Page 47 of A Fall to Remember

She should be pleased. Her social strategy was working. This was good. This was what she wanted. Then why did she feel like she’d been punched in the gut?

She blew out a breath and grabbed her things. Jim was still hanging around, too. She hurried over to him. “So, how was the rest of the night?”

“Fine. Good.” He sounded flustered as he scanned the dark grounds like he was lost.

“Where’s Miranda?” She looked behind them. The moon had risen, casting flickering shadows of light across the fields, table, and dance floor.

“Elise and Pete are giving her a ride home,” Jim said with a touch of heaviness in his tone.

“Not Pete, he left with Lacy.” Shelby pointed toward the entrance.

“Really? Did they hit it off?”

“It sounds like it. She wants to be involved tomorrow. I haven’t had a chance to post anything or check out her social, but she said her followers are loving him.”

“I bet they are,” Jim said, his voice thick with emotion. “The Brown family is something special, aren’t they? Pete takes after his mom, so I’m not at all surprised to hear that he’s quickly garnering a similar following. Good work.”

“Yeah.” Shelby hoped she sounded normal. “I’ll queue up some posts tonight. I want to hit the beach first thing in the morning to get some B-roll. Pete said it’s never crowded as long as you go early. What about you? Where did you leave things with Miranda?”

He clasped his hands together and sighed. “We didn’t, exactly.”

“What does that mean?” She scowled, picking up on his energy. Had he done something to offend Miranda?

“Nothing.” Jim tried to sound breezy, but Shelby immediately sensed that something was wrong.

“Did something happen?”

“What? Who? Me?” Jim picked up his gift basket. “Nope. I’ll head to the Green Grocer first thing and map out a plan for day two. Our time in Half Moon Bay is flying by. We’ll be back in Seattle before you know it.”

“Right.” Shelby nodded. If Jim had said that when they first arrived, she probably would have been relieved, but now, being in Half Moon Bay, her pulse had slowed down, her body felt lighter, and some of the tension she’d been holding for the last few months had floated away. The sea air was doing her good. Suddenly, the thought of returning to soggy Seattle and the problems waiting for her at home didn’t sound very appealing.

37

MIRANDA

Miranda woke the next morning to a soft knock on her door. She rolled over to check her bedside clock.

Seven a.m.

Who knocks at seven?

Pete?

She sat up taller and massaged her temples. She’d never had a chance to speak with him last night. He’d left with Lacy before she could catch up to him.

“Coming,” she called, reaching for her robe. It was a Scotch flannel with a cozy soft fleece interior. She tied it tight and put on her matching green slippers before padding to the front. There was no one at the door. She peered out the framed glass window only to see the rising sun kissing the top of the trees on her street.

Odd.

Had she dreamt the knock?

She had been awake much of the night, her thoughts consumed with the kiss and Jim. Maybe she had dozed off and not realized she was dreaming.

She was about to head to the kitchen and brew a pot of coffee when she noticed something on her porch.

Were those flowers?

She opened the door a crack.