Page 62 of A Beach House Beginning

“How long were you in Germany?”

While he worked, he talked about his military service and some of the experiences he’d had, not only there but during a short stint in the Middle East, protecting the base and being fired on by militants.

As they talked and she came to understand him a little, Jenna was aware of a grim realization.

She was doing a lousy job of resisting him.

In fact, quite the opposite.

She was falling for him.

The truth washed over her, and for an instant, she wobbled the flashlight in her shock. He looked over and she quickly corrected it.

Oh no. What had she done?

This wasn’t simply an attraction. She was falling in love with him.

He definitely didn’t feel the same way. Yes, he was attracted to her, but that was it. He had given her no indication that his feelings might run deeper.

Oh, what a mess.

They lived in the same house. Yes, they had different apartments, but it was impossible to avoid the other Brambleberry House tenants. How would she be able to live one floor below him? Could she possibly return to merely being friends when she was beginning to realize how very much more she wanted?

She didn’t want to move out. She loved this house and so did Addie. But how could she stay here and keep her feelings to herself, when she saw him day after day and when their daughters were becoming such close friends?

“What’s wrong?” he asked. She looked up to find him watching her, an expression of concern on his face.

She couldn’t tell him any of the thoughts racing through her head. He wouldn’t want to hear that his foolish neighbor was getting all kinds of inappropriate ideas about him.

She pasted on a smile, hoping the darkness would conceal her sudden distress. “Nothing. Everything’s fine,” she lied.

“Are you sure? You were frowning like you just spotted a skunk walking through the lilac bushes.”

“Oh, I hope not! Don’t you think Theo would alert us to any wandering creatures making their way through the yard?”

“Him?”

He pointed to the dog, curled up on the cushion and snoring softly.

She was grateful to turn the subject. “He’s not turning into the greatest watchdog, is he? On the plus side, he’s the most mellow dog ever and loves everybody. Not an aggressive bone in his body.”

“I’m sure he still has enough protective instincts to watch out for you and Addie if the need arises. Dogs are amazing like that.”

They talked about some of the dogs he had worked with in prison and the two great dogs he’d had when he was young, before his father died.

Jenna wasn’t at all tired, though she knew she would pay the price the next day. She would be lucky to stay awake until book club.

She knew she should go inside, to figure out what she was going to do next, but she couldn’t seem to make herself move.

After she had been outside about a half hour, he set the last chair upright and took off his headlamp, switching it off. “There you go. That’s the last one.”

She handed him the flashlight. He aimed it downward, though didn’t shut it off.

“Thank you for doing that. I’m sure my book club members will appreciate chairs that don’t fall apart in the middle of dinner.”

“Always a good thing, right?”

She managed a smile, and as he gazed down at her, sparkling awareness seemed to shiver to life between them.

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