21 Romance Way (Book two of the Celebrating Love Trilogy)

By Merri Hiatt

21 ROMANCE WAY (Book two of the Celebrating Love Trilogy)
The journey continues from 14 Love Letter Lane (Book one of the Celebrating Love Trilogy), as Darcy, Ginny and Andrea take Jim up on a generous business opportunity. Meanwhile, John's past sparks questions about his involvement with the fire at Revive and flames of a different kind sizzle between Darcy and Jim.

Includes a preview of the first chapter of 28 Passion Boulevard.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE CELEBRATING LOVE TRILOGY:

14 LOVE LETTER LANE (Book one of the Celebrating Love Trilogy)
Three friends who've known each other since grade school work at Revive, a local coffee shop just off the boardwalk in the seaside town of Lexington. Andrea, Darcy and Ginny are more than ready to meet the men of their dreams. The trouble is they can't seem to find them.

Andrea receives a love letter from a secret admirer. Ginny meets a man who just moved to town and sweeps her off her feet. Darcy has the dress and the red leather boots ready and waiting for a fabulous Valentine's Day, if she can only find a date!

Join these three caring friends as they travel the oftentimes choppy waters of love. As always, a happy ending is guaranteed.

28 PASSION BOULEVARD (Book three of the Celebrating Love Trilogy)
The final book of the Celebrating Love Trilogy brings Darcy to passion's door, Ginny to steadfast love and Andrea to a newfound appreciation for the gift of every day. Desire, tears and heart-wrenching life events bring this Happily Ever After tale to its conclusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Merri Hiatt
• Release date: May 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476378534

Merri Hiatt

Merri Hiatt grew up in a small town near Shasta Valley in Northern California. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest in Washington state, Merri fell in love with the mountains, ocean, rain and lush greenery. Merri credits her high school creative writing teacher with giving her the nudge to pursue writing. BOOKS WRITTEN BY MERRI HIATT: PROPOSAL SERIES: Sweet Proposal, Jaded Proposal (coming soon!), Midnight Proposal (coming soon!); LOVE IN THE AIR TRILOGY: Runway Romance, Love on the Fly (Passion at 30,000 Feet coming soon); SEASONS OF LOVE SERIES: Summer Love, Autumn Love, Winter Love, Spring Love; CELEBRATING LOVE TRILOGY: 14 Love Letter Lane, 21 Romance Way, 28 Passion Boulevard; EMBRACING LOVE TRILOGY: When Love's at Work, When Love's at Home, When Love's at Play, When Love's on Vacation (Sequel one), When Love's Gone Country (Sequel two); MANGADARTH TRILOGY: Marayah's Return, City Reborn, My Mother's Eyes; Kat Burglar, a romance novella; Mama Lives in My Hair, a short story about life and death; Sarah and the Magic Beans, a short story about magic and hope; The Magical Christmas Cookies, a short story about hope; Santa Hates Seattle, a short story about hope and second chances; Puddle of Poetry (sixty-two poems from sassy to sensitive to serious); Food So Good, You'll Never Know It's Good For You, 11 Recipes and Tips; and Potato Chip Princess, a young adult short story. Visit Merri's website at http://merrihiatt.com Merri states: "I am a lover of all emotions. They swim and spin around my head with abandon. What fun to let the words these feelings bring forth play along my tongue and whisper into the still of the night. When I capture them on paper, it is a joy and one of my favorite ways to spend time."

Book preview

21 Romance Way

(Book two of the Celebrating Love Trilogy)

By Merri Hiatt

Copyright 2012 Merri Hiatt

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

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Cover image credit: Worytko Pawel/Shutterstock.com

Visit Merri Hiatt’s website! http://merrihiatt.com

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Chapter One

Where do we start? Ginny asked, eyeing the burned-out coffee shop.

Borrowing a couple brooms and getting a supply of large trash bags, I guess, Darcy replied.

They headed toward Revive to get a closer look when Douglas Carmichael stepped in their path. Sorry, you can’t go in there. A few hot spots still remain. Nothing to be alarmed about, but you wouldn’t want to step into one, I can tell you that from experience.

Do you know any more about what caused the fire? Darcy asked.

The fire chief looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but we go way back. The perp who threw the bomb attached it to a brick and a standard round alarm clock.

Then it was deliberate. I mean, we thought it was, but now there isn’t any doubt, is there? Ginny asked.

No, there’s no doubt.

You didn’t find, I mean, there weren’t any, um… cat remains in there were there? Darcy asked tentatively, cringing before she even heard Carm’s answer.

We didn’t see any remains.

Darcy looked at Ginny hopefully.

