Summer at Lake Haven Read online

  Her new neighbor looked at the dock, then back at her, his blue eyes as troubled as the lake on a stormy afternoon. “It is. It’s vital. I must have water access during our stay.”

  If that’s the case, maybe you should have nailed down ownership of the dock before you rented the property. Again, she could hear her mother’s crankiness coming through her thoughts and swallowed down the words.

  “Can I dry off first?” she asked, a little annoyed at his urgency. It was only a dock, for heaven’s sake. There was a marina only a five-minute drive from here where he could moor any boat he had rented during his stay.

  “How much?”

  She blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “How much would it take for me to secure permission to use the dock for the summer? I don’t want to have to go to Serenity Harbor or down to the marina every time I need to go out on the water, if I can avoid it.”

  A gust of wind blew across the lake and Sam shivered as it knuckled beneath her wet clothes with icy fingers. She had a sudden crazy impulse to snap back that no amount would be enough. She had jumped into the icy waters of Lake Haven to rescue his child and was still shivering from it, hadn’t she? And now he was insulting her by implying she was crass and greedy enough to let him do anything he wanted if he paid her enough money.

  She could imagine her mother’s reaction too easily. After a lifetime, it was hard to shut her out. Linda would have never allowed him to use the dock. Or if she did, she might have tried to bilk entirely too much money for it.

  Over the past few months as she tried to adjust to life without her mom, Samantha had become fairly good at imagining what Linda might have done in any given situation...and then doing exactly the opposite.

  She swallowed her annoyance at her neighbor. Maybe he was jet-lagged or something. Or maybe it was a cultural thing, that he didn’t understand how rude his implication was that he could buy his way past any hurdle.

  “Go ahead and use the dock.” She forced a smile. “It’s fine. I don’t have a boat and don’t expect to get one any time soon, so it will only be unused all summer.” As it’s been unused for every summer since she was seven years old.

  Eyebrows furrowed, he studied her as if trying to figure out her game. She wanted to tell him that sometimes a generous act was simply that. Generous, with no strings attached or hidden motivations.

  “Thank you,” he said. “That’s very gracious of you.”

  “Your sister is my friend, Mr. Summerhill. It’s the least I can do for Gemma.”

  Something in her brisk tone must have alerted him to her annoyance. He opened his mouth as if to apologize but before he could, a woman in her late sixties hurried out of the house next door. She was tall and thin to the point of gauntness, with large glasses and short-cropped hair, but her face still somehow emanated a kindness that made her plain features warm and attractive.

  “Oh, good gracious. There you are. We were all supposed to be having a kip from the long flight. I close my eyes for five minutes and the two of you escape. And it looks like someone had a dunking, as well. Oh, Thomas. What have you done now?”

  “I was looking for salmon and I leaned over too far and lost my balance.”

  “Oh, dear. I’m sorry, m’...sir,” she said to Ian.

  “We’re the ones who are sorry, Mrs. Gilbert,” the girl said, though she didn’t look particularly repentant.

  “Sorry, Mrs. Gilbert,” the boy said. Samantha was relieved to see his teeth had finally stopped chattering. She wished her own would, but he had been wrapped in her sweater while she was still barely dressed.

  “No harm done, thanks to Ms. Fremont here.” The woman’s employer gave Samantha a stiff smile.

  “Bless you, then,” Mrs. Gilbert said, her eyes bright and so warm that Samantha immediately liked her. “Let’s get you into some dry clothes, young man. Come along. You, too, Amelia.”

  They waved at Sam and then followed after the woman like ducklings, leaving her alone with their father.

  She almost wished she had snatched her sweater back from Thomas before he left her alone with a man who was entirely too good-looking for her peace of mind.

  It was a very good thing she had decided she was swearing off men for now or she would definitely make a fool of herself over someone like Ian Summerhill.

  * * *

  AFTER LETTY AND the children headed for their rental house, Ian was uncomfortably aware that he was alone with Samantha Fremont, in her thin, soaked clothing and her wet hair whose true color he couldn’t really tell.

  Something told him it was probably not wise to spend much time on his own with her. How unfortunate for him that his new next-door neighbor was so lovely. Soft, pretty, curvy.

  “Thank you again for rescuing my son,” he said, trying not to notice how her clothing clung to those curves. “He can be a bit of a rascal at times but I’m rather fond of him.”

  “You’re welcome.” She didn’t appear to like him very much, though he couldn’t quite figure out why.

  “Thank you also for your offer to allow the use of your dock. It’s very generous of you. Are you quite certain you don’t mind? We’re here until after Gemma’s wedding.”

  “It’s fine.”

  Yes. She definitely didn’t like him.

  Usually that wouldn’t have bothered him but the woman was Gemma’s friend, he would be living next to her for the next few weeks and she was doing him the tremendous favor of allowing use of a dock to which he wasn’t entitled, contrary to his short-term rental agreement. He would be having a word with the estate agent who had helped him find the place.

  “I’m sorry if I came across as too vehement earlier. I’m a professor, you see, of marine biology,” he felt compelled to explain. “While we’re here, I’m studying the particular subspecies of kokanee salmon that live in Lake Haven, which is remarkably similar genetically to a subspecies in England.”

