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“Peabody’s. It’s Peabody’s.”

“Right. It doesn’t matter to me. I can’t wait to see you and be at the beach. It’s already getting cool here. The leaves are changing and everyone’s drinking pumpkin spice lattes.”

I felt the pang like a cramp in my heart. I loved fall. It was one of my favorite times in North Carolina. So far, South Padre felt like perpetual summer.

“Kaitlyn, you there?”

“Yep. Yep, I’m here.” I was trying to shake the vision of cashmere sweaters, scarves, and falling leaves.

“I have to go to work, but had to tell you about Jesse.”

“I’m glad you did. Call me if you need me. You know, breakup remorse.” The way Mary Ellen sounded that didn’t seem possible.

“Oh, I’m good. I’m going to start packing tonight for Padre. Call you later, girl.”

“Bye.” I tossed my phone in the seat. Mary Ellen would be here in less than a week. I had a lot to figure out between now and then.

I closed the office door for the evening just as Aiden whipped into the parking lot, kicking up gravel with his fancy convertible. He stopped in front of the office.

“Need a ride?” he asked.

“No, thanks. I can walk fifty feet.” I slung the laptop bag over my shoulder. I needed to respond to a few more emails tonight.

“I don’t mind.” He flashed a killer smile.

“I can handle walking home.” I turned for the sidewalk in front of the Dunes’s neon blinking sign. We really needed to get rid of that thing. It suddenly seemed tacky and low-rent flashing on Aiden’s slick convertible.

“The offer always stands, sweetheart.” He revved the engine lightly and rolled toward the back of the parking lot to my former room.

I needed him to be close to the ocean. I needed him to fall in love with this place. It was bad enough having Aiden traipse in and out of the motel every day. It was a constant reminder to Cole that there was a legal battle on the horizon. I already regretted my offer. Every day he slipped a new list under the office door. Each one was longer than the last.

It didn’t appear that Aiden was interested in any type of family bonding. He was strictly here for the business aspect of the Dunes. I walked along the road, not wanting to cross paths with the uncle again.

I was surprised to see Cole’s truck in the driveway.

I jogged up the stairs.

I placed my bag at the kitchen table and walked to the bedroom. I could hear the shower running. Two weeks ago, I would have stripped, pulled back the shower curtain, and wrapped myself around Cole’s hard, wet body, but it wasn’t two weeks ago. I wasn’t sure how he would take it. Every little thing seemed to annoy or frustrate him.

I noticed he had moved the TV back to the empty living room. There were twenty good reasons why he shouldn’t lift heavy things while his leg was still healing, but I wasn’t going to start our evening with a lecture. That got us nowhere. I decided to go for a run. I changed into my running shorts and shoes. I scribbled a note on the kitchen counter and let myself out the sliding glass door.

Twenty minutes in and the wind picked up as I turned near the end of the island for my run home. I was too busy mulling over all the problems I was facing to realize storm clouds had been circling overhead. The first pelt of rain felt good on my hot skin, the next ones came in rapid succession. I dug my feet harder into the sand, trying to make it back before the bottom fell out, but I was too late. By the time I got to the landing, I was drenched and the storm was only getting started.

I took the stairs two at a time and threw open the door. Cole was sitting at the kitchen table. His expression changed to concern when he saw me walk in. He picked up the crutches and hobbled toward me.

“Darlin, you ok?” His hand slid down my wet cheek.

I nodded. “I wasn’t paying attention to the storm clouds. Just a little wet.” I pulled the tank top away from my stomach. I was drenched all the way through, and standing in air conditioning made me shiver.

He laughed lightly, something I hadn’t heard in a while. “Yeah, I’d say you got caught in the storm.”

His eyes landed on my breasts. “Come here.”

I walked into his arms.

His fingers raked under the wet edge of the shirt, dragging it overhead. His breath hitched.

I followed his eyes as I lowered to my knees.