times when Jude St. Pierre, Synchronicity’s captain, had asked his brother to help with the rigging. Man oh man, Colton was sexy as hell just standing on her sidewalk. But when he’d climbed out onto the mast at the front of the boat in order to help rig one of the big sails, she’d been blown away, her heart racing. But not nearly as fast as it had later in the evening, at his place.
She was falling for him. The fact that she was ticked off at him was a surefire indication that he’d gotten under her skin.
She finished her first cup of the day and headed back to the break room. She’d just poured her second cup when the little bell at the front of the store jangled.
She checked the clock; it was a little after eleven. She’d been here for an hour, and this was her first customer.
She headed to the front of the store and came to a stop. Colton stood there amid her trinkets.
“Do you know where Jessica is?” he asked before she could say a word.
Well, damn. And here she thought the man had finally come to his senses and had arrived to light her fire on this chilly rain-swept day.
“I just got here an hour ago. Why would I know anything about Jess’s whereabouts?” Kerri said in a snippy tone.
He turned, running his hand through his damp hair, water dripping from his rain jacket to her floor. A coil of fury and desire knotted in her stomach.
“I need to talk to her about something important, and she’s not at home or her office. I checked. The door is locked.”
“Did you call her?”
“Yeah. No answer. I’m worried about her.”
“Well, I can’t help you. I’m just her landlady.”
He didn’t seem to be listening. Instead he paced like a caged panther, dripping water everywhere.
Kerri made a snap decision. She could fall in love with him, but she wasn’t going to let herself. He’d been dishonest with her. He had a jones for someone else. And that made him exactly like the last guy who’d darkened her door.
“I think you should leave,” she said, coming to the only conclusion she could. She needed to get that man out of her system. He was trouble.
He turned, a surprised look on his face. “What’s gotten into you?”
“I’m standing here right in front of you and you haven’t even said good morning. You take me for granted, which is bad enough. But you’ve been dishonest with me.”
“What? How?”
“You let me think that there was no one else in your life. And clearly there is.”
He stood there looking slightly thunderstruck. “But there isn’t.”
“No? You come in here telling me you’re worried about Jess. You treat me like I’m invisible. What do you expect me to think? Colton, you need to take a good long look in the mirror.”
“Uh.” His mouth dropped open.
“I mean it. If you care about Jess Blackwood, then why the hell did you take me out on Saturday?”
“But—”
“Think about it, Colton. I don’t like being used to make some other woman jealous. And what is it? Are you worried now because everyone says she’s got a thing for Topher Martin? Or—”
“Topher Martin? Are you out of your mind? She hates that guy.”
Kerri blew out a breath. “We’re not talking about her. Okay?”
“Wait. I thought we were.”
“No. We’re talking about the way you came in here and treated me like I was nothing. What is it? Are you sorry you took me on that cruise?”
He frowned. “Uh, no. I mean, I didn’t call because I was busy. Jude needed—”
“I don’t care what you’ve been doing. Honestly.”
“But—”
“I just want you to leave now. It’s clear that I don’t mean very much to you. And while it was fun, I think we’re done now, okay?”
“What the hell?”
“Go. Now,” she said, trying very hard not to bellow or scream or shriek. That would have been uncool, and Kerri always kept her cool.
“Yes, ma’am. And I am sorry I darkened your door.” He turned and strode from the store, inadvertently knocking one of her daffodil teacups to the floor in his wake. The cup shattered into a million pieces.
Sort of like Kerri’s heart. She burst into tears and went running for the broom and dustpan. By the time she’d swept up the shards and mopped up the water he’d tracked in, she’d regained her composure.
Barely.
But she’d pull it together eventually. She was strong enough to weather this setback. And besides, she had plenty of