He never relied on anyone but himself...

But he needs her now!

Butterfly Harbor deputy Matt Knight wants two things: to date Lori Bradley and the chance to adopt Kyle, a troubled teen. Wounded in Afghanistan, Matt knows he can’t move forward anchored to the past. But once he regains the guarded hotel manager’s trust, will his need to protect those he loves cost him a future with this extraordinary woman?

Bestselling author ANNA J. STEWART can’t remember a time she wasn’t making up stories. Raised in San Francisco, she quickly found her calling as a romance writer when she discovered the used bookstore in her neighborhood had an entire wall dedicated to the genre. Her favorites? Harlequins, of course. A generous owner had her refilling her bag of books every Saturday morning, and soon her pen met paper and she never looked back—much to the detriment of her high school education. Anna currently lives in Northern California, where she continues to write up a storm, binge watches her favorite TV shows and movies, and spends as much time as she can with her family and friends...and her cat, Snickers, who, let’s face it, rules the house.

Also By Anna J. Stewart

Honor Bound

Reunited with the P.I.

More Than a Lawman

Gone in the Night

A Dad for Charlie

Recipe for Redemption

The Bad Boy of Butterfly Harbor

Christmas, Actually

“The Christmas Wish”

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Always the Hero

Anna J. Stewart

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08294-5

ALWAYS THE HERO

© 2018 Anna J. Stewart

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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All Lori wanted to do was wrap her own arms around him and never let go.

“I like how you’re always thinking,” he whispered and pressed his forehead against hers. “Smart girls are hot.”

Tears prickled the back of her eyes, tightened her throat. Why did he do this to her? Make her want the one thing she knew would only hurt her in the end? Why did he let her believe in something that could never be hers? “So are men in uniform,” she said before she could stop herself. “But you know what?” With more strength than she thought she possessed, she planted her hands flat on his chest and pushed herself away. “Friends don’t kiss friends like that.”

“No.” Matt caught one of her hands before she could pull free. “No, they don’t. But maybe I’m on my way to earning another chance at being something other than friends.”

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Butterfly Harbor.

When I “met” Lori Bradley, she was one of those solid background characters I knew would pop up occasionally. So, thinking she’d be in the shadows, I made her a little like me. Okay, I made her a lot like me, which means this is probably the most personal book I’ve written to date. I think if you ask, a lot of authors will admit to putting bits of themselves into their characters or, if they don’t, they put other people they know into them. It’s the nature of the art. The fun part of the story was finding her “match.” Lori isn’t the only woman who falls for Matt Knight. I kinda did, too.

Matt Knight made his first appearance in The Bad Boy of Butterfly Harbor. Like Lori, he was really just supposed to be a one-scene walk-on, but when he arrived he was so much more. Burly, a touch of Southern good old boy and a former soldier who has seen more than his share of tragedy. He’s as honorable as they come, sometimes to a fault.

For me, this story proves you never realize who you truly are until you see yourself through someone else’s eyes. When someone else believes in you, challenges you, that’s when you become who you’re meant to be, which is precisely what Matt and Lori do.

I hope you enjoy their story, and the stories still to come. And yes, before you ask, Kendall will be getting her own story soon.

Anna J.

For Victoria Curran

Whatever comes next is because you said yes

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

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

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Extract

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE

DEPUTY MATT KNIGHT sat at his desk and stared at the divorce papers that had taken him three years to have drawn up. He stared at the black on white print, the familiar words blurring behind tired eyes.

“Just sign the thing already.” Even as he muttered to himself, his fingers tightened to the point of going numb. What on earth was stopping him? It wasn’t as if divorce was some big taboo these days. He certainly wasn’t holding out hope for a reconciliation. How could he when his soon-to-be ex had made it perfectly clear—well before Matt’s discharge papers from the army had been processed—that she’d moved on. There was no ill will. There were no feelings at all. It only made sense. If he was serious about moving on with his life, serious about becoming a father to an abandoned troubled teen, it was time to cut ties and start over.

His stomach knotted. Signing his name was the right thing to do. For everyone. And yet...

If only signing the decree didn’t mean admitting he’d failed. Matt had spent a good portion of his thirty-two years determined to avoid anything close to failure. He couldn’t shake the deadening sensation that writing his name only proved his father right.

He leaned forward, set his jaw. How messed up did he have to be to give credence to anything his long-dead father would have thought, especially when it came to what constituted failure? It was time to make this final break and move on with his life. If he didn’t owe that to himself, he certainly owed it to Kyle Winters. What kind of example would he be setting for the kid if Matt couldn’t put his own past aside? Besides, there were bonuses to starting fresh.

Bonuses like Lori Bradley.

His lips curved as an image of the lush, generous, quiet brunette with eyes as green as spring grass appeared in his mind.

The tip of the pen hovered.

“You can stare at that piece of paper as long as you want.” Deputy Oswald “Ozzy” Lakeman’s voice drifted across the small station house. “Whatever it says, it’s not going to change.”

Matt clicked his pen shut, tossed it onto the desk. He sat back in his creaking spring-loaded chair and swore he heard his divorce papers laugh at him. He looked over and found Ozzy grinning at him before he snapped his teeth through one of those mini carrots he’d been munching on of late.

“I thought you were taking Fletch’s patrol this afternoon,” Matt said.

“I am.” Ozzy leaned back and looked up at the station clock. He clicked his tongue. “Still have a few minutes to bug you. How am I doing?”

“At bugging me? Stellar performance, as always.” The banter came easily, as it had when he was in the army. The soldiers he’d served with had been his friends, his family. At times, he had to shake off the guilt that he had a new family now, a new group of friends while his fellow grunts... He swallowed the bitterness and grief.

Chances were Ozzy appreciated the downtime as much as he did. With Butterfly Harbor’s annual Monarch Festival less than a month away, the entire township was flitting around, prettying up store windows, touching up paintwork, finalizing sponsorship plans and making certain the soon-to-arrive tourists were given the best show possible when it came to the Pacific Coast tourist town.

Everyone was too busy to get into much trouble save for the occasional parking and noise ordinance violations. That was just fine with Matt, but he’d lived long enough—and hard enough—to know the quiet wouldn’t last. “Do we have an ETA on when Luke’s back in the office?”

“Chief’s due back tomorrow morning according to Holly,” Ozzy said, referencing the owner of the Butterfly Diner and their boss’s wife. “We should have a full house again now that Fletch has returned from his honeymoon. Oh, hey, Jasper.” Ozzy glanced up at the teen hobbling out of the bathroom on crutches. “I unearthed a new box of files that need to be digitized. When you’re caught up.”

“On it.” Jasper O’Neill clicked his way over to the desk they’d given him last month and dropped into his chair. “Can’t wait to be off these things.” He leaned over and set the crutches against the wall before logging back on to his computer.

“It’s been almost six weeks.” Matt couldn’t believe that much time had passed since the teen had nearly gotten himself killed playing amateur detective. That Jasper had been the prime suspect in the string of increasingly disturbing break-ins and vandalism had been a driving factor. The kid hadn’t done himself any favors by dressing like death and taking pleasure in making people feel uncomfortable. But when the smoke cleared, the sheriff and his deputies had decided to take Jasper on. The boy’s determination and cleverness couldn’t be ignored. The part-time position with the police department allowed him to continue with his forensics studies, stay out of trouble and earn some serious résumé references.

“Only ten days to go.” Jasper swiped his hand over too-long bangs that covered dark eyes. “Then you guys will have to start taking me on patrol with you.”

Matt grinned. “We’ll see about that.” Personally, Matt was hoping Jasper would be up for renewing his friendship with Kyle. Jasper could be a good influence on him.

Matt pushed his chair back, stretched out his prosthetic leg and waited for the gentle click that, had he not left his actual leg on a dirt road in Iraq, would have felt like a muscle easing into place. “With Luke and Fletcher both out, I guess that means I’m on deck for the town council meeting tonight.” Matt barely resisted the urge to groan. What a way to spend a Friday night. He’d seen the setup coming for weeks; his coworkers’ planned absences that would ensure he’d be the one to make the final push for the sheriff’s department’s contribution to the Monarch Festival. The annual fall event was, at least until the new butterfly sanctuary was built, the town’s biggest claim to fame—and its biggest tourist draw. From the Butterfly Diner, to Harvey’s Hardware, to the Flutterby Inn, businesses were snapping up sponsorships and initiatives like nobody’s business.

While his boss and fellow deputies agreed they needed to participate, they’d also decided to focus on a job that would be of benefit beyond a week’s worth of events and activities. He pinned Ozzy with a determined, hopeful stare. “Unless you’d like to—”

“Not on your life.” Ozzy held up his hands as if shielding himself from a radiation blast. “Not on my life. Not on anyone’s life.”

Jasper chuckled as he tapped away on his keyboard.

“As long as you’re sure,” Matt mumbled. “You could at least come with me.” It made sense. Despite living in Butterfly Harbor for almost three years, Matt was still considered a newcomer. Before becoming a deputy, he’d mostly kept to himself having moved here alone after his separation. Not that he hadn’t piqued his neighbors’ curiosity, but he kept his private life private. As far as anyone in town knew, he was an unencumbered bachelor. Ozzy, on the other hand, had been born and raised here, which meant everyone knew his business. “I could use the backup.”

“No offense, but the only way I’d voluntarily attend the Mayor Hamilton show is if it was a direct order from my boss.” Ozzy visibly shuddered. “Lucky for me, that is not you.”

“But you’re good at throwing me under the bus,” Matt said.

“Yep. You don’t have a history with Gil.” Ozzy ducked his round face out of sight at the mention of the mayor. “And it’s not as if he’d take anything I have to say seriously anyway. I know what he thinks of me.”

Matt flicked his thumb across the stack of divorce papers as anger simmered low and hot. “And what’s that?”

“That I’m a drag on the department.” Ozzy flinched as if speaking the words out loud hurt. “Word is he’s planning on instituting physical fitness requirements for all of us in the department. Like what they do over in Durante.”

“I bet Luke will have a thing or two to say about that.” When Ozzy didn’t respond, Matt prodded deeper. “Is that what all this diet stuff’s been about, Oz? You worried about keeping your job?”

“No.”

