Coffee Sonata

A story of Rediscovery and Romance

Nothing exciting ever happens in East Quay, a quaint New England coastal town. Not until its most celebrated daughter returns for one last performance.

Four women, Manon, Eryn, Vivian and Mike, whose lives unexpectedly intersect in a small town by the sea share one thing in common -- they all have secrets. Despite tragedy, past and present, each learns that life holds more than they dared dream.Manon Belmont, socialite and president of a wealthy foundation, leads a closeted life. She thrives helping others, but denies herself happiness for reasons she shares with no one. Nothing is the same after she meets Eryn Goddard, a reporter who has lost track of her dream of a grand writing career years ago. Eryn is suddenly rescued from her mundane assignments at the local paper when Vivian Harding, East Quay's only world famous celebrity, returns for a farewell performance. Vivian carries with her a secret that she fears has not only ended her career, but will also destroy her life. She finds an unexpected source of understanding in Michaela “Mike” Stone, a street smart and brilliant café owner. Mike, in turn, works hard developing her business, and even harder at overcoming the shadows of her past. She feels utterly protective of Vivian, but will she dare to open her heart again?

Coffee Sonata

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Course of Action

Coffee Sonata

Sheridan’s Fate

September Canvas

Fierce Overture

The Supreme Constellations Series:

Protector of the Realm

Rebel’s Quest

Warrior’s Valor

Coffee Sonata

© 2006 By Gun Brooke. All Rights Reserved.

ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-294-8

This Electronic Book is published by

Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

P.O. Box 249

Valley Falls, New York 12185

First Edition: May 2006

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

Credits

Editors: Jennifer Knight, Shelley Thrasher and Stacia Seaman

Production Design: Stacia Seaman

Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])

Pol, USA, helped me research backgrounds and chisel out the back story of my characters.

Jay, Canada, read everything, commented on everything, and helped me keep track of the plot and stay in tune with the characters throughout the story.

G. J. Griffin, New Zealand; meticulous, patient, and with an eye for grammar, spelling, syntax, and style. This is the umpteenth story she has helped me with, bless her heart.

Georgi, Scotland, reader extraordinaire, gave me fantastic feedback and a lot of encouraging support.

Barbara, USA, read, commented, read again, and kept assuring me I was on the right path.

Lisa, Sweden, helped me keep my “Swedish voice” though I write in English. No-nonsense and grounded, my Swedish beta reader was invaluable to me.

Also thank you to Mom, Malin, and Henrik, for your never-ending support.

Bold Strokes Books:

Radclyffe, publisher, thank you for the wonderful environment you create for us at Bold Strokes. I am blessed to belong to the best publishing house possible!

Dr. Shelley Thrasher, editor, thank you for making me look good! You make my voice stronger, and my stories better, and I love working with you.

Sheri, graphic artist, I loved the cover the moment I saw it, and didn’t want to change a thing. You are a wiz!

Stacia Seaman, editor, thank you for your Argus eyes, with which you examine every single syllable. The quality of your work is amazing.

Connie Ward, publicist, Lori A, newsletter editor, thank you for all that you do to promote BSB books.

For Elon

Who loves coffee——and me!

For Joanne

Who showed me Rhode Island, and who loves coffee and music——just like me!

My Warrior Princess,

Remember our deal; I keep you safe and you save the world.

For my family and friends…...

Whether you drink coffee or not—your voices are music to my ears.

For my love
I exhale your name out of gratitude
And passion
It rolls off my tongue when I am awake
And in dreams

I breathe it against your lips
Before the kiss
I want to taste your name
Across your skin

I will murmur it against your neck
Let it vibrate against you
Where as my voice is breathless
Yours is distinct and precise

You say my name like it was coffee
You know it throws me
It will be easy to hide in you
Wrap your love around me

Then when fire consumes us
I will bless us with your name

Gun Brooke, 2001

“What do you mean, you want to cancel the tour, Vivian?” Malcolm Hayes said. “You’re scheduled for concerts in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. They’ll claim damages and might damn well get them.”

