Love Is Crazy (Love Is… #1) (23 page)

“
Y
ou sure about this
?” James asked Ian as soon as they were out of earshot. Juliet had called Chopper—Ian had been totally serious about not calling the dog Lulu—back in the house and he’d heard her go upstairs to the bathroom. He’d seen the tears in her eyes she’d thought she’d hidden so well and knew she was going up to the mirror to eradicate any trace of them.

Ian shrugged. “Not one bit.”

James dropped the tailgate on the back of the Tundra and hopped in, starting to slide the mattresses closer to the edge. “What do you know about her?”

“I know she’s from New York. I know she’s running from an asshole boyfriend. I know she’s kind.”
And pretty. And smart. And funny.

James looked surprised. “She tell you all that? Because anyone who has to tell you she’s kind, probably isn’t.”

“No, you ass. She told me about the running away thing. I figured out she was from New York by reading her damn license plates, and I watched her help an old woman off the ground rather than chase that silly yapper as it ran away from her.”

“Lemme guess. You chased the dog for her, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did.” Ian shrugged.

Juliet bounced down the steps, now wearing a pair of running shorts and a tight little tank top. “What can I do?” she asked and Ian yanked his eyes off her perky little tits.

“You can get out of the way and let the men do the men stuff,” he said with a smile.

She put a hand to her hip and pursed her lips. “Unacceptable.”

“Figured you’d say as much. There are some boxes of random stuff in James’s truck,” he nodded towards a black pickup on the other side of the Tundra. “Carry that stuff in and start sorting through it.”

She shook her head, trying to look disapproving of being ordered around, but there was a little sparkle in her eyes that made him think she was having just as much fun as he was.

“Alright man,” said James, “you’ve got me here, let’s get this shit done before I get bored and leave.”

“Again, with that work ethic, I have no idea how you think you’re better than me.”

As Ian and James carried the heavy pieces of furniture into the appropriate rooms, Juliet bounded back and forth between the house and the trucks, carrying boxes and humming to herself. And when she’d gathered up all the boxes, she went right to work finding homes for what he brought. It wasn’t much. A coffee pot. Some strange little glass knick-knacky things Lilah had bought him to help the rental properties feel more like home. A shower curtain and bath mat. That kind of stuff.

As far as furniture went, again, it wasn’t much. A queen sized bed, a dining table and chairs. A couch and loveseat and a coffee table. The house still looked disgustingly empty, but at least the poor girl would have somewhere to sit. And eat. And sleep. It would have been much easier to bring a twin bed for her, but, he couldn’t quite talk himself into it. The larger bed was just way more appealing for a number of reasons. Most importantly was the fact that he eventually wanted to fit in that bed with her.

Juliet poked her head out of the kitchen. “Can I bring you guys anything? I’ve got water and as of just now, enough glasses for all of us to have our own.”

James shook his head. “As fond as I am of having my own glass of water, I gotta go. Erin’s expecting me to go over some of the wedding stuff. It was nice meeting you, though.” And with that, James was out the door, leaving Ian and Juliet alone in the house.

She disappeared back into the kitchen and came out bearing a glass of water for him even though he hadn’t asked. He accepted it with a smile and took a long drink.

“This looks amazing,” she said, running a finger down the soft leather of the couch before turning to face him. “Thank you.”

“It’s not much. But anything we put in here, we’re only gonna have to move when we start renovating, you know?”

“You feel free to call it not much. But for some perspective, last night I slept in my car. This morning, I was making peace with the fact that I was gonna have to sleep on the floor. And now? I’ve got
options
as to where I can sit this evening and will be sleeping in an honest to goodness bed tonight.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I’m pretty fantastic, aren’t I?”

“You sure are.”

Juliet leaned against the couch and looked out the window. “Do you ever get tired of looking at it?”

He studied the soft curve of her cheek, the swoop of her eyelashes, the slope of her breasts as she stood in profile against the glass.
Nope,
he thought.
I don’t think that's possible.
“Of looking at what?” he asked out loud.

“The water.” She gestured towards the sea. “I can’t imagine ever getting used to how beautiful it is.”

Ian couldn’t agree with her more, but didn’t think they were talking about the same thing. “So,” he said, changing the subject. “Did you look upstairs? I brought bedding, but you don’t have to use it if you don't like it.”

“If it’s the same quality of the rest of this stuff, I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Follow me, I’ll show you. If you hate it, we can go ‘shopping’ at some of my other properties and you can pick some you like better.” Ian took Juliet’s hand and pulled her up the stairs, ignoring her protests that whatever he’d picked out would be fine. For some reason, he didn’t want her to have to settle for fine. He wanted her to have everything she ever wanted.

He’d taken a risk with the way he’d placed the bed, putting it against a wall that didn’t really make sense, but would allow her to look out and see the water.

She gasped when she walked in the room and squealed a little, eliciting a sharp yap from Chopper downstairs and Ian cringed at the rattling scrabble of tiny claws trying to get traction on the hardwood floors. “How did you know?” Juliet asked him.

