What The Heart Finds Read online

  “Well… your new found extensive car knowledge aside,” he said, smirking. “I will put this in easy terms. You need an engine rebuild.”

  Lena felt the words settle on her heavy. Of course. Of course she would need the most expensive and time-consuming repair. It was like the universe was trying to keep her stranded in that town.

  “Look if it’s the money…”

  “It’s not the money,” she said quickly. Too quickly. Too desperately. It wasn’t the money. She couldn’t let it be the money. That was never going to be her life again. She swore she would never let herself live in a way that money was the biggest factor in decision-making. “It’s the… time,” she said, her tone less urgent.

  “Yeah,” Eric said, shrugging. “unfortunately there isn’t much I can do about that. If it was another car, I could take a trip to the junkyard a few towns over… see what I could find to work with. But with your ridiculous foreign car here…”

  “Hey,” she broke in, feeling insulted. Which was stupid. But she had spent months researching cars before making her decision. “It’s a good car.”

  “Sure,” he said, his lips quirked up like he was privy to some secret she wasn’t. “if you like spending three times the money for every simple repair. But anyway,” he said, moving back out of the garage, away from the music. “there wont be any cars like this at the junkyard. So I am going to need to special order all the parts new. It’s going to take a while to get them in and then the repair itself will take several days.”

  “Wonderful,” Lena said, her tone resigned.

  “Hey…” he said, his head tilted slightly. “there are worse places to be stranded. And… worse people to be stranded with,” he said, leaning closer to her.

  A part of her wanted to close the distance between them. To go up on her tip toes and kiss him. Get it over with. Get the tension out of the way. Because it was there, palpable, insistent. But it was a horrible idea. Everything about Eric O’reilly screamed “bad news”. And the last thing she needed was to get involved with any kind of trouble in some back wood town she was now stuck in.

  “Well,” she said, instead, attempting a cool smile. “It’s lucky everything here is in walking distance,” she said, moving away from him. “At least I don’t have to be stranded with you.”

  Eric laughed, spreading his arms out as she kept backing away. “Awe, but baby… I would make it so worth it.”

  Lena shook her head, turning her back on him and walking quickly away.

  --

  It had been ages since someone new came into town. Eric sat down in his office, propping his feet on top of the mounds of paperwork on his desk. Stars Landing wasn’t exactly the kind of place people thought of when they wanted to go on vacation. They got the occasional inn enthusiasts, and out of town relatives to townspeople… but never someone just there to spend a few days in a small town.

  There hadn’t really been a new face around since Annabelle, Eric realized, closing his eyes and pushing the thought away.

  And of course the first eligible, attractive woman to cross his path in months was some big city broad, all sharp edges and pretentiousness. Eric sighed, running a hand across his forehead. She might be a royal pain in the ass, but he would really enjoy knocking her off her high horse.

  Besides, he had never been the kind of man to back down from a challenge.

  And she was gorgeous in her cool, guarded way. Her white-blonde hair looked like it was long, despite being mercilessly pulled into a tight bun. She had one of those faces: pretty because it had perfect, fine-boned femininity. Her eyes were ever changing, jumping from green to brown depending on the light. Or her mood. Which generally seemed to lean toward serious and impatient. Like she had a million other more important matters to attend to. He wondered fleetingly if that was actually the case, or if she just used it as a front to keep people at a distance.

  Her with her personal space, he smiled, rolling his eyes.

  She was going to be stuck there for at least two weeks. He would wear down all those defenses and see what was lying underneath. A woman that tightly coiled had to be a powerful force of passion underneath. And he would be all too happy to help her explore that side of herself.

  He doubted any man had ever been up to the job before.

  Four

  She woke up the next morning feeling over-heated and frustrated. She hadn’t been able to get any kind information the night before. She had gotten back too late in the afternoon for a tour, Emily suddenly nowhere in sight. Her replacement, a younger man with horn-rimmed glasses and a charming face stayed at reception, casually thumbing through something on his phone. There was no way she was going to be able to get into the computers.

  Dinner had been uneventful. The food simple, but good. Nothing interesting to report back to EM.

  She went back up to her room feeling restless with nowhere to direct her energy. It hadn’t quite occurred to her much before just how much of her life was spent at work. She was always there before anyone else and usually left after everyone, including EM himself. There was always something to be done. A project to tweak. Mail to answer. Even when she went home, she would sit with her laptop open, going over spreadsheets or businesses plants. In an attempt to make herself indispensable to the company. In an effort to prove her worth.

  It had left very little personal time. She didn’t have any friends outside of work. And she hadn’t had a serious relationship in more years than she cared to consider. She couldn’t even quite remember the last time she had a real date. Aside from the man she had dragged to a business gathering at EM’s house where she spent most of her time hobnobbing with important people and abandoning him. She wasn’t actually quite sure how he even got back home that night.

  Lena shook her head. It felt wrong for her to have nothing to do. She wasn’t the kind of woman who could just… relax. What did that even entail? Reading a book? Watching hours of mindless television? Going to some kind of spa and getting pampered?

