Imagining Love on Willow Road (Island County Series Book 13)

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Happy Truth Excerpt

  BOOKS BY KARICE BOLTON

  Contact the Author

  Imagining Love on Willow Road

  (Island County #13)

  Karice Bolton

  Copyright © 2020 Karice Bolton

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any printed or electronic form, or stored in an unauthorized retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, incidents, and events either are the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Edited by V. Clifton

  Cover: © aaron_huang86 © inesbazdar

  Interior: B&B Formatting

  Adobe Stock: ©skarin

  BOOKS BY KARICE BOLTON

  MR. MISTAKE SERIES

  MR. MISTAKE

  MR. ACCIDENT

  MR. WRONG

  MR. RIGHT

  ISLAND COUNTY SERIES

  FINDING LOVE IN FORGOTTEN COVE

  LOVE REDONE IN HIDDEN HARBOR

  TANGLED LOVE ON PELICAN POINT

  FOREVER LOVE ON FIREWEED ISLAND

  TEMPTING LOVE ON HOLLY LANE

  CHANCE AT LOVE ON MYSTIC BAY

  IRRESISTIBLE LOVE AT SILVER FALLS

  LUCKY IN LOVE ON HOUND ISLAND

  MISTLETOE MISCHIEF

  ACCIDENTAL LOVE ON MEADOW COVE LANE

  DISCOVERING LOVE ON CRANBERRY LANE

  CHRISTMAS ON FIREWEED

  IMAGINING LOVE ON WILLOW ROAD

  BEYOND LOVE SERIES

  BEYOND CONTROL

  BEYOND DOUBT

  BEYOND REASON

  BEYOND INTENT

  BEYOND CHANCE

  BEYOND PROMISE

  BEYOND the MISTLETOE

  SILVER RIDGE SERIES

  A HAPPY TRUTH ABOUT LOVE

  A LITTLE SECRET ABOUT LOVE

  A FUNNY THING ABOUT LOVE

  A SURPRISING FACT ABOUT LOVE

  A SIMPLE WISH ABOUT LOVE

  LUKE FLETCHER SERIES

  HIDDEN SINS

  BURIED SINS

  REDEMPTION

  MIA

  V MAFIA SERIES

  BLAKE

  DEVIN

  JAXSON

  THE WITCH AVENUE SERIES

  LONELY SOULS

  ALTERED SOULS

  RELEASED SOULS

  SHATTERED SOULS

  THE WATCHERS TRILOGY

  AWAKENING

  LEGIONS

  CATACLYSM

  TAKEN NOVELLA (A Watchers Prequel)

  AFTERWORLD SERIES

  RecruitZ

  AlibiZ

  UprisingZ

  Contact the Author

  To contact the author, please visit her online at http://www.karicebolton.com or via

  Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest @KariceBolton.

  If you’d like to be included on her mailing list to find out about

  new releases, click here or go to Karice Bolton’s website

  You can also text KariceBooks to 313131 to receive a text from her on release days!

  Chapter One

  I glanced over at Chance Harlen and laughed as he shot a rubber band at his wife, Maddie. She’d been innocently stocking the shelves with her tea when Chance just couldn’t help himself.

  “How do you put up with him?” I teased as Maddie threw a box of tea back at her husband.

  Chance grinned at me and shrugged. “Is that any way to speak about your boss?”

  “The only thing that saves you is that annoying twinkle in your eye. Besides, I’m not on the clock.” I scowled at him as Maddie giggled and marched over to retrieve the tea she threw at him. These two people were my favorite in the world. Just being around them instantly made my day better.

  Maddie patted his back and smiled. “That twinkle has gotten me into trouble more than once.” She let out a happy sigh and rubbed her pregnant belly. “I’d better go check on Hildie with our little one before she wears her out.”

  Chance laughed and nodded. “Yeah. Hildie wears everyone out.”

  I chuckled, knowing that wasn’t exactly what Maddie meant, but it was true. Chance’s mother, Hildie Harlen, was a ball of energy. The woman never stopped, and I think Chance and Maddie’s toddler met her match with her Grandma Hildie.

  The festival was what brought me to Hound Island for the weekend. Hildie was hosting a massive Easter egg hunt for spring, and I volunteered to help Chance and Maddie stock the shelves in the gift shop on my day off.

  After all, I owed them everything and more.

  “Need anything from the house?” Maddie asked me, and I shook my head.

  Chance wiggled his brows. “I’ll take a soda.”

  “Only because you missed that last shot.” She chuckled and headed out the door to Hildie’s home.

  There was such love in this family, and they did everything under the sun to make me feel a part of it since I moved here several months ago, but I still felt like I was searching for something more.

  “You doing okay?” Chance asked, flipping over an empty bucket to sit on as I stuffed trash into a bag. “Too many hours at the restaurant?”

  “No. The restaurant is great.” I nodded, smiling. “Thank you again for giving me the chance to—”

  Chance stood and shook his head. “You’ve got to quit thanking me. You were more than qualified for the position. I’m just glad it all worked out.”

