Merry With A Milkman (Love Beach, Holiday Collection)

Eleven

eleven

Rhone

T egan said she loves me. My sex addled and half-asleep mind didn’t think twice about responding with my own declaration before sinking completely into luscious dreams about her. In the morning I knew she didn’t need to be up early while I had cheese I needed to attend to, so I slipped out while she still slept.

Like a chicken-shit, I didn’t say anything about love on the note I left. I’m not convinced I actually heard her say the words. It could have been in one of my dreams. Hell, my response could have been part of a dream as well. Why bring up something so important when you don’t know what’s real.

My love for her is real. There has never been a doubt in my mind about that. Attraction, lust, those are part of what I feel for her. My feelings go far deeper than those surface levels. I never knew how fathomless my emotions could run. She-who-I-won’t-name had never inspired anything close to what Tegan brings out in me. I’d thought I loved that self-involved woman. I couldn’t have been more wrong about someone who was so far from what and who I needed.

My ex wanted to be pampered and taken care of. She didn’t think she needed a job when she had me—or whatever sucker she’s involved with now. There was nothing of value she brought to a relationship except her presence—which she thought too highly of.

Tegan helped build and runs a successful business with her brother. She’s taken on the task of helping others do the same. She doesn’t need anyone for financial support. After growing up with the mindset that the man is the breadwinner, the thought she doesn’t need me in that respect should concern me. But it doesn’t. Her strength and determination are part of why I’ve come to love her more every day.

We’ll be equal partners and provide for each other. We’ll share our successes and deal with those inevitable failures along the way. That’s life. Life with Tegan will be more than I ever imagined.

Tegan needs to know this. Once I make the deal with Mr. Omata—or not—I’ll tell Tegan how much she means to me. How I need her. How deeply I love her.

The moment is fast approaching. The building owner will be in town this weekend. By Sunday I should know what direction my business and my love life will be taking.

Since it’s Tegan’s day to manage their store, and Walt is back delivering for Steve, I’m hanging around my place pretending to keep busy. There’s no reason to check on things at Mr. Omata’s property. Everything’s ready to go. Moving a floral arrangement three inches isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference.

I’m trying to read on my tablet when there’s a knock on my door. Welcoming an interruption, I open the door with a smile, only to come face to face with one of the local cops. “Uh, hi? Can I help you?”

“Are you Rhone Landon?”

“Yes.”

“I need to ask you a few questions. May I come in?”

Searching my mind for possible reasons the police might need to talk with me, I step back to allow the officer to step inside. “What’s this about?”

Ten minutes later, his questions complete and mine mostly unanswered, the cop leaves. The scumbag who’d hit on Tegan had been found dead. The cops expect murder. I sit in stunned silence for a long moment before reaching for my phone but it chimes before I can place my call.

“Tegan? Hi.”

“The police were just here to talk to me.”

“One just left here, too.”

“Guess I’m a little late to warn you. Can you believe what happened? I understand why they’d talk to us, but geez. A murder?”

My soft snort expresses my opinion. “Can’t say I’ll miss the guy. He was an asshole to you. Totally inappropriate. Who knows how many other women he tried to ‘charm’. I don’t doubt he deserved it.”

“Rhone, nobody deserves to be murdered.”

I know that’s true, but the creep hit on my woman. It’s not difficult to imagine what other lowlife activities he’d be involved with. “I’m sorry. I know. I just can’t dig up any sympathy for him.”

“I do understand and I’m trying not to feel the same way. What about his family?”

“I’m sorry for them, of course. Anyway, this isn’t our problem, or our fault. We’ve got more important matters to deal with. Are you ready for tomorrow?”

“You mean playing hostess for you? I am. It’s more important if you’re ready. Are you?”

“As much as possible. I have positive RSVPs from everyone you suggested we invite.” She prompted me to invite a few of the nearby business owners and the head of the city’s business association. Along with Steve’s customer list, thinking that those who had retail sales might be interested in adding cheese to their Landon Dairy offerings. The number of details she’s suggested astound me. I wouldn’t be anywhere near ready to open my business without her input.

“That’s great. You’ll have a good variety of people there. That will show community interest and them talking about the tasting will encourage everyone to check out the store when it’s open.”

“I’m shocked that even my brother’s leaving his sanctuary to attend. And get this, he asked to bring someone.”

“That’s fabulous. I wonder who.”

