Page 68 of A Beach House Beginning

“Are you talking about Wes Calhoun? I heard from Lacey that her ex was living here.”

Jenna looked over at Erin Lawson, a yoga instructor who always recommended motivational self-improvement books when it was her turn to host book group.

“Yes. He lives in the third-floor apartment,” Jenna said, her tone guarded. “Do you know him?”

“Not personally, no.” Erin looked at the house. “My friend Jewel is friends with Lacey and she told her about him. I just think you’re really brave to live in this big house alone with an ex-con, especially with the Andersons still out of town.”

Jenna frowned. “Wes is an excellent neighbor. And he was cleared of all charges.”

Erin shrugged. “Innocent or not. Prison changes people. My sister’s husband went away for a white-collar thing. He spent a year inside and came out a completely different man. And not in a good way, either. I just don’t know if I could do it. I admire you.”

Jenna had to bite down a sharp retort. First, she was the least brave woman she knew. Second, she had absolutely no reason to be afraid of Wes.

He would never hurt her. He would rather go back to prison than do that. She suddenly knew that with absolute conviction.

How horrible for him, that some people would always judge him for circumstances completely beyond his control.

She opened her mouth to say as much, but Erin had turned away to talk to someone else and the conversation turned away from Wes, much to her relief.

She tried to focus on the conversation and her friends instead of Wes, though she noted she was not the only woman who watched him when he came out of the house sometime later, started up his bike and rode off into the evening sun.

Chapter Sixteen

“That was a terrific book group,” Kim said as she carried the last of the folding chairs back to the shed.

“It was fun, wasn’t it?” Jenna said, smothering a yawn.

“And the best part is, we don’t have to host it again for a whole year.”

She smiled. “At least we made it through the book discussion before the storm hit.”

“Barely.” Kim gestured out to sea, where dark clouds gathered. Lightning arced over the water and she could hear the distant answering thunder.

“I’d better get home. Thanks for hosting. This was a lovely spot for the party.”

Her friend hugged her and hurried to her car as the first few drops of rain hit.

Jenna carried the last few serving dishes into the house, worried about Wes. She had seen him leave the house and ride away on his bike during the first hour of the party and he had yet to return.

She hoped he wasn’t caught out in the rain. She had heard raindrops could feel like tiny bullets to a motorcyclist.

Her hand throbbed as she made her way up the stairs to her apartment. She needed some ibuprofen and her bed.

She pushed open the door to her quiet apartment. Bella had left a half hour ago with Logan and Rosa, leaving Addie fast asleep in her bed. Jenna had checked on her fifteen minutes earlier when she had carried a load of items upstairs.

She spotted the empty crate as soon as she walked into the kitchen. Oh shoot. On that earlier trip up to the apartment, she had taken Theo back down with her to let him out for the night one last time and then got so busy talking with Kim and cleaning up the final debris from the party that she completely forgot him in the small fenced dog yard.

She made her way back down the stairs and out the back porch.

“Theo? Come on, bud.”

She waited for the puppy to come bounding over to her. When he didn’t, she frowned. “Theo? Come.”

Still nothing.

The storm was moving closer, she saw. A flash of lightning illuminated the yard, revealing no sign of the dog.

She moved down the steps. Where could he be?

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