Chapter Text
After driving for hours, Lucy Chen’s breathing hitched when she saw a sign welcoming her to the town of Azure Cove. She slowly blinked her tired eyes as she took in the sight of the late evening blue hue of the sky coloring the quaint homes and the winding road that led to a view of the beach through one window, while Main Street stretched out invitingly on the other side. Everything looked so cozy, and blue, and absolutely nothing like Los Angeles thankfully. When her eyes caught on a sign for Azure Café on Main Street, she realized she needed some caffeine, so she parked nearby and went inside where she was greeted by the sound of a bell dinging as the door opened and shut to announce her entrance.
“Welcome in. What can I get for you?” Angela Lopez asked.
“Coffee,” Lucy answered, sighing. “I’ll take it any way you’ve got it.”
“Long day?”
“I’ve been driving since before the sun came up.”
“Do you still have more driving ahead, or is this your final destination?”
“Final, final destination. I’m actually moving here from L.A..”
“A new neighbor? Wow, we don’t get too many of those. I guess I should introduce myself, since I’m sort of the unofficial head of the town’s welcoming committee. I’m Angela. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lucy.”
“So, Lucy, why would you move here of all places?”
“It sounds insane.”
“Try me.”
Lucy hesitated, but she had to tell someone her thought process, so she took a crinkly picture out of her purse and showed it to her. “I recently found out my mom had an affair with a man named Patrick Walsh, who’s my biological father. This is him standing with my mom. I guess Patrick is from here, and kept the house even after he moved to L.A..”
“I don’t remember him. Heard he passed. Apparently, he kept to himself until he moved away before I was born. Unfortunately, you can’t exactly learn much about him now that he’s gone. Sorry about that.”
She frowned. “I found that out, too. I tried to get in contact with his friends or family, but all I got was the name of a lawyer that said that as his daughter, the deed to his house belongs to me now, so here I am getting to know my long gone bio dad by going through the stuff in his house.”
“Going through his stuff doesn’t mean you have to move here. You could pack up all of his crap, donate it, and then go back to your life.”
“As weird as it sounds, finding out I have a biological father with a house couldn’t have come at a better time. I needed a change of scenery.”
“Bad break up?” Angela presumed.
“No, nothing like that. But I definitely needed to leave L.A..”
“Azure Cove could give you the peace you clearly need. I won’t pry, but I can tell you need it.” When Lucy gulped, that seemed like enough confirmation, so she asked, “Are you hoping our little town gives you answers about your bio dad or peace?”
“Peace sounds amazing.”
“You know, love can be a good source of peace,” Angela said slyly.
Lucy scoffed. “Love’s the last thing on my mind right now.”
“So you’re single?”
“Painfully.”
“Are you interested in men?”
“Yes.” Lucy giggled. “Do you always ask new people twenty questions?”
“Only the ones I can tell are interesting. You know, our mayor is Azure Cove’s most eligible bachelor. As far as checking out the sights of this place, he should be on the top of your list.”
Her cheeks warmed. “I think I’ll skip that stop on the tour.”
“You sure about that?” Angela outstretched her arm to present her with a latte, which she assumed was what the woman wanted. When she saw Lucy reach for her wallet, she shook her head. “Since you’re new to town, your first cup is on the house. Consider it your welcome to the neighborhood gift.”
“Thank you. That is so sweet.”
“Don’t mention it. Listen, I’d be happy to tell you anything you want to know about this place any time.”
“I would love to hear the ins and outs of this town as long as the list doesn’t include any bachelors.”
“Fine, fine,” she surrendered. “I’m assuming you’re meeting with the lawyer to get the keys and sign over the deed to Patrick’s house?”
“Yes, that’s my next stop.”
“Great. Do me a favor and don’t flirt with the lawyer. He’s definitely not a bachelor, and if his girlfriend even suspects someone of looking at him for too long, they’ll get their ass handed to them.”
Lucy smiled. “I take it you’re his girlfriend.”
