February 2022

ROCKY ROAD DREAMS CHAPTER 1

ROCKY ROAD DREAMS CHAPTER 2

ROCKY ROAD DREAMS CHAPTER 3

This blog post is being sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. I hope you will enjoy listening, and reading, the first few chapters of Rocky Road Dreams.

Rocky Road Dreams has received 5-star reviews from Amazon:

Rocky Road Dreams is an inspiring romance. This avid reader, mom and grandma related with Kyle and Melanie’s dilemmas – weight struggle, alcoholism, an overbearing Uncle Larry, and verbal abusive. Rocky Road Dreams is a page turner with some mystery, family conflicts, a winter Midwest blizzard, a believable resolution, mouth watering chocolate and can be read as a standalone. – Amazon Reviewer

I love all of Cecelia’s novels. It was wonderful to have the main character be a male. The author did a great job describing his character, including his faults and weaknesses, to make him humble and interesting. I was in his corner and wanted to see him succeed. Great job Cecelia! I look forward to your next novel. – Amazon Reviewer

Rocky Road Dreams
The Candy Beach Series
Book 5 (FIRST 3 CHAPTERS)

By
Cecelia Dowdy

Chapter 1

Man, this was hard.

Kyle Baxter paced on Melanie Richard’s front porch, clutching the store-bought cheesecake he’d purchased for Thanksgiving dessert. He stopped pacing and gulped, set the cheesecake on the ledge, and wiped his damp palms on his pants.

Ridiculous. He’d known Melanie for most of his life, so, why should he feel so nervous about seeing her today? Lord, give me the courage to talk to Melanie. I want her to see me as a new man. Might as well get this over with. He grabbed the cheesecake just as the first notes of Nat King Cole’s A Christmas Song crooned through the closed door. A memory, fresh and vivid as newly fallen snow, wrapped through his mind. He recalled his dad telling him once that this was his mom’s favorite song.

Pushing the memory away, he knocked on the door, silently singing along with the song. Hopefully the music would help to calm his frazzled nerves.

“Coming.” Oh, how he loved the sound of Melanie’s voice. She opened the door. Whoa. Speechless. She was prettier than the last time he’d seen her – which, he reckoned was about five years ago when he’d been pumped up on alcohol every night. Her nut-brown skin glowed in the early afternoon sunlight. She grinned, showing off her perfect white teeth. He remembered her when she’d been an overweight kid, sporting braces, stating that she wished she looked like the models she’d seen in magazines.

Well, in his opinion, her wish had come true. “Kyle, it’s so good to see you.” Well good thing she wasn’t annoyed that he was over an hour early. Before he could say anything, she hugged him. He gave her a hard, one-armed hug since he was still holding the cheesecake in one hand. She smelled delicious. Like flowers and lemon. Liquid warmth filled him. The urge to kiss her slammed through him like a freight train. Startled, he pulled away.

He swallowed, still clutching the Saran-wrapped cheesecake. He managed to smile. “Hey, Melanie. I finally made it into town for my vacation this afternoon.” Vacation was an understatement. He supposed he could call his break from work a vacation. Sort of.

She glanced at her watch. “You’re early.”

He shrugged. “Sorry.” His heart continued to pound wildly. Hopefully he’d calm down soon. He presented her with his after-dinner gift. “I thought we could eat this after supper.”

She glanced down at the cheesecake, and her smile faltered. She groaned. “Oh, I love cheesecake.” She shook her head and beckoned him inside. “But I don’t know if I can indulge.” She patted her flat stomach. “I’m trying to keep trim and cheesecake is not on my list of foods.”

Before he could comment she touched his arm. As Nat King Cole continued singing in the background, she leaned toward him. “It’s great to see you again, Kyle. It’s been too long.” Her beautiful dark brown eyes sparkled. Joy flowed through him like liquid honey. She really was glad to see him. He could see it. His nervousness evaporated. Maybe they’d have a nice dinner after all.

Maybe over the next month, over the Christmas season, he could finally find the courage to tell her his true feelings. “It’s good to see you, too.” He glanced at her before setting the cheesecake on the table. He recalled when they were kids, when she’d been pudgy, how she’d gobbled cheesecake as if there were no tomorrow. She’d revealed to him once that she’d die if cheesecake were to disappear from this God-given earth.

He took a deep breath and eyed the counter. Fake evergreen and tiny lights decorated the rim of the kitchen workspace. Amidst the greenery, he spotted an open bottle of wine. He squeezed his eyes shut. Oh no. He should’ve been honest with her, had a talk, told her about his recent sobriety. He inwardly sighed. Hopefully, she wasn’t planning on serving alcohol during their meal. He finally opened his eyes and looked away from the beverage, ashamed of his weakness.

He focused on Melanie at the stove, stirring a pot of food. The enticing scent of tomatoes, herbs and spices filled the air. His mouth watered. He’d focus on the food. Get his mind off of the alcohol sitting on the counter. “What’re you cooking? Smells good.”

