Chapter 1
Chapter One
Adeline Belle sauntered through the enclosed and iconic Quincy Market the Monday after Thanksgiving.
The bustling crowd, the competing smells wafting from a variety of food vendors, and the cast-iron columns were all familiar and welcome.
The Christmas trees, wreaths, sprays, and twinkling lights were new, and she was a fan of each and every one.
She’d gone to Jade Valley, Arizona for Thanksgiving and relished the time with her family. Now she was back to the east coast. Boston and Cape Cod were some of her favorite spots on earth and she was thrilled to be home.
Tonight, she’d eaten a healthy poke bowl, adding extra veggies to the raw salmon and cauliflower rice concoction. She had earned a serving of banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery.
She grinned as she weaved through the crowd, anticipating one of her favorite treats.
Maybe she shouldn’t indulge, coming off of a Thanksgiving stuffing at her mother’s house, but she’d reached her goal of catching up on all her work today and the pudding was her reward.
She could hardly wait to take it home to her Cape Cod bungalow and savor it by the fire.
Upping her pace as the Magnolia Bakery sign beckoned her through the crowds, she was jostled by the press of people, tripped on a stroller tire, and went sprawling forward.
“Whoa there.”
A muscular arm reached out to her. Addie grabbed onto it with both hands, a lifeline in the sea of men, women, children, and strollers. Clinging to that strong arm, she regained her footing.
She looked up into the most intriguing pair of deep brown eyes shadowed by thick lashes. Most women she knew paid good money to imitate eyelashes like that.
“Are you all right?” the dark-haired stranger asked.
“Nothing busted,” she said, grinning.
His dark hair was trimmed short, and his face was a rugged kind of handsome.
His eyes were definitely the standout, but there was no question his weathered but appealing look was enticing.
The scars below his eyebrow, above his lip, and across one cheek told stories she wanted to hear.
He had clearly fought his share of battles and had wounds that ran deep.
A tremor ran through her as their gazes locked.
This was a man who would never hurt or scare a woman but fight for and protect those he loved and the causes he believed in.
At least that was how she imagined it in the small section of her brain that still had faith in man below.
She had oodles of faith in God above. He would never fail her.
“Glad to hear it.” His smile softened the tough guy look and made him even more appealing. “Price Sanderson.” He released her arm and stuck out his hand as people streamed around them in the congested and historic shopping hall.
“Adeline Belle.” She placed her hand in his, a warm thrill rushing through her at the simple sliding of their palms together and him wrapping his strong fingers around the back of her hand.
Instead of shaking, they held onto each other’s hands and studied one another.
Addie had never felt a connection like this in her life, and she had dated a considerable variety of men in her thirty-four years.
She liked to tease her sisters that she suffered from ‘option overload’—too many interesting men, too little time.
The sad truth was she had huge trust issues that she’d only shared portions of with her sisters.
Her close friend Gillian was the only one who knew most of the story and only because she’d been right here.
Addie’s trust issues had multiplied when her latest boyfriend Jamison assaulted her.
Now she was committed to never going beyond a date or two with any man.
She smiled and pulled her hand back before it got awkward. Price shifted his weight and clasped his hands behind his back, making the muscles in his shoulders evident even through a long-sleeved button down with his coat slung over one arm.
“What branch of the military?” she asked.
“Could I buy you a banana pudding?” he asked at the same time.
They both laughed, and then he answered, “Navy. Recently retired. Banana pudding?”
She tilted her head and regarded him, giving him a challenging look. “How do you know I like banana pudding?”
That was uncanny he’d offer, but the Magnolia Bakery specialty was universally loved, and they were standing steps away from the shop.
She wanted to ask him numerous questions.
Recently retired? He couldn’t be older than forty.
What was he doing now? Divorced? Never married?
Interested in a few dates with a fun lady like her who had no plans to settle down?
Maybe she could be tempted to settle down.
If she ever found a man she could trust and who she wanted to spend more than a few dates with.
She was gun-shy from her own experiences and from two of her sisters being cheated on and going through horrific and heartbreaking divorces.
It was better, and safer, to keep things light, have a few fun dates, and move on.
