Summer on Blackberry Beach

Book 2: Mistletoe, Maine

by Belle Calhoune

Genres: Clean & Wholesome Romance; Small Town & Rural

Synopsis

A faux summer fling seemed like the perfect solution . . . until they start falling in love for real.
 
Teacher Stella Marshall’s summer break has just began, but the gossip is already sizzling: Luke Keegan’s back in town! Stella’s high school crush is all grown up and smolderingly sexy. She might even consider a fling with the former Navy SEAL, if she hadn’t already sworn off all romantic entanglements. But there isn’t a single thing she can do to stop the rumor mill whispering about her and Luke being together—unless . . .

A showmance! Luke never thought he’d propose a fake relationship, but it’s the only way to stop the runaway speculation about their love lives. Pretending to date a woman as stunning as Stella is easy. Not actually falling for her is the hard part. Luke isn’t sure he deserves a hometown happy ending, when members of his SEAL team never made it back at all. But there’s real attraction buzzing between him and Stella . . . and he knows she feels it too. Could their faux summer romance lead to true love?

Release date: June 28, 2022

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Print pages: 368

Sample

Chapter One

Stella Marshall sipped a cup of Earl Grey tea as she sat on her back porch and looked out across Blackberry Beach. The water looked enticing, even though a lifetime of experience had taught her that Maine waters were ice cold, even at the beginning of summer. She wasn’t ready to dip her pinky toe in these waters. Maybe by the Fourth of July she’d be raring to go. When she’d purchased this house, the location had been its main selling point. Living by the ocean felt as essential to her as breathing. She didn’t know what she would have done with herself if she hadn’t been able to walk the length of the beach as a form of self-care during some of the worst days of her life. Being by the sea was a soul-stirring experience and she wouldn’t trade it in for anything in this world.

Now that temperatures were heating up, Stella would open her ocean-facing bedroom windows at night and fall asleep to the sounds of waves lapping against the shore. It would feel heavenly.

She let out a sigh of contentment despite the early hour. June sunrises in Mistletoe, Maine, were spectacular. A band of pink mixed with orange stretched across the horizon as far as the eye could see. Stella felt awestruck by the raw beauty of her surroundings. Despite the fact that the last few years of her personal life had been rough, she really was blessed. Although she knew from listening to her favorite weather forecaster that temperatures were going into the eighties today, right now it was simply glorious and balmy. A slight breeze from the ocean swept across her face, and she closed her eyes and inhaled the sea air. Moments like this one were rare and precious. She’d learned to embrace every second of serenity, knowing it might not last long.

A quick glance at her watch told her she needed to get moving. Today was the last day of school in the Mistletoe district and it was bound to be a bit hectic. Stella could barely stop herself from happy dancing at the thought of the unbridled freedom stretched out before her. Although she would miss the daily interaction with her students, she was ready to fully embrace summer break. It meant she could stay up late watching her favorite classic movie channel and sleep in until midmorning. Perhaps she could do something a little daring and out of character, like kiss a total stranger or go bungee jumping. She could do a road trip with a few friends and check out the Cape Cod National Seashore. Maybe she could even get her younger sister Lucy to come with her if she could get the time off from work and pry herself away from her gorgeous fiancé.

Lucy was head librarian at the Free Library of Mistletoe. Last Christmas, she had reunited with her first love, Dante West, who had grown up with them in Mistletoe before becoming a famous movie star in Hollywood. Over the Christmas holidays, the pair had reconnected and managed to get back together despite their tangled past. Now, Lucy and Dante were planning a spectacular fall wedding. Although she was thrilled for her sister’s good fortune, Stella couldn’t help but wonder if the tight bond they’d always shared would weaken after Lucy got married. She hated herself for even thinking it, but what if they weren’t close once Lucy tied the knot? What if she lost her best friend?

