Page 7 of Where Sea Meets Sky

Alexis had been a city girl herself for many years, having lived in L.A. with her husband Grayson before the two of them returned to Rosewood Beach to stay.

“Hmm, looks like she’s visiting for quite a while,” Vivian said, standing up. “I wonder if she traveled here all by herself?”

Looking sympathetically curious, Vivian approached the young woman. “Good afternoon! Would you like a table for one?”

“Uh, no.” The young woman smiled, but she seemed flustered, almost nervous, underneath the façade of calm that she seemed to be putting on. “It smells incredible in here, but unfortunately, I already ate on my way here. I’m here to speak with the owners of the establishment, actually.”

Vivian shot a curious look at Alexis and Julia, who were eavesdropping from the nearby booth. “That’s me. I’m Vivian Owens, the owner of The Lighthouse Grill. I can answer any questions you might have. Could I ask your name?”

“Certainly.” The woman’s cheeks were suddenly flushed, as if Vivian was some kind of celebrity. She extended her hand for a handshake. “I’m Faith Talbot.”

Vivian’s eyebrows lifted in the next instant, and an expression of recognition dawned across her face. “Faith! Oh my goodness. It’s wonderful to see you. I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl!”

Faith laughed breathlessly, smiling almost shyly. “I remember you too, Vivian. Well, mostly from photos. It’s been a long time.”

Alexis and Julia both stood up then, too curious to keep sitting.

“Hey,” Alexis said, coming forward along with her sister. “What’s going on?”

Vivian turned to them with an expression that was a mixture of shock and pleasure. “Faith is the daughter of my cousin, Lyle. He and his wife passed away several years ago, do you remember? I was horribly sick with the flu at the time, and I wasn’t able to go to the funeral. Faith and her parents came to visit us once when you children were little.”

Alexis blinked in surprise. She had vague, half-formed memories of a young second cousin coming to visit them, but they were so faint she could have convinced herself the memories were part of a movie she’d seen once, not her actual life. She hadn’t been living at home when her mother’s cousin Lyle had passed away, so she hadn’t heard about his passing or the missed funeral.

“Welcome back, Faith,” Julia said, stepping forward with an eager grin. “Glad to have you here in Rosewood Beach. How long are you visiting?”

“Um…” Faith cleared her throat. “Actually, I’ve decided to move into town.”

Alexis’s jaw dropped in surprise as Julia and Vivian exclaimed over the news.

“Oh, you’ll love it here,” Vivian said warmly. “It’s a wonderful place.”

“The pictures look incredible,” Faith agreed. “That’s what drew me here. That, and well… I mean, yes, it seems like a wonderful town. Do you have a recommendation of a place where I can stay?”

“Absolutely. There’s a darling bed and breakfast that also accepts long-term stays, just two blocks that way. It’s in a big old Victorian mansion, you can’t miss it.”

As Vivian continued to make sure Faith knew how to reach the bed and breakfast, Julia and Alexis shared a look of surprise.

A cousin?Alexis thought, still feeling a little stunned.A family member I didn’t even know we had, showing up out ofnowhere. She seems nice, but… there’s something about her. Like she’s got some kind of past.

She looked at Faith, noticing the way the woman’s skin looked pale and a little unhealthy, something even her expertly done makeup hadn’t been able to conceal. Faith was well-dressed and carried herself with a professional bearing, but there was some kind of tension in her that she was clearly trying to keep below the surface.

Alexis watched her cousin, deciding finally that Faith seemed incredibly tired. She wondered if things had been hard for her after she lost her parents. She couldn’t imagine being in Faith’s shoes—losing her father had been hard enough, and she couldn’t fathom losing both parents at once.

Faith thanked Vivian and waved goodbye to Julia and Alexis as she turned around and left the pub. The three Owens women stood quietly and watched her go for a moment. Alexis had no idea what her mother and sister were thinking, and she knew that she herself had no idea how to process this surprise development.

CHAPTER FOUR

Ryan leaned back in his chair at Ocean Breeze Café, taking a long sip of the latte he’d ordered and gazing leisurely around the room.

Ocean Breeze Café was one of his favorite places in Rosewood Beach. He’d been there as a teenager fairly often, and he liked that it hadn’t changed all that much. His father was always in favor of making things bigger and better, but Ryan felt that if something wasn’t broken, there was no need to fix it. There was often a charm to be found in the familiar that new, flashy things could never compare to.

He set down his latte and picked up one of the salmon benedicts he’d ordered for his brunch. It practically melted in his mouth, it was so delicious, and he half-closed his eyes for a moment to savor the harmonious blend of flavors and textures.

He liked the relaxed, calm atmosphere of the café. He’d been away doing work in various cities so many times since the beginning of the year that he was relishing the slower pace that Rosewood Beach had to offer.

Despite the family arguments that had surrounded his return, he was glad that he’d come home during his break. In the past, he’d avoided Rosewood Beach because of the drama thatalways went on between his father and his brothers as they ran the brewery. On this visit, however, he was finding the general peacefulness of Rosewood Beach so alluring that it made up for the tumultuous nature of his family.

He was just leaning back in his chair again, feeling relaxed and almost sleepy, when his phone buzzed. He grimaced as he saw that it was a text from one of the heads of the project that he’d been working on in Colorado. He was surprised by how unwelcome the text was. The man in question was pleasant and professional, and Ryan had no issues with him.

---