“Because I know everything. But just what are we talking about right now?”

“This is exactly where I wanted to put the bed.”

“So you could see the water.” Ian tapped his head. “Not much gets passed this guy.”

Juliet stared at him and swallowed hard. Took a step towards him and took his hand in hers. “Thank you,” she said and he couldn’t drag his eyes off her mouth. “You’ve been amazing. My knight in shining armor and all that.”

There was a moment of silence where he studied her face and she studied his and all he wanted to do was pull her into him and kiss her. Feel her breasts pressed against his chest, grab a handful of that ass and squeeze. His dick twitched to life and he stepped back. “Like I said, we’ll see how you feel after I put you to work in the morning.”

Painting another bright smile across her face, Juliet smoothed her hair. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Lt. Moore.”

Ian snapped to attention and saluted her, before softening his posture and winking. “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Lane.”

H
oly shit
, that salute! When Ian snapped to attention—his body rigid and strong, face serious and attentive—it was all she could do to keep herself from falling to pieces in front of him. She followed him downstairs, doing her best not to blush furiously at her own arousal, appreciating the strong v of his back and shoulders, and wishing he didn’t have to leave. It’d been a great morning, having him around, laughing and joking and staring at his muscles as he carried the heavy furniture into the house with his brother. He lingered a moment at her front door, asked for her number and added it to his phone.

“I'll text in the morning, when I'm on my way,” he said. “And when I say morning, I’m talking about as the sun comes up. You gonna be able to handle that?”

“I
have
had to get up early in the past you know.” Juliet ran a hand through her hair and gathered it over her shoulder. “It’s not like this is going to be a new thing for me.”

“Okay then.” Ian shrugged and gave her an incredulous look. “We’ll see how you feel about that tomorrow.” And with that, Ian gave her one more smile and headed outside. Juliet leaned against the doorframe and watched him take the stairs down off the porch two at a time and hop into his huge white truck. Of course it was a white truck. What knight in shining armor didn’t need a trusty white steed?

Ian backed out of the driveway, gave her a little wave and another tight salute, and honked as he drove away. With a sigh, Juliet straightened and closed the door before turning to take one more look around the house she’d be calling home now. Had all the time she spent with Michael built up a huge blast of Karma or something? What’s with all the good luck? Not that she was complaining. It was just that last night she slept in her car. And this morning, she was making peace with having another couple nights of sleeping in her car ahead of her. And now, just a few hours later, she had a house with furniture and the most amazing view of the ocean. Just like she’d always wanted.

When Ian had first shown up with James and two trucks worth of furniture. Juliet had been shocked. Tears had pricked at the corner of her eyes and she had done her damndest to hide them, even sneaking upstairs to wash her face before changing out of her sundress so she could make herself useful and help. She couldn't believe that on top of bringing the basics like a bed and chairs and the sofa, Ian had even taken the time to bring a few boxes of little creature comfort items like a coffee pot and knick-knacks.

In one of the boxes, she’d found a whole treasure trove of glass sculptures. They looked hand-blown, the colors vivid and mesmerizing. One in particular had caught her attention—a little red bird that fit in the palm of her hand. She put it on the middle of the coffee table Ian had brought so that she could see it as she sat on the couch, kicked up her feet, and stared out at the ocean. Something about the little bird made her think of freedom, symbolized this whole adventure.

“Can you believe it, Lulu?” she asked the little dog at her feet. “Yesterday we were in New York, afraid that we'd never get our life back. Hell, I was even starting to think that my life was in danger. And here we are in this perfect town, in this perfect house, and I think we just met the most perfect man ever.” Lulu turned her head to the side and cocked an ear. “I know, I keep telling myself the same thing. I'm not supposed to even be thinking about men right now. But can you blame me? I mean, you’ve seen him. He's hot as hell, and nice on top of it. Just look what he did for me. I mean, I'm just a stranger he met at a dirty rest stop. Suddenly, he's got me set up in a house with furniture and a great view? I don’t think it’s right to judge me for getting a little wrapped up in him.”

Of course, Lulu didn’t respond.
You might be losing it, Julz. You’re having full on conversations with your dog now.
She stared at the inviting sofa and considered plopping down and relaxing for a little bit, but she didn’t have groceries or toilet paper or any basic human necessities. And, seeing as how she didn’t know her way around town yet, she’d be smart to go get lost now, so she didn’t have to find her way home in the dark.

After taking a moment to run outside and get Lulu's food and doggie dishes out of the car, Juliet ran upstairs, changed out of the little shorts and tank top she’d put on to help the boys move, and back into the little white sundress. She took a little extra time in front of the mirror, making sure her hair and makeup were at least acceptable in case she happened to run into Ian again.

It was kind of exciting not knowing where anything was, kind of exciting to have every step outside her door be an adventure, a new section drawn into her mental map. She'd been afraid it would be unnerving not knowing where anything was or who anyone was, but it wasn't at all. At least not today. Day one of Juliet’s grand adventure. She promised Lulu she’d be back soon and hopped in the Hyundai, ready to explore.

