Love Blooms
Love Blooms
The Bell Family of Bluestar Island, book 1
Jennifer Faye
Lazy Dazy Press
Copyright
Copyright © 2021 by Jennifer F. Stroka
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Published by Lazy Dazy Press
ISBN-13 (digital): 978-1-942680-12-3
ISBN-13 (print): 978-1-942680-13-0
Thanks & much appreciation to:
Content Editor: Trenda London
Copy Editor: Lia Fairchild
Bluestar Island series:
Book 1: Love Blooms
Book 2: Harvest Dance
Book 3: A Lighthouse Café Christmas
Book 4: Rising Star
Book 5: Summer by the Beach
Book 6: Brass Anchor Inn
Contents
Dedication
Dedication
To my readers, who are the sweetest, kindest and most supportive group.
Thank you for all of your support!
About this book...
He’s an injured firefighter. She bakes the most delightful treats. When their worlds collide will the baker help heal the firefighter with a mix of blueberry muffins and her caring way?
The elegant baker, Hannah Bell, has always lived on Bluestar Island with her family. While still grieving for her father, who died in a fire, she focuses all of her energy on making her dream come true—opening her very own bakery. But when a broken water pipe washes away her carefully laid plans, she’s on the verge of losing everything.
New York firefighter Ethan Walker’s life is in a tailspin after he’s injured on-the-job. When an urgent call detours him to Bluestar Island, he agrees to help his lovable but meddlesome great-aunt. But organizing the island’s Spring Fling proves a lot harder than he originally imagined. He needs help…and fast.
Under the magic of Bluestar Island’s sea breeze and warm sunshine, Hannah and Ethan must not only face their immediate obstacles but also their own turning points in life. Will they have to do that alone? With a leap of faith and a dash of romance, they might just find the perfect mix to make their dreams come true.
Includes a delicious recipe for The Elegant Baker’s Blueberry Crumble Muffin!
Quote
“With the bloom of springtime flowers… comes the opportunity for new beginnings.”
Chapter One
Brooklyn, NY
“Hello…” Static. “Call…” Static. Static. “Hospital.”
Ethan Walker’s heart stuttered at the mention of the word hospital. “Mom?” Static. “Mom, I can’t hear you. Who’s in the hospital? Are you all right?”
As Ethan stood in the Engine 256 Firehouse where he worked, the world came to an abrupt halt. He clutched the phone tighter to his ear. Maybe he’d misunderstood her. Maybe she hadn’t said hospital.
“Mom.” He raised his voice. “I’m going to call you back.” He disconnected the call.
His parents were on the trip of a lifetime, spending a month touring Europe. This was their first week away and if he recalled correctly, they had just arrived in Paris. He was thankful his mother had set her phone up with an international calling plan. He liked hearing about their travels and experiences. But he’d never appreciated the ease of calling her more so than now.
He rushed to pull up her number. The phone rang once.
“Ethan?” His mother’s voice was clear, as though she was standing next to him.
“Mom, what’s going on?” He willed her to say everything was all right—that he’d misheard her.
“It’s Aunt Birdie. There’s been an accident. She’s at the hospital.”
Aunt Birdie was technically his great-aunt, which meant she was getting on in age and a fall could be serious. Aunt Birdie was his mother’s aunt and the only living relative on her side of the family. Aunt Birdie had grown up in Brooklyn, just like him, but when she married, she moved to Bluestar Island just off the Massachusetts coastline. It was a lesser-known island than Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard, but it still had its own charms and distinct folklore.
His great-aunt was more than just a fun aunt; she was more like a loving grandmother to him. He remembered as a child visiting Bluestar Island for Christmas and especially for the Fourth of July celebration. He’d even spent part of his summer vacations with Aunt Birdie. They were some of his favorite memories.
With great trepidation, he asked, “How bad is it?”
“I…I don’t know. Must have just happened. I missed the call. Someone left a generic voicemail saying she fell, but they gave no other details about the extent of her injuries. I tried calling but with all of the rules and regulations, I couldn’t get any details. I’m trying to get a flight home but everything is booked.”
The thought of his parents abandoning their once-in-a-lifetime trip, when they didn’t know the seriousness of the situation, didn’t sit well with him. “Mom, hold off on the reservations—”
“But I have to be there for her. Aunt Birdie doesn’t have anyone else.” Her voice was filled with worry.
