Page 5 of The Cherry Blossom Boathouse

“Not happening,” Luke said firmly. “Absolutely not.”

“But think about it,” Sophie pressed. “If nothing else, you’d have proof it’s just moonlight and headlight reflections. Though personally, my money’s on a secret research facility,” she added, giving him a wink.

Luke’s lip twitched up slightly.

“Better than Caleb’s theory about merpeople.” Mabel nodded sagely. “Though that would explain why some of the lights have been seen near Luke’s evening tours. You do have that merman kind of look about you, Luke…”

Luke shook his head. “I’m leaving now,” he announced, “to fix a kayak. Which is a real problem that actually exists.”

He headed toward his boathouse, but Sophie didn’t miss how his eyes lingered on the island for just a moment too long.

“Our Luke’s a marvel with anything that needs fixing,” Mabel told Sophie as they watched him grab some tools from a small shed next to his boathouse. “Boats, docks, buildings. Half the town would fall apart without him. Though he’d rather wrestle a bear than accept a compliment.”

“Well, stop the presses and hold the avocado toast!” came a vibrant voice.

Sophie turned to see a man in his forties, tanned and glowing, with a dazzling white smile and a wardrobe straight out of a Palm Springs resort catalog. His linen shirt was half-open, his sunglasses perched on his artfully tousled blond hair, and a chunky turquoise necklace hung around his neck. “You must be our new British neighbor,” he said when he got to her. “I’m Caleb, by the way. Caleb Hansen. Writer, dreamer, brunch enthusiast, and—”

“Part-time troublemaker,” Luke called over.

“Why, thank you for the compliment, Captain Grumpy!” Caleb called back. “I live on the eastern side of the lake with my better half, Mikkel. He’s an interior designer.”

He gestured across the lake to where the more modern boathouses were. The one he was pointing at was all glass and warm wood, a wraparound deck with an elegant canoe moored at its edge.

“Wow, it’s stunning,” Sophie said.

She heard Luke make a disapproving noise.

“Yes, isn’t it? Despite some people’s disapproval,” Caleb said with an eye roll. He cocked his head, taking in Sophie’s appearance. “Is the drenched mermaid-in-distress look all the rage in London nowadays?”

“Oh, absolutely,” she replied, flipping her damp hair with mock glamour. “We’re calling it ‘wetcore.’ It’s huge. British Vogue is doing a whole spread on it next month.”

She noticed Luke suppress a smile.

Caleb let out a delighted laugh, clapping his hands together. “Oh, honey, I love you already. Now, tell me you’re not planning to let this little diamond stay in the rough?” he asked as he surveyed Sophie’s boathouse.

“Yes, we’re dying to hear what you’ve got planned,” Mabel said.

Sophie blinked, already disarmed by the larger-than-life presence of her new neighbors. “Well, I was thinking of turning it into a bookshop, actually.”

Caleb gasped, clutching his chest as though she’d just announced she was saving an endangered species. “A bookshop? Oh my gosh, that is everything. I mean, you’ve got the vibe already: quaint lakeside chic meets literary haven. It’s giving me all the feels.” He waved his hand as if to fan himself. “Now, tell me, what’s the big vision?”

Sophie hesitated, feeling Luke’s eyes flick up from where he was placing a kayak on its side at the end of his jetty, clearly not thrilled with the conversation. She had considered something sleek and modern, like Caleb’s place. But now she was here, she realized she wanted to go for something that honored the lake’s character—weathered wood and window seats, cozy corners and charm. A place where wet boots and paperbacks could coexist. But she wanted to keep that to herself for now. “Once I know for sure,” she said, “you’ll be one of the first to hear.”

“Whatever you decide,” Caleb said, “you absolutely have to come to my Words and Watercolors Club. We talk books, we talk art, we talk life, we talk drama. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.” He grinned, showing off perfect teeth. “Oh, and you can find my latest novel, A Summer of Secrets and Margaritas, on Amazon. It’s a rom-com-slash-mystery set in a beachside tequila bar. Critics—well, my mother—call it ‘iconic.’ ”

Sophie smiled. “Sounds unforgettable.”

“Oh, I’ve heard it is,” Luke said drily.

They all turned to look at him, watching as he ran his hand along the underside of the kayak, water dripping from his fingers as he inspected a crack in the hull. His T-shirt had ridden up slightly, revealing a sliver of tanned, toned skin just above the waistband of his jeans. Sophie noticed how the fabric of his T-shirt stretched taut across his large shoulders, hinting at the kind of strength that came from years of physical work.

Oh boy.

Clearly Caleb and Mabel were thinking the same as they’d both gone quiet.

Sophie tore her gaze away, reminding herself she had plenty of problems to solve without adding distracted by hot neighbor to the list.

“I suppose it’s time I checked out my new boathouse,” she said, suddenly feeling anxious.