“Oz.” Matt used the same tone with the younger deputy that he had with new recruits. Granted, Ozzy wasn’t about to walk into a war zone, but sometimes the same medicine worked on different ailments. “What’s going on?”

Oz shook his head. “It’s not a big deal, Matt. You know how Gil is.”

“Yes, I do.” One of the reasons Matt wasn’t overly fond of their mayor. If it wasn’t for Ozzy’s tech know-how and efficient computer skills, they’d still be typing on Selectric typewriters and stuffing the wooden filing cabinets to the point of overflowing. “I’ll tell you something right now, Oz. If you’re looking to lose weight to appease anyone other than yourself, it won’t work in the long run. Short term, maybe.”

“I know. At least I’m feeling better.” Oz shrugged in that casual way he had of trying not to call attention to himself. “And I’m up to a mile-and-a-half run in the mornings. Well, I can do that much without wanting to puke. Mostly.” He looked at the carrot in his hand. “I’m getting really sick of these things, though.”

Personally, Matt was surprised the deputy hadn’t turned orange. “Don’t let anyone else determine how you live your life, Oz. You want to lose weight, you do it for yourself. Not because some jerk like Gil Hamilton’s bullied you into it.”

“Word,” Jasper muttered.

“I hear you.” Ozzy nodded. “And I know you’re right. Anytime I think about quitting, I remember that day Charlie got trapped in the caves down at the beach. I should have been able to help Fletcher more than I did. They both could have drowned.”

It wasn’t the first time Ozzy had made mention of the near-catastrophic event. There also wasn’t any mistaking the hint of self-loathing and disappointment that came with letting the people you care about down; or worse, believing you had. That day had been rough on all of them; the idea that eight-year-old Charlie might never have made it out of those caves if it hadn’t been for her now stepfather’s actions and the support of most of the town still made his gut clench.

“No one believes you let anyone down.” Matt chose his words carefully. “Not Luke, not Fletcher and not me, who by the way, took three times as long getting down the beach as you did.” He slapped his hand against his prosthesis. “If we don’t blame you, there’s no reason to blame yourself.”

“Yeah, well.” Ozzy shook off Matt’s attempt to placate him and returned his bag of carrots to the mini fridge under the coffee station. “I’m not going to let anything like that happen again. I want Luke to know he can count on me for whatever might happen. That all of you can. And if the mayor does institute physical tests, I’ll be ready for them.”

“As long as you’re doing it for yourself, too.”

“Funny how times change.” Ozzy looked genuinely surprised. “You know, back in high school, word got around my mother had put me on a diet. Some of the guys on the football team loaded my locker with those cream-filled sponge cakes. Ruined my first edition copy of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

There was little Matt loathed more than bullies. “Any of those jerks carry a gun and get a patrol car with spinning flashing lights?”

Ozzy grinned. “Nope.”

“Then you win. Speaking of winning.” Matt gestured to the clock on the wall. “Patrol started five minutes ago.”

“Oh! Geez.” Ozzy spun around, checked his belt for his weapon and phone, dived for his jacket and stumbled to the door. “Thanks, Matt. I’ll see you later. Oh.” He poked his head back in the office. “If you want something to look forward to tonight, Abby told me Lori is going to be representing the Flutterby Inn at the town meeting. You know, in case you want to say hi or something.”

Matt wadded up a piece of paper, chucked it at him and yelled, “Be grateful I don’t have a Twinkie!”

But Ozzy had made his point. Just the mention of Lori was enough to take the sting out of Matt’s obligation for tonight. There was something about just laying eyes on Lori that made his day better. He’d been careful with her, slowly building up their casual friendship despite his desire for more. Lunch. Coffee. A couple of small town events. He couldn’t let himself get too interested, too tempted, as long as he was still officially married, and the truth was, he was both—interested and tempted. He enjoyed the time he spent with her, felt the dormant fire inside of him light up when she looked at him, smiled at him. Laughed at his stupid jokes. It took a special woman to get his sense of humor. Which was why, in the last few weeks, since soon after Holly and Luke’s wedding, he’d been avoiding her.

Matt Knight was all about doing right by people. Especially those he cared about. But there wasn’t any moving forward, not with his life, not with Lori, as long as he was still anchored to the past.

The phone rang. Before Matt could reach for the receiver, Jasper answered. “It’s for you, Matt. A Chris Walters?”

“That’s Kyle’s caseworker,” Matt said as he picked up his extension. “Chris? Kyle okay?”

“Doing well, actually.” The social worker’s encouraging words belied the tension in his voice. “We’re still on track for an early release. For now at least.”

“What’s that mean?” Matt squeezed the receiver so hard his fingers tingled. “What’s going on?”

“The judge in charge of Kyle’s case is retiring. His replacement is reviewing all the cases ahead of time and, well, since we’re jumping beyond fosterage to adoption, she has some concerns about your living situation.”

“What’s wrong with my living situation?” Matt asked. “I’ve got a room ready for him, he’ll have a part-time job with the sheriff’s department, and most importantly he’ll have more stability than he’s known in years.”

“I’m on your side, remember? You don’t have to convince me. She’s not denying your petition, Matt, but she has suggested a female influence in the house wouldn’t be a bad thing for Kyle. And given your marital status...”

“That’s about to be resolved.” Matt looked down at the papers on his desk. “I filed the divorce papers and am getting ready to sign them as we speak.”

“Okay. We’ll have to see how that plays with the judge.”

“Given Kyle’s last female influence was too hopped-up on prescription meds to give him a second thought, I wouldn’t think this would be any judge’s first concern.” Matt hated to speak ill of Kyle’s mother, but the truth was the truth.

“It’s a concern, Matt. And the judge only suggested it would be in your and Kyle’s best interest if there was someone in your life to help bring a bit of balance. Even if it’s just a girlfriend, which brings me to what we talked about before. She’s going to want to call Lori as a character witness.”

“Lori? How does she know about Lori?” The last time his heart had pounded this hard he’d been dodging bullets.

“Because I listed her in my report. You said you were dating her, that you thought it was getting serious. Are you telling me something’s changed?”

Changed? Other than Matt all but ignoring her the last few weeks while he got his head on straight and cleared the emotional deck? “No, nothing’s changed,” Matt blurted before his brain could catch up with the panic seizing his chest. He’d made a promise to Kyle, and Matt Knight never made a promise he couldn’t keep. “We’ve been seeing each other for a while, off and on.” Most recently off. All the more reason to remedy that. “She’s completely on board with me taking Kyle in.”

“So you’re okay with her listed as a character witness? She’ll back up your statement should the judge want to call her in during Kyle’s hearing?”

“Yeah, of course.” Matt swallowed the lie. Well, it wasn’t a lie exactly. Lori did know about Kyle but Matt’s current relationship with her might be a bit, well, up in the air. “Have they set a date yet for the hearing?”

“Um, yeah. Hang on, I’ve got that right...” The sound of shuffling papers scraped against Matt’s ear. “Three weeks from Monday. Looks like the judge has us penciled in for two in the afternoon.”

Matt scribbled the date on his calendar, noting that was the same day as the big welcome dinner that opened the Butterfly Festival. That would take some juggling given it was all hands on deck in town for the department. “I’ll be there.” Somehow. “I thought I’d come up and see him in a couple of weeks. Need to figure out my days off.”

“You’re on the visitor’s list for anytime,” Chris said. “I’m glad you told me about Lori. This will go a long way with this judge in approving Kyle’s placement.”

“I hope so.” With Kyle’s troubled past, the only other placement option for him would be a group foster home or to extend his stint in the detention center he currently resided in. “Let me know if there are any more changes.”

“You got it.”

Matt hung up. Why was it, even when he had the best of intentions, he ended up messing things up? At least now he had even more of a reason to apologize to Lori. As much as he wanted her back in his life, he needed her. Kyle needed her. Unease settled in his gut like a stone. He hated lying. To anyone. But especially to Lori Bradley.

“Everything okay?” Jasper asked. “Is Kyle still getting out?”

“He sure is.” He picked up his pen, clicked it open and scratched his name.

A few seconds later, he set the sealed envelope on the counter, where it would go out in the afternoon mail.

CHAPTER TWO

“LORI, THANK GOODNESS!”

Lori Bradley glanced up from behind the registration desk at the Flutterby Inn as BethAnn Bottomley swooped in like a redheaded designer bird of prey. A Butterfly Harbor native who had returned home after the death of her senator husband, BethAnn was one of those people you crossed the street to avoid. Somewhere north of fifty, she had the uncanny talent of turning any compliment into an insult. Today’s campaign-worthy suit was the color of summer cherries. The look in her eyes? Seek and destroy.

“You have got to help me!” BethAnn dropped a stack of boxes on top of the registration desk and draped herself over them in exhaustion. “Esther Kravatz’s arthritis is acting up and she totally forgot about these invitations. If I don’t find someone reliable to send them out, the entire welcome dinner could fall apart! I’m so glad you’re on the committee.”

Esther Kravatz’s arthritis had been flaring up a lot since BethAnn had returned to Butterfly Harbor after more than a decade away. In the past, the welcome dinner had always been a casual affair, certainly nothing like the big to-do BethAnn had in mind.

“Actually, I’m not on the...” Lori trailed off as she stood, pulled to her feet by the breathy desperation in BethAnn’s voice. A sinking sensation swept over Lori as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and brushed a self-conscious hand down the front of her blue-and-white-striped maxi dress. “How many are there?” Lori’s chest tightened as she did a quick mental count.

“Five, six hundred, give or take. We’re not expecting that many to show up, of course, but they might be up for donations to our charity gift baskets. You can take care of it, right? I’d do it myself, but I’m just so busy getting sponsors and making delivery arrangements. It shouldn’t take too long. Just have a glass of wine, pop some corn and get to stuffing.”

Lori’s smile stretched almost as wide as her patience. Some things never changed. People rarely said no to her, if only to get BethAnn off their backs.

“No one else on the committee can help? What about taking them to the youth center and asking the kids...”

“Oh, well, we can’t trust children with something this important, can we?” BethAnn waved that dismissive hand of hers in the air. “And as far as the committee, apparently not everyone’s taking this kickoff event as seriously as I am. It’s vital we make a good show of things if we’re going to draw a higher level of clientele.”

Lori bit the inside of her cheek. Higher level of clientele was BethAnn code for her rich “friends.”

