Page 3 of When Summer Returns

“Jessie,” he managed past the sudden tightness in his throat. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

One corner of her mouth lifted in a sardonic smile. “More likely you just hoped I wouldn’t show up.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Though perhaps it’s better this way. You can sign the papers selling your half of the bar to me, and then return to wherever you came from.”

The challenging glint in her eyes made his chest tighten, his deep blue gaze meeting her green one with equal intensity. He moved behind the bar as if preparing for a normal day’s business.

“My father’s dead,” she said simply.

“I remember. I attended his funeral. Where were you?” Luke found no satisfaction in how the color drained from her cheeks or the haunted expression that crossed her face—a look he remembered from their childhood.

“I’m here now.” Her voice carried the chill of January waters. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“Don’t waste your lies on me,” he said, wondering if today might finally be the day he poured that drink he’d only contemplated until now. “You couldn’t wait to get off this island fast enough. Why would you want to tie yourself to it now?”

“I left you a note explaining everything,” she said, her voice tightening. “I didn’t just vanish.”

“A note?” His expression darkened. “Is that what you tell yourself to feel better?”

“My reasons for returning aren’t your concern. Just know that I’m here now, and I’m claiming what rightfully belongs to me.”

Ridiculous legends and foolish wishes.His jaw clenched until it ached. He pulled a white apron from beneath the bar and tossed it at her feet, shame flickering through him as she reached for it and missed. But he couldn’t back down now. She’d taken everything he’d ever offered. He refused to surrender his livelihood as well.

“Welcome home, partner,” he said, making no effort to disguise the tension in his voice. “I suppose we’ll discover just how determined you are to stay when you’re serving drinks and cleaning up messes twelve hours a day.”

The approaching storm chose that moment to announce itself with a tremendous crack of thunder that shook the foundations of Seeker’s Paradise. Neither of them flinched, too focused on weathering the tempest brewing between them.

CHAPTERTWO

Jessie’s hearthammered against her ribs as she stood facing Luke across the expanse of polished mahogany that couldn’t possibly provide enough distance between them. The apron he’d tossed lay at her feet like a gauntlet, and she had no intention of picking it up. Not yet.

She’d rehearsed this moment countless times during the long ferry ride to Seeker’s Island, but imagination hadn’t prepared her for the reality of Luke Mallory. The years had been generous to him. He’d grown from a handsome boy into a striking man, all lean muscle and quiet strength. The new scar across one eyebrow only enhanced the effect, giving him a dangerous edge that hadn’t existed in the boy she’d loved.

Those piercing blue eyes hadn’t changed, though. They still saw too much.

Jessie straightened her spine, grateful for the lessons in composure Aunt June had drilled into her.Never let them see you flinch.The mantra had served her well in courtrooms and boardrooms across the Southeast. She could handle one stubborn island bar owner, even if he was the only man who’d ever made her question her choices.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the bar’s interior in stark relief. Seeker’s Paradise was exactly as her father had described in the single letter he’d sent her three years ago—the one she’d almost thrown away unopened. Open to the elements on most sides, the structure resembled an enormous tiki hut, albeit one constructed with skilled craftsmanship. Substantial bamboo beams supported a thatched roof that somehow looked both rustic and elegant. The square bar dominated the center of the space, with tables arranged strategically to maximize both privacy and views of the ocean.

It was, she had to admit, impressive. Far more sophisticated than the ramshackle refreshment stand that had occupied this spot during her youth.

The silence between them stretched taut as piano wire. She watched Luke secure another screen against the increasingly violent storm, his movements efficient and practiced. The muscles in his bare back flexed with each motion, revealing how he’d filled out since she’d last seen him—broader across the shoulders, leaner at the waist. The boy had become a man while she wasn’t looking, his skin tanned from hours under the island sun.

She swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat.

“It’s a beautiful place,” she finally said, neutrality her safest option. “You’ve done well for yourself.”

Luke’s laugh held no humor. “Don’t sound so surprised.”

“I’m not.” She moved toward the nearest window, watching sheets of rain sweep across the beach. “You always knew what you wanted. And you were never afraid to go after it.”

Unlike her. She’d been terrified for as long as she could remember.

“What I wanted?” His voice roughened. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

Jessie turned back toward him, grateful for the flare of temper that pushed aside her unwelcome attraction. Anger was safer than whatever else simmered beneath the surface.

“I had my reasons for leaving,” she said carefully.

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