“We’re having turkey meat loaf with my special tomato sauce.” She gestured toward the oven. “The meat loaf is in the oven. I’m cooking the tomato sauce on the stove. Cooking a turkey seemed wasteful since there’s only three of us for dinner.” She placed her spoon back on the stove and placed the lid over the simmering pot. “So, what have you been up to lately?”

He shrugged. “Not much. I’ve got a lot on my mind.” He still missed his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor Earl. Earl had been like a brother to him. Earl’s passing was part of the reason why he’d ended up taking a one-month work hiatus on the Outer Banks. He didn’t want to talk about his AA sponsor during dinner. Maybe he’d mention him to Melanie later – after they’d gotten to know one another better. He plopped into a chair. Hopefully this dinner would end on a positive note. The Nat King Cole song ended, and Jingle Bell Rock now played through the speakers.

“You can tell me all about what’s on your mind during dinner.”

A young pretty, brown-skinned woman sauntered into the kitchen and lifted the wine bottle. Her voice slurred while she tried to sing along to Jingle Bell Rock.

She sounded awful.

The young woman poured the rose-colored liquid into her empty glass and took a huge gulp. “Hey, you must be Kyle.” Oh, no. This woman was sloshed. Maybe he shouldn’t have accepted Melanie’s Thanksgiving dinner invitation. She held her hand toward him. “I’m Chloe. Melanie’s cousin.”

Kyle shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Chloe, why don’t you go back upstairs?” Melanie’s voice hardened as Chloe narrowed her eyes.

“Why?” She sauntered around the table and hummed along to the music. She eyed Kyle. “Hey, you kinda cute. You need to get rid of that beard, though. I don’t like beards on men.”

“Chloe…” Sounded like Melanie was giving Chloe a warning.

“Oh, shut up already, Mel. Your loud voice is makin’ my head hurt.” She made herself comfortable in a chair beside Kyle. She took a gulp of wine.

He wanted to suggest she stop drinking but doubted she’d listen. Chloe continued drinking, tapping her foot, singing to Christmas carols off-key. The scent of her overpowering perfume poisoned the air. Whew, the smell almost made him lose his appetite. Maybe when she sobered up Melanie could tell Chloe not to wear so much fragrance.

Perhaps he could go outside a bit and say that he needed some air. He was about to get up when Melanie brought the food to the table. She leaned toward Kyle. “Sorry about Chloe.” She whispered the words into his ear so that Chloe would not hear her.

Chloe’s eyes were closed as she tapped her foot and listened to the Christmas music. Her eyes shot open. She looked right at him. Chloe grinned and stood on her high-heeled shoes and leaned towards him while her tight shirt strained against her chest. “Would you like a drink?” Her voice slurred as she lost her balance. The red liquid shot out of the glass and splashed onto Kyle’s face.

“Ugh!” A river of wine spilled into his mouth and the sweet alluring taste beckoned him, warming his tongue and throat, making him want to guzzle several glasses of the forbidden drink. Unable to help himself, he licked a few stray drops from his lips. Man, this wine tasted so good. He had to keep his sobriety. Just calm down and do not focus on the alcohol. Earl’s advice popped into his head. He jumped up and bumped the table. A glass toppled onto the floor and shattered into pieces.

“Chloe.” Melanie’s voice cracked throughout the kitchen like a clap of thunder. “Kyle, I’m so sorry.”

Heaven help him. He needed to do something before he lost his mind. Melanie pressed a wad of napkins into his hand. He mopped the wine from his face. He had to get some air. He left the table as shards of glass crunched beneath his shoes. He went through Melanie’s small, fragrant herb shop toward her back deck. He pushed the doors open. The warmth from the sun and waves crashing on the beach made him feel a bit better. Felt good to smell the fresh briny air. The wind picked up and blew across the water on the outer banks of North Carolina.

He closed his eyes and lifted his head toward the sky. The unseasonably warm sun felt so good. Chloe’s childish laughter echoed from the kitchen. He wondered if she got drunk often. How did Melanie put up with this?

Melanie followed him outside. She touched his shoulder. “Sorry, Kyle. I hope Chloe didn’t ruin your Thanksgiving.”

He wasn’t sure what to say. He took a deep breath and dropped into a two-person deck chair. He needed to calm down. He figured Melanie thought he was strange since he’d rushed out of the kitchen. To relieve his anxiety he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths – just as they’d taught him in rehab. After he’d calmed down he opened his eyes.

“Are you sick?” She looked worried. He figured she wasn’t used to seeing him do his deep breathing exercises.

He shook his head. He supposed he could be called sick but not in the way Melanie was probably thinking. His alcoholism was like an incurable disease. “Is your cousin old enough to drink?” She looked like a teenager. He figured Melanie wouldn’t have an underaged drinker in her house, but he had to ask. Thoughts of how he’d started drinking as a teen filled his mind. No way did he want Chloe to start relying on alcohol at such a young age. He wanted to help if he could.

