Page 61 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection
Becca’s fingers tatted nervously on her steering wheel. She had considered all the way out to the inn how she would handle things. Tell Nora now, or tell Nora later. Why did she keep wavering so? One minute she wanted to wait. The next she had a giant urge to tell her and get it over with, fearing if she waited, she would lose her courage. She weighed the pros and cons of each, and every single time, she came up with the same conclusion—she didn’t think there was going to be any good time to tell Nora.
Hanging back, she idled her car for a moment while the crew got out, stretched, chugged their last gulps of coffee, and began unloading equipment to carry into the house. She watched as Patricia and Nora talked quietly while they made their way up the steps to the back deck of the inn. Becca breathed deeply and exhaled. She’d already noticed Sam’s truck, so he was here.
The butterflies that had overtaken her fingers earlier were now firmly ensconced in her tummy.
“Now or never,”
she whispered to herself and left her car. Then louder, she shouted out.
“Nora? Nora, wait up. I need to talk to you.”
****
As the crew filtered in and out of the kitchen and dining room, setting up lighting and booms and whatnot, Sam worked his way to the fringes where he could watch both the back door and the happenings in each of the rooms. Patricia swept in and kissed Suzie on the check, shook Brad’s hand, and smiled big.
“We’ve got a winner on our hands here, everyone. I know it.”
She nodded toward Brad and smiled.
“I hope you are ready to pack your bags for New York because in another month, we’ll be taping in the city.”
Suzie’s face beamed and she jumped into her husband’s arms.
“I can’t believe this! Little ol’ Suzie from Harbor Falls. What a hoot!”
She winked at Sam, and he was genuinely happy for her. Suzie had worked hard for many years. She deserved this crack at the big time.
“But right now, we’ve got other fish to fry,”
Patricia went on, fussing about the kitchen and lifting lids on pots.
“Oh! What a beautiful marinara sauce. What are you going to do with that, hon?”
She glanced Suzie’s way.
“Vegetable lasagna. I figured something half-way hearty for the men and healthy at the same time.”
“Good thinking.”
Patricia replaced the lid, and then swiped her hands on her black jeans.
“So, Sam is here, and Nora and Becca are out back. Where is our fourth?”
“Coming,”
Suzie replied. “Coming.”
A fourth. He’d forgotten about that. Sam swung his gaze back toward the kitchen door and onto the deck, where he caught sight of an animated Becca, flailing her arms about, and a noticeably upset Nora wiping tears from her eyes.
Shit.
****
“You what?”
“I never planned for it to happen, Nora.”
“That’s no excuse, Becca. Friends don’t keep things from each other.”
She dabbed at an eye.
“I know. Calamari vows are not to be broken.”
“Any kind of vow is not to be broken but hell, that vow was not serious, and you know it. And I broke it long before you. Damn, you went and worried all this time about me and Sam for nothing. Becca, I am so sorry. Truly, this is rather a hoot.”
“It was serious to me!”
At that moment Becca realized she’d been hiding behind something that really was built on nothing more than vodka and seafood. She tossed her hands into the air.
“But a hoot! My God! I’ve been worried for weeks about how to tell you I liked Sam. You kept talking about you and Sam, you and Sam...”
“Oh hell, that was a distraction. Trying to psych myself up for the acting role. I’ve been so nervous about this television thing. I really think I can do this, Bec. Can you imagine me being a reality television star? I didn’t think you were taking me seriously, though. I knew all along Sam had an eye for you. Could tell that from day one, at the picnic.”
“You brat, you!”
Becca could barely believe her ears. Why had she been so damn worried?
“Did I tell you I had a date the other night with Max Carpenter?”
A naughty smile crossed Nora’s lips.
“No. Get out of town.”
“Sorry, I meant to tell you.”
“Vow breaker.”
“I know.”
“Did you have sex with him?”
“No!”
“Well then, I one upped you.”
Nora’s eyes grew big, and she grasped Becca by the shoulders and shook her. Her voice rose.
“You did what! You had sex with Sam?”
“Sh!”
Becca put a hand over her mouth.
“Not so loud!”
About that time, Sam opened the back door and stepped out onto the deck.
“Hey, girls! Whoa. What’s going on here?”
Both women turned.
“Sam?”
“Take your hands off her, Nora. It’s not her fault. No one needs to get hurt.”
Nora’s hands dropped to her side.
“You don’t understand, Sam. Becca was just telling me....”
“I know. I know.”
He stepped closer. Becca watched him look Nora straight in the eyes. He continued.
“Nora, I’m really sorry, but I do not want a relationship with you. This matchmaking thing is not going to work. We can get through the show, but that’s it. You just have to realize that. I’m in love with Becca.”
Nora’s mouth turned into an O, and her eyes grew equally round. Slowly, she turned her head to look at Becca. Sam shifted his gaze that way too.
“Well then,”
Nora said.
“I guess you told me.”
Sam glanced back to Nora.
“I hope you understand.”
“Sure.”
She giggled and looked at Becca, who felt giddy laughter bubbling up inside her.
“What’s going on here?”
Sam asked.
Someone behind them cleared her throat. Loud.
“What’s going on, Mr. Ackerman, is that you have just ruined my television show.”
All bodies swung back to the open kitchen door, where Suzie, Brad, and Patricia all stood, framed in the doorway.
Suzie was wringing her hands.
Patricia wore a scowl on her face.
Brad gave him a thumbs up.
“Ah, hell...”
Becca looked at Sam, who had uttered those words. Somehow, she was strangely thrilled that this was finally all out in the open.
“Wait.”
Suzie stepped forward.
“There is something you are forgetting. This is a matchmaking show, and it is about couples, but that doesn’t mean it’s about Sam and Nora, and Becca and the other guy.”
Patricia narrowed her gaze.
“What are you talking about?”
Suzie smiled and glanced toward the driveway.
“I’m talking about two equally sexy and viral men with hearty appetites. And I feel darned sure I can matchmake them both. Look.”
A truck door slammed in the drive.
Up the walk stalked a man who looked a lot like Sam, but younger. Becca watched as he sauntered toward the back of the house with that same swagger. She glanced first at Sam, and then at Nora, who also was watching this young man with keen interest.
Oh, here we go again…
The man stepped up to the crowd.
Sam reached out his hand.
“Jack. Welcome to the club.”
The other man took his hand and shook it.
“Can’t leave all the fun to you, brother.”
All the while, Becca watched Nora’s face. She stared and bit her lip.
Suzie started to speak.
“Well then, we’re all here now.”
She shirted her gaze to Nora.
“Let me introduce you to Sam’s brother, Jack, Nora. I think you two may have a few things in common.”
Nora tripped over her words.
“Hi. Um, nice to meet you. Jack?”
He nodded and stepped up to Nora.
“And you as well.”
He offered her his hand and Nora gracefully took it.
They stepped off to the other side of the deck. Sam caught Becca’s gaze and held it steady. Is this over now?