Sultry Nights: Pelican Lake, #3

By Melissa Stevens

Zach has lived along the shores of Pelican Lake for most of his life. He grew up here, he fell in love here and he had his heart broken here. Now after more than ten years, he sees her again. Dani. The girl he loved. The girl he planned to marry. The girl who broke his heart. But she's not a girl any more. More than ten years has passed and he wonders why she's come back.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melissa Stevens
• Release date: Oct 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386851752

Melissa Stevens

Melissa was born and raised in Arizona, she’s spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She’s found that, along with her husband and three children, she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city. She started reading at a very young age, and her love for series started early, as the first real books she remembers reading is the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Through the years she’s found that there’s little she won’t read, and her tastes vary from westerns, to romance, to sci-fi / fantasy and Horror.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Zach turned to help a newcomer fuel his boat as an ambulance pulled into the parking area in front of his parents’ small general store. He didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t uncommon for the EMTs to stop and pick up something to eat or drink in between calls. After filling the tourist’s tank, Zach gave him a slip of paper with the amount of fuel he’d pumped and sent the man inside. He caught movement from the corner of his eye and turned to see the EMTs get in the bus and leave. That wasn’t the normal crew. There was a woman. Zach stood stunned for several seconds as he thought he recognized her.

No, can’t be. He shook his head and went back to work. He’d been imagining that he’d seen Dani somewhere, anywhere, for nearly ten years. You would think he would be used to it by now, but no. Every single time knocked the breath out of him. Every time he felt that same sharp pain of loss he’d felt when Mr. Wendt had told him she had moved on and not to call back.

The man with the boat came back out, receipt in hand, and left, it only took a moment before another boat took his place. It was Memorial Day weekend. It would be busy like this for days. Zach was glad. He knew from experience that unless something kept him distracted, he’d spend hours wondering if it really had been Dani. But it couldn’t be. She’d left Pelican Lake and him behind almost ten years ago and never looked back. Why would she come back now?

Chapter 2

Dani held her breath until her partner, Greg, pulled the bus back out on the highway after their lunch stop. She knew coming up here there was a chance she’d run into him, but she hadn’t expected it on her first day.

You okay? Greg asked from beside her.

Yeah, I just saw someone I didn’t expect to see.

Who? Greg glanced her way with a frown.

My ex.

Your ex? Greg looked at her again before turning back to the road. You just got to town.

Yeah, he’s been an ex for a while. I just didn’t realize it would be that hard to see him again.

How long?

Almost ten years.

Wow. You must have been what? Fifteen?

Dani laughed. Thank you for that.

No, I’m serious. You’re not more than what? Twenty-five?

You do know I have a kid, right?

No, but he can’t be that old.

Thank you. I may have to marry you now. She laughed.

Greg just shook his head.

I’m twenty-eight and my son is nine.

Twenty-eight? Really? Greg glanced at her a couple more times. So you’ve been gone for ten years and still managed to run into an ex on your first day on the job? Wow.

I knew it was a risk, stopping there. His family used to own it.

And you still let me stop?

It’s the only thing on this side of the lake, I can’t avoid it forever. She shrugged. Besides, they could have sold it for all I knew. Looks like not.

Did he say anything?

No. He wasn’t inside. I only saw him from a distance, I don’t think he even saw me.

I guess that’s something.

I guess. Dani knew it was just putting off the inevitable. Pelican Lake was a small community and sooner, rather than later, they would encounter each other. It wouldn’t help that she had a small copy of Zach in tow most of the time. Though, Marc was spending a few weeks with her mother in Prescott so Dani would have a chance to settle into the new job and house here. He was having a blast, but she missed him. Dani was so used to it being the two of them that she was lonely without him.

Dani had known running into Zach or his family had been a risk when she’d taken the job, but she’d missed the area so much, for years. When the job offer had come, she couldn’t turn it down because she was afraid of running into her ex. She wasn’t looking forward to it, but she refused to be afraid of seeing him again. Thinking back, she realized she hadn’t recognized the girl behind the counter at the little general store, but she was probably one of Zach’s sisters. They were several years younger and may or may not remember her. She’d spent less time around them, and Dani wasn’t sure she’d recognize them anymore, though, they were probably old enough that they might have left the area. She was a little surprised Zach hadn’t. When they’d been together, he couldn’t wait to get old enough to leave.

Chapter 3

Zach stopped by the new coffee shop in Brighton after picking up a few things, both for his house and his classroom. He’d learned to pick things up when he found them on clearance, even if he wasn’t quite sure what he would do with it. It had come in handy several times. He scanned the extensive menu as he waited in line, trying to decide what he wanted. He was focused on the boards above the counter and didn’t bother to look around until after he’d placed his order and stepped aside. While he waited, Zach scanned the shop. It was a small place with about a dozen tables, and only one was available. Not that it mattered, he wasn’t planning to stay anyway.

The teenager behind the counter called his name. Zack took his drink and turned for the door. There she was. He’d thought he’d seen her several times through the years, only to decide he was making it up. Dani was the one who got away. The one woman he wondered where she was, what she was doing now. Even ten years later. Sitting in a chair not three feet from the door. He had to have walked right past her when he came in. Now, she was looking up at him, her eyes wide, almost as if startled. His heart thundered in his ears and his stomach churned.

