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“You haven’t lifted a finger since last year,” Leah said doubtfully. “Are you up to it?”

Since last year. No one ever said since Dan died as if not mentioning his name made it somehow less personal and therefore easier to bear. Even now, people were trying to shield me from thoughts of him, but I thought of him every single day.

That had to change. I had to start over.

I hadn’t had regular exercise for most of the past year. Today I was going to start a new routine.

“I need this,” I said, forcing my voice to be all positive and coachy. “Let’s seize the day. Carpe diem, babe.”

Seize the day.

It’s what I wanted, but why is starting something new so damn hard?

As we were standing there, fiddling with the harness, Mr. Beckett Tate, CEO and DEA officer, walked up.

A shock went through me. What was he doing back in Topsail Beach? I’d often thought of him, regretting that I didn’t have that drink with him, being cautious as usual. But now, here he was and I was suspicious.

“Hello again,” he said when he came to my side. I stared at him in silence, a bit unnerved and at a loss for what to say.

“Are you stalking me?” I said finally.

“No, of course not,” he said, frowning. “I told you I was looking for a place to hold my staff retreat. I liked Topsail Beach and so we’re here for the weekend. This is the only decent place to work out on the island. All guests at the Yacht Club have day passes.”

I didn’t know what to say for a moment as I adjusted the straps snaking between my thighs. I wore a helmet and gloves, kneepads and elbow pads, my hair pulled back into a ponytail, which poked through the hole in the helmet.

Leah stood beside me. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” She wagged her eyebrows.

I frowned and turned to Beckett. “Beckett Tate, this is Leah Grant.”

“Pleased to meet you,” he said to Leah, bowing low.

“Do you know how to do this?” she asked, pointing to the climbing wall. “We had a lesson but I have a feeling that one lesson isn’t enough.”

As usual, Leah was totally cool about the fact that a stranger from out of town who I met weeks earlier returned and apparently, was now at our health club. She went with the flow.

“I just so happen to be an expert climber,” Beckett said with a grin. “One of my many superpowers.” He winked at me and as much as I wanted to smile at him, appreciate our private joke, I couldn’t.

Leah turned to me. I was still unsure of what to say. I didn’t like the fact that Beckett had come back to Topsail Beach, and I didn’t like the idea that he had come to the fitness club. It felt a bit like stalking. A lot like stalking.

“Hey, Grumpy Cat,” Leah said, one eyebrow raised. “Are you going to climb or are you going to stand there like a deer caught in the headlights?”

“I hate when you call me that,” I said with a frown. “Do you want to go first?”

She bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh. “Go ahead and climb. Remember what Craig said. I’ll watch you the first time.”

“Suit yourself,” I said and shrugged.

“You promised to take risks,” she chided.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” I said a bit crossly. “Doing anything’s a risk with you.”

“That’s because I’m so damn fuunn.”

“Let me help you with that,” Beckett said. He checked my harness. Once everything was fastened, he turned to me. “Ready?” he said, looking deep into my eyes. “Remember to use your feet and keep your center of gravity over them. Don’t be afraid. I’ll catch you if you fall.”

“I’m not afraid,” I said, a little too tartly and in total denial of the way my knees were weak but I wasn’t going to let him know that. I shook the ropes. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

I turned to the wall and looked up to the top.