Crafting Love

Book 3: Coastal Dreams

by Alexa Aston

Genres: Contemporary Romance; Small-town Romance; small town romance; small town romance series; Alexa Aston; Texas Romance; Coastal Dreams; Driftwood Bay; whirlwind romance

Synopsis

A man torn between the life he knows and the one he wants. A woman longing for roots. A love that demands a choice.

Architect Sullivan Shepherd arrives in Driftwood Bay to oversee construction of Tidewater, an upscale coastal resort designed by his firm. A successful career and a fast-paced New York life have always defined him—but something about the rhythms of this Texas coastal town, and the woman who draws him in, begins to challenge everything he thought he wanted.

After a decade touring with a theatrical company, Piper Roberts is ready to come home. She's loved the freedom of life on the road, but watching her closest childhood friends return to Driftwood Bay and find lasting love awakens a longing she can no longer ignore. Piper wants roots, stability, and a future she can finally claim as her own.

Introduced through mutual friends, Sullivan and Piper fall into a whirlwind romance fueled by undeniable chemistry and shared dreams. Despite their different worlds, they discover how much they have in common—and how deeply they fit together. But as Sullivan's time in Driftwood Bay draws to a close, reality intrudes.

Piper knows better than to fall for a man whose life exists somewhere else. And Sullivan must face a question he's been avoiding: is success measured by the life he's built—or by the one he could choose?

Will Sullivan leave behind the white-collar world to stay in Driftwood Bay and build something lasting, or will he walk away from the love that could change everything?


Meet the men and women of Driftwood Bay, a Texas coastal town where neighbors know your name and couples discover a second chance at life—and love. With warmth, heart, and emotional clarity, Alexa Aston continues the Coastal Dreams series with a story about ambition, belonging, and the courage it takes to choose love. Crafting Love is perfect for readers who enjoy heartfelt small-town romances set along the coast, where home is more than a place—it's a choice.

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Release date: July 28, 2026

Publisher: Oliver Heber Books

Sample

PROLOGUE

Devonwood Academy—Connecticut—Eighteen years ago…

 

Sullivan Shepherd’s liberation would come in five hours and forty-five minutes.

Then he would be free for the summer.

He knocked on the open door of Mr. Kellogg’s office. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Come in, Mr. Shepherd.”

Taking one of the seats in front of the teacher’s desk, he wondered what this summons was about.

“Is there a problem, Mr. Kellogg?”

The history teacher smiled fondly. “Not in the least, Mr. Shepherd. I wanted to tell you not to come and sit for your final examination this afternoon.”

“But…why?” he asked, puzzled by this odd request.

Kellogg chuckled. “Because it would be a waste of your time and mine. You would spend two hours composing essays, which would be perfectly outstanding. I would then take time grading something that is better than anything I could ever write. You know more world history than any student I have taught during my thirty-five years at Devonwood Academy. From the first day you entered my classroom, I knew you were special.”

He felt his cheeks grow warm. “Thank you, Mr. Kellogg. I really enjoyed your lectures. I feel I learned an awful lot.”

“I hope when the time comes, you will ask me to write one of your letters of recommendation in regard to your university applications. I guarantee it will be glowing. And I do wish that you would consider majoring in history, Mr. Shepherd. You would make for a fine professor.”

His favorite teacher’s words meant the world to him. Hearing them also crushed him.

Because becoming a teacher was the last thing Oliver and Jacqueline Shepherd would allow. No, that wasn’t right. An educator would be next to last.

Last on his parents’ list of professions would be the thing Sullivan most wanted to do—and would never be allowed to pursue.

Instead of dumping his problems on Mr. Kellogg, Sullivan merely said, “Thank you for the compliment, sir, and I appreciate knowing you will be willing to write a recommendation letter for me in the future.”

The teacher rose and offered Sullivan his hand. He rose and accepted it. “You have a fine mind, Mr. Shepherd. Whatever you decide to pursue, I am certain you will meet with rousing success.”

He left the office, mulling over what his future would hold. His parents were obsessed with money and position in society. His mother’s family could trace their lineage back to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. She had been educated at the finest private schools and been given everything she ever desired before she knew she wanted it. On the other hand, his father came from very humble beginnings, but he was smart and determined. He’d won a scholarship to Harvard. Learned to blend in with the blueblood crowd. Made friends with Alexander Wagner, another brilliant scholarship student from Texas. Today, Oliver Shepherd was the number two man at Wagner Enterprises.

To put it mildly, expectations for Sullivan were high. Beyond high. Especially because his older brother had drowned. From what he gathered, his mother had been unable to have any more children after giving birth to Sullivan. He became an only child, and he sometimes felt as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was expected to have exceptional grades. Perform at the highest athletic levels.

And he definitely was destined to take his place in society while he made a ton of money.

He returned to his dorm room and sat at his desk, opening his Latin grammar book. Most students complained that they were all studied out at this point, but Sullivan enjoyed his studies. He also liked that he went to boarding school, so he wasn’t around his parents all that much. Even better, Pawpaw and Memaw would pick him up this afternoon, and he would spend a glorious eight weeks with them in Baker’s Cove, a small coastal town in Maine. Those eight weeks each summer were his favorite time of year. His grandfather was a carpenter, and he had taught Sullivan from a young age how to craft wood, starting with whittling and then moving up to large projects.

