California Dreaming: Four Contemporary Romances (84 page)

The friends hugged and got to work.

The next few hours passed in a blur as Sarah helped Mandy lay out the food and serve buffet style. Her chef had outdone herself: tender salmon steamed with capers and lemon, garlicky pesto pasta, and grilled vegetables served as the centerpiece to the feast. Sarah knew Mandy had thrown in her labor for free to showcase her talent. A stack of business cards advertised her new business “Momentous Meals by Mandy.”

Hunter came up to her after everyone had been served. “Sit. Now. Remember? Rest. Your mother has been asking for you.”

He led her to a table where Annie, John, Marcos, and Elizabeth were seated. “I’ll get you a sparkling water.”

Annie smiled at her. “It was perfect. I don’t know how to ever thank you.”

Sarah grinned. “Spread the word. That’s all I ask!”

Her mother grinned at her. “Spoken like a true businesswoman.”

It was time for the tables to be turned. “So when are you going to make an honest woman of my mother?” she asked Marcos.

“Sarah!” Her mother’s horrified voice was overridden by Annie’s peals of laughter.

Marcos shook his head. “Alas. I have tried to get the beautiful Elizabeth to marry me, but she does not wish it. She says she likes to be an independent woman.”

“Really?” Sarah arched her eyebrows at her mother.

Hunter sat down and handed her a drink. “What did I miss?”

“My mother thinks it’s okay to live in sin.”

“Now, Sarah, I didn’t say that.” Elizabeth protested.

“You didn’t have to,” Sarah retorted.

“It’s not that,” Elizabeth protested. “I’m just not ready.”

“Oh! I see there is hope. I will redouble my efforts,” Marcos said. “Thank you, Miss Sarah.”

Hunter interrupted the thread of conversation. “I had a buddy in the war. He was Italian — well, Italian-American. His name was Marco and he got very upset if someone called him Marcos. Said it was Spanish.”

Marcos rolled his eyes. “I have had to deal with this all my life. My mother’s family migrated from Spain through France to Italy. ‘Marcos’ appears every other generation, a tribute to the ‘old country’.” He shrugged. “It is annoying, but it is my name.”

Hunter smiled. “I see.”

“And you? I have never met a man named Hunter before.”

Hunter chuckled. “My mother claims we have Native American blood. She thought ‘Hunter’ sounded more authentic than Malcolm, which was my father’s choice.”

Marcos laughed. “We are victims of our mothers, then?” He raised his glass.

“Yes.” Hunter clinked.

Mandy came over and whispered in Annie’s ear.

Annie stood up and reached her hand to John. “Mandy says it’s time to cut the cake.” She started to walk toward the three-tiered cake displayed on a side table. Elizabeth and Marcos followed.

Hunter took Sarah’s hand and looked straight into her eyes. “When the time is right, I’m going to ask you to marry me, Sarah Ladina. I will do everything in my power to convince you to say ‘yes’ so we can build a home together.”

Sarah smiled at him. “I’ll take that under consideration.”

“See that you do.” Hunter helped her to her feet, drew her close to him, and kissed her.

Two issues confronting the United States right now sparked the idea for this book. With the great numbers of wounded veterans coming home, looking for work, and not always able to get the treatment they deserve, I knew I wanted the hero of the book to be a disabled veteran trying to regain his footing. As I wrote about Hunter, I knew he had to stand for everything that was right about the brave young men and women of our military.

The second issue is more controversial — the great debate about children — born and unborn. I’ve known women in Sarah’s situation, women who have become accidently pregnant and who must make adjustments in their lives. I’ve been a single mother with a full-time job in Corporate America. Fortunately, the company and the boss I worked for gave me a great deal of flexibility and for that I’m grateful. With Sarah, I tried to build a character that had to face the decisions and challenges of an unanticipated pregnancy.

If you liked this book, consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or Barnes & Noble. It really helps spread the word! Thank you in advance!

If you haven’t read the first two books in this series,
California Sunset
and
California Wine
, they are available at your favorite online bookstore as print or e-books.

I write stories about real problems and love on the banks of the Clark Fork River in Montana. To learn more about me, visit my website and blog,
www.stories-about-love.com
. You can also follow me on:

Facebook (
https://www.facebook.com/Casey.Stories.About.Love
),

Twitter (
https://twitter.com/CaseyDawesAutho
),

Goodreads (
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6423066.Casey_Dawes
), or Pinterest (
http://pinterest.com/caseydawes/
).

Real problems, real stories, real love.

Avon, Massachusetts

Copyright © 2014 by Casey Dawes.

All rights reserved.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by

Crimson Romance

an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.

