Secrets Between Them

Jennifer was still staring at her as if she were speaking in a foreign language. “I never even thought of charging him.”

Him. Suddenly Molly saw the situation in a new light. “How old is he, Jenn? Is he cute? Is he single?”

As she peppered questions at her friend, Jennifer’s cheeks grew brighter than ever. Molly grinned. This was great. Jennifer was going out with a guy.

And speaking of the guy, this must be him now, driving up in a dilapidated-looking Land Rover. Molly had an indistinct glimpse of a dark-haired man with a lean face. Then he jumped out of the driver’s seat and headed toward them.

“Oh, he is cute, Jenn. Yum. He doesn’t have a friend or a brother, does he?”

“Molly, it isn’t like that,” Jenn insisted. Yet, her color wasn’t settling down as the man approached.

He was dressed in hiking boots, shorts and a light gray T-shirt. As he drew closer, Molly frowned. He reminded her of someone.

As soon as he spoke, she remembered.

“How was the class, Jennifer? I hope you aren’t too tired for our tour?”

Jennifer said something in reply, but Molly didn’t hear her. She backed up until she felt the solid wall of her house behind her. Oh my God, she couldn’t believe this.

Nick Lancaster. This could not be coincidence. How had he managed to track her to Summer Island?

“THE CLASS WAS GREAT, NICK. Molly’s an excellent instructor.” Jennifer looked around and was surprised to realize she was now alone in the front yard.

“Molly?” The front door of the cottage was closed. Maybe Molly didn’t want to be a third wheel…

Jennifer nearly groaned, remembering Molly’s teasing. This wasn’t a date, she’d told her friend, but she wasn’t sure if Molly had believed her.

It isn’t a date, she reminded herself, as Nick moved a little closer. She slipped a hoodie over her tank top, waiting as he checked out Molly’s house.

“Why did your friend run inside like that?”

“I’m not sure. I was hoping to introduce you.”

“Have you known her a long time?”

“About two years. She moved here from Toronto after her mother died.”

“Her mother’s dead?”

“Yes.” Now why would he have asked that? “She has no family at all anymore.”

Nick’s expression grew thoughtful. “Summer Island is a long way from Toronto. Why do you suppose she moved here? Did she know anyone?”

“No, but I’m sure glad she did. She’s become one of my best friends. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to meet her another time.”

“I hope so, too.”

Jennifer glanced back at Molly’s house. It was strange the way she’d disappeared so quickly. But maybe she’d been tired. This had been her third class today.

“So are you ready?” Nick asked.

“Sure.”

On the way to the Rover, Nick caught sight of the Kincaids’ summer home across the street. Justine had been out on the porch earlier, but she and the baby must have gone inside.

“Wow. That’s a nice looking place.”

“Yeah, it is.” Jennifer hesitated. So many visitors came to Summer Island hoping to get a glimpse inside Simone DeRosier’s old summer home that she’d learned to be reticent about pointing it out. But Nick wasn’t just another visitor. “Harrison and Justine Kincaid live there.”

“Harrison Kincaid. Wasn’t he Simone’s husband?”

“Yes.” Jennifer walked around him to the Rover, and after a pause, Nick followed. Once they were both seated, he seemed in no hurry to get moving.

“Didn’t they have a daughter? She would be, what—six or seven?”

“Autumn’s eight now. She’s thrilled about her new sister. Justine had a baby girl this spring.”

“Yes. I’d heard that. You know there’s a rumor going around that Autumn has inherited her mother’s voice.”

Where would he have heard that? Harrison and Justine usually did an excellent job of keeping Harrison’s daughter out of the public eye. Nevertheless, Nick was right. Autumn was tremendously talented. “She’s a natural singer and musician. But Harrison won’t allow her to perform in public. She’s still very young.”

Nick turned back for a final glance at Molly’s house. He seemed about to ask another question, but apparently changed his mind. He started the engine. “So. Where to first?”

Jennifer felt a thrill of anticipation. It was a sunny, warm day, chock-full of possibilities. “I think we should park at Pebble Beach and walk to town. I can fill you in on the island history on the way.”

“Okay. You’re the tour leader.”

Nick smiled at her, and Jennifer felt the effect right down to the tips of her toes. Maybe this wasn’t a date, but she was looking forward to being with Nick. Until it was time to go home and prepare afternoon tea, she was going to pretend she was a young woman without a care in the world.

She directed Nick to Pebble Beach where they parked, then headed straight for the ocean. The beach was strangely deserted for such a fine day. Of course, vacation season was now over and kids were back at school.

As they walked, their shoes crunched on the tiny rocks. “I see why you call this Pebble Beach.”

“We don’t have sandy shorelines on the island. In a way that’s a good thing, because it’s helped keep the tourists away. That, plus the complicated ferry system.”

“I visited Saltspring Island once many years ago. From what I’ve seen so far this island is quite different.”

“We have similar topography and weather, but that’s where it ends. Ask any local—Saltspring is exactly what we don’t want to be.”

“Why not? It’s very popular.”

“Sure. And I like to visit Saltspring, too. In fact, I sell my lavender products through one of the crafts-women there. But Summer Island is just more…real. We aren’t overrun with tourists and artists and back-to-nature types.”

“You don’t like tourists and artists and back-to-nature types?”

His teasing smile gave her that light-headed feeling again. “I don’t have a problem with them. It’s just that they can squeeze out the locals. Most of the people on our island were born here and live here year-round. They’re fishermen and farmers and they don’t want yuppies coming from the city and clogging our little town with specialty coffee shops and upscale hardware stores.”

“So is it an us against them mentality?”