She had paid extra attention to the roads Ian had taken as he led her out of what seemed to be downtown Bliss. But it had been a long drive and she wasn't so sure she could replicate it easily without getting lost. But, that’s what the map was for. If things got bad she’d just pull over and unfold the blasted thing. See if she could make heads or tails of where she was. Besides, getting lost might be a good thing as she fully intended to make notes on her map as she found important landmarks or stores she would like to explore later.

First things first, she wanted to know how to get back to where she’d started the day, so she did her best to backtrack, following the path Ian had taken this morning. She only got lost once and had to pull over to make some notes on her map, but before too long she found herself back in front of Good Beginnings. Boy, that name was more prophetic then Ellie Charles could ever have known. Starting her day at that cafe had been a good beginning indeed.

Julz parked and headed back into the cafe, hoping for a chance to sit and study her map, maybe grab a bag of coffee if Ellie sold it by the pound. Plus, since Ellie was the only other person Juliet knew in Bliss, maybe she could point Juliet in the right direction as far as groceries were concerned.

“Back already?” Ellie asked from her place behind the counter. “I know this place is good, my friend, but is it really that good?”

Juliet laughed and made her way to the counter. “You better believe it’s that good. It's also the only place I know how to get to in Bliss. I'm spending the day mapping this place out, figuring out where all my new favorite places are going to be. Figured this was the best place to start. Plus, I could use another cup of coffee.”

“One large coffee, two creams, two sugars, right?”

“Wow,” Juliet said. “That's impressive.”

“It’s not every day we get someone new in this town.” Ellie busied herself behind the counter. “I make it my business to remember every customer's favorite order. It’s not always easy. But, when there's a new face in town, it really helps. You’re distinctive, you know?”

Juliet nodded. “Makes sense,” she said, looking around the empty cafe. “So, is that really a thing?”

“Is what really a thing?” Ellie put a lid on Juliet's coffee and handed it over.

“The whole ‘everyone in town knowing everything about everyone else in town’ thing,” Juliet said and took a sip before leaning on the counter. “I mean, it seems like a pretty big deal in all of the shows about smaller towns, but I always assumed it was more of an exaggeration.”

“Well, Bliss is too big for me to know everyone, that’s for sure, but I know my fair share of stuff about a lot of the people who live here,” Ellie said and leaned on the counter herself, resting her elbows on the hard surface and placing her chin in her hands. “So, speaking of knowing everything about everyone's business, how do you know Ian Moore?”

“We ran into each other at a rest stop last night while I was on my way into town. My dog escaped and Ian saved her. Then gave me directions and suggested a hotel.”

“Sounds like Ian,” Ellie said, straightening and running her hands over her curvy hips, tugging on the apron she had tied around her waist.

“He make a habit of rescuing strange dogs as they take off running towards the beach?”

“He makes it a habit to rescue people in general. Even made a living by being a hero for a while.”

“Oh yeah?” Juliet knew it was tacky to gossip with a stranger about the man who had been nothing but generous to her since she met him, but he was kind of her favorite topic right now and she couldn't bring herself to pass up this chance to learn more about him.

“Oh sure,” said Ellie. “The Moores are the wealthiest family in Bliss, like old money kind of wealthy. Ian could have been anything he wanted. Could have done anything he wanted. I mean, he's got the brains for it. He's got the body for it. And he's got the money for it. His parents just about lost it when Ian decided to join the Navy.”

Juliet didn’t like the sound of that at all. Old money. Did that mean Ian was spoiled? He joined the Navy despite his parents disapproving. Does that mean he had a big rebellious streak? Juliet wasn't interested in rich and rebellious. She’d just gotten rid of rich and rebellious. What she
was
interested in was the kind of guy Ian seemed to be. Nice. Helpful. Funny as hell. And hotter than a summer day in South Carolina, apparently.

“Anyway,” Ellie said. “I'm sure you're not here to gossip about Ian Moore all day. What is it you’re looking for? As you can see,” she said, gesturing around the empty cafe, “I've got a little time on my hands right now. Maybe I can help you find what you need?”

“That sounds perfect,” said Juliet, eager to change the subject from the tantalizing Ian Moore. “I basically need a little of everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yep. Everything. I need a job. I need groceries. I need a cheap place to get some kitchen stuff.”

“Well, I can’t help you with the job, and the way things are going, I’m not so sure there will be many people who can help with that. Times are tight.”

Juliet’s stomach twisted at the thought of not being able to get a job. She did have that envelope full of money, and as long as she didn’t go too crazy buying new things, it’d support her for a couple months. But a job was going to be a necessity. Ellie was already telling her about the best places to get groceries and fresh produce. Julz put worries about finding a job aside and started jotting down names of the stores Ellie was mentioning on her map.

Today was only day one of this grand new adventure and she’d covered more bases today than she’d expected to cover in the first week. Well, Ian had covered those bases for her, but still. She’d find a job. Somehow.