“You have a bright and intelligent light in your blue eyes,” he said. “So I correctly assumed that you’d be a fan of banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery.”
She was jostled by a group of teenagers rushing by and stepped closer to him. Arching her head back to hold eye contact, she liked that he was four or five inches taller than her five-seven, tall and thickly-muscled. He was strong enough to protect her and make her feel feminine.
“You did assume correctly,” she told him. “Are you a profiler in your retirement?”
“No.” He smiled. “Bodyguard.”
“For the President?”
He chuckled. “Privately contracted.”
She arched a brow, but he didn’t appear willing to share more than that. She tilted her head and they fell into step, walking to the nearby Magnolia Bakery. He ordered two banana puddings, two water bottles, and then turned to her. “Anything else?”
“You’ve already exceeded my expectations.
” She was teasing, but she couldn’t deny there was a connection and draw to this man that was unique and exciting.
Even as she thought that, she tensed inside.
She’d dated far too many men and wasn’t always the best judge of character.
A few close calls with her own safety compelled her to bury her natural spontaneity and be leery about dating.
Thankfully, eating pudding in a crowded shopping hall seemed safe.
He chuckled. “That’ll be everything,” he told the cute blonde twenty-year-old at the counter. “Thank you.”
Addie couldn’t discern any kind of accent, but his tones were clipped like a local. A life in the military would probably knock any accent out of him though.
“My pleasure,” the girl said in a breathy tone. She smiled at Price and then said to Addie in an undertone, “Your boyfriend is really hot.”
Addie smiled at the girl’s impetuousness; she reminded her of herself when she was younger. Price hid a smirk.
“I just met him,” she admitted, “but I concur.”
Any woman would agree that Price was ‘hot’. It didn’t mean anything. Physical attractiveness could burn out quick. She wanted to see what Price was like on the inside, though she doubted she’d spend enough time with him to figure out how he ticked and get his unfiltered story.
The girl grinned and rattled off the total. Price placed a credit card on the reader and then gathered the food as the girl handed it over. “Thanks.”
They made their way to some nearby tables and thankfully found one open. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” played by a live violinist drifted down from the center area. The crowds were loud, but Addie and Price could at least chat without screaming.
“Do you live here in Boston?” Price asked as he set the treat and water bottle in front of her, then laid his coat over the back of his chair and settled onto the seat.
“Thank you.” Addie nodded to her pudding, pulling the spoon out of the plastic wrap. She should shed her own coat, but she wouldn’t be staying long. “No. I drive into the city for work a couple days a week, then I’m remote the other days.”
She didn’t offer the location of her bungalow. Cape Cod was gorgeous year-round, even though she sometimes froze in her poorly-heated house in the winter. Her home was more isolated this time of year with about half of the other beach residences and rentals nearby being winterized and closed down.
She had only received good vibes from Price, but she’d learned the hard way a girl could never be too careful.
“What do you do for work?” Price dipped his spoon into the pudding and placed a large bite in his mouth. A look of pleasure washed over his face. “I’m addicted to this stuff.”
She laughed and took her own bite, savoring the layers of luscious banana pudding, vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, and rich cream. “I’m with you. I have to earn a pudding or I’d buy one every day. I’d even drive in on my remote days.”
He chuckled and took another bite. “How do you ‘earn’ a pudding?”
“Finishing every task I put on my work calendar that day, a hard workout at the gym, or refraining from buying a pudding four days in a row.”
“Four days?” He let out a low whistle. “That is impressive self-control.”
“I agree.” She ate another bite.
This was a lot more fun than eating the rich treat by herself in front of her fire, but she was too focused on Price and their conversation to savor the bites as she normally would.
She was also getting too comfortable. No matter how fabulous he seemed, she couldn’t allow herself to become complacent.
What if she slipped and told him where she lived or agreed to a more in-depth date than pudding? She couldn’t let either happen.
“You wouldn’t happen to be related to Juliette Belle?” he asked.
She grinned. “My sis. How do you know Juliette?”
“I was blessed to be on a protection detail for her in the Swiss Alps. Is she doing all right?”
“The stalker is getting worse.”