late.”
“Yes, boss. Anything else?”
“Yeah, keep your distance. I know you love a good sob story and all…”
Caroline wouldn’t say that if she’d seen Jake’s eyes. Still, Zoe reassured her. “I have absolutely no intention of repeating past mistakes. My bank account can’t afford it.”
After going over a few more business details, Zoe hung up and headed downstairs. Thanks to Caroline, going back to sleep was impossible.
Reynaldo came trotting into the kitchen behind her, yawning. Even half asleep, Zoe had to giggle. If dogs could have bedhead, he definitely qualified.“What do you say we take that walk on the beach we never got to last night?”
Sensing potential freedom, the dachshund perked up with a bark.
This time of morning, the two-mile strip of sand was close to empty. The sun had barely breached the horizon, a large orange-pink half circle that promised another warm day once the pockets of fog burned away. The air smelled of water and salt. Taking a deep breath, Zoe allowed the aroma to wash over her. Yes, she thought, time on the beach was exactly what she needed.
How on earth had her life gotten to this place? Eight months ago she’d been on top of the world. Now here she was, paying support to a philandering husband and living next door to an enigmatic handyman she couldn’t get out of her head.
Ever the nudge, Reynaldo whined and pulled on his leash. “Chill, Reynaldo. I don’t care how wide open the space is, you need to stay on the leash.”
The dachshund whined again. There were birds about and he clearly wanted to chase them. Sighing, she looked up and down the deserted beach. The only people that she could see were two die-hard fishermen casting into the surf.
“You’re a spoiled brat, you know that, don’t you?”
He took off the second she unhooked his leash.Free from the confines of his harness, he embarked on a quest to rid the beach of seagulls.
“At least he’s not chasing chipmunks.”
Hearing Jake’s voice, she started. Her neighbor was making his way along the shoreline. He must have come from around the rocks behind her because she hadn’t seen him earlier.
Based on the foam cup he held in his hand, she guessed he’d walked to the diner in town. He was wearing a pair of snug, torn jeans and a gray sweatshirt dotted with paint. An equally ragged Boston baseball cap topped his head, and his shoes were covered with sand.
He looked sexy as all get out.
Suddenly Zoe regretted her decision to walk in her flannel pajamas. Combing her hair into something more than a sloppy ponytail would have been nice, too. She quickly undid the tie from her hair and re-fastened it, hoping she looked nonchalant as she did so.
“Give him time,” she quipped. “The day’s still early.”
His face didn’t react to the joke.
She continued, “I didn’t know anyone else would be up this early. The sunrise is gorgeous, isn’t it?”
In the last minute the sun had risen another inch above the water, bringing its color to more of the sky. “There’s something about the light breaking throughthe gray that makes me feel inspired to tackle the day.”
“Makes me think it’s early. And that I should be asleep.”
Yet he wasn’t. In fact, had he slept at all? Given his dark circles and haggard appearance, she wondered.
As soon as Reynaldo realized she had a companion, he took a break from his bird-chasing duties and ran up to them. Rather, he ran up to Jake. Jumping up and down, he barked incessantly as though greeting a long-lost friend.
Jake scowled. “What is with this dog?”
“Apparently he likes you.”
“Lucky me.”
“Either that or he thinks you’ve got food. Rey’s two biggest motivators are his appetite and his bladder.”
“Glad to see he’s got the important things down.”
Oh, Lord, was that an attempt at humor she heard tripping off his lips? Zoe felt the corners of her mouth tug upward. “No one can accuse him of not having his priorities in
“Yes, boss. Anything else?”
“Yeah, keep your distance. I know you love a good sob story and all…”
Caroline wouldn’t say that if she’d seen Jake’s eyes. Still, Zoe reassured her. “I have absolutely no intention of repeating past mistakes. My bank account can’t afford it.”
After going over a few more business details, Zoe hung up and headed downstairs. Thanks to Caroline, going back to sleep was impossible.
Reynaldo came trotting into the kitchen behind her, yawning. Even half asleep, Zoe had to giggle. If dogs could have bedhead, he definitely qualified.“What do you say we take that walk on the beach we never got to last night?”
Sensing potential freedom, the dachshund perked up with a bark.
This time of morning, the two-mile strip of sand was close to empty. The sun had barely breached the horizon, a large orange-pink half circle that promised another warm day once the pockets of fog burned away. The air smelled of water and salt. Taking a deep breath, Zoe allowed the aroma to wash over her. Yes, she thought, time on the beach was exactly what she needed.
How on earth had her life gotten to this place? Eight months ago she’d been on top of the world. Now here she was, paying support to a philandering husband and living next door to an enigmatic handyman she couldn’t get out of her head.
Ever the nudge, Reynaldo whined and pulled on his leash. “Chill, Reynaldo. I don’t care how wide open the space is, you need to stay on the leash.”
The dachshund whined again. There were birds about and he clearly wanted to chase them. Sighing, she looked up and down the deserted beach. The only people that she could see were two die-hard fishermen casting into the surf.
“You’re a spoiled brat, you know that, don’t you?”
He took off the second she unhooked his leash.Free from the confines of his harness, he embarked on a quest to rid the beach of seagulls.
“At least he’s not chasing chipmunks.”
Hearing Jake’s voice, she started. Her neighbor was making his way along the shoreline. He must have come from around the rocks behind her because she hadn’t seen him earlier.
Based on the foam cup he held in his hand, she guessed he’d walked to the diner in town. He was wearing a pair of snug, torn jeans and a gray sweatshirt dotted with paint. An equally ragged Boston baseball cap topped his head, and his shoes were covered with sand.
He looked sexy as all get out.
Suddenly Zoe regretted her decision to walk in her flannel pajamas. Combing her hair into something more than a sloppy ponytail would have been nice, too. She quickly undid the tie from her hair and re-fastened it, hoping she looked nonchalant as she did so.
“Give him time,” she quipped. “The day’s still early.”
His face didn’t react to the joke.
She continued, “I didn’t know anyone else would be up this early. The sunrise is gorgeous, isn’t it?”
In the last minute the sun had risen another inch above the water, bringing its color to more of the sky. “There’s something about the light breaking throughthe gray that makes me feel inspired to tackle the day.”
“Makes me think it’s early. And that I should be asleep.”
Yet he wasn’t. In fact, had he slept at all? Given his dark circles and haggard appearance, she wondered.
As soon as Reynaldo realized she had a companion, he took a break from his bird-chasing duties and ran up to them. Rather, he ran up to Jake. Jumping up and down, he barked incessantly as though greeting a long-lost friend.
Jake scowled. “What is with this dog?”
“Apparently he likes you.”
“Lucky me.”
“Either that or he thinks you’ve got food. Rey’s two biggest motivators are his appetite and his bladder.”
“Glad to see he’s got the important things down.”
Oh, Lord, was that an attempt at humor she heard tripping off his lips? Zoe felt the corners of her mouth tug upward. “No one can accuse him of not having his priorities in
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