The Candy Apple Café (Honey Haven #1)

Chapter 1

IZZI

Izzi Beaumont lay in the soft double bed, gripping the fleecy duvet to her chest as she stared up at the ceiling of the wooden cabin with wide eyes.

Her body was painfully tense as she strained to listen to the ominous crunching noise outside, her mind whirring.

Could it be a Highland tiger, a red deer or even a wild boar?

She’d heard they sometimes strayed from the mountains searching for food. Or was it something far more sinister?

She shut her eyes and tried to visualise the carpet of gold, red and amber leaves that she’d skipped across a few hours before – remembering the enclosed garden, bare tree branches and sturdy fences that framed the bijou building she’d signed up to rent until the new year.

At the time, the place had seemed idyllic – with its golden mountain views, the orange glow from the pumpkins growing at the edges of the lawn and the babbling stream twisting between shrubs.

Even her landlord’s stone cottage at the opposite end of the grounds was close enough for company but far enough away to promise privacy.

In short, it had seemed perfect. Especially since she had nowhere else to go – and more importantly, it was free.

There was another eerie crunch, and Izzi’s heartbeat notched up as she grabbed one of the textured tartan pillows which had been left on the bed, hugging it to her chest. She wasn’t usually prone to histrionics.

After almost fourteen years of living in the centre of London, she was used to odd noises and things that went bump in the night.

She’d travelled over six hundred miles to the quaint village of Honey Haven in the stunning Highlands of Scotland because it held answers to secrets – at least she hoped it did – but she hadn’t been expecting monsters too.

She thought about the mysterious letter in her handbag.

Would she end up wishing she’d never found it at all?

Izzi heard a loud creak as something heavy trod onto the decking of the cabin, making the boards complain, and she immediately jerked into a sitting position, abandoning the pillow.

Panicked that she was only wearing a pair of short pyjamas, she got up to frantically search the lamp-lit room for her suitcase as her haste made her forget where she’d left it in her hurry to get to bed.

She slid her feet into the pair of furry slippers she’d brought with her and tried to find comfort in the way they hugged her feet.

If she had to make a run for it, they’d do.

Impulsively, she grabbed the curling wand she’d left on the sideboard and gripped it tightly as she stared at the door, willing it to remain shut, and got into position in case she needed to take a swing.

When the lock clicked and the door suddenly swayed open, the breath caught in Izzi’s throat. A large figure stood looming in the doorway, framed in moonlight.

As monsters went, this one was hot – with solid biceps, long, lean legs and shoulders that filled the doorframe. The fear that had been fizzing through her limbs inexplicably transformed into a frisson of awareness. She gulped.

The overhead light was switched on, illuminating him further, and the man – because it was a man – glared at her, his generous mouth pinched and unhappy.

Wow, he was properly gorgeous, with a scratchy beard, stormy blue eyes and cheekbones that told of the kind of DNA no amount of make-up or money could buy.

‘Who are you?’ he growled in an American lilt flavoured with a hint of the Scottish Highlands that made Izzi’s heart do a somersault before vaulting from her chest.

‘Izzi Beaumont,’ she said tentatively, trying hard to keep her voice level, because she’d learned long ago not to be intimidated by bullies, even if they did look like they’d just stepped off the cover of GQ.

‘Are you—’ She searched her mind for the right name, tasting it on the tip of her tongue, imagining all the flavours a man like this might elicit.

Sweet and salty with a heavy dose of bitter, if his expression were to be believed. ‘Cameron Buchanan?’

‘Yes.’ His mouth pinched as his focus seemed to drop and linger on her flimsy pyjamas, then his eyes widened before skidding back to her face. ‘What are you doing in my cabin?’ he asked, his face flushed, as something growled menacingly in the garden, making Izzi flinch.

The man shook his head. ‘That’s my dog,’ he explained before turning to shout, ‘Leave the squirrels alone!’ in a tone filled with so much command it sent shivers racing down Izzi’s spine.

She steeled herself by pinching the skin on her thigh, trying to gain some control over her unruly feelings. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen a handsome man before.

‘Your grandmother. I think it’s your grandmother?

’ her voice raced as words shot into her head like shrapnel, unconnected and disjointed, and she tried to piece a sentence together.

‘Um, Maud Buchanan?’ She thought about the animated silver-haired woman she’d met in the village earlier when she’d gone looking for a job.

‘She rented the cabin to me for the next three months. I’m going to work in her café until Christmas; I’ve got a job lined up in London after that…

I’m covering for Skye McFarland – she works there – because she’s gone to Devon to take care of her mother who’s sick,’ she explained.

‘Maud, um, said you were away for the next few days and that she’d tell you when you returned. ’

‘I got back early.’ Cameron’s eyebrows drew together, making him look broodier and altogether too Heathcliff for Izzi’s unsteady legs. She sank onto the edge of the bed – still clutching the curling wand.

Cameron raised an eyebrow. ‘What were you planning to do, see me off by styling my hair?’ he rumbled, the edge of his mouth flickering as if it were considering smiling before it dropped again, as though the mere idea were too much.