“We’ve already got multiple television stations coming,” BethAnn went on. “Which means we’re going to be front and center. And then I remembered you and how you’ve always been tip-top when it comes to responsibility and volunteering. I have to tell you, Lori.” She pressed manicured fingers against her chest and tapped where most people possessed a heart. “While I was honored you all elected me to lead the charge on this event, I had no idea how much work would be involved! Thank goodness for all my worker bees.”

Elected? Lori pressed her lips into a hard line. More like the committee had been too intimidated to argue when BethAnn announced her intention to take over the event. Lori sighed. Most of the “work” BethAnn referred to had been completed and locked in place thanks to Lori securing the caterer. All that was left was to figure out furniture rental, decor, and, well... She looked down at the invitations.

Clearly BethAnn’s desire for the spotlight hadn’t diminished in her years away. As happy as people had been to see her go, just like a Monarch, she’d found her way back.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz.” BethAnn clapped her hands together as if wishing a fairy back to life. “Oh, and these all need to be mailed by the eighteenth.”

Lori’s hand froze as she flicked through the addressed envelopes. “You’re kidding? BethAnn, that’s—”

“I know it’s short notice, but I have every faith in you, Lori. Drop me an email when they’re done so I can mark it off the list. I have tons to do before the town council meeting tonight. Stay tuned! There’s going to be a big surprise! Ta!” BethAnn flicked a wave over her shoulder and hurried to the door before any malevolent plans could take hold in Lori’s mind.

“Unbelievable.” There went her free time. Lori grabbed the top box and stuck it on the floor out of sight. She wasn’t up for another lecture from Abby Manning—her friend and boss—about what a pushover she was. She didn’t want to hear how she should be living and enjoying her life instead of hiding behind a desk or holing up in her greenhouse of a sanctuary. Or getting sucked into jobs that weren’t her responsibility.

As if on cue, Abby stepped out from behind the sliding glass doors of Flutterby Dreams, the inn’s now-award-winning restaurant, and turned her perky nose to the ceiling to sniff. “I smell desperation and condescension. BethAnn’s been here, hasn’t she?”

“She just left.” Lori chuckled and pushed the box farther under the desk with her foot. BethAnn’s signature perfume certainly caught people’s attention. “Did you want to say hi?”

Abby rolled her eyes and stepped into the lobby, the flouncy pink skirt of her dress bouncing around her knees. Looking like a cross between a 50’s carhop and a sprite one might find in Lori’s meticulously maintained flower garden, the longtime manager of the Flutterby Inn narrowed laser beam blue eyes on the boxes in Lori’s hands. “What are those?”

“Invitations for the festival kickoff dinner.” Lori had almost pulled them out of reach when Abby’s hands locked around her wrists.

“Why do you have them?”

Lori’s cheeks warmed. She shrugged and shifted on her feet, wishing there was some way to become invisible under her friend’s penetrating stare. How did someone so petite make so many cower? “Because I’m reliable and responsible.” Lori knew how important the festival was to the continued financial recovery of the town. If it meant a few extra hours of work, so be it. “BethAnn was saving me some time by delivering.”

“Uh-huh.” Abby shook her head, clearly not believing her. “And she couldn’t possibly have found someone else to do it or done the work herself. We talked about this, Lori. You have to stop letting people take advantage of you.”

“You take advantage of me,” Lori teased.

“I pay you. There’s a difference.”

“These don’t have to go out for a while. It’ll be fine.” Given the expression on Abby’s face, Lori scrapped plans to get a jump start during her downtime at the inn. “I can get a good start tonight—”

Panic rose in Abby’s eyes. “You’re covering for me at the town hall meeting tonight, remember? I have that dinner with Jason’s partner. If he hadn’t flown in from New York...”

“No, I’ve got it. It’s okay.” Darn it! She’d forgotten she promised to go. “It’s no big deal. I’ll make it all work.”

“Whew. Thanks. Jason’s super nervous about the meeting. I need to be there for moral support. And to pour the wine. Keep your ears open in case our good mayor throws a festival curveball.”

“What kind of curveball?”

“I wish I knew. Don’t worry. You just need to be the face of the inn. Since we agreed to host and sponsor the BBQ cook-off and food market with Calliope—”

“You’re not participating in the cook-off, are you?”

“No.” Abby scrunched her mouth and released Lori’s hands. “Geez, I set off half a dozen fire alarms in this town...”

Lori sank into her chair after settling the boxes in their not-so-hidden hiding place. Abby Manning inhabiting a kitchen was one of the reasons smoke detectors had been invented.

“You’d think the fact I’m marrying a chef would have earned me some points by now,” Abby huffed.

“When are you doing that, exactly?” Lori asked in the hopes of keeping Abby off her case for a while longer. “Getting married?”

“Oh.” Abby blinked, and then a slow, dazed smile stretched across her features. “On Christmas Eve.”

“This Christmas Eve? Abby!” Lori leaped out of her chair and wrapped her arms around a vibrating Abby. “You finally decided on a date! That’s great! Oh, a Christmas wedding.” Lori’s mind exploded in images of blossoming poinsettias and frosted trees decked out in twinkling golden lights and shimmering ribbon. Was there anything more beautiful? “Where?”

“Here.” Abby stepped back and clutched her clasped hands against her chest. “This will be Jason’s first Christmas in Butterfly Harbor and I want to go full bore. Total fantasyland here at the inn. I’ve already talked to our new owners and they want to make it part of their travel promotion next year, which gives me some fun financial numbers to play with.” She hesitated, bit her lower lip and raised uncertain eyes to Lori. “I’m about to become a complete hypocrite.”

“But it’s coming with a warning. I appreciate that.”

“Is there any chance you’d help me with the wedding? The flowers and decorations I mean. I could hire a florist, but you’re so good with the arrangements we put in the rooms and on the table. We get so many compliments.” She gestured to the exploding bouquet of autumn buds and full-blown sunflowers on the side table courtesy of Lori’s greenhouse habit. “And you’re organized, which we both know I need. If you’d be up for it I’d be in your debt forever!”

“You don’t even have to ask.” Excitement struck dead center of Lori’s heart, tempered by momentary worry at the idea of letting her friend down. She hadn’t tackled a project as big as a wedding before, even if it was just the flowers and decor. She’d helped with Holly’s nuptials earlier this summer and then there had been Paige and Fletcher’s spur-of-the-moment ceremony a few weeks ago, but nothing along the scale of what Abby no doubt had in mind.

Still. Lori bit her lip, unable to stop the smile from forming. She could do this. She wanted to do this. Even as she tried to convince herself, her hands shook. She had to do this. Abby was counting on her. “I’m honored, Abby. Truly. Whatever you need.”

“Well, that’s a relief. I know it won’t be easy with you playing double duty as a bridesmaid—”

“Wait, what?” Lori’s pulse flatlined. She touched trembling fingers to her suddenly dry mouth. “Abby, you don’t want me as a bridesmaid. That’s so public. And you’re so...” She waved her hand up and down Abby’s short, petite frame. “And I’m so...” It took her twice as long to indicate her own body.

“You’re so what?” Abby’s eyes sparked and narrowed.

“I’m not bridesmaid material. Next to you I’ll look like the Jolly Green Giantess.” The fat, frumpy Jolly Green Giantess. She tugged at the waistline of her dress, felt her fingernails dig into her palms through the fabric. “Good heavens, the photographer will need a special lens to get us both in the same picture.”

Abby planted her hands on Lori’s shoulders and shoved her into her chair. “You know I hate it when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“You know what. Put yourself down, make a joke out of something I don’t find funny. I can almost understand it with people you don’t know, but we’ve been friends long enough. Stop it.”

“But this is different.” Those pictures would be...forever.

“The only thing that’s different is it’s my wedding. I want you standing with me and Holly and Paige, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Lori swallowed hard. Because the idea of standing next to beautiful Abby wasn’t humiliating enough, being caught among Butterfly Harbor’s version of Charlie’s Angels made her nauseated. Not to mention there were bound to be reporters and news crews covering the event thanks to the popularity of Abby’s celebrity chef fiancé Jason Corwin. Top that off with the publicity department from the hotel... That meant cameras, and cameras, as everyone knew, added ten pounds. At least. Maybe if she went back on that liquid diet she could lose enough to—she took in a shuddering breath.

“Lori, stop.” Abby bent down and grabbed hold of Lori’s hands. “This isn’t the reaction someone’s supposed to have when they’re asked to be a bridesmaid. There’s at least supposed to be a smile in here somewhere.”

“How’s this?” She pointed to her overwide smile.

“You look like you’re being tortured by a winged superhero. Knock it off. When are you going to stop letting numbers on a scale define you?”

Lori hesitated. When she could look in the mirror and not immediately see a fat girl. When she didn’t feel as if she was the biggest person when she walked into a room. When she didn’t hear her mother’s voice asking her “how much do you weigh now, dear?” When she could look back at a particularly nasty few weeks in high school and not feel like a complete idiot.

“It’s an automatic reaction.” Lori knew Abby was right. For the most part, she didn’t dwell on the fact she was, well, larger than most women. But then there were times—like being asked to be a bridesmaid or when a lifetime of insecurities and criticisms flooded back at her like a tidal wave—that she couldn’t withstand the pressure. “I’ll think about it,” she offered.

“Good.” Abby nodded as if it were a done deal. “And since Jason plans to ask Matt to be a groomsman, you’ve got your escort all...arranged. And what’s with that look?” Abby circled a finger in front of Lori’s face. “You got a funny expression on your face when I mentioned Matt.”

“Did I?” Lori resisted the urge to squirm. If only she could crawl under the desk with the envelopes and invites.

“You did. What’s going on? I thought you and Matt were—”

“Well, if we were, we aren’t now.” Lori hated the defensive tone in her voice, but this was yet another conversation she didn’t want to have. “I mean, yeah, we hung out for a while.” The idea was almost humiliating that at twenty-six she’d finally had her first—second if she was being honest with herself—date. But whatever she thought was going on with Matt, she’d clearly been wrong. Sometime in the last few weeks, he’d stopped returning her calls, didn’t answer her texts. If she hadn’t seen him walking or driving around town on patrol, she might have worried something had happened to him. “We’re friends. That’s all.”

