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Chapter 1
The last thing Cami needed was a flat tire, but here she was, stranded on the side of the road with not a lick of cell service. She really needed to change her provider to one that actually worked in the entire town of Willow Cove. If something like this were to happen again, at least she would be prepared. God forbid.
She held her phone in the air and hoped the closer she got to the heavens, the more likely a miracle would be bestowed upon her in the form of bars.
Either her five-foot-eight-plus reach wasn’t high enough, or there was no one above who wanted to help a girl out. She released an annoyed sigh and let her arm fall, her hand and phone slapping against her thigh.
“Figures,” she mumbled, not like there was anyone around to hear her except for the cattails that lined the road.
She had a donut, but hell if she knew what to do with the dratted thing. She knew a lot about a lot of things, but unfortunately, car maintenance definitely was not one of them. In her brain, she made a mental note to learn how to change a spare, because if she carried this tidbit of information with her, she wouldn’t be late getting back to her coffee shop.
The Local Bean was her pride and joy—the thing she worked her butt off to make happen, and when she wasn’t there, she felt almost itchy. She put in long hours, but she didn’t mind. The constant access to caffeine helped, but even still, she loved her job. Now it was currently in the hands of Paulie, a college student home for the summer, and the grandson of her mom’s friend.
He was a good kid, but that didn’t mean she trusted him with her livelihood longer than she intended. Twenty minutes… That’s how long it should’ve taken to drive to the bank, drop off the deposit, drive back, and return to her place behind the register. Twenty minutes was not enough time for the kid to completely destroy her business. Now, still a ten-minute drive from her destination, she was stranded.
Walking never bothered her, but of course today, she wanted to wear a new pair of four-inch wedges she’d bought on sale—a decision she regretted with each step she took along the back road, used mainly by locals to avoid the chaos of summer tourist traffic.
The summer heat clung to her and caused a lovely sheen of sweat to appear. She could feel her makeup melting off while her shirt grew wet and stuck to her like a second skin. Her heart raced, and she wondered if that double shot of espresso was a bad idea after all.
The sound of an approaching car and a horn halted her in place. She looked up as her miracle finally was cast upon her. She sighed as she spotted Enzo, her best friend Ella’s older brother, all around nice guy and the ultimate eye candy.
The guy could have been a model with his thick, dark brown hair that was always swept back, showcasing the textures of his natural waves and putting his piercing blue eyes on display. Dark stubble tended to accompany the hard lines around his jaw and mouth, which helped soften his uptight persona.
Though modeling was a career he never considered—since he preferred to take over his grandfather’s restaurant and stay in their quaint little town—it was something she admired since she also chose Willow Cove over a bigger town or city.
Enzo seemed content and happy without setting out for the big world, so why couldn’t she? When she had been on the fence about whether or not she should stay in Willow Cove, he’d encouraged her to follow what she’d felt true in her heart. It was then she knew her heart would always be in Willow Cove.
Enzo pulled up alongside her; the faint sounds of Frank Sinatra floated out of the opened window. He smiled, but like always, he didn’t show any teeth, and it lacked its full potential. As if a full smile would somehow make him less serious. The intensity in his blue eyes was enough to make anyone know that Enzo Moretti was to be taken seriously.
Growing up, Cami had nicknamed him Old Man Buzzkill. She was the wild one out of her group of friends, and somehow Enzo always managed to ruin their plans. Like the time she, Ella, and Krissy were going to sneak out to go to a party. Everything was going great until Enzo poked his head around the corner and busted them, sending them back to Ella’s room like they’d committed high treason. He never did rat them out, though, and for that, Cami always forgave him, even if he was a big ol’ party pooper.
“Everything okay?” he asked, his lips pressed together.
“If you call a flat tire and no cell service ‘okay’ then yup… Everything is just wonderful.” She gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up and plastered a cheesy grin on her face. Her antics weren’t enough to even get him to crack a smile.
He reached across the console, his lean muscles straining against his red Vinny Lobster Shack t-shirt, and pushed the passenger door open with no preamble.
She arched a curious brow in his direction.
“Get in.”
She leapt into the glorious air-conditioned vehicle and yanked the door shut. Enzo’s Jeep was a few years old, yet it looked like he’d just driven it off the showroom floor. She wouldn’t think twice about the five second rule in this vehicle if she dropped food.
“Thank you,” she said with all the enthusiasm she was feeling. She pointed the vents to blow directly at her and closed her eyes, absorbing the cold air against her heated flesh. An appreciative moan slipped through her lips as she rested against the seat.
Enzo cleared his throat, and she popped an eye open. He shook his head and looked out the window.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Fine.” He ran a hand over his face. “Do you have a spare?”
“A donut, but it’s the same thing.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Kind of is.”
“Kind of isn’t,” he insisted.
