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“How can I help you?” Jake stood from his crouched position and dusted his hands on his jeans.
“I’m looking for a copy ofPride and Prejudice. We’re reading it for my book club.” She slipped her gaze over his chest. “Has anyone ever told you that you could be Mr. Darcy?”
“No, but thanks. I think.” He started toward the fiction section. “I’ll check the shelf for you. If we don’t have it in stock, we can order it.”
“Are you interested in gardening?” She took a sheet of paper from her large bag, which was embellished with cacti plants. “I’m Mabel Bowers. We like to invite all new residents to join the Ground Hogs, which is our local gardening club. We get together for community gardening, idea exchange, workshops, tours, potlucks…all sorts of things. We’d love to have you join us.”
“Thank you, but I’m only in town temporarily.” He pulled the book from the shelf and handed it to her.
His heart sank. She was staring at him, her mouth open and her eyes filling with the dawning recognition he’d learned to recognize over the years.
“I’ll bring it over to the register for you.” Ducking his head, he strode to the front counter.
“Aren’t you…” She hurried after him, her voice rising. “This is crazy, but you look so much like—”
“Mrs. Bowers, did you know we have a new book on garden design?” Sam rounded the counter and grabbed the book from Jake.
“No, I didn’t.” She glanced from Jake to Sam, her hand coming up to her throat. “I was just saying your new employee is—”
“Come on, I’ll show you.” Taking hold of Mrs. Bowers’ arm, Sam steered her toward the back of the store to the Gardening and Horticulture section.
Letting out a sigh, Jake hurried to unbox more books. Sam’s voice mixed with Mrs. Bowers’ as they returned to the register. She purchased her books, made some comment about the upcoming Spring Festival, and then the bell jingled as she exited.
Wary, Jake peered around a shelf to the front counter. Sam crossed his arms. Their gazes locked like two wolves about to circle each other in battle.
“I heard she took over the Ground Hogs a few years ago.” Sam tilted his head toward the street. “She also runs a book club and a bridge club.”
“Does she?”
“Yeah. She also ran for mayor last year and won, unseating a decade of male town rulership.” Unfolding his arms, Sam set aside the newspaper spread on the counter. “Apparently Mrs. Bowers is a real trail-blazer.”
Jake flexed his fingers on a book. Silence stretched.
“That reporter sounds like an asshole.” Sam drew his eyebrows together. “I’d have punched him too.”
Jake swallowed. “You want the details?”
“Not my business, man.”
He tightened his jaw. “Stupid of me to think I could hide out here.”
The other man shrugged. “You haven’t been mobbed, have you?”
“Not yet.”
“Yeah, well…” Sam turned to the computer. “This town is full of loons, but they’ll leave you alone if you want to be left alone. Unless they have a reason not to.”
Jake gave a short nod and went back to shelving the books. Clarity broke through all the tangled thoughts he’d been wrestling with since he’d left Los Angeles and headed north on Highway 5.
Thiswas why he’d come back to Bliss Cove. It was more than his desire to be left alone or his need to escape a public scandal. The townspeople, even this guy Sam who hadn’t been living here for more than a year, would protect his need for both anonymity and privacy.
In the aftermath of a shitty event that hurt his family, his career, and his personal life, Jake had instinctively returned to the one place where he knew he’d be safe.
Home.
