TWENTY

Race day dawned with a lot more gloom than Olivia expected. Sighing, she lifted a large tray of brownies and pushed through the screen door. At least the day's activities would make Zane show his face at some point. He'd continued to whipsaw from one extreme to the other, and she never knew which personality would be displayed.

One thing she was certain of, though, was that she was about done with the nonsense. If he didn't give her the old heave-ho soon, she might just craft her own speech.

Her neighbor was mercurial at best and infuriating at worst, and guessing which way the wind was about to blow had lost its appeal.

It was time to return to her staid and boring life. She was done with Zane squawking about the future one minute and being shut tighter than a pickle jar the next.

Love drama wasn't her thing, and she didn't know how some people managed it on a semi-regular basis.

She shook off her angst and strode over to the snack table that Lucy was setting up. "Are you ready to start loading it up with treats?"

Lucy leaned over, smoothed a wrinkle in the tablecloth, and then nodded. "Drop those chocolate beauties here, and I will do my best not to eat them all before everyone shows up."

"On a scale of one to ten, how much chocolate therapy are we talking about?"

"Twelve," Lucy replied, taking the tray from her sister's hand. "And if I have to spend the day in Linc's company, it will surely double."

"My goodness, I've never known a man to have that kind of power over the indomitable Lucy Aurora Bennett."

"Shut up," Lucy replied with little heat as she shifted the tray so that it was centered. "And for anyone interested, this is just an anomaly and will disappear as quickly as any spring storm."

"The Bennett sisters are batting a thousand," Olivia said quietly. "It might be time to take another look at the nunnery."

"They'd never let us in since there's no way to atone for the sins we commit almost daily."

"Speak for yourself," Olivia quipped. "Oh wait, the last time Zane and I were together, we knocked out at least three."

Lucy arranged her pile of necklaces carefully and then dropped her sunglasses. "We're not particularly lucky in love, but that doesn't mean we can't find a suitable hobby that would keep us away from trouble and heartbreak."

"I can't disagree, but reading, drawing, and drinking are all we're good at." Olivia looked up at the Ferris wheel. "Not that our interests can't be expanded."

"It's so much easier to be flippant because if you or I ever admitted how much we feel, we'd end up in a sea of emotions neither of us is capable of navigating."

"Agreed. The Bennett women have the unfortunate habit of loving too much. What other choice do we have but to numb ourselves to it just a bit?" Olivia stated firmly. "If we gave in, it would destroy us."

"Especially when they run off, never to be heard from again."

"Or die," Olivia said quietly.

Lucy wrapped her arm around her sister and squeezed tightly. "Or that."

"Okay, enough. We have lots to do, and unveiling the majestic beauty that inhabits my backyard is the least of it."

Lucy let out a whistle. "It looks like Betsy got herself a new look."

Olivia looked up and then clapped. "Well done, friend."

Betsy twirled around. "I took your advice, Liv, and am ready to move on."

"Good for you," Lucy said as she hugged Betsy. "Do you have a lucky candidate in mind?"

"I have several dates set up for next week and am considering taking a teaching position in Greenville next year." She swept her hands up. "I need to expand my horizons. I've had a crush on a man for five years and have wasted too much mascara on someone who barely notices me."

"Amen," Olivia responded. "You are lit up from the inside out, and it's clear that letting go of an unrequited crush was the right answer."

Betsy smoothed her hand over her new bob and snorted her agreement, the sound exploding across the yard. "I'm not waiting for Hoyt a minute longer."

"Which means this is the exact moment he'll wake up." Lucy turned to her sister. "Do we have the paramedics on call?"

"I think so," Oliva answered.

"We better make sure since the oldest Doherty brother is likely to have a heart attack the minute he gets a glimpse of the men who will be fawning over this one." Lucy squeezed Betsy's shoulder. "I love nothing more than seeing a man forced to feast on his errors."

"Very mature," Olivia retorted. "If Bea were here, we'd get a lecture on soul evolution, emotional intelligence, karma, and several other things that involve our chi."

Betsy pursed her lips. "Then we won't mention it when she arrives."

"Speak of the devil. Here's our beloved sorceress," Olivia said as Bea parked her truck. "Hey, beauty!"

Bea waved and then pulled out a large tote. "I've brought everything we need."

Olivia, Lucy, and Betsy looked at each other.

"Don't worry, ladies; this day will not end in regret, embarrassment, or a trip to jail," Bea announced as she joined the group of women. "We may be about to face our greatest challenges, but I have sage, crystals, candles, and small pouches prepared specifically for each of you."

"Guess I shouldn't ask what's going on with you and Asher," Olivia said gently.

Bea emptied the bag on the table, picked up the sage, and ignited it with a lighter she produced from her pocket. Waving the burning herbs around, she smiled. "Nothing to report."

