Page 14 of Beginnings By the Sea

She nodded solemnly before Jensen lifted his glass of champagne with enthusiastic cheers. We all tossed back our drinks, and Cohen grinned at me over the rim of his glass.

“Question,” I announced suddenly, shifting my attention between Jensen and Everleigh. “If I’m the godmother, who do you have in mind for a godfather?”

Everleigh shrugged with an amused smile and gestured toward me. “We trust that whoever you decide to spend the rest of your life with will make a great guardian for our son.”

Seth couldn’t contain his amusement as he looked over at me. “Hey, maybe you’ll find Mr. Right at the Date with a Doctor auction.” He winked over at Cohen. “You might have some competition coming up, buddy.”

A groan escaped my lips and Cohen looked over at me with his eyebrows raised, clearly amused. “What is this Date with a Doctor auction?”

I nodded over at Everleigh. “It was her idea and I only agreed to go along with it if I got to pick the charities the money would go to.”

Everleigh waved a hand in the air to get Cohen’s attention. “It’s for the Spring Fling next month,” she explained. “It’s a huge event. All the vendors usually have a giveaway at their tables to draw people in.” She draped an arm over my shoulders. “And what better way to showcase our practice than to show off my beautiful partner.”

I rolled my eyes and laughed, hoping my cheeks weren’t flaming red with embarrassment. “It’s just an ice cream date. Anyone can enter, including kids. It’s not exactly a date,” I emphasized.

Cohen chuckled and leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. “I have to share you already? It looks like I’ll just have to enter and make sure I win.”

By the grin playing at the corner of Everleigh’s lips, I knew she’d heard what he said. “And how do you plan on winning?” I asked him.

Cohen shrugged, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Don’t you worry about that. I have my ways.”

7

NYLA

We finished eating and I had a great time; my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Cohen smiled, laughed, and joked with everyone throughout the night as if he’d been part of the group for years. Trisha shouted her goodbyes, getting into Seth’s hulking SUV, and Michelle and Grady waved before they departed in their truck. Everleigh gave me and Cohen one last friendly wave before she and Jensen drove away in her small CRV.

Now we were alone at the far end of the parking lot, surrounded by people strolling the streets, enjoying the ocean air. The faint sound of crashing waves echoed through the starry night sky.

Cohen leaned against his car and playfully pulled me toward him. “I had a good time tonight. Do you think your friends truly liked me?” he asked with a humored grin dancing across his lips.

I chuckled. “Of course they did,” I replied warmly, “But I think they’re looking forward to watching you try to surf soon.” I pushed my lip out in mock concern. “There might even be a bet on how terrible you do.”

His laugh filled the air around us and he shook his head lightly. “Let me guess, Seth started that one?”

I nodded with an amused grin on my face. “Yep. He enjoys giving people a hard time—something about two hundred dollars if you fail every time?”

His laughter boomed again as he placed both arms around my waist. “I might have to get Freddy to give me some lessons then. I can’t let Seth win.”

I smirked teasingly at him. “You will never hear the end of it if he does.”

Cohen smiled, his gaze dropping to my lips before meeting my eyes again. “So . . . do you think I can see you again tomorrow night?”

Playfully, I pursed my lips. “That will be our third night in a row.”

He shrugged. “Is that so bad? If you want, I can claim a fourth and a fifth. Honestly, I like seeing you every day.”

Before I could answer, a gust of wind blew a strand of hair across my eyes, and I swiped it away. But then, a man across the street about to turn a corner caught my attention. My heart stopped and I did a double take, but he was gone before I could get a good look.

Cohen released me from his hold and stepped back, his brows creased with worry. “Nyla, what’s wrong?” He asked, clasping my chin.

My chest tightened and it took a second for me to snap back to reality. It couldn’t have been him. Miles. My ex-husband. The familiar electricity I’d always had when he was around coursed through my body. Swallowing hard, I felt dizzy as a result of how hard my heart was pounding. I stared at the corner where the man had disappeared. He had the same dirty blond hair as Miles, and his body had the same muscular physique that I’d always been attracted to. There were days I couldn’t get enough of him. I’d longed to feel that kind of passion with someone again.

“Nyla,” Cohen called out, stepping into my line of sight. He scanned the area quickly before focusing on me again. “What did you see?”

“Nothing,” I blurted, shaking my head incredulously. “I think I just had a blank moment.” Lifting on my toes, I kissed him, trying my best not to let my insecurities spoil the evening. I couldn’t exactly tell him that I thought I just saw my ex-husband.

Cohen deepened the kiss, and even though it was nice, all I wanted to do was get in my car and drive through the town. I had to know if it was Miles or if my mind was playing tricks on me. And if it was my mind, I feared what that meant. Cohen searched my eyes, and I forced a smile.

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