“Chloe is twenty-one but she still acts like a child. I’m sorry she spilled wine on you. She’s never acted this bad when she’s drunk before.”

He took a few minutes to digest what she’d said. He focused on the golden, bright orange sun as it set on the waves crashing upon the sandy white beach. Melanie dropped into the seat beside him. He took another deep breath and resisted the urge to hold her hand. He needed to tell her the truth. There was no reason for him to hide his weakness. “I didn’t leave the table because of Chloe. It’s the wine I can’t stand. It’s hard for me to be around alcohol.”

“I remember you used to drink a lot.”

His life had been a mess. Surprising that Melanie welcomed him into her home like this. He’d caused his twin brother Keith a lot of worry when he’d been drunk. He could only imagine what Keith had told Melanie about his drinking problem over the years.

“I’ve been sober for a few months now.” He swallowed and folded his hands in front of his chest. “I had a bad drinking problem and recently I’ve found the courage to finally stop.” Well, he’d gotten sober a few years ago. But that all changed when Earl died. He’d fallen off the wagon and he was ashamed of that.

Melanie squeezed his shoulder. “That’s wonderful, I didn’t realize—”

He turned toward her, cutting her off, trying not to stare into her dark eyes. Her smooth skin looked appealing in the late afternoon sunlight. He longed to touch the small mole above her upper lip. “There are lots of things about me you don’t know. It’s been years since we we’ve spent any time together.” His identical twin brother Keith used to be Melanie’s best friend for years. Oh, how he’d envied Keith’s connection with Melanie.

“Kyle, you coming back in here?” Chloe’s slurred voice carried onto the back deck. Melanie winced.

“I’m sorry about Chloe,” she repeated. “She was a little upset earlier when she was talking on the phone to one of her friends. She disappeared in her room for a couple of hours before dinner. I had no idea she was drinking the whole time she was upstairs.”

He touched her shoulder. “Don’t be sorry.” He swallowed. The intoxicating taste of the wine lingered on his tongue. He needed to get rid of it, fast. He’d noticed a liquor store when he’d first arrived in town. The urge to visit the store to purchase some booze swept through him. He figured Melanie knew how ugly he used to act when he was intoxicated. He glanced at her profile, realizing he needed to gain her trust before he revealed everything about himself.

She patted his shoulder. “You’ll need to tell me more about what’s been happening with you. I’m surprised Keith didn’t tell me this.”

Kyle balled his hands into fists. “Do you still talk to Keith regularly?” He hoped that Melanie’s affection for his identical twin brother would’ve dwindled since he was now married with children.

She shook her head. “I don’t really talk to him much anymore but we email each other sometimes. He sent me pictures of his twin babies when they were born.”

“Oh, good.” Relief swept through him. He cleared his throat as the breeze blew, sending waves of coolness over his heated skin. Nervous, he placed his hands into his pockets, tilting his head toward the double doors. “I can’t stomach eating dinner with your cousin if she’ll be drinking like that. I’ll eat at home.”

Melanie stood and walked toward the doors. “I don’t blame you. I’m wondering what I’ve gotten myself into, living here with Chloe.” She looked directly into his eyes, changing the subject. “Do you like the house across the street that you rented from my cousin Dale for your vacation?”

He nodded. “It’s nice, functional. It’s a great place to stay for a month.”

“Good.” She paused, placing her hand on the doorknob. “Well, I made this turkey meatloaf and potatoes for us to enjoy tonight. We’ll eat dinner at your house. Go on over and I’ll bring our plates over there.” Kyle opened his mouth and before he could speak, Melanie said, “Chloe’s not coming over. I’ll be sure of that.”

Kyle rushed across the street to his temporary home. He went into the bathroom and washed his face, removing the wine that has spilled onto his skin. He then brushed his teeth, still trying to erase the taste, and the feeling of longing that had flowed through him, when the first few drops of wine had landed into his mouth.

After rinsing with mouthwash, he plopped onto the top of the closed toilet, using it as a chair, holding his head in his hand. “Oh, I need help,” he whispered. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He removed it, pleased to see his brother Keith called. “Hi, Keith.”

“Kyle? You okay?” Normally, Keith’s worried tone would bother him, but, right now, he welcomed the distraction.

“I’m…no, I’m not okay. I want a drink, bad.”

“What happened? Just take a deep breath and calm down.”

“How did you know something was wrong?”

“I didn’t. I just called to see if you’d made it to the house you rented from Melanie’s cousin Dale. When you answered the phone, you sounded upset.”

Kyle told him what had happened at Melanie’s. He ended by saying, “Chloe needs help. I don’t know why Melanie feels responsible for her cousin.”

Keith sighed. “I’m sure she has a good reason. Do you feel better now that you’ve talked about what happened?”

Surprised, Kyle nodded, his admiration for his pastor twin brother growing daily. Talking to Keith proved to be soothing. “I feel better.” He took a deep breath. “I told her I was on vacation.”

