He chuckled. “She called here, too.”
“Clark just left to go calm her down.”
“Was there a problem with a vagrant?”
Ivy blew out an exasperated breath. “That’s just Nick, our new guest.”
“Does he look like a vagrant?”
“This is the beach,” Ivy said, sounding frustrated. “Nick didn’t arrive in a suit and tie. He was minding his own business, meditating by the pool, and Shelly and I were in the garage. Next thing I knew, the Police Chief pulled into the car court. If Shelly and I hadn’t been nearby, I hate to think what might have happened.”
“Well, it’s been pretty quiet at the inn lately. Guess Darla has gotten used to that.”
“Don’t rub it in,” Ivy said. “You’ll meet Nick later. He’s a quiet, polite young man. So what if his hair is a little long? Mitch referred him, so once Darla hears that I’m sure she’ll back off.”
Bennett grinned. “Disaster averted once again. Want to grill some fish tacos on the beach tonight? Surely we can give Nick a warmer welcome.”
“If it’s not too cold.”
“I’m a guy,” Bennett said. “And it’s not like it snows in Summer Beach.”
Ivy laughed. “It’s snowed in San Diego before. My parents still talk about it. Back in the sixties.”
Bennett promised to pick up groceries on the way back to the inn after work. After hanging up the phone, he leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers. Even though he saw Ivy every day, he loved hearing her voice on the phone. Her laughter reminded him of the surfer girl with startling green eyes he’d seen on the beach all those years ago—before she started college in Boston. She’d stolen his heart then, even before he’d known real love.
His wife had been gone ten years now, though it didn’t seem that long. They had been excited to start a family, but Jackie had developed severe medical complications during her pregnancy.
After her unexpected death, Bennett had thrown himself into his work as a real estate broker in Summer Beach and later took on the position of mayor. The love and care he might have put toward children shifted to his sister Kendra’s son. Logan was now ten, and Bennett was also close to Dave, Kendra’s husband. If Bennett was honest with himself—which he tried to be—the town’s residents knew how much he’d suffered and had become a sort of surrogate family, too.
Even Darla. With royal-blue hair and glittery visors, she was like everyone’s meddling aunt. But Darla had suffered trauma, too. She had lost a child who would be about Mitch’s age now.
Bennett scrubbed his knuckles along his jawline. And now there’s Ivy. She’d rolled into town determined to bend the rules to suit her, much like her late husband had, although her reasons were quite different. Jeremy had been planning on building a resort and replacing Ivy with a younger woman.
By the time Ivy discovered the house and arrived in Summer Beach, she’d been desperate to earn a living. She’d done the best job she could of restoring the old house on a budget and converting it to an inn. Though Bennett had been against that, when a fire ravaged the ridgetop homes above the village, Ivy housed many of the displaced residents—himself included. When his house was repaired, Bennett found that he didn’t want to return to an empty house.
Yet it was more than that. When Ivy came into his life, he’d started having feelings he hadn’t let in for years. He hadn’t wanted to leave her, so he’d leased his house to a family, who now wanted to buy a larger home in Summer Beach. Soon, he’d have no reason to continue to stay at the Seabreeze Inn. The truth was that he’d been happier in the old chauffeur’s apartment over the garage these last months than he’d been in his home for quite a while.
But was Ivy ready for the next step in their relationship? He loved being around her, holding her hand, walking on the beach after dinner. He got on well with Misty, though Sunny was a challenge. Just when he’d thought they were getting along fine, Sunny snubbed him at the Thanksgiving feast. She was still grieving for her father, of course. The adult in him knew that, but how long would he have to wait for Ivy?
Ivy knew how he felt about her, but she had difficulty saying those three little words back to him. He’d told her he loved her before they embarked on a last-minute trip to Catalina Island at the end of the summer. They’d had a blissful couple of days. He’d respected her, but it hadn’t been for lack of desire. Still, when they returned to the mainland, they slipped back into their separate roles. Part of that was out of respect for Ivy’s daughter, as Sunny was making the difficult transition of starting a new school.
At times, he wondered if he was merely convenient for Ivy. Would she be open to building another life with him? Maybe it was time to find out. However, if she broke his heart, seeing her around town in Summer Beach would be tough. Would he be better off biding his time to increase his odds?
He could do nothing and continue the warm, comfortable friendship they had. An occasional romantic dance on the beach, holding hands in public, even an occasional kiss that sent fiery desire he’d long thought dead through him—but nothing more than that. It seemed neither of them wanted to risk getting hurt.
Nan appeared in the open doorway. “Looks like you have a lot on your mind, Mr. Mayor.” In her hand, she held a red velvet Santa hat with a broad white, faux-fur trim. “Mind trying this on? It’s for the annual gift giveaway at the children’s club. We’re all wearing them this year.”
Bennett shook thoughts of Ivy from his head and took the Santa cap from Nan. After putting it over his cropped hair, he held out his hands. “What do you think?”
“Like a surfer Santa.” Nan giggled. “Maybe I’ll get a white beard for you.”
“Might as well complete the look,” Bennett said. He took off the hat. “I have to review the final budgets for the coming year this morning. Let me know if I’m needed for anything.”
As he reviewed the financials, through his open office door he could see Nan adding to the holiday decorations and hear her humming to the music station that was now playing holiday music around the clock. December was the quietest time of the year for him, both in city government and real estate. Shops in the village were busy, though few people ventured onto the beach except for the walkers and runners and surfers. It was too chilly to play in the surf.
He gazed out over the ocean, picking out ships on the horizon and sailboats closer to Summer Beach’s marina. Turning his attention back to his work, he focused on his task until he realized it was after lunchtime.
With his stomach reminding him, Bennett finished his review and pushed back from his desk. After the lunch crowd, Java Beach would be slower. He wanted to talk to Mitch.
As Bennett walked into the coffee shop, he ducked under an old fishing net by the door and nodded toward a younger man in a tie-dyed T-shirt and sandy, sun-bleached hair. Vintage Polynesian travel posters adorned the walls, and beach reggae music filled the air. A few lingering lunch guests were on the patio watching the waves under heat lamps, a handy staple in mild Southern California winters.
“Hey, Mr. Mayor,” Mitch said, grinning. “Hungry?”
“What’s good today?”