Love on Lavender Island (A Lavender Island Novel Book 2) Read Free Page A

many emotions were making it hard—shame that she’d misjudged him, embarrassment that he might remember too much from that summer, anger that he didn’t remember her at all, and a frustrating chemistry that was making her blood race in a way that apparently her body hadn’t been able to shake for sixteen years.
    He shifted his stance. “If you insist on talking, let’s meet at the Castle this afternoon,” he said. “Do you know where that is?”
    “Of course I know where it is. I’ve only spent a million summers on the island.” She looked away. Facing Adam Mason again also caused a regression to her snappish, nervous thirteen-year-old self, too.
    But everyone who lived here knew where the Castle was. It sat at the very top of Castle Road, the steepest of the five main roads leading out of Carmelita and into the unpopulated interior of Lavender Island. It was where island visitors went to catch romantic panoramas, and where locals went if they didn’t want to be seen.
    She took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. When she glanced back up, he was studying her carefully. She squinted at him. “You do remember me, don’t you?”
    He waited too many beats to answer, but he finally gave a slight nod.
    She didn’t believe him. He didn’t remember her specifically. He remembered her family—probably Olivia, definitely Ginger—but he didn’t remember her. Story of her life. He hadn’t paid any attention to her then, and he was probably looking right through her now. But that was fine. She needed to make this deal. And memories and feelings would just get in the way. It was like her mom always said: Don’t play the fool, in business or in love.
    Paige’s mom—along with Dorothy Silver and probably Gram in heaven—was counting on her. She needed to keep her wits about her.
    Paige motioned with her hand toward the door. “Thanks for letting me into Gram’s place, then. I’ll meet you at the Castle. What time?” As soon as she saw how badly her fingers were shaking, she snatched her hand back and put it on her hip.
    “How about two?”
    Paige nodded. That would give her a chance to clean up a little. And run that comb through her hair. And get her feelings in check. And remember what decade her hormones belonged in.
    A movement to her left caught her eye. “There you are!” She leaned down to get the kitten to come toward her, but it stalled in the living-room doorway. “She jumped in here and I didn’t want to close the window on her.”
    “That’s Click.” Adam bent down and scooped the kitten up in one swift move.
    Paige tried to ignore how easily the cat went to him. And how sweet his enormous hand looked cradling it. He’d been half terrifying her here—looking huge and scary and much too controlled. But seeing him holding that kitten reminded her of the boy he’d once been, the one she’d crushed on, the one with the vulnerability softening his edges. She cleared her throat when the man met her eyes.
    He stared at her, waiting another five uncomfortable beats—three of which seemed to be him contemplating whether she really was who she said she was—then maybe another two where his brain seemed to be registering a few more memories. Finally, he strode toward the door.
    “See you, Calamity June,” he said, with his usual note of dismissal.
    Paige’s back stiffened.
    He did remember.

CHAPTER 2
    Paige chose a table in the Castle dining room that had beautiful views of the sunlight-dappled patio and fire pit.
    Since she’d never lived a life of intrigue, she’d never stepped foot in here. Who in a million years would have dreamed that the first time she’d visit, she’d be sneakily meeting none other than Adam Mason? Insanity.
    She adjusted the table lamp, straightened the tablecloth, smoothed her cotton maxi dress—which had felt great to slip into after a morning of sweeping and scrubbing—and stole a quick look at the mahogany-paneled bar. He wasn’t here yet. Just