Carmichael, Detective Wilson is on the phone for you, a twenty-something police officer yelled from inside a squad car.

I’ll be right back, Carm said, then left to take the call.

I bet she’s okay, Ginny said. When the window broke, Sabrina probably got scared and ran out through the opening. The bomb went off after that.

Do you really think so?

I’m certain of it, Ginny said with conviction. It makes total sense and would explain why they didn’t find any remains. We just need to start looking for her.

She could be anywhere.

I don’t think she’d go very far. She was an indoor cat. I think she’d want to stay close by.

She’s probably scared and hungry and thinks we’ve abandoned her.

Cats don’t think about being abandoned. She’d just want to be comfortable. Sabrina has stared out the window of Revive for years. It stands to reason that she would go somewhere she’s seen over and over again.

They both turned their attention to the view from Revive’s window. The boardwalk was to the left, but there wasn’t anything particularly interesting in that direction, just a lot of wood and a railing.

Straight ahead were a few benches and another railing; the beach and ocean were just beyond.

To the right there was a row of novelty shops, but they wouldn’t have been easy to see from the window.

A kite shop and a home-made ice cream parlor were across the road and down on the right and then Jim’s Flower Shop.

Bingo! Ginny said. Sabrina has seen Jim before and she must have looked at his shop a million times with all those plants and flowers just waiting to be explored. It would seem like a jungle.

Let’s go, Darcy said.

The young police officer approached them as they headed across the street.

Are you Ginny Matthews and Darcy Langston?

They nodded.

I have a couple questions to ask you, then you can be on your way.

Okay, but can you hurry, we’re looking for our lost cat? Darcy asked.

Uh, sure. Which one of you called 911?

I did, Darcy said.

And, which one of you was first on the scene?

I was, Ginny said.

Why didn’t you call 911?

I was in a state of shock, I guess. I couldn’t believe the coffee shop was on fire. I just sat in my car staring. Darcy pulled up right behind me and called immediately. Even after she told me she called, I could barely think.

You were also the person who closed up the coffee shop last night, is that correct?

Yes.

Just exactly what are you trying to say, Officer… Darcy looked at the man’s name badge, Gordon?"

I’m not saying anything, just gathering information.

We gave all this information to the older and experienced officer who was here this morning. Why don’t you compare notes with him? We’re leaving to go find our cat. Darcy grabbed Ginny’s arm and pulled her along behind her until she yanked her arm free.

Darcy! That’s no way to get the police on our side.

He was implying you were at fault somehow. I wasn’t going to stand there and listen to that bullshit! Some hot shot snot-nosed kid barely out of grade school dreaming about being a police officer. He has a lot to learn.

I bet you could teach him a few things.

Pfft! Darcy rolled her eyes. I have one thing on my mind and it isn’t Mr. I’m So Special Because I Wear A Badge.

Ginny suppressed a grin and glanced over her shoulder at the officer. He was still watching them. This could get interesting.

When they reached the flower shop, they began searching through the plants and flowers in the outside display first.

Sabrina, Ginny called as she moved potted plants around so she could see behind them.

Darcy did the same. Sabrina! Darcy yelled.

When their search yielded no luck, they entered the shop.

Darcy, Ginny, I’m so sorry to hear about Revive. Is Andrea okay? Jim Watson asked.

She’s not injured, no one was, thankfully, Darcy said. Of course, she’s really upset about the bombing.

There was a bomb? I thought it was just a fire. Someone deliberately destroyed Revive? Jim asked.

Ginny gave Darcy a look that clearly told her she had a big mouth. Mum’s the word about the bomb, Jim. It’s not public knowledge. But, since you already know, yes, it was deliberate. The police are investigating.

Damn shame. It’s not like we don’t work hard enough to keep our businesses afloat, especially with all the competition from the shop owners on the boardwalk. Now we have to contend with sabotage.

Darcy looked at Ginny and the same idea crossed both their minds: Kathy Connelly, the owner of Saltwater Café. She had accused Andrea of trying to sabotage the Saltwater and Boardwalk Beans.

What? Jim asked, noticing the exchange.

We came in here to see if Sabrina, our coffee shop cat, might have found her way here. Ginny said, avoiding his question.

We’re hoping, Darcy added.

Scott, Jim yelled, have you seen a cat running around here anywhere?

No. Well, wait a minute, it might have been a cat. This morning when I was making sure everything was watered, I heard a rustling under one of the ivy plants. It kind of freaked me out, to be honest. I just moved to another area of the shop.

Show us where, Jim said.

Scott walked toward the back where a wide array of foliage was layered on shelving units, as well as the floor. It was around here somewhere.

