Lakeshore Candy: The McAdams Sisters (By The Lake Book 4) Read online

  Abby really did sleep that late into the day on occasion, stopping in the bakery for coffee with glazed morning eyes. Those were the long nights when she was up into the morning, like this morning. He wondered if she’d slept at all during the day.

  As his feet took him past the table, closer to her, rather than toward the door like his head commanded, the circles he saw under her tired eyes gave him his answer.

  “You want to help me?” Confusion pressed against every over-exhausted feature of her attractive face. If her wit was on the ball she would have made a slick remark that likely would have turned him right around.

  “I could help you clean that up.” He glanced down at the floor where the small contents of essential oils she’d been mixing were spilled on the floor.

  Her eyes followed and she groaned, covering her face. “It’s not working,” she said.

  He reached over and took her hands in his.

  Why are you touching her? Her hands felt so good.

  He flipped them over and looked at the flushed red marks where they had made contact with the steel. She looked up at him then tried to pull away, but he had a firm grip.

  “Abby, you’re tired. You’ve been up since three. How about you call it a night?”

  She tried to yank away again, but he held tight and she glared at him. “Who are you? My mother?”

  It didn’t matter who you were she didn’t like to be told what to do...unless it was Gran. Gran could tell her anything, right or wrong. He’d seen it in the bakery when they dropped off pies or had meal together and Abby obeyed like her word was the code.

  “Do I look like your mother?”

  Her shoulders dropped and defeat danced across her weary face. “No. I am tired.”

  Once she admitted, it he let her go and went about helping her clean the mess and close up the shop before she changed her mind.

  They stepped into the cool summer night and toward the alley. Abby stopped at the gravel that led to her fence and stared at it.

  Riley waited.

  She could go either way and he would be fine with that as long as he knew she was safely tucked away for the night.

  Why do you need to know she’s safely tucked away for the night?

  He wasn’t accustomed to the protective responsiveness his body unconsciously produced for Abby. He did however know the exact day it started: the day Gran died. From that day forward, he’d wanted to protect her from the pain he couldn’t take away.

  Finally, Abby turned with him and, with relief he didn’t want to feel, walked to his apartment.

  ***

  RILEY STIRRED. HE wasn’t sure why, but slowly his eyes opened from his sleep just as the softest knock came from his bedroom door.

  “Riley?”

  Abby.

  What happened? Why was she knocking on his bedroom door? What time was it?

  He found the clock, so exhausted he could hardly focus on reading the time. It was only midnight.

  Why wasn’t she still sleeping? Her eyes had closed the second she rested her head on the pillow in the living room. He’d covered her up with the blanket that had become her own and figured she was out for the night...the entire night.

  “Yeah?”

  The door slowly creaked open and she poked her head in. Abby had never been in his bedroom. She never asked, inquired, opened the door...nothing. That’s why he thought something had happened.

  He sat up. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  She stepped inside, leaving the door open the width of her body and crossed her legs in almost a shy motion, but didn’t say anything.

  “Are you hurt? Abby?” She was scaring him with no answer.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  Fine? “Then why are you in my room?” He rubbed his hands across his face. What is it then?

  Silence.

  His bedroom wasn’t anything fancy. There were furnishings Mrs. C already had when he’d moved in, which consisted of a matching retro walnut bed, highboy, dresser with mirror and two nightstands. It wasn’t messy either, in fact he was very tidy.

  In the light pouring in behind her, he saw the distressed look across her face.

  “Abby?”

  She didn’t move expect for her fidgeting hands and she wasn’t looking at him. “Can I just lay with you?” she finally asked in a forced out, small voice that hardly reached across the room to his ears.

  Oh damn it.

  “It’s just...well...I didn’t want to be alone and I was going to call my sisters, I really was, because I didn’t want to bother you. But they all have someone and I’d be interrupting them. Kind of like I’m interrupting you, right now...” She groaned. “I’m so sorry. Wow. Wow.” She covered her face with her hands and shook her blonde loose hair down around her shoulders. “I’m sorry Riley. When I said it out loud it sounds ridiculous. I will go back to the couch.” She turned.

