CHAPTER 10
Sara stood in the breakfast buffet line with Charlotte and Trevor and tried to keep the nerves tap dancing in her stomach under control. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement and cut her gaze to the side to see another guest from the B&B entering the large dining space.
“Morning,” he greeted her when they made eye contact.
“Good morning,” Sara replied brightly, trying to decide if she was relieved or disappointed the man walking into the room was not the person that had caused her to only get an hour of sleep the night before. Probably a little of both.
Last night had been…oddly intimate. She’d shared things with Austin about her marriage and divorce, things she hadn’t even told her brother and sister. Sara did not open up to people easily.
Maybe her openness had something to do with her being out of her element. She’d never really taken a true vacation before, maybe doing so opened up a Pandora’s box of emotions and Austin just happened to be there.
No. That wasn’t it. She’d spoken to Jess, Brynn, and Ali about her divorce last night and she’d kept things very surface. She hadn’t revealed that she and Jack’s marriage had been one of convenience, or that he’d called to tell her that he’d met someone and asked her if she wanted him to come back and go to counseling. She’d just told the ladies that they grew apart, but he was a great guy.
So why did she tell Austin all of that?
“I want pancakes too, Mommy.” Charlotte tugged on Sara’s arm.
“Okay, sweetie.” Sara added the fluffy cakes to her daughter’s plate, which already held fruit, scrambled eggs, and sausage.
After herding her two munchkins down the buffet line, she took a seat at the end of the large farm table and sat Trevor and Charlotte on either side of her. The trio was tucked in the corner of the spacious room and all the other guests were on the other side of it. She hadn’t necessarily chosen the seats because she was anti-social. Although mornings were typically not her thing. Even when she actually got sleep, which last night she did not. After her slumber-less night of Austin-inspired restlessness, dealing with the two humans she was responsible for this morning was all she could manage.
Bringing the mug of steaming java to her mouth, she closed her eyes as the hot, caffeine-filled liquid slid down her throat and hoped it would do its job and perk her up a bit. After several sufficient sips, she went to work cutting up Charlotte’s pancakes and sausage. Since her little ones’ eyes were always much bigger than their stomachs, she hadn’t even bothered to fill her own plate. Sara hated wasting food, so she’d fallen into the routine of eating whatever their leftovers were.
“Oh, your dad called last night.” Sara had almost forgotten, since her mind had been occupied with all things Austin Stone from the second he’d left her at her doorway. But of course, not before helping her bring the kids in from the car and tucking them in to make sure they stayed asleep.
Swoon. Some girls might dream of knights in shining armor coming to rescue them on horseback. Apparently, all it took for Sara’s ovaries to explode was a man that carried her son in from the car without waking him up. Well, that and the fact he was oozing with sex appeal, and every time he was near her, every nerve ending she possessed came alive.
Pheromones. It had to be pheromones. That was the only logical conclusion she could come to. What else would explain her super-hormone-charged reactions?
Several times last night, she’d even thought he was going to kiss her. His gaze had dropped to her lips and it had been palpable, just like she’d felt his stare in the hall when Karen Carpenter—not the singer—had shown them to their room. Holy cow, his eyes on her mouth was as potent as if she’d used Vick’s VapoRub as ChapStick. She’d been holding her breath as they tingled with anticipation. Last night, when he said goodnight and turned to go into his room, her first instinct had been to look for hidden cameras, because she was sure she had to be on a prank show.
She’d then proceeded to spend the rest of the night flip-flopping like a politician in an election year between wishing what she’d thought was going to happen had, and thanking her lucky stars it hadn’t. She was a single mom with two kids, the last thing she needed was to have a vacation fling. Plus, she was planning on being here for seven more days. How awkward would it be to run into him if they had actually played tonsil hockey?
“Mom!” Trevor spoke in a tone that made her think it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to get her attention.
“Sorry, what?” She blinked down at her son’s expectant face.
“You said dad called.”
“Oh, right. He and Valentina want to come and get you guys for a couple of—”
“No!” Trevor exclaimed. “I want to stay here!”
Sara looked around the room, hoping that her son’s outside voice hadn’t disturbed anyone. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be talking, eating, and generally not paying her side of the room any attention. A small bit of relief swelled in her.
She never would’ve brought the subject up if she’d thought her son would be upset about it. The kids had always been over the moon to see their dad.
“Trev, calm down. You don’t have to get upset.”
“I don’t want to leave,” he explained in a quieter voice. “I want to stay here.”
“Okay, well, your dad wanted to take you to go see your Uncle Paul in Chicago.”
When she and Jack had decided to get a divorce, it had never occurred to her that the kids wouldn’t be jumping for joy to see him any chance they got. She’d heard horror stories about kids not wanting to be with one parent or the other, but she’d really thought she’d never have to deal with that. Jack may not be as hands-on as Sara would’ve liked, but he was a good dad and the kids adored him.
“Will Timmy be there?” Trevor’s eyes lit up.
“Yeah, Timmy and Ainsley.” Paul and his wife had two kids around the same ages as Trevor and Charlotte. The four cousins had only met a handful of times, but they’d always had fun.
“Okay,” Trevor reluctantly agreed. It was obvious he wasn’t exactly thrilled about the situation. “But can I come back here?”
“Yeah, bud.” She turned to Charlotte, who’d been unusually quiet this whole conversation. “What about you, baby girl? Do you want to go see your uncle and your cousins?”
She nodded, a somber expression on her cherub face framed with ringlets. “But then I want to come back here.”