Did friends miss each other the way she missed him? Obviously she’d come across as overeager, even desperate, and scared him off. Big surprise. She thought she’d done her best to keep her feelings and hopes to herself. “It doesn’t matter. Stop looking at me that way, Abby.”

“What way?”

“Oh, poor Lori. Friday Night Popcorn Queen. Scares off a man who carries a gun for a living.”

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I never took Matt Knight for an idiot, but I’ve been known to be wrong before. I’m sorry.”

Lori shrugged. “No big deal,” she lied. “I’m more a status quo kind of woman anyway.” If there was one thing Lori knew about it was how to be alone. Then again, she wasn’t alone. She had Winchester. Her cat.

“So we’ll make different arrangements for the wedding. Get you a different escort.”

“I don’t think—”

“You think too much.” Abby gave her hands a hard squeeze before she stood. “I know you’ll do a great job making my wedding beautiful. But I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be disappointed to not have you standing beside me when I get married.” She walked to the restaurant doors, stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Someday I hope you stop letting what other people might think matter so much. As far as I can tell, the only person judging you, the only person standing in your way, is you.”

CHAPTER THREE

BEFORE HE’D SIGNED on as a deputy in Butterfly Harbor, Matt could count on one hand the number of town council meetings he’d attended. Politics wasn’t his game; watching it play out in front of him like bad theater really wasn’t his game. There was, however, something to be said for small town personalities in a confined space that provided an unpredictable concoction of gossipworthy entertainment.

The makeshift City Hall—the original one had been shut down last year due to code violations—loomed over the edge of town like a ghost from the past. The old Checkerspot Pub now housed the mayor and a good portion of city staff, or so the brass plaque beside the double glass doors decreed. The weathered two-story building had always reminded Matt of an old-time saloon with its wraparound porch and second-story overhang. All that was missing were wooden swinging doors creaking in the evening breeze and the tinny sound of an untuned piano.

“Evening, Matt.” Harvey Mills, all belly and overly round eyes, headed from where he must have trekked from his hardware store on the opposite end of Monarch Lane. “Good turnout tonight?”

“Looking that way.” Matt gestured toward the door where the cacophony of voices continued to rise. He peeked inside the window. “Best grab a chair while you can.” Nerves prickled the back of his neck. He glanced at Harvey, who didn’t look any more eager than Matt to head in. “Everything okay?”

“I’m hearing rumblings our good mayor is about to pull the rug out from under us where this festival is concerned.”

Matt waited. Mrs. Ellison might have cornered the market on town gossip, but when it came to reliable information, Harvey was the go-to man. There was something about men gathering in a hardware store—which also housed the town’s post office annex—that turned the business into Butterfly Harbor’s version of a confessional. The fact Harvey had lived here his entire sixty-two years also added a layer of authenticity that kept Matt’s interest piqued. “Any rug in particular getting pulled?”

“Details, much like our mayor’s intentions, are scarce. Best be prepared for anything.”

“I usually am when it comes to Gil.” Matt took a long, deep breath. “Jasper get you that list of tools and supplies we’ll be needing to get those houses in shape?”

“Ordered and mostly received.” Harvey gave a firm nod. “Got you a good deal on some replacement windows. You’ll need to pick them up over in Durante, but they were a steal since they’ve been discontinued. Way too many empty houses around here have gone to rot. Your idea to get at least the exteriors fixed up, get those yards under control before the festival starts? It’s a no-brainer if you ask me. I’ve still got some feelers out on gardening supplies. Might have some donations coming your way.”

“Plus it makes for a nice tax write-off for you,” Matt joked.

Harvey grinned. “Not going to complain about that. Those volunteer lists you’ve got around town look to be filling up. ’Bout time we get more people involved. Make them feel more a part of things. Community center kids getting involved, too?”

“That’s the idea.” Matt would have given his right arm for a teen community center like the one Luke Saxon had opened soon after becoming sheriff. He’d wanted a place where kids could take classes, hang out, get tutoring and, most importantly, stay out of trouble. Having Luke’s predecessor—and current father-in-law—running the place made the idea something the mayor hadn’t been able to argue with. “Way things are going, the center will outgrow that building on the beach by the end of the year.” Faster if houses started selling again.

It was a problem Matt was anxious to have, which was why he was scoping out new locations for the community center every chance he got. “All that being said, it would be a great promotional push come festival time. Gil wants to get buyers in here, year-round and seasonal. If visitors see us as a tight community that takes care of our own, that can only be a positive.”

“Well said,” Harvey agreed. “I can see why Luke trusts you with this.”

No need to erode Harvey’s faith in the department by stating he was only a stand-in. This project was Luke and Fletcher’s baby. “When I was in the army, word had it I could sell sand in the desert.” A pang of grief struck low and hard at the memory of his friends who were gone now. Only two of them had made it back and he hadn’t heard from Hack in at least a year. “My platoon leader called me Superstar.”

Harvey chuckled. “You shouldn’t be giving me information like that, Matt. You never know where or when I might use it.” Harvey patted Matt’s arm as he headed inside. “If the mayor starts slinging, you don’t back down, hear me? We need people like you and Luke who put this town and not your personal agendas first.”

“Understood.” Matt started to follow, then came up short as a flash of blue caught his attention coming down the hill. Lori.

His entire body felt lighter just seeing her. He tugged at the hem of his jacket, flexed his hands as he watched her approach. She’d lightened her hair, added subtle red highlights that caught in the late setting sun. He loved that rich, doe brown that curled subtly down and around her shoulders and framed her round face. She tended to wear the same type of dress, long and flowing around the ankles, almost covering the flat shoes she wore. He caught a quick glimmer of surprise shining in her bottle-glass green eyes when she spotted him. She glanced away long enough to tie a substantial knot in his belly.

Even if he didn’t need her help with Kyle, he’d been anxious to see her again, to explain why he’d disappeared on her. Funny. He hadn’t had any problems facing down insurgents with grenade launchers, but the idea of facing Lori after all these weeks of silence left him almost petrified.

“Hey.” He tried to sound as casual as possible even as his heart pounded hard in his chest. “Ozzy said you’d be here. Long time no see.”

“I know.” When she stepped up beside him, she could almost look him directly in the eyes. It had been one of the first things he’d noticed about her—one of the first things he’d liked. She didn’t turn simpering smiles or bat overactive lashes to get what she wanted. She didn’t look to him to rescue or placate her. She was straightforward, honest and, most importantly, fun to be around.

He’d missed her.

“I suppose I owe you an apology.” The second the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. He supposed?

The corners of Lori’s eyes twitched. “For what?”

She was going to make him say it. “For not returning your calls or your texts. I’ve had, well...” Oh boy. He’d rehearsed this and yet none of the words seemed to be waiting for him. “I had a lot of thinking I needed to do. Some decisions I had to make and—”

“You don’t owe me any explanations, Matt.” She shrugged as if they were discussing something no more important than the weather forecast. “We’re friends. Well, acquaintances really. Nothing to worry yourself over. We’re good.”

“Okay.” Except it wasn’t okay. He could feel all his plans, everything he wanted to say to her fall through his fingers like water. “But I would like to talk to you. Maybe tonight, after the meeting—”

“I have a lot of work to do when I get home. Maybe some other time.” She reached for the door handle at the same time he did. His fingers brushed the back of hers. She snatched her hand away as if she’d been burned.

He moved in, lowered his voice and inadvertently brushed his lips over her ear. “I should have called. Or at least told you what—” She jerked away, her face flashing with anger before she eased her expression. Matt almost gulped. As big a heel as he felt before, he felt like an even bigger one now.

“Stop making this out to be something it wasn’t, Matt.” Was that irritation in her voice? “You have your life, I have mine. It’s not surprising there’s not a lot of overlap. So while there’s nothing to apologize for, I’ll just accept it so we can move on. Sound okay?”

“Move on as friends.” Definitely not the direction he needed to go.

She glanced away and nodded, but not before he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes. A flash that gave him the thinnest thread of hope to cling to. “I think we’d better get inside, don’t you? Sounds like there’s a lot on the agenda and I need to take notes for Abby in case anything’s been changed.”

“Yeah, sure. Of course.” This time when he pulled open the door, she gave him another smile and stepped in ahead of him, only to skid to a halt. “What’s wrong?”

So much for thinking a lot of residents were avoiding the meeting. Matt hadn’t seen a turnout of Butterfly Harbor folks this large since the food festival last spring. He saw plenty of familiar faces—most of the members of the Cocoon Club, an expanding group of the more senior members of town—but also people he couldn’t put names to. He recognized homes and buildings more than he did people.

Empty chairs were few and a number of attendees milled about the long counter along the west side of the room. Others grabbed coffee, water or a soft drink from the other side of the bar, grabbed cookies from the plastic silver trays someone had brought.

“Are you okay?” He couldn’t help but notice Lori seemed caught between paralyzing nerves and shock.

“I’m fine.” Lori tugged at the sides of the short sweater she wore, pulling it tighter across her chest. “Just more people than I expected.”

Matt spotted two chairs in the front. “How about up there?”

She shook her head, her gaze skittering around the room until she let out an audible sigh of relief. “There’s Calliope. Over there by the window. I’ll just join her.”

“Sure. Yeah.” Frustration crashed through him. He’d really blown it. He should have been honest with her from the start, but he hadn’t been able to find the right words to say he needed to slow things down so he could decide what to do about his divorce papers. Telling her, not telling her—neither was honorable, but he’d chosen to keep quiet to protect her. Instead, he’d hurt her. Far more than the truth ever would have.

* * *

“HEY, CALLIOPE.” Lori slipped onto the metal folding chair beside the closest person Butterfly Harbor had to a spiritual guru. Thankfully the row of chairs against the wall was far enough away from the main throng she could melt into the scenery.

“Lori.” Calliope turned a friendly smile on her. The light dusting of freckles across her nose reminded Lori of a doll she had as a child. The beads and tiny bells laced through Calliope’s waist-length red hair tinkled above the din of the crowd and managed to soothe Lori’s frazzled nerves. “How are those hollyhock seedlings I gave you working out?”

“Beautifully.” Lori rested her notebook on her legs and locked her ankles together. “I don’t know what you do to plants, Calliope, but I’m grateful for your touch. I should have fully grown plants back to you in a few weeks.”