  Damn it.

  “Abby.” He pulled the sheets aside for her as she turned back. Without a word, she crossed the room and slipped in beside him, barely moving the mattress. The heat of her body was instant even if she curled on her side, facing him, but not touching.

  “Thanks. I’m not going to make a move or anything.” she said, pulling the blankets just above her breasts, resting her cheek against her hands on the pillow and staring at him.

  “Good.” He lay on his back feeling stiff as a board, but he tilted his head to face her. “Cause you repulse me,” he teased. That statement couldn’t be further from the truth and the smile that tugged the corners of her lips relaxed a few of his tense muscles.

  “Night Riley.” Her eyes closed, her lashes sweeping across her makeup-less skin.

  “Night.”

  This woman needed to get better sleeping habits and talking about it with her sisters would be a move in the right direction.

  He was too tired to go into those thoughts, so he closed his eyes and settled an arm under his head.

  Chapter Seven

  ABBY’S HUNGRY STOMACH growled her out of sleep like a wild dog and she sat up. With her eyes still closed she reached for the coffee table. There was a bag of spicy cinnamon hearts calling out her name. When her hand came up empty, feeling the table was too tall and the wrong shape, her eyes flew open scanning the room: beige walls, wood furniture that looked like it came out of the sixties and a chair by the window with a pair of jeans and t-shirt on it.

  Where was she?

  Abby’s eyes fell beside her onto the layered hair splayed across the skin of the man facing her with his eyes closed.

  Riley.

  Her stomach turned over, having nothing to do with how hungry she was, and instead the embarrassment of remembering where she was and how she’d ended up here formed deep down in her the pit of her stomach. This was the limit of pathetic. This was past the limit. She’d ended up in his bed like a child with night terrors.

  He reached his arm out to touch hers. She stiffened at the gesture, making a face and almost leaned away, but the warm, soft contact was comforting and her racing heart slowed a beat.

  Take a deep breath.

  She took a deep breath.

  Riley lightly tugged her back down beside him and her back sunk into the soft mattress while the side of her body sunk against Riley’s bare side. Their faces were so close she could feel his breath whisper softly against her cheek.

  This is no different than falling asleep together on the couch. Only he was always fully clothed on the couch and the sheet didn’t stop at his waist making her wonder if he was naked further down.

  Yup, definitely not good. This was the last straw, ending up in Riley’s bed wanting to know what he was wearing underneath the sheets and hoping it was nothing.

  Riley’s sleepy muffled voice spoke into the pillow, sending little heat sparks through her body. “Go back to sleep, Abby.”

  Yeah right! Abby was wide awake and she would bet a year’s paycheque that the clock read three...again. It was always three. Abby
was hungry, but stuck beside Riley.

  Without even looking, his hand had trailed a heated path down her arm and found her hand enclosing around it. It was comforting, he was comforting, but she needed to stop relying on his comfort especially now that it had come to this.

  Her in his bed. Her in his bed!

  Riley’s breathing slowly sung a harmonious tune back to sleep while hers was increasing by the instant, making her feel claustrophobic.

  If she hadn’t crawled into his bed catching him during his sleep he wouldn’t comfort her like this...would he? She didn’t know. She hadn’t expected him to grab her hands at the soap shop either when she’d acted like a child being told no and throwing her recipe across the floor. Maybe everyone was right about her still acting like a child. Crawling into a grown man’s bed because of a nightmare, a man who wasn’t physically attracted to her was foolish and just plain stupid. And lying here wishing it was more and his hand would travel over her whole body, or his mouth would reach the short distance and touch her own was just as childish, foolish and stupid.

  Abby couldn’t lie still anymore. She was battling the content, calm safety she felt with Riley while at the same time the annoyance that he comforted her in such a way she’d never felt, plus wanting to tear her clothes off and kiss him.

