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When she finally headed out for her walk to explore the area in the opposite direction of the resort, she was still mulling everything over.
All night long she’d told herself to nix the idea of Quinn Rockwell. So what if he kissed like a dream? So what if she couldn't stop imagining what his kisses—and his big, strong hands—would feel like roving over her naked skin? She'd tried to convince herself that she'd eventually get over the need that continued to torture her. But now this bouquet had her wondering yet again—was the lighthearted, fun-loving guy she’d spent the afternoon with really all about business? Or did he just need a little reminding about how much beauty and adventure there was outside of the boardroom to reclaim that part of himself? And a lesson in manners, too?
And even if he did, was she up for taking that kind of a risk on him...especially if he really did only want a fling?
Shelley heaved out a huge breath, feeling like she was getting way ahead of herself. After all, while the flowers were lovely, they weren’t an apology. And while finding them waiting for her this morning did help assuage a little of her hurt, the way Quinn had behaved last night still stung. Stung a lot, actually.
She passed a couple on the beach in front of the resort and then a family with two small children busy filling buckets with sand. Walking down the sandy beach made her think of her aunt and the mornings they’d spent searching for sea glass. What would her aunt Marla make of Quinn? Shelley wondered.
Just then a For Rent sign at the top of the dunes caught her attention. She shielded her eyes from the sun, and the cute cottage at the top of the hill called to her. She’d received a text from Sierra, and they’d made plans to meet later that afternoon to discuss the possibility of bringing a specialty café to the island.
Shelley had been toying with ideas ever since. There was nothing tying her to Maryland. She loved her house on the creek, but wouldn’t she enjoy living on the island even more? She could even keep the creek house as a getaway if she wanted to. Plus, Taryn lived in Philadelphia, so either way she had to travel to see her closest friend, and wouldn’t Taryn love visiting her here?
Gus had loved the café and what it stood for—friendships made on a daily basis and doing something he enjoyed—and she was positive he would have understood moving it to someplace as heavenly as Rockwell Island.
Why not work where she could wake up and see the beautiful bay every morning? There was plenty of residential and tourist traffic; she’d seen that for herself. Surely she could sustain a business here as easily as she did in Maryland, or maybe even more so with the resort nearby.
A little out of breath from climbing the dune, she looked around the yard of the cottage. With a little love, the untended gardens could be gorgeous. The house was a typical, moderate-sized Cape-style cottage with dormers out front and a two-story deck out back. She peered in the French doors off the deck, getting more excited by the second. Hardwood floors met white walls and stained wood trim. Furniture was draped beneath tarps, and based on the dust on the windows, she guessed the house hadn’t been lived in for at least a few seasons.
She could so easily see herself having coffee right here in the mornings. Taking strolls on the beach, maybe inviting Sierra over for a girls’ night. Shelley craved a girlfriend who would enjoy sharing a fruity drink and sitting outside talking about frivolous things, or watching a chick flick and eating pizza in sweatpants and tank tops. Heck, since Taryn was self-employed, maybe she could convince her to move here, too.
Okay, Shelley, now you’re just getting ahead of yourself again.
Of course, she usually liked getting ahead of herself. Still, she was prudent enough to force herself to also go over the cons of moving her business to the island. Her parents would loathe this idea, but then again, didn’t they loathe nearly all of her ideas? And yes, she’d be starting all over with making a name for herself in a new area, but to Shelley that was part of the adventure. She would also have to hire new staff and find local suppliers. But, again, meeting new people was hardly an inconvenience.
She looked inside the windows of the empty cottage again, and for a few moments she couldn’t stop herself from imagining sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace with Quinn. He’d be looking over documents, but when he saw her smiling at him, he wouldn’t be able to resist tossing his work aside, picking her up with a sexy growl, and carrying her into the bedr—