Sabrina, Darcy called. They waited, listening for even the slightest sound. Nothing.

Kitty, kitty, Ginny said. It’s okay. You’re safe.

We’ll keep looking, Jim said. Don’t lose hope yet. He placed his hand on Darcy’s shoulder.

I’m trying not to, Darcy said, as she held back tears. Her chin trembled and her lungs felt like they might burst. Every time she thought about little Sabrina running scared or being hit with shards of glass, or worse, her heart broke a little more.

They searched for half an hour. Ginny even got down on her hands and knees, hoping a different vantage point might reveal something they simply couldn’t see from above.

Maybe she’s just not here, Scott said.

A customer came into the shop and the bell above the door jingled.

Darcy saw something move behind a fichus tree. Over there. Ginny, look!

Sabrina! Ginny yelled, then quickly ran to the place she had seen the blur of movement. Darcy was right behind her.

It’s got to be her. Ginny’s eyes filled with tears and she couldn’t see where she was going. She tripped over a small potted plant and slammed into the hardwood floor with a resounding, Oomph!

Are you okay? Darcy asked.

Get the cat, Ginny yelled.

Darcy saw a flash of white paw and lunged forward into a fern that was half her height. When her hand met soft fur, she yelled, Got her!

She pulled the cat from beneath the protective leaves and held her close. Her excitement turned to concern when she felt her matted hair and realized the cause, dried blood.

It’s going to be okay, Darcy whispered to Sabrina. We’re going to get you all better and everything is going to be just fine.

Ginny joined her. It’s not as bad as it looks. Listen, she’s purring.

The room fell silent, except for the sound of Sabrina’s gentle hum.

Call the vet, Darcy said.

I’m on it, Ginny said, reaching for her cell phone.

Chapter Two

Dr. Hill is amazing, Ginny said as they left the veterinarian’s office.

Sabrina hates the plastic cone, Darcy said.

I hate the cone. She looks so uncomfortable in it.

It doesn’t hurt her.

I know, but she seems so sad. Look at those eyes. She’s pleading with us to take it off.

Dr. Hill said she only has to wear it when we’re not around. It’ll stop her from licking her wounds.

I’m so glad there were only two sections where the glass was embedded in her skin. I shudder to think how bad things might have turned out.

She looks so little with half the hair shaved off her body.

We’re going to have to give her triple treats for all this.

Definitely. And, more toys and catnip.

Catnip will drive her crazy and she’ll rub her wounds.

You’re right. Nix the catnip.

Darcy held Sabrina while Ginny drove her back to her car.

Do you want to meet up tomorrow morning to begin clean up? Ginny asked.

Yes. How about we meet for breakfast and then make a day of it?

Sounds good. I’ll make a few calls and see how many extra hands I can get to help us out.

I’ll call Andrea and let her know about our plans and let her know Sabrina is okay.

Cool. See you tomorrow. Bye, Sabrina. Ginny rubbed the cat’s chin and she began to purr. I’m so glad you’re okay.

Darcy got out of the car and she and Sabrina headed to Patricia’s Pets to gather supplies.

Ginny glanced at the clock; just past noon. Six hours until her date with John Carlson. The thought brought a smile to her lips.

Their first date had been a quiet dinner for two at an Indian restaurant, ending with a walk on the boardwalk and a moonlight kiss. The second date was equally as wonderful with more kisses and thoughtful conversation.

It was the third date when she wore her new red leather boots. They enjoyed a seafood feast at the Seaside Inn, followed by a walk on the beach.

Ginny remembered the way John’s eyes never seemed to leave her face and his hands were allows touching some part of her body. A slow burn had been building throughout the night and Ginny wanted to be immersed in the fire.

When they were back at Ginny’s apartment door saying goodnight, she hadn’t wanted him to leave. She asked if he wanted to come in for coffee and he said he wanted to come in, but not for coffee. That was the night her boots were dubbed magic sex boots.

Ginny reached her apartment complex, gathered her mail, then headed up to the second level. The sign out front, Lexington Luxurious Apartments, always made her giggle. Luxury was a relative term since the building used to be a motel. The only significant amenities were an outdoor pool and hot tub. The rent was more than reasonable and it was only a five-minute drive from the boardwalk. During the summer she often bicycled to work.

Once inside the studio apartment, Ginny brought paper and a pen to the kitchenette table and began fleshing out floor plan ideas for Revive. She knew Andrea and Darcy were doing the same thing. It would be fun to compare designs.

Ginny made phone calls to everyone she could think of who might be willing to help with the clean up, leaving messages for those who weren’t available.

The afternoon seemed to fly by and Ginny began getting ready for her date with John. She had made all the arrangements and planned on paying for