“Lovely. Just in time for the fall harvest.” Calliope tapped a long finger against Lori’s arm. “It’s been a relief to have someone willing to take over the less edible offerings my customers enjoy. And I think it’s you who has the magic touch. Something tells me those flowers will be splayed across Butterfly Harbor sooner than later.”

Lori smiled. While she loved her job at the inn—most days—her real love was horticulture, especially when it came to nurturing seedlings into fruition. Plants didn’t judge, they didn’t speak, they either grew or they didn’t. Now that Duskywing Farm had become quite the tourist attraction, partly because Chef Jason Corwin had talked up the organic farm in a number of his interviews, Calliope had to expand both her crops and her business plans. The weekend farmers’ market and open field policy—it wasn’t every town that had its own “pick your own food” option—was something everyone agreed to promote. That Calliope had asked Lori to oversee the plants and flowers she sold felt like an honor.

“How are you set for poinsettias?” Lori asked.

Calliope’s eyebrows shot up. “What a coincidence. I completely overordered last year and they’re outgrowing their space. Care to come take some cuttings?”

Lori didn’t believe for a second the excessive order was coincidence. Calliope had always possessed a special “sense” when it came to the needs of Butterfly Harbor residents. “I can’t say why, but yes. We’re going to be needing quite a few this holiday season. For the inn,” she added, for fear of ruining Abby and Jason’s surprise.

Calliope turned her attention back to the town council moving toward the makeshift stage. “I look forward to Abby and Jason’s official announcement.”

Lori’s chuckle was cut off by Matt taking a seat beside her. “Don’t mean to interrupt.” His Louisiana accent drifted over her like warm honey out of Calliope’s hives. He shifted and straightened his jacket as Lori crossed her arms over her chest. “Not a lot of seating choices.”

Obviously. What Lori wouldn’t do to be able to control the flush of heat to her cheeks. She avoided Calliope’s knowing glance as she tried to focus on the board members moving onto the stage at the front of the room. She’d felt accomplished when she’d managed to hold a somewhat normal conversation with Matt outside. It wasn’t easy talking to a man who had gone out of his way to avoid her for the last few weeks.

Hopefully, whatever come-hither vibes she’d been transmitting a few weeks ago had gone dormant. She certainly didn’t want to push herself on someone who clearly wasn’t interested, or worse, thought her pathetic and only talked to her out of pity. Nor did she want Matt thinking she’d locked herself away and was pining over him when it was clear he didn’t want to be anything more than friends.

She squeezed her arms tighter against her body, wishing not for the first time that the action would make her shrink.

Matt Knight was the type of man who conjured images of late-night beach fires and hands entwined beneath the stars. She could almost smell the flame-kissed pyre, feel the crackling sparks. Not so long ago he’d worn his dark hair shaggy, a bit unkempt, which accentuated the beard he’d had since he’d first moved to town. The beard was gone now; his hair tamed. Gold-flecked espresso brown eyes that glinted in the light shouldn’t have any effect on her, but they did. As tempting as he was to lean into, to give in to, Lori stopped herself. She was doing just fine on her own. She didn’t need a relationship or a boyfriend to complete her. She didn’t need a man to make her life meaningful.

But that didn’t change how she felt about him. She liked him.

A lot.

As if feelings like that had ever led her anywhere good. Good heavens, what was the matter with her?

“Is it me, or does the council look as surprised at the turnout as we were?” Matt motioned to the group that included town veterinarian, Dr. Selina Collins; accountant, Kurt Murphy; and Cocoon Club members Oscar Bedemeyer and Delilah Scoda. Lori returned Delilah’s enthusiastic wave with a shy smile. The former hairdresser had “dated” Lori’s late grandfather years before and earned a place in Lori’s pantheon of friends.

Lori made an “uh-huh” response as she caught the lightning flash movement of BethAnn Bottomley taking a seat in the front row. Perched on the edge of her chair, BethAnn craned her neck and scanned the crowd. Her surprised gaze landed on Lori. She opened her red-painted mouth in silent question. She probably assumed Lori had chained herself in her house until she finished with those stupid invitations.

As if she’d even started them yet.

Gil Hamilton, only five years Lori’s senior, strode onto the stage, his khaki slacks and button-down white shirt looking more catalog chic than small town mayor. Thick, beachy-blond hair swept over sharp, hawk-like green eyes. He took his place behind the tabletop podium and banged the gavel every Butterfly Harbor mayor had wielded for the past half century.

In an almost-Pavlovian response, Lori reached into her purse for a pen and opened up her notebook as the room fell silent.

Matt’s arm brushed against hers as he shifted in his chair. He stretched out his leg with a wince. Lori bit the inside of her cheek. Matt was never one to complain, not even when it was obvious his leg was giving him problems.

“Did you call your doctor about that new prosthesis they want to fit you with yet?”

He looked startled at her question. Maybe he was shocked she’d remembered their conversation about his leg more than a month ago. “Not yet, no.” He turned a tense jaw toward her and focused on the mayor. “Haven’t had time.”

She should have kept her mouth shut. It always confused her how he seemed perfectly fine with the fact he’d lost his leg in the war; there wasn’t a self-conscious inch of him. But when it came to his treatment or discussing advancements in lost limbs, he shut down faster than... Lori smirked. He shut down faster than Lori did when she was asked to be a bridesmaid.

“Calling this meeting to order.” Gil banged his gavel again and reminded Lori of when he’d been senior class president. The Hamiltons were as close as Butterfly Harbor got to royalty. Fourth-generation ruling class, his great-great-great-grandfather—or was it only two greats, Lori could never remember—was one of their founding fathers, had been chosen to govern. How her grandfather had gone on about the Hamiltons and rarely in a good way. Something Lori was certain Gil was more than aware of.

The rules of order were recited, the board members called attendance, the minutes approved. Lori struggled against the pull of boredom and swirled her pen over the paper, letting her imagination take hold.

There were times over the years she’d felt sorry for Gil, like when his father died. But those times were easily overshadowed whenever Gil declared a bit too vociferously that he had the town’s best interests at heart. If ever there was a flashing red warning sign...

Then again, Gil couldn’t do any more harm to Butterfly Harbor than his own father had. The previous mayor had nearly bankrupted the town, certainly sent the family banking business into a tailspin, and as a result, a mass exodus had ensued. The decreased population had put everyone’s lives on hold as they hoped and prayed things would right themselves once more.

Which was why this year’s Monarch Festival was so important. With stability came pride and there was nothing her fellow townspeople liked more than showing off their beloved home. Especially before the start of the monarch migration season.

“I swear, if they verbally itemize the budget report...” Matt mumbled.

Lori refused to laugh, but inside, she grinned. She knew Matt well enough to know attending an event like this was tantamount to torture. “I thought Luke usually came to these things.”

“He’s on a field trip with Simon.” Matt’s response earned an irritated look from a flannel-clad Cyril Walters across the aisle. “He’s taken being a stepfather very seriously. You here for Abby?”

“She had a dinner meeting with Jason.” Before Cyril could glare at her, she threw the middle-aged crank a smile and ducked her head. “Sorry you got stuck.”

“I’m not.” Matt shook his head, his gaze falling to the notebook she scribbled in. “I got to see you.”

Lori’s pen froze in midstroke. She jumped when Gil banged the gavel again. “Someone needs to disarm him.”

“Overcompensation comes in many forms,” Calliope said. “He’s stressed. I can see it coming off of him in waves.” She shivered as if those waves crested over her head.

At Cyril’s “shhhhhh” the three of them fell silent.

“I’d like to make one announcement we’ve been anxious to share.” Gil’s theatrical voice echoed in the room. “The board has finally approved an architect to design the new butterfly sanctuary. Xander Costas of Costas Architecture out of Chicago will be arriving in the next few weeks to get things underway. He’ll be touring the town, talking with folks in an effort to give us the perfect design. Keep in mind, we’ll be looking for a community liaison to work with him and ensure the design he comes up with reflects who we are.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Lori caught Calliope’s hand tighten into a fist.

“At least they moved the proposed site,” Lori whispered. The original location had been less than a half a mile from Calliope’s farm, which hadn’t sat well with most people, Calliope in particular. Rumor had it Lori’s brother, Fletcher, was instrumental in ensuring the new project would be built on the secondary location, halfway between the farm and the decrepit old Admiral’s Lighthouse on the edge of town.

“I see dark clouds approaching,” Calliope murmured with that familiar dazed look in her eyes. “Dark, dangerous clouds.”

Lori pursed her lips, looked back at her notebook. The idea of the butterfly sanctuary being anything close to ominous seemed a far stretch even for Calliope’s eccentric tendencies.

As the meeting dragged on, Lori scribbled meaningless notes. The sound of Gil’s voice became a distant hum. She found herself sketching the exterior of the inn, filling in the seasonal garden roundabout with poinsettias and twinkle lights, making notes as she went. An arbor would be nice, maybe with hanging votive candles... She made a note to ask Abby if she was planning a nighttime wedding, which would be something completely different. Would people want to spend their Christmas Eve at a wedding, though? Hmmm...

Brainstorming Christmas ideas and words, crossing out what didn’t feel like “Abby.” The page filled up as her imagination took hold. It wasn’t until Matt reached over and covered her hand to pull it away that she blinked back to the present.

“What?” Had she missed something?

“That’s beautiful.” He kept his voice low, but his warm breath brushed against the side of her face. She tightened her fingers around her pen, resisting the urge to look into the blue eyes that not so long ago she’d considered drowning in. “You worked a lot on the landscaping upgrades at the inn, didn’t you?”

Lori nodded. “Abby doesn’t know a daisy from a carnation. She lets me play.”

“You play well.”

She glanced at him long enough to see his brows knit. Was that confusion? Surprise? Disapproval? Just what was going on with him anyway? A few weeks ago, he’d slammed the dating door in her face. Tonight, was he attempting to open it again?

Hope—as unwanted as it was—pounded unevenly against her ribs while fear of being hurt again quickly steamrolled over it.

“Which brings us to the Monarch Festival committee proposals.” Gil reached for a bottle of water and drank. “I’m happy to say the board has agreed to approve most of them. But before we get into all that, there’s one topic I need to address.” He cleared his throat. “With all I have going on at the mayor’s office, it’s been brought to my attention that I won’t have as much time to dedicate to overseeing every committee’s actions.”

“What a shame,” Matt said.

