Read Online The Spyglass Portal: A Lighthouse Novel by Stacey Coverstone - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stacey Coverstone
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original from the late 1800s, including the tin ceiling, the ceiling fans, and hardwood floors. They serve hand-dipped ice cream and make their own candy.”
“Sounds charming.”
“Why wait until this evening? Do you have any plans this morning that can’t be broken?”
“I was going to take a walk on the beach. That’s all.”
“How about a walk to town instead? I’d be glad to show you around right now, if you’d like.”
“Okay. That would be great, if it’s not too much trouble. But what about your work?”
“It can wait.”
Apparently, he was his own boss if the work could wait. She smiled, wanting to forget about pills and hallucinations. She was willing to give Aidan a second chance. “Let me grab my purse.”
Conspicuously leaving her cell phone on the kitchen counter, she locked the door with her stomach flip-flopping, unexpectedly feeling like a teenager going on her first date.
CHAPTER TEN
While strolling the cobblestone walks of downtown Pavee Cove and poking their heads into different shops, Aidan couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d met Samantha before. Before yesterday, that was. It was hard to explain, but there was something about the way her mouth curved into a shy smile, and her blue eyes sparkled when she laughed that was so familiar. Breathtakingly beautiful, it was difficult to keep his gaze off her.
As they walked, she asked a few questions about his life here, but she didn’t reciprocate with any information about herself. With every passing moment, his interest and desire grew, wanting to know all about her.
“What do you do in Portland?” he asked as they ambled down the pier toward fishing boats docked at the harbor.
She inhaled, taking the deep salty air into her lungs, and exhaled before answering. “I flip houses.”
That came as a surprise. With a body and face like hers, he’d expected her to say she was a model, an actress, or maybe a news anchor on television. Of course, he didn’t suppose there was much call for models or actresses in Portland, Maine. But working in the construction business was the last occupation he would have guessed.
“That’s where you buy houses and renovate them to sell for a profit, right?”
“You got it.”
“How long have you been flipping houses?”
“Almost ten years now.”
“So, that means you must be a pretty good handy man. I mean, woman.”
Her thick eyelashes fluttered. “Yes. I know my way around a hammer and a saw.”
He waited for more, but drawing words out of her was about as tough as reeling in fish without bait. The coyness behind her responses only made him determined to persevere and dig deeper. “Do you work alone, or have you got a crew?”
It was subtle, but Aidan saw her face change. Her cheerful expression faded as if a cloud had passed in front of her.
“Let’s sit down,” she said, slipping off her sneakers. Parking herself on the end of the pier, she let her feet dangle into the water and patted the space next to her for him to join her. After a couple of silent minutes had passed, she said, “I had a business partner in Portland. His name was Chad Payton. Is Chad Payton,” she corrected.
“Go on.”
“He was the victim of a terrible freak accident three months ago. Lightning struck him when he was on a ladder. I saw it happen. Now he’s in the hospital in a coma. The doctors say he’ll never recover.”
Aidan shook his head. “That’s tragic. I’m so sorry, Samantha. Is that why you’re here, to recover from the shock of it all?”
She nodded and gazed out over the water.
He watched her chest rise and fall with erratic breaths. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, she started to cry. Tears stained her cheeks and she bowed her head, evidently embarrassed. The distress she felt was obvious, and his heart went out to her. Sometimes the touch of another human being helped mend a broken spirit better than medicine or therapy. He wrapped an arm around her
“Sounds charming.”
“Why wait until this evening? Do you have any plans this morning that can’t be broken?”
“I was going to take a walk on the beach. That’s all.”
“How about a walk to town instead? I’d be glad to show you around right now, if you’d like.”
“Okay. That would be great, if it’s not too much trouble. But what about your work?”
“It can wait.”
Apparently, he was his own boss if the work could wait. She smiled, wanting to forget about pills and hallucinations. She was willing to give Aidan a second chance. “Let me grab my purse.”
Conspicuously leaving her cell phone on the kitchen counter, she locked the door with her stomach flip-flopping, unexpectedly feeling like a teenager going on her first date.
CHAPTER TEN
While strolling the cobblestone walks of downtown Pavee Cove and poking their heads into different shops, Aidan couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d met Samantha before. Before yesterday, that was. It was hard to explain, but there was something about the way her mouth curved into a shy smile, and her blue eyes sparkled when she laughed that was so familiar. Breathtakingly beautiful, it was difficult to keep his gaze off her.
As they walked, she asked a few questions about his life here, but she didn’t reciprocate with any information about herself. With every passing moment, his interest and desire grew, wanting to know all about her.
“What do you do in Portland?” he asked as they ambled down the pier toward fishing boats docked at the harbor.
She inhaled, taking the deep salty air into her lungs, and exhaled before answering. “I flip houses.”
That came as a surprise. With a body and face like hers, he’d expected her to say she was a model, an actress, or maybe a news anchor on television. Of course, he didn’t suppose there was much call for models or actresses in Portland, Maine. But working in the construction business was the last occupation he would have guessed.
“That’s where you buy houses and renovate them to sell for a profit, right?”
“You got it.”
“How long have you been flipping houses?”
“Almost ten years now.”
“So, that means you must be a pretty good handy man. I mean, woman.”
Her thick eyelashes fluttered. “Yes. I know my way around a hammer and a saw.”
He waited for more, but drawing words out of her was about as tough as reeling in fish without bait. The coyness behind her responses only made him determined to persevere and dig deeper. “Do you work alone, or have you got a crew?”
It was subtle, but Aidan saw her face change. Her cheerful expression faded as if a cloud had passed in front of her.
“Let’s sit down,” she said, slipping off her sneakers. Parking herself on the end of the pier, she let her feet dangle into the water and patted the space next to her for him to join her. After a couple of silent minutes had passed, she said, “I had a business partner in Portland. His name was Chad Payton. Is Chad Payton,” she corrected.
“Go on.”
“He was the victim of a terrible freak accident three months ago. Lightning struck him when he was on a ladder. I saw it happen. Now he’s in the hospital in a coma. The doctors say he’ll never recover.”
Aidan shook his head. “That’s tragic. I’m so sorry, Samantha. Is that why you’re here, to recover from the shock of it all?”
She nodded and gazed out over the water.
He watched her chest rise and fall with erratic breaths. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, she started to cry. Tears stained her cheeks and she bowed her head, evidently embarrassed. The distress she felt was obvious, and his heart went out to her. Sometimes the touch of another human being helped mend a broken spirit better than medicine or therapy. He wrapped an arm around her
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