Page 11 of Seaside Hideaway

Audrey hesitated, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. She wasn’t sure how much she wanted to reveal, even to Lisa, so she said nothing. If Piper really was that famous, Audrey imagined that Piper wouldn’t appreciate her telling anyone else about her being in Morro Bay. “No interest. Just curious.”

Lisa leaned back in her chair, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Curious? You sure you’re not just smitten? I saw the way you were looking at her.”

Audrey knew she was blushing, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. She took another sip of her drink instead. “She’s a great actress. That’s all.”

Lisa laughed softly. “Sure, okay. But seriously, Piper Emerson is gorgeous. You can’t deny that.”

Audrey thought back to the moment on the ladder, the intensity in Piper’s blue eyes. Gorgeous didn’t even begin to cover it. “No, I can’t deny that,” she admitted.

Lisa’s expression turned thoughtful. “I know someone that kind of reminds me of her almost. An older version of course.”

“No.” Audrey cut Lisa off before she could even say it. “No setups. Please. I’m not interested.”

Audrey’s tone was firm, but Lisa’s expression remained undeterred. “Come on, Audrey. You can’t avoid dating forever. It’s been years since your divorce. Don’t you think it’s time to put yourself out there again?”

Audrey sighed, running a hand through her wavy black hair. “It’s not about avoiding dating, Lisa. I just don’t want to be set up. I want... I want something organic. Something real.” Her mind flashed back to Piper, to the way their hands had brushed, to the electric charge that had passed between them. That had felt real. But now, knowing who Piper was, she wasn’t sure what to think.

Lisa reached out, placing a comforting hand on Audrey’s arm. “I get it. I do. But sometimes, a little nudge in the right direction can lead to something organic. Something real.” She paused, her eyes searching Audrey’s face. “You deserve happiness, Audrey. You deserve love.”

Audrey felt a lump form in her throat at Lisa’s words. She did want love. She wanted what she had once thought she had, before her marriage crumbled and left her picking up the pieces. But she was also terrified of opening herself up again, of risking that kind of pain.

“I know,” Audrey finally said, her voice soft. “And I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Lisa. Really, I do. But I need to do this at my own pace. I need to be ready.”

Lisa nodded, understanding in her eyes. “Okay. I won’t push. But promise me something?”

Audrey raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. “What’s that?”

“Promise me that when you are ready, you’ll give someone a chance.”

Audrey took a deep breath, considering Lisa’s words. It was a fair request, and she knew Lisa only had her best interests at heart. “I promise,” she said, her voice steady.

Lisa smiled, raising her glass. “To new beginnings, then. Whenever you’re ready for them.”

Audrey clinked her glass against Lisa’s. “To new beginnings,” she echoed, although her mind was still swirling with thoughts of Piper and the revelation of her true identity.

As Audrey and Lisa clinked glasses, a rumble of thunder echoed in the distance signaling the arrival of a storm that had been forecasted since yesterday morning. The bar’s atmosphere shifted subtly, the hum of conversation picking up as patrons watched a flash of lightning brighten the night sky.

Lisa glanced out the window. “That storm is coming in faster than they predicted. We should probably get going.”

Audrey nodded, finishing the last of her drink. “You’re right. You okay to drive?”

“Yeah. I feel fine.”

They settled the tab and quickly made their way outside. The air was thick with humidity, and the first heavy drops of rain began to fall as they hurried to Lisa’s car. By the time they got in, the rain was coming down in sheets, the sound of it pounding against the roof filling the silence.

Lisa started the car, the windshield wipers working furiously to clear the glass. “At least we don’t have far to go,” she said, leaning forward to peer through the downpour.

9

Chapter 9

The glow of a single lamp illuminated Piper’s corner of the living room as she sat curled up on the couch, an old diary of her grandmother’s open on her lap. She’d found it tucked at the bottom of a box during the renovations, the leather cover worn and soft with age. Unable to resist, she had settled in with a glass of wine, her phone left upstairs to charge while she lost herself in Lily’s words from decades past.

Outside, the summer storm that had been threatening all day finally rolled in. Rain pelted the windows in heavy sheets, and the occasional rumble of thunder echoed through the house. Piper barely noticed, too absorbed in the glimpse into her grandmother’s life.

Suddenly, an enormous clap of thunder shook the house, the accompanying lightning bolt so bright it flooded the room with a bright, white light for a split second. And then, darkness.

The power had gone out, plunging Piper into pitch black. Startled, she set the diary down, blinking as her eyes tried to adjust to the abrupt shift. She remembered seeing a flashlight in one of the drawers while sorting through Lily’s things and carefully made her way over, hands outstretched. But when she found it and clicked the switch, nothing happened. Dead batteries.

---