“She has me.”
“But you have to get back to work.” She momentarily paused, as though shifting her thoughts. “You’re all right now, aren’t you?”
She was referring to his on-the-job accident that had sidelined him for weeks, but he was feeling much better now. In fact, he’d just gotten his medical release. He knew his mother worried about him. She always had. He supposed she always would. It’s what mothers do. And it was all he could do to get her to quit fretting about him and leave on this long-planned trip.
“I’m all better, but I have a lot of vacation time saved up—”
“Ethan,” called out his captain. “Just the man I want to see.”
Ethan turned to the large man standing in his office doorway. “Mom, hold on a second.” He held the phone to his chest. “Cap, I’ll be right with you.”
The man, who was always way too serious, glanced at the phone in Ethan’s hand before their gazes met once more. “Make it fast.”
“Yes, sir.”
After Captain Morales turned and walked back into his office, Ethan said, “Listen, Mom, I’ve got this. Don’t worry.” He did have a lot of vacation time. He was always working; just ask his ex-girlfriend, Mary. “I’ll drive up to Bluestar and find out what’s going on.”
“I don’t know.”
“Listen, it’s going to be a lot faster for me to get there than you. I’ll call you when I find out anything. How many hours are there between us?”
“It doesn’t matter about the time difference. I don’t care what time it is. When you find out something—anything—call me.”
He nodded. “I’ll do that. I have to go.” Before they disconnected, he said, “Mom, try not to worry. Everything is going to be all right.”
“I hope you’re right. Call me when you get there. And be careful.” She always worried about his safety, no matter his age. “I love you.”
“I will. And I love you too.”
Ethan slipped his phone into his pocket and then turned to head into the captain’s office. Ethan paused at the doorway. Captain Morales, or Cap as the crew liked to call him, was ten or so years older than Ethan. The man was good at his job—at following the protocols. Perhaps if Ethan was more of a rule follower, he wouldn’t have been sidelined with his injuries.
Cap sat behind his large desk with its neatly stacked papers and files. The captain’s dark hair was lightly peppered with gray. Ethan had been told more than once that he was responsible for a few of those gray hairs.
Cap glanced up and signaled for Ethan to join him. Ethan stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The room suddenly felt as though it had shrunk considerably.
He’d been in this room many times, some of the visits good and others were, um, stern warnings about him taking too many chances out in the field. Those chances had finally caught up with him this last time. But he didn’t want to think about that now. He shoved the troubling thoughts to the back of his mind.
“Have a seat.” Once Ethan was seated, the captain continued. “Thank you for keeping me updated on your recovery progress. You’ve done well in such a short amount of time.” The captain’s serious gaze met his. “But don’t forget, it could have been a lot worse.”
“Yes, sir.”
Cap’s chair groaned as he leaned back in it. He steepled his fingers together. “I just received your work release forms.”
Ethan rubbed his palms on his jeans. “About that, sir, I was wondering if I could take some vacation time?”
The captain’s brows scrunched together as his brown eyes probed him. “Are you still having issues?”
“No, sir. It’s not that. I’m ready to get back to work.” He wished he felt as confident as he sounded.
He glanced down at his hands, with their red burn scars that trailed up under his jacket sleeves. They served as a vivid reminder of his near miss with a blaze that quickly flamed out of control. He tugged down his jacket sleeves.
The worry lines on Cap’s face smoothed. “That’s good to hear.”
Ethan shifted in the cushioned chair, not able to find a comfortable position. He was beginning to think his discomfort came from being in this office, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the chair itself.
Ding.
A text message. Ethan’s gut told him it was a message from his mother.
Ethan cleared his throat. “Excuse me, sir. It’s important.”
Cap didn’t say anything, so Ethan took that as a sign to go ahead. He retrieved the phone from his pocket.
Talked to the doctor. Possible pelvic fracture. Maybe surgery.
His pulse picked up its pace. Surgery at Aunt Birdie’s age would be risky. His jaw tightened. He texted his mother back.
I’ll be there soon.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket. He lifted his gaze to meet the captain’s inquiring look. “Sorry. My great-aunt was just rushed to the hospital. I’m her only family in the States, as my parents are in Europe. I need to go to Bluestar Island.”