10151 Carver Road, Suite 200

Blue Ash, OH 45242. U.S.A.

www.crimsonromance.com

ISBN 10: 1-4405-8091-X

ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-8091-8

eISBN 10: 1-4405-8092-8

eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-8092-5

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author's imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

Cover art © iStockphoto.com/Chris Gramly and iStockphoto.com/bc_dan

To Kaycee MacKenzie, who created beauty in the world she touched, including the title of this book. She was a woman who died too young.

Thank you to the team at Crimson Romance, for being willing to take a chance on an unknown author two years ago. My life has never been the same! I’d especially like to thank Jess Verdi, who has helped make
California Thyme
the best it can be.

My writing group always holds my feet to the fire. Thank you, ladies!

As always, my DH is there beside me, encouraging me when I’m discouraged, cheering me on when good news comes my way.

To a new member of my team, my personal trainer, Bonnie Bell.

To Kaycee McKenzie, owner of Joyful Table, who came up with the name for this book. I miss you, love.

To Casey’s Cats who help me get the word out about my new books, especially Patti Fuentes, and Lynn Gilbert Buddenbohm. Lynn makes a cameo appearance in this book.

And most of all to you, dear reader. Without you this story is lifeless. I need your participation in this intimate dance of writing and reading. Bless you.

1. Title Page
   
2. Copyright Page
   
3. Dedication
   
4. Acknowledgments
   
5. Map
   
6. Chapter 1
   
7. Chapter 2
   
8. Chapter 3
   
9. Chapter 4
   
10. Chapter 5
    
11. Chapter 6
    
12. Chapter 7
    
13. Chapter 8
    
14. Chapter 9
    
15. Chapter 10
    
16. Chapter 11
    
17. Chapter 12
    
18. Chapter 13
    
19. Chapter 14
    
20. Chapter 15
    
21. Chapter 16
    
22. Chapter 17
    
23. Chapter 18
    
24. Chapter 19
    
25. Chapter 20
    
26. Chapter 21
    
27. Chapter 22
    
28. Chapter 23
    
29. Chapter 24
    
30. Chapter 25
    
31. Chapter 26
    
32. Chapter 27
    
33. Chapter 28
    
34. Epilogue
    
35. About the Author
    
36. A Sneak Peek from Crimson Romance
    

Mandy dumped her discontent and walked into the Costanoa Grill for her evening shift. Waitressing in an upscale restaurant in a beach town in the summer was a decent job. One she was lucky to have in this economy.

As she entered the staff room, Carolyn, a fellow waitress, tapped her on the shoulder. “Good looker just sat down at table nine. He was here last week, too. No wedding band. Jill says he’s a good tipper. Lucky you.”

Mandy smiled. Big tips meant more money in her savings account. Her Subaru was still running, but the high mileage made her nervous. “If the tip is really big, I’ll share, but I’m not interested in anything else.”

“You should be. You’re not getting any younger.” Carolyn tossed her coffee cup in the overflowing trash and went back to work.

Twenty-five isn’t old.

Mandy glanced at the man seated at table nine. His lean profile and square jaw were classically handsome.

If
I
were
in the market for a man, this one would do just fine
.

Plucking a sweating water pitcher from the tray, she made her way through the scattered tables to a two-seater by the window. As she picked up his glass to fill it, she smiled at him and said, “Hi, I’m Mandy, and I’ll be your server this evening. Would you like anything to drink besides water?”

His lips curled into a grin, revealing the straight white teeth of a Hollywood smile, a smile that went all the way to his sea-green eyes. The wrap-around sunglasses perched on his sun-blond hair gave him a casual elegance belied by the Rolex on his tan wrist.

Her heart beat a little faster.

Good thing I’m a professional.

She put the water glass down without spilling a drop. “We have an excellent wine list if you’d like to see it.”

“How do you know I’m a wine connoisseur and not a Bud man?” he challenged.

She gestured to his pressed short-sleeve shirt. “A Bud man wouldn’t be caught dead in that.”

He laughed. “You’re right about that!”

Heat rose in her cheeks. “I’ll get you that list.” She brought the water pitcher back to its tray, hoping her face cooled on the way.

Moments later she was back with the thick, imitation-leather-bound book. “I don’t know if you realize this, but you’re at the edge of one of the oldest wine regions in California. We have a nice selection of local beverages on our menu. The Santa Cruz Mountains appellation is particularly known for Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, although there are a few outstanding Cabernet vineyards, too.”

She snapped her mouth shut, wishing she could cut down on her ability to over-share.

“Glad to see your enthusiasm for your job.” He gestured to the purple streak in her hair. “Neat color.”

“Thank you. I’ll return in a few minutes.”

She checked in with her other diners, all the while trying to squash her awareness of the masculine vibe emanating from table nine.