The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 1)

Sensing she might be feeling foolish for coming to him, Cooper cursed himself and reached out to touch her arm to halt her departure. “Thanks for telling me, though. I do appreciate it.”

When she lifted her gaze to his, he frowned. Something was missing from her expression. Something warm that had been there before was now gone. She gave him a tight smile. “I should go.”

Shit.

He’d fucked up. He must have sounded too harsh. “Doc, you obviously feel compassion for the woman.”

“You disagree with me, though.”

“Yeah, but compassion is not a turnoff.” He grinned.

Flirting with her didn’t work. She gave him another weak smile. “I really should go.”

Annoyed by her retreat but determined to prove to her he wasn’t some unforgiving asshole, Cooper touched her arm again. “I was hoping you’d be free Tuesday night to grab some dinner with me.”

Jessica gave him a pinched smile as she moved away from his touch. As she pulled open his office door she said, “I can’t. I have other plans.”

Before he could say anything to change her mind, the doc was gone.

And Cooper was confused as hell.

If Jessica Huntington hadn’t known Sarah Randall, why did she feel strongly enough to be pissed off at him for not . . . what exactly? He knew her crime wasn’t completely black-and-white, but still . . .

Yesterday Jess was interested in him. He could tell. She’d felt the connection that pulled at him.

Now she was retreating over a few letters written by a woman she didn’t even know.

What the hell was that all about?

EIGHT

Jessica

The sun spilled out over the water and the sand, transforming the boardwalk from a soothing gray to a vibrant scene. It also brought out dog walkers and sunbathers. High season hadn’t quite hit, but tourists were starting to appear.

I sat on the balcony outside my room staring out over the ocean. The sea breeze moved through my hair and I reveled in the peace.

Seriously . . . I’d had no idea how much I was missing a sense of serenity in my life. I’d never have absolute peace, yet I was soothed by the knowledge that few people ever would. But back in Wilmington I never had anything like these quiet moments, these little ocean drops of contentment. I honestly hadn’t even known it was a possibility for me. Maybe because I hadn’t been actively seeking it for fear I’d find something more ominous in the quiet.

After Cooper’s disappointing reaction to the revelations from Sarah’s letters I found myself enjoying the peace more than ever. His lack of compassion had cast a pall over my attachment to the boardwalk town and I wanted to be like the sun and blast the grayness out.

It was difficult and I couldn’t work out why. Why was I so disappointed and affected by his grim dismissal of Sarah’s complicated situation? I barely knew the man!

My phone rang, pulling me from my frustration. It was Fatima.

“Hey. Aren’t you supposed to be working?” I said in greeting as I wandered back into my room, closing the balcony doors behind me.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation? You sound depressed. What’s up with that?”

I made a face. I even sounded depressed? Well, that was just wrong. “I’m fine,” I chirped.

“That was so fake my teeth hurt.”

“Your teeth hurt?”

“Yeah. Like too much sugar in fake frosting.”

“Okay, strange lady, what can I do for you?”

“I was just checking in to see how the vacation was going, but I can tell it’s going well. Not.”

Sighing, I flopped down on the bed. “It was going well. I really like it here. It’s peaceful. Pretty. The people are nice.”

“So what happened?”

With another heavy sigh I found myself telling her about Cooper and his reaction to the letters.

Fatima huffed, “So her cousin’s son who never knew her doesn’t give a shit. Does that mean you let that ruin your whole vacation? Remember you’re there for you, not Sarah. So quit moping around and enjoy the fact that you’re not working in a place with too many bitches.”

“You know I hate that word.” I scowled.

“I know,” she said, amusement in her voice. “That’s why I said it.”

“Despite using that derogatory term,” I said, all uppity because I really did hate that word, “you’re right. I’m on vacation. I’m going to enjoy it. And that means getting off the phone with you so I can get dressed for the day.”

“Nice talking to you, too,” she said with no small amount of snark.

I grinned. “Are you and Derek well?”

“Yeah, Jess, we’re well. Now go va . . . cate? No, that isn’t right.”

I chuckled. “We’ll talk later. ’Bye.”

Once we’d ended the call, I threw my shoulders back with renewed determination. Fatima was right! I was on holiday. I needed to remember that, forget about Cooper, and enjoy the break away from the real world.

Bailey was nowhere to be seen at breakfast and a waitress named Natasha told me that it was the owner’s day off. I’d smiled. Good. I was glad my new friend had decided to take a day off after all.

I was going to spend the day walking around Hartwell and getting to know it better. Strolling out of the inn, I slipped on my sunglasses and enjoyed the gentle heat on my skin as I walked down the porch stairs. Hitting the bottom step, I smiled in surprise when I saw Bailey striding through the front gate toward me. ng she might be feeling foolish for coming to him, Cooper cursed himself and reached out to touch her arm to halt her departure. “Thanks for telling me, though. I do appreciate it.”

