“Why do I need more than one when the one I have keeps giving me shitty advice?”
Walker snorts and shakes his head before leveling his gaze at me. “You’re scared that you want her and that you were, at one time, involved with her sister. No one cares about that but you.”
“It has nothing to do with Beth. Hallie isn’t staying here, so gettin’ involved isn’t what I need to be doing.”
He lifts a shoulder and lets it drop. He’s been out of the corporate world for a couple of years now, but he still looks like he’s ready to step into a boardroom at any given time. “Then don’t get involved but I think that’s a mistake. You like her and it seems like she likes you, so what’s the harm?”
The harm is that I like having her in my space. I like cooking for her and I even like the damn cat.
She’s breaking down my walls.
This entire arrangement was supposed to be easy, but the dynamic has already started to shift and if that changes—ifwechange—there’s no telling how bad the fallout will be.
And I just can’t risk that.
We can’t.
Because having Hallie in Starlight Bay has been the best time I’ve had in a long time, but I’ll be damned if I lose it all.
10
HALLIE
Sawyer was gone before I even woke up and not just from the bed—the whole house.
Part of me wants to be sympathetic to his plight, but the other is downright hurt that he couldn’t even stay and talk to me like a normal person.
It didn’t have to be a thing.
I’d been tempted to text him all day butscrew himfor making it weird—for making it into something it’s not.
For making me feel like I did something wrong.
Nothing happened. Hell, we didn’t evencuddle.Sawyer stayed so far on the opposite side of the bed I would have had to roll over twice to reach him.
Which I didn’t.
With a huff, I tie the straps of my bikini top around the back of my neck as I look at myself in the mirror. I’d thrown this one into my suitcase as an afterthought, but I’m glad I did. It makes me feel sexy and I could use the confidence boost after last night.
Grabbing my newest Sloane Daniels paperback and my phone, I pad my way down the hall to the bathroom to locate a beach towel, then turn for the stairs.
It’s beautiful out and as much as I’d like to go down to the beach, I’m just too tired to lug everything there. I’ll go a different day, but for now, the backyard will do just fine.
Winnie is curled up on the top of the couch, her black fur almost auburn in the sunlight, and after watching her for just a minute, I quietly let myself out the door and take my first full breath since I woke up this morning.
The hot, salty air is like an instant reset for my brain and body, and I’m thankful for the way my heart settles in my chest.
I should have done this sooner instead of stewing inside the house.
I know better.
And I do. I’ve always been like this. Fresh air helps, but ocean air has some kind of magical calming effect on me.
And with it comes the realization that, undoubtedly, I’ve overreacted to Sawyer leaving today. But it’s okay because when he gets home, we’ll talk and everything will be fine.
With that worked out in my mind, I set up the lounge chair I got the other day, putting it flat and spreading my towel over it. I should read, but a quick nap sounds like a perfect lazy day treat right now.
Lying on my stomach, I get comfortable and then untie my top, letting the strings pool next to me.
