Page 37 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
The two little girls waved and yawned in unison.
Kaiah gathered her backpack and purse before exiting the SUV and then jogging up the steps to the apartment. After setting her bags on the sofa, she flopped down and examined the photos she’d taken since her arrival in Coral Cove. She smiled as she scrolled past photos of colorful shops and the gorgeous beachfront.
When she came to the picture she’d taken of Reid at the lighthouse, her heart thumped hard in her chest. She sent it to Kam, along with a message:Here’s Mr. TDH. Cute, right?
Then she hopped in the shower, tilting her face toward thewarm water, letting it wash over her in waves. She thought about the first draft of the article she’d write, what angle she’d take. Maybe a description of the town, then featuring some of the store owners, a history of the lighthouse. But something was missing. She just wasn’t sure what it was yet.
After her shower, Kaiah pulled on yoga pants and a loose-fitting pink T-shirt before styling her hair in a messy bun and moving to the kitchen, where she brewed a cup of decaf lemon tea. Mug in hand, she made her way back to the living room and picked up her phone, finding two unread texts. One was from Kam, a reply to her photo of Reid that simply said:Uh, YUM! Next time get him in his uniform.
Kaiah laughed and typed:I’ll try to get that for you—and for me too!
When she found that the second message was from Reid, her breath caught.
He’d been thinking of her too.
That thought sent a delicious tingle gliding down her spine as she opened his message and replied.
Reid: How did it go with Becks today?
Kaiah: Great! We visited lots of businesses, and I interviewed the owners. We also took a walk on the beach, and we brainstormed my first article.
Reid: Any chance I can get the insider’s scoop?
Kaiah hesitated. She never shared an article before it was complete. Although she trusted Reid, she didn’t want him to comment on her work when it was only half-baked.
Kaiah: Honestly, I don’t quite have the framing yet. Something’s missing, but I don’t know what it is. I’m going to sleep on it first. Hopefully the answer will hit me in the middle of the night.
She groaned after she sent the message. Now he knew for sure she was crazy. She needed to sleep on theframingof an article?Lame.Before she could berate herself too much, her phone buzzed again.
Reid: How about I take you out tomorrow? Maybe explore the town a bit more? You might uncover some inspiration.
Kaiah smiled as her heart rate spiked.I’d love that.
Reid: Great. I’ll be home around 7:30. What time do you want to go?
Kaiah: Don’t you need to sleep?
Reid: Hopefully I’ll get some here tonight.
Kaiah: But if you don’t?
Reid: I’ll be fine. What time would you like to go?
Kaiah: How about you come and get me when you’re ready?
Reid: What time is too early?
Kaiah: Honestly, as long as it’s not before 8:30, I’ll be ready to go. But you need to get some rest.
Reid: I promise I won’t knock on your door before 8:30.
Chuckling to herself, Kaiah replied:Good. I’ll hold you to that.
Reid: See you tomorrow, Ky. Good night.
A shot of adrenaline sped through Kaiah’s veins.
He called her by her nickname.
