Because of Love

By Jill Sanders

Head back to Pride Oregon to find out what some of your favorite Jill Sanders' characters are up to.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Idealist LLC
• Release date: Jul 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781945100185

Jill Sanders

Jill Sanders is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Pride series, Secret series, West series, Grayton series, Lucky series, and Silver Cove romance novels. She continues to lure new readers in with her sweet and sexy stories. Her work is available in every English-speaking country and in audiobook form, and her books have been translated into several languages. Born as an identical twin in a large family, Sanders was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent as a writer. She now makes her home along the Emerald Coast in Florida, where she enjoys the beach, hiking, swimming, wine tasting, and—of course—writing. You can connect with Sanders on Facebook at http://fb.com/JillSandersBooks, on Twitter @JillMSanders, and on her website at http://JillSanders.com.

Book preview

Prologue

Suzie sat back and watched as the car disappeared down the driveway. She sighed, longing for the day some handsome boy would come knocking on the door for her. Of course, Sara was older and way more popular than she was, especially with the boys.

This wasn’t her big sister’s first date, but it was the one Suzie was most jealous of. Aiden Brogan was everything Suzie’s fourteen-year-old heart dreamed of in a boy. He was tall and dark-haired, and those deep brown eyes of his were always a little broody.

What are you doing? Matthew asked behind her. Suzie glanced over her shoulder to see her older brother looking at her from the hallway, a bowl of cereal in his hands and a bag of cookies under his arm.

I’m telling Mom you’re taking food upstairs. She glanced back out the window.

Instead of answering, her brother moved over to look out the window. The taillights on Aiden’s truck could just be seen going around the last corner.

Was that Aiden’s truck? he asked with a frown.

Aiden and Matthew had been best friends since birth.

Yes. She sighed and turned back to her brother. He’s taking Sara to the dance tonight.

Her brother’s frown grew. What for? He shoved a bite of cereal into his mouth.

Because—she rolled her eyes— boys like Sara.

Her tone made her brother stop and look down at her. Boys like you too.

She felt tears sting her eyes as she shook her head. No, they don’t. She thought of her still-flat chest and her freakishly long legs. She was taller than every boy in school her age.

Yes, they do. Just the other day… Her brother dropped off as she turned on him. Never mind. He cleared his throat and shoveled more cereal into his mouth.

What? she asked, turning to sit on the sofa.

Nothing, he said with a full mouth as he started to walk towards the stairs.

Matthew, she cried, racing after him.

Fine. He sighed. Just the other day I overheard a couple of guys saying that they couldn’t wait until you got to high school.

She felt her heart flutter.

Really? she asked with a smile that had her brother’s frown growing.

I punched one of them, he said with a smile.

You did what? Who was it? she asked, but her brother had disappeared into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

She knew better than to barge into his room. Last time she’d done so, he’d thrown a football at her head and had broken one of the family photos that hung in the upstairs hallway.

Matthew. She banged on his door.

Go away, he called back.

She walked to her own room, sealed herself inside, and pulled out her diary to write down her dreams. Dreams about her and Aiden Brogan dancing under the stars on the beach.

Chapter 1

Ten years later…

Standing on the street a few blocks down from the station and the high school, Susannah, or Suzie to her friends, smiled up at the old stone building. It was perfect for what she had planned.

There were three retail units in the building. The middle unit was empty at the moment and had a For Sale sign in the window. To the right was an old hair salon that Suzie had used many times growing up. Linda, the owner of the salon, was in her mid-eighties, but several of her younger employees ran the place now. To the left was an old video and bookstore that had seen better days.

She looked back to the middle store and bit her lip as she thought about how much money she’d saved over the last six years.

She’d worked every odd job she could think of to afford to pursue her dreams. Her parents had paid for her first two years of college, which had helped out, since she hadn’t decided on a major until she’d walked into a floral shop in Edgeview one Mother’s Day.

That day had her filled her with ideas, and she’d made up her mind. She’d always known that she wanted to own her own business. It wasn’t until that day, when she’d had to leave her hometown of Pride, Oregon, to get roses for her mother, that she’d figured out what business that would be.

She’d spent the next two years working at a nursery in Portland as she took business classes at the college. She’d learned everything she could from her boss about floral arrangements and the business.

When she walked down the aisle and received her business degree, she knew it was time. Time to return home and open All in Bloom, Pride’s first floral shop.