Lori clicked her pen shut. Abby had been right. One curveball coming their way. “Wait for it.” Lori sat up straight and braced herself.

“Wait for what?” Matt asked.

“As most of you know, town board member Bobby Singer has submitted his resignation,” Gil said. “As it’s within the authority of the remaining members to elect a substitute to serve the remainder of his term, I’d like to welcome BethAnn Bottomley to the board. BethAnn has also generously offered to oversee all of the community project committees and she’ll be acting as my personal go-between to make certain we’re putting our focus and finances in the right places. BethAnn?”

“That.” Lori deflated as she joined in the muted applause. No wonder BethAnn had been so anxious to offload those invitations on her. She was clearing her own schedule so she could shine and claim as much credit for the festival as possible. Not that Lori cared about credit. But she didn’t like the idea BethAnn would steal other people’s accolades.

BethAnn hopped out of her chair and practically two-stepped her way onto the stage where she swooped in front of the mayor to stand at the podium.

“Thank you, Mayor Hamilton,” BethAnn said. “And thank you, all of you, for welcoming me so warmly. It’s so nice being back in the town I called home once upon a time.”

“Tell me again who this is?” Matt leaned over and whispered.

“Trouble with a capital T.” Lori could feel the plans already made for the festival decidedly tip. She noticed the other board members casting uneasy looks at one another, while Delilah, board secretary, tapped restless manicured nails on the table beside her laptop.

“Looks like the town council is about ready to bolt,” Matt said. “Harvey was right. I sense fireworks.” He sat forward in his chair, hands clasped with an expression of near giddiness on his face.

“First,” BethAnn said, “I want to thank everyone who has stepped up to volunteer to make this year’s Monarch Festival the absolute best yet. You all have had some fabulous ideas and I look forward to implementing them all with you.”

Murmurs of grudging agreement rumbled through the hall.

“I also want to say that while the proposals we’ve received at the mayor’s office are all excellent ideas,” BethAnn continued, “we’ve had to take a hard look at finances and time frames, especially in regards to the sheriff’s department’s beautification proposal.”

Lori glanced at Matt in time to see his right eye twitch.

“As many of you know, the sheriff’s department—”

“Has already procured most of the supplies and donations we need to complete the project on time.” Matt got to his feet. “We are ready to move full steam ahead as soon as we have a completed list of weekend volunteers.”

The room, as a whole, turned in their chairs. Lori swallowed hard as dozens of eyes landed on her before shifting to Matt. She clenched her fists, determined not to sink in her seat.

“I think we can all agree how important it is that Butterfly Harbor look its best for all the visitors we’re expecting in a few weeks,” Matt continued as if he’d prepared a speech ahead of time. “The three areas in question are all very visible cul-de-sacs, homes and yards everyone who drives in will see. As they look now, people are going to wonder if they’re in the right place. Not only are they eyesores, they’re also a testament to this town’s past economic problems.” Matt shifted his gaze to Gil. “Something I’m certain we don’t want to advertise.”

Lori’s eyes went wide. Did he really just call Gil out on his father’s illegal banking practices in front of the whole town? She covered her mouth with her hand.

Gil shouldered himself in front of BethAnn.

“Deputy Knight, I’m not sure this is the right time—” Gil attempted to cut through the murmurings rippling through the crowd.

“I am,” Matt said. “While I applaud all the events and plans this festival will include, surely everyone in this room can agree we need to put some attention to long-term goals. What we are proposing takes more man—and woman—power than money. But the payoff in the long run could be beneficial to every resident. While we want visitors to enjoy everything we have to offer, we also are hoping to entice some of them to stay.”

More than just murmurs of support rose from the crowd. Some began to cheer. Gil’s jaw pulsed. “I can see the need for more discussion is in order as far as this project is concerned.”

“No, it’s not!” Harvey Mills shouted from the back of the room. “I’ve already received most of the supplies needed to complete the project, a lot of which was donated by businesses outside of Butterfly Harbor in exchange for advertising. Are you suggesting we let those supplies just sit in my storeroom and collect dust?”

“Of course I’m not,” Gil said as he banged his gavel to call for silence. “It was agreed on by the board—”

“Not unanimously,” Delilah interrupted. “I’m in complete agreement with Deputy Knight. This is a project that needs to happen. What good is some fancy dinner spotlighting our main thoroughfare if the houses nearby look like bombed-out shacks?”

More nods of assent, more cheers and applause.

“I’m not trying to be difficult,” Matt said when the voices calmed. “And I’m not trying to be disrespectful. But I think Mrs. Scoda raises a valid point. We need all of Butterfly Harbor to shine, not just the areas we guide people to. We have more than a dozen volunteers ready to spend the next few weekends hard at work. I, along with some of the other deputies, will be spending our off time on the properties. This isn’t something we plan to do piecemeal or only when it suits us. And this is just the beginning. There are a lot of other homes that need attention but their owners simply don’t have the means to improve the curb appeal. If we do this right, this could become a way of life here. If we want to build up our community we need to start with our community.”

BethAnn opened her mouth, but was stopped by the enthusiastic applause and shouts of approval echoing in the room.

“I’m sorry. Forgive me, as we don’t know each other.” BethAnn raised her voice and peered down her upturned nose. “What is your name again, Deputy...?”

“Knight. Deputy Matt Knight, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Lori snorted behind her hand.

Matt flicked a quick look at her. His lips curved.

Lori’s cheeks warmed.

“I wonder if you could answer a question for me, Deputy Knight, since the board needs to determine where best to spend our...its money,” BethAnn said. “As I recall, when Jake Campbell was sheriff, his deputies were spread pretty thin. Are you stating that’s no longer the case despite the rise in criminal activity since his retirement?”

Lori closed her eyes shut and shook her head. Oh boy. Here we go.

“I don’t think that’s a topic we need to get into—” Gil practically dive-bombed the podium.

“Beg your pardon, BethAnn.” Jake Campbell, the town’s previous sheriff, stood up from the middle of the seated crowd and leaned heavily on the cane that had helped him walk for the last fifteen years. “Seeing as you haven’t lived here in a while you might want to check your facts on how my term ended and the current statistics.”

The room went dead silent. Lori’s ears pounded as she looked around the crowd. Jake Campbell was beloved in Butterfly Harbor. His dismissal from his job was still a source of controversy for some despite their acceptance of Luke Saxon as his replacement.

“If you’re attempting to imply that the crime issues we’ve been experiencing are directly related to a change in oversight,” Jake said, “I’d like to point out the new sheriff is my son-in-law and he has had my support from day one. I was, in fact, the one who recommended him for the job. I can assure you the safety of this town has been his foremost concern since he pinned on his badge. Have there been issues? Yes. Will there continue to be issues? Yes. But we also see this project as a way to stave off these issues and, if we’re lucky, eliminate them altogether. They’re a capable, smart team of deputies. They can make this work. All they need is this town’s support.”

Matt shifted on his feet, as if suddenly uncomfortable.

Lori reached up, touched her fingers to his arm and felt him jump. He glanced at her before returning his attention to the dais.

“We understand the undertaking, Mrs. Bottomley,” Matt said. “And I can assure you we will not be shirking our responsibilities. This project is simply an extension of our current positions.”

BethAnn gave him a smile that might have frozen a fresh-caught fish solid. “That might address any issues we have with the home repairs and refacings. I see where you have some construction experience from your time in the armed forces, but nowhere on your proposal do you list a landscaping expert. As much as we’d love to contribute town funds to the project, I’m certain I speak for the rest of the board and the mayor in saying we don’t like the idea of a short-term solution. We want this done right from the start. We don’t want to be replacing and redoing areas ad nauseum. Which to me means bringing in an actual expert.”

Calliope nudged Lori with her elbow.

“What?” Lori leaned over, torn between fascination and revulsion. How could BethAnn not see how important a project like this was to the entire community?

“You know what.” Calliope nudged her again. “You are an expert in landscaping.”

“I am not,” Lori protested.

“You’re the closest thing we’ve got other than me, and I’m already committed.” Calliope turned calm, considering eyes on her. “Unless you’d rather spend the next few weeks acting as BethAnn’s gofer. Take an escape, and an opportunity, when it’s offered.”

Oh. Lori bit her lip. She glanced up at Matt as the audience rumblings grew louder. She looked at the stage, to where BethAnn turned a satisfied smirk on the mayor, who looked as if he were ready for the evening to be over. Lori caught Delilah’s eye and the old woman nodded as if giving her approval.

“I can do it.” The words came out of Lori’s mouth on their own.

“There you go.” Calliope patted her arm.

“What?” Matt looked down at her.

“I can do it.” It was barely a whisper, as if she needed to bolster herself to commit, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The thought of getting her hands in the dirt of all those yards, of deciding on color and plants and decor and... Her pulse raced. First Abby’s request to help with the wedding, and now this?

“I can do it!” Stronger now, louder. Loud enough to catch the attention of those sitting around her. Loud enough to bring a wide, eye-brightening smile to Matt’s handsome face.

She set her notebook on the floor and stood up.

Matt stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled, the shrill sound blasting through the rising conversation and felling it to silence.

“Something else to add, Deputy Knight?” Gil asked with something akin to hope in his eyes.

“Lori Bradley has agreed to oversee the landscaping portion of our project.” Lori’s heart expanded as Matt’s chest puffed with pride. There were times he did seem to be in her corner. “I think we can all agree she has the expertise and talent to make this project work.”

“But she can’t.” It was then Lori saw panic in the normally controlled BethAnn’s face. “She’s already committed to the welcoming dinner committee—”

“No, I’m not.” Lori didn’t want to take pleasure in the statement, but she did.

“I don’t understand,” Gil said. “Given you’re an employee of the Flutterby, I assumed you were helping Abby with the barbecue and food market.”

“I am. I have been,” Lori said.

“Along with the welcome dinner?” Gil frowned at BethAnn.

“I never volunteered for that, actually.” Lori wiped her damp palms on her hips. The last time she’d spoken in front of this many people had been in her high school speech class. It wasn’t any less terrifying now. “I only offered to take the minutes at the first meeting since it was at the inn. No one ever took me off the email loop.”

“Well, then clearly you need to choose,” BethAnn challenged.

