I moved to where I’d planted my board in the sand and yanked it free. The fire crackled behind me. I could feel eyes following me the way you always could at a party when someone made an exit that wasn’t entirely smooth. I wasn’t flouncing, but I was definitely making an exit.
“Here.” Bodhi was at my elbow. “Let me carry that.”
“I’ve got it.”
“It’s a mile up the beach, babe. Let me help you.”
“I’ve got it, Bodhi.”
“I can walk with you.” Colt’s voice came from my other side. Of course they were both standing there like bookends I hadn’t asked for. “I’m headed the same direction.”
I looked at one, then the other.
“Pound sand,” I said. “Both of you. I can carry my own damn board. Never needed anyone to carry it before and don’t need it now.”
I didn’t wait for a response. I tucked my board under my arm and walked.
The music faded behind me as I put distance between myself and the fire. The further I got, the quieter it became, until it was just the ocean and my own thoughts. The sand was cool under my feet. The breeze coming off the water was much cooler than it had been. Or maybe I was just chilled to the bone.
My house came into view. Next door, it was obvious the Anderson clan was in residence. Usually, a few security lights illuminated the massive house, but now all of the lights were on around their property and I could see lights on inside the house. I shook my head, thinking about the beginning of the end.
I walked through the gate of our property, propped my board inside the small shed, and let myself in through the back door. The house was quiet. Everyone was asleep and completely unaware of the changes coming our way. My sister and her two children, along with me, were going to get squeezed out. Everyone in Surfside had long suspected it was only a matter of time before our little town got swallowed up like every other place along the coast. My niece and nephew were going to have to find somewhere else to call home. We wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of living in five years.
I headed upstairs, doing my best not to feel like the world was falling down around my shoulders. But I could see thewriting on the wall. Colt Anderson was going to break my heart again for very different reasons.
CHAPTER 6
COLT
Istared up at the ceiling, listening to the sound of the waves rolling in and out. Seagulls screamed at one another, likely fighting over whatever had been washed onto the rocks. The AC was on, but I had opened my window before going to bed last night. I wanted to fall asleep with the sound of the ocean in the background. It should have soothed me, but it was a reminder of the way things had ended.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, rolled my neck, and flexed my leg muscles, which were a little sore after the extended run. But it felt good. I stood, stretched, and forced myself to ignore the window that overlooked the Banks property. Instead, I looked out at the water.
It was cloudy now but it would burn off. The beach was far busier than it had been last evening. There were plenty of beachcombers, joggers, and kids with parents trying to fly kites in the strong breeze.
Quaint. Scenic. The reason my family loved spending our summers here. I hadn’t exactly expected people like Summer and the other locals to welcome my new business with excitement, but I knew they would eventually see the benefits. Once the shock was over, they’d understand.
I pulled on a pair of shorts and went looking for coffee. I could smell it wafting up the stairs. As expected, the housekeeper had already been in and made coffee and what smelled like bacon. I poured a mug and opened the oven, grateful to see a plate with bacon, eggs, and two waffles.
I found Cody on the back terrace. He was already working. He had blueprints spread across the entire width of the outdoor table, anchored at the corners with his coffee mug, his phone, and his empty plate. I grabbed the small end table and dragged it over to rest my plate on. He was bent over the plans with a pencil tucked behind his ear.
“You’re up early,” I said.
“Yep.”
He sipped his coffee before putting it back on the corner and sitting down. “You were out late.”
“Did I have a curfew?”
“I’m going to assume you ran into Summer Banks.”
I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. “I did. Ran into her on the beach along with a bunch of other locals. They had a fire on the beach, like usual.”
“Yeah? How did that go?”
“Fine.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I can see by the look on your face it was fine. What happened? Is she up in your room? I didn’t hear any moaning. Did you have beach sex? I hate beach sex. The sand gets in all the places it shouldn’t be.”