Say Yes

By Katie O'Sullivan

Darby Malone has trouble saying no. Hosting a children’s Valentine party at her recently renovated gallery is the last straw, and the last time she intends to say yes to anything. That is, until she meets Ben, a well-known Cape Cod artist with eyes as deep and blue as the ocean. He stirs feelings in her that have been dormant for too long. Can she afford to say yes to him? Ben Phillips needs this gallery show. His life has been empty since his wife died four years ago, his paintings the only thing giving him solace. But his style has changed, his art completely different than the breezy shore paintings he staked his reputation on. Can he convince Darby to give him a chance – and to consider him for more than just a place on her gallery walls? Will she give him a place in her heart as well?

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jan 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781509202775

Book preview

Inc.

Every muscle in her body tensed

at his proximity. Her mouth went dry and her brain clicked into hyperdrive, suddenly aware of every last detail of the six-foot god standing far too close. The shadow of scruff along his chiseled jawline, the salty ocean smell wafting off his leather jacket, the weathered tan along his cheeks and nose giving him the look of someone who spent all his time outdoors wearing sunglasses. His dark blond hair, tossed every which way by the February wind, looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. Darby wondered what it would be like to be in that bed with him, tousling the unruly mop with her hands, tugging him closer to taste those sculpted lips…

She blinked hard, reining in her fantasy. This was strictly business. Ben Phillips was kind of a big deal in the Cape Cod art community; it would be a coup for her little gallery to handle some of his paintings. She’d been surprised when he responded to her mass mailing with a request for this meeting.

He cleared his throat, looking hesitant, maybe even a little unsure of himself. Maybe this is a bad time. I should come back in the morning as originally scheduled.

No, no, she said, regaining control of her voice. You just caught me by surprise. I guess I expected you to be…different.

Say Yes

by

Katie O’Sullivan

A Candy Hearts Romance

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Say Yes

COPYRIGHT © 2016 by Katie O’Sullivan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by RJ Morris

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Champagne Rose Edition, 2016

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0277-5

A Candy Hearts Romance

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

For Nickey.

Always believe in love.

Chapter One

Darby Malone sat back on her heels to swipe a hand across her forehead, pushing the dark curls out of her eyes to glare at the sticky floor. The neon blue goo teased her from between the myriad cracks of the wide pine floor, ground right into the worn wood by unsuspecting little feet. Who knew they even made blue gummy bears?

Not that she was strict about food on the premises. Since opening her doors last summer, Darby had hosted all manner of events in her cozy Main Street gallery, from exhibit openings to book signings to themed holiday parties. That was definitely part of her problem. She couldn’t seem to say no when anyone asked for help. She swore under her breath and attacked the stains with the scrubby side of the sponge, wondering what other surprises she’d find while cleaning.

It sounded like a good idea when her older sister Chelsea approached her about hosting the Girl Scout event in her gallery. Foot traffic along the streets of Orleans slowed to a crawl in February. The mother-daughter pre-Valentine party was a celebrated tradition in the small seaside town, something to look forward to in the middle of a grey and snowy winter. Something Darby herself once enjoyed, even if those days seemed like a lifetime ago. Since when does twenty-eight feel ancient?

Her young niece radiated excitement at the idea of playing co-host at the gallery. Upping her coolness factor was reason enough for Darby to say yes, although getting to know other women her own age was another motivating factor. It didn’t work out that way, as the moms only showed up briefly at the beginning to drop off their daughters and at the end for pickup. The moms also took care of the catering, including the sticky gummy bears, cupcakes with screaming pink frosting that smeared everywhere, and some sort of blue juice boxes that left drips and splotches on the beige couch in the reception area.

The girls knocked three paintings off the wall, but neither the art nor the kids sustained permanent damage. Luckily Darby packed away the delicate hand-blown glass exhibit before the event started. She wasn’t stupid, even if she did seem to have a big S for sucker emblazoned on her forehead.

That S was her main reason for moving back to Cape Cod. It wasn’t just to be closer to her parents and her sister’s family, although she had a lot of missed time to make up for. What she really wanted was to erase that big S and start over. She left her old gallery and a series of failed relationships behind in New York City, hoping for a fresh beginning.

But things changed. She’d been away from the Cape for ten years. Darby tried so hard to fit in, to play nice, to make things work. Saying yes and accommodating every request…and how far did that get her? Sure, her events were well attended, but how often did those partygoers spend money? Like most Cape businesses, she relied on the summer tourists to keep her gallery in the black. Most of the locals attended her events for the free wine. Or in this case, the blue juice. She rocked back on her heels again to survey her work. Blue is unnatural, she proclaimed out loud. If I ever have kids of my own, I swear they’ll never eat anything blue. Ever.

But what about blueberries?

The deep,