“That’s stretching the truth a bit.”

“Well, I’m on a break for a month.”

“You don’t know how long you’ll be on a break. Did you tell her what happened at the law firm?”

He ignored the question. “Well, I’m here for a month.” He mentally sighed. No way did he want to further discuss why he had felt the need to leave Maryland to stay in North Carolina for a few weeks. “Thanks for talking to me, Keith.”

“You’re welcome. Hey, how’s Melanie doing?”

Kyle bristled at Keith’s caring tone, even though he knew Keith thought of Melanie as a close friend. “She looks stressed to me. I still don’t understand why she moved down here to open this health food and herb store. It’s a little bit weird.”

“Melanie’s been through a lot over the last couple of years.”

“Like what?”

Keith hesitated. “She broke her engagement. She was pretty messed up when she was dating her fiancé. He was abusive to her.”

Kyle blinked, startled. “He used to hit her?”

“No, not abusive like that. It was more of a mind control thing. It was pretty bad. She was miserable so she broke up with him. She said it was one of the roughest times in her life.”

After Kyle rang off with his brother, he slipped the phone back into his pocket, still digesting this new information about Melanie. Awful that she’d been in an abusive relationship. She deserved better.

Chapter 2

Using a broom Melanie swept shards of glass from the kitchen floor into a dustpan. Afterwards she placed the cleaning utensils into the kitchen closet and faced Chloe. “You should wear shoes in the kitchen for the next few days. I think I cleaned up all of the broken glass. I’ll vacuum when I get back to make sure.”

Chloe shrugged. Her brown eyes were glassy as she took another drink of wine. Melanie swiped Chloe’s car keys from the table and slipped them into her pocket before grabbing the dinner plates. She didn’t want her cousin to drive while intoxicated.

Chloe gripped her wine glass. “Where ya goin’?”

Melanie glared at her wayward cousin before exiting the kitchen and crossing the street to Kyle’s place. When she reached his house seconds later, he opened his door. “Hi, Melanie.” When he spoke, she caught the faint medicinal scent of Listerine. She wondered why he bothered to use mouthwash since they were about eat dinner.

“Hey, Kyle.” She held the plates up. “I’ve come with our dinner.”

He gestured into the house. “Come on in.”

Still holding the plates, she followed him into the semi-dark house into his kitchen. The white room practically sparkled in the weak evening sunlight. Melanie wondered if Kyle had done any cooking since he’d been in town.

She set the warm plates on the table. They sat. Her heart skittered when Kyle grasped her fingers, bowing his head. “Lord, bless this food. Thank you for this wonderful day. I’m glad to reconnect with Melanie. Please help Chloe with her problems. Amen.” Oh, his strong voice caused vibrations to run through her gut all the way to her toes.

“Amen.” She squeezed his hand. Holding his hand felt so good, so warm, so comforting. She reluctantly released his hand.

Taking her fork, she sliced into the meatloaf. Thick, fragrant tomato sauce covered the meat. The cubed potatoes and mixed vegetables were dotted with pepper, basil, and spices. She sniffed, loving the aroma of her meal. She sampled her meatloaf, taking extreme pleasure in the way the herbs and spices danced on her tongue.

Kyle removed a loaf of wheat bread from the counter and slathered it with butter. “Would you like some bread and butter?”

She shook her head. Bread would taste good with the meal, but, she didn’t need more carbs. “I’m okay. This should be enough for me.”

Kyle bit into the bread and cut a portion of his meatloaf. He spooned the food into his mouth. “This is so good.”

“Thanks.” Melanie grinned. She tried not to stare at his muscled biceps while he ate. Kyle was certainly easy on the eyes and it had been a good long while since she’d been out on a date.

He ate bite after bite and soon he scraped his plate, finishing his meal in minutes. “If we were back at your house, I’d ask for seconds.” He enjoyed another piece of bread with butter.

Melanie smiled. She remembered how Kyle and his brother Keith had always eaten their meals quickly, as if the food would disappear if they didn’t stuff it into their mouths fast enough. “I’m glad you like it. I could go back and get the rest.”

He shook his head. “Don’t bother.” He stood and started a pot of coffee. Soon, the aromatic, chicory scent of the hot brew filled the kitchen. Kyle filled two coffee cups with the steaming drink. He opened a cookie jar on the counter and plopped some kind of treat onto a plate. He served the coffee and, well, it looked like dessert. “Try some of my candy.”

Well, this was a surprise. She stared at the treat and sniffed. The concoction had marshmallows, chocolate, peanuts…and well, looked like there were pretzels in there, too. Each round treat was bundled together. Smelled amazing. No way could she indulge. “Looks homemade.”

He chuckled. “Yeah. It is. I made it myself.” He pointed to a book on the counter. “I bought a candy cookbook. When I was in rehab they made us do different activities. I learned to make candy.” He then gestured toward the table. “I made up my own recipe for rocky road candy. I call them Rocky Road Dreams.”