Cap’s dark brows rose high on his forehead. “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it isn’t too serious.”
“Me too.” Ethan refused to think of what life would be like without Aunt Birdie in it. “I’m sorry to put you in this bind after everything.”
“We’ve got everything covered. The sub is fitting right in with the crew.” Cap frowned as he rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “I was just looking at your file. You have rollover vacation time from last year that you didn’t use. If you don’t use it by the end of this year, you’ll lose it.”
“I know, sir.” His ex had often reminded him that he never spent enough time with her. He was always too busy working. “We’ve had a busy year at the firehouse and were shorthanded at times.”
Cap pulled something up on his computer. “You have five weeks available. Go see to your aunt. I hope everything is all right.”
That was easy. Perhaps too easy. Was it possible he was no longer needed? In the next breath, he realized he was reading too much into the man’s words. He’d been a firefighter all of his adult life. Experience counted for a lot.
“Thank you, sir. But I shouldn’t need that much time.” Ethan hoped. He stepped toward the door and then paused before turning back. “Are you sure about this?”
Cap nodded. “With what you went through, I wasn’t sure when you’d be back. So no worries. Do what you need to do.”
“Thanks.” Ethan rushed down the stairs and then stepped into the busy bay. When he first arrived, he’d slipped in undetected through the side entrance. He hadn’t wanted to speak to anyone until he’d met with the captain.
The floor was abuzz with activity. Some of the crew were checking hoses. Others were spiffing up the engine. It took them a moment to notice him standing there, but when they spotted him, he was greeted with smiling faces.
“Ethan!” his buddies called out in unison as they stood and moved toward him.
The first to shake his hand was Tom, the driver on his truck. His friend went to pull Ethan close, in order to pat him on the back, but then hesitated, as though recalling Ethan’s injuries. Instead he gave him a smile and firm handshake.
Ethan wondered if that was how it was going to be from now on. Were the people on his crew always going to treat him differently? Treat him like he wasn’t the same man he used to be? Was he the same man? Ethan pushed the troubling thoughts to the back of his mind.
“I’ve got to go,” Ethan reluctantly said. He hadn’t realized until now how much he’d missed these guys. “Some family stuff came up.”
“Hope to see you back in action soon,” Fred, a longtime co-worker and friend, said.
The other guys chimed in their agreement.
“Thanks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Ethan headed for the door. As he stepped outside, he squinted in the bright morning sunshine. A mid-March breeze rushed past him as he headed for his pickup. He ducked his head against the cold air. Any day now the springtime weather would warm up. He couldn’t wait.
He climbed into his new pickup and started it. The soft purr of the engine filled the cab. He adjusted the heat and then glanced out the window. The red brick building of Engine 256 Firehouse stood proudly. The American flag hung between the two big white bay doors. The red, white, and blue material fluttered in the breeze.
It was within those four walls where he’d spent so much of his life. As a child he would come to this fire station with his father. He’d been in awe of the big, shiny trucks and the brave men and women who rode in them.
As an adult, he’d stepped into his father’s boots, becoming a firefighter himself. It was what was expected. It was a Walker tradition.
Since the accident, Ethan had struggled with returning to work. He knew if he didn’t push himself—if he didn’t get back to the business of putting out fires—that he might never ride in a fire engine again. And where would that leave him?
But family always came first. He put the truck in gear and headed home. He’d grab a few things and hit the road. He hoped there had been some sort of mix-up and he found his aunt ready to go home.
Chapter Two
3 days later...Bluestar Island, MA
She was one of the lucky ones.
She got to do what she loved every single day—bake.
And best of all, she was able to put smiles on people’s faces.
Hannah Bell remembered how excited she’d been as a little girl receiving a play-oven for Christmas. She’d baked up countless imaginary cakes with it. Eventually, pretend cakes gave way to real ones.
And now her life’s dream was coming true. She’d just bought the sole bakery on the island—the Bluestar Bakery. The ink wasn’t even dry on the loan papers. And yet it was all hers…at last. Or at least it would be when the renovations were completed.
In the meantime, she was baking special orders in her apartment. It wasn’t ideal, not by a long shot, but it brought in enough money for her to put food on her table and pay the bills. Thankfully, the arrangement was only temporary.