Moonlight Cove by Sherryl Woods Read Free Book Online Page A

looking dismayed. “Please stay.”
    “Running isn’t the answer,” Connor scolded. “Don’t you see how silly it is for the two of you to go on wasting time by denying your feelings?”
    “The only feeling I have for Will right this second is contempt, and, frankly, my feelings for you, dear brother, aren’t much better.” She frowned at Heather.“Why would you go along with this? I know it was Connor’s idea.”
    Heather flushed. “I thought it was a good one,” she admitted, then added earnestly, “Connor’s right. You should at least give Will a chance.”
    Jess decided she needed to point out the obvious. “Will doesn’t seem to want a chance. He’s right here with someone else. I’m not going to turn around and look now, but he seemed happy enough to be with her when I arrived. And not that long ago, he was here with Laila.”
    Connor looked startled. “Laila? Will had a date with Trace’s sister?”
    “He did,” Jess said. “Obviously he’s enjoying playing the field. Now will you please stay out of my business?” She grabbed her to-go order when the waitress came, then gave her brother a sour look. “Thanks for lunch, by the way. It’s been lovely.”
    She stewed all the way back to the inn, stormed into the kitchen and tossed her food onto one of the stainless steel countertops. Gail took one look at her face and turned to Ronnie.
    “Transfer the calls back to the front desk,” she ordered. “And stay there to take them.”
    “Sure thing,” Ronnie said willingly.
    Jess stared after him. “Did you hypnotize that man?”
    “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when a guy sees you wielding a carving knife,” Gail said with a laugh. “Haven’t had a bit of trouble with him.”
    Jess shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s a strategy many employers could get away with, but I’m grateful.”
    “Okay, so tell me why you’re tied up in knots andlooking mad enough to chew nails,” Gail said. “And split that panini with me. It smells fabulous and I’m starved.”
    “Need I point out that you’re a chef with an entire pantry and a freezer at your disposal?” Jess said even as she put half of the sandwich on a plate, added a few of the French-fried sweet potatoes and handed it over.
    “I’m much too busy to cook for myself,” Gail claimed. “My boss—that’s you, by the way—insisted on very labor-intensive hors d’oeuvres to welcome the guests on Friday nights. I had Ronnie helping out, but you sent him on his way, so I’m on my own. Now tell me what happened. I’m pretty sure you intended to eat lunch at the restaurant.”
    Jess told Gail what she’d found when she arrived. “I don’t know what they were thinking,” she said of her brother and Heather.
    “That you need to wake up and smell the roses before it’s too late,” Gail suggested.
    Jess scowled at her. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”
    “Because you’re the only one who hasn’t seemed to notice that Will is perfect for you.”
    Jess still wasn’t buying it. “The most obnoxious, infuriating, patronizing man in Chesapeake Shores is perfect for me? What does that say about me?”
    “At the moment, it says that you’re blind and stubborn,” Gail said cheerfully. She slid a knife in Jess’s direction. “Now chop those mushrooms or send Ronnie back in here. I have work to do.”
    Jess started chopping, then glanced sideways at Gail. “I need to remember that when it comes to sympathy, you are definitely not my go-to girl.”
    Gail laughed. “Not in my job description, that’s for sure. Now, chop.”
    At least the effort to avoid cutting off her own fingers kept Jess from spending too much time thinking about Will and the pretty blonde who’d been hanging on his every word. She’d have plenty of time to relive that sight when she was lying all alone in her bed tonight.

4
    M egan looked up from the canvas she was framing in preparation for an upcoming show at the gallery to see Mick