“Sure am.” She put a hand on her hip as she straightened her back to stand at her full height, ready to fight.
“Well, you have nothing to worry about from me. I’ll stick with settling into my new house.” Angela seemed satisfied with her answer, so Lucy offered her a smile and said, “Thanks again for the coffee. I’ll be seeing you again soon. Depending on whether Patrick left behind a coffeemaker, it might be as soon as tomorrow.” She gave her a quick wave and walked out of the café. Instead of going straight back to her car, she looked out at the ocean that had darkened with the sky to a deep and rich blue. Lucy inhaled the salty air and smiled; she had no idea what life in Azure Cove had in store for her, but the comforting blue hues around her brought on a sense of encouragement that she truly was exactly where she needed to be.
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Wesley Evers smiled when he heard the knock on his office door. “Come in,” he said and stood from his chair as a woman walked in. “You must be Lucy. It’s nice to meet you in person after trading phone calls.”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Lucy replied warmly.
“I can’t believe you’re Patrick Walsh’s daughter.”
“Neither can I. It’s still pretty new information for me.”
“I’ve been asking around trying to get any information about him for you, but I’m sorry, he really was quite the shut in before he left town. I don’t even know why he kept the house.”
“He’s a mystery to everyone. Got it.”
“Look, if you came here to learn more about your biological father, I’m not sure you’ll find the answers you’re hoping for.”
“That’s fine. I’ll see what I can find out about him from digging through his stuff, but if I’m being honest, I can barely handle the dad I do know. If I can’t connect with my mystery bio dad, at least I’ll take the house.”
“We can walk over together to check it out. I need to stretch my legs, and the house is right off of Main Street.”
“Thank you. Your girlfriend didn’t mention how kind you are.”
“You’ve met Angela?”
She could hear the fondness in his voice just from uttering her name, and Lucy found that to be sweet. “Yeah, she’s an excellent barista. I finished my latte right before I walked in here.”
“Her family has owned the Azure Café for three generations. All of her brothers wanted to inherit the business, but she brews the best coffee, so she got it passed down to her.”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
“She really is.” He gestured towards his office door so that they could begin their short jaunt to Patrick Walsh’s house. Once they passed his paralegal’s desk, he quietly shared something he had not yet told another person, “I’m going to ask her to marry me soon. I picked up a ring at the jewelers in the town over.”
“Congratulations!”
His heart skipped a beat. “Sorry, I-I haven’t told anyone here, since everyone in this town talks, and I want it to be a surprise. Because you’re new here, I figure you won’t spread the news.”
“Your secret is safe with me. That’s amazing.”
“I can’t wait until I propose. I’ve loved Angela pretty much my whole life.”
“You grew up together?”
“She’s a few years younger than me, but she…she’s one of those people you can’t miss no matter what room you’re in. I went away for law school, so we lost touch for a while, but I’m not letting her go again.”
“That’s adorable.” Lucy could not stop her eyes from taking in the unfamiliar sights of her new surroundings. “This whole town is adorable.”
“We all seem to like it, or we’d probably leave.”
“Like Patrick Walsh did. He met my mom after he moved to L.A..”
“Everything happens for a reason. If he never left this town, you wouldn’t exist.”
“True.”
“I don’t know how long you’re planning on staying while you look through Patrick’s stuff, but I can get in touch with the town realtor to start the process of putting it on the market.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. I think I want to stay here.”
“You do?”
“I’ll tell you a secret of my own. Finding out about this house couldn’t have come at a better time. I needed to leave L.A. after…,” she swallowed hard, “after I lost my best friend on a call.”
“That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“Jackson and I…we met at the Fire Academy and ended up at the same firehouse. We were inseparable even before we officially become firefighters. We even lived together. Nothing about being in L.A. feels right ever since I lost him. I don’t want to go back. Not if I can help it.”
“Makes sense. I’m sure this place will be the change of scenery you need.”
“Yeah, I have a feeling you’re right. There’s something about this town…I can’t really put my finger on it, but…it’s nice.”