Get a life, Stella Marshall. The sassy little voice buzzed in her head. Ever since her breakup with her fiancé, Rafe Santos, Stella had clung to her sister like a life preserver. Being dumped so close to her wedding day had really done a number on her, both mentally and physically. She wrapped her arms around her waist as the painful memories washed over her. Thankfully, the raw emotions weren’t as razor sharp as they had once been. All she felt now was a dull ache and a bad taste in her mouth about romance. With her sister’s big day on the horizon, she needed to get over Rafe and the wedding that wasn’t once and for all.

Meanwhile, as maid of honor for Lucy, Stella was determined to make their autumnal wedding the event of the season. Lucy deserved every bit of the happiness she’d found with Dante. Her sister was smart and funny and absolutely adorable. And Dante had shown the entire town of Mistletoe that he was head over heels in love with Lucy. Stella had no doubt in her mind that their future was filled with nothing but happiness.

Once she got dressed, Stella didn’t waste any time heading out the door. As she drove along the coastal road toward town, the salty sea air floated on the wind through her car window. Soon enough she would be exchanging chalkboards and homework assignments for sea glass hunts and sandals. It was something wonderful to look forward to. Stella easily made the eight-minute drive to school with her hair flowing in the wind and the sun shining down on her. Upon arrival she immediately made her way to the teachers’ lounge to grab a cup of coffee and a doughnut.

Paul Whittaker walked over to the coffee station, where Stella was standing waiting for her K-Cup to percolate. Ever since coming on board as principal, Paul had made it clear to Stella that he was romantically interested in her, feelings she didn’t reciprocate. For starters, it simply wasn’t wise to date your boss. Second, she didn’t have the slightest bit of attraction toward him. If nothing else, Stella needed sparks to ignite with any potential love interest. Paul wasn’t it.

“Morning, Paul,” Stella said, grabbing her mug and stepping aside so he could prepare his own coffee without either of them invading the other’s personal space.

“Good morning, Stella.” Paul placed his coffee cup in the holder and began pressing the machine’s buttons. He looked her up and down in the same objectifying way he always did. “You look very nice for our end-of-school celebration,” he said. “We have a wonderful surprise this morning for one of our students.” A hint of a smile played at the corners of his lips.

“A surprise? That’s great. For which student?” Excitement raced through her at the idea of someone receiving good news. It would be wonderful to end the school year on a high note. Perhaps one of the kids had won an award or been chosen for a special distinction. That would be a great source of pride for the student and the school district. Stella lived for these special moments where talent and hard work were applauded.

Paul pressed a finger against his lips. “All will be revealed at the assembly. Until then it’s top secret.” His lips were twisted upward in the semblance of a smile that came off as creepy.

Stella fought against the urge to roll her eyes. Paul loved dangling carrots in front of the staff members’ noses. He seemed to love knowing things no one else did. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of asking any more questions even though he’d piqued her curiosity. Carolina Rivera, her close friend and a fellow teacher, rolled her eyes from a few feet away. She couldn’t count the number of times they’d shared inside jokes about their boss. Paul was the gift that kept on giving them something to talk about.

“Would it kill him to spill the beans? Why even mention it in the first place? He just loves torturing us,” Carolina said as soon as Paul walked away. She shook her head at the principal’s retreating figure. “Maybe Idris Elba is here in Mistletoe visiting.”

“Dream on,” Stella said, chuckling at the idea of another movie star visiting their small New England town. Mistletoe had been buzzing with excitement last Christmas when Dante had returned home and ended up romancing her sister. It was hard to imagine lightning striking twice. Her hometown wasn’t big enough for two massively famous actors.

Carolina made a face. “Okay, well even if it isn’t Idris, I’m dying to know what the big surprise is.”

Stella shrugged. “We’ll find out soon enough, I suppose.” She let out a little squeal. “And it’s the last day of school, so it’s all good, right? That’s reason enough to celebrate.”

Carolina’s grin lit up her face. “I can’t wait for our beach days and the Fourth of July town festivities. We might even be able to squeeze in a road trip if we’re lucky.”