  “Funny. I would have thought you were here for your sister’s wedding.”

  Ian felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. “You’re correct. That is the main reason for our trip. In this instance, I’m fortunate to be able to combine work with pleasure. The salmon here in Lake Haven breed in chalk streams similar to a unique strain we have in Dorset and have evolved similarly. I’ve been interested in comparing the two subspecies for years, long before Gemma moved to this area to work for Caine Tech. It seems a dream come true to actually be able to study them in person.”

  He sounded an utter idiot. Get him around a beautiful woman and he completely lost his brain. Why would he possibly think she might be interested in salmon, unique or otherwise?

  She gave a smile that looked forced. “How fortuitous that your sister’s wedding allowed you the chance to tick an item off a bucket list. I hope you enjoy your stay here in Haven Point. Will you excuse me now? I need to find some dry clothes.”

  “Yes. Of course. Forgive me for keeping you. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.”

  “No doubt,” she said. “Good afternoon.”

  He nodded and she turned to hurry back to her house.

  Ian watched her go for a moment before he turned back to the lake with its infinite mysteries.

  Clouds were gathering among the peaks of the steep mountains on the other side of the lake. Rain clouds, if he wasn’t mistaken. He had heard there were often thundershowers in these mountain lakes during the afternoons.

  He couldn’t wait to discover the idiosyncrasies of this lake. He had been intrigued by the area for years, more so since Gemma came here to make a new start.

  He found it every bit as beautiful as his sister had described, a pure, vivid blue surrounded by mountains and pine forests. Already he could feel some of the tension that had taken up permanent residence in his spine over the past three years began to ease.

  He and his children both neede
d this. Thomas and Amelia were extraordinarily resilient but they had still struggled since their mother’s death. Amelia was prone to tantrums and random fits of anger and Thomas had become much more clingy.

  He had struggled, as well, Ian acknowledged, mainly to come to terms with his own failures.

  When this holiday was over, Ian would have to put away his biology studies to turn his attention toward his responsibilities to his family. He knew what awaited him. While he dreaded some of it, he knew it was past time. His father had given him time during Susan’s illness and the past year while they all grieved, but Ian knew Henry couldn’t wait any longer.

  He had one last glorious month of freedom.

  Gemma’s wedding had given the perfect excuse to come to a place that fascinated him, to spend more time with his children as they worked on their journey toward healing and to immerse himself in his research.

  He had plenty to focus on while he was in Haven Point. He absolutely did not need the distraction of a soft, curvy woman with hazel eyes and a smile that left him light-headed.

  CHAPTER TWO

  WITHOUT A DOUBT, this was Samantha’s happy place.

  Some people enjoyed the adrenaline rush of a perfect run while downhill skiing. Others found most contentment while curled up in a comfortable chair with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa. Still others thrived as maestros in their own kitchen or while walking a mountain trail at sunrise.

  For Samantha, it was right here in the workroom of her boutique, with a mouth full of pins and her hands holding up a length of gorgeous fabric.

  Sam walked around Gemma Summerhill, who stood on a stool. Gemma had the perfect build to show off her creation. She was slim, tall, with dark hair and the vivid blue eyes she shared with her brother.

  Samantha caught herself. She had told herself she wouldn’t spend another moment thinking about Ian Summerhill. After a restless night with heated dreams that featured a handsome man with those same blue eyes saying tantalizing things to her with a British accent, Samantha had resolved to put the man completely out of her head.

  “Are you doing all right?” she asked his sister. “I only need a moment longer.”

  Gemma, arms in the air, nodded. “For a dress this perfect, I’ll stand here all day. I can’t believe you’ve made so much progress in only a few weeks.”

  “It’s really exquisite, Sam. One of the best dresses you’ve ever designed.” Her best friend, Katrina Bailey Callahan, sat in the corner, watching the proceedings. She was there for moral support for Gemma but had also agreed to help Sam if she needed it.

  Sam had started out helping her mother with fittings. By the time Linda died, their roles had reversed and her mother had played the role of an assistant. Linda had always been the one to help her with fittings. It still seemed odd not to have her there.

  She was grateful for Katrina’s help. While she had employees working out in the boutique area who could help her, including her assistant manager, Rachel Muñoz, she was shorthanded today and didn’t want to take her staff away from the showroom while she focused on the custom design work. She would repay Kat with lunch sometime soon, or maybe an hour or two of babysitting for Kat’s children, Milo and Gabriela.

  “What about your own wedding dress?” Gemma asked.

  Katrina made a face, considering. “Okay, you’re right. My dress was divine, the most gorgeous dress in the world. But yours is definitely a close second.”

  “We will have to agree to disagree on that,” Gemma said, looking so pleased at her reflection in the mirror that Sam had to smile through her pins.

  She loved helping a bride feel her very best on her wedding day. It was one of the best feelings in the world.

  “I’m so grateful you could find the time to make a dress for me,” Gemma added to Sam. “I know how crowded your schedule is.”