  I nodded, pushing back the lump.

  “You’re a good man, Chance.” I smiled and drew a breath. “But I still can’t thank you enough.”

  He laughed his familiar laugh, and I shook my head.

  Chance had been one of my best friends for too many years to count. We’d all fallen into a great group of chef friends down in Portland, but one by one, we all seemed to flee that hectic life for something more.

  “So, what’s up?” he prodded.

  I let out a sigh and blushed. “My lease is going to run out soon.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “You’re thinking about leaving?”

  I shook my head and bit my lip.

  “Come on. Let it out.” He smiled and took a seat back on the bucket. “You know you’ll feel better if you let it out.”

  I groaned. “I’m merely wondering how I managed to screw up my entire life.”

  Chance’s brows shot up. “I didn’t expect that one. Maybe I ought to call Maddie back.”

  I giggled, knowing he was teasing. “Honestly, I feel like I’ve wasted so much time doing things that were absolutely unimportant in life.”

  Chance scowled. “Like what?”

  My brows arched. “Really? You have to ask?”

  “Yeah, I do.” He propped his chin on his fists as his elbows dug into his knees.

 
“I spent over a decade doing absolutely nothing but partying, going out, going to work, partying some more, hanging with friends, and—”

  “That’s called being in your twenties.” He smiled sympathetically.

  I let out a heavy sigh and shrugged. “I just feel so far behind everyone. You’ve got an amazing family with Maddie, and Billy found Tiffany, and—”

  “Is that what it’s about for you? Finding love?” Chance looked far too surprised at the notion.

  I swatted at him. “No. I’m not looking to settle down. I just want some normalcy. I want to be able to reach out to my family without some sort of drama unfolding on the other end of the phone. Or hang out with friends for Sunday brunch instead of a late-night bar excursion.”

  Chance folded his arms across his chest. “You can’t tell me you’ve been spending many Saturday nights at bars since you came to Fireweed.”

  I laughed. “True. I’m pretty busy at the restaurant.”

  “You’ve got a fresh start here. You can make your life how you want it.” He grinned. “I mean, everyone loves you. Whether it’s Jewels at the library or Natalie at the floral shop, they all love you. A family doesn’t have to be a bloodline. In fact, I kind of take offense.”

  I blushed. “I guess you’re right. It’s just not coming out correctly.” I chuckled. “My birthday is coming up next month, so maybe that’s why I’m all moody.”

  “Not moody,” he corrected, winking at me. “Self-reflective.”

  Maddie came into the front of the shop with a tray full of pretzels, chips, and three sodas. “I know you said you didn’t want anything, but I thought you might change your mind.”

  Chance stood and took the tray from her as he softly kissed her cheek.

  “How’s our kiddo?” Chance asked, taking a swig of soda as he handed me the other can, and Maddie giggled.

  “Both grandma and kiddo are fast asleep on the couch, toys sprawled out, books dangling from their fingers. I honestly don’t know who wore out whom first.”

  Chance grinned with pride as he nodded. “I think the wild streak came down the Harlen line.”

  “I second that.” Maddie nodded as she sat on the chair next to the shelf stacked with tea.

  I took a sip of the soda that Maddie somehow knew I needed and smiled.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You’re just super cute when you’re pregnant.” I shrugged.

  “It’s only cute for another four weeks or so. Right now, I’m not cranky. But soon, soon, I’ll make up for it all.”

  I chuckled. “You could never be cranky.”

  Chance laughed. “Yes, she can. Don’t be fooled by those sexy pigtails.”

  I rolled my eyes and chuckled. Maddie had parted her blonde hair into two cute pigtails, which managed to show off her rosy cheeks. A pair of baggy floral overalls and a crisp white tee completed her look.

  I glanced down at my tight jeans and an oversized black sweatshirt. I’d gotten so used to working in a kitchen for twelve hours a day that I forgot what it was like to care about clothes.

  But I did care about my hair, and I had an appointment for tomorrow to get it dyed again. That seemed to be my only statement piece.

  “I think our Harmony is feeling a little down,” Chance said, and I let out a groan.

  “You are?” Maddie looked concerned.

  “Maybe a little.”

  “You’ve been through a lot of changes. You moved to the islands from Portland, you took over running a restaurant, and you’ve barely had a chance to breathe. I can understand why you’d be a little rundown.”

  I smiled. “Thanks.”

  “And on that note . . .” Maddie smiled. “I have a date for you.”

  “Huh?” My brows shot into the ceiling.

  “A date. I’ve got a guy for you. I know he’s perfect for you. I can just feel it.” She wiggled her brows, and Chance couldn’t hide a smile.

  “Umm, I’m not looking to date anyone. I’m still trying to get my head straight and—”

  Maddie beamed. “Oh, please. Your head is firmly on your shoulders. This date is precisely what you need. A little fun. I’ve already told Chance that he’s filling in for you tomorrow.”

