Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Sure, I’ll take one, and another beer if you have it… if don’t mind me taking it to my room.”
She smiled softly at me. “I do have another, and please feel free to come down to the kitchen and help yourself to more. Take whatever you’d like upstairs.”
“Thanks, Kris.”
I followed her into the kitchen, got my brownie and another beer. On the way out, I reached for my unfinished beer on the table. I glanced at Harlee, who had an expression on her face I couldn’t really read. She opened her mouth to say something, then stopped herself.
“Goodnight, Harlee.”
Turning, I made my way back up to my room…where I spent the rest of the evening writing my own little piece for the paper.
Harlee
I lay curled under the covers at Kris’s bed and breakfast and stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
Why had I said that to Brax? Especially after he’d opened up to me. The look on his face at dinner nearly had me rushing to take it all back. He had finally, finally spoken from the heart—and what did I do? I ripped out said heart and stomped on it. What was the matter with me? Maybe I was doing the same thing to Brax that he had done to me. Pushing him away, afraid of what he would do when he found out I was Ms. Seaside.
I did the very thing I was angry at him for doing to me.
“Oh God,” I whispered as I closed my eyes. “Will you ever learn, Harlee Tilson? Check your stupid emotions at the door!”
After I wrote the latest article, I kept thinking of one thing over and over. If Brax found out I was Ms. Seaside, he might never speak to me again. That was something I wasn’t willing to let happen.
I sat up, swung my legs over the side of the bed, and stood. The room was still warm from the blaze I’d started earlier in the fireplace. It was starting to burn out, so I added another log and stoked it a bit, creating larger flames that brought more heat into the room. I walked over to the window seat that overlooked the large backyard and out into the bay. I sat down and brought my legs up to my chest so I could rest my chin on my knees.
I stared out over the water, watching the reflection from the full moon dance across the surface. Then my gaze caught on something moving along the pathway that led up from the water, and I strained to see what it was.
A person, walking up from the beach. Who in their right mind would be out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter?
As the figure grew closer, I gasped.
“Brax.”
I couldn’t see his face, but something told me I really didn’t want to. I knew I’d hurt him, twice, after his confession. The first time by refusing to talk about everything he’d said, and the second with the cheap shot about him being afraid of commitment.
“Damn it,” I sighed, watching Brax get closer to the house. At least he was wearing a hat and gloves.
Once he disappeared from sight, I stood and walked over to the door and put my ear against it. Brax’s room was right next to mine. Which was another reason I couldn’t sleep, knowing he was so close.
I heard the steps creak and strained to listen more closely. Then I heard his voice. Who was he talking to this late at night?
I carefully opened my door a bit to hear better. Hopefully he wouldn’t be paying any attention as he walked by.
“No, it’s totally fine. And I can’t thank you enough for helping me out with this since I’m unable to do it, what with being stuck on Lighthouse Island. I really appreciate it.”
I pulled my head back. Unable to do what?
“Tomorrow morning sounds good. Yes, I’ll text you when I’m leaving the island. Looking forward to it.”
The soft sound of Brax’s door shutting caused me to carefully close mine and rush over to the wall between our rooms. I pressed my ear to it, surprised at how well I could hear. It was hit or miss with old houses. Some had paper thin walls, others were like forts.
“No, I’m really glad you called. You too. ’Night.”
The room next door fell silent, and it took me a few more moments to realize I’d been holding my breath.
The sound of movement caused me to put my ear back to the wall. I couldn’t tell what Brax was doing, but when I heard the bed creak, I guessed he was getting into it.
I slowly took a few steps back—and stopped when the floorboard creaked.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
If I could hear Brax’s bed, he’d most likely hear the floorboards creak.