Entwined by chance

hia'

inst the shore, their rhythmic crash blending with the distant cries of seagulls. Clearwater Bay was breat

nt. He had a way of existing in a space without full

," he had said moments ago, his voice ti

favor. It was deeper than that- wou

I don't see this as a debt

round the railing, his knuckles brushing the worn wood. It

hoed, like he was

ound like a fo

s, gone before it could settle. "

the ones who wore their emotions on their sleeves or hid behind artificial

n past to bury, my own ghosts that still whi

he morning sun, and for a m

urning to face him, "wh

ted slightly

part of it." I tilted my head. "People here seem to know you, but they don't

o walk away like a man who had mastered the art of avoidance.

ke qu

not an

gaze fully. "It's the only

it carried an edge that war

asn't exactly an

it behind my ear, forcing a smile. "Well, Mr. Mysterious, if y

twitched-not quite a s

warned me about the man standing next to it-the o

ut's

kind of questions I h

ept to himself, who had no interest in town gossip or the pleasantr

a wasn't m

searched for meaning in thin

e unsettled me. There was something about her-a quiet determination beneath the easy charm. She

tay long?" I asked

ught off guard by the

wh

er face before she turned back to the water. "On w

hat felt right, the hope that somewhere-anywhere-c

here for a cha

ed too deeply into my past,

earwater Bay has a way

ugh. "I'll take that

ence again, but this time, it was

ow what to

a day, and yet, she already disrupted t

iven past her

I ha

hat one small decision

hia'

hours later with th

ver the phone. "Could've given out anytime, but that

"Can you

won't get here until t

in a town I hadn't p

ending my visi

ed," Mason said with a chuckle. "

. My hair was still damp from the shower, loose waves fallin

e that had unraveled so fast I barely had time to catch my breath. Clearwater

needed a plac

er in the inn's dining room. The space was warm and inviting, fill

outsider. Small towns had their way of keeping newcomers at arm

d potatoes in front of me, then sat across the table wi

nto my food to buy tim

's what people say when t

r perceptiveness. "Just n

Instead, she took a sip of her tea an

't a qu

eah. He's...

ing chuckle. "That'

lightly. "Wha

ment before answering. "

d her answer. If Arnaut wanted me to know, he'd tel

iding, it wasn't something that could be easily ignored. And