Dani. Hi. He couldn’t stop himself from stopping to talk to her. It’s been a long time.

It has been. She glanced down then back up at him. How are you?

Good. I’ve been good. Keeping busy, you?

I’m good. Enjoying a few minutes of down time before I have to get busy again.

What are you doing these days? He still wondered why she’d suddenly cut off contact all those years ago. He’d been hurt she hadn’t told him herself, even with a note; instead, her father had been the one to tell him. What had brought her back?

I just moved to Brighton. I got on with the ambulance crew. She gave him a polite smile.

Wait, had that been her a few days before? You’re an EMT?

I am.

You didn’t by chance stop by my family’s store the other day, did you?

I did. We were hungry, and you know how it is, there’s nothing else on that side of the lake.

I do. One side of his mouth tilted up. I can’t believe Mom never said you’d been there.

I don’t think it was your mom working. I would have recognized her. It was someone younger.

Zach thought back, trying to remember exactly what day it had been and who had been working the counter inside. That’s right. It wasn’t Mom, it was Ashley. I’m not used to her working again, she’s only been back a week.

It may have been. I don’t know. She smiled again and glanced at her watch as if she had somewhere to be. That reminded Zach he had been on his way out.

You look great and it’s been nice to see you, but I was on my way out. I’m sure I’ll see you again if you’re back in the area.

You look good too, and I’m sure we’ll run into each other again. Dani waved her fingers in his direction. Zach continued on his way, wondering how long it would before the sensation of being punched in the stomach passed.

Chapter 4

When Dani heard his name called, she couldn’t help looking up. Then she froze. He’d spotted her. She made small talk when he stopped to talk to her, but she didn’t know how she’d managed. Once Zach had left, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and counted to ten before exhaling. That had been harder than she’d imagined. It had hurt more than she’d thought it would. Dani looked at her nearly empty paper cup and, suddenly, was no longer thirsty. The thought of the sweet coffee and chocolate mixture made her stomach churn. She stood, dropped her cup in the trash, and left. The break that had been so enticing an hour before had lost its appeal. She’d rather be unpacking.

Back at the rented cabin she would share with Mark, she stepped inside and scanned the front room trying to decide what to tackle first. Mark’s room. She missed him, but he still had another week with her mom so she would have to make due with getting his room ready so she could feel closer to him. She took her time folding and putting away her son’s clothes, organizing his toys and making sure things were just right even though she knew it would only last until Mark arrived. He was a typical nine-year-old boy and not at all neat or organized.

After she finished in his room, she moved on to hers, grateful she’d put the beds together first as it gave her somewhere to set boxes as she unpacked them. Once she was done, all she had to do was make it up and she could finally sleep. She’d been busy all day, except for her coffee break, and she had slept hard but not dreamlessly.

No, she dreamed about Zach and what might have been.

Dani woke tired still. Her whole body ached as though she’d been fighting all night. After thinking about it, she realized she had been. She’d known her dream was just a dream and had tried to fix it to make things right, but she hadn’t been able to make Zach disappear or make her dream Zach behave the way the real one had. The battle, though only mental, had exhausted her. She yawned and sat up, then remembered she was out of coffee. Dani groaned and resisted the urge to just lie back and go to sleep again. Sooner or later, she’d have to go to the store. Might as well get it over with.

She pushed the haunting dreams out of her head and got out of bed. There was no point in belaboring what was, her energy was better spent dealing with what now is and doing her best to deal with it. Dani was thankful for her son, a nice home, and a good job. That was all she needed. She wasn’t looking for more. There wasn’t really time for more. She didn’t want to take any time away from Mark. He was her everything and, though it had been hard, he was worth it.

Dani dressed and went into the front room of her cabin, wishing again she’d remembered to get groceries the day before. She stood in front of the large picture window overlooking the lake and was once again reminded why she’d wanted to come back. The view of the water edged with pines and the mountain peaks as a backdrop was exhilarating. It was almost as good at waking her up as caffeine. She turned away, put on her shoes, tucked her shopping list into her purse, and headed out.

Chapter 5

Morning dawned, finding Zach in a chair on his back porch, shoulders hunched, and hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets as he stared unseeing across the water. He’d gone to bed like he normally did, and tried to sleep, but memories of Dani had haunted him. She looked good, just as pretty as he remembered. She’d lost some of the girl-like shine to her eyes, but that did nothing to detract from her beauty. Or how he felt about her.

Zach had tossed and turned, then stared at the ceiling for more than an hour before he’d given up and come out here. Through the night, he’d remembered nearly every moment between them. Their first kiss. The emotion swelling inside his chest the first time she had said she loved him. The ache and loneliness when her family moved. His confusion and hurt when she never responded to his letters, and the searing stab when her father told him not to call back. He realized now he’d never stopped loving her. But what good would it do when she wanted nothing to do with him?

Why had she come back?

The question had been haunting him for hours. He couldn’t figure it out.

As the sun rose, Zach knew as much as he might want to, he couldn’t stay here all day. He had a list of things he needed to get done, not the least of which was to get started on his lesson plans for next year. Keeping fourth graders engaged and interested while making sure they knew everything they needed to know wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

Chapter 6

Dani parked her pickup in front of her mom’s house and went inside. Two weeks had been way too long. She couldn’t wait to see Mark.

Mark! Where are you? she called as she stepped through the door without knocking, like