One More Night (Sweetbriar Cove #13) - Melody Grace Page 0,3

her family getting in the way. “But don’t worry,” she added. “I’ll make sure Eliza doesn’t run off with the delivery guy before you have a chance to lock it down.”

“Very funny,” Cal grinned. “And thank you.”

“You can thank me by laying off my housewarming pastries,” Letitia teased. “Or you won’t fit into your wedding tux.”

“Good point.” Cal laughed, and finally pushed the plate away, just as Eliza reappeared.

“Crisis averted!” she exclaimed. “The citizens of Sweetbriar Cove will get their special edition, after all. He’s bumping the insurance adjusters’ newsletter and giving me their slot.”

“And how do they feel about that?” Letitia asked, amused.

“They’ll adjust,” Eliza quipped. She checked her watch, and winced. “Sorry we can’t stay, but we’re babysitting for Poppy at three.”

Letitia raised her eyebrows. Her playboy cousin, shaking a pacifier of his own free will? “Babysitting?” she mouthed at Cal. He gave a shrug, and a sheepish grin.

Yup, he had it bad.

“When you’re settled in, come have a drink at the pub,” Eliza insisted, as they headed for the door. “And there’s book club next week. Ooh, and the farmers market on Sunday, and the festival—”

“She’s here for a vacation,” Cal interrupted, hustling her out the door. “Not to take over as town social secretary!”

“No, that all sounds great,” Letitia said. “I can’t wait.”

It was true. Letitia saw them off, and grabbed her trusty notebook and a pen – and a copy of the local newspaper Eliza had left behind. She wanted to get started on planning her schedule, so she could make sure she didn’t miss a single event.

And there were a lot of them.

Sweetbriar Cove was known for its endless parade of town celebrations: festivals, charity events, and a couple of actual parades, too. Letitia wondered if that was the reason the place was such a romantic hotspot, all the opportunities to get together and celebrate. Either way, she was going to attend them all. More events meant meeting more people, and more people meant more possibilities of handsome, eligible men.

And she would be sensible this time, not blinded by her hormones. Sure, she wanted to feel something for her partner, but passion wasn’t everything. Some of the most successful couples she’d met said that friendship came first; sparks later. When she found someone compatible, who had the same values, and wanted the same things… Well, true love would follow in time, she was sure of it.

Letitia settled in on the back porch with the last éclair and her calendar, soaking up the peace and quiet of the afternoon as she browsed the listings. An open-air movie screening in the town square… Gallery art-walk… Fireworks on the beach… She smiled, relaxing for the first time in what felt like forever. This plan may have been a crazy last resort, but she felt it in her bones, she was on the right track. And in the right place. The waves were crashing gently against the shore, gulls circled lazily overhead, and—

HONK!

The quiet was shattered by a horn tooting loudly. Letitia sat up, confused, in time to see a beat-up Jeep bumping down the sandy road beside the house, towing a hulking great Airstream in the back. The driver pulled over on the edge of the road, and hopped down, stretching with a yawn as he took in what was no longer her gorgeous, peaceful view.

No!

Letitia stared in horror. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Because it was a very familiar Airstream ruining her perfect vista.

And a very familiar man.

2

Letitia sat there, frozen in disbelief for a moment. Was this really happening? The scruffy surfer from that day at the diner; the man she’d inexplicably kissed – and then given thanks she’d never have to lay eyes on him again – was currently within shouting distance, unpacking a lawn chair and boom box on the sand like he planned to settle in for the rest of the day.

Oh my God.

She leapt up and hurried inside, slamming the back door before he could see her. Her heart was pounding just about as fast as it had done when he’d pulled her into his arms and kissed her—

No, she told herself, blushing. Focus. She couldn’t replay her delicious mistake a hundred times over, she needed to figure out what the hell she was going to do right now.

Letitia tiptoed over to the side window, and peeked out from behind the drapes. With his music and cooler all set up, the guy stripped his T-shirt off, and settled back in his