Page 30 of How Sweet It Is (Willow Shade Island #3)

M y chest constricts as we walk outside. My hand itches to find Amelia’s. Or Claire’s. Whoever she is, she’s got my stomach in knots like I’m a teenager again.

I’m trying not to be bothered by the fact that she’s lying to me. I know her well enough now that I believe she wouldn’t do it for frivolous reasons. Which means whatever is going on is serious, although the fact that Rafe is no longer trailing her is a good sign.

I put my helmet on and swing my leg over my motorcycle. “How was your first pottery-throwing experience?”

“I actually enjoyed it,” she says as she climbs on behind me. “I never saw myself as creative, but I’d go do that again. I can’t wait until they’re fired and we can glaze them.”

I grin at her. “Then we’ll come back once they’re dry. Instant non-date.” I don’t tell her I should have my car by then. I’m keeping that little surprise to myself.

“I’ll mark my calendar.” She wraps her arms around me, and I kick my motorcycle to life.

I’m not ready to give this up just yet, even though I’m exhausted.

I have no idea if Amelia will push me away tomorrow, so I’m going to keep her with me as long as I can.

I drive back across the bridge to Willow Shade and park my motorcycle next to the beach just as the sun sets into twilight.

I take my helmet off. “Want to watch the stars appear?”

She hesitates only a second. “Okay.”

We climb off my bike and put away our helmets. I point up the beach. “Let’s find a good spot to stargaze.”

“All right, but I’m taking off my shoes.”

“Good idea.” We slip out of our shoes and socks before placing them in my saddlebag. I become bold and slide my fingers through hers. She doesn’t pull away.

We walk along the sand in silence, her hand warm in mine. The last pink streaks of daylight are fading, leaving the sky soft and blue. I spot a place halfway up the beach near the dunes, far enough from the tide but close enough to hear the soothing sounds of the waves washing against the sand.

“Over there.” I tug her gently. It feels good to walk barefoot.

We reach the spot I indicated, and she sits down, folding her legs under her. I drop beside her and stretch out, using my arm as a pillow behind my head. She stays sitting for a beat longer before lowering herself beside me.

The sand’s still warm beneath us. I roll to my side so I can look at her. She matches my pose, her gaze catching on mine. A breeze lifts her hair and brushes it against my cheek. She smells like clay and salt and something sweet, like cinnamon, maybe. Or maybe that’s just her.

She takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “This is nice,” she says softly.

“Mm,” I say in agreement. I trace her cheek with my finger before I lie back down to look at the sky. My eyes are already heavy. I’ve been running on fumes all day, but I’m not ready to let go of this night. Not with her beside me. She lies back, too, and I shift so our shoulders are touching.

“I don’t think I’ve done this since I was a kid,” she says softly. “Lying down, just… watching the sky.”

“There’s something wonderful about nature, isn’t there?”

“Yes.”

My fingers find hers, the warmth of her skin sending an electric current through me. Her breath hitches a little, like maybe she wasn’t expecting me to take her hand again.

I glance at her. The sky’s dimming into a navy canvas, the first stars peeking through.

I know I should let the conversation stay light, weather and stars and playful flirtation, but I can’t.

Not when everything in me wants to know the truth.

Not when I can feel her moving closer to me yet still holding back.

“Amelia…” I turn my head toward her. “Or should I say Claire?” I say quietly.

Her body tenses beside me.

I gently squeeze her hand in a silent reassurance. “I’m not mad. I’m not accusing you of anything. I just… I want you to know you can trust me.”

Her lips part, but no sound comes out.

I take a slow breath. “We both know Rafe isn’t your cousin. You’ve all but admitted it to me. I know he was here to protect you. I just don’t know from what. And now he’s gone. I figure that means whatever danger you were in, maybe it’s over.”

She doesn’t speak. The waves fill the silence between us.

“You don’t have to tell me everything,” I say, softer now. “I get that you’re scared. But I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t feel like there’s a wall between us.”

She sits up and wraps her arms around her knees, looking out at the horizon, where the sky bleeds into the ocean. She’s silent for a few beats, and I sit up next to her.

“You’re right,” she says at last. “There is a wall.”

I wait.

“I didn’t build it because I wanted to shut you out.” Her voice is quiet. “I built it because I was trying to survive.”

I take in this information. “Is Claire your real name?”

She swallows then nods.

“And Amelia?”

“A name I chose for… protection.”

The words are barely above a whisper.