If he had his heart’s desire, he would become a carpenter and build cabinetry and furniture just like Pawpaw. It was all he wanted to do, but his parents would never allow that. His father was embarrassed by his humble roots, and his snobbish mother openly loathed her in-laws, referring to them as common laborers. Sullivan loved his paternal grandparents, though, and he believed he took after them in personality and looks. He also ascribed to their moral beliefs, meaning he treated others kindly and didn’t worship at the altar of money.

Zane came bounding into the room, his face flushed, his T-shirt soaked.

“Been out on a run?” he asked his roommate and best friend.

Peeling off the shirt, Zane said, “Yeah. Trying to get in shape for the Fourth of July run.”

Zane referred to the annual run in Driftwood Bay, a Texas coastal town where his grandparents lived. Every summer, Zane spent a little over a month in Driftwood Bay, his father’s small hometown. Alexander Wagner was proud to have come from humble beginnings and encouraged his son to spend time with his parents in Texas. The couple owned the Driftwood Diner, and Zane put in a few hours each day, working as everything from busboy to dishwasher to short-order cook. The rest of the summer, Zane spent with his dad, traveling the world on business for Wagner Enterprises. His friend had seen far-flung places such as Japan, Germany, and Brazil. Sullivan couldn’t help but envy Zane a little bit. Not just for the travel but the close bond he had with his dad.

“What’s Harris doing this summer?” he asked.

Zane snorted. “Just because he’s my brother doesn’t mean I know anything that’s going on with him.”

Harris was two years their junior and had been kicked out of four different schools. He was supposed to attend Devonwood next year, and Zane was dreading being in the same place with his brother.

“I’m grabbing a quick shower, then we can head over for the Latin exam,” Zane said, peeling away his running shorts, shoes, and socks. Grabbing a towel, he padded from the room, stark naked, heading to the communal bathroom at the end of the hall.

Sullivan looked through his Latin textbook and finally closed it. He knew his verb conjugations were spot on and felt confident he could translate any passage thrown at him during the final exam.

He opened his trunk, adding the last couple of items to it before closing the latch. Already, he was itching to see Pawpaw and Memaw and make the drive to Baker’s Cove. It was about four hours away, but they would stop for a bowl of clam chowder and a lobster roll on the way, an annual tradition. Sullivan was grateful he had his grandparents in his life and wished he could see them more often. Summer was the only time he did, however. Other school breaks, his mother planned things for him. Still, he wrote his grandparents once a week and received a letter from them in reply. It would great if he could text or FaceTime them, but Devonwood’s headmaster didn’t allow cell phones on campus. In a way, he was happy about that, knowing how people were wedded to their phones and addicted to social media. He would leave school well-versed in the art of conversation, as well as clinging to the tradition of letter writing.

Zane appeared again, tossing off his towel and dressing hurriedly in their school uniform of dress shirt and pants, striped tie, and navy jacket. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair.

“Ready?”

Sullivan nodded, picking up a couple of pens and slipping them into his inside lapel pocket. Blue books would be waiting for them. None of Devonwood’s staff allowed computers or tablets in classrooms, regardless of the activity, so students learned to take notes by hand, using the Cornell method, and they wrote their essays in longhand. And cursive. Thank goodness he’d already learned cursive, a dying art, before he arrived at the Connecticut boarding school.

As they went downstairs, they said goodbye to a few boys who were already being picked up by parents. Stepping outside their dormitory, he saw several cars awaiting students. His grandparents wouldn’t be here until after the world history exam was over. Even though he wasn’t sitting for it, he didn’t mind waiting for them to arrive. In fact, he’d probably sketch a few ideas for some of the furniture he wanted to tackle with Pawpaw this summer.

Then his gut flipped over, as he spied Bates, his father’s longtime driver, leaning against a black Lincoln Town Car. The chauffeur spotted him and stood, closing the gap between them.

“What are you doing here?” Sullivan demanded, not caring that his tone sounded rude. “Pawpaw and Memaw are picking me up this afternoon.”

“There has been a change of plans, Master Sullivan.”

He hated being addressed that way, but Mother insisted that all their servants refer to him in that manner.

“What change?” he asked, tamping down his suspicions. He glanced to Zane, who merely shrugged.

“You’re to accompany me home once you finish your exams. I just spoke to the headmaster and was cleared to take you back to Manhattan.”

“But…when would I go to Maine?”

Bates looked apologetic as he said, “I am not certain as to the exact schedule for the summer, Master Sullivan.”

His gaze pinned the driver’s. “Come on, Bates. The staff knows everything. You hear and see and talk about everything among yourselves. Please. Clue me in.”

For a moment, Bates hesitated, then he said, “You are fifteen. Old enough to be included in these conversations. Mrs. Shepherd has decided that you won’t be going to Maine this summer.” He paused. “Or any future summer.”

