Page 13 of Where Sea Meets Sky

“Hmm, you might be right,” Hazel said, ruffling her daughter’s hair. “But I still think we shouldn’t make assumptions about people, even if those assumptions make a lot of sense.”

“You’re right,” Julia said, smiling at her sister. “Even so, I’m going to be on my guard while he’s here. I’m going to keep sniffing the air for another stinky McCormick scheme.”

The Owens continued to eat and talk together, their conversation soon turning to more pleasant subjects. After dinner, they ate ice cream sundaes, and Alexis got to indulge in her green tea ice cream. They gathered in the living room to play board games for a while before the guests yawned and said it was time for them to go home. Alexis and Grayson stood in their doorway, calling out cheerful goodbyes into the night.

“What a lovely family we have,” Alexis said. “And such a lovely house. You know what would make it even better?”

“Goodnight, Alexis.” Grayson turned around and kissed her before she could say any more.

“But really, painting the walls?—”

“Goodnight.” He kissed her again and began to half-carry her toward the staircase. “It’s time to go to sleep.”

“Oh, fine.” She laughed and held his hand as they started up the staircase together. She glanced back at the living room as they went, imagining beautiful colors on the walls.

CHAPTER SIX

Faith sat up in bed, listening to the sound of the surf crashing against the shore in the distance. Outside her window, a bird was singing cheerfully in a crabapple tree branch, as if it wasn’t still dark outside. She could see a faint blush of dawn on the eastern edge of the horizon, but the world was still shrouded in a slate-colored darkness.

She liked the dark, and the quiet. She wasn’t used to it, and it felt relaxing and serene. The stillness was like a breath of fresh air for her hurried, tired soul. She’d woken up a few minutes before, wide awake and ready to begin her day. She’d gone to bed early the night before after drinking tea and reading for a while, curled up cozily in the armchair located in her bed and breakfast room.

I can’t remember the last time I woke up feeling rested, with a whole day to myself ahead of me,she thought, hugging her knees through the soft quilt and smiling to herself.I don’t even know what I’ll do today. That’s a nice feeling.

She felt free, as if she could do anything in the world. For a while, she sat quietly in bed and waited until the dawn had begun to tint the sky with hues of pink and gold. She felt a kind of electric thrill as she gazed at the sunrise. She’d gotten up earlyplenty of times in the city, but the dawn had never had the same impact on her there. She felt uplifted and inspired by it, as if her body was drinking in its light.

Finally, she slipped out of bed and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. She slipped out of her room and crept downstairs, making hardly any sound in her soft slippers. She peeked inside the breakfast room and smiled. Even though breakfast wouldn’t be served until eight-thirty, there was a full coffee pot resting on a side table along with cups and cream and sugar. Faith helped herself to a steaming cup of the rich, nutty liquid before slipping out the front door.

She sat down on the porch swing, glad to be sheltered from the morning wind, which was chilly. She wrapped the shawl more tightly around her shoulders and held the warm cup of coffee in her hands. There were even more birds singing now, and she could hear the surf more clearly. There was a fresh, almost tangy smell in the air that hinted at the nearness of the ocean and the coming spring. She took long, deep gulps of the fresh air, wondering how she’d lived far away from nature for so long.

To her left, she could see the dawn continuing to paint the sky over the ocean. To her right, the cozy streets of Rosewood Beach were beginning to come to life as people turned on their lights or went outside to water their gardens.

She took a long sip of her coffee and found herself thinking about her long-lost family. She’d liked them very much, and she wanted to meet the rest of them. Vivian had seemed so warm and genuine, and Julia and Alexis both seemed like the kind of women she’d love to be friends with. Smart and energetic, with kind expressions.

They’d all had other kinds of expressions on their faces too, though, she thought with a sigh, taking another sip of coffee.They’d looked bewildered, and even a little perturbed by her arrival.

I probably spooked them,she thought with a sigh. Idid kind of just pop out like some sort of jack in the box. I wonder if there’s a better way to get to know them?

She turned toward the dawn and watched the sky while she pondered the question. Perhaps she could show up with a gift and make a less surprising appearance. She realized that she should have tried to write before arriving, but she hadn’t wanted the Owens to feel as though they were the only reason she was moving to Rosewood Beach. They were part of it, to be sure, but she’d become enchanted by the town as a whole and would have moved there regardless. She wanted them to accept her as a member of their family and want to spend time with her, but she hadn’t wanted to show up acting as though she expected them to treat her that way.

When she’d first arrived in town, someone had recommended The Lighthouse Grill to her, saying that it was owned by a woman named Vivian Owens. Faith had become so excited at the news that she’d rushed over to the pub before doing anything else.

She bit her lip, wishing she’d realized how awkward that might make the Owens feel. She hadn’t meant to impose. She wondered if they would continue to feel wary of her, and she’d end up feeling even more isolated in the sweet little town than she’d felt in Boston.

I wonder if I was foolish to come here, she thought, looking down into her coffee cup. The liquid rippled faintly as a gust of wind rushed across the porch, brushing Faith’s cheeks with cold fingertips.I wanted a new life, but maybe I should have started over in a place where there were more people that I actually know.

So far, everyone in Rosewood Beach had been incredibly kind, but she couldn’t help feeling a little bit like a fish out of water. The pace at which people moved in the quaint little town was so different from the rush and bustle of life in Boston. She felt as though she was sticking out like a sore thumb, so clearly different from everyone else.

She thought about Ryan McCormick, who’d known right away that she was from the city, and smiled. He was someone who seemed to understand where she was coming from, someone who had also gotten swept up in the work-centered, driven energy of the city. It was difficult for people like him and her to stop and smell the flowers.

She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders as another gust of wind rippled across the porch. She wondered if she was ever going to be able to get used to a slower pace in life, or if she would start working all the time again, as if it was some kind of addiction.

For the moment, she reminded herself, she seemed to be doing great. She felt calm and rested, and she had a long day ahead of her in which she was free to do whatever she wanted. She could explore Rosewood Beach, try out some new restaurants, perhaps go to the library, or go to the grocery store and buy herself things that didn’t need to be cooked. Her heart lifted at the thought. There was a mini fridge in her bed and breakfast room, along with a tea kettle and access to drinking water. She could buy tea, or even ice cream sandwiches.

She took another sip of coffee, feeling excited about her day. That’s what she would do. She would go exploring, go to the library, and stop by the grocery store. She found herself starting to arrange her day into a schedule—this many hours to explore, this long in the library—but she shook her head firmly and forced herself to stop turning her day into a task list.

Whatever I decide to do in the moment is what I’ll do, she thought.Maybe I’ll change my mind. Who knows what I might come across today that changes my plans?

She wondered if she might run into the handsome Ryan McCormick again before he returned to his busy life in the city. At the thought, she smiled and held her coffee cup more tightly.

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