She widened her eyes. Surprising. She never figured that Kyle Baxter would have a hobby of making candy. His brother Keith was also a candymaker. “Smells amazing. Probably too many calories.”

“You worry too much. Just try some. Besides it’s sugar free and low on calories.”

She frowned. “Are you sure?” She had to wonder if he was telling her this just to entice her to try the dessert.

“Hey, I don’t lie.”

She selected one of the treats and bit into it. The taste of roasted nuts, bittersweet chocolate, salty pretzels and marshmallows exploded into her mouth with decadent sweetness. “Oh my. This is delicious.” Unable to resist, she gobbled two of the treats before sipping her hot coffee.

Kyle chuckled as he consumed the remaining treats on the plate. He sipped his coffee and sighed.

Sitting here with Kyle felt so warm and comforting. She kind of wanted to sit here with him all evening instead of going home to face Chloe.

He lifted his dark eyebrows and took another drink of coffee. “Melanie, you’re staring at me.” He softened his words with a smile and a quick wink.

She cleared her throat and finished her drink. “Sorry for staring. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you and you look so much like Keith—” His smile dimmed when she mentioned his twin. “But you look different, too.”

He stroked the rim of his coffee cup, not responding.

“So, you’re going to be here for a month for vacation?”

He finished his coffee, topping off their cups. “Well, I’m not on a real vacation.” He looked away and fidgeted as if he were nervous. He used to fidget like that when they were kids. It usually meant he was up to something.

“What do you mean?”

He pointed to his laptop. “I’m going to be working on a special project. If I stopped working for a month I’d go crazy.”

That sounded strange. “If you didn’t want to stop working then why did you go on vacation for a month? Why not just take a week off and then return to work?”

“Just felt like something that I needed to do.” It was none of her business. Her questions seemed to make him uneasy. Folks had told her over the years that she asked too many questions. She thought about his sobriety, wondering if working helped him not to drink. She drained her coffee cup and glanced into the living room, eyeing several cardboard boxes stacked on the floor. “Did you need help unpacking?”

Not responding, he finished his drink, stood, and set their cups in the sink. He then gestured toward the adjoining living room. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

Curious, Melanie followed. It had grown darker since they’d arrived. He flipped the light on. “These boxes belonged to my mother.”

Melanie stopped, glanced at Kyle, her mouth dropping open. “Your mother? She’s been dead since you were three and you’re just now going through her stuff?”

He touched her arm. “Keith and I didn’t know this stuff existed. Remember my dad got sick from cancer a few of years ago and lived with Keith before he died?”

She nodded.

“Well, after he died, Keith sold my father’s house and hired someone to move most of our dad’s stuff in his attic. We never looked through the stuff until recently. That’s when we found these boxes.”

Puzzled, Melanie furrowed her brow. The clean citrus scent of Kyle’s cologne teased her nose as he stood nearby. She shrugged. “You took a month off to come down here to look through your mother’s boxes?”

Taking a deep breath, he sat on the leather couch and she joined him. “I’ve been going through a lot over the last few years. I had a drinking problem. I had a lot of personal problems and then my dad died.” He paused and fidgeted. Now she was pretty sure he was hiding something. Well, it was none of her business. If he wanted to talk about it later then that was his choice. “I just need to rest for a while and I didn’t want to stay back home in Annapolis. I like the beach, and I figured I could get a lot done while I’m here in North Carolina.”

He gestured toward the boxes. “I’ve often wondered about my mother since my dad didn’t talk about her much. I remember her a little bit.”

“It’s so sad that you never got to know your mom.” She just couldn’t imagine what her life would’ve been like if she’d not known her mom at all. The connection she had with her mom was bold and strong – but the connection with her dad had been tenuous over the years. His drinking and womanizing had wreaked havoc in their small family. Keith had often spoken about being worried about Kyle. Was it possible that Kyle not knowing his mother may have had a negative impact on his well-being? No way could she ask him a question like that. She pushed the negative thoughts out of her mind and refocused on their conversation. “You were only three when your mom died. I’m surprised that you remember her.”

He shrugged. “I know. People have said it’s just my imagination – nobody remembers stuff from when they were three. But I remember her and I want to find out more about her.”

“You don’t know anything about her?” She still found it hard to believe that he didn’t know anything.

He shrugged. “Not much. My dad wasn’t much of a talker.”

“Did your mom have any relatives?”

Kyle shook his head. “Dad told us our mom had no family.”

Melanie frowned. “That’s weird. Did her parents die?” It was rare to hear about somebody who had no family at all. She wondered if Kyle’s mom was estranged from her family and he simply was not aware of the situation.

He shrugged again. “Dad mentioned that her parents died in a car accident when she was in her twenties. That’s all I know about her family. Over the last few years I’ve been reflecting about my life and this is one thing that’s been bothering me for a while.”

