“Don’t feel like you have to stick around,” Lia called out, walking backward through the crowded fairway. “Just text me if you leave and we’ll Uber it back to your place later.”

Yep, they’d definitely been set up.

And Sarah had never been so grateful for Lia Jameson’s interference in her entire life.

Wes turned to her and shrugged. “Well, we’ve been ditched.”

“Looks that way.” She shifted from one foot to the other, looking everywhere but at him.

“Walk on the beach?” he asked.

Her surprise had to be reflected on her face, but she nodded. “Sure.” A walk on the beach with the man who’d always held her heart seemed like a much better way to spend the evening than surviving more amusement rides.

Though she suspected her emotions were about to go on a ride of their own.

…

The sand was still warm from the heat of that day’s sun as they walked barefoot down the beach. Everyone had abandoned it for the fairgrounds, and the farther they moved away from the bright lights and noise, the more alone they were. Walking along in silence, the waves rolling up on the shore was the only sound.

Wes reached across and took Sarah’s sandals from her, carrying them in one hand with his.

“Thank you,” she said, sounding suddenly shy.

He hadn’t anticipated how intimate this would feel. The two of them alone, just the glow of the moon reflecting off the water…

“So is everything ready for the reunion?” he asked, immediately regretting the casual, non-intimate question. Slipping back into friend territory wasn’t the objective, but he wasn’t sure how to do this. It had been years since he’d dated, and this wasn’t just some woman—this was Sarah.

They had a shared history, and they knew each other really well, even better since she’d been back in town…it was different with her. And after the kiss fiasco, he suspected he might only have one more shot at this. He wanted to get it right.

“Yes, I think so,” she said. “Everything’s booked, guests are confirmed, the B&B is ready…thanks to you.”

“Are you looking forward to heading back to L.A. once it’s over?” He didn’t know why her answer mattered so much all of a sudden. He knew she was going back, but a small part of him hoped she was at least a little bit sad about leaving.

“Not as much as I thought I’d be,” she said, looking at him.

Their eyes caught and held. She was so incredibly beautiful, he couldn’t look away. Especially the way the moonlight caught in her eyes. Her dark hair blowing around her bare shoulders and the curve of her gorgeous body had his body betraying his common sense to take things slow.