“Déjà vu,” she whispered, recognizing him instantly. First with her heart, then with her eyes. Caleb Ransom.
His lean teen frame had filled out with a man’s muscles, and the sun streaks were gone from his dark hair, but there was still a spark in his blue eyes.
“Give me a second ...” He set his laptop in the middle of the counter and turned the screen toward her. “Here’s Alderman’s original drawing.” He clicked to another image. “This is a rendering of what we can do with the refurbish. I also ran some numbers, keeping in mind you want to maintain all of this historical detail.” He stepped forward and offered his hand. “Caleb Ransom. Nice to meet you, Jenny.” He paused, then backed up. “You’re not Jenny Finch.”
“No, but I can be if you want.”
Caleb laughed and pressed his fist to his lips. He walked toward the back of the room, then faced her, arms akimbo. “You’re ... I can’t believe ... What?” He pointed to her, then ran his hand through his hair, laughed again, and finally said, “Emery Quinn.TheEmery Quinn.”
“Live and in person, every night at seven. Tips appreciated.” She joined his laugh. “SotheCaleb Ransom. I thought you’d fly far away from Sea Blue Beach.”
“I recently flew back.” He remained on the far side of the pharmacy. “Emery Quinn. I’m-I’m ... stunned.”
“Thank you. I always thought I had a certain shock quality about me.”
Another laugh, which felt deep and bassy in her chest, and Caleb moved closer, a bit of wonder in his gaze. “Still beautiful,” he said. “But maybe you’re married or engaged, and I shouldn’t say such things.”
“I’m not married or engaged. So please feel free to call me beautiful any time.” She was flirting. Emery Quinn never flirted. “I’m the new editor-in-chief of theGazette.”
“What? Really? I think half the town is expecting theGazetteto push up daisies.”
“Push up daisies? Hopefully not on my watch.”
“Emery Quinn. In Sea Blue Beach.” Suddenly he scooped her up and whirled her around.
Caught off-guard, she clung to his shoulders, inhaling the fragrance of body wash and fabric softener. When he set her down, she stumbled a little and fell against his chest, her cheek landing in a familiar place.
“Sorry. Dizzy.” She jolted back to gather her bearings. “So, um, why are you back in town, and who is this Jenny person?”
“I came back six months ago. Mom had surgery for thyroidcan—” He stopped with a motion to the pharmacy walls. “This place, can you believe it? The old girl needs some love. I’m meeting the owner, Jenny, to go over renovation plans for this place. I’m an architect.”
“It’s okay to saycancer, Caleb. It doesn’t upset me. Though I’m sorry to hear that about your mom. How is she?”
“Good. In remission.”
“Good for her. Really. And you’re an architect. Not surprised. As I recall, you preferred things in structured and neat lines.”
“And you, a writer, our newGazetteeditor. I’m surprised you came back to Sea Blue Beach.”
“That makes two of us.” She made a funny face, and he smiled. “But here I am.” She started for the front door. “In fact, I’m late to meet Elliot Kirby. Hey, it was good to see you.”
“Same here. Where are you staying? I’d love to—”
“Caleb, finally. Excellent. Did you get my text saying I was going across the street for a coffee?” A curvy woman with dark bouffant hair and a two-thousand-dollar Hermès Birkin bag swinging from her elbow charged into the pharmacy. She was serious and commanding, focused on Caleb, completely ignoring Emery. “Let’s see what you got.”
The brightness he exuded two minutes ago faded as he began dealing with this force of nature named Jenny.
Emery escaped outside and picking up the bike, she walked to the corner before glancing back at the old pharmacy.
So ... she and Caleb Ransom were both in Sea Blue Beach. She’d not seen or talked to him in sixteen years, yet it felt as if she’d just talked to him yesterday.
4
EMERY
Then . . .
The beach! In Florida! And the place where they were staying, the Sands Motor Motel, was pretty cool. The seven cottages sat right on the sands of Sea Blue Beach in a horseshoe around the courtyard, with string lights between them. In the center was a courtyard with a low, smoldering firepit.