He looked so serious. Serious and troubled. Maybe his taking a vacation wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Hopefully being in a new environment would help him. “So you haven’t looked through the boxes yet?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Her phone vibrated. She removed it from her pocket and glanced at the number. Chloe. Goodness, this was frustrating. Couldn’t she have the luxury of visiting with a friend without being interrupted by her cousin?

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Chloe. I think I need to go back home.”

“Why is it your job to take care of your cousin?” His voice brimmed with annoyance.

She didn’t feel like explaining the terms of the agreement she had with Chloe’s dad. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it sometime.”

The next day Melanie dusted off the shelves of her health food store. She touched the bottles and thought about the health benefits for each item. Cayenne and black pepper pills could be helpful with weight loss. Ginger could help with digestion, upset stomach, and may speed up metabolism. After she’d finished scanning the shelves, she eyed her large selection of herbal teas. A good cup of lavender tea always helped her when she was stressed.

So far she’d sold several products that morning. Hopefully her profits would continue to pour into her coffers and she’d make enough money to earn a decent salary within the next few years. She certainly didn’t want to be beholden to the agreement she’d made with Chloe’s dad, her Uncle Larry.

She scanned the shelves again. Some of her items were low on inventory. She expected a shipment to be coming in soon. Hopefully she’d receive it within the next couple of days. The stairs creaked. Well Chloe was finally awake – two hours late. She’d not gotten up for her morning shift. She’d tried to wake her up but her cousin slept hard, snoring, refusing to get out of bed. If she’d not made an agreement with Uncle Larry then Chloe would’ve already been fired from her job of working in the health food store.

Still sporting her robe and slippers Chloe slipped into the shop. “Oh, hi.” she mumbled. She just couldn’t respond to her cousin’s lukewarm greeting as she followed her into the adjoining kitchen. The leftover coffee she’d made earlier that morning still sat in the pot. Chloe poured a cup and took a sip. She spit out the concoction. “That stuff is almost cold. Could you make a fresh pot of coffee?”

She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her hands together. Lord give me strength. “Why don’t you make the coffee?”

Chloe folded her arms in front of her chest and leaned against the kitchen counter. “I know you’re mad because I got up late, but I’ll make it up to you. I don’t feel well this morning.”

She glared at her cousin. “You don’t feel well because you were up half the night drinking wine and talking on the phone to your friends. Can’t you be more responsible? Uncle Larry wants you to learn to take care of yourself—”

“I don’t want to talk about Dad right now.”

She grabbed Chloe’s shoulder, forcing her to turn around. “We’ll talk about your dad because he’s supporting you while you act like an ungrateful fool.”

Chloe winced, shaking Melanie’s hand away. “I’m going back to bed,” she mumbled.

“No, you won’t. You’re supposed to be helping me.” Her voice cracked through the kitchen like a whip.

She gasped when Chloe got into her face, her bad morning breath making her cringe. “Mel, you can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my boss!”

“You can’t talk to me like that!” She grabbed Chloe’s arm, but Chloe pulled away and pushed her before racing up the stairs. Gritting her teeth, her heart raced while she forced herself to calm down. She took a few deep breaths. She wanted her herb store to be successful. She wished Chloe would admit to her problems and get the help she so desperately needed.

Could this day get any worse? Lord, what am I supposed to do? This store means everything to me. If I fail, I don’t know what I’m going to do.

Chapter 3

Huffing, Kyle lifted the dumbbells one final time. Whew that was the end to the weight-lifting portion of his late-evening workout. He placed the items on the mat and grabbed a bottle of water and took a long drink. The cool liquid quenched his parched throat. He guzzled the entire container of water before tossing the empty bottle into the recycle bin.

After wiping his face with a towel, he grabbed his keys, exited his temporary home and stepped outside. The slap of the waves crashing against the beach relaxed him as he locked the door and glanced across the street at Melanie’s house. The shop was closed, but Melanie’s car sat in the driveway. He stared at her house. Maybe he should stop by for a visit. No, he’d go for a run and then decide if he should visit later. They’d just seen each a few days ago. He didn’t want to seem too pushy by showing up at her house unexpectedly.

Taking a deep breath, he planned on getting the cardiovascular part of his workout completed. He dropped the keys into the pocket of his shorts and started running. He traipsed toward the white sandy beach and ran into the direction of town. The brine of the salty air smelled enticing. A few people congregated around the beach. Some couples strolled by holding hands and a few folks traipsed by taking their dogs for a walk.

He eyed the ferry gently moving along the water. He’d been glad that the house he’d rented was on the Outer Banks mainland. He liked that he was able to drive directly to the house from Annapolis. To travel between the islands the residents used the ferry. He figured he’d take a ferry ride sometime during his stay. Hey, maybe if he and Melanie spent more time together they could go on a ferry ride as a date or something. Since it was Sunday evening, most of the shops and restaurants on the nearby boardwalk were empty. He continued running. Seagulls dove through the sky, frequently landing on the beach, searching for stray crumbs of food.

