile on her face. “Didn’t you pay attention when Dad showed us?”

“I must confess I haven’t had much practice lately,” Temple said.

“I can do it. We could roast hot dogs, too.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Temple asked.

Jilly’s face fell. “Graduate from college,” she said. “Finish just about anything.”

Vivian’s heart squeezed tight at the lost expression on her youngest sister’s face. Silence stretched between the three of them.

“As we’re learning, you don’t learn everything at college,” Temple admitted, even though Vivian and Jilly knew Temple held two advanced degrees. “You can light a fire, and I wouldn’t dream of twisting my stiff body into some of those yoga poses you can do. So let’s grab those hot dogs, buns and marshmallows.” She glanced at Vivian. “A better version of lunch with the ladies?”

Vivian smiled and nodded.

Twenty minutes later, the three of them sat around the fire pit as the sun set over the lake. Vivian doused her burned hot dog with mustard and took a bite of it. “Most delicious thing I’ve eaten in a long time,” she said and took another bite.

“Shows how hungry you are,” Jilly said. “The more hungry you are, the better anything tastes.”

Vivian nodded. “You’re probably right. I’ve eaten some pretty stale sandwiches that tasted good because I skipped lunch.” She took a long draw of wine from her red plastic cup. “You know, I was thinking about the last time the three of us were together, and I had a hard time coming up with it.”

“Besides your wedding, four and a half years ago at Christmas,” Jilly said without batting an eye. She wiped her face with a napkin.

“Too long,” Vivian said. “I know Temple has been buried under accounting spreadsheets, and I’ve been planning events and failing at romance. What have you been doing, Jilly girl?”

“I’ve been here and there,” Jilly said with a shrug. “I went to school to be a massage therapist but skipped the exam. I took a lot of yoga classes, but I had to move before I could finish the teaching preparation. I’ve tended bar, painted and almost got a cosmetician’s license.”

Vivian frowned. “You’re obviously smart and have super skills. Why didn’t you take the exams?”

Jilly shrugged again. “Just didn’t ever work out. Anybody want another hot dog? Or are you ready for marshmallows?”

“Marshmallows,” Temple said. “And I happened to find an old chocolate bar and some stale graham crackers,” she said with a rare jubilant smile as she held up her finds like trophies.

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