  She pinned the last hem. “Never too busy for you,” she vowed, and meant the words.

  She had adored Gemma since the other woman came to Haven Point. She was funny, kind, compassionate. Somehow Gemma had managed to slip seamlessly into the fabric of life in this small Idaho town on the shores of a stunning lake.

  “Ah. You’re the sweetest.” Gemma looked genuinely touched. “Are you certain you’ll be able to finish in time?”

  “It shouldn’t be a problem. There’s not that much left to do. I’ve blocked all my spare sewing time for the next few weeks and intend to put my whole energy toward it.”

  “You’re a doll. Thank you.”

  “I’m honored you’re letting me do this for you.”

  “Don’t be silly. When one of the most amazing clothing designers I’ve ever met is my dear friend, I would be crazy not to ask her to design my wedding gown.”

  Samantha glowed, not only at the praise of her work but because Gemma considered her a friend.

  “Samantha is the best designer in the entire state of Idaho,” Kat said loyally.

  All right, that might be hyperbole but she wasn’t about to argue. Sam did know she was extraordinarily lucky to be here in a town she loved, doing work she loved and surrounded by dear friends.

  “I’m a seamstress,” she felt compelled to clarify. “I’m not really a designer.”

  Katrina made a scoffing sort of noise. “Oh, stop it. The only one in this room who doesn’t consider you a designer is standing there with a pincushion on her wrist.”

  Samantha fought down her instinctive impulse to disagree, to point out the many designs she had tried that were flops.

  Of course Katrina would praise her work. She was Sam’s best friend and had been since they were in grade school. Kat was contractually obligated to give her positive strokes, right? If she wasn’t her best friend, would she still like Sam’s designs?

  She knew that was the negative voice in her head that still spoke in her mother’s voice. Would it ever leave her?

  She felt the twinge of guilt mingled with grief that had become painfully familiar to her since her mother died.

  “I met your brother yesterday,” she told Gemma to distract herself from it. As she spoke, she was careful not to meet Katrina’s gaze this time. Her friend knew her entirely too well and might begin to guess at the whirl of conflicting emotions the man had stirred in her during their brief encounter.

  Gemma’s eyes lit up. “That’s right. I forgot he decided to rent a house near yours. Did you meet the children, as well?”

  “Yes. Actually, I fished Thomas out of the lake when he fell off my dock.”

  “Did you?” Katrina looked shocked, knowing full well her aversion to the water.

  “Oh, thank you,” Gemma exclaimed. “He might be a bit of a rascal but I’m fairly fond of him.”

  Samantha shrugged. “It wasn’t deep water. He might have even been able to pull himself back on the dock or at least hold on to it to get to shore, but I think the cold water knocked the air out of him. I’m glad I was there. It was an accident. Amelia said he was looking at fish and lost his balance.”

  Gemma shook her head. “That boy is going to be the death of poor Mrs. Gilbert, their nanny. He’s even more of a handful than Ian was at that age.”

  Samantha had a difficult time imagining Ian Summerhill as a mischievous, troublesome boy. He seemed too stiff for that. Her mind chose that moment to replay one of those heated dreams she’d had about him and she felt her cheeks flush, hoping neither Kat nor Gemma noticed.

  “I didn’t realize your family was coming to town for the wedding,” Katrina said. “Silly me. I should have realized. How long are they staying?”

  “My parents don’t arrive until the week before the wedding but my brother and his children came to the area a bit early.”

  “Amelia said they’re having an American adventure.”

  Gemma smiled as Sam moved to the other side to finish pinning up the train.

  �
�Ian likely won’t appreciate me spilling his secrets but my brother has been obsessed with the Wild Wild West since he was a boy watching reruns of old Westerns on the telly. Both my brothers loved them. Father, too. He bought them matching cowboy pajamas.”

  She tried again to picture Ian as a boy of Thomas’s age, hair still dark and tousled, eyes still that bright blue, wearing cowboy pj’s and watching old-time heroes riding through the mountains in search of the bad guys who had betrayed them.

  It was an entirely too endearing image. She didn’t want to feel fondly toward him. She didn’t have time to think about him at all.

  She was the one who brought up his name, Sam reminded herself. This whole conversation was entirely her fault.

  “How old are the children?” Katrina asked. As an elementary school teacher and mother of two adopted children, she always focused on children first.

  “Amelia is eight and Ian is six. They’re lovely children, despite everything they’ve been through.”

  “What have they been through?” Kat asked with a concerned frown.

  “It’s very sad actually. Their mother died a year ago of cancer.”

  “Oh,” Sam exclaimed, letting go of the material. “Oh. Those poor dears.”

  “She was sick for a year before that. I think they’re all still figuring out how to go on.”

  That must be the reason for the shadows she thought she had seen in his eyes.

  Sunlight filtered in through her high windows, making the dress glow as Sam quickly finished.

  “I won’t lie. I had my own issues with Susan before she grew ill, but I would never say she wasn’t a loving mother. The children miss her very much. They’re all a little lost, if you want the truth. I’m hoping this time together in Haven Point helps them find their way a little. It certainly worked its magic on me.”