He ran hard for a half hour before he stopped. Whew. What a hard workout. He really needed it. Breathing deeply, he thought about the Thanksgiving dinner he’d shared with Melanie a few days ago. He kept thinking about what Keith had told him about Melanie’s failed engagement. Figured Melanie would confide to Keith since they were so close. Well, it was probably for the best. Keith had always been there for Melanie and he’d not been in the best shape when Melanie was going through her breakup. At the time he’d been a functioning alcoholic who was grieving over his own broken engagement.

He lifted his head toward the sky. The warmth from the sun and the sound of the waves made him feel good. His life was such a big pathetic mess. Being here at the beach made him forget his problems. He wiped the sweat from his face. If he wanted to start something with Melanie, he eventually needed to tell her everything about the past few years of his life.

He approached the boardwalk, about to trek home, when he spotted a familiar female figure hunched on a bench. The short, tight skirt and provocative blouse gave him a good view of Chloe’s slim body. She clutched her phone. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she yelled into the phone. Her arms shook as her shouts rang along the shore. Several people looked her way and some stopped and whispered, pointing at the young, distraught woman.

Kyle trotted over to Chloe. He touched her shoulder. “Chloe.”

She pushed his arm away, glaring. Suddenly recognition dawned in her brown eyes as she looked at him and her expression lost some of its’ hostility. Sniffing, she wiped her nose with a tissue, still clutching her phone in her other hand. “Oh, hi,” she mumbled.

He glanced at her phone. “You okay?”

She nodded. More tears poured down her cheeks. “I’m fine. I’m just trying to get everything straightened out here.” She turned away, as if he were being dismissed.

Kyle stroked his beard. What should he do? “Did you want me to walk you home?”

Her mouth set in a tense line as she turned around and glared at him again. “No, I’m fine. Just leave me alone.” Her voice lowered and it sounded like she was defeated. Her shoulders drooped as she whispered good-bye into the phone before slipping it into her pocket. Not wanting to leave her alone he sat beside her on the bench. “I told you to leave me alone,” she said in a hard voice.

He gestured toward the phone she’d just slipped into her pocket. “Who was that?”

Her eyes narrowed. “None of your business.” She glared at him from head to toe. “You’re just like Melanie, asking me questions. I’m not a kid.”

He sighed. How did Melanie live with this emotionally distraught woman? He placed his hand on her shoulder again. Hopefully he could calm her down. “Chloe, you’re sitting here shaking and crying and you look a mess. You were yelling so loud that people were staring. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine. Just leave me alone so that I can think.” She pressed her forehead into her hand. Her shoulders hunched.

He removed his hand. “Why don’t you let me walk you home? I promise I won’t ask any more questions.”

“I said no.” Good grief. Her loud voice hurt his eardrum. Several people looked toward them so he scooted away from her.

“Is there a problem over here, miss?” A large, tall, beefy muscular man towered over their bench. He looked at Kyle as if he wanted to punch him in the mouth. “Is this man bothering you?”

He shook his head. What a high price to pay for trying to be helpful nowadays. “I was just leaving.” He stood up and walked away. Glancing back, he was relieved when the huge man also left Chloe and sauntered off. There was no way he wanted the people in this beach community to think he was harassing Melanie’s cousin.

When he arrived home he glanced across the street and saw that Melanie’s car wasn’t there. Too bad she was gone. He’d wanted to talk to her about Chloe’s strange behavior. After showering and eating a microwaveable dinner, he sat in front of the living room window and answered a few texts. He then accessed his email. He was working with a job recruiter – seeking new opportunities. She’d pinged him while he was out running. This recruiter was aggressive. Surprising to see her working on a Sunday.

He glanced across the street again and witnessed Chloe walking to her front door. He abandoned his chore and walked to the window to get a better view. She wiped her face, still crying. She looked toward his house and caught him staring. She glared at him before entering her home, slamming the door behind her.

Melanie’s alarm buzzed. Time to get up and start the day. She pulled herself out of bed and peeked into Chloe’s room. Where was she? Maybe her cousin had surprised her and had gotten up on time for a change. Her heart lightened when she figured that Chloe was suddenly growing more responsible and was probably downstairs getting ready to start work.

Melanie trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen and living room. Empty. No Chloe. Where would she go so early in the morning? She glanced outside. Chloe’s black sports car was not parked in the driveway. Pushing thoughts of Chloe aside, she started a pot of herbal tea. Minutes later, sitting at the table, sporting her robe and slippers, she spent a few minutes reading the news on her phone. After eating a couple of pieces of whole wheat toast coated with a thin layer of blackberry jam, she prepared for the day.

Later, she came downstairs and checked the clock. Only about an hour before the shop was scheduled to open. Chloe was nowhere in sight. Hopefully she’d not made a mistake by agreeing to her Uncle Larry’s deal for opening the shop.