Her timing couldn’t have been better, since two sisters, Cara and Robin Jenkins, had moved into town a year before and opened Sunset Weddings, a wedding venue just down the street from where Suzie’s floral shop was going to sit.

Suzie! Ellen Rodgers, one of Pride’s only real-estate agents, stepped out of her car and waved at her.

Hi, Ellen. Suzie smiled at the older woman.

I heard you were back in town. The woman stopped and hugged her. Are you here for long?

Suzie chuckled. I hope so. I’m the one meeting you about this building. She motioned to the stone shop.

Ellen’s eyebrows shot up. You are? Suzie pulled out her folder and glanced at the paperwork. Oh, you are. She laughed. I saw Jordan on it and thought… Well, there are so many of you in town now. She shook her head. Come on in. She pulled out a set of keys and opened the glass front door.

They stepped inside and Suzie’s mind instantly whirled at the possibilities. She’d known Ellen her entire life, but she was smart enough to keep her excitement hidden.

The building needed some work. Not a lot, but enough that she knew that she would be owing her dad and brother soon.

How much is the owner asking? she asked as she turned away from the large back storage room that she planned to turn into a cold storage area.

Ellen glanced at the paper and answered with a number that was a few thousand over Suzie’s budget.

She frowned as she glanced out the front windows. Why are they selling? she asked, trying to sound concerned.

The building’s been inspected. It’s sound. The only issue I will bring up is it needs a new hot water heater. She ran through the papers again. Bob and Kim are heading to warmer weather. The shop just wasn’t making enough money and they’re going to try their luck in California.

Suzie narrowed her eyes. They sold…?

Ellen sighed. Herbs and natural remedies.

Right. Suzie nodded. Pride just wasn’t the kind of place to support a store like that. Now Edgeview… that was another thing.

Are they motivated? she asked.

Ellen nodded. Since you’re a friend and your family pretty much founded Pride—she chuckled—I’m going to tell you that if you offered five thousand less, they’d probably take it.

Suzie smiled. Then draw up the paperwork. She held out her hand to Ellen, who smiled and shook her hand eagerly.

---

Two months later…

This time, she was the one who used the keys to open her building. Her dad, brother, and cousins, and even her brother-in-law Parker, had helped turn All in Bloom into her dream.

Smiling, she glanced around at the shiny painted cement floors and the rows of displays filled with fresh floral arrangements. The side wall held four stand-up refrigeration units filled with roses and carnations. The entire left side of the store was filled with potted plant selections.

Her storeroom held the large workbench Parker had built her so that she could put together the floral arrangements, as well as her supplies and tools. There was also a small break room and a bathroom.

She pulled on her jacket and spent the next hour arranging her outside floral displays. Parker had built two long benches that sat in front of the large storefront windows. She filled them now with potted mums, gardenias, hydrangeas, and mixed floral pots she’d put together herself.

It was five weeks before Mother’s Day, and she wanted plenty of options for early gifts.

The doors didn’t open until ten, but she couldn’t help herself from showing up almost two hours early on her first official day.

When the bell her father had hung over the front door chimed, she glanced over as her sister and mother walked in. She smiled. Each of them had a kid in their arms, and Suzie noticed a box from Sara’s Nook Bakery in her sister’s hand.

Her sister’s twins, Ethan and Ellie, were two years old now. Their matching blond heads were covered with the hoods of their rain jackets, Ellie’s red and Ethan’s blue.

Suzie walked over and took Ellie from her mother. Her mother, Megan Jordan, never aged. The three of them were often mistaken as sisters instead of mother and daughters.

Good morning. Sara smiled over at her. We brought an offering. She set the box down on the countertop.

Thanks. She pulled the hood off Ellie’s head and kissed the little girl. What, no coffee? she asked with a chuckle.

It’s here. The bell chimed again as her father stepped in. Her dad was as handsome as ever. Even though he had a streak of silver just above his ears, he hadn’t changed for as long as she could remember.

Your brother and Blake are on their way, her father said as he handed her a cup of coffee.

Matthew’s wife, Blake, was eight months pregnant and moved extremely slowly. Especially in the mornings.

Thanks. She reached up and kissed her father’s cheek. It’s opening day, she said to the room.

Yeah! Sara cheered as she bounced Ethan on her hip.

Aren’t you going to have some sort of ribbon cutting? her mother asked.

