Page 1 of Somehow You Knew

Prologue

Hazel

Age Nineteen

I watch the waves roll in toward the shore and back out again as the moonlight shimmers on the water. Swiping away a tear, I barely react to the sound of the lighthouse door opening and closing from below, my father’s footsteps echoing on the stairs.

“You found me,” I say dryly as he clears the final step and studies me across the small space.

“Wasn’t exactly difficult, seeing as the keys to the lighthouse were missing from their hook.”

I pull the key ring from my pocket, holding it out to him without taking my eyes off the water. “Sorry.”

My father closes the space between us, grabbing the keys before settling next to me on the bench beneath the window. “No need to apologize, Hazelnut.”

Another tear falls down my cheek. “I just needed some space.”

“No need to apologize for that either.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his chest. “Talk to me.”

“I’m pathetic.”

“Hey, you’re talking crap about one of my favorite people on this planet, so you’d better knock it off.”

I scoff through my tears. “I’m serious, Dad. Who the hell thinks her boyfriend at nineteen is the one?”

“Lots of teenagers,” he counters. “Hell, I pictured every girlfriend I had back in the day as my future bride.”

I look over at him. “Really?”

He winks at me over his shoulder. “Come on, does that really surprise you?”

I attempt a smile before looking back out at the waves. “I guess not.”

“Hazel, you are a romantic at heart, just like your old man. There’s nothing wrong with that. It just means you have so much love to give, and one day, you’ll find the person that deserves it all. But remember, you’re only nineteen. Age doesn’t mean shit, but the life experience that comes with age will help you know when you’ve met the right man. Maybe in the meantime, you try to be more selective.” He taps his chin. “You need a rule breaker, someone who isn’t afraid to push the limits—because if you end up with someone who doesn’t push you, you’ll be bored.”

“Caseywasgetting kind of boring,” I admit, even though it pains me. Even though he wasn’t the most exciting guy, he had some good qualities about him that made me think we could have had a future.

He nudges me with his shoulder. “See? That’s a red flag right there. Be grateful to him for what he’s taught you and move forward.”

He makes it sound so simple, but we both know it’s not.

“Just promise me,” he continues, “that no matter how exhausted you may get looking for the right person, you’ll never stop fighting for him when you do find him. He’ll probably need that from you more than he’ll be willing to admit.”

I frown. “Why do you say that?”

“Because men have a habit of not seeing what’s right in front of them until it’s too late.”

A heavy sigh leaves my lips. “I just want what you and Mom have.”

He huffs out a soft laugh. “You realize your mother and I only have what we do because she never gave up on me, right?”

“You act like your relationship isn’t perfect.”

He shakes his head. “Oh, Hazelnut. If you think that, then I haven’t been doing a very good job of guiding your heart.”

I lean my head on his shoulder. “You have, I just…” I trail off, the words caught somewhere between my heart and my throat.

“If it weren’t for your mother, I wouldn’t be half the man I am today, or the father I strive to be.” He clears the emotion from his throat. “She doesn’t just love me—she chooses me every single day. Even when it’s hard.”