Love Makes the Difference (Sully Point Book 1) (2 page)

After putting a finishing touch on the side of the cake, she
hurried out to the front of the bakery only to stop dead in surprise. Sam was
back. "What are you doing here?"

She'd thought about him ever since he'd left earlier, and it
felt strange to see him so soon.

"I thought I'd buy some cookies. Your father
recommended them," he said with one brow raised as he looked at her
quizzically.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry about how that sounded. I just didn't
expect to see you here again today..." Her voice trailed off into an
uncomfortable silence. She felt her cheeks reddening.

Sam smiled easily at her. "Not a problem. Now how about
a few oatmeal and a few of whatever else you think is good?"

She nodded jerkily and quickly took cookies out of the
display case. "I think the chocolate chip cookies are especially good
today so I'll give you some of those."

"Sounds great," Sam said as he glanced around the
bakery. There were three small tables with chairs set by the front window where
customers could have pastry and a cup of coffee. He turned back to Anna as she
rang up the register. After he paid, he pulled a cookie out of the white paper
bag and took a big bite. "Wow! These are fantastic," he muttered
around the cookie. He swallowed and waved the cookie in the air. "You
should be selling these."

Anna laughed. "I am selling them--to you at the moment."

He shook his head. "No, I mean like a brand across the
country."

"I don't think so," she replied. "I'm fine
with baking them for the community here, but I don't think I'd like a bigger
production."

"I guess. Really wonderful, though. So you don't ever
think about making it big in the cookie world?"

She laughed. "There's a cookie world?"

"And a cupcake world and a donut world. In my reality,
anyway." He laughed with her.

Anna liked his laugh. It was rich and engaging.

"So tell me," he said after eating half of another
cookie. "What does the town think about me, about why I'm here?"

"Ah, you want to know the gossip. Let's see...that
you're from Hollywood making a movie. That's a favorite idea. Or that you're an
international spy. Although, nobody yet has explained to me why an
international spy would end up here in Sully Point."

He chuckled. "Yes, after all, there are so many people
with secret lives hiding out here."

Anna looked down. "You might be surprised."

"I don't know, Sully Point seems pretty above-board to
me. A nice little tourist town with a talented bakery artist."

She looked up at him, startled. He was looking away from
her, into the bag of cookies. He couldn't know anything about her being an
artist...could he? Nobody in town knew about her painting life, so how could
he? She was being silly, she decided, but it was time to change the topic.

"Where are you from, Sam?"

"I've lived all over. Most recently in New York. It's a
relief to be out of the city. And the beach house will be perfect. Quiet with
great views of the ocean. Oh." He stopped and glanced at his watch. "I'd
better hurry, don't know how time got away from me. Your dad is sending a
ladder out to my place soon so I should be there. See you later." He
grinned at her. "Thanks for the talk and the cookies."

Anna walked out from behind the counter to watch him through
the front window. She saw him get into a fancy-looking sports car. That
encounter hadn't gone too badly, she decided. She found him interesting and
funny. A body a sculptor would love, eyes of rich chocolatey-brown that seemed
to see her innermost thoughts, lips that curved into a knowing smile full of
secrets and passion and hands that--of course, none of that mattered.
Impressing gorgeous men was not something she ever had on the agenda.

It wasn't like she'd given up on men--not quite yet. But she
was twenty-three years old and had only ever had one serious relationship,  when
she was a senior in high school. She'd thought Matt loved her as much as she
loved him. Then two weeks after they'd finally made love, he'd dropped her and
moved on to another girl.

That episode had made a big impact on her, she knew.
Probably more than it should have. From then on, she hadn't focused on getting
dates, but instead she'd thrown herself into community and family life, and
most of all her life as an artist. Immersing herself in her art gave her a
sense of belonging and rightness that she couldn't find anywhere else. She
spent as much time as possible in a world filled with art, never more
comfortable than with a paintbrush in her hand.

Whether Sam was fun to talk to or not had no bearing on
anything. He was way out of her league.