“I already have,” Lori said. “There are more than enough committee members to make the welcome dinner happen, especially since most of the arrangements have already been made. I’d be thrilled to work with the sheriff and his deputies on this project. If they’ll have me.”

“We’ll have you,” Matt said in a way that had Lori’s cheeks burning and the audience chuckling.

“That’s settled then!” Delilah, acting in her role as council secretary, plucked the gavel off the table and struck it once, hard. BethAnn jumped. “Motion passes. Let the committees, all of the committees, commence.”

CHAPTER FOUR

MATT WASN’T KNOWN for making Hail Mary passes, but when he threw one, he tended to score. Success, however, might be measured differently this time around. Given the shell-shocked expression on Lori’s face once Delilah banged the gavel, he was betting she’d need some time to digest what had taken place.

A wave of residents rushed forward to swallow them into congratulatory circles of backslaps and handshakes. He had a little trouble processing what had just happened himself, but that Lori would be working on this project with them, with him, inflated that tiny bubble of hope that had been bouncing around inside of him. To have this time to repair their relationship, get his personal life on solid footing so the judge considered him a more acceptable candidate as Kyle’s father? It was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Add to that, Lori might finally see for herself how well liked and appreciated she was by those living in Butterfly Harbor.

While he didn’t have much trouble navigating the crowd, he caught an occasional glimpse of panic in Lori’s eyes. Probably a reaction to making such a public declaration. Maybe a tinge of regret, but he was grateful for whatever bolstered her volunteering. He should have thought of it himself given he’d been watching her sketch in that notebook of hers, seeing images of the inn take shape behind the explosion of flowers and plants, details she plucked out of thin air. He knew she was the secret weapon he’d been looking for. Of course, she was the perfect solution.

Now, as cochair, she wouldn’t have any choice but to work with them. Uh-oh. Matt made forgetful conversation with his neighbors as he realized he had only come tonight as a substitute voice; this wasn’t his idea or his project despite his willingness to be a part of it. Now he found himself in the uncomfortable position of having taken the lead on something his boss and fellow deputies had devised.

He certainly didn’t want them thinking he was taking credit for their idea or work. That said, if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be witnessing what he could only define as a sudden blooming of Lori Bradley.

She hadn’t pulled into her shell, hadn’t dipped her head or lost eye contact with anyone coming over to congratulate and thank her. Instead, while she seemed a bit flummoxed, he thought for sure he caught something akin to excitement shining in her eyes.

Typical Lori, with a smile that brightened an already-pretty face. She had no idea how people reacted to her, that she had a way of making whoever she was with feel as if they were the most important person in the room.

She looked over at him and her eyes sharpened, as if she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him and the entire situation.

Whether she realized it or not, Lori Bradley made him happy. Now it was his turn to return the favor.

“You going to need protection on the walk home?” Fletcher slapped a hand on Matt’s already-bruised shoulder.

“They’re leaving,” Matt looked back as the crowd filed out.

“Wasn’t talking about them.” Fletcher’s normally amused eyes held a hint of seriousness. “I meant protection from my sister. I’ve been on the other end of that look, pal. She hasn’t made up her mind what she thinks about this situation yet. She’s not the only one.”

“Yeah, sorry about usurping the project like that.” Matt winced. “Luke said you wouldn’t be here.”

“Wasn’t supposed to be,” Fletcher said. “And things turned out the way they were meant to. No worries on my part.”

“Or mine.” Paige Bradley ducked in under her husband’s arm and tugged her long brown ponytail free. She’d come a long way from the shy, secretive person she’d been when she’d first arrived earlier in the year, but she’d made a new start—and a home for her and her daughter in Butterfly Harbor. “This is exactly what Lori needs. She spends too much time cooped up at work or at home. This project is perfect for her. And if she’s worried about Abby not having enough help with the food market, I’m happy to lend a hand. Holly’s already working with her, so it makes sense. And—” Paige craned her head to look up at the stage where the board members were filing out “—you managed to tick off BethAnn Bottomley. I bet that’ll be worth a free mocha shake from Holly next time you come by the diner.”

“Our good diner owner isn’t a fan of our new town council member?” Matt asked of his boss’s wife. As he was clearly not as up on town gossip as he should be, a trip to the hardware store this week might be in order.

“I don’t know the particulars other than BethAnn burned a lot of bridges on her way out of town. Something to do with Holly’s mother?” Paige shook her head. “I might be able to pry it out of her on our next girls’ night.”

Fletcher looked down as his stepdaughter, Charlie, ran over to grab his hand, her red pigtails sticking out crookedly on either side of her head. “What’s going on, kiddo?”

“I want to help plant the new flowers with Aunt Lori.” She swung her arm high and back as she bounced on her heels.

“You mean you’re going to abandon me along with your mother?” Fletcher teased.

“You can help, too,” Charlie said with an exaggerated eye roll that was all her mother. “Besides, Mom said I could start my own garden if I learned what to do. Do you think Aunt Lori will mind teaching me?”

“I can speak for Aunt Lori.” Finally free of her crowd, Lori bent down to retrieve her belongings and stayed low to meet her recently acquired niece eye to eye. “I would love to have you as a student and a volunteer. After your homework gets done, though. And after all your chores are finished. And you’ve checked with Mrs. Hastings to make sure you’re caught up with her.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Charlie leaned so far over to the side she nearly tipped over. “Mom, I’m going to need a calendar like yours.”

“No one has a calendar like your mom’s.” Fletcher pulled Paige close and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Always the busy bee. Must run in the family.”

“I’m going to head back to the inn, talk to Abby. Fill her in on...things.” Lori seemed to be looking at anyone—and anything—other than Matt. “Paige, I’ll give you an update on the inn’s plans as soon as I do some rearranging with my schedule.”

“How about I walk you back?” Matt offered.

“Not necessary, thanks.” Lori looked across the empty room to where BethAnn was having a pouting session with a less than sympathetic Gil. “She’s actually taking this pretty well all things considered.”

“She just assumed you’d do her bidding on helping to organize the welcome dinner, didn’t she?” Fletcher said.

Lori shrugged. “I am helping on a few things.”

“Oh, Lori, you aren’t.” Paige sighed. “Why didn’t you say no?”

“Because she doesn’t like disappointing anyone,” Matt said before Lori could respond. She glared at him, but didn’t argue.

“What did she rope you into?” Fletcher asked.

“Nothing much. Just mailing out her special invitations. I can do it one night after work. Or two. It’ll be fine.” Judging by her tone, however, Matt could hear an unfamiliar trace of resentment in her voice. “It’s the last thing I’ll do for BethAnn. Promise.” She held up her fingers like a Girl Scout swearing an oath.

“Uh-huh.” Paige rolled her eyes. “As one people pleaser to another, I’m going to hold you to that.”

Lori smiled. “Deal.”

“I don’t like her. She’s rude,” Charlie declared. “Mrs. Hastings called her a snob.” Charlie’s eyes were big as saucers as she slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops. I wasn’t supposed to repeat that.”

“Mrs. Hastings would probably know the details about BethAnn,” Fletcher agreed. The former high school principal had become a surrogate grandmother to Charlie. “She definitely made a name for herself around here before she married into politics. Perfect bedfellows, our grandfather said. But now you don’t have to worry about her, Lori. You’ll be working with Matt here, instead.”

“Hmmmm.” Lori’s lips thinned as she said her goodbyes and headed to the door. “Lucky me.”

“Seriously, man, I wish you luck.” Fletcher pushed Matt behind her. “Just don’t forget, she’s my sister.”

“Ease up, Fletch,” Paige ordered. “Charlie, let’s say you and I check in with Calliope about our fresh produce deliveries for tomorrow?” She held out her hand, and mother and daughter scampered off, leaving Matt and Fletch alone.

“What’s going on with you and Lori?” Fletcher asked Matt before he could get away. “A bit of on-again, off-again?”

“Yeah.” Matt fought the urge to wince. He didn’t need to be reminded how badly he’d handled things with Lori. It had definitely bitten him in the backside in more ways than one. “That’s on me and it was a mistake.” He reached for his baseball cap and tugged it on. “One I plan on fixing, believe me. But since you brought it up. You good with this? With me and her?”

“Are you asking my permission to date my sister?” Always one to make a joke, Fletcher’s usual levity didn’t quite break through. Matt’s fellow deputy was known for his easygoing nature to the point of being a pushover at times, a family trait, obviously. Fletch definitely wasn’t the disciplinarian in the recently formed Bradley household, which was why Matt took the stern glare in Fletch’s eyes to heart.

“Lori hears you ask that, I won’t be the only one in need of protection,” Matt said. “I like her, Fletch. I like her a lot and I’m being straight with you when I say I know I screwed up.” Not that he was about to admit how he’d screwed up. On the one hand, he probably shouldn’t have kept his marital status a secret. On the other hand, Matt hadn’t cared enough to talk about it. Not that anyone had asked. They’d just assumed. That said, it probably wasn’t the best idea for Fletcher to know that, technically, he was a married man. Or that he needed to get things back on track on the off chance she was called to testify at Kyle’s placement hearing.

“And if I say no, that I want you to stay away from her?” Fletcher asked.

Matt could only imagine how protective he would be if he had a younger sister, so he cut his friend some slack. “I’d say I’m sorry you feel that way, and tough. I want... I need to see where this can go.” After three years of uncertainty and self-doubt, he was finally feeling as if he was back on solid ground. And honestly? He had Lori to thank for that. Being around her had pulled him out of the quicksand of his past. Now that he was out, he didn’t have any intention of sliding back in.

Fletch turned, looking to where Lori stood just outside speaking with Willa O’Neill. “Getting past me isn’t your problem,” he said. “She’s locked a good part of herself away, Matt. There are walls I’ve never been able to scale and I lived a lot of the same things she has. What went down with our parents, for instance. We only turned out the way we did because our grandfather stepped up and took us in. She puts on a good show, but she doesn’t trust easily. Nor should she with the wounds she has. Just be prepared. And be careful. As much as I want her to be happy, I don’t want her hurt.”

“On that we agree.” Another hurdle passed, Matt bade his goodbyes and pushed through the door to outside. The laughter in Lori’s eyes faded when she saw him. “Ready when you are. Hey, Willa. How’s Nina doing?”