  I stared at the ceiling’s intricate network of exposed beams and wondered if this was Karma’s way of getting me back for being such a wild teenager. I was doomed to an adult life full of friends wanting to fix me up.

  “I can’t make it tomorrow.”

  “Why’s that?” she prompted. “You have to wash your hair?”

  I giggled. “As a matter of fact, I have an appointment tomorrow at the salon.”

  “Well, good. Keep it. Because you’re having dinner with this man, so you can keep your appointment.”

  “Did I do something to you in a past life?” I teased.

  She innocently shook her head. “I promise. It won’t be so bad.”

  “Do I know him? The islands are pretty small.”

  “They’re not that small. It’s not like you can know every single person who lives on Fireweed or Hound.” She wagged her fingers. “But no questions. I’ll text over details tomorrow around four o’clock so you don’t chicken out and leave the poor man hanging.”

  “I could still not show.”

  “But you’re a good person.” Maddie grinned. “You wouldn’t leave a nice guy hanging.”

  “The problem with having friends is you guys know my strengths and weaknesses.” I shook my head.

  “Which is why I know I picked the perfect guy for you. He’ll love the little bit of edge you have.”

  “Edge?” I cocked my head.

  Maddie glanced at Chance. “Well, I mean . . . you seem pretty edgy to me. You’re rarely ever out in the world in any color except for black, your hair is always in a fun and unique style, and no two days are ever alike for you.”

  “What Maddie is trying to say is that she found you a nice accountant to level you out.” Chance grimaced.

  “Seriously?” I cocked my head, and Chance laughed.

  “I have no idea who it is.” He looked at his wife. “Is her date an accountant?”

  “Would it be a problem if he were?”

  “No. I just think Harmony needs someone with a little oomph,” Chance offered.

  “And you’re saying accountants don’t have oomph?” Maddie looked confused. “Why would an accountant be thrown into a non-oomph category so easily? That’s like saying all chefs are wild and crazy and stay up all night.”

  Chance smirked.

  “Bad example.” Maddie laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  “So, he is an accountant?” I asked, laughing.

  “No, he’s not. The man is actually a sales rep for a mattress company, if you must know.” Maddie took a bite of a pretzel.

  Chance traded a skeptical glance with me, which only made me chuckle harder.

  “You’d be surprised the kind of edge you need to sell a customer a luxury mattress,” she warned.

  “And how would you know?” Chance asked, taking another swig of soda.

  “Because I just bought one two days ago.” She grinned. “It’s being delivered this weekend.”

  “At least you’ve done thorough research on this stranger,” Chance teased, and I nodded my head in agreement.

  “I thought you knew him well.” I laughed, slapping my forehead.

  “Believe me. I gave the man a thorough interview, and I looked up all his social media so you didn’t have to. He seems legit.”

  I eyed Chance. “Well, thank you for the unexpected day off. I’m sure dinner with the mattress guy will be great.” I didn’t want to hurt Maddie’s feelings, especially since she seemed to believe she’d made a good match. “However, I’ll be sure to have the panic button on my phone nearby.”

  Maddie giggled and nodded. “Always a good thing to do in this day and age.”

  “Especially with friends like you,” I joked.

  I stood and gave them each a hug. I
had to catch the ferry back to Fireweed, where I’d been staying since I moved off Hound Island to help run one of Chance’s restaurants.

  Hearing I had a blind date was not the news I expected when I came over to help Maddie and Chance for the Easter festival, but regardless, I’d go into tomorrow’s blind date with my chin held high.

  And a bottle of mace in my purse.

  Chapter Two

  “You’ve been shuffling between Fireweed and Hound Islands for months now. When are you going to finally settle down and pick a place?”

  I shrugged, smiling at my newest friend, Ashley Parker. She was a ball of energy, freshly in love and recently married. She spent most of her time in Montana, but I ran into her a couple of times at the restaurant I ran and we hit it off instantly.

  “I don’t want to make a mistake. I’ve spent so much time imagining how my life would be living on the islands that I want to make sure whatever I choose is perfect.” I smiled.

  Her dark brows rose as she smirked. “You do realize there is no such thing as perfect, right?”

  I laughed as my gaze moved toward the glistening Puget Sound. There wasn’t a breeze to be felt, and the dark blue water barely rippled in the distance.

  It was so peaceful on Fireweed Island and so very different from the hustle and bustle of Portland. But it wasn’t as peaceful as Hound Island, which was why the dilemma arose. Did I want a little hustle or no hustle?

  “Perfection exists.” I grinned. “Just because I haven’t found it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

  “You should do a list of pros and cons,” Ashley suggested. “Didn’t you say you only had a six-month lease?”

  I nodded, knowing that I only had about five weeks left on it.

  “I’ve been busy.” I shrugged. “But I’ll buckle down.”

  “I’m just worried you’re procrastinating because you’re secretly planning an escape back to Portland.”

  I let out a sigh and felt the spring sunshine wash over my bare arms.

  The thought had crossed my mind a time or two.