With wide brown eyes and full cheeks, Carolina was a beautiful woman. She’d proven herself to be a great friend to Stella over the years. Along with Lucy, Carolina had been an amazing support system when the bottom had dropped out of her world. She wasn’t sure if she could ever repay Carolina’s many kindnesses when she’d been heartbroken and humiliated by her ex-fiancé. She’d shown Stella her big heart by bringing her dinners, going on long walks with her, and passing her boxes of Kleenex. Stella would never forget those moments where Carolina had literally lifted her up off the floor.

“I better head to my classroom,” Stella said as she checked the time on her watch. “We have a full day ahead of us.”

“I’ll need a few more sips of my coffee before I’m ready to face a room full of second graders,” Carolina said as she took a lengthy swig of her aromatic brew. She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically. “I’m still hoping for an Idris sighting though.”

“Keep hope alive. See you at the assembly,” Stella said with a chuckle as she left the break room and walked down the hall toward her classroom. She also taught second graders, so she understood Carolina’s need to caffeinate herself before facing the day. Their students could be a handful. Thankfully, being a teacher was her dream job and she felt lucky each and every day.

As she drew close to her classroom, Stella spotted one of her students standing by the door waving at her.

“Morning, Miss Marshall,” Miles Keegan said, grinning up at her as he held the door to their classroom open. Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, navy shorts, and a pair of white Converse sneakers, Miles was a stylish eight-year-old. With caramel-colored eyes, a close-cropped Afro, and burnished brown skin, Miles was an adorable kid.

“Good morning, Miles. Happy last day of school,” Stella said. She smiled back at him, her heart experiencing a pang as she locked gazes with her favorite student. No matter how hard she tried not to favor one student above the rest, Miles held a special place in her heart. He was the sweetest little boy, one who’d been plunged into grief after the death of his mother in a tragic car accident. Despite everything he’d been through, he still managed to be joyful even though he experienced moments of being out of sorts. Stella imagined he was still processing the loss of his mother, and as his teacher it was her role to help guide him on his path.

Stella walked into the classroom and placed her purse inside her desk drawer. When she turned around, Miles was standing in front of her with a bouquet of tulips tied with a bright yellow bow. “This is for you. From my dad and me.”

“They’re beautiful,” Stella said. “What a thoughtful gift.” She raised the flowers to her nostrils and inhaled the heavenly aroma. It wasn’t every day that she received a lovely bouquet from one of her students.

Miles shifted from one foot to the other. “My dad said most girls love flowers. I wanted to give you a set of Legos, but he wasn’t sure if you would like it.”

Stella threw her head back and chuckled. “I like Legos, but the flowers are perfect. I’m going to put them in that empty vase on my desk and then take them home with me. Thanks for thinking of me. I appreciate it.”

Other students began trickling into the classroom, and Miles moved away from her to join in on the last day of school revelry with his classmates. Laughter rang in the air as the children celebrated the start of summer vacation and no more homework. Normally, Stella would encourage the kids to settle down and sit at their desks before the morning assembly, but since today was a special day, she didn’t bother. It was nice to see the students in relaxation mode. They’d worked hard all year. They deserved to have fun and celebrate.

At nine a.m. sharp, Principal Whittaker came over the loudspeaker to announce it was time for the last assembly of the year. Stella led her students in single file as they made their way down the hall toward the gymnasium. Stella had to corral a few who seemed to have ants in their pants and refused to listen to her instructions. She was a firm believer that no student was ever bad, although they did have their moments.

As they filed into the room, Stella led her class to the bleachers where they completely filled out an entire row. Once the assembly began, students were called to the stage to celebrate their achievements. Honor roll students, top athletes, spelling bee and science fair winners. Some students even performed songs and skits they’d learned in choir and drama classes. Stella loved the supportive nature of the students as they cheered and clapped for their classmates.

“And now, to conclude our assembly, we have something very special lined up. Miles Keegan, can you come front and center?”

