Love Revealed: A BWWM Sweet Romance Novel (6 page)

"I've dated but never found someone willing to stick around that long. I think close to a year is my record."

"How about you? After you broke up with your kids father?"

"I saw a couple guys over the years, nothing serious. It’s not just difficult dating while being a single parent it's difficult TO date! Once they find out you've got a kid, things either get way too serious too fast or he wants nothing to do with you"

"I can imagine, I mean it's harsh for you, but as a human who has no kids, it puts you in a tricky situation to find out on a first date there is already a kid around, but then if you don't mention it up front you will get it then for not mentioning it sooner!"

"Yeah, I'm screwed either way, but the sad thing is, once men find out I have a kids, I'm no longer a sexual being, I'm a mom, to somebody else's kid too, at that. I mean I would never introduce a guy to my daughter until at least a couple of months in, unless it's completely unavoidable."

They just sat there in the quiet for a few moments. Both of them feeling defeated, although neither of them could tell why.

"So." Darla started, "I better go in and hug my daughter, I can see her twitching at the curtains in there."

"Really, boy she has some restraint to not run out to you!"

"Yes, she's a very polite kid, she wouldn't charge in when I'm with another grown-up."

"Okay, so, I guess this is goodbye then, unless I find another seal washed up on my island."

"Yep, drop me an email, I'm in the office a lot. You'd be surprised how much paperwork a place like that will generate."

"Okay."

"So, thanks for letting me stay over.” she laughed.

"It was the best storm I've endured yet." and he smiled

"Actually, do you mind if I ask for your cell phone number? It may be easier to get a hold of you that way. If I have another seal emergency,” he asked her.

"Of course,” she regretted her eager response and could feel her face flushing. She scribbled it down on a piece of paper and gave it to him. He stuck it in his shirt pocket and said thanks.

Darla opened the door of the car and stepping out felt the heat of the day on her face. Guy helped her get her bag out of the trunk and they had a brief hug and she was gone up the garden path. He stood there watching her go and felt a pang of jealousy and curiosity as the door was opened and she walked into a house full of open arms and squeals of happiness. The door shut behind her and he got into the car. He didn't know where to go next. It felt like all his plans had just melted out of his head. It took him a few moments to remember what he was here on the mainland for. He decided first, he would go for a coffee and a bagel at the local diner.
 

Betty's was a very quaint little diner. It looked like it hadn't changed at all since the early sixties. They still sold milkshakes and pie, and coffee was refilled free of charge. Betty was the owner, but no longer the head waitress, he had last remembered seeing her in the early nineties. She had still looked very beautiful, with her silver hair tied up in a loose yet neat bun. Her daughter-in-law and some grandchildren - he had heard- ran it on a daily basis now. It still held the same charm for him as it had all those summers ago as a young boy. Coming to the main land while on the island for the summer was one of life’s big treats back then. Sometimes it would just be for a quick trip, when something was needed in an emergency, or sometimes it would be a family day out. Or that time he had broken his arm and him and his father had had to spend the night there at the towns hospital and he had had two milkshakes that weekend. He had never forgotten that, Betty had given them a free cherry pie, specifically for his mother whom Betty had remarked was probably worried up to her eyeballs for her little boy. The whole family had eaten the pie straight from the plate that night upon their return and it was one of his most cherished memories.
 

Nancy, he had found out was the name of Betty's daughter-in-law. She was just as charming and friendly as Betty. She had asked him what he was doing about town and he had told her he was staying on an island out in the bay. Telling her he had visited every summer when he was growing up.
 

"You must know Betty then,” she remarked.

"Oh yes, I have great memories here. Betty was a lovely woman. How is she doing these days?"

"Betty is doing real well. She's still at home, health is pretty good, just the eyesight is not what it used to be. She has some heart stuff, but her mind is as quick as a whip. She'd probably like it if you stopped by. Especially if you had photographs. Nothing brightens her day more than to see photographs from back in the day. She can remember everything if she sees it from that photo."

