But it was a good reminder that he never wanted to feel that way again. He never wanted to have a woman and then realize in a terrible moment of clarity that he didn’t have her at all.
He scratched his neck. Where had these feelings come from? He’d barely known Sadie two weeks.
She and the man stopped directly in front of the house, still engaged in conversation. Sadie squatted to play with the black Lab while Rio danced around the man’s legs until he picked her up.
Sam frowned.
She’d really managed to get under his skin quickly. And it seemed like he wasn’t the only one. The guy on the beach didn’t seem to be in a big hurry to part ways with her. He wore a pair of board shorts with a white T-shirt. He was fit, if a little on theshort side. Then again, even barefoot he still stood a head above Sadie.
Was the guy asking her on a date? Would Sadie entertain the idea of a new relationship when she was only here for the summer?
Now there was a pertinent question. Equally relevant, was Sam open to the idea of dating Sadie?
No, he decided on the spot. His heart wasn’t ready for a serious relationship, much less one that would be over come summer’s end.
Twenty-One
Aslow-burnromance is a story in which the love relationship develops organically, at a gradual pace.
—Romance Writing 101
As Sadie returned from the shoreline, she spotted Sam at the deck railing and gave a big wave.
He nodded.
So understated, all those minimal movements and short sentences. She needed to remember that when she started writing her story this week—provided Erin and the team liked her proposal.Please, God.
Eager to chat with Sam, she bypassed her Little Library and headed straight for the deck. “How was lunch with your family?”
“Well, I’d say it was a mixed bag.”
She set Rio loose and the dog went straight to Sam. “Do tell.”
He picked up the dog and leaned against the railing. “The food was great, but Mom acted as if she hadn’t seen me in a decade. My dad was his typical reflective self, and my sister was up to her usual tricks.”
Sadie joined him at the railing. “Oh, come on. Hayley couldn’t be nicer. What trouble could she possibly cause?”
He snorted. “You’re clearly not her brother.”
“That’s no answer. Come on, I’d tell you.”
“Of course you would.” He said nothing else, just arched a brow.
“How very enigmatic of you. Fine, don’t tell me then. It’s not like I don’t have enough unknowns in my life at the moment. The ring mystery hangs in the balance, as does my writing career, but don’t you worry about little old me.”
“I have a feeling you’ll be just fine on all fronts.”
She tilted her head. “That sounded vaguely complimentary.”
“Well, you don’t exactly exude a helpless vibe.”
His words warmed her, probably more than they should’ve. Did he admire her independence? He seemed to, though some men seemed threatened by it.
“Hello there.” Anna and Nick waved from the public-access path.
“Well, hi, Anna! Hi, Nick. What are you doing out and about today?”
“We had lunch with Nick’s family over at PJ’s Clam Shack.”
