Page 44 of Meant for Me (Magnolia Bay #3)

Noah tilted his head. “Not sure if I’m flattered or offended that my loyal subjects are paying to keep me locked up.”

The barred door opened with a clank. Cade rushed out first. Linc stepped into the hall and only had to wait approximately two seconds before Zoey’s arms were locked around his waist, hugging him as hard as if he’d actually been arrested.

Fine with him—he’d take the excuse. He wrapped her up, breathing her in.

Zoey looked up at him as Sheriff locked Captain in the cell with a protesting Noah. “Did I tell you my mom called today?”

“No. Been in the slammer.”

“Right.” She grinned. “Well, my parents are finally back in the US, and they’re coming to town next week. They can’t wait to meet Amelia…and bring us our delayed wedding gift.”

“Sounds good.” He raised his eyebrow. “They weren’t upset they missed our elopement?”

“Nope. Actually, Mom already is hinting about grandkids.”

“She’s already got one.” Linc nodded his head in the direction Amelia had just left.

“She’s super thrilled about that, for sure.” Zoey wrinkled her nose. “But I think they’re also hoping for the baby variety.”

“Tell her teenagers are less sticky.” He thought back to the New Orleans field trip and winced. “Usually.”

“Or…” Zoey’s grin stretched, and she hugged him a little tighter. “…we could just give her what she wants.”

“Oh man, lock those two back up.” Cade rolled his eyes. “Do the town a favor.”

Elisa and Rosalyn grinned. Madame Paulette clapped her hands together, bracelets jingling. Sheriff looked like he halfway wanted to oblige. Mama D shook her head, released a happy sigh. “From lovebirds to jailbirds.”

Linc ignored them all, focused on his wife and the heat of her arms around him. Her smile. Her light. “Suppose it’s not a horrible idea.”

Zoey tilted her head. “Could be as good as your last one.”

“Which one was that?” Hard to remember anything when she stood this close.

“Marrying your best friend, of course.”

“Ehh.” He schooled his expression, but almost couldn’t hold it. “Guess it worked out okay.”

“Almost like we were meant for each other?” Zoey quirked her brow.

“Now you’re just getting sappy.” He lowered his voice the way she liked. “Mrs. Fontenot.”

“Okay, that’s it. Back in the cell, all of you.” Sheriff drew a circle in the air with his finger.

No way. “Time to go.” Linc scooped Zoey up with both arms.

She let out a little shriek, clutched the sleeve of his T-shirt. “Is this to make up for not carrying me over the threshold last year?”

He bounced her a little in his arms, just because he could. “Hope I never make it up to you.”

She gripped him tighter, eyes sparkling. “Why’s that?”

He swallowed. “Because I don’t ever plan to stop trying.”

“ Aww .” Madame Paulette, Elisa, Rosalyn, Mama D, and even Noah joined in on that one.

Linc was seriously going to lose his reputation, but maybe he didn’t care anymore. He adjusted his grip on Zoey. “Ready to go home?”

She reached up, pecked his cheek. “Already there.”

Where she’d stay.

* * *

Thank you for reading Meant for Me ! Did you start at the beginning? Don’t miss the first standalone book in our Magnolia Bay series, Where I Found You .

From beloved author Betsy St. Amant comes an enemies to more, Hatfields and McCoys swoon-worthy contemporary romance set in a small beach town that reminds us that true love is worth fighting for.

Noah Hebert recently inherited the Blue Pirogue Inn—along with all its problems. He needs money to keep his beloved childhood home from being shut down by his family’s longtime nemesis, Isaac Bergeron.

So when Noah’s lawyer approaches him about an additional segment of his late grandfather’s will, it’s just in the nick of time.

But even from beyond the grave, his grandfather is up to his usual games.

In order to receive the last portion of inheritance, Noah must follow the clues. But there’s one condition…

Magnolia Blossom Cafe manager Elisa Bergeron is shocked to discover an acquaintance from the local Puzzlers Club left her something in his will—and even more surprised to discover they are clues to a portion of his estate.

When she learns she must work with introverted inn-owner Noah Hebert to solve the puzzle, she’s torn.

Growing up in the middle of a multi-generational feud between their families, she’s been taught by her father Isaac that Heberts can’t be trusted.

When these two exes must work together to save their future, will love get a second chance or will the longstanding family feud claim another generation?

Buy from Amazon or read in Kindle Unlimited

Keep reading for a sneak peek…

WHERE I FOUND YOU | MAGNOLIA BAY #1

Noah Hebert needed to get back home—he didn’t have time to watch paint dry.

