Chapter Sixteen
She didn't sleep, nor had she expected to. Instead, she put the bubbling energy to good use. She worked on kitchen magic, put together some pocket charms. She polished furniture, scrubbed floors, then gave herself a manicure.
At dawn, she was in the gardens, selecting and clipping the flowers she wanted for store decoration. When she arrived at Cafe Book at eight, her energy level showed no signs of waning. Nell, dependable as sunrise, arrived at nine, loaded with supplies.
"You look incredible," Nell said as Mia helped her transport boxes and containers.
"I feel incredible. It's going to be a good day. "
"Mia. " Nell set the cake box on the refreshment table. "I trust you. But it's just not like you to be so casual about what happened last night. That level of magic, that scope - "
"Was like having a dragon by the tail," Mia finished. "I take what happened very seriously. I have to ride this wave, little sister. Physically, I really don't have a choice. It doesn't mean I'm not aware, or that I'm glib, or that I don't know that what's coming is more potent yet. "
A dragon by the tail? Nell thought. More like a herd of them. "I saw what you were able to call last night. I felt the edge of it whip through me. Just the edge, and it was staggering. Now you're setting up
for a book signing as if it's the most important thing you have to do. "
"Today it is. " She took one of Nell's apple fritters from a box. "Can't seem to get enough to eat. It's a matter of routing the energy, which I imagine you did, very skillfully, with Zack last night. " She smiled a little as she bit into the pastry. "I've had a lot of practice finding ways other than sex to route mine. You could serve canapes off my kitchen floor this morning. "
"I thought you and Sam would leave together. "
"So did I. " Thoughtfully, Mia licked sugar from her finger. "Apparently he had other things to do. "
"After you left, Mac took readings from Sam. Sam didn't like it. Zack had to insult him into it. You know, the way men do. "
"Questioning the size and stamina of his penis. "
"Basically. And calling him Mary. "
"Ah, yes. " Mia chuckled and nibbled. "Always effective. "
"Sam's readings were nearly as high as yours. "
Still ravenous, Mia contemplated another fritter. "Really?"
"Mac's theory, or one of them, is that Sam was at ground zero and absorbed some of the energy flying around. Now, of course, he wants to wait a few days and then get readings from Sam for comparison. His standard levels and so on. "
Mia gave in, took the second pastry, and told herself she'd do an extra hour of yoga later. "Sam wouldn't care for that. "
"No, he didn't like it. But my impression is he's going to cooperate. Mac's very persuasive, and he used you. "
"Me?"
"Any data are essential, every scrap of information goes into the whole and helps - don't get mad at this - protect you. "
Mia brushed sugar from her fingertips, admired the slick coral polish on her nails. "Did I give anyone the impression last night that I needed protection?"
"They're men," Nell said simply, and restored Mia's good humor.
"Can't live with them, can't turn them into jackasses. "
With preparations at Cafe Book well under control, Mia went down to meet the ten o'clock ferry. She noted that Pete Stubens's dog had gotten off the leash again and was racing around the docks with the remains of some unfortunate, and very dead, fish hanging out of his mouth. She spotted Carl Macey's boat at the dock and imagined that he and his crew would be unloading a fresher, more appetizing catch.
She toyed with wandering over and asking him to set aside some of it for her. There was little doubt that by the end of the day her appetite would be just as keen as it was now.
"Hi, Miz Devlin. " Dennis Ripley skidded his bike to a halt inches in front of the open toes of Mia's Pradas.
"Hi, Mister Ripley. "
The boy grinned, as he always did. Growing like a weed, Mia thought, and well into the gangly-arms-and-awkward-elbows stage. In a couple of years, she mused, he'd be zipping along in some secondhand car instead of on his bike.
And the idea made her sigh.
"My mom's coming to your store today to see that writer lady. "
"I'm glad to hear it. "
"My aunt Pat works at the hotel, and she says they've got a fancy room for her, with a whirlpool tub and a TV set in the bathroom. "
"Is that so?"
"She says writers make lots of money and live high on the hog. "
"I imagine some do. "
"Like Stephen King. His books are cool. Maybe I'll write a book and you can sell it in your store. "
"Then we'll both get rich. " She pulled down the bill of his ball cap and made him laugh.
"I'd rather play for the Red Sox, though. Gotta go. "
He shot off, whistling for Pete's dog, who raced after him. Mia turned to watch them, and there stood Sam.
Neither spoke for a moment, but the air seemed to snap.
"Hi, Miz Devlin. "
"Hi, Mister Logan. "
"Excuse me a minute. " He slid his arms around her, gripped the back of her dress in a fist, and crushed his mouth down on hers.
And the air seemed to sizzle.
"I didn't get around to doing that last night. "
"Today works. " Her lips vibrated from the heat of him.
She shifted away, a test of will with the energy bubbling inside her, and watched the ferry chug its way toward the dock. "Ferry's on time. "
"We need to talk about last night. "
"Yes, we need to talk about a number of things. But not today. "
"Tomorrow, then. We should both be a little less . . . distracted. "
"Is that a euphemism?" Mia asked, amusing herself, and stepped forward as the ferry docked. A black sedan eased down the gangplank, steered to the side. Before the driver could walk around to open the door, a pretty blonde popped out of the backseat.
She gave a laughing shout, then rushed forward and all but jumped into Sam's arms. The kiss was audible, an extended mmmmm! with a quick popping sound at the end.
"God! It's good to see you! How did you manage to get better-looking? I can't believe I'm here on your island. Just thinking about it's gotten me through a week of book tour wars. Let's have another kiss. "
Oh, yes, let's, Mia thought dryly as she watched the exchange. Caroline Trump was as attractive as her book jacket photo. A swing of sunny blond hair curved around a pretty elfin face, warmed by honey-brown eyes and dominated by a shapely pink mouth. A mouth that, Mia noted, was currently fused to Sam's.
She had the young, perky build of a high school cheerleader, though her bio put her at thirty-six. The bio had neglected to mention that she and Sam Logan had been lovers.
"Tell me everything you've been up to," Caroline demanded. "I can't wait to see your hotel. There has to be time for you to show me around this place. It's great! The book signing will probably be a dud - God knows why they schedule in these little holes-in-the-wall - so I can cut out early. We'll go to the beach. "
"You still talk too much. " Sam eased her back, giving her shoulders a squeeze. "Welcome to Three Sisters. Caroline, this is Mia Devlin, the owner of Cafe Book. "
"Oops. " Caroline turned her cheerful smile on Mia. "I do talk too much. Just run on and on. I didn't mean it about the signing. " She took Mia's hand, pumped. "I'm just all wired up. Haven't seen Sexy here for over six months, and I've had about a gallon of coffee already this morning. I really appreciate you having me. "
"It's our pleasure," Mia said in a voice so smooth it made Sam wince. She drew her hand free of Caroline's grip. "I hope the trip from the mainland was pleasant. "
"It was great. I - "
"Then I'll just add my welcome to Sam's, and let you go so you can settle in. If there's anything you need, you can reach me at Cafe Book. Sam," she sai
d with a regal nod and walked away.