Feisty by MacKenzie McKade Page A

the look of disgust in Devon’s eyes kept reappearing.
    “I’ll think of something. I’ve got to go.” She disconnected the call and immediately reached into her jacket pocket and retrieved a handkerchief.
    “Honey, are you all right?”
    Sahara dabbed at her eyes and nose. “I’m fine, Mom.” When she felt her control finally return, she pivoted and forced a smile. Judging by her mother’s frown, she wasn’t convinced.
    “You want to talk about it?”
    “No. But I need a little time. I’ll meet you at the restaurant.” Without waiting for a response, Sahara climbed into her car and drove away. She thought of driving to Bar Harbor and catching the first plane back to New York. But her heartbreak would have to wait. Tonight and tomorrow were for Leo and Sky. Sahara wished she hadn’t thrown this cloud over their wedding, because if she had discovered anything, Whispering Cove rumors blew through the town faster than the wind.
    By the time Sahara composed herself, returned to the inn to dress, and made it to the Seafarer, night had fallen. Sky’s parents had rented the entire restaurant and had a professional company come in to remodel the place, as well as flown in a renowned chef and his crew from France. But since Katy was the head chef of the Seafarer, the stipulation for renting the place was she would oversee the kitchen. The rumor was the Congressman had thrown a fit and Katy had almost physically thrown him out. Sahara would have given anything to be a fly on the wall.
    When Sahara walked into the place, she couldn’t believe the change. Wooden planked walls were covered with velveteen and sheer drapery. The red-and-white-checkered tablecloths and benches were gone. In their place were elegant tables and chairs, china and crystal. Beneath each table was a matching carpet, which had to have set the Wellingtons back some real dough. The metamorphosis was amazing. A small group of waiters in tuxes stood like statues, ready to cater to everyone’s needs.
    For a moment she wondered what Devon would think, but the thought vanished when Katy stepped out of the kitchen. Sahara almost laughed. As charismatic as the woman could be, she always managed to have a little dab of flour on her face. But that was her charm. She made the Seafarer feel like home even masked in finery.
    Sahara’s heart thudded when she realized it wasn’t the perfection she saw all around her that made a place a home. It was people like Katy. It was the imperfections Whispering Cove lent, the quirkiness of its people who gave the place the charm that drew Leo and had intrigued her from the beginning. She had been so inspired she had wanted to share its uniqueness with the world.
    But Devon was right.
    Her kind would suffocate the town. Like what the Wellingtons had done to the Seafarer, Sahara’s resort would do to the entire town. She was so stunned with her revelation she hadn’t noticed more people had arrived, including Devon. Judging by their crestfallen expressions, the Congressman had missed his mark, because the people of Whispering Cove weren’t impressed at all. Devon walked up to the bar in his jeans and T-shirt and ordered a beer. She knew it was an in-your-face gesture. When he turned around and their eyes met, he raised his beer in a salute. Without diverting his gaze, he pressed the bottle to his lips and chugged it down before ordering another and a mixed drink. Pivoting, he walked over to the table where Lauren sat and set the mixed drink in front of her.
    A pang in Sahara’s chest stole her breath. But if he thought she would sit by and watch him flirt with another woman, he was dead wrong. Turning around, she ran right into Harold. He grabbed Sahara, steadying her as his gaze slid from her to Devon.
    “He be hurting, lassie.”
    Sahara forced herself not to look at the couple. “I don’t know what you mean.” She fisted her hands to stop them from shaking. He must have felt it because he guided her to a table