Page 65 of A Beach House Beginning

For a moment, she was tempted. So very tempted.

But she had ignored her instincts once with Aaron by going on a second date with him. She couldn’t take that kind of risk again when she had so much at stake.

She didn’t for a moment think Wes would hurt her intentionally. But she was already half in love with the man. If they gave in to this desire between them, how would she possibly protect what was left of her heart?

“I’m sorry,” she said again. Despising herself, she grabbed a confused Theo and hurried back to the house.

After Jenna left so abruptly, Wes stayed in the pergola, staring at the night sky peeking through the open slat roof.

If this was love, he didn’t want it. This ache in his chest, in his bones. In his heart.

He couldn’t blame Jenna for not wanting to further explore the attraction between them and pursue a relationship.

How could he?

Wes wasn’t exactly a prize. She had talked about her baggage, but he had so much he needed a damn cargo tanker to carry it all.

He sighed, frustrated all over again at the circumstances of his life that had led him here.

Would he change it if he could?

It was a stunning thought.

If he hadn’t been arrested, he probably wouldn’t be here in Cannon Beach, living upstairs from her.

He looked at the house, cold and dark now where it was usually so warm and filled with life.

She was right. How would they both be able to remain here, with these raw, unfulfilled emotions between them? He would find it excruciating to live one floor above her, to be so close to her but know she would remain forever out of reach.

Even now he wanted to march up those stairs, break down her door and pull her into his arms.

How could he stay here?

She had said she didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to leave Brambleberry House, either. The house was warm and comfortable, and the view and proximity to the water would be hard to beat somewhere else within his price range.

He would have an easier time moving, though. He had brought very little with him, and it would be simple enough to pack it up into his truck and find somewhere else to live.

It made the most sense. She had been here for years. This was her daughter’s home. If they found the situation completely untenable, he would have to start looking for another place. He didn’t know where he would go, only that he had to stay in town. He had been separated from Brie for long enough. He wouldn’t do it again.

Would anywhere else along the coast be far enough to help him get over Jenna?

He wasn’t sure.

What choice did he have? Whatever her reasons, she had made it clear she didn’t want things to move forward.

His only option was to try like hell to put away his feelings, to focus on Brie and the future and rebuilding his life.

Chapter Fifteen

The encounter with Wes in the early hours haunted Jenna the rest of the day as she prepped for the book group meeting.

She had been looking forward to the meeting with her friends all week, but now she wasn’t certain she would be able to get through it.

She was exhausted, for one thing, after returning to her house to toss and turn again in her bed until she had finally fallen into a fitful sleep.

She also wasn’t in a cheerful mood. She had snapped at Addie when she complained about having to do her chores, then had to apologize. She explained that she was having a cranky morning and shouldn’t have snapped...but that Addie still had to do her chores.

The rest of the day was busy as she cleaned her apartment, went to the grocery store and had Addie help her make cookies.

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