"You may excel at the whole spiritual mastery thing, but you suck at lying," Lucy replied as she arranged the colored candles. "Are these repelling or attracting candles? Because I want to make sure to get a repelling one." She snatched the lighter from Bea's hand, barely missing the sage she was waving around. "I don't need an inked-up anti-prince with enough chill to be unnerving."

Betsy grabbed a pink candle. "I'll take an attracting one." She waved the sage smoke out of her face. "I want as many options as I can get."

Olivia picked up two and studied them. "I'll take one of each."

The sound of a truck filled the yard, and Betsy groaned. "I'll take a repelling one too because Hoyt just arrived, and I don't need him polluting my new vibe."

Lucy groaned. "Let's light these babies up; here they come."

Olivia turned and swore she heard a low drumbeat as all three Hawker men strode down the lane in a fog of testosterone. "This isn't going to end well."

Betsy lit the candles quickly and handed the lighter to Bea, who lit the second bunch of sage. Olivia grabbed a pouch with her initial on it and shoved it into her pocket. "Just remember, we can call on the Haven Ladies' Society if we need to."

"And let them have all the fun?" Lucy snorted. "No way."

Saying a silent prayer, Olivia hoped that whatever happened gave her some closure. The angst of not knowing where Zane's affection lay on any given day was no longer something she wanted to tolerate. She blew out the pink candle and decided that, for now, she was ready to repel the man that very nearly got ahold of her heart.

Zane accepted a cooler from Hoyt and stacked it with the others. "What do you say? Think we've got another half an hour before the runners finish their first lap?"

Hoyt jumped down from his truck and brushed off his hands. "Sounds about right."

Zane gave the quiet man a tilt of his chin and was surprised he'd received a three-word answer. They'd been working on the water station set up for thirty minutes and hadn't exchanged ten words. The gentle giant had been far too preoccupied marking Betsy Yarlin's every move to engage in idle chit-chat, and he hoped to eventually discover why.

Though, how that would be possible, he couldn't say since he and Liv had been taking turns avoiding each other. They'd barely spent fifteen minutes in one another's company in the last week and were advancing and retreating, with neither doing what the other expected.

The next move was probably his to make, and damn if he could force himself to do it.

For the first time in his life, he wanted nothing more than to avoid a confrontation. And that's exactly what he'd be stepping into since Liv's patience had probably run out. No doubt she had an impressive, it's been fun speech ready to go.

Hearing a sharp bark, he glanced up and saw Killer trotting in his direction. Bella sat beside the porch and gave him a confident look of triumph. Seemed both he and his dog were out of favor with the ladies of the house.

"Is that one yours?" Hoyt asked as Killer jumped over a small puddle.

"Yes. And I'm not sure I can get rid of him without a lot of blowback."

Hoyt bent over and scooped up the animal. "Not a fan of small dogs, but this one isn't bad."

Zane ignored the dog's look of disapproval. "Olivia decided I was the perfect dog dad for the little beast and made me adopt him."

"Maybe, I should have gotten Betsy a dog or something." He stroked the dog's head. "Or just not act like a complete idiot."

Zane crossed his arms over his chest and hoped that the story was about to be unraveled.

"You mind if I borrow…"

"Killer?" Zane finished.

"Yeah, I'm gonna show him to Betsy and see if she might want one."

Zane waved his hand. "Keep him as long as you like."

"Thanks, man. I gotta come up with something because she's been avoiding me." He hoisted the dog closer to his chest. "You'd think a woman who taught first grade would be much more understanding with someone that didn't handle unexpected declarations very well. A person who spends time teaching kids how to read should have a whole lot of patience and not run off at the first opportunity and get a new look, a half-dozen dates, and be talking about moving to the next town over." He sucked in a breath. "What has happened to teachers? Do they think every man has the social skills of those idiots who go on The Bachelor? Some of us haven't had a lot of practice, and it would be nice if women gave us a chance to get comfortable with the situation first."

Not sure if he understood the rambling confession or was expected to respond, he tried to appear sympathetic.

Hoyt slapped Zane on the back. "Thanks for the advice, Zane."

"No problem. He watched the man lumber in the direction of his heart's desire. "God bless you both."

"What's that?" Asher asked as he strolled up.

"Just dispensing pearls of wisdom wherever they're needed."

Asher let out a loud snort. "No, really, what's going on?"

"Great question, brother!" Zane adjusted his ball cap. "Feel free to enlighten me on your plans."

"I'm heading back to Virginia. I've got to finish formally separating from the Navy."

"Are you going to return to Haven and hang up a shingle after you"re done?"

"Yeah, I've got a lease signed on some office space." He looked around at the crowd. "There's only one other attorney in town, and he's about a hundred and twenty if he's a day. This town is ready for new blood and can use my skills."

"Glad you think so," Zane replied. "You ever gonna tell me what went on between you and Bea?"

"Nothing happened!"

He gave his brother a slow once over. "Yeah, I'm not buying it."