"I have lots back on the island, but I'm afraid today is an emergency trip rather than a pleasurable one. Boat got destroyed in the storm and I ran out of some supplies a bit earlier than I had expected. I'm here all summer into fall, so I'd definitely love to stop by and visit with her. What's her address?"

"She lives just in the blue house out back farther down by the shore. Next time your in town, just pop in and I'll take you out to her."
 

He left the diner around three. It was a nice cool afternoon now, some clouds had rolled in and it looked like it could rain at some point. It was still warm enough that folks were walking around in shorts and T-shirts, but the real summer hadn't hit just yet. Those hot summer days, where you listened for crickets and waited for the time when you could get an ice lolly to cool yourself down with. His mom was always so careful the kids never got sunburnt. They always had sun hats on and long T-shirts, but of course kids being kids, as soon as they got outside it was much too hot and sticky for clothes, so they would tear off their tops and run around chasing each other with water balloons and water pistols. Of course the toplessness ended as soon as each one in turn hit puberty and developed a sense of decorum. His poor sister, him and his brother would tease them endlessly about getting brassieres, although to this day he doesn't know why they did that. Kids can be so cruel when they don't understand something.
 

He walked up and down both sides of Main Street, just to see who was about and what stores were new. A lot of the stores were still there from his time as a child, although mostly with new owners. A lot of urban out-of-towners had bought the local stores and refurbished them in the original styles, focusing on local goods, which he thought was great. There were organic food stores selling local honey and candles made from the bees wax. A couple of local beers and even a cider, which he reminded himself to pop in and try next time he was in town.
 

One of the stores that surprised him the most was a small stationery store. He ventured inside and discovered it was the store of his dreams. They sold all the best kind of writing paper, pens, and notebooks. It was the kind of store he could see himself dropping a lot of money in and stocking up on drawers full of items. As he was flicking through the pages of a small pocket notebook, admiring the gold lined edges, he felt somebody pass him closely. He turned around and there was a young woman standing to his left.
 

"Can I help you?" she asked, smiling.

"Oh, I'm just looking."

"Not interested in anything, Sir?"

"Oh, I'm definitely interested, but not today, I've other things to pick up today, but I will be back over the summer. These notebooks are perfect."

"I'm sorry, but are you a celebrity, or something? You look kind of familiar,” she stood with her head tilted slightly to the right looking at him.

"I wouldn't say I'm a celebrity at all. I am a writer, you could have read, or seen one of my books? My photo is on the back."

"What's your name?"

"Guy Murtagh."

"..." The woman took a deep breath and then ran to the counter, reaching behind it and bringing up a book. She flicked to the back page and glanced down at it, then back to his face again.

"OH MY GOD!", she exclaimed, "You ARE GUY MURTAGH! I love your book. I just read it for the third time. Are you here in town writing? Are you staying here for the summer. Oh my if you are you have to tell me wether your next book is a sequel, oh my it HAS to be a sequel, you can't just leave it like that with the ending of the first book!!!!"

Guy had a smile plastered on his face, at least to him he thought he was smiling, it was a strange kind of grimace, smile thing. This always happened to him when he had people gush about him in person. It was pretty embarrassing. It was greatly appreciated of course, to have fans and great fans at that, but still pretty embarrassing. He realised she was waiting for him to say something.

"Yes, thats me alright. I'm here to write another book that's true, although I can't give anything away, the publishers would kill me,” he gave her a wink and a laugh.

"Oh of course, wouldn't want any spoilers getting out there. So where are you staying? Somewhere nearby?"

"I'm out on the islands."

"Oh, very nice. I can't believe I didn't know you were here. I am a huge fan of your work and follow all the news about you. Why wasn't this in the news?"

"Well, those things only really get out if you want them too, and I don't want anyone to know I'm here. I need the peace and quiet to work you see."

"Oh of course," she did the zipping up her lip and throwing away the key motions.
 

