Page 3 of Serenity at Seagrove
He could hear voices on the porch below as he leaned against the window frame. He watched Dawson chat with a couple of guests. He'd always been the friendly one, the guy who could talk to anybody and make them feel like they mattered. Archer had a sharper personality with edges that were hard rather than smooth. It wasn't that he was unkind, at least he hoped people didn't feel that way, but he'd never been the life of the party or the easygoing one. And now with his career gone and nothing to show for it, he felt even more out of place.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out and looked at the screen. Another message from his agent asking when he was coming back. He ignored it, tossing the phone face down on the bed. He didn't have an answer. Atlanta didn't feel like a home anymore, but neither did anywhere else. Home had been his golf bag. Home had been the green, any green. It didn't matter where it was, but today he was here in his hometown and that had to be good enough for now.
He straightened, rolling his shoulders as he moved toward the door. If Dawson and Julie were nice enough to open their home to him, the least he could do was make an effort to be pleasant. He wasn't here to wallow like he'd been doing for months—well, not entirely anyway. Maybe if he played his cards right, he could figure out his next step, and he didn't have much choice but to try.
CHAPTER2
Luna stepped out onto the wide porch at Serenity at Seagrove, the early morning sun beating down on her as she stared out over the beautiful South Carolina coastline. This moment was pure bliss. It was everything she’d dreamed about since she was a little girl, and the only thing that would’ve made it better was having both of her grandmothers there to share in it. Today was a huge day. After months of phone calls, meticulous planning, and emails back and forth, she was finally meeting Janine in person.
Luna had spoken to Janine several times while organizing the wellness center’s grand opening, and the yoga instructor’s warmth and energy had been infectious. If her phone conversations were anything to go by, Janine being involved with Serenity would be a perfect fit.
The sound of sandals clicking against the steps caught Luna's attention. She turned to see Janine approaching, her curly hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a yoga mat tucked under her arm. She was dressed in a breezy white tank top and pink leggings with a subtle floral pattern, radiating confidence and ease.
"Luna!" Janine called out with a bright smile.
"That's me," Luna said, stepping forward to greet her. "It's so great to finally meet you in person, Janine," she said, shaking her hand.
"Same here. I've been looking forward to this so much. It's not often that I find people in this town who care as much about holistic health as I do, and this place is absolutely stunning. I've so enjoyed watching it be built from the ground up. The pink color is so charming." Janine looked over the house and then back at Luna. "You know, it's got such a welcoming vibe. I can already tell this will be a great place for your guests."
"Thank you," Luna said. Compliments about Serenity felt deeply personal. "And I appreciate all your help watching over the project until I could get here. Come on inside. I'll give you a grand tour."
Inside, Luna led Janine through the main living area, pointing out the seating arrangements, the small but well-stocked library, and the kitchen with the ocean-facing window. Janine took it all in with a mix of admiration and excitement.
"This is perfect," Janine said. She looked out over the yoga deck that opened onto the dunes. "You know, I can already imagine morning classes out here with the sound of the waves as our soundtrack, and evening sessions with those lights. It's just going to feel like another world," Janine said.
"That's exactly what I was going for," Luna said. "You know, a place where people can escape and feel whole again."
Janine nodded. "It's a beautiful goal, and it's so needed today. Some people just need to breathe, you know. This is the perfect place for that. Seagrove itself is the perfect place for that, but this takes it to the next level."
They walked outside and settled onto the deck chairs to go over logistics. Janine opened a neatly organized folder filled with laminated schedules and notes.
"So I thought we could start with three weekly sessions just to get things rolling. Morning yoga at sunrise, an evening wind-down class twice a week. Does that align with your vision?"
"That sounds perfect," Luna agreed. "I want to ease into things, and once we see how the first classes go and how many guests I get, we can build from there."
They discussed themes for the classes, ideas for meditation add-ons, and a way to incorporate the natural beauty of Seagrove into their practices. The conversation with Janine flowed so easily, and Luna felt like they'd known each other for years instead of just weeks.
When they wrapped up the meeting, a voice called from the front of the house.
"Janine, I thought I'd find you here."
Luna looked up to see a woman with wavy blonde hair and a welcoming smile walking toward them. She wore a simple sundress and carried a canvas tote bag that readDown Yonder Bookstore.The resemblance to Janine was subtle but unmistakable.
"Julie," Janine said, standing up. "You're just in time to meet my new friend, Luna. This is her amazing place that will change lives in Seagrove."
Julie turned her smile to Luna and reached out a hand. "Hey, I'm Julie, Janine's sister. I own the bookstore in town."
“Don’t let her fool you. Julie is also a famous romance author.”
Julie waved her hand and laughed. “My sister is overstating that a bit. I am an author, but famous I am not.”
"Oh wow, it's so nice to meet you," Luna said, shaking her hand. "I've heard great things about your bookstore. SuAnn mentioned it when we were planning the grand opening."
"Oh, SuAnn," Julie said with a laugh. "She's our local networker. I think she might be responsible for half the friendships in this town."
Janine laughed. "Yeah, she's also responsible for all of the dessert orders at Hotcakes. She owns the bakery, as you know, but she's also our mother."
Luna stared at them. "SuAnn's your mother? How did I not know that?"