I move closer to her, closing the distance between us. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into my chest. “Did someone hurt you?” I whisper in her ear. My heart climbs into my throat, not wanting to know if the answer is yes. If some guy hurt her, I’m going to go ballistic.

“No.” Relief courses through me as she stares out at the ocean waves. “But I saw something. Something terrible. And the person who did it, he’s dangerous. I’m here so I’ll be safe until the trial. No one’s supposed to know who I really am.”

My spit dries up. “And telling me would break the rules.”

She nods.

“Claire,” I whisper, testing the name. Surprisingly, it suits her. I pull her closer to me and kiss the top of her head. “I would never put you in danger.”

“I know,” she says quickly. “That’s not it. I trust you. But if anyone found out?—”

“They won’t. I swear.” I give her hand a squeeze. “It stays with me.”

We sit in silence again, our fingers laced, her back pressed against me so tightly I’m sure she can feel my heart pounding.

The stars above us multiply, growing brighter by the minute.

I should say something charming or clever, maybe tease her about using a fake name.

But the words feel too shallow for this moment.

“So, you’re not from Kansas?”

She shakes her head. “No. Cincinnati.”

“And your parents don’t own a grocery.”

“No.”

“But they do have a business?” I probe, my thumb grazing her thumb.

“A flower shop.”

I can see Claire working with flowers. She even added some to her photos of my pastries. That totally fits her.

“Can you tell me what you saw?” I ask quietly.

“The company I was hired to do the books for was a front. I found this out and went straight to the police. They asked if I would continue to work there for a little while, to gather evidence. So that’s what I did.

But late one night, my boss came in manhandling another employee.

I hid so I could see what he was doing.”

She pauses, and I pull her close so she feels safe. “What happened?”

“He shot him,” she says, her voice tight. “Right in front of me.”

Terror rips through me. “That’s awful.”

She nods. “It was. I gasped, and they saw me, but I ran and got away. The feds put me in protective custody right away. I’m the only one who’s witnessed his brutality firsthand and lived to talk about it. I can put him away for a long time if I testify.”

My heart pounds in my ears. “When is the trial?”

“Two weeks from tomorrow.”

“I’m really proud of you,” I murmur, my lips close to her ear. “For testifying. Standing up for what’s right. But also for what you did today. Clay on your hands. Peanut shells on the floor. Watching stars with someone who?—”

I stop myself.

“Someone who?” she whispers.

I realize I was about to say something I hadn’t thought through very well. Do I want to say it? I pause then forge ahead. “Someone who’s falling for you.”

She jerks her head around, moving away from me so she can look at me. Her gaze searches mine, and I can see the unasked questions flash through her mind.

Finally, she closes her eyes and leans her head against my shoulder, and I wrap my arm around her, tucking her close.

The ocean hums around us. The stars glitter. And for just a moment, everything feels still. Safe.

“I’m falling too,” she says, barely audible.

I pull back and raise her chin until she’s looking into my eyes again. I slowly move closer to her until my lips are a breath away from hers. “I’m going to kiss you.”

She closes the distance, and my world tilts. Her lips are soft and warm. The kiss starts slow and gentle. Reverent. Like we’re both savoring the moment, aware that something’s shifting between us. Her hand comes up to rest against my chest, and the touch makes my heart flutter.

I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer, deepening the kiss. She doesn’t hesitate. There’s no wall between us anymore. It’s just her and me and the waves breaking softly behind us.

And it hits me all at once. This isn’t just attraction. This is trust. This is connection. This is falling, fast and real.

She pulls back slightly, her breath mingling with mine. Her eyes search my face like she’s memorizing it.

“I’ve never told anyone what I told you tonight,” she whispers.

“I know,” I say. “And I’ll guard it with everything I’ve got.”

“No, I mean, I’ve never told anyone about my sister.”

I nod, feeling so close to her. “I can’t imagine your sister or anyone even coming close to comparing to you.”

Her lips curve into a small smile, and I can’t help but kiss her again. Now that I’ve had a taste of her, of the real her, I don’t think I’ll ever want to let her go.

We finally end the kiss. I close my eyes and let the weight of the day catch up with me. My body’s exhausted, but my heart feels lighter than it has in years.

My thumb grazes the back of her hand. “What happens after the trial?”

Claire doesn’t answer for a long time. “I go back home,” she finally says, quietly.

“For a little while?”

She doesn’t answer. Realization dawns on me as we sit together on the beach. She’s not staying here. She’s leaving. I know her family relies on her for their business. She’s not planning on coming back here. She’s only here until the trial.