  Abby wiggled out of the bed finding she was soaked in her own sweat. Disgusting.

  The clock read past three like clockwork.

  Riley didn’t notice her missing, that was not comforting. She quickly traded her drenched shirt for the oversized t-shirt on his chair and crept out of his bedroom, taking one last look at him before she shut the door.

  Abby was hungry. She glanced at her stash behind the television and her body cringed at the sour rings. Too early for sour candy.

  Gran hated processed sugar and when Abby left it in view Gran would make it an appointment with the garbage. Yes, Gran would in fact throw her bags of delicious sugar candy out, dumping it right out of the bag.

  Gran would say, Baked goods are much healthier and I have lots, while planting her hands on her hips and sending Abby that no nonsense look. Abby couldn’t give up her love of candy, so she’d resulted to hiding candy where Gran wouldn’t think to look. Old habits die hard.

  Tonight however, the delicious smell of Mrs. Calvert’s bakery was summoning her stomach.

  The smell of fresh baking always filled the hall above Mrs. Calvert’s bakery. Abby followed the smell through the early morning silence, unlocking the side door with Riley’s key and slipping inside to the hum of the cooler and buzz of the coffee maker.

  Two lights that were left on all night lit the tables Abby weaved around before stepping behind the counter, easily finding everything after the many hours of creeping through the bakery. She turned on the hot water for a tea, at the same time grabbing a cup and saucer from the cupboard above and setting them on top.

  Sydney, her middle-aged sister, had casually mentioned in passing that drinking chamomile helped her to sleep. Abby hadn’t offered her unsleeping habits vocally. Not to Sydney, not to any of them. However Peyton had blabbered about Abby spending nights at Riley’s apartment in front of all of them during an episode Peyton was having trying to deal with her own feelings for Colt. At the time. Abby didn’t understand what could possibly work her sister into such a frenzy over a guy, but now if it had anything to do with the emotions going through Abby’s body regarding Riley, she could relate.

  At least Colt’s feelings were mutual with Peyton’s. Why? Abby didn’t want Riley to have the same feelings for her that she was having for him. That would make their situation even more complicated. Complication he couldn’t handle. She didn’t want to lose a friend...not just any friend...she didn’t want to lose Riley.

  Confused with the trail of her thoughts again, she tore the tea bag from the package and dropped it in her mug. Waiting for the water to heat she pulled her favorite apple danish out from under the cake stand, set it on a plate and put it on the antique long counter. Abby dropped the exact change in the bottom of the cash register drawer, just as she’d done every night.

  Mrs. Calvert was like family to Abby, but she would never take her hard worked baking for free, unless of course Mrs. Calvert offered it, as she had baskets full when Gran died.

  Gran and Mrs. Calvert had shared a strong bond rooted from heartbreaking circumstances, each living with the loss of a daughter. Abby’s mother, Annabel, had died when Abby was only seven years old. Abby remembered eating many meals in the corner booth of Mrs. Calvert’s bakery. Abby hadn’t known back then, but it was Mrs. Calvert’s way of helping the children whose father and grandmother had lost them after Annabel’s death. They both eventually came to terms with Annabel’s death. When Mrs. Calvert’s lost her daughter and granddaughter, Gran had been there for her too and the two older ladies bonded an even deeper friendship that not just any person could relate to.

  Abby sat at the counter, propping her feet on the fifties-style spinning stool beside her with her hands wrapped around her legs pulling little bites off the danish.

  When would these nightmares stop? When could she just go back to her normal sleeping habits? If she got the recommended daily dose of sleep maybe she wouldn’t find her mind always set on Riley. Riley had never searched her out like he had that evening and his caring action sent excitement through her. Had she really seen him every single day and because she missed a day he...worried? He worried about her. Because he’s your friend Abby. Nothing more. Stop thinking there’s more. More? More of what?

  “Good morning.”

  Abby jumped at the none-too-quiet voice that came from the kitchen, where she hadn’t noticed the lights pouring through the crack along the bottom of the door.