Yes, Suzie said after taking a sip of her coffee. Lacey and the rest of the crew are supposed to be here in—she glanced down at her watch— half an hour.

Just then, the bell chimed again, and Matt and Blake stepped inside, her brother helping his very large wife through the door.

Wow, everything looks so wonderful, Blake said, stepping into the store.

Blake was an interior designer by trade. Since Matt hadn’t let her help with the work, this was the first time she was seeing the store outside of pictures. Blake had given her pointers and had even helped order a few signs that hung on the walls.

A large wooden one that hung over the cash register area and said ‘Fresh Flowers’ had been her gift to Suzie.

Thanks. She set her coffee down and rushed over to hug her sister-in-law. How’s junior? she asked, rubbing Blake’s belly.

Blake laughed. Kicking me for being out of bed. She sighed. I’m tired, and I just rolled out of bed ten minutes ago.

Sara chuckled. It’ll be over soon. Try carrying two, she said as she tickled her son.

I don’t know how you did it, Blake said to Sara.

Is everything ready? her mother asked.

I was just finishing putting everything out front, she said as she glanced around.

Need any help? her mother asked.

No, I think I’m good. She’d set up her cash register and credit card machine the day before to make sure everything would run smoothly with payments.

I hope this rain won’t keep people from coming out, her father said with a slight frown.

Are you kidding? Matt chuckled. We live in Oregon. Everyone is used to rain. I’m sure there’ll be a line out front soon.

Which reminds me. She walked over and flipped the lock. I don’t want any customers walking in before it’s time.

For the next few minutes, Blake sat behind the counter on the stool while the kids played with their toys behind the counter and her family chatted about opening day.

Sure enough, five minutes before opening time, cars started filling the street out front and the small parking lot across the way. Since there was a slight overhang on the building, some of the people standing in line out front were holding umbrellas while the others hid under the protection.

A few people had picked items from the display area and held them ready to purchase as soon as she opened the doors.

Lacey Jordan, Suzie’s aunt and the mayor of Pride, showed up three minutes before opening.

Sorry, she said as she closed her umbrella. There was an accident on the highway I had to deal with.

Oh no, nothing serious I hope, Megan said.

The fact that her aunt didn’t smile and respond quickly told them it was serious.

It was just a fender bender, but as Robert was heading out there, his patrol car flipped.

Everyone gasped. Robert Brogan had been sheriff for almost thirty years.

Is he okay? Todd asked.

Robert and Todd had been friends since school.

He’s been taken to Edgeview. Lacey shook her head. Broken leg and collarbone. But he’s okay. She smiled slightly. As mayor, I need to find someone to take over for him while he’s laid up recovering. She waved her hand and then smiled. Opening day. She glanced around. Wow, this looks amazing. She walked over and hugged Suzie. Don’t let this spoil your day. He’s fine, she assured her. Let’s cut this ribbon and get you open for business.

Suzie stood in the door as Lacey taped the red ribbon to the door frame. She smiled for the cameraman from the local paper and helped her aunt cut the ribbon.

Moments later, she was too busy to stop and appreciate or enjoy anything. Questions were thrown at her and she was thankful when her mother took over for her at the register so she could help everyone else.

At one point, her sister and brother disappeared along with their families. Even her father went MIA. Her mother remained to help out. A few hours later her stomach growled loudly and, shortly after, her dad stepped back into the store with a pizza from Baked.

Go in the back, eat. Her mother nudged her. I’ve got this.

She sat in the back with her dad, who filled her in on Robert’s condition.

I went to visit him, he said. He’s banged up but in good spirits, her dad said between bites. He’s arranged for Aiden to fill in for him while he’s healing.

Aiden? Suzie felt her heart skip. It had been a few years since she’d seen him. She’d been back home for the holidays and he’d been in town as well. They’d run into each other and it had almost broken her heart when he still treated her like a little sister.

Yeah. He just finished taken criminal law classes and has been working for the Portland police force for almost two months now.

She’d known that. She knew everything there was to know about Aiden.

So, he’s coming back? she asked, biting her lip.

He’s back. I ran into him at the hospital. He sighed and set down his slice. The kid looks so much like Robert. Her dad’s eyes grew unfocused. It seems like just yesterday we were in school together. Her father glanced at her and shook his head, then brushed a hand down her cheek. I’m proud of you, baby girl.

She felt her eyes grow misty. "Don’t