Chapter 9
Silver Cove wasn’t that small of a town. But still, the next morning at work, she heard the rumors about the two men who had moved into the apartment above Todd’s garage the day before.
When she had a moment to sit behind the counter, she pulled out her cell phone and sent him a text.
“I heard you had two renters move in?”
His reply came almost ten minutes later.
“Yeah, we’ll talk more about that tonight. Looking forward to seeing you. I’ll pick you up at the store around six?”
“Six is good,” she replied. She couldn’t help smiling for the rest of her shift.
She’d brought along clothing so she could change out of the yoga pants and the top she’d worn to her morning yoga class.
Clocking out when Cora arrived early, she headed back and utilized the showers in the changing room and quickly dressed in a cotton dress, a light blue sweater, and her favorite pair of sandals.
She figured her outfit was just the right amount of casual.
After fixing her hair and makeup, she put her bag into the office and locked up.
When she stepped into the main part of the store, Todd was already there, chatting with Cora about star charts.
When she noticed the bundle of flowers in his hands, she melted.
“For me?” she asked. She held in a giggle as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Yes.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Cora was just reading my charts.”
“Cora is terrible at reading charts,” she teased. “She actually told me last month that I’d be taking a very long unexpected tropical trip.” Olivia narrowed her eyes at her friend. “I’m still waiting for my airplane tickets to arrive.”
Cora laughed. “It’ll happen. Sooner or later,” she joked back. “You two kids have fun tonight.”
Cora was a year younger than Olivia, so her comment made her laugh. “Okay, Mom.” She tugged on Todd’s hand as they walked out of the store together. “So,” she said when they were outside in the heat, “where to?”
He locked his fingers with hers and started strolling down the sidewalk.
“First, I want you to know that I pulled some very serious strings to get us in this place tonight.” He stopped suddenly and then pulled her into his arms. “So, I hope you don’t mind if it’s going to take a while before we eat. ”
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and shook her head. “I had a late lunch,” she told him, but her stomach silently growled, and she wished for an early dinner. Just to be with him, she’d fend off the starvation. For a while.
“Good.” He leaned in and gently placed his lips over hers. “Second, I hate to do this to you, and I’ll explain on the way, but we won’t be traveling alone.” He motioned to a rather large man leaning against a dark sedan.
She glanced over and narrowed her eyes as she assessed the man. He appeared a few years older than they were, a few inches taller than Todd, but easily double his build. The man’s arms were as thick as Todd’s thighs and full of muscles. Instantly, she felt intimidated.
“Bodyguard?” she asked with a frown.
Todd sighed and nodded slowly. “Of sorts. As I said, I’ll explain on our way.” He glanced down at his watch and started walking again. “Ethan will tag along with us, but don’t worry, he won’t be sitting at our table dining with us.”
She followed him, quietly thinking, as they made their way towards the docks. Ethan followed them down the docks.
Seeing the ferry in its normal spot, she smiled.
“Are we heading to East Haven for dinner?” Excitement flooded her voice.
Todd smiled. “It’s the best place around. Besides, I hear Adam’s food is worth the trip and the price. I hope it’s okay?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I’ve been dying for his quenelles of pike with lobster sauce. It’s one of my favorites.” She let him help her onto the ferry.
“Evening, Todd,” she said to the man who ran the ferry. Then she turned to Todd and smiled. “Todd, Todd.” She motioned between the two men.
Todd laughed. “When I met Simona, she was upset that I was lying about my name,” he said, shaking the other Todd’s hand.
“As she put it, I wasn’t Todd, because she knew Todd.” He chuckled.
The other Todd chuckled. “Simona’s one of a kind. How is she?” he asked, standing back to let Ethan on the ferry.
“She’s great. We’re going to have to head out to the resort soon and take a day to go swimming so you can see her again,” Olivia said to the other man.
“Ethan’s with us,” Todd said easily. “Ethan Knight, Olivia Scott, and this is the other Todd in Silver Cove.”
“There’s actually four of us,” Todd said as he locked the gate behind them and then headed up the stairs that led to the captain’s cabin of the ferry.
“Todd Rogers is about a hundred years old and spends half his time playing checkers in the library or park. And Todd Fletcher.” Todd glanced back as he paused halfway up the stairs.
