Page 16 of Kissing in the Rain
An hour later, she pulled into the parking lot of the bookstore and a feeling of peace washed over her. She really didn’t even need to tour the building to know she was going to make an offer on this place. She loved coffee and books, always had. And she was tired of doing something she hated for a living. She wanted to do something she had a passionfor.
“Hi, Ms. Maready.” A woman in a suit offered her hand as Jillian stepped inside the charming littlestore.
“Please, call me Jillian.” Jillian waved at the older woman behind thecounter.
“Oh, it’s you,” the old woman beside the cash register said as they walked in. She pointed a finger at Jillian. “I told you it would storm the other day, didn’tI?”
Jillian laughed. “I wish I would’ve listened. . . Or, actually, I’m very glad Ididn’t.”
The old lady looked utterly confused, but Jillian didn’tcare.
“I’ll take it,” she told the real estate agent after a brief tour. An added bonus was that there were living quarters set up in the back room that would suffice for Jillian to live in right now. She’d made and saved a lot of money over the last several years working in corporate business. She’d been saving it for a rainy day, which had come in spades two days ago. “It’sperfect.”
“Are you sure?” the agent asked, narrowing her eyes with concern. “Usually people take time to think things over. Not that I’m trying to talk you out of yourdecision.”
“I’m positive. This is absolutely what Iwant.”
The next morning,Jillian arrived early for her sailing lesson, knowing Gabe would be dropping Kimberly off at her elementary school. She put on a wide-brimmed hat and wore her glasses. Jonathan had been none the wiser that she was his lost-at-sea customer from the other day. She told him she’d wait outside and loaded herself in the sailboat to wait forGabe.
She had a picnic lunch packed for them with a few other provisions just in case. When she heard Gabe’s feet scuffling down the pier, her body flooded with nervous butterflies. She’d changed her entire life. She’d quit her job and had purchased a bookstore. What if Gabe didn’t even want heranymore?
Not that she was doing any of those things for him. She’d done them for herself. Having Gabe by her side would be amazing, but it didn’t make or break her decision to stay in Blushing Bay. She was going to make a fresh start here at the coast, and she couldn’twait.
“Good morning!” Gabe said as he approached. “Looks like you’ve made yourselfcomfortable.”
He was already climbing in the boat when she turned to look athim.
It took only a second for him to realize who she was. “Jillian?”
“Surprise,” she saidnervously.
“Thisisa surprise.” He sat down at the stern, keeping his dark eyes fixed on her. “I thought you lefttown.”
“I tried. But I changed my mind. I thought I’d take you up on that date you wanted to go on.” She gestured down at the picnicbasket.
“How long are you stayingfor?”
“Actually, I’ve decided to move here. I already bought a place to live and decided what to do forwork.”
His eyes widened. “Pretty rash decision-making.”
“Just following my heart,” she said quietly, shrugging ashoulder.
“I can’t argue with that. In fact”—he leaned in closer—“I think I’m going to follow my heart and kiss you right now. If that’sokay.”
A thrill rode up her spine. She’d worried the chemistry might’ve faded. But no, it was still there between them. Stronger than she’d ever felt for anyone. “That’s more thanokay.”
His lips brushed over hers and suddenly she didn’t feel likesailing.
Ending the sweet kiss, he started to set the sailboat in motion, but hesitated. “You sure you want to go back out so soon? What if we get strandedagain?”
“There’s no one else I’d rather be stranded on a deserted islandwith.”
“Can’t argue with that either.” His hand swept up behind her neck, and then his mouth pressed against hers again, this time in a blistering kiss that seemed to go on forever. “I’m glad you came back,” hewhispered.
“And I brought provisions for your just-in-case kit.” She nibbled her lower lip as she watched recognition cross hisfeatures.
“You really are full of surprises, Little Miss Tough Girl. Well, by all means, let’s go getlost.”