  She tried to comfort herself with the notion that one day, when she finally had a stable, good paying job, that she could actually take off on her weekends… go places. See things. Get some kind of life.

  But that wasn’t important. What was important was becoming successful. Being stable. Not ever having to worry about money again.

  She thought back suddenly to her mother, sitting at the card table that they used for dining, bills spread across the surface. She had her arms on the table, her head laying on them and sobbing. Because the rent was already a week late and the electric company was going to cut the lights off in three days. And the debt collectors were calling every five minutes, the phone in the living room letting out a shrill cry that made her mother jump and look over at it with dread-filled eyes.

  Lena stood up, scrubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. It didn’t do any good to dwell in the past. She had been doing everything in her power to put distance between that helpless little kid and the woman she was now. She didn’t have to worry about bills. She made sure they were on a strict schedule, sitting down every Tuesday to pay the ones she had planned for that week. There were no late payment fines. No collectors hounding her day and night. She had it all worked out.

  Except when a wrench got thrown in the works, she reminded herself with a sigh. An engine rebuild was going to set her back in more ways than she cared to consider. If she put it on her credit card, she would accrue untold amounts of interest before she paid it off. Besides, that wasn’t an option seeing as she was trying to keep her business affiliation secret in the town. So her only option was to take the money out of her savings. Which was going to take months to replace.

  But, she reminded herself, grabbing her purse, it was the only choice. And she was just going to have to live with that.

  The town was almost eerily quiet. The stores were all dark, despite it only being a little after ten in the morning. There were hand written signs on th
e door announcing a late opening because of the tasting at Sam Flynn’s farm, along with directions to where it was.

  Lena felt a sudden jolt of disappointment. At being the odd man out. Of missing out on something. Which was absurd seeing as it was just a silly little tasting event.

  “Girl, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Maude’s voice called, sounding a bit out of breath. Lena turned, watching the woman quickly coming up the sidewalk. “Whoosh,” she said, holding her chest. “you walk too fast. Come on,” she said motioning for Lena to follow her.

  “Come where?” Lena asked, her brows drawing together.

  “To Sam’s,” Maude said as if that should have been obvious. “I know you’re having a bit of car trouble so I figure I’ll take ya. No reason you should be missing out, you know?”

  Lena had a split second of doubt, her instinctual distrust of strangers rearing up before she pushed it away. Maude seemed harmless. Maternal almost. “Right. That would be great. Thank you,” she said, offering her first genuine smile in days.

  Sam Flynn’s farm was situated on the very outskirts of town, past another small farm with a small square house. His farm was situated on a massive piece of land. A large white colonial met them as they parked… across the road, completely blocking it.

  Maude got slowly out of the car, linking her arm with Lena’s in a familiar way. She led her around the back of the house where on a large wooden porch was a DJ playing loud, chart topping hits.

  She didn’t quite know what she had been expecting. Maybe a few tables set up with various cheeses to sample. She certainly hadn’t been expecting what was equivalent to a small town fair. There were games set up: dunking booth, shooting games, fishing games, whack-a-mole type games. Empty save for a few children too young for school age.

  “It’s a bit slow now,” Maude supplied, taking in the group of adult residents. “Once the school lets out, this place will be swamped.”

  There was half a dozen baby goats set up in a temporary pen, jumping around happily behind a sign that said “Pet A Billy”.

  Further off to one side were four long catering tables with elegant white cloths. Various cheeses were set up on immaculate butcher blocks next to piles of crackers and fruit. But the way it was situated almost implied it was just an afterthought, not the main attraction.

  “This is quite the event,” she remarked, wincing at the formality of her tone.

  “Oh all the town events are. We know how to go all out,” she said, winking at her as she led her toward a small group of people. “Sam, you handsome devil,” she called to the group as they got closer. “come meet my new friend.”

  Sam turned around, an easy, lopsided grin spreading across his face. He was all charm, six feet of warmth and shaggy blonde hair. He had on casual blue jeans and a red and white flannel shirt open in the front. Lena self-consciously looked down at her slack and stiff starched white peplum blouse. She was sticking out like a sore thumb in this place.

  “Hey how are you?” he said, coming up and reaching for her hand. “Welcome to Stars Landing Miss…”

  “Edwards,” she supplied, smiling. “But please call me Lena.”

  “Lena,” he repeated, his smile still in place. “I’m Sam.”

  “You have a lovely home,” she remarked, always quick with formal small talk.

  “Thank you,” he said, sounding genuinely pleased at the compliment. “I know it is slow right now but please… wander around, eat some food. Have a good time. People will start showing up soon.”

  Maude excused herself a moment later, moving to talk to a gorgeous middle aged man and who looked to be the town sheriff.

  Lena wandered around aimlessly for a while, looking at the games, the bobbing for apples barrel, the baby goats. She followed the colorful flags that lead in and through the barn. She walked out the back of the breezeway doors and froze.

  Because there, standing next to a tractor that was pulled open at the sides, revealing it’s inner workings… was Eric O’reilly.