“He’s eight and thinks that girls have cooties.
” He winked at Olivia and then turned to finish heading up the stairs.
She shook her head. “Todd is by far the biggest flirt in town.”
“Yet you never fell for his tricks?” Todd asked, leaning against the railing as the ferry slowly backed out of the dock.
“No.” She smiled. “He’s good-looking enough, but I like my men…” She ran her eyes over him slowly and then tilted her head slightly. “A little more mysterious and dangerous.”
Something shifted in his eyes, and he took a deep breath as his hand ran over her arm slowly.
She’d noticed that Ethan had headed up the stairs behind Todd, leaving them alone on the main deck of the ferry. She knew that the slow ferry ride to the private island that held the swanky East Haven Resort would take roughly twenty minutes. Plenty of time to get the story from Todd.
“You know that I was Special Ops and that I retired a couple months back,” he started.
She nodded. “Yes, you told me as much.” She tried to encourage him to continue.
“Shortly before I retired, a few of my team…” He closed his eyes briefly, before turning fully towards her. “They were killed.”
She frowned. “I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “Not in the line of duty. They were killed while in the real world. Off duty. Civilians.”
“Okay,” she said slowly.
“Someone is targeting my team. Ethan and his partner Javan are here just as a precaution,” Todd explained.
She wanted to ask more but could see that he was trying desperately not to let this spoil their date.
“Are you safe?” she asked, worried for him.
“We’ve taken all the precautions.” He smiled.
“I have a new security system, two very skilled ex-military men watching out for my six and”—he leaned a little closer and lowered his voice as he ran a hand over her shoulder— “I want to remind you that I didn’t make sergeant because of my winning smile. ”
She laughed as he showed her that sexy smile of his. “I don’t know; that smile is something.” She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
When he kissed her, she felt her entire body become lighter than air.
Maybe it was the fact that it was the first time she’d been kissed while on a boat, or maybe it was because it was Todd.
Either way, she enjoyed the floating sensation for as long as she could, holding onto him as he slowly unraveled all the worry and stress from her day.
When the ferry pulled into the smaller dock at East Haven, there was a golf cart waiting to take them up to the massive white building. She couldn’t count the number of times she and Simona had been to the resort over the past few years. More so since her divorce.
In the summers, they’d head out here with the other families and spend time at the pool or beach.
In the winter months, there were holiday balls or plays and family events such as hayrides or sleigh rides in the snow.
But she’d never been out here for a romantic date.
After they’d gotten married, Brock had never believed in going out on dates. Not with her, at any rate.
Tonight, there were firefly lights hanging from all of the low tree branches, lighting the way up the pathway towards the building.
She was slightly surprised when the golf cart didn’t stop at the wide porch and instead continued to head down the pathway towards the larger pool.
Here, more string lights hung over small tables that had crisp white tablecloths.
They had been placed all around the pool deck area.
There were other couples dining by candlelight while waiters and waitresses moved silently around, seeing to every need of their guests.
They were shown to a table closest to the water, overlooking the dark waters beyond the grassy yard. With the sun setting, the entire sky was lit up in pastel pinks and purples.
“Wow, I didn’t know they had set tables out here for dinner,” Olivia said as he pulled out her chair for her.
“I ran into Sarah at the store yesterday, and she suggested that we give it a try since it’s their first week serving dinners outside.” He sat down across from her.
“I like it. I think it’s a marvelous idea.” She took a deep breath of the fresh salty air and glanced around.
“Mix great atmosphere with amazing food and they’ll have a winning duo,” he agreed. “Wine?”
She leaned slightly on the table. “I like dry,” she said, looking at a little chalk board on their table, showing the selections.
“Ditto.” He chuckled. “You pick.”
She normally didn’t compare men to Brock, but just having a man who enjoyed the same wine as she did and enjoyed talking about the same topics was a relief.
She couldn’t remember ever talking to Brock about her work, her dreams, or even Simona’s future.
They ordered food and continued talking.
Even when it was delivered, the conversation flowed.
She voiced her concerns as a mother about her daughter getting the best education, the best jobs, and even finding the perfect mate.
Todd asked about Simona’s hobbies, if she was interested in anything special, and Olivia had to admit that she didn’t know herself.