She pulled her box cutter from the shelf. Someone knocked on her door while she sliced open the boxes from her recent herb shipment. That was probably Chloe. Maybe she’d forgotten her key. She opened the door. Goodness. She’d not been expecting Kyle. She smiled as she looked into his gorgeous caramel brown eyes. She resisted the urge to run her fingers over his mustache and beard as her stomach dipped with pleasure. She swallowed, saying the first word that came to her befuddled mind. “Hi,” she breathed.

“Hi, Melanie.” He touched her face with his index finger. Her heart skittered with pleasure. She stepped back and gestured him into the kitchen.

“What brings you by?”

“Just checking on Chloe.”

Melanie frowned. She sat at the kitchen table. “What do you mean?”

He straddled the kitchen chair, sitting on the seat backwards, resting his arms against the back of the chair. “I saw her yesterday evening when I was in town.”

“Really? What happened?” Melanie’s heart kicked into overdrive as a new thought occurred to her. “Was she drunk?” Horrified, she wondered if Chloe had been driving while intoxicated.

Kyle placed his large hand on her shoulder. The warmth from his fingers immediately calmed her down. “No, I don’t think she’d been drinking.” He told her what happened the previous night. “She didn’t tell you about it?”

Melanie ignored his question, asking one of her own. “Did you talk to her after she yelled at you?”

He nodded. “I tried but she was starting to make a scene. She was yelling NO at me and people were staring.” He then told about the large man who approached, misunderstanding the situation. “I wasn’t going to start a fight with a stranger so I walked home.” He then told her that he’d seen her come home. “I’d wanted to talk to you last night, but I saw that your car was gone and I didn’t have your cell phone number.”

“I was out visiting some of my friends. I didn’t get home until midnight. When I got back Chloe was gone. I sleep pretty soundly, so I just assumed she’d gotten home late last night and I didn’t hear her come in.”

Kyle frowned, resting his chin in his hand. “That’s weird. I wonder where she went.”

Good question. “I don’t know. I’ve never been a parent, but I now have a taste of what some parents go through when they have a teenager in their home.”

Kyle glanced at the open boxes on the counter. “Did you need some help since Chloe’s not here?”

She honestly didn’t think Kyle wanted to help her unpack boxes but she’d accept his offer. “I’d appreciate the help if you don’t mind.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been up since five o’clock checking email and doing a bit of work. I have no plans. If you need help, I’m available.”

Melanie slipped Kyle the black box cutter and he sliced the cardboard open. Glancing through the items, they companionably took the merchandise into the shop and worked together, placing bottles of vitamins and herbs on the appropriate shelves via Melanie’s direction. She stepped up on a ladder as he handed her a bottle of multi-vitamins to place on the shelf. “Have you started going through your mother’s stuff yet?”

Kyle nodded, lifting two more of the dark-colored bottles. “Yes.”

“What’d you find?”

He stopped passing the inventory to her as he responded. “Letters.”

“Letters?”

He chuckled. He looked really cute when he smiled. “Love letters. My parents had a long-distance relationship for a while and they wrote to each other for about a year. I’ve been reading through those letters.” He made a face. “They’re kind of sappy. Makes me feel good knowing that my mother and my father were in love.”

Melanie stepped down from the ladder. This sounded like something she’d like to see. She loved hearing about people falling in love. “That’s so sweet. I’d like to read some of the letters one day if you don’t mind sharing.”

Her heart skittered when he grinned. “That’d be great.”

She stacked the empty boxes and he helped her. The clean citrus scent of his cologne overpowered the unique smell of the herbs and vitamins lining the shelves. “Have you told Keith?”

His smile faded a little as she spoke of his twin. “Yes, I told him about the letters. I even read a little bit of one over the phone. He said when he has time, he’d like to sit down with me and we can look at the letters together.”

She folded her arms in front of her chest. “Have you found anything else in the box besides the letters?”

He shook his head. “The letters were the first thing I found. So who knows what else is in those boxes.”

Together, they opened more boxes. “I’ve been trying to lose a bit of weight. I’ve been exercising and trying to watch what I eat.”

“I have some stuff that might help. It’s best to take natural stuff that’ll help you to lose weight.” After she’d recommended some supplements for him to take, she checked her watch. “It’s time to open the store.”

“Okay. I’ll buy these things you recommended.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to. I want to see if this natural stuff really works.”

She touched his shoulder. “Don’t worry about paying for it. Since you’re helping me out this morning until Chloe gets back, you can have the herbs for free.” It appeared he was about to object but she didn’t give him a chance as she marched over to the cash register and pulled the cash box from the drawer. A customer knocked on the door.

“Can you place the OPEN sign on the door and let that person in?” she requested.

He dropped his bottles onto the counter and rushed to do her bidding. He was about to unlock the shop when Melanie’s sharp cry echoed throughout the store. Abandoning the door, he rushed over to her. “Kyle…”

“What’s wrong?”

She gestured toward the empty cash box. “The money for the register is all gone. We had close to five hundred dollars in here and I was going to go to the bank to make a deposit today.” She clamped her teeth together and closed her eyes. She forced herself not to cry. Could this day possibly get any worse?

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