Providence Island Book 5
Mystery Romance
Date Published: 02 November 2021
Publisher: RedBird Books
A man denies his emotions to save the lives of other. A woman closes her heart to hide the pain. A child yearns for someone to trust.
Former hitman Ben Hampshire gave up everything to keep his honorary mother Dana Canfield safe. Settled into a peaceful life on Providence Island, he’s found the woman of his dreams but can't make himself say "I love you".
Stacy Andrews shunned long-term relationships until she met a man with a brain as sexy as his body. She's head over stiletto heels in love with him, but those words aren't in her vocabulary either. The secret she’s hiding might make Ben change his mind about their life together. If that’s not enough, her troubled eight-year old nephew coming to live with them could be the tipping point.
Ben finds himself in the spotlight after two murders occur. The first to find both bodies, he’s holding back evidence that points toward Dana’s husband as the perpetrator. If he can't stop the killer, Ben's future may turn into a happy never after.
Excerpt
Car keys
jingling in his hand, Ben stopped in the doorway to the dining room. His
landlady, Maisie Porter, sat at the table, waiting for him to drive her to her
friend Yolanda’s house. The early evening sunlight cast the elderly woman in a
golden glow. With her white hair and cornflower-blue eyes, she looked like a
modern-day Mrs. Claus.
Chauffeur
duties weren’t the usual arrangement for a tenant, but the two of them had
moved into a more personal relationship during the year he’d lived at Porter’s
bed-and-breakfast. The privacy of the third-floor suite and the incredible
meals Maisie cooked were two of the reasons he’d remained in residence.
Maisie had opened
both her home and her heart to him. She was the grandmother he’d never had and
his strongest supporter when suspicion fell on him for the murders that had
occurred on Providence Island last year.
He was
guilty of shooting those four individuals, but in his defense, each one of them
deserved it. Law enforcement would disagree, but Ben’s oath to protect Dana
Canfield and her family took higher priority.
He tapped on
the doorframe. “Ready for your girls’ night, Maisie?”
The Fab
Five—Maisie and four other women from her church—planned an overnight baking
and crafting party. Based on the two bottles of wine protruding from the tote
bag next to her chair, the meeting appeared to be leaning more toward the party
side.
Maisie
gestured toward the chair next to her. “We need to talk.”
Her smile
lacked its usual warmth, and the sparkle in her blue eyes was missing. A quiver
ran through his stomach.
“What’s
wrong? Are you sick?”
Maisie
lowered her brows. “Ben Hampshire, do I look like I’m sick?”
That flash
of spirit spurred Ben to sit down. “No, ma’am.”
“I’ve put
off having this talk with you, and it’s long past due.” She pushed a
rectangular piece of paper in front of him.
His
confusion cleared when he realized it was his payment for next month’s rent. No
reason for Maisie to be nervous about asking for an increase. “I’m fine with
whatever you charge. Give me the amount, and I’ll write a new check.”
She placed
her palm over his hand. “Ben, it’s time for you to move out.”
For one of
the few times in his life, Ben was speechless. When she pulled her hand away,
she took a piece of his security with her.
Maisie’s
gaze traveled to a point somewhere over his shoulder, and she sighed. “I’d
planned on shutting this place down last year. Then you came.” Her gaze shifted
back to him. “With all the murders occurring, I felt safer with you living
here.”
He edged the
check back in front of her. “If it’s money—”
She shook
her head. “When Clyde and I moved into this house, we added a back porch with a
swing. We wanted a place where our children could play. After they’d grown and
gone their ways, we’d sit there and watch the sun rise in the morning and set
in the evening. But we never had children, and Clyde passed away a few days
before our thirtieth anniversary. I’ve lived alone all these years since,
except for guests who came and went. I never thought you’d stay as long as you
have, but I’m happy you did.”
His throat
swelled with the unexpected U-turn in the conversation. He didn’t do emotions,
and Maisie was bringing out feelings he’d locked away ages ago. He managed a
small nod.