  She tried to retreat, stepping back silently on the concrete floor. But the movement must have caught his eye and he turned, a big sly grin creeping across his face.

  “Well you certainly didn’t walk all the way here,” he said, standing up straight, looking too good in blue jeans and a tight black t-shirt. “What’s the matter, baby, cant stay away from me after all?”

  “Sorry I cant stroke your ego,” she said, wondering why she was even engaging with him. “I’m here for the little fair.”

  Eric chuckled, a deep throaty sound that made her uneasy. “Baby, it’s not my ego I want you to stroke.”

  “Seriously,” Lena burst out. “what is wrong with you? Who ever taught you it was okay to speak to women like…”

  “Hey Eric,” a female voice broke in, all honey. “Being your usual charming self, I see,” she said, walking up and handing him a lemonade with mint leaves in it.

  She was lovely in all her delicate, bird-like build. Her velvet brown hair fell straight to her elbows around her sweet, open face dominated by large green eyes. “Hi, I’m Anna,” she said, smiling genuinely.

  Eric was looking down at Anna, a look of reverence in his eyes, almost painful in it’s intensity. “I’m Lena,” she said, smiling back.

  “Eric,” she said, turning back to him. “Maude would like to speak with you,” she said, the words heavy with some unknown meaning. He walked past Lena, so close his shoulder brushed hers. He looked down at her and winked. “Maude is the town psychic,” Anna informed her, watching Eric’s retreating form. “Eric has been her little pet project for the past few years.”

  “She has a long way to go I’m afraid,” Lena said, shaking her head.

  Anna’s face softened a bit. “I know he seems like a real tool at first meeting…”

  “And second. And third,” Lena agreed.

  Anna laughed, the sound airy and musical. “He has an awful reputation with women…”

  “Are you going to try to tell me it isn’t true… because… just look at the man.”

  “Oh no,” Anna said, grinning. “it is all true. But he’s not a bad man. I actually dated him briefly before I got serious with Sam.”

  “Oh,” Lena said, realization hitting her. “you’re Annabelle Goode. With the amazing soap.”

  “Yes, that’s me,” she agreed, standing up straighter. “I’m glad you like them.”

  “So tell me,” Lena said, moving to stand next to Anna by the tractor. “how does someone date Sam and Eric simultaneously? They’re so…”

  “Different,” Anna finished, shrugging. “I was new in town. Sam was my next door neighbor. And Eric was… well… he was Eric,” she said with a wicked glint in her eyes.

  “Alright. You got my attention,” Lena said, feeling an attachment to the woman she had just met.

  “I really cared for both of them in different ways. They were both just… always there for me whenever I needed anything. Kind, patient…”

  “Wait… we are talking about the same Eric, right?” Lena laughed.

  “I know. He wears that sexual energy right out there for everyone to see. But he’s genuinely a good person underneath.” Her face went a little guilty. “Don’t ever tell him I told you that. He made me promise to let him uphold his reputation.”

  “Scouts honor,” Lena agreed. “So what happened? Why did you end up with Sam?”

  “I guess I was being just… selfish dating them both. I knew Eric had strong feelings for me and I kept going to him even though a part of me knew it was meant to be Sam.”

  So Eric had loved Anna. Looking at her, she could see why. Even if Anna seemed a bit too young for him. She was just adorable and sweet, an air of innocence hung around her like a force field. It would be hard to not love someone like her. Even someone as aloof as Eric O’reilly must have seen that.

  “How long have you two been together?”

  “Well… about two ye
ars. Give or take the first few months.”

  “He seems like a great guy,” Lena said, feeling a strange emptiness inside, a nagging feeling that she was missing out on something that Anna had obviously found for herself.

  “He really is,” Anna agreed, smiling.

  A short silence hung in the air, Anna looking off into the distance. “So how can I get that soap of yours in the city?”

  The rest of the afternoon was a blur of meeting townspeople, eating too much food, and pretending to avoid the ever-present eye of Eric who seemed to have finished fixing the tractor and was carelessly lounging around, and, surprisingly chasing around a couple of small children.

  Before she had even realized it, it was well after four in the afternoon and her stomach was grumbling for something more substantial than cheese and crackers. She looked around for Maude, realizing it had been a long time since she spotted her.

  “Hey Anna,” she called, walking over to her and Sam. She was leaning against his chest, his arm around her stomach. “Have you seen Maude anywhere? She was my ride…”

  “Oh,” Anna said, moving away from her husband and looking around. “You know… I haven’t seen her in a while.”

  “She couldn’t possibly have… forgotten me,” Lena said, her eyebrows drawing together.

  “Hey,” a familiar voice said just behind her shoulder. “Maude made me promise to get you back to town safely,” Eric said, his tone casual.

  “She actually left me?” Lena asked, turning around with shock.

  “Seems that way, baby,” he said, drawing out the last word.

  “Well thank you, but no. I will find another way back.”

  “I can,” Sam started to break in.

  Anna quickly grabbed Sam’s arm, whispering under her breath something about two years. Sam looked down at her for a second blankly, before turning to Lena and Eric, nodding slightly.