devastation look good. He stepped away from the front counter where’d he’d been dealing with some paperwork, and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. “I just heard. I’m really sorry, Riley. But it could be good, right?”
She managed a smile, knowing it was important to stay positive for the troops. Slipping out of the comfort of his arms, she did her best to push her concerns and apprehensions aside. “Exactly. Everything will work out fine. And just think of all the things we can do if we have a bit of money coming in. Might finally be able to give the rooms that remodel we’ve been dreaming of.”
She’d have to make it work. Failure wasn’t an option—not when there was so much on the line. She’d put far too much of herself into the inn to have it all go to hell. And if Holt Enterprises thought they could just come in and bulldoze everything she’d worked so hard to build and care for, then they had better get ready for a fight.
With new plans and ideas running through her head, Riley drove the van down to the center of town, taking in the late summer sun and the bustling shops as she made her way to the port. It really was a special place, the brightly colored shingled cottages playing up against the blue sky and sea, while riots of flowers poured out of window boxes. She pulled up by the landing just as the ferry docked and started to unload its passengers. Perfect timing.
There were two ways to get to Mermaid Isle. There was a ferry that left Portland and was convenient for those guests coming from Boston or other points south, and then there was a bridge that connected the island to the mainland an hour north of Portland. During the summer, most opted for the ferry. Some even brought their cars, though most made do with the hotel’s bikes or rented a scooter from a shop in town. But in the winter time, Riley usually recommended the bridge since the winter seas could be rough and unpredictable, and service was limited.
With the hotel’s name emblazoned on the side of the van, she waited for her group to arrive, clipboard in hand. One newlywed couple, three writers who’d signed up for their Romancing the Isle writer’s workshop, and two other individuals who had booked separately. Watching the crowds come in off the ferry, Riley knew there would be a fair number of people who would day-trip it, and take the evening ferry home, but it was the ones who stayed, even just a night or two, who usually came back time and again.
A group of women, ranging from their forties to sixties, laughed and chatted their way off the boat and wandered over, wide-brimmed straw hats atop each head and sundresses flowing in the summer breeze. Her romance writers—the ones who had been to the inn previously and decided to add a few days to their workshop by coming early. “Welcome to Mermaid Isle. Jan, Pat, Diane—so nice to see you again.”
One after another, the trio gave her a big hug. Pat took the lead. “Not a chance in hell we’d miss this workshop. And I hope you still have that cutie, Logan, working for you. He’s the inspiration for my next hero. Tall, dark hair, those blue eyes—not to mention that build.”
Jan nudged her friend. “You haven’t stopped talking about him since we were last here. Riley, you best warn the poor man. This one here’s up to no good. She’ll be dropping things left and right just to get him to bend over and pick them up.”
Riley had to smile, her worries drifting away on the women’s laughter. She leaned over for a mock whisper. “Well, he does have a nice butt, but don’t tell him I said so or I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“I don’t know what you’re waiting for, honey. If it were me, I’d be trying out a new scene every night of the week with him in the leading role.” Diane threw her head back and laughed, before turning to the other writers. “That man is book cover material.”
Riley would
Pat put a hand on Diane’s arm. “Don’t go forgetting the rest of them. What were their names?”
Diane shrugged with a laugh. “Couldn’t tell you. My eyes weren’t on their nametags.”
The writers laughed their way onto the bus as a good-looking couple in their early thirties approached and introduced themselves. “Ken and Emma Murray.”
Riley welcomed them to the island and checked them off her list when her attention was pulled in a completely different direction. Given the constant stream of visitors they got on the island, there weren’t many men who could have her doing a double-take, but damn if this one didn’t have her heart forgetting how to beat properly. And he was walking towards her, his long stride eating up the distance between them.
The man was…tall. And…words failed her. Despite the cotton tee and worn jeans, he looked like a Viking god, his honey-colored hair just long enough to make a girl want to run her fingers through it, his strong jaw covered in several days’ growth. There was an ease to his step and demeanor despite his muscular build, like he was comfortable in his body and knew how to use it.
He shifted the large duffel he was carrying and gave her a smile that had her blushing, while his blue eyes held her captive in his gaze. “Hey there, darling.”
Darling, eh? She liked it.
“Welcome to Mermaid Isle.” Her heart nearly stuttered along with her mouth. She glanced at her clipboard. The name wasn’t familiar, but there was something about him…those eyes, the accent. And there was only one person who’d ever had such an immediate effect on her. “Thorsen Black?”
“That would be me.” His smile kicked up a notch, his gaze making her feel like she was the only person there. “And you could only be Riley. Riley Carter.”
“That’s me. Have you been to the Siren Song Inn before?” She must have had her head stuck in a hole to not notice him the last time he’d come to the inn. Even the writers were opening the windows on the bus and jostling for a better view.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” The humor in his smile had her wondering when they’d last met. “Think back to when we were teenagers. You got yourself stuck on the cliff…”
“Oh, god…” She squeezed her eyes shut and cringed.
That had been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, and one she thought she’d left behind along with her braces and training bras. Memories of that summer flooded her head as she thought of the teenage boy who’d saved her that day. He’d ended up being her first true love—and
He must have seen her confusion. “I used to go by my middle name back then—Eirik.”
Eirik Black. That was the name she remembered.
How often had she thought of him over the years? Maybe it was because their summer together—and the one after that—had been magical and he’d been the first guy she’d fallen in love with. But it seemed like no other relationship ever came close to measuring up. Not even the good ones.
“I can’t believe it’s you.” With her heart racing erratically, she gave him a quick hug, not quite believing Eirik—Thorsen—was standing in front of her. “How have you been?”
“Good. You?”
Someone cleared their throat, keeping them from reminiscing further. Riley turned to find the last person on her list. “Anna Blake?”
“It is.” A smile graced her face for no more than a second before fading to a no-nonsense demeanor.
“Well…welcome to the island.” Riley managed a smile, though the woman before her didn’t exactly inspire the warm and fuzzies.
Though everyone had their own sense of style, Anna’s outfit didn’t exactly say summer vacation—business attire head to toe, the woman looked like she was a lawyer. Dark suit jacket, even in the middle of summer, paired with a slim skirt and white blouse, heels that looked better suited to Manhattan than Maine, and blonde hair that was perfectly styled and probably cost hundreds to cut and an hour to style. They hadn’t scheduled any corporate events, since most of their summer business came from vacationing tourists.
Riley got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she rechecked the name on her list. Anna Blake. There was no company listed near her name. Not that there would be. She managed another smile, though she couldn’t help but wonder if Anna was from Holt Enterprises. “That’s everyone. If you’d like to grab a seat on the bus, we’ll get going.”
Thorsen stepped to the side to let Anna go first, leaving them alone for the moment—if one didn’t count the
