Page 146 of Hope & Harmony

His words felt like a punch to the chest. Heat rose to her cheeks. “Someone like me?”

“Yeah, someone like you. A pretty girl with an innocent smile who thinks there’s a lot more good in the world than bad.”

She nodded slowly. “You may be right. Maybe I’ve just been lucky so far.”

“You’re a long way from California.”

“If I can sing my way there, I suppose it was meant to be. If not…” She didn’t want to think about the alternatives right now. Settling down with a regular job, living paycheck to paycheck, and giving up on her dreams wasn’t something she was ready to entertain yet.

“Don’t get me wrong, you can sing.” Porter paused, rubbing his fingers across his lips. “There’s actually an open mic at Marty’s down the street tomorrow night. You should come.”

Cora smiled. For this earlier coldness, Porter was quickly revealing a softer side. A side that genuinely worried about a stranger’s safety. A side that wanted to maybe spend a little more time with her? “Thanks. I love the stage, but I need a real gig. I can’t afford to stay that long if I can’t make a little money, too.”

“You ever wait tables?”

She laughed. “Of course.”

“Then let me talk to Marty. He’s always short-staffed on open mic night. Run some drinks for him, and you can still perform. You never know… Maybe you’ll land a real gig once people hear you sing. Never know who’ll be in the audience. A couple of places around here do live shows from time to time.”

Cora lifted a brow. “Yeah?”

He held out his phone. “Here, put your number in. I’ll text you after I talk to Marty.”

“I’m Cora, by the way.” Cora punched her name and number into his phone and handed it back to him.

“Cora Clark.” He studied the screen with a little smile, his fingers moving over the keys. “I’m Baron Porter.”

Her phone dinged with a smiley face from an unknown number. She responded with a wave emoji. “Your reputation precedes you, Baron. I’ve already heard you’re the hero this sleepy little town needs.”

His cheeks colored, like he was uncomfortable with the praise. “Maybe,” he muttered. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

She waved goodbye and stepped out onto the streets that had warmed a little with the afternoon sunshine. Her day had taken some unexpected turns, no doubt. So many pieces of her journey so far had. On the surface, Cape Haven didn’t seem like it was brimming with potential for someone like her. But Porter seemed to have the respect of a lot of people here, so maybe staying one more night was worth a shot.

CHAPTER 3

BARON

Baron had no business getting involved in this girl’s foolish journey across the country. Cora wasn’t looking to be saved, but she’d welcomed his help when he had offered it. Hell, she had two thousand more miles to cover. Then what? Not like crossing the border into California had ever made someone’s dreams come true. Who knew what troubles lay ahead for her.

And what was Baron doing but delaying the inevitable? He’d all but told her to get out of town the minute he saw her. Now, he was giving her reasons to stay. Making arrangements so that she could afford to.

After a quick exchange with Marty confirmed that he would indeed be short-staffed tomorrow, Baron texted the details to Cora and returned to the pile of work that was waiting for him at the office.

The next morning, he woke early with the sunrise. He didn’t need coffee to set his brain whirling through the events of the previous day and all he had in front of him. He was wired that way. Focused on the task at hand always, like too much idleness might break the spell of his success. Most of Baron’s life was about forward motion, creating momentum, and identifying the problems in a plan before they could compromise his work.

He stepped out onto the sand in front of his house and started on his morning run. The beach was empty save a couple locals who had the same early routine as he did. Baron should have been thinking about blueprints and meetings and choosing the best of three quotes for a new roof, but he kept drifting to Cora.

The two of them could not be more different. She was open and trusting—tootrusting, in fact. He didn’t usually have that problem. Something about her goodness and inherent kindness fascinated him, though, until all he could think about was seeing her again at Marty’s tonight. He wanted to hear her sing again, and hell, if he wasn’t thinking about ways to help her stay longer.

Fried seafood baskets and beach gear stores wouldn’t be enough to make Cape Haven what he wanted it to be, ultimately. The town needed art and culture and more talented, free-spirited people like Cora to give it texture and soul. Maybe she could be a part of that and save herself weeks of tribulation getting to California, where too many dreams went to die.

He slowed his run at the beach access pier that led back to the main road. He took his shoes off to feel the sand and the too-cold waters of the Gulf lapping the shore. He wasn’t a spiritual person, but he subscribed to the grounding medicine of the ocean. This was usually the most peaceful part of his day, when he felt most like himself, and every morning was a reminder of why he’d chosen this place to be home.

After a few minutes, he scaled the wooden steps and was rinsing off the sand at the outdoor showers when he heard a beautiful sound—a woman singing. He knew that voice already like a song he’d committed to memory. It was Cora. Singing her heart out. In the pier bathroom at six o’clock in the morning.

Baron followed the sound to the entrance of the restrooms, catching his breath from the run and this new concerningdiscovery. Cora wound down her song and was humming when he called out her name.

There was a moment of silence before she peaked her head around the cinder block barrier to see him standing in the doorway.

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