Vivian Harding turned from the window to her obviously stunned agent. “I don’t care. I can’t do anything about it, Malcolm.” Impatient, she tapped the surface of the Venetian desk in her hotel room with perfectly manicured fingernails. “Just make it happen.”

“But why so late? And so sudden?”

“I…I can’t talk about it now. We’ll discuss it in more detail when I’m back in the States.”

“What’s the matter? You don’t have anybody to water your plants right now?”

“Don’t be a smart-ass.” Vivian pressed trembling fingers to her eyelids. “I fully intended to honor my contract, Malcolm. All I can say right now is that this is the only course of action.”

“Dear God. You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Malcolm was also her friend, and Vivian watched with regret how utterly stricken he looked as he sank down on a chair behind the desk.

After a brief silence he cleared his throat and began again. “I’ll take care of it, Viv. I promise.”

The bell above the café door gave a muted ping. As Michaela Stone glanced up from folding napkins behind the counter, she saw a woman she didn’t recognize coming toward her.

Dressed in a casual yet elegant white and navy blue sweat suit, she looked like she’d just stepped off a yacht. Maybe she had. Her blond hair, kept in a loose twist, sparkled like it was alive. Mike found herself imagining how it would look if it were set free.

“Welcome to the Sea Stone Café,” she managed, embarrassed to realize that she was staring. “I’m Mike. What can I get you?”

“Just coffee.” The woman’s voice was so rich and full it reminded Mike of a blend of espresso and smooth Belgian chocolate.

“There’s no such thing as ‘just coffee,’ ma’am.” Mike pointed at the blackboard over the counter with a grin. “We offer ten different beans, and you can have brewed coffee, boiled coffee, ice coffee, cappuccino, latte, macchiato…well, you see over there?”

“Ah…nothing ordinary will do, I see.” Raising her porcelain blue eyes to the board, the woman read through all the coffee varieties. “Okay, a house blend cappuccino.”

“Excellent choice. Coming right up.” Mike abandoned the napkins and walked over to the espresso machine. While her hands automatically created the cappuccino, she thought about the woman waiting for it. It wasn’t tourist season in New Quay, Rhode Island, and even then, she rarely saw anyone who looked like this woman just drop in. It wasn’t just her clothes that suggested wealth and sophistication. The way the blonde carried herself, with ease and elegance, suggested a well-leveled self-confidence.

She placed an extra piece of chocolate on the saucer but stopped just as she was about to serve the coffee. “Would you rather sit at a table?”
Not just yet.

“The bar’s fine, Mike. I’m Vivian, by the way.” She waited until Mike had put the coffee down before extending her hand and barely missed the cup. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, Vivian.” It was surprisingly easy to call her by her first name. Vivian felt familiar.
People never feel familiar this fast. What’s going on?
Mike cleared her throat. “Just visiting East Quay?”

“Yes, for a while. I’m on…hiatus.”

Interesting choice of words.
“Staying at the Marriott?”

Vivian didn’t appear to mind the third degree. She sipped her coffee and looked relaxed. “No, I’m borrowing my friends’ beach house with my two dogs. It’s their summer home, but I look forward to sitting by the fire this winter.”

“Ever experienced a New England winter? You may be surprised if you haven’t.”

Vivian laughed and the sound rippled down Mike’s spine. “I know they can be brutal. I grew up in East Quay, a thousand years ago. The town has changed a lot, but I’m sure the winters are the same.”

“We get snowed in all the time. As odd as it sounds, that’s good for business.”

“Yes, I bet people are even more interested in hot coffee when there’s a cold wind outside.”

“You got it.”

Mike caught herself staring at Vivian and grabbed a new pile of napkins. She neatly folded one in three, turned it over once, and attached the simple brass napkin ring.