Well, it looked like it was unanimous. Whisper Lake was a hit with her kids. Sara had to admit that when Grandma Betty had talked about its magic, she’d doubted any town could really be that special, but being here even just one day had turned her into a believer.
Between meeting a man at the gas station who filled a woman’s tires because he just couldn’t drive away knowing they were low. To getting a room in the very bed and breakfast her grandma had stayed in all those years ago. To it turning out to be owned by said man from the gas station. To meeting a group of women she hoped she’d be friends with for life…
It just felt like anything was possible here.
“How are my favorite prince and princess doing this morning?” Karen asked as she made her way down the long table.
“Good,” Charlotte answered with a mouth full of pancake.
Sara made a mental note to remind Charlotte not to talk with her mouth full.
Trev sat up taller. “Good. How are you, Miss Karen?”
“Well, I’m doing just fine. Thank you for asking. Did y’all get enough to eat?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Trev nodded.
“Yes, thank you,” Sara answered, glad at least one of her offspring were having a good-manners morning.
“Well, I’m gonna head back to the kitchen, but you let me know if you need anything.”
“We will, thank you.” Sara watched Karen bustle out of the dining room, making sure everyone was taken care of. She seemed so happy, so in her element. Sara wondered if Austin was going to keep them on, now that he was back. She’d heard him talking to Kade about his grandparents’ will, and that they’d named the Carpenters the B&B’s caretakers in the event that Austin was unable to run it. It was none of her business, but Sara hoped if they wanted to stay, he’d let them. It just felt like they belonged here.
A moment before a deep voice rumbled behind Sara, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she got a fluttering feeling in her belly. She inhaled sharply when she heard, “Where’s your plate?”
“Austin! Austin!” the kids cheered excitedly.
“Hey, guys.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Austin’s hands ruffle both the kids’ hair. Trev looked up at him with genuine hero worship and Charlotte giggled.
Although Sara shared her munchkins’ enthusiasm, she tried to temper it and slow her heartbeat, which had just taken off like a runaway horse. Lifting her eyes, she took a fortifying breath in hopes of preparing herself for whatever her physical response might be to seeing the man that inspired reactions in her that she’d never known existed in real life.
Her efforts proved futile. The second Austin’s vivid green stare locked with hers, Sara felt like she was in very real danger of spontaneously combusting from its heat.
“You weren’t hungry?” he asked.
“Oh…um…no…I’m good.” Sara sincerely hoped her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.
“Mommy eats what we don’t finish,” Charlotte exclaimed, clearly happy to have something to contribute to the conversation.
“I don’t like to waste food,” Sara defended her actions lamely. The second she had, she wished she’d remained quiet. She seriously doubted he cared about what she did or didn’t eat, and she certainly didn’t think her reasons were on the top of his need-to-know list.
People had always characterized Sara as quiet, private, and hard to get to know. Maybe she was. Or maybe her parents had just taught her a cold hard truth at a very early and impressionable age—most people only cared or wanted to talk about themselves. Armed with that knowledge, Sara had always kept things to herself. Except around Austin, where she morphed into Charlotte’s favorite vintage doll, Chatty Cathy.
Austin narrowed his eyes for a split second. At the fierce earnestness behind his stare, Sara found herself holding her breath as she waited to hear his response. Maybe he actually did care…
Before she could find out, Trev asked, “Why are you all sweaty?”
Austin blinked, breaking the intensity of the moment. When he opened his eyes again, they were directed at Trevor. “I was out for a run.”
After being freed from the spell that his stare tended to pull her under in a split second, she noticed that Austin was indeed sweaty. The white T-shirt he wore was clinging to him like a second skin. It clearly advertised his broad, sculpted chest. His strong, muscled arms. And, the real show stopper, his washboard abs.
Her runaway heartbeat galloped even faster as Austin lifted his arms and ran his hands through his hair. The gesture oozed sex appeal and sent Sara into hormonal overdrive, causing her entire body to overheat with desire. She’d only been half-afraid of going up in flames from his stare, but now, taking in the physical perfection that was Austin Stone, she sincerely hoped there was a fire extinguisher close by for the safety of the other guests.
“I’m going to go hit the shower.” Austin’s abrupt announcement caused Sara’s eyelids to flutter as she glanced up at him. When she did, a grin that really could only be described as bad boy spread on his face. “Enjoy your breakfast.”
With that, he left the way he’d come, through the pocket door in the wall behind them. Sara watched the door shut, feeling like she’d just survived a testosterone tsunami. She was shaky. Her heart was pounding and her entire body was tingling.
“Mom, I don’t want to take baths anymore. I want to take showers,” Trevor stated as he sat up taller in his chair.
Sara couldn’t blame her son for his obvious admiration of Austin, considering the man inspired all kinds of admiration in her.
“I want to take showers too, Mommy,” Charlotte declared.
“Let’s finish breakfast, guys. We have to meet your friends at the community center.” Last night, Brynn asked if Charlotte and Trevor wanted to join the Summer Days kids program she was running with the help of her “teen squad” as she called them, which consisted of Ali’s twin nephews, KJ and Ricky, Brynn’s son Ryder and Axel’s sister Izzy, Chrissy’s daughter Fiona, and their friend Presley. The teens had spearheaded the program because it would look good on their college applications and Brynn had ended up being roped into it, since they needed an adult. “Sally, Cassidy, and Kimber will be there,” she added.
Sara’s redirection worked like a charm for her munchkins. They both started eating again, excited to go out and play. Unfortunately, the promise of wide open grass and sunshine did little to distract Sara’s mind from picturing Austin in the shower that she’d been in just an hour before.
Not even the Taj Mahal could compete with that image.