“Good news?” His eyebrows went up, and she saw a shadow of apprehension. Bless him, he had given her so much freedom, but she knew he had insecurities.
“I think it’s good news. I hope you will, too.” She spun on the rock so that her legs were over his and his arm was around her. “I’ve been offered a job in Brunswick, in the emergency room there.”
Josh’s face lightened. “But that’s so close! Commutable distance for sure.”
She nodded. “And my hours wouldn’t be heavy, either. No more sixty-hour weeks for this chick.” She leaned against his shoulder. “I love emergency medicine, but I thought it was time I had a life, too.”
“I like that idea,” Josh replied.
“Me, too. Since the best parts of my life right now happen to be in Jewell Cove, it made sense to look for something nearby.”
“Congratulations,” he said, squeezing her close and giving her a kiss. “I’m happy for you. For us, too.”
“So you’re okay with it? I haven’t accepted yet.”
“It’s your decision, Liz. But yeah, it’s incredibly workable. I’m more than okay with it.”
“I was thinking, too,” she said, “that it would be nice to have my mom closer. I found a few living facilities in the area that specialize in memory loss patients.” She met his gaze. “I was wondering if you’d go with me and check a few of them out.”
“Of course I will,” he said warmly. “I’d be honored, honey.”
She’d taken him to meet her mom a few weeks earlier, and it had been a good day for Rosemary. She’d taken to Josh right away, calling him a “handsome young man” and telling him stories of Lizzie when she was a girl. It had been so lovely and yet bittersweet. It always amazed Lizzie how her mom could remember things from the past like that but forget something that had happened only minutes before. Still, it had been important to have her approval.
And for the first time Lizzie had included someone else in her decisions, and that felt good. Like.… a partnership. Entirely new but wonderful just the same.
“Thank you, Josh. For being patient with me while I decided what I wanted my life to look like.”
“It’s the first of your rules that was easy to follow. At least until now.” He grinned and touched the tip of her nose with a finger. “There was one thing I wondered, though, Lizzie. And I don’t mean to rush you, but—”
He reached into his pocket. “I want to give you this. But only if you’re ready for it.”
He held out a key.
“To my house, to use as you wish. As often as you wish. And when you’re ready, to use every day.”
“You’re asking me to move in with you?”
He nodded. “But only when you’re ready. In the meantime, you can come and go.” He smiled at her. “Hell, you already have a toothbrush in my bathroom.”
She did, because she’d been spending more and more nights there lately. The cottage was great, but it had always been a temporary spot for her. If she was truly going to settle in Jewell Cove, she needed to have a home.
A physical home. Because she’d already found a home for her heart.
“I know you don’t like to overly plan your personal life, but I thought I’d put it out there anyway.” Josh put the key in her palm and closed her fingers over it. It was warm from his jacket pocket.
“I find I’m not so scared of planning these days,” she mused, squeezing the key tightly. Josh was inviting her into his life. Perhaps it was time she really invited him into hers.
She shifted so that she was sitting on his lap, her arm around his shoulders and her temple against his cheek. “I love you, Josh. And I’d be happy to accept your key, on one condition.”
“Oh God. You and your conditions…” But there was no apprehension in his voice this time, and she smiled to herself. He trusted her, she realized. Trust that had been so hard for him to give, but he’d given it to her along with the key. What an incredible gift.
“I’ll take it, if you make an honest woman out of me.”
Josh leaned back so he could see her fully. She loved the shock on his face. He hadn’t expected that, but it felt right. And one thing hadn’t changed about Lizzie: when something felt right, she made the decision and went for it. Just like she had the day Charlie had asked her to move to Jewell Cove. It had been the best impulsive decision of her life.
“An honest woman … are you talking about marriage?”
“If you’re interested in marrying again. I know the first time didn’t go so well—”
“Wait.” He stared at her. “Lizzie. Are you saying you would marry me if I asked you?”
