Page 84 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

Everleigh could tell her friend had an opinion. “Go ahead and say it.”

Quinn shrugged. “It just seems like you’re very conflicted when it comes to Cade.”

That was an understatement. She felt something deep for him, something she hadn’t felt for anyone before, but he was the last man on earth she’d ever want to get involved with—especially when she didn’t plan to stay in Coral Cove.

Though in certain quiet moments, she felt Coral Cove and something deeper beckoning her to stay.

“We don’t mesh very well,” she said. “It’s best if we steer clear of each other. And that’s okay.”

Quinn nodded toward the window. “I heard there’s going to be a bad storm tonight. The wind gusts are supposed to be strong, and there’s a flood watch too. I need to get home early tonight and bring in all of my patio furniture and garden decorations.”

“I saw that on the news this morning.” Everleigh stopped folding the napkin. “I’d better walk around the inn and store all our little decorations too.”

Quinn consulted her watch and sighed. “Looks like I need to get back to the library.” She stood. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

Everleigh headed out into the warm air and took in the dark clouds above them. The scent of impending rain was unmistakable. She gave her friend a long hug. “It was so good to see you.”

“Don’t stay away too long.” Quinn patted her arm. “And don’t give up on Cade. I have a feeling you two are going to work out your differences.”

Everleigh smiled. “By the time I get back on the road, it’ll all be worked out.” But those words stabbed at her heart more than she cared to acknowledge.

Quinn stuck out her lip. “But I’ll miss you.”

“And I’ll miss you too.” Everleigh waved goodbye as Quinn started down the street. She climbed into her car and tried to put thoughts of Cade out of her mind.

Was it even remotely possible that Cade—the grumpiest, moodiest man she’d ever met—missed Everleigh as much as she missed him?

***

Everleigh stared through the darkness at her bedroom ceiling later that night. The heavy rain pounding on the roof reminded her of when she and her family had gone to see a drum corps competition when she was little. And the howling wind sounded like it might be tearing the shingles right off.

She hugged her long pillow against her body and rolled onto her side, trying to tune out the sound of the storm. The rain had started shortly after supper, and she’d been relieved upon hearing Cade’s truck motoring down the driveway about an hour later. The meteorologist on the news had reported that a line of storms was going to rage throughout the night, and the rain and wind would worsen with each hour. She was grateful Cade had gotten home safely before the storms picked up.

Why am I still thinking about Cade?

She groaned and snuggled deeper into her pillow. She had to shove that man out of her head and her heart, but she had no idea how to do it. They had no future, and the facts confirmed it. So why was she holding on so tight?

A gust of wind howled, and the rain pounded even harder. Everleigh squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe if she fell asleep, the storm would be gone by the time she woke up.

Crack!

Boom!

The house shook as if hit by a bomb, and Everleigh leapt out of bed. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as she groped for her phone on the nightstand and stumbled across the room toward the light switch. She flipped it up and down several times, but the room remained cloaked in darkness.

Uh-oh.The power was out. She found the flashlight app on her phone and rushed out to the hallway. She ran to the windows facing the back of the house and gasped at the sight illuminated by lightning: Branches from the ancient oak tree had crashed through the sunroom on the other side of the wall, just feet away from her suite.

“No. No, no, no!” Not thinking straight, she dropped her phone into the pocket of her shorts and raced outside. The cool late-October rain bit into her skin, and she quivered as her bare feet squished through the cold mud. The wind whipped her wet hair around her face, and her vision blurred as she took in the gigantic branches crushing her godmother’s beloved sunroom.

A flash of a memory came to her of the day Alana had invited Everleigh’s family over to see the sunroom for the first time. Alana’s proud, gracious smile flickered in her mind’s eye.

And now...

“No, no, no,” Everleigh cried. A torrent of wind crashed into her, and she dropped to her knees in the soaked grass.

Grief built up in her chest, and she hugged her arms over her middle. Alana was gone. And now her beloved sunroom had been crushed by a tree.

Cade was no longer her friend. She’d lost him too.

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