She fumbles with her cup and clears her throat.“I… we weren’t…I mean…” Her words tangle, and the way she gets flustered, so honestly human, pulls a smile out of me before I can stop it.
I tip my hat, keeping my voice low, teasing but careful.“Sounds like you’re having fun.”
Her laugh comes again, smaller this time, but it’s still hers.
I cross the room, boots heavy against the wood floor, and take the seat beside her.
“Coffee?” Summer asks, already grinning.
“Please,” I say, eyes never leaving Penny.
She glances at me, quick and uncertain, then looks down again, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The blush hasn’t faded, lingering across her cheeks like the last light of sunset.
Outside, the wind cut through me, sharp and cold. Inside, with Penny at my side, the world feels softer, quieter, as if it’s holding its breath, waiting with us.
I wrap my hands around the mug Summer sets down and take a sip, letting the warmth settle into my chest, seeping into the hollows of my ribs and steadying me.
“Cas,” Penny’s fingers rest against her cup, pale and trembling just slightly. She’s still healing. Still learning to trust the quiet. She looks nervous.“I want to file a restraining order against Mark,” she whispers. And my admiration for her strength grows even more.
“But,” she continues,“I’m scared he’ll find me if I do, and he won’t let this go easily.” She takes a deep breath.“Would it be okay if I came by the station tomorrow? I don’t really know how to go about it.” She shakes her head, clearly embarrassed, eyes dropping to her coffee.
I put my finger under her chin, gently lifting it so our eyes meet.“Of course you can.” I hold her gaze, letting my words carry the weight of everything I feel.“I’m so proud of you for doing this. You can ride in with me tomorrow. We’ll get your car and then we’ll make damn sure he’s not allowed anywhere near you. You got this.”
Relief fills her eyes, a small tentative smile tugging at her lips.
“Thank you, Cas… for everything.”
I take her hand in mine gently.“No problem at all, Sunset.”
Her smile is warm, bright enough to light up any room. And maybe this is what guts me the most. She’s been through hell and back, and she still has this softness left in her.
I’ve met plenty of women. Kind ones. Tough ones. Strong ones. But none of them ever made me forget to breathe just by laughing across a coffee shop. None ever made me want to stay still long enough to watch the light shift and dance on their face.
Dad’s voice drifts through my head, steady as ever:“Hawthorne men fall fast, hard, and deep when they find their one.”
We used to laugh when he said that. Ethan and I would roll our eyes, tease him about being whipped by Mom after all these years.
But sitting here, watching Penny talk to Summer, hearing her laugh again like it’s the first time in forever, yeah.
Maybe my old man was right.
Because I can feel it happening. Fast. Hard. Deep.
And there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop it.
CHAPTER 7
Penelope
The morning sun spills over the mountains as I sit on the porch, steam curling from my coffee mug, when Cas’s truck rumbles to a stop in front of the B&B. He steps out, every bit as put-together as I remember: his sheriff’s uniform crisp and tan, the badge catching the sunlight, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal tanned, muscled forearms. His Stetson shades his eyes, but not the easy confidence that radiates from him.
Too early for anyone to look this… perfect, I think, feeling my chest flutter. He stands with one hand hooked casually on his belt, the other resting near the truck, and stares at me. I squirm on the porch swing, heart thudding.
“Mornin’, Sunset,” his voice is low and warm, the kind of voice that slides under your skin.
“Hi,” I murmur, setting my mug down and grabbing my purse, trying to steady my hands as I step down the porch stairs toward his truck.
“You ready?” His voice is soft but carries that quiet authority I’ve come to recognize, the kind that makes you trust him without even thinking about it.
