When the cab pulled in the drive, Kate withdrew some cash and paid the driver, then gathered her bag and exited the car. Lucas’s old truck was in the drive. He’d surely heard the cab on the gravel, yet even after it pulled away, the front door remained closed.

Kate walked toward the house and up the steps, hesitating on the porch. Lifting her hand, she rapped on the wooden door, anticipating Bo’s loud, gruff bark. But the only reply was the sound of the wind swishing through the trees. The small window in the door revealed only darkness. She knocked again. Maybe he was in the shower. It was still early for a Saturday, though Lucas was normally out and about by now.

She bit her lip, wondering if she should enter. Before she could dissuade herself, she twisted the knob and stepped inside.

“Lucas?” The rich aroma of brewed coffee permeated the house. The bedroom was empty, the blankets a tangled heap at the foot of the bed. The bathroom was dark, and several crumpled towels littered the floor. She smiled.

“Lucas?” In the kitchen, his empty Nantucket mug sat on the table. The coffeemaker was still plugged in. He must’ve taken Bo for a walk.

Kate exited through the back, passing the gazebo, tracing the numerous footprints down the sandy path. The beach was empty except for a few gulls, plucking through the wet sand. Kate looked down the shoreline toward the Wrights’ house. The beach was deserted as far as she could see.

She looked the other direction, and her eyes paused on two figures: a man and a dog.

Lucas.

Her feet carried her down the shoreline, her heart pumping in rhythm with her quick steps. Halfway there, Bo spotted her and lumbered toward her, but Lucas stared out across the ocean, oblivious to her appearance. Bo reached her side and barreled into her leg, tail wagging.

“Hi, boy.” At least Bo was happy to see her again. It was Lucas she was unsure of.

Kate looked at Lucas in time to see him turn. He stilled, watching her approach. She closed the distance between them with long, eager strides. As she neared, she tried to read his expression, but the sun glinted over his shoulder, making it impossible to decipher.

She stopped a car’s length away, suddenly uncertain. Would he welcome her home after she’d left so suddenly? He’d asked her to stay, but would he forgive her for leaving?

Fear left her mouth dry, sucked the words from her lips. It clawed at her throat and churned her thoughts like sand in the surf. Her limbs felt as stiff as a ship’s mast. Tears glazed her eyes, and she told herself it was the biting wind.

Then he moved, walking toward her, stopping just a touch away. “You came back,” he said.

His eyes were just the way she remembered, warm and soft. Welcoming.