Page 127 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

Once again, his stubbornness had been his undoing—and he had pushed away the woman he cherished more than anyone else in this world.

His heart thumped as he bolted through the back door. “Everleigh?” he called. “Everleigh? Are you here?”

He checked the den, study, and kitchen before rushing into Alana’s suite. “Everleigh!” he called. “Everleigh?”

He slipped through the door, and his hope took a nosedive when he found the den area bare—no framed photos on the windowsills, no books on the shelves, no shoes strewn about. The bedroom was empty too.

I’m too late.

He dropped down onto the edge of the bed, which groaned under his weight. Melancholy, regret, and frustration swamped him. Hiseyes scanned the room and found a few pieces of paper sitting on the floor beside the dresser. He grabbed them and started to read.

When he realized it was a letter addressed to Everleigh from Alana, he stopped. This was personal, and he felt like a snoop, but then another thought hit him: Maybe Everleigh had dropped it there on purpose. It was the only item she’d left in the room. Maybe she’dwantedhim to find it.

Curiosity forced him to read on.

When he came to the end of the letter, his eyes were brimming with tears.

Suddenly, the last conversation he’d had with Alana echoed in his mind:

“Promise me you’ll find your sunshine. Don’t keep your heart closed forever.”

He stilled, and understanding flowed through him. Alana was trying to tell him that Everleighwashis sunshine.

Wise, wonderful Alana had hoped to set him up with Everleigh. She’d wanted them to meet and fall in love. That was her grand plan all along.

And he had. He had fallen head over heels in love with sweet and beautiful Everleigh. Memories of their times together played through his mind like a movie—laughing at her cooking, disagreeing over painting the sunroom, watching her dance in the bookstore, helping her wade back into the ocean, sharing his deepest secrets with her, holding her the night of the storm.

Alana was right—theydidbelong together. He closed his eyes and smiled. “Thank you, Alana,” he whispered.

Pulling his phone from the pocket of his jeans, he dialed Everleigh’s number.

Chapter 30

Cade paced around the bedroom while the phone line rang. “Answer!” he grumbled. “Answer!”

After what seemed like an eternity, Everleigh picked up, and road noise sounded over the line. “Cade?”

Finally!He stared up at the ceiling, and relief twined through him. “Hey.”

“Did you butt-dial me?” she asked.

He let the jab go. “Where are you?” He folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket before he hustled out of the inn toward his garage.

“Uh, I’mdriving. I’m headed to Atlanta.”

“No kidding,” he quipped as he half trotted, half speed-walked down the driveway. “Whereare you exactly?”

The hum of her car filled the line. Had the call dropped? But he wouldn’t have heard the road noise if the call had disconnected, and the screen still displayed her name.

Had something happened to her?

Renewed adrenaline barreled through his veins.

“Everleigh?” he asked, panic filling him. “You still there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” she finally said. Then more silence. “Why do you care where I am, Cade?” Her words were measured.

He ground his teeth together as he punched in the garage code. The door hummed on its way up, and Bryant appeared at his feet. “Because I’m coming after you.”

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