Claiming Holly (Holiday Cove 1)

Replaying the timeline, I was reminded of how much time I’d spent alone. I should be used to it.

“I don’t know, Rach,” I replied, after my long, wandering pause. I blew out a long, frustrated sigh. “I forgot to tell you that you were right about Greg, that guy that lives next door.”

“He asked you out?” Rachel asked, sounding entirely too happy at the prospect.

“Yeah.”

“And?”

“I told him I was going to be out of town.”

Rachel paused, waiting for more. “And…?”

“And that was it.”

Rachel sighed. “Oh, Holly.”

“I know, I know.”

“Well, when you get home, you can go say hi, and see if you can make a plan. What’s one date going to hurt?”

I tapped my foot against the floor. “I don’t know. What if it doesn’t go well? It’d be pretty awkward to see each other in the gym and the hall all the time.”

“Or…he could turn out to be the love of your life, and you guys could knock the wall down between your condos and have a massive, beautiful home, with lots of room for babies!”

“Oh my God…Rach…” I bit back a smile.

“What?”

“Not gonna happen. But nice try.”

Rachel giggled. “Okay, well if not with Greg, then maybe you’ll meet some hottie on your vacay!”

Jack’s face flashed into my mind and I closed my eyes, wanting to hang onto the image. I knew I was in danger of obsessing over him but meeting him had opened up a channel of introspection that I hadn’t quite followed through all the way to the end.

“Holly?”

I shook my head. “What? Sorry. I got distracted. Hunter…” I looked down at the sleeping puppy, trying to think of an excuse, “…was eating something.”

“Oh my God! You met someone!”

“What?” Hot panic flashed over my body as my stomach churned. “No, no.”

“Tell me, tell me!” Rachel begged.

I bit my lip, considering what I should tell her. She continued pleading with me until I spilled the whole story.

“Aww! It’s so cute. It’s like 101 Dalmatians! Your doggies brought you together.”

I slapped my free hand to my forehead. “Did you even hear the part about how he was with someone at the bar last night? Or did you stop listening after the part about the dogs?”

Rachel giggled. “I heard you, but really, Holly, you don’t know they were together, together. Maybe they had just met and were flirting a little.”

I wrinkled my nose, conjuring up the image from the night before of the girl with the skirt that barely covered her ass, pawing Jack with her perfectly manicured hands. She was probably right, but I didn’t like to think of him flirting with another woman. “Ugh. This is ridiculous. I shouldn’t even care what he was doing, or who she was. I talked to him for all of three minutes, most of which were spent trying to figure out how to get away from him as quickly as possible. I think I have some kind of disorder.”

Rachel laughed again. “You don’t! You’re just a little rusty. Listen, if you see him again, just hang out, see where it goes. He noticed you at the bar, so obviously, he’s been thinking about you too!”

“You think so?” My heart hammered at the suggestion.

“Definitely!”

“I feel like I’m back in high school or something. I’m a sweaty palmed, nervous laugh, terror stricken girl, when I should be a confident, kick ass, nonchalant, no-nonsense kind of woman like I am at work.”

“Holly think about it though, the last time you were dating was in high school. You haven’t really gone out with anyone since the divorce. I think you’re over thinking things. Just be yourself and if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

I nodded, letting her suddenly sage sounding advice soak in. “Over thinking is kinda my specialty, though.”

“Which makes you a fantastic CPA, but this is life and love, honey. You can’t figure it out by looking at facts or spreadsheets.”

“You’re right,” I replied, my pulse steadying. I was about to ask her what she’d been up to, but over the phone, I heard the sound of a doorbell ringing.

“Oh, shoot! Hey, girl, I’m sorry to do this, but I gotta run. I actually have a little date of my own this afternoon! Jeff, from the office next door to the clinic, is taking me surfing.”

I smiled. “Have the best time and call me tomorrow, okay?”

“Will do. Remember, Holls, just breathe.”

“Got it.”

It all sounded perfectly reasonable in my head, and as I pushed off from the couch, I decided that the best thing I could do would be to get out of the house for the afternoon.

“Come on, Hunter! Time to go have some fun.”

9

Jack

“Come on, Player, don’t be such a pussy,” I taunted, staring Aaron down from across the dining room table. I’d woken up just as the sun was peeking over the horizon and wandered downstairs to the kitchen to fuel up before hitting the beach for a run. I’d been surprised to find Aaron awake, at the dining room table, with his laptop and cup of coffee. I had spent the last ten minutes trying to talk him into joining Princess and me for our morning run.