  Mrs. Calvert, wearing her white apron, carried out a baking sheet of freshly baked croissants.

  This was a first.

  Looking through her invisible rimmed glasses, she cast a warm smile at Abby.

  “Morning,” Abby said back, mid-bite. “You’re here early,” she observed, watching Mrs. Calvert busy herself like this was a usual routine for the two, awake at three in the bakery putting the croissants in the glass bowed-front counter.

  Using tongs, Mrs. Calvert set the last croissant in the row then brushed her ash blonde tapered bob away from her face. “I was wondering who was leaving money in my cash early mornings.”

  Busted.

  Did Mrs. Calvert know she’d taken residency in Riley’s apartment? This could get awkward really fast. Mrs. Calvert wasn’t blind to the friendship between Abby and Riley, but what would she think about Abby sleeping at Riley’s apartment? Not sleeping with Riley...not until tonight anyway...but would she even believe they were platonic? What two adults slept in the same apartment, in the same bed that weren’t living there and weren’t sleeping together? Even to Abby it sounded unbelievable.

  “Just me.” Sneaking out of Riley’s apartment. She didn’t add the latter.

  “I see that. Can’t sleep?” Her concern was sweet, but Abby was done sharing her feelings about Gran. It didn’t bring Gran back. It didn’t make her feel better and made everyone worry about her more. Pathetic. It was a useless battle she was done commencing.

  “Who said I even went to sleep yet.” Abby sent her a wink with a huge devious smile and took a bite of the light and flaky deliciousness with cream cheese icing.

  Mrs. Calvert chuckled, knowing Abby was a night owl not a morning rooster. “Should I ask how you’re sneaking into my bakery?”

  Here it was. The key. Riley’s key.

  As Abby was about to admit defeat, the side door flew open and Riley rushed her name out in his sexy, sleepy voice, not giving her the opportunity.

  Abby and Mrs. Calvert both turned to Riley. He was in a panic, every muscle across his naked upper torso was tense as his sleepy eyes did a one-over through the room landing on Abby. His bare shoulders dropped relieved, as a sigh of breath he’d been holding escaped and his bare chest deflated...sort o
f. His shadowed eyes softened under the dim light, lighting up those unwanted feelings about him again.

  Where did he think she went? And why was he so worried she’d left?

  Riley sent her half a genuine smile causing her heart to nearly jump through her chest like pounding drums and they were heading back into the twilight zone.

  Seeing they weren’t alone, Riley’s eyes moved to Mrs. Calvert and his shoulders stiffened again, the smile vanished and his rigid no-nonsense look appeared tenfold. Not for long. Never when he was looking or talking with Mrs. Calvert did he do so with his crankiness. There was a softness to him he reserved for this lady, and it seemed that he had a little softness inside him for Abby too. She liked the idea of that...she liked the idea way too much.

  The truth would be harder to prove now with Riley’s standing before them sleepy, obviously looking for her, smiling like a fool at her and with his bare chest exposed.

  “That’s how you’re sneaking into my bakery,” Mrs. Calvert observed.

  Riley looked mortified.

  Abby was dying to write all his emotions down on a check list so she could go over them with him later just for the mere amusement of watching him squirm. Add panicked, mortified and relieved Riley to the list.

  “Are you here for an early breakfast as well?” Mrs. Calvert asked.

  His eyes found Abby.

  Explain this one standing there with a naked chest and calling my name in a deliciously sinful panic. Good luck.

  And, yes she’d noticed how much she enjoyed him calling her name. At least he’d put his jeans on...if he hadn’t been wearing pants...had he been wearing anything? That was sinfully delicious.

  “I was...um...looking for Abby.” Stuttering Riley...check

  “You found her,” Mrs. Calvert said.

  “Yeah, you found me,” Abby teased.

  He sent Abby a warning glare that he wasn’t finding the situation nearly as entertaining as she was. She ignored him, lifting her smile higher and watching between the two as they shared knowing looks leaving her in the dark of whatever they were silently discussing.