She tore the
check in quarters. “I’m not going to let you waste your life like I’ve done
with mine.”
His mind
reeled as he recalled Maisie had never denied being
sick. If that was the reason for this
change, he'd make sure she had the best doctors and care
available. “You have a great life. Friends, church, your garden—"
“And I have
you, a blessing I never expected.” Her thumb toyed with a scrap of the torn
check. “Before you came here, each one of my days was the same as the next, and
the weeks rolled by faster every year. As much as I love this old house and my
garden, I need excitement and purpose in my life. The girls and I talked, and
we decided to shake things up.”
Half of him
wanted to laugh at the idea of the Fab Five going rogue; the other half cringed
at the thought. “Change up how?”
“Travel.
Road trips. Cruises. Maybe start a business on Main Street.” A hint of pink
bloomed in her cheeks, and the sparkle reignited in her eyes.
Ben mulled
over those options. They sounded good on the surface, but plenty of room
existed for trouble.
Before he
could inject a dose of logic, Maisie raced ahead with her explanation. “I’ve
decided to list the house for sale with Elliott Realty. Yolanda has a ranch
house on Cypress. Sandra Lynn and I are going to move in with her. Tina’s
selling her house and moving in with Deloris. After we get the traveling bug
out of our system, we’ll decide what to do next.”
“Selling the
house is a drastic move. Why not wait to see if these living arrangements work
out?”
“We
discussed it from one end to the other, then went with our gut. This isn’t some
snap decision.” She fixed a stern look on him. “Before you suggest buying this
house, I’m telling you it’s a flat no. You need to take the next step with the
young woman you’ve been seeing.”
Ben’s head
spun from the deft switch in topics. It was one thing for Maisie to redesign
her life. He could manage his own just fine. “We’re not—”
“No excuses.
You spend more nights away than you do here.” An affectionate smile touched the
corners of her lips. “I’ve seen how your face lights up when she calls or
messages you. That smile you get doesn’t lie. You’re in love with Stacy
Andrews.”
A line of
sweat broke out across his brow. “I’m not—”
“You’re in
love whether you want to admit it or not. I have no doubt she’s in love with
you. You both need to move ahead while you have the chance. Life takes things
away when we least expect it.”
Something he
knew too well. The last time he’d said “I love you” was to his fiancée before
she died in his arms. Maisie had had thirty years with Clyde. He’d promised
Betsy twice that many.
“A woman has
her pride to consider.” Maisie winked. “I can’t go on forever being your
culinary side-piece.”
Ben jerked,
knocking his keys from the table to the floor. “Jeez, Maisie!”
“Would you
carry my bag to the car? Don’t forget I’m getting a ride with one of the girls
tomorrow morning.” She patted his shoulder as she passed. “I’ll bring brownies
home for you.”
Ben stood in
stunned silence as Maisie headed toward the front door. In a matter of minutes,
he’d lost his home, been ordered to move in with Stacy, and watched his kindly
landlady morph into a wanna-be Golden Girl.
While
ninety-five percent of him agreed with her plan, the other five percent sulked
over having his comfortable life disrupted. He eyed the vacant doorway and
chuckled.
Culinary
side-piece. Good one, Maisie.
He grabbed
his keys and her tote. As he walked to the car, he practiced what to say to
Stacy.
And what to
do if she told him no.
About the Author
Dianna Wilkes is an award winning contemporary romance author.
Reading has always been an important part of her life. "I learned to read when I was four years old. Writing my own stories seemed a natural progression."
Dianna holds a B.A.in Visual Communication and a M.Ed.in Instructional Technology. She worked as an Education Consultant for a medical technology company before leaving the corporate world. Despite all that nerdy stuff, she loves creating stories of romance and mystery with touches of humor.
When she isn’t writing, Dianna is deep in researching various branches and twigs on her family tree or fulfilling entries on her travel bucket list.
Contact Links
Twitter: @dwilkesauthor
Instagram: dianna.wilkes
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