* * * *

Sam enjoyed the drive along the oceanside. The roadster was
a dream to drive, but he stayed within the legal speed limit. He'd already
gotten one ticket for speeding since he'd moved to Sully Point.

He glanced at the white paper bakery bag on the seat next to
him. Cookies. The girl could make phenomenal cookies. Actually, he thought, she
wasn't a girl but a woman. Even her pastel green and white polyester uniform
couldn't totally disguise that curvy figure. But something about her projected
a kind of innocence--yet there was also an intriguing depth there, in her eyes,
you could see it in her eyes.

"You're nuts!" he yelled to himself into the wind
as he drove.
Why are you even thinking about her in that way? Get back to
work, finish the house, and settle in. That's the plan and it doesn't call for
any romantic interference.
He contemplated those thoughts for a moment and
then wondered how soon would be too soon to return to the bakery.

* * * *

Dinner that night at the Grainger house was up to Cody to
provide, so naturally they were having pizza with garlic bread and fried
mozzarella. That was always Cody's fallback meal. Anna shook her head as she
set the large, rectangular table in the dining room. The family always ate
dinner in the dining room. It was a legacy from Anna's mom, who had died when
Anna was nine. Her father had continued the tradition of evening meals in that
room as a kind of tribute.

Anna, her father, and Cody traded off food prep duties, even
though Cody had his own place. Holly, the oldest, participated when she was
home, which wasn't as often as it used to be. She lived in the city and her
business there was growing rapidly. Holly's charisma gave her a golden touch
when it came to making money. Anna missed her sister lately as the absences
grew. Holly was a joy to be around, and she was one person that Anna never felt
she had to pretend around. She could be herself and not worry that someone
would be thinking, 'Wonder if she'll ever get married,' or, 'Is she going to
work in the bakery forever?' or other questions. Not that she blamed her
father, but he was pretty obvious sometimes with his little nudges, encouraging
her to go out and have some fun, or maybe to return to college. He couldn't
seem to understand that Anna knew exactly what she wanted to do for the rest of
her life. Her art.

Tonight after dinner she would escape to her studio to
paint. She couldn't wait. The world fell away there as she tapped into a flow
of creativity and passion that felt sometimes as if it came directly from the
universe, putting her in tune with everything around her and more.

Even though Anna still lived at home in the large Grainger
house, her studio was in a building off Main Street. It was a loft with
fantastic light, furnished with a few hand-me-down pieces and had tons of
space. She didn't go there every day, but lately she'd been there more and
more. Images, feelings, thoughts, creations all seemed to jump from her brush
to the canvas in moments of absolute truth.

She heard her father come in the back door through the
kitchen. "I'm in here, Dad," Anna called out.

"Ah, hey there, kiddo," Frank said. "Pizza
again?" When Anna nodded to him, he said, "Okay, that's it. I'm
banning Cody from buying pizza for a while. He's right there at the docks every
day. The least he could do is fix up some fried fish or something to do with
seafood."

"You're the best cook with fish, Dad. If he brings it
you know you'll end up fixing it."

"Maybe it's time I gave up my cooking secrets and
taught Cody."

"If you are doing that, you'd better teach me, too! I
want your secret recipes."

"Right, kiddo."

Anna turned away so her father wouldn't see the wince when
he called her 'kiddo.' She didn't know how to get him to stop calling her that
at her age. Probably he would never see any of his kids as completely grown up.
Still, it was time for her to let him know it bothered her. She knew he had no
idea.

Cody came in with arms full of food. As they opened
everything up and got it onto plates, Cody chattered about some customer who'd
bought a bunch of fishing tackle.

Frank waited for a pause and then said, "Well, I had
another visit from Sam Carter today. Bought a ladder. And he stopped in to see
Anna."

Cody choked for a minute and then swallowed. "Anna? The
new guy is interested in Anna?" He stared at his sister.

"No! Good grief, Dad, it wasn't like that. He came in
to buy some rolls for lunch, then he came back later for cookies because you
told him to. So it wasn't anything like, you know, like he was interested in me
or anything."

