Page 72 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

The cashier shook his head. Then his gaze flicked to the couple approaching the conveyor belt. “No. We stay pretty busy here. I gotta work now.”

Dallas pulled a chocolate bar and Skylar’s favorite candies from the counter as if to give them a reason for being there, then nodded to the chip bags while the cashier scanned the candies. “Any of these you like?”

The teen pointed at an orange bag with flames drawn on it. “These ones. But I still didn’t see his car.” He quirked an eyebrow that had a ring in it, too.

“It’s fine.” Dallas paid for a couple of bags of chips and gave them to the cashier. “Your information was very useful. Thank you so much.”

They retreated to the parking lot. As they took off, he adjusted the rearview mirror, likely keeping watch for a tail. “Barrett sent more information about Wyatt. It doesn’t look like the guy stayed in any local hotels or the inn.”

“He could’ve rented a cottage.” She spoke with even less conviction than she felt.

“Or maybe he was just passing through to meet with Earl?”

She was afraid of that. Her fingers wrapped around the cold door handle. “Anything else your brother said?”

“Yes. I’ll email it to you. But the short version is, he talked to one of Wyatt’s former employers. A small business owner. He didn’t provide any details, but my brother had an impression that, when Wyatt left the company, it wasn’t because he wanted to. But the business owner had no proof of wrongdoing to take to the police. My brother is reaching out to any other employers of Wyatt he can find. He’ll keep us posted.”

“Interesting.” It fit with what she’d learned already. Then she glanced around. “Where are we going now?”

“To our cove. Remember? If you don’t mind interrupting the investigation for a bit?” His expression turned eager and a bit inquisitive.

Nostalgia unraveled inside her, and she repeated his words to him. “I do remember. Everything.” Guilt at pausing the search even for a few minutes stung her. But she’d hurt him so much already. How could she refuse his kind gesture?

His expression softened.

As he pulled up to the beach, she called Hart again, but the call went to voicemail for the second time. Then the second text from Auntie made Skylar narrow her eyes. “Nobody at Auntie’s friend’s restaurant has seen the guy, either,” she said out loud.

“He could’ve left a long time ago.”

“Or he could’ve worn that cap and glasses there.” Premonition squeezed her heart. “There are some things that don’t add up.” But what she suspected was too scary to voice.

Wistfulness swelled her chest as minutes later they walked to the small cove hidden so well tourists still hadn’t found it—which was a miracle, indeed.

Inside, it was slightly cooler and damper, but the tablecloth spread on the ground attracted her attention. It had bottles with lemonade and a cooler beside a stack of plates.

“I know it’s rather simple, but...”

“I love it.” She flung her arms around him before she could stop herself. She could tell herself all she wanted that she was no longer impulsive, that she was over him. But deep inside, she knew the truth. She didn’t change as much as she’d tried to. And she was falling in love with him all over again.

He gaped. Then he lifted her and whirled around, filling her with fresh memories. Every cell in her body tingled with delight, and her laughter joined his.

“I love to hear you laugh again.” He placed her on the ground, then touched the pins in her hair. “May I?”

She nodded as if it were a dream and she might spook it and wake up if she talked.

He removed the bobby pins, and her hair swished onto her shoulders. It was weird, but he didn’t just set her hair free but also something inside her.

He slid his fingers through her hair. “I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long.”

She blinked. “Really? That simple?”

“That simple.” His lips brushed over her cheek, sending delicious ripples through her. “We humans often overcomplicate things.”

But there were still secrets between them. There was hurt she’d inflicted on him. There was danger hanging over her head.

She didn’t want to remember all that, but she had to. She found an easy distraction as she gestured to the tablecloth. “Let’s eat before ants get to it. I’m surprised they haven’t already.”

“I asked Kai to put the things here right before we arrived.” He threw his jacket on the ground for her to sit on.

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