It left Izzi with an ache of disappointment and she promptly promised herself that before she left Honey Haven, she’d at least get this man to smirk.

She shrugged and gave Cameron a full-on smile – because why not. ‘Kill ’em with kindness’ was her motto and while it didn’t always work, it was better than being bitter and grumpy. She’d lived the last fourteen years with a front row seat to that.

‘I’d be more likely to gluttonise you into submission,’ she said, watching the way his vibrant blue eyes flickered as he tried to understand what she’d said and absorb the full impact of her grin.

He blinked. ‘Yep, well, I don’t know what that means exactly, but I think I’ll pass.’ He cleared his throat looking embarrassed.

‘It means I’ll cook for you – and that’s a shame on not going for it, because your taste buds would thank you.

Let me know if you ever want to raincheck on the pass,’ she said lightly, imagining getting him to eat one of her speciality cakes or biscuits, picturing him smiling at her, maybe even licking his lips.

Those glorious, full lips she couldn’t seem to stop staring at.

Cameron opened his mouth and then closed it again as a large black and golden German Shepherd appeared at his side and stared at her menacingly before letting out a low growl.

He’d clearly been taking socialising lessons from his owner.

‘Cupcake – friend,’ Cameron ordered, reaching down to stroke the dog as it settled and sat.

‘Don’t worry about him, his bark is worse than his bite. ’

‘Phew. That’s okay then, I’ve got plenty of experience with that,’ Izzi said, thinking about her aunt Regina. She gave the dog a wide smile before her gaze travelled up to Cameron again. ‘Cupcake? Seems a little cute for such a big, scary dog.’

His shoulders sagged. ‘My grandma’s idea of a joke,’ he said flatly.

‘And it’s on me because he won’t answer to anything else.

So, you’re my tenant now?’ he asked, expertly steering the conversation back to her.

‘I assume you provided references?’ His tone was sharp.

‘My grandma has a bad habit of seeing the best in people.’

‘Imagine that.’ Izzi snorted. She couldn’t help it.

‘I like to make a habit of that too.’ She put the curling wand beside her on the fluffy duvet.

‘I haven’t exactly got references,’ she said, wincing.

‘I’ve been living with my aunt. She—’ She grimaced.

‘Died recently and—’ Well, Izzi really didn’t want to go into any of that now.

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ Cameron folded his arms as his full mouth twisted further down. ‘What about work references?’

Izzi winced again and shook her head. ‘I worked for my aunt too. In her bakery. But that’s up for sale, so it’s currently closed.

Long story.’ She wasn’t going to go into that either.

She wasn’t looking for sympathy. Not that this man was likely to give her any.

‘I— Well, I’ve got friends you could talk to and some ex-work colleagues who can vouch for me if that helps.

If that’s not good enough, then—’ She let her gaze drift around the cosy room and finally spotted her suitcase, which she’d propped by the small wardrobe.

‘I could pack up now – go and find somewhere else to sleep.’ Her car probably.

Cameron let out a gentle puff of air and raised his eyes to the ceiling.

‘I’m not a monster,’ he muttered, and Izzi nodded because she’d worked that out for herself.

‘It’s late. How about we talk about this again tomorrow?

’ He looked around the room. ‘You know there’s only a small bathroom with a shower – there’s no bath and no kitchen, not even a fridge,’ he said.

‘People don’t usually stay here for more than a couple of nights. ’

She jerked her chin and twisted her fingers together.

‘Your grandmother – Maud – said I could probably use your kitchen,’ she said, pulling a face, deciding not to mention that she’d offered her use of his bath too.

‘She mentioned you live alone and don’t particularly enjoy cooking.

I thought – we thought – that I could maybe use your kitchen and make enough food for you too?

I’m a good cook.’ She swallowed as indecision and yet more suspicion flashed across his eyes.

‘You’re not a vegetarian, are you?’ he asked gruffly.

Izzi smiled. ‘Well, no… at least not every day.’

Cameron let out a long, suffering sigh that seemed to vibrate through his whole body and made something inside Izzi’s chest shudder too.

He really was having an effect on her. ‘We’ll talk tomorrow – figure something out.

’ He stared at her for another full beat.

‘What time are you working tomorrow – are you even working tomorrow?’

‘Of course.’ She nodded. ‘I didn’t make it up. I start at eight-thirty.’ Since it was her first day, Maud had decided to let her have a lie-in.

‘Meet me at my cottage at seven o’clock sharp. I’ll provide the coffee and ingredients, and you have a think about who I can talk to in lieu of references.’

Wow, he really wasn’t going to let that one go.

Izzi sighed as Cameron shook his head again.

Then he spun on his heels and disappeared onto the decking with his dog, before shutting the door, leaving her insides clenching – although Izzi wasn’t sure if that was due to lust or concern.

She did know she had to convince him to let her stay.

She had to find whoever had sent the mysterious letter – and she was only going to be able to do that in Honey Haven.