He jerked his chin in her direction. “Who’s that?”

“Must be Faith Armstrong.” Jake shrugged.” Ginny’s private tutor. She’s supposed to be getting in from Charlotte today.”

Ginny being Mia’s sister. He hadn’t seen them since his teen years. He was pretty sure Ginny was still in diapers then. “I remember Ginny being quite a handful.”

Jake nodded. “She’s mellowed a lot. Mia’s great with her.”

He remembered that, too.

A teenage girl came bounding off the porch next door and jumped into the woman’s embrace, nearly toppling them both to the ground. His lips curved listening to Ginny’s laugher. Kid had a great laugh. Cole and Mia watched from the doorway. Their voices mingled with the roar of the tide, and he couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“You’ll get to see them tomorrow,” Lacey said. “We’re going over there for lunch, if you’re up to it.”

“I’m up to it.”

She nodded. “We should get you settled into the guesthouse so you can write your next masterpiece.”

Alec kept his sarcastic comment to himself and grabbed his bags from the trunk. The guesthouse was on the south side of the property, nestled between several pine and palm trees. Close enough to the big house for access, but far enough to offer privacy. Inside, the kitchen and living room were separated by an island. White wainscoting lined the walls below a chair rail, and the space above was painted navy. Several seascape paintings and white leather furniture served as accents.

“The bedroom and bath are through there.” Jake pointed down a short hall. “There’s a desk in the bedroom. You can move it wherever you want.”

Alec nodded and glanced out the sliding glass door off the kitchen. The private beach was devoid of people. The waves left a white foam as they pounded the sand and retreated, and the sky began to darken with dusk, taking with it some of the heavy humidity. He had forgotten how beautiful Wilmington was at sunset.

If he couldn’t write here, he may as well find a new vocation.

“Is everything okay?” Lacey’s voice held a worried note. “Do you need anything?”

He forced a smile and turned from the view. “Nope. This is perfect. Thanks for the invitation.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “You just come up to the house if you need something. We stocked the fridge and cabinets. Well, Jake did. He knew what food you preferred—”

Alec grinned. “Thank you, Lacey. I’m good. I’m pretty easy to please, actually.”

Jake snorted. “Come on, honey. Let’s leave my brother to his brilliance.”

After they’d gone, Alec stepped out onto the back deck and braced his forearms on the railing. He breathed in salty air as some of the stress left his body. A soft, humid breeze blew in off the ocean, cooling his skin. He closed his eyes to listen to the surf and the gulls squawking as they skimmed the water, searching for fish.

It had been a long, long time since he’d felt this relaxed. Now all he needed to do was channel that semblance of peace and get a story down.

When he opened his eyes, the newcomer from next door was standing in the surf on the other side of Cole’s property. Dark had descended at a leisurely pace, just like everything else on the southern coast, but there was enough moonlight to make out her profile. She stood motionless, facing the ocean with her arms crossed in front of her, so still she could’ve been made of marble.

Curious, he descended the deck stairs to the beach and hiked in her direction. If she heard him coming, she gave no indication. Not wanting to startle her, he cleared his throat when he got close enough for her to hear him over the waves.

She turned abruptly and must’ve forgotten her feet were buried in the sand because she had to throw out her arms to steady herself. “I’m sorry, I was just . . .” She pointed to the vast expanse of ocean as she righted herself.

It was too dim to make out much of her features, but from what Alec could gather, he never would’ve noticed her in a crowd had they met anywhere else. Plain wasn’t the best term to describe her, but it was adequate. Something about her voice knocked him back a step, though. It barely rose above the tide and had a musical quality.

She must’ve taken his silence for something dire, because she wouldn’t look him in the eye. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. I’ll just head back—”

“You’re not. Disturbing me, I mean.” He took a half step forward to see her better, but he wound up disappointed because it was too dark. “Besides, the ocean belongs to no one. You’re free to walk here regardless of who finds you disturbing.”

She didn’t seem to locate the humor in his remark as he’d intended. She rubbed her arms, despite the late evening heat, and turned toward the house as if undecided as to what to do next.

“I’m Alec, by the way. Jake’s brother.”

“Oh. Yes, of course. Mia said you were coming.”

God, that voice. Like a mermaid call, a singsong lilt from underwater. Fascinating.

Her frame was slender to the point of breakable. The hem of her jeans was rolled to her calves, baring a flash of pale skin. No polish on the toes. Pity. He had a thing for that. A plain white tee covered most of her torso and was too baggy to determine if she had any curves. His gaze traveled up. Her neck was long, regal almost, adorned with a thin chain that disappeared underneath her shirt. Best he could tell, she had a triangular-shaped face and pointed chin. Her eye color remained a mystery.

“And you’re Faith, correct? The therapist.”

“Er, yes. I’m a special needs teacher, but I have a degree in occupational therapy, too.”

He nodded, hoping she’d keep talking. He was getting all kinds of ideas flitting through his mind about a character for his book just from her voice alone. Each time she stopped talking, the ideas drifted away. Which was interesting, because didn’t all women talk? A lot? Not her. Maybe she was nervous, given his celebrity. How he hated that.

Just as he was about to encourage more, she pointed to the house. “I should get back inside. It’s getting late.”

It was barely nine.

She walked away, and Alec watched until she disappeared behind the dunes. Not even a good-bye, or see you later, or nice to meet you. He shook his head and walked back the way he’d come.

*   *   *

Faith closed the back door to the Covington guesthouse and leaned against it. Exhaustion and nerves warred through her body and she fought to rein them in. She wasn’t used to all this attention, and today she’d received a lot. Well, since arriving in Wilmington, anyway.

She thought she’d be uncomfortable meeting Cole Covington for the first time, but he was an unusual mix of genuine and nice. Faith allowed herself to relax in his company after a few minutes. Not so with Alec. Perhaps because he’d snuck up on her in the dark. She’d picked a time without anyone else on the beach to go out and take in her first real glimpse of the ocean. Even the air was different. Lighter, and scented with an odd mix of fresh fish and brine. The water lapping at her feet was cool and hypnotizing. She’d been so wrapped up in a mix of emotions, she hadn’t realized she wasn’t alone.

What he must think of her. Then again, he probably wasn’t thinking of her at all. Why would he?

His fame didn’t faze her and hadn’t been what had brought on a sudden flare of nerves. Authors, even ones as big as Alec Winston, were just people like the rest of them. Flesh and blood and souls in want of something. No, it was the way he’d stared at her, like he was picking apart her brain. A puzzle to fit together. In all her years, no one had ever wanted to know what made her tick, and in two minutes he gave her the impression he desired nothing more.

Maybe it was a writer thing.

She focused on why she was here, bringing Ginny to mind and smiling. Ginny had been happy to see her. She couldn’t remember the last time that had happened either.