“He mentioned awhile back that Walt’s sister showed an interest in his goats, so she’s been at the farm every day learning from him.”

“And he wants to bring her to your party? Interesting.”

“Tegan, honey, I wish you were here.”

Her sigh wraps around my heart. “Me, too. But I need to help Noah finish up the chocolates to pair with your cheese samples. I’ll pick up the wine in the morning and meet you at the store.”

I don’t want to say goodbye but we both have final preparations to complete.

“Rhone, we’ll have a lot to celebrate tomorrow. I’ll see you then.”

“Until then, sweetness.”

With nothing else to do, I pull out my folio and go through Mr. Omata’s prospectus for our purchase arrangement one more time.

I hesitate to say the gathering is a success but even though the cheese plates are empty, people are still sipping wine and discussing the tastes and attributes of each of the samples I prepared. Boots has received compliments on her floral arrangements, with promises to hire her once her business is open.

It’s been a positive evening and the comments should have me flying high, except for one off-hand comment I heard Mr. Omata make to one of the other guests.

He hasn’t had luck renting to single people and prefers to deal with what he considers a more settled married person. I’m sure that attitude includes his suggested arrangement with me, although he hasn’t made any indication of that mindset to me.

I’m hiding in the backroom trying to come up with a plan that doesn’t sound like I just made it up to meet his requirements. Maybe I’m overthinking this. Probably am. I need to get back out there.

Before I reach the needed calm, Tegan finds me. “What’s going on? Why are you hiding back here?”

“I’m not hiding.”

She chuckles. “Yes, you are. I know the whole process is overwhelming. Mr. Omata is basically planning to be an investor for one year, even though it’s in a weird way. When you want to impress someone, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed, wondering if you’re doing too much, or not enough.”

“You’re pretty darn smart, you know that?”

She blows on her fingernails and rubs them against her shoulder. “You’d better believe it.”

“I do. I need your advice.”

At her nod I explain what I’d heard and ask her opinion. Instead of speaking she wraps her arms around me and lifts her face. “We can figure this out.”

All evening I’ve resisted touching her. Her beauty tonight is beyond compare. Her smile and gentle nature are a balm to my soul. I’ll tell her tonight. After everyone’s gone, I will tell my woman how much I love her.

For now, resistance fades and her eyes close as I lower my mouth to hers. This…this is home. No matter what happens tonight, tomorrow, next week, she is my anchor. My love.

She eases back. “What do you think about the woman who came with your brother?”

Confusion makes my brows lower. Is she trying to distract me? “What about her?”

“He likes her. A lot. And it’s reciprocated. Rhone, your brother is in love.”

Steve? In love? “Nah, not Steve.”

Tegan shakes her head. “I’ll let this one go since you’ve been so wrapped up in getting Landon Dairy Cheeses up and running. Pay attention to those around you. You might not believe this now, but if you really notice how people behave when they come into your store, you’ll be able to serve them better. In some cases, like with Steve, you’ll get to know him better. I don’t know exactly what you did in the military, and it’s okay if you can’t tell me everything. But use that training with your business. You might be surprised. Trust me.”

“I do, honey. I’m going to need your help.”

“Anytime.”

I need to kiss her again and she melts against me.

“Oh, excuse me.”

We break apart to see disappointment fill Mr. Omata’s face. My heart and my hopes plummet to my stomach. I’ve fucked up my chances. As Mr. Omata turns away, Tegan presses her palm against my chest. “I’ve got this.”

She takes the older man’s arm. “I hope you’ll keep our secret, Mr. Omata.”

“What secret is that?” He pats her hand.

“Well, you see, Rhone and I are secretly engaged. It happened so fast and we don’t want our families to try and tell us to wait.”

“I understand fast, Ms. Drake.”

“Oh, please call me Tegan.”

He nods. “And I am Albert. From the first moment I saw my wife, I knew she was the woman I would marry. Our engagement was short. Just two months. Our families tried to talk us out of marriage. We stood firm and were married for fifty-five years before she passed.”

“I’m so sorry, Albert. You must miss her very much.”

“I do. Would you take some advice from an old man?”

“Of course.”

“Don’t wait. Announce your engagement. Celebrate your love and get married.”

Tegan glances back at me and winks. “To tell you the truth, I was hoping he would have officially proposed and given me a ring when we were with family on Thanksgiving.”