"Of course not, didn't mean that at all. Just saying,
he seems to be getting around to all the businesses in town and still nobody
knows just what the heck he's doing here. Have you heard anything more, Cody?"

Cody had a mouthful of garlic bread and waved a hand in the
air.

Anna said, "I don't think we should gossip about the
man. It's not like he has to tell people what he's doing here. He might just be
on a vacation."

"I don't think so," Frank offered. "He told
me he bought old Wally's place on the beach and he's fixing it up. Sounds to me
like he's planning on putting down roots and staying for a while. And Cody,
that reminds me--he's looking to buy a pickup if you know of anybody selling
one right now."

"Oh," Anna said blankly. "He's staying?"

"You ask me," Cody said, "Carter's got
something to hide. Maybe he's one of those mafia guys, or an assassin laying
low. I heard that Maelynne has been telling people he's definitely a movie
producer who's going to rent out her whole motel to make a movie here."

Frank laughed. "Maelynne would say that. She's barely
hanging on until the tourists get here. I guess they should be showing up
starting next week with the weather like this."

Tourism kept Sully Point going with the peak season starting
in May and running through August. Every business in town relied on that annual
influx of money to get through the year. Cody's Bait and Tackle Shop would be
the biggest recipient of tourist dollars in their family, although the bakery
did heavy business as well.

Anna continued to think about Sam staying in Sully Point,
her mind rife with speculation.
He never did say what he was doing here, or
tell me his job,
she thought.
But surely he couldn't be an assassin.
She shook her head.

"Anna? Did you hear me?" Frank asked. "I was
asking if he said anything to you when he came back in for cookies, anything to
give a clue about himself."

"No, not really. We just talked about...stuff."
For some reason she felt herself blush and saw her father's knowing eyes on
her.
Great, now he'll think I have a crush on Sam. Damn.
Finishing her
food, she stood up and began clearing dishes--or at least, she tried to.

"Whoa, what's the rush, Sis? I'm not done yet."

"Sorry, Cody, I just want to get to the studio."

Frank gave her a quick, sharp look. "Tell you what,
kiddo, I'll take clean-up duty tonight. You go on, get outta here."

"Thanks, Dad." Anna bent to give him a kiss on the
cheek. "I may stay late, so don't wait up. And yes, I know," she
said, nodding her head. "Don't come home if it's too late, just stay
there. You've told me enough times."

"All right, go. Enjoy yourself," Frank said and
gave her a pat on the back. She knew he saw how much more relaxed and happy she
appeared at just the idea of going to her studio. The artistic talent came from
her mother, and Frank had always encouraged Anna in exploring it. He did worry
sometimes that she spent too much time up in her studio, but he saw how
fulfilled she was when she returned from a long painting session. His quirky
artist daughter sometimes left him confused, but he would never stand in the
way of her pursuit of happiness.

"Pass the red pepper flakes and parmesan, Cody. And
next week we're cooking fish until you learn how to do it."

"What? What I'd do?"

* * * *

Anna scuffed her old, worn loafers on the sidewalk as she
kicked a pebble in front of her. She'd have to talk to her father, she decided.
It was time to tell him of her idea to move out. It had felt wrong to leave him
all alone in the big house up till now, but these days she felt more
comfortable at the loft. It even had a small kitchen, and with some work, and
the judicious use of divider screens, she could set up a bedroom of sorts. Now
if only she could figure out when to--

A horn honked on the street next to her and she jumped.
Turning quickly, she saw the sports car with Sam Carter behind the wheel.

"Hello, Anna," he said as he pulled the car to the
side of the street next to her. "What are you doing out walking at night
like this?"

"Just going...somewhere...not too far from home, so I
chose to walk. Nothing wrong with that." She felt flustered and off-balance
seeing him suddenly.

"I guess in a small town it is pretty safe to walk
around at night. Like I told you today, I've spent some time recently in a
large city, and there's no way a woman would go walking by herself at night.
Anyway, can I give you a ride?"