her — residents sipping coffee from their golf carts, gentle laughter drifting from the pavil- ion, and the steady pulse of the bay, shifting and sighing as the tide slowly crept back in. The exposed oyster beds glistened under the morning sun, and the occasional splash of a mullet breaking the surface sent ripples across the shallows. Kat wandered toward the water’s edge, where the tide had pulled back, revealing shallow pools and meandering lines of glis- tening oyster beds. Sunlight danced across the wet shells, their iridescent surfaces wink- ing up at her. She let out a quiet chuckle as tiny crabs, no larger than a quarter, scuttled into formation, their claws raised like minia- ture warriors preparing for battle.
lull of the water. Then — a flicker. A sleek dorsal fin broke the surface, followed by a smaller one just behind it. Kat’s breath caught. “Oh,” she whispered. “I see them.” A genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Good eye.” Kat turned to him fully now. He was watch- ing the dolphins, but now that she was standing closer, she noticed the small de- tails — his eyes were blue, not icy or as- sessing, but warm, easygoing. The kind of blue that blended seamlessly with the sky and water around them. His grip, when he extended his hand, was firm, calloused. Steady.
“Ethan Green,” he said.
A deep voice broke through the quiet.
“Kat Peerce,” she replied. “I just moved into a place on Tarpon Lane. My aunt used to live in the same trailer years ago.” Ethan’s brows lifted slightly. “I thought that place looked familiar. You got in fast — word is it pended the same day it listed.” He hesi- tated, then offered a casual nod toward the street. “That makes us neighbors. I’m just two doors down from your place, south side. Channel view as well.” Kat’s smile widened. “Small world! The on- ly neighbor I’ve met so far has been Vivian.” She chuckled. “I definitely got lucky finding the place for sale.” “Yeah, it’s a good spot.” Ethan glanced out toward the bay. “Hard to beat mornings like this, either out your back door or here.”
“If you squint to the right, you’ll catch sight of a dolphin and her baby.” Kat turned, startled, scanning for the source. A man stood a few feet away, hands casually tucked into the pockets of his well-worn car- go shorts. Sun-streaked brown hair curled slightly at his temples, tousled by the breeze. His tanned face bore the kind of lines that came from time spent outdoors — creased by sun, salt, and squinting toward the horizon rather than age. She followed his gaze toward the bay, wish- ing she had grabbed her sun glasses to peer through the morning glare. “Patience,” he murmured, stepping beside her. His presence was quiet, unhurried.
For a moment, there was nothing — just the
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