Stella looked over at Miles, who had a stunned expression on his face. She gave him an encouraging nod as everyone began enthusiastically clapping. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a tall figure snapping pictures on his cell phone. It was Nick Keegan, Miles’s dad. He’d been a friend of hers since middle school. What was Nick doing at the end-of-the-year assembly? Although parents weren’t prohibited from attending, it was pretty rare for one to show up. Something was definitely going on. Was Miles the student who had a special surprise in store for him?

Once Miles made his way to the front, Principal Whittaker placed his hand on Miles’s shoulder. “Are you looking forward to summer vacation?” he asked, speaking into a microphone. He placed the mic in front of Miles’s mouth. With all the attention focused on him, Miles looked slightly nervous. He placed both hands in his back pockets and rocked on the heels of his Converse sneakers. “Yes, I guess so,” he mumbled.

Principal Whittaker chuckled. “You don’t sound too sure about that, but I have a surprise for you that might bring a smile to your face. A present just for you. All the way from Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan? Before she could ponder what in the world was going on, a man strode into the gymnasium from a side entrance. She sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of him. He was wearing camo cargo pants and a short-sleeved olive-green T-shirt that showed off his sculpted arms. He was tall and muscular with a face chiseled by the archangels. His brown skin was a beautiful russet color, and he had a strong jawline. Suddenly, Stella felt a jolt of recognition. After all, who could forget Luke Keegan? He was all grown up now and incredibly handsome. And seriously, smolderingly sexy.

Being a Navy SEAL had given him a serious glow up. And that was saying something since he’d always been handsome. Nick talked about his brother all the time, so she knew Luke had worked really hard over the years to rise up in the ranks. From the sounds of it, he’d devoted his entire life to being a Navy SEAL. He’d even been injured in the line of duty, which had ended his career.

Miles let out a cry and ran toward his uncle. She couldn’t take her eyes off Luke as his powerful arms reached out and wrapped his nephew up in a huge bear hug. Miles clung to his uncle with complete abandon, his little legs wrapped around Luke’s waist as if he might never let go. Tears misted in Stella’s eyes at the emotional reunion between uncle and nephew. Miles had lost so much over the past few years; it was amazing to see him being gifted with his uncle’s presence. On more than one occasion, Miles had gushed about his uncle’s bravery and service to his country.

Stella loved these military surprises. She couldn’t remember one ever taking place at Mistletoe Elementary, but it was fitting that this special moment between Miles and his uncle had occurred on the last day before summer break. It was a feel-good event for the entire community. But especially Miles. A bunch of photographers stepped onstage and began snapping pictures of Miles and Luke. Stella had the feeling this surprise reunion would be featured on the local news and in dozens of newspapers around the region.

Luke Keegan was definitely the eye candy Mistletoe needed. Not that there weren’t good-looking men here in town, but most of them were either already coupled up or strictly in the friend zone. Stella wasn’t looking for a summer romance, but if she had been, Luke would have been at the top of her list.

“He’s one hot soldier,” Carolina said in a hushed voice as she leaned over and poked Stella in the shoulder. Carolina began fanning herself with her hand in an exaggerated way.

“Even hotter than when we were in high school,” Stella murmured. “And that’s saying something.”

“You went to high school with him?” Carolina asked in a raised voice, her eyes widening.

Stella put her finger to her lips and made a shushing sound. The last thing either of them needed was for their students to overhear their conversation and take it home with them. “I sure did,” she confirmed in a low whisper, turning her head to make eye contact. Stella didn’t want to get into it with Carolina, but Luke had been voted as the senior most likely to get a girl in the back seat of his car. He’d been hot stuff. Girls had practically lined up to get with him. Stella had crushed on him from afar since they hadn’t hung out in the same circles.

“And Dante West as well? What’s in the water in Mistletoe? This place is full of gorgeous men.” Carolina wrinkled her nose. “Not sure why I’m still single though. I’ve got to step up my game.” She patted her hips. “I need to lose a few pounds.”

