“It’s nice to meet you, Charley,” Ray said, extending his hand for a shake, which Charley accepted.
Ray was tall and imposing, but his warm handshake and smile put Charley at ease.
“It’s nice to meet you as well.”
“So, you’re the one who Alex tapped to manage her foundation here on the West Coast?” Ray asked, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
“That would be me,” Charley replied with a nod.
“I think it’s great to have a facility like that out here,” Ray said approvingly. “I’m glad Alex was able to get the funding she needed to make it happen. We need more support like that for our community.”
“I wholeheartedly agree that our veterans, service personnel, and their families need more support.”
Ray wrapped one of his long arms around Jessica’s shoulders before leaning down and kissing the top of her head. Jessica smiled and looked up at him, and Charley could see the love between them. It was heartwarming to see.
Before anyone could say more, the doorbell rang.
Jessica glanced at her husband. “Can you grab the burgers and hot dogs from the fridge while I get the door?”
Ray nodded. “On it.”
“Oh, Charley. There are drinks in the fridge and in the coolers out back. Please help yourself.”
Charley grinned. “Thank you.”
Jessica then spun around and disappeared down the hall, leaving Charley in the kitchen with Ray, who moved toward the fridge and started pulling out a platter of burgers and hot dogs.
“So,” Ray said, setting everything on the counter and opening a drawer for the grilling tongs, “Jessica mentioned that you used to live in the area.”
Charley leaned against the island, her hands resting on the cool granite surface. “I did. A lot has changed in the four years that I’ve been gone.” She wasn’t going to elaborate on why she left.
He chuckled as he sprinkled seasoning on the burgers. “It sure has. I’ve been here for thirty years, and I swear things change every day. Jess says the foundation’s almost ready to open. That’s huge.”
“It’s getting there,” Charley said. “Final inspection is coming up soon. Hopefully, after that, I can get more than three or four hours of sleep.”
Ray laughed. “Well, if anyone can pull it off, it sounds like it’s you.”
Before she could respond, she heard voices from the front of the house. It was Jessica’s voice, followed by a lower, familiar one that made her heart skip a beat.It couldn’t be, she thought to herself.
Just as Charley turned toward the hallway, Jessica reappeared, followed by a man she honestly hadn’t expected to see again—Pierce.
He looked completely different than the last time she’d seen him. He appeared more relaxed. His brown hair was slightly tousled like he’d run a hand through it on the way in, and his warm brown eyes scanned the kitchen with ease. He wore tan cargo shorts, a charcoal-gray T-shirt, and flip-flops.
“Pierce!” She called out, her smile widening.
Pierce’s eyes lit up, and his grin widened the second he saw her. “Charley?”
Ray glanced between them, his eyebrows lifting.
Jessica looked just as surprised. “Hold on, how do you two know each other?” she asked, gesturing between the two of them.
Charley let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “He sort of rescued me when I got stranded on the water two weeks ago.”
Pierce raised a brow, “Sort of? If I remember correctly, you were drifting about three miles offshore, with an entire fishing net wrapped around your propellers.”
Charley gave him a playful glare. “Hey, I was getting ready to call it in, until I saw you heading my way.”
Jessica gaped, looking at Charley. “Wait, seriously? That was you?”