“You got the wrong blue.” Peter, Noah’s apprentice at the Blue Pirogue Inn, clearly felt confident enough to point out the obvious as he stood beside Noah, his scrawny arms crossed.

“I can see that.” Noah pushed one hand through his hair as he stared at his mistake—one of many over the past several months he’d been fixing up the inn since his grandfather’s funeral—and sent a scattering of sawdust onto the taped off floor.

The humidity of his coastal Louisiana hometown wet Noah’s flannel shirt and stuck it to his back, despite the spring breeze rustling through the pine trees outside.

Not that the humidity was much better in north Louisiana.

Figured. They were finally at the finish line of these endless renovations, meaning his return to Shreveport and his real job as a land man in the oil and gas industry was in sight…but now he was being mocked by slate blue and?—

“Sky blue. How did you even do that?” Peter squinted up at him beneath his side-swept dark hair. The kid had chosen to work a trade instead of going to college, and had proven to be a hard worker and fast learner. Noah could trust him to notice details.

Especially this one glaring at them in matte finish.

“Lot on my plate, kid.” Noah checked his watch with a grimace. “And now I’m late for an appointment with the one man in Magnolia Bay who probably hates me the most.”

Peter’s eyes widened. “Must be a Bergeron.”

“Isaac Bergeron, and if you’re a praying kind of person, you might start working on that now.”

“That bad, huh?” Peter made a tsk with his tongue.

Worse than the kid knew. But some parts were public.

“As county inspector, Isaac’s the one holding the keys to this kingdom.

” Noah gestured around them, at the multitude of mostly-finished projects, at abandoned tools lying on heaps of folded tarp that hadn’t been put away yet.

And now even more projects would be delayed, all because of the stupid paint.

“I’m hoping I get the inspection certificate from this meeting so we can reopen and call this a wrap.

” And never have to see the wretched man—or his daughter—again.

Not that Elisa Bergeron would be at the Magnolia Blossom Café today. Just the ghost of her memory.

Peter clasped his hands in front of him in a posture of prayer. “On it.”

Noah headed for the front door, stepping over a discarded roll of painter’s tape. “I’ll grab the right blue on my way home.”

“Slate blue!” Peter called after him.

Noah shot him a thumbs-up over his shoulder as he hurried outside. He steered around a crew member perched halfway up a ladder on the porch, measuring for the decorative trim left to hang. Better him than Noah—he’d never been a fan of heights.

He breathed a gulp of air not thick with sawdust as he hurried down the porch stairs, careful to avoid the rotten spot on the second step.

No, wait. That had been fixed, along with the shingles that begged for attention the past year.

Everything was finally coming together, just in time for tourist season.

Assuming Isaac Bergeron didn’t hold a grudge and did his job fairly.

There’s more where this one came from . Noah might not ever get Isaac’s last words to him—or the sight of the bitter man cleaning a shotgun on his porch, out of his mind. And now he had to sit down with him for coffee.

He started toward his grandfather’s Chevy truck that had become his along with the inn during the reading of his will.

For the first time in a long time, Noah’s chest didn’t tighten at the sight of the tired but sturdy three-story structure he’d inherited—the lingering symbol of a family feud multi-generations thick.

That’d be one way to market for the upcoming tourist season.

Come see where the infamous Bergeron/Hebert battle first began…

His cell vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it free before hauling himself into the truck cab. Hopefully his backorder of tile hadn’t been delayed again. He snorted at the display indicating a string of missed messages. Thankfully, none from the tile guy.

Noah opened the group text labeled “Gone Fishing.”

CADE

Fishing tonight at 7, right?

LINC

Aye. I’ll bring the cold ones.

OWEN

You always bring the beer, Linc.

LINC

Only because we never know if Noah is gonna bother to show.

Noah winced. Yet lately, the accusation wasn’t inaccurate. He typed back.

NOAH

I’ll be there this time, I promise.

OWEN

Hey guys, I might need to borrow some bait again.

Noah dropped his phone into the console cup holder.

The familiar scent of Armor All mixed with the evergreen air fresheners he kept dangling from the rearview mirror wafted over him.

Partly his scent now, partly his grandfather’s.

Grandpa Gilbert used to keep candy orange slices in the glove box.

There were probably still melted traces of them clinging to the interior.

Noah gripped the steering wheel and took a breath. Time to get this over with. He started the engine just as his phone rang.

Noah grunted as he reluctantly hit the speaker feature. “Yeah?”

Cade’s voice filled the cab. “Just making sure you’re really coming tonight and not blowing smoke.”