"Okay, well as I said, not looking to buy anything today, lots to do, but I'll be back over the summer."

"Oh that would be marvellous. Oh but please, could you sign my book for me?"

"Of course. What's your name?"

"Jocelyn,” she handed him the book and a sharpie to sign with.

He wrote, To Jocelyn, mums the word, Guy xxx.

She looked pretty happy with it, hugged the book to her chest and walked back behind the counter and started to read the book again.

Guy left the store and decided he best get about hiring a new boat. He walked towards the harbour area, near where he'd picked up his car and knocked on the office door of the boat rental company. After an hour of discussion and calls to his insurance company he could rent the boat for the time it took to order his new one and the insurance would pay for 80% of all costs. He was told as they could not confirm his boat had been tied to the dock at the time, he lost that 20% security. The fact that the dock itself had been destroyed didn't seem to matter.
 

He got the keys and some gas for the boat he would be renting and went back into town going back to his car and driving to the big market just outside town. He walked the aisles and threw the things he needed into the cart. When he came to the snack aisle and found the fig newtons he thought of Darla. Her big silly grin after he'd eaten the dunked cookie. Maybe I should call her up for dinner tonight, or for an after work coffee before I head back to the island, he thought to himself. He didn't think he'd get back into town for another month now that he'd just been here so soon after arriving.
 

He picked up a lot of snack food, and frozen stuff too, he had a feeling if was going to hire somebody to come out and help him clean up the island then he'd better get some food in.
 

Sitting in his car, he pulled out the piece of paper with Darla's number on it and called her. It was after six now, she was probably at home. He quickly regretted his decision, as he remembered this would be her first night back with her kid. Damn, don't pick up, don't pick up, he thought to himself.
 

"Hello, Darla speaking."

"Eh, hi Darla, it's Guy. Em.. I was just thinking maybe you would like to get a coffee, but then as I was calling I thought that was a bad idea as you are just back with your kid and your family, so we can just say for next time I'm in town, if you like?", even over the phone he could see her smiling, as his own face reddened in embarrassment.
 

"You are so funny. I would love to have a coffee with you, but as you say, I am with my kid tonight, she hasn't let go of me since I got home. Hold on just a sec" she said.

Guy could hear a higher pitched voice he guessed was one of the kids speaking to her as she held her hand over the phone.

"Guy, that was my daughter, she wants me to ask you if you would like to come over for dinner, since, as in her words, you saved my life in the storm."

"Em.. Are you sure? I wouldn't be intruding? Oh actually I just bought a lot of groceries they need to get into the freezer pretty soon."

"We have a freezer out in the garage, you could dump them in there for the evening if you wish? It's 6:30 now, we wont keep you later than eight, and you can sail home while it's still fairly bright out. What do you say?"

"Sure, I'll be over in a few minutes. Thanks Darla."

Darla was frantic. Her daughter stood staring at her as she rushed from place to place, picking up an ornament, putting it where it should be, finding another object out of place and returning that and so on.
 

"Mom, you are going crazy. The place is fine."

"Honey, we are having a guest for dinner, this place is not 'fine'."

"What is he a king? You said his island was trashed and the house was all dusty."

"Yes, honey, but that was because he had just moved back in after a year or two of nobody being there, we live here every day."

Her sister Monika walked over and sat beside Adeen.

"Whats your mom doing?"

"She's tidying for the Kings arrival." Adeen laughed so hard at her joke that her mom had to laugh too.

"Look you two kidders. Guy is really nice, I just want him to not feel uncomfortable if the place is so untidy."

"I'm sure he understands a house with three young, very messy kids will be a bit untidy, plus we both work full time."

"Oh, I know," she said sighing and sank into the sofa alongside them. Darla had had a busy afternoon at work, filling out the paperwork of the call out, which had been quite tricky as it included a destroyed or missing boat. Brenda had said they had a few other calls about seals washing up alive, but most had made their back out to sea after a few hours rest on whomever’s island they landed on.