Wes smiled softly; he found Azure Cove charming and was pleased to see a newcomer feel similarly. He took a moment to unlock the front door of Patrick’s house, then he opened it and announced, “Welcome to your new home.”
She blew out a breath as her lips curled; even without walking inside, she liked the idea of calling a different set of four walls “home”.
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Angela had anticipated seeing Lucy again in her café, but when she was one of the first people to enter after unlocking her shop for the day, she said, “I didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”
“My house doesn’t have anything close to coffee beans or a coffee maker,” Lucy replied tiredly.
“Latte?”
“Yes, please,” she practically moaned thinking about how delicious some rich espresso would taste in the moment when there was nothing else in her stomach.
As she began to work on the drink, she asked, “So, how’s the new house?”
“It’s…plain. It’s got some furniture and some other basics like plates and towels, but there aren’t even pictures or anything else personal of Patrick’s.”
“That’s a bummer.”
“I don’t know. At first, I wanted answers, but now…” Her eyes wandered to the large windows facing the ocean on the other side of the road where the turquoise of the water met the baby blue of the sky in a fascinatingly beautiful way. She loved seeing all of the various shades that seemed so distinct to Azure Cove like the rest of the world was duller than the small town that was a tiny dot on a map. “Maybe I don’t need answers about him. Maybe all I need is to be somewhere that makes me happy.”
“You’ve come to the right place.” She saw Celina Juarez walk into the café looking harried, so she asked her, “You alright?”
“My car has a flat. Do you know how to change a tire?” Celina wondered.
“I don’t, but I can call Smitty.”
Celina frowned. “Smitty’s unreliable.”
“He’s the only mechanic we’ve got in town. I’ll give you a muffin while you wait.”
“I’m late for work.”
Lucy piped up, “I know how to change a tire.”
Angela introduced them, “Celina, this is our new neighbor, Lucy, and Lucy, this is one of the cops in town, Celina.”
“Welcome to Azure Cove,” Celina said.
“Thanks, I’m glad to be here,” Lucy responded. “As a new neighbor in the community, I’d be happy to help you out.”
“Seriously? You’d be doing me a huge favor. Thank you!” Celina happily handed over her car keys. “It’s the silver sedan parked outside.”
“I’ll check it out.” Lucy went out onto the street and immediately found the vehicle. She knelt down to get a better look at the flat tire that seemed easy enough to change.
“Ma’am, what are you doing? That’s not your car,” a rough man’s voice said skeptically.
“Yeah, I know. It’s a new friend’s. She got a flat tire, and I offered to change it,” Lucy replied and turned her head. The man behind her stood there with a scowl that created lines on his tan skin. She saw his dirty blonde hair, plaid shirt, and old jeans, and assumed he was the town mechanic.
“Who are you?” He asked, since he did not recognize the woman with long wavy, chestnut hair, warm brown almond eyes, and devastating curves that stood out thanks to her tight white sweater and light wash jeans.
“I’m Lucy. I just moved here.”
“Well, Lucy, there’s no need for you to get your hands dirty. I’ll take care of the tire.”
“I know how to change a tire.”
“I’m sure you can, but it’s no trouble for me to do it. It’s sorta my job.”
“Are you the unreliable mechanic I’ve heard about?”
“No,” he replied with the beginning of a smile. “Smitty probably won’t get here for another hour. I’m just a helpful guy. Mind popping the trunk, so I can grab the tire?”
She pressed the trunk open button on the keys and chose to root for the materials they would need by herself. As she struggled to yank the heavy spare tire out of the trunk, she felt him grab hold and pull on the thick rubber tire with her. Lucy met his eyes. They were icy blue. Yet another beautiful shade of blue around her. Together, they set the tire on the ground, and she pointed out quietly, “I didn’t get your name.”
“I’m Tim.” He leaned back into Celina’s car’s trunk in search of a jack and a wrench but could not locate either, so he went over to the bed of his truck to gather what he needed. “We don’t get a lot of new people around here,” he said to strike up a conversation then dropped to his knees next to the flat tire. When she handed him the jack, he flashed her a smirk.