“Why don’t you try it and find out?”
He didn’t miss a beat. “Will you marry me, Lizzie Howard?”
“Yes.”
“Just like that. But there are rules, Josh.”
He groaned.
She cupped his face in her hands. “Rules like for better or worse. Richer or poorer, and all that jazz.” She felt her heart constrict as she threw caution to the wind and went all the way. “And there are children to consider. I think I’d like to have a few.” Emotion rushed over her as she said the words. She knew what kids meant to Josh. The idea of being mother to his was so big and so perfect she wasn’t sure what to do with all the feelings.
He pulled her close. “Easiest rules in the world to follow,” he murmured.
Lizzie snuggled deeper into his arms, listened to the breakers on the sand, and for the first time in her life felt like she was exactly where she belonged.
Home.
“Donna Alward writes with emotion and heart.”
—RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author of Willowleaf Lane
Don’t miss the first two Jewell Cove novels by
Donna Alward
The House on Blackberry Hill
Treasure on Lilac Lane
and her novella
Christmas at Seashell Cottage
From St. Martin’s Paperbacks
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters plus the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist. Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta where her romance career began, writing about cowboys and the west.
Visit: www.donnaalward.com, or sign up for email updates here.
ALSO BY
DONNA ALWARD
The House on Blackberry Hill
Treasure on Lilac Lane
NOVELLA
Christmas at Seashell Cottage
PRAISE FOR THE
JEWELL COVE SERIES
“Oh, my silly heart, be still. This is a wonderful romance, packed with family drama, a sexy hero, an incredible old house. You'll fall in love from the very first page.”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“A wonderful, witty, and memorable book! Donna Alward’s The House on Blackberry Hill is a heartwarming, delightful debut to an engaging new series. Readers will love discovering the richly layered stories and enticing secrets residing in Jewell Cove.”
—New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump
“A wonderful story with plenty of sizzle and the perfect hint of mystery. Donna Alward writes with emotion and heart.”
—RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author of Christmas in Snowflake Canyon
“Donna Alward writes warm, memorable characters who spring to life on the page. Brimming with old family history, small-town secrets, and newfound passion, you’ll want to pack up and move to Jewell Cove, Maine!”
“A promising, creative, and deeply emotional homecoming journey that will captivate readers.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Old family secrets, a bitter tragedy, and a restless spirit add mystery and an eerie touch to this
compelling story that is steeped in small-town New England flavor so rich you can taste it and beautifully launches the author's new series.”
—Library Journal
“The House on Blackberry Hill was my first Donna Alward book and I loved it! The romance was sweet, the characters were quirky, and the town of Jewell Cove was amazing. It sounds so enchanting; I would love to live there!”
—Badass Book Reviews
“A lovely contemporary romance with historical ties and a strong feeling of roots and family connections. Every once in a while I am lucky enough to find a book that has such wonderful atmosphere that it transports me from the world I know to the same place the characters are in. This is one of those books. The descriptions are perfect. I could smell the scent of blackberries in the air and feel the breeze upon my skin.”
—Readful Things Blog
“Well-written, well-thought-out, and definitely worth the read! It will make you want to visit Jewell Cove over and over again! Looking forward to her next installment of the Jewell Cove novels.”
—Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
“Jewell Cove is a far cry from the overly cheery village found in some books—it sounds like an actual town, where people are friendly, nosy, and well aware that bad things do happen. I definitely enjoyed it.”
—All About Romance
“This story is one that covers almost every range of emotions and should be read with a box of tissues and perhaps an adult beverage as it sweeps through like a summer’s storm … when is the next one coming out?”
—Harlequin Junkie
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
About the Author
Also by Donna Alward
Praise for the Jewell Cove series
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
SUMMER ON LOVERS’ ISLAND
Copyright © 2015 by Donna Alward.
All rights reserved.
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eISBN: 9781466843660
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / May 2015
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.