When she lifted her gaze to his, he frowned. Something was missing from her expression. Something warm that had been there before was now gone. She gave him a tight smile. “I should go.”

Shit.

He’d fucked up. He must have sounded too harsh. “Doc, you obviously feel compassion for the woman.”

“You disagree with me, though.”

“Yeah, but compassion is not a turnoff.” He grinned.

Flirting with her didn’t work. She gave him another weak smile. “I really should go.”

Annoyed by her retreat but determined to prove to her he wasn’t some unforgiving asshole, Cooper touched her arm again. “I was hoping you’d be free Tuesday night to grab some dinner with me.”

Jessica gave him a pinched smile as she moved away from his touch. As she pulled open his office door she said, “I can’t. I have other plans.”

Before he could say anything to change her mind, the doc was gone.

And Cooper was confused as hell.

If Jessica Huntington hadn’t known Sarah Randall, why did she feel strongly enough to be pissed off at him for not . . . what exactly? He knew her crime wasn’t completely black-and-white, but still . . .

Yesterday Jess was interested in him. He could tell. She’d felt the connection that pulled at him.

Now she was retreating over a few letters written by a woman she didn’t even know.

What the hell was that all about?

EIGHT

Jessica

The sun spilled out over the water and the sand, transforming the boardwalk from a soothing gray to a vibrant scene. It also brought out dog walkers and sunbathers. High season hadn’t quite hit, but tourists were starting to appear.

I sat on the balcony outside my room staring out over the ocean. The sea breeze moved through my hair and I reveled in the peace.

Seriously . . . I’d had no idea how much I was missing a sense of serenity in my life. I’d never have absolute peace, yet I was soothed by the knowledge that few people ever would. But back in Wilmington I never had anything like these quiet moments, these little ocean drops of contentment. I honestly hadn’t even known it was a possibility for me. Maybe because I hadn’t been actively seeking it for fear I’d find something more ominous in the quiet.

After Cooper’s disappointing reaction to the revelations from Sarah’s letters I found myself enjoying the peace more than ever. His lack of compassion had cast a pall over my attachment to the boardwalk town and I wanted to be like the sun and blast the grayness out.

It was difficult and I couldn’t work out why. Why was I so disappointed and affected by his grim dismissal of Sarah’s complicated situation? I barely knew the man!

My phone rang, pulling me from my frustration. It was Fatima.

“Hey. Aren’t you supposed to be working?” I said in greeting as I wandered back into my room, closing the balcony doors behind me.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation? You sound depressed. What’s up with that?”

I made a face. I even sounded depressed? Well, that was just wrong. “I’m fine,” I chirped.

“That was so fake my teeth hurt.”

“Your teeth hurt?”

“Yeah. Like too much sugar in fake frosting.”

“Okay, strange lady, what can I do for you?”

“I was just checking in to see how the vacation was going, but I can tell it’s going well. Not.”

Sighing, I flopped down on the bed. “It was going well. I really like it here. It’s peaceful. Pretty. The people are nice.”

“So what happened?”

With another heavy sigh I found myself telling her about Cooper and his reaction to the letters.

Fatima huffed, “So her cousin’s son who never knew her doesn’t give a shit. Does that mean you let that ruin your whole vacation? Remember you’re there for you, not Sarah. So quit moping around and enjoy the fact that you’re not working in a place with too many bitches.”

“You know I hate that word.” I scowled.

“I know,” she said, amusement in her voice. “That’s why I said it.”

“Despite using that derogatory term,” I said, all uppity because I really did hate that word, “you’re right. I’m on vacation. I’m going to enjoy it. And that means getting off the phone with you so I can get dressed for the day.”

“Nice talking to you, too,” she said with no small amount of snark.

I grinned. “Are you and Derek well?”

“Yeah, Jess, we’re well. Now go va . . . cate? No, that isn’t right.”

I chuckled. “We’ll talk later. ’Bye.”

Once we’d ended the call, I threw my shoulders back with renewed determination. Fatima was right! I was on holiday. I needed to remember that, forget about Cooper, and enjoy the break away from the real world.

Bailey was nowhere to be seen at breakfast and a waitress named Natasha told me that it was the owner’s day off. I’d smiled. Good. I was glad my new friend had decided to take a day off after all.

I was going to spend the day walking around Hartwell and getting to know it better. Strolling out of the inn, I slipped on my sunglasses and enjoyed the gentle heat on my skin as I walked down the porch stairs. Hitting the bottom step, I smiled in surprise when I saw Bailey striding through the front gate toward me.