Asher slid his aviators out of his pocket and put them on. "Don't let that sage-waving yogi fool you. She might appear to be peace-loving, but she's really a steamroller that gets her way no matter what." He let out a frustrated grunt. "Never underestimate the power of Namaste, brother."

"Wasn't planning on it." He tugged his phone out of his pocket and held it up. "Let me just get a quick picture."

Asher smirked. "What the hell for?"

"Posterity. This is the first time in recorded history that a woman hasn't fallen all over herself to get your attention." Zane pressed the button and hoped he captured Asher's disgruntled expression. "In fact, it looks like she's avoiding you at all costs."

"Whatever, I'm out."

Zane watched his brother storm away. "See ya, Romeo."

He quickly looked around to see if anyone else needed his wise counsel and spotted Olivia. Perhaps it was time to make an opening shot and put himself in the eye of the storm. Striding in the direction of the Ferris wheel, he hoped they could somehow find a way to give each other some peace—a safe space to rest their battered hearts.

Before he reached his destination, the two kids from the fair skidded to a stop in front of him, with Zelda following close behind. "What's up?"

"Ms. Olivia said you were in charge of the Ferris wheel," Sammy announced loudly.

"We want to be the first to go on," Kelsey added.

Sammy dug into his pocket and pulled out two quarters. "I got money and everything."

"Is that all you have?" Kelsey sniffed as she delicately extracted a fresh dollar bill from the panda purse that swung on her arm. "I've got more and will probably go twice."

"Liv is in charge of the high finance, so you two need to talk terms with her."

"They're not letting you out of their sights," Zelda said flatly. "You might as well let them go on. Otherwise, they'll shadow you for the rest of the day."

"Are you in charge of these two hellions?" Zane asked with a laugh.

"For the next," she checked her watch, "hour and forty minutes."

"Hope you're getting top dollar for your efforts."

Zelda rolled her eyes as only a teenage girl could. "Would I be doing it if I wasn't?"

"She's saving for a car, so she and her friends can escape this tiny town and all the boring boys who hang out at the skate park," Kelsey added helpfully.

Zelda groaned. "You are not supposed to listen when my friends and I talk."

"You guys sound like screecher monkeys, so it's kinda hard not to," Sam said flatly.

"What have we got here?" Linc asked as he ambled up. "The great brain trust?"

"Are you the cousin all the moms are talking about at the playground?" Sammy asked as he stepped closer to Linc. "A bunch of them were talking about you being bad in a good way." He swiped his hand over his nose. "What does that mean?"

Kelsey tugged on Linc's hand. "Zelda likes details, so use a lot of words." She leaned up on her toes. "Happy babysitter, happy life."

"I feel ya, girl. But have no idea what you're talking about."

Zelda snorted loudly. "I doubt that."

"Wow, Allen never mentioned that his delightful daughter had a side hustle in the intel game," Linc replied with a laugh.

Zane noticed Sammy copying Linc's stance. "Looks like you got an admirer, cousin."

Linc looked down. "Whatcha doing there, little man?"

"Copying you. I want to be bad but good."

"Might need a few more years before that's possible."

Sammy tipped his chin in the direction of Lucy and a group of women. "Which one you got an eye on?"

Linc ruffled the kid's hair. "A man never gives away his target. Best to keep that kind of information to yourself."

Kelsey glanced over at Zelda. "Who does he like? You know just about everything that happens in Haven."

Zelda gave Linc an arched eyebrow. "You want to tell them, or should I?"

"Jeez, girl, I've seen boat guys who don't have half your juice. And considering we like to fast-rope into a RIB hovering three-hundred and fifty feet above the ocean while the helo tries not to get weather vaned into kingdom come, that's saying something."

Zelda flipped a pink braid over her shoulder. "My mom says it's a gift and one I should use for good and not evil."

"Amen," Zane said quietly.

"I think he likes Ms. Lucy," Sam announced loudly. "You're gonna need a lot of funnel cakes to get her interested."

"Thanks, little Romeo, for the advice." Linc gave the small group a confident smile. "I got this."

"You so don't," Zelda snorted. "I heard the ladies chatting earlier, and repelling candle and your name were used in the same sentence."

"Not a big deal. It's an opposite attracts thing, and we'll have things worked out before too long."

Zelda took Sam and Kelsey's hands. "I think it's more of an enemy-to-lover disaster in the making, but that's just me." She turned the children toward the ride. "We'll go stand in line for the Ferris wheel."

"Expect to be proven wrong, young lady," Linc called out loudly to the departing group.

"Got to be one of your proudest moments." Zane punched Linc in the arm. "I'm gonna leave now, so you can get your swagger back in place."

"Appreciate it," he mumbled before stalking in Lucy's direction.

Zane looked around for Olivia and didn't spot her. "Might as well handle the ride." He ran his hand over his neck and laughed, knowing the Hawker men were skunking the game. No two ways about it.