“So I’ve been told. My bio dad is from here. Wow, that’s still weird to say. It’s sorta new information. Anyways, now that he’s gone, I’ve taken ownership of his house.”
“You’re Patrick Walsh’s biological daughter?”
“Did you know him?” She offered him the wrench then her eyes flickered between his face and his hands working.
“Never met him,” he answered. “I only know about the connection, because Wes told me.”
“Hasn’t he ever heard of attorney client privilege?”
“You’re not his client. Patrick’s estate is.”
“Fair.”
“So are you planning on staying in town?”
“Honestly, yes. I don’t want to just clear the house out and sell it. I think I want to stay for a while,” Lucy answered.
“Good. We could use more beauty around this place,” Tim said.
Her cheeks felt hot. She wondered if he was flirting with her or just being nice. “Is everyone in town so charming?”
“We’re all friendly here.”
“That explains how I’ve been here for less than twenty-four hours, and someone has already tried setting me up with a guy.”
“Oh, yeah? Who’s caught your eye?” He wondered, but not out of jealousy and only out of curiosity; it was not everyday some pretty woman showed up in town that could expertly help him change a tire while wearing a dazzling smile.
“No one. Angela, the owner of Azure Café, told me about the mayor.”
“What about the mayor?”
“Apparently, he’s the town’s most eligible bachelor, and Angela wants me to meet him. Look, no offense to your mayor, but I’m not interested in dating a politician.”
He momentarily paused and gazed up at her. “What’s so wrong with a politician?”
“They’re all stuffy guys that wear suits all day and act like they’re better than everyone else. I’m not interested in a guy like that.”
“Yeah, those kinds of guys are lame,” he agreed. Only mildly distracted by continuing to trade glances with Lucy, he finished changing the tire then stood and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Thanks for your help with the tire.”
“No problem. I’ll let Celina know she can drive her car now.”
He nodded curtly. “I’ll see you around.”
She was about to repeat the sentiment when Celina stepped out of the coffee shop and grinned. “Thanks, Tim and Lucy for helping with my car.”
“Tim did most of the work,” Lucy explained.
“Never underestimate the value of standing there looking pretty,” Tim replied smoothly.
“Is that why you went into politics, Mayor Bradford?” Celina asked knowingly.
Lucy’s jaw dropped as she realized she had spoken ill about politicians to the town’s mayor. “I-I…y-you’re the mayor?”
“Guilty,” Tim replied. “And before you ask, all of my stuffy suits are at the dry cleaners.”
“I’m sorry, I-”
He tilted his head as an easy smile stretched across his face. “Don’t worry about it. See you around.”
“See you around.” She watched him climb into his truck and drive away, then she returned to the café to find Angela grinning mischievously. “Don’t say anything.”
“I didn’t,” Angela replied, feigning innocence. She kept her mouth shut for only a minute then remembered she was not the kind of person to stay quiet. “I see you met the mayor.”
“For only a few minutes,” Lucy replied with the beginning of a smile before accepting her cup.
“You should know he’s straight, he’s only dated one woman in town. Her name’s Isabel, and she’s moved on and out of town. No, he’s not still hung up on her, and no, he’s not secretly a bad guy, and most importantly, he really is that toned.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “Your matchmaking won’t work.”
“I guess I should be honest….he’s my best friend, and I love him like a brother. I want to see him happy. That’s all.”
“Well, maybe the next woman that comes to town will be the one that makes him happy.”
Angela gave her a look of disbelief. “Sure, the next woman,” she said sarcastically and smirked. “I can’t wait to hear about the next time you run into him.”
“It probably won’t be until the next town meeting or something.”
“You know this place is tiny, right? You’ll see him at least two more times before the end of the week.”
Lucy doubted that severely. “Yeah, right,” she scoffed.
But Angela knew it was only a matter of time before they saw each other again, and with more run-ins, she had more opportunities to drop more hints and hopefully bring two resistant people together.