“Don’t you dare,” Stella objected. “You have curves in all the right places. You’ll find someone special before you know it. And you don’t have to lose a single ounce to make that happen.” It was easy to see Carolina coupled up with a wonderful partner. She was smart and vivacious with a killer sense of humor. And she was way more confident than Stella herself was. She let out a little sigh. If only she could be a little bit bolder, a little bit braver. If only her romantic past with Rafe hadn’t sucked all the life out of her. Why was it so much easier to imagine Carolina finding herself coupled up with someone than herself? Rafe had really done a number on her. He’d stomped all over her heart and left her incredibly jaded.

“Be careful. You’re drooling,” Carolina whispered in Stella’s ear.

“I am not,” she said, trying to keep her composure. “It’s not like I’ve never seen a hot guy before.”

“He’s not just any guy. The whole Navy SEAL thing is pretty awesome. And he is just as smoldering as Idris. Maybe even more so.”

“Well, I’m not looking to date anytime soon, so he’s all yours,” Stella said. Her heart twinged when she said it. Seeing her friend with her former crush would be slightly difficult to bear.

Stella didn’t need to turn around to see her friend rolling her eyes at her. Carolina, along with half of Mistletoe, had tried on many occasions to set her up on dates. Even though it had been almost two years since Rafe had informed her that she wasn’t his soulmate, the very thought of someone hurting her again was still terrifying.

The sight of Luke Keegan standing in the middle of the gymnasium was a nice visual to get her mind off her own problems. A girl could at least dream, couldn’t she? He’d developed into a fine-looking man, and there was something very appealing about a guy who put his life on the line for others.

Seeing him again after all these years was a shock to the system. He was all grown up now and smoking hot. Was it her imagination or had it suddenly gotten warm in the gymnasium? She was feeling a bit flushed. It brought her back to the days when she’d had a gigantic crush on him. Stella had been one year below Luke in school, and although they’d known each other since they were little, there had never been a friendship or any type of rapport between them. Not that Stella wouldn’t have moved heaven and earth to make it happen, but Luke had gazed straight through her. It was a little bit painful to remember how she’d been so enthralled by a boy who hadn’t even noticed her. She couldn’t really blame him though. He’d always been highly sought after by all the girls in town, and she’d been on the shy side with her nose always stuck in a book. There had been zero chance of them getting together back then.

And even though she’d outgrown her awkward teenaged years, Stella still felt like the younger version of herself on the inside. Luke was still way out of her league. Smoking hot Navy SEALs could generally get any woman they pleased. And if she knew the ladies in town like she thought she did, not a single one would say no to Luke Keegan.

She wondered how long he was staying in Mistletoe. And just how long would it take for all the women in town to make a beeline in his direction?

Chapter Two

Luke Keegan stood in the middle of the basketball court in the gymnasium of his former elementary school and looked out at the audience composed of students and faculty members. His gaze swept over the packed room, searching for his younger brother. His chest tightened as he spotted Nick waving in his direction as the crowd headed out of the assembly. Nick couldn’t hide the raw emotion from showing on his expressive face. He had always worn his heart on his sleeve, while Luke tended to be more stoic, keeping it all on the inside. It had served him well as a Navy SEAL, but he wasn’t certain it had benefited him in his personal life. While Nick had been destined to settle down with the love of his life, Luke was the poster boy for failed relationships.

You’re not meant for the long haul. To this day, those words rang in Luke’s ears, courtesy of his ex-girlfriend, Allison Teague. It hadn’t hurt at the time, but in the past few years the insult had been festering inside of him. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had been right. Was he meant to be alone for the rest of his days?

Luke shoved those emotions down and reminded himself to savor this moment with his nephew. He was miles away from covert missions and stealth operations, instead standing next to Miles, who he’d missed like crazy, in his old stomping grounds. When he’d been a student here, the building had seemed gigantic. He co. . .