Little brother,
So happy to have found your secret! Imagine my surprise when I learned this is what you’re doing now. And staying in our uncle’s cabin, too. What a good, quiet life you must lead.
See you soon,
Sage
Thesee you soonwas ominous enough by itself, but there was also the small inconvenience that the package was delivered to his home address. That meant only one thing: Sage knew where he lived.
The hair dryer was suddenly quiet, and Jack could hear the sounds of Nora getting ready in the bathroom. If Sage knew about Half Moon Key, she might know about Nora, and then there would be protecting his woman from his past. From his family. From his sister.
“Oh! You made me breakfast,” Nora said, coming into the kitchen. She sat at the table, completely unaware that whatever little love bubble they had created over the last few days was gone.
Like he would soon be.
If Sage knew he was in Half Moon Key, it was only a matter of time before she made her way into town, and then there was no telling what he might lose.
And one thing was for damn sure, if he had to lose Nora, he would rather be on his terms, not his sister’s.
“The guys want me to go fishing,” he announced, his skin hot.
You should tell her,his lion roared.She would understand. She lov…
“I’m going to go spend a few hours with them if that’s okay.” Jack didn’t wait for an answer. He went to his bedroom and pulled out the go-bag he had hidden.
He thought they had all the time in the world on their side, but he was wrong.
They had nothing but heartache coming their way, and if they were lucky, that’s all they would get.
EIGHTEEN
NORA
Nora was munching on her third bite of mango tornado, and though she would state that the color alone was gross, she actually didn’t mind the taste of it now that she was completely and madly in love with Jack.
So nothing much had changed for her.
Nora still worked in her family’s ice cream parlor and restaurant. She still longed for Jack Hayes and waited for him to walk in front of the store’s bay window with bated breath.
Only, there was a marked difference.
Now, when she pined for Jack, she knew what it was like to be kissed by him. She knew what his tongue felt like on her most intimate parts. She could clearly hear the sounds he made when they were locked in passion together.
Now, Jack Hayes wasn’t some far-off ideal of the perfect man.
Nope. Now Jack Hayes was her man, and as soon as her shift was over, she would find him again.
“You live!” Cassie shouted, coming into the parlor, closely followed by Jade.
“Oh, would you leave her alone? Can’t you see how happy she looks?”
Nora tried to kill her smile, but it was impossible. She was bursting with joy and love. “Hey, you two. Getting along as always, I can tell. I love this friendship for you two.”
Cassie and Jade had never really liked each other, not since high school when Jade told Cassie off for embarrassing Nora in front of the whole senior class.
Of course, no matter how much time had passed since high school, Nora was sure that part of her sister had stayed stuck in the past and in those halls. Her older sister blinked at her in surprise, her mouth agape at the jab Nora had just delivered.
No one in the Ledger family had jabs like Cassie, and now that Nora had said one, Cassie obviously didn’t know how to react. “What did you just say to me?”