“Mom’s better, thanks.” Willa pushed her hands deep into her sweater pockets and rocked back on a pair of thick-soled practical shoes. “The experimental treatment she got into in San Francisco seems to be working and I was able to bring her home sooner than expected. Did you hear Paige is going to start doing home care here in town? Once she gets her nursing license anyway. We’re on the top of her patient list.”

“I knew she’d been studying for a big test,” Matt said. “You know your house is on the list for the beautification project, right?”

Willa’s silver-gray eyes showed genuine surprise. “It is?”

“If it’s okay with you,” Matt added, realizing how presumptuous he sounded.

“I’ve been so preoccupied with Mom and Marley I haven’t really thought about it. Other than installing the wheelchair ramp, we haven’t had the money—”

“This wasn’t Matt criticizing,” Lori broke in, and it was then Matt realized his error. “If Fletch hadn’t put your house on the list I certainly would have considered it. It’s about time we started taking care of our own around here.”

Matt caught the well of tears in Willa’s eyes. “It would make Mom so happy. She used to love gardening before...well, before everything happened.”

“How about we get in touch when we finalize our plans and schedule?” Lori wrapped an arm around Willa’s narrow shoulders and squeezed. “Maybe we can even keep it a surprise in some way for her?”

Willa nodded. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to tell Marley and Jasper.”

“Your brother already knows,” Matt said. “Who do you think put your name on the list?”

“Of course he did.” Willa swiped at the single tear that plopped onto her cheek. “You all have been so good to him, this seems almost like it’s too much. He’s started looking into colleges thanks to you.”

“Yeah, well, he’s earning his keep at the station,” Matt assured her. It was extra handy having someone with the talent for basic forensic tests in-house, which ended up saving enough money on the budget to afford to pay him.

Selfishly, Matt hoped once Kyle was released from detention, Jasper would renew their wayward friendship—and provide another example of how someone dealt a bad hand in life could turn things around.

“I didn’t handle that particularly well, did I?” Matt asked Lori as Willa headed off on her walk home.

“You’ve done worse,” Lori said with enough spark in her voice to reignite Matt’s guilt over how he’d shut her out. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“What? Volunteered? I can.”

“Well, in private, sure, but in front of the town?” She fanned her face. “I haven’t been that terrified since I had to give a speech senior year in high school. Had nightmares about it for a month beforehand.”

“You did great,” Matt assured her as he followed her down the stairs. “And I bet we’ll work well together.”

“We’ll see about that.” Her flat shoes slapped against the plank boards. “Do you need me to talk to Luke or are you going to?”

“I’ll do it.” If Fletch’s reaction had been any indication, their boss wasn’t going to have any issues about Lori working with them. The evening breeze kicked up with its normal ocean chill. “I’m just glad we’re finally alone so we can talk.” He followed Willa’s lead and pushed his hands into his pockets as he caught up to Lori. “I want to explain about why I didn’t return your calls. Why I disappeared—”

“Contrary to popular belief, I don’t need coddling, Matt. You apologized. I accepted. We don’t have to discuss it anymore.”

Matt reached out, caught her arm and pulled her to a stop. “Would you please slow down? I don’t move as quickly as I used to.”

“Oh, I’m so sor—” The instant sympathy on her face faded when she lifted her gaze from his leg to his face. “Really? You played that card?”

“Desperate times.” Matt let go, not liking the tension in her arm. When he saw her shiver and pull her sweater across her chest, he shrugged out of his jacket, hesitating briefly at the guarded look in her eyes. “You aren’t going to slug me for this, are you?” Before she could respond, he draped the coat around her, grateful for the excuse to step closer. He loved how her hair smelled, like flowers and vanilla. “Just give me a few minutes, please. That’s all I’m asking. Believe me it won’t take much longer than that to admit what a complete idiot I’ve been.”

Lori’s eyebrow arched. “So the universe is wrong? Men are fine admitting when they’re wrong?”

“Some of us are.” It wasn’t his favorite pastime, but he knew when he was due for a mea culpa. “I meant it earlier when I said I had some things to work out. Some things I’ve been carrying around since before I got out of the service. Then you and I started getting close and I realized I was out of time.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Lori’s eyes went blank.

Matt sighed. Maybe this wasn’t the right time and place after all. The sun was nearly gone for the night. The lighted streetlamps caught the red highlights in her hair, the silver flecks in her eyes. Or maybe he was stalling because telling the truth would make him look like a bigger idiot than she probably already thought him to be. How he wished she could read his mind so he didn’t have to explain. But that wouldn’t erase the skepticism and the hurt that had been haunting him all evening.

“Matt.” She reached out, almost took hold of his arm, then seemed to think better of it and snatched her hand back to clutch at his jacket. “Matt, if we’re nothing else, we are friends, remember? Whatever it is you have to tell me, whatever it is you think you need to—”

“I’m married.”

* * *

“MARRIED.” SHE BLINKED so quickly and so fast her vision blurred. “You’re...married.” Her pulse couldn’t decide whether to race or stop altogether.

“Was married. Until today,” he said as she took a step back. “I signed the divorce papers. Today. This morning. It’s been years since I’ve seen her, spoken to her, and then after you and I started getting closer, I realized I needed to figure out—”

“Wait a minute. Stop.” The odd ringing in her ears made her blood pound. She barely recognized her own voice, and when she held up a hand, her fingers trembled. “You’re married? As in.” Her gaze dropped to his hand as an invisible curtain dropped between them. “You have a wife?”

He scrubbed his hand across his bare chin. “Look, I know how this sounds, how it looks—”

“I’m not sure how it could sound or look any other way.” How was this possible? How had she not known? How could he not have told her?

“I should have told you from the beginning. The truth is—”

“The truth?” She didn’t know what else to do. She laughed as she shoved his hands away.

“Okay, yeah, I deserve that. The truth is my marriage to Gina was over before I got back home from Iraq.”

“You’ve been home for three years, Matt. That doesn’t sound over to me.”

“I don’t know if I can explain... I can’t quite explain it to myself,” he said, and for a moment, the desperation in his eyes struck her like an arrow to the heart. “Admitting I failed at something, it’s just not easy. But, it was time. I did sign the papers.”

“Today.” After weeks of talking to her, spending time with her, letting her believe there was more than just friendship going on?

“Yes, today, because I can’t move forward as long as I’m stuck in the past. I loved Gina. She was the first girl I ever loved, the first girl I ever...well, she was the first for a lot of things...”

“Please, spare me the details.” She slipped one shoulder free of his jacket and welcomed the chill. “I don’t need to know all this, Matt.” She didn’t want to know. He’d lied to her. From the first day they’d met. He’d deceived her.

The past hit her like a wave crashing against the back of her knees, threatening to drag her under, back to when she couldn’t breathe.

“But you do need to know,” Matt said. “Don’t you see, I signed them because of you. I want to see where things can go. With us.”

“You should have saved yourself the ink.” She looked down at her hands. How many nights had she spent wishing she could go back and stand up for herself, say what she felt, defend herself against those who had hurt her down to her very soul.

Never did she think she’d get another chance. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Never did she think she’d have to do so with Matt. “You know how hard it was for me to even let myself think about dating someone. How scared I was, but you promised we were worth the risk. I could have accepted you changing your mind about me. I expected it, honestly, but hearing now that you’ve been lying to me from the start? You’re married, Matt. Married.” For the first time in months, years, maybe her entire life, her thoughts and feelings were clear. And her heart hurt more than it ever had before. “I appreciate the faith you’ve put in me with this project—”

“You’re still going to help, aren’t you?” The hope that had disappeared from his face flared to life.

“Given I just gave my word in front of the entire town, I don’t exactly have a choice, do I?” Would that she could relive the last couple of hours. Working for BethAnn was preferable to working with a liar. “Of course I’ll do the work. But as far as moving forward with us?” She unwound his jacket and pushed it into his hands as she gave up more than she ever thought she’d have to. “I might not be the most confident of women—I may even be a coward, but I deserve respect, Matt. And I deserve to be with someone I can trust. I’m sorry, but hearing this, knowing you lied to me from the start? That person definitely isn’t you.”

CHAPTER FIVE

WITH A FINAL sip of coffee and silent thanks for a rare weekend off, Lori ended her mile-long trek to Duskywing Farm Saturday morning on a sigh of relief. After a sleepless night, the fresh air and quiet of a Butterfly Harbor morning arrived with squawking seagulls and playful stereophonic ocean waves. It was the reset she needed, a reminder that wallowing wouldn’t do anyone—herself especially—any good.

Besides, nothing worked off a good mad better than a long walk.

She’d staged her own rebellion last night after getting home and hadn’t touched the boxes of invitations—something she’d probably regret at some point. She was used to manipulative people, used to the snark and passive-aggressive machinations, but this time had been one time too many. One BethAnn smirk too many. Lori had taken a stand and, for once, done something unexpected.

And it felt great.

Her time, her abilities weren’t any less valuable than anyone else’s. Why did she continue to spend her life worrying about what other people thought about her? Abby was right. There was more to her than numbers on a scale. There always had been. Time to start acting like it.

That she’d started by ending any potential romantic involvement with Matt Knight before it had ever really gotten started seemed a tad overkill.

She should have known allowing herself to dwell on all those romantic ideas she’d never let herself entertain would come back and bite her. Besides, if things had gotten serious with Matt, she had her own confessions she’d have had to make about what the future did—or in her case didn’t—hold in store. So maybe this entire situation was a blessing in disguise.

Maybe she just needed the reminder that she would be okay on her own.

She had her friends, her family, a new niece and, knowing Fletcher’s desire for a big family, there would be more kids for him and Paige in the future.

She should feel relieved that Matt was officially out of her life—and she would be if she didn’t have to deal with the whole beautification project. Story of her life. She’d finally taken a chance on something, grabbed hold of what she really wanted and in so doing exploded another part of her life.

She’d needed a reality check. She’d needed to get her head out of the clouds. She needed to remember that reality had crashed over her the summer she’d turned ten. Had continued to crash for years after.

With parents who had blamed rather than comforted, criticized instead of encouraged, the child Lori had been disappeared the day her little brother had died; whoever she’d been meant to be had been washed out to sea along with Colin, leaving a shell of a little girl desperate for someone to cling to; to grieve with. And when Fletcher and her grandfather hadn’t been enough, or when she couldn’t bear to cry one more tear, she’d turned to the one comfort that would never let her down.

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