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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

Jack loved everything about the water, down to knowing the ins and outs of how the vehicles that transported him worked. It was just a testament to his love for her that he had spent most of the past two decades helping to build her dream of an antiques shop. Now he wanted to get back on the water. And if buying into Marco’s oyster farm was the way to do it, didn’t she owe him that same support?

She took a moment to gaze at him, the late summer, deep brown tan of his arms, the way his silver hair tufted around his ears because he’d been too busy to get a haircut. The gray T-shirt from Outermost Automotive stretched taut against his chest.

She didn’t just love him, she was in love with him. The worst part of their whole predicament was that she’d led him to believe otherwise.

“Hey—sorry to interrupt,” she called out, giving a nervous little wave.

Jack looked over, surprised. He seemed happy to see her for a second, but his expression became guarded. He said something to Manny, but the breeze and the squawk of a gull carried it away. She felt her heart race as he walked over to her.

When they were face-to-face, it took all of her will not to just throw herself into his arms.

“Happy birthday,” she said.

“Thanks,” he said stiffly.

“Jack, I love you. I’m sorry. I was letting fear hold me back, but I’m past it now. Please—I’m so sorry for hurting your feelings, for letting you doubt for a minute my commitment to you. Let’s get married. I’m totally on board with the oyster farm. I want a life with you—that’s all that matters. I want to be your wife.”

Jack sighed. His expression changed from wariness to almost . . . pity.

“That all sounds great, Celeste. But how can I believe that when the time comes, you’re not going to back out again? I can’t set myself up to be let down.”

She shook her head. “I won’t let you down.”

He seemed about to reach out to her, to take her hand or touch her arm—something. She stepped forward. But then, he moved away. “I love you, too. And maybe you even believe what you’re saying. But I’m sorry—I don’t.”

He turned and walked back toward Manny.

So that was it? No. She wouldn’t accept it. He was being stubborn, as he was inclined to be. And she could be stubborn, too. But if they both gave in to their worst instincts at the same time, the relationship was finished. What could she do to get through to him?