“Not go—at all?” he asked, anger rippling through him.

Bates nodded. “I know you are to take a PSAT prep course. You also have riding lessons scheduled. And—”

“But I want to go to Maine,” he protested. “I need to go there. It’s what recharges me. Can you understand that?”

The chauffeur looked at him sympathetically. “It isn’t for me to say, Master Sullivan.”

He cursed under his breath, frustration filling him. He should have known this day was coming. His mother had put up a fuss last year when he had gone to Maine, saying he was wasting his time in such a pedestrian place.

In that moment, Sullivan hated his mother—and his father. Hated their phoniness and twisted values. Hated that they were keeping him from the two people he loved most.

Sullivan glanced down at his hands. These were the tools he loved. Pawpaw had taught him to work magic with them. They were supposed to build a China cabinet together this summer. A toy chest. He also had plans to work with a friend of Pawpaw’s on a sailboat.

Glancing at Bates, he reined in his rage. The chauffeur didn’t deserve any blame for this decision. He was simply the middleman, sent to bring Sullivan home.

Except that he wasn’t going there.

“I’ve got to get to my Latin exam,” he said. “You can go upstairs to my dorm room and bring down my trunk. My initials are on the top.”

He told the driver what room he was in, and Bates said he would place it in the car’s trunk.

“Come on,” Sullivan told Zane.

As they walked off, he said, “I’m not going home. And you’re going to help me.”

Zane flashed him a look of understanding. “Any way I can. I wish I could sneak you down to the Bay with me.”

On the way, Sullivan began devising a plan on how to make his escape. They reached their Latin classroom, and he parted from Zane, going to his assigned seat. Two minutes later, the teacher closed the door and passed out the blue books. Sullivan dutifully wrote his name on the front of his. He accepted the exam the teacher handed him and raced through it. He knew the two translations he completed had no errors in them, and he was familiar with every verb and conjugated them appropriately, flying through deponent and semi-deponent verbs with ease.

Once he completed his exam, he looked over everything, making one change, then stood and walked to the teacher’s desk, creating the stack since he was the first to finish.

“Enjoy your summer, Mr. Shepherd.”

Sullivan left the classroom, pushing Latin aside so that he could concentrate on how to get to Maine. Though his grandparents were no longer on their way, he couldn’t necessarily make that assumption. Knowing Mother, she would have deliberately kept the plans she had made for her son quiet and would think it amusing that her in-laws drove four hours to retrieve their grandson, only to find him already gone.

He went upstairs, where several teachers had their offices, and went into the first one. Locking the door, he called the familiar number. His heart sank as he heard Memaw answer.

“Hello?”

“Memaw, it’s Sullivan.”

“Oh, my dear boy, I’m so grateful to hear your voice. Honey, Sullivan’s calling. Go get on the other phone.”

He heard the extension click and said, “Hey, Pawpaw.”

“Well, we weren’t expecting to hear from you.”

“I ran into Bates on my way to my Latin final. He told me I’m not coming to Maine this summer.”

A long pause occurred, and then Memaw said, “Your mother thinks that it’s best if you stay in the city. She has some plans for you.”

“I don’t want to do anything that woman has planned. I’m fifteen. She can’t decide my life for me.”

“She can, Sullivan,” Pawpaw said gently. “She’s your mother. Like it or not, you’re still a minor. Don’t worry. We’ll see you sometime. Hopefully, soon.”

“Not if she has anything to say about it,” he said bitterly. “You know what she’s like. The only reason she hasn’t kept me from you before now is that she and Father travel a lot during the summer. All you are is a babysitter to her.” He sighed. “I want to see you. Be in Maine. Make things with my hands. That’s what I’m meant to do.”

“Oh, Sullivan, you aren’t meant to be a carpenter. You’ll go to college like your daddy,” Pawpaw said. “You’re even smarter than he was.”

“I don’t want to go,” he said stubbornly. “I want to craft in wood.”

“No, you will go to college,” Memaw said firmly. “It’s an advantage not everyone has. Get your degree. By then, you’ll be an adult and on your own. You can decide what your future will be when that time comes. Don’t rock the boat now, honey.”

“I better go,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.”

They just didn’t know how soon.

Sullivan hung up and left the office. He went downstairs and sat on a bench, waiting for Zane to finish.

Five minutes later, his friend appeared. “So, what’s the plan?”

Quickly, he explained how he didn’t have to take his world history exam.

“I’ll get in the car with Bates. Have him raise the privacy window. Then when we get to the gate, he’ll have to roll down his window and return the laminated visitor placard to the guard. That’s when you show up. Knock on my window. I’ll open the door. Make up some reason you need to tell me something. Then when Bates turns back to the guard, that’s when I’ll bail.”

“And then?”

“He’ll drive off. It’s at least three-and-a-half hours back to the city. I’ll tell him I’m gonna sleep, so he won’t bother me.”

“Where will you be instead?” Zane asked.

“Hitching a ride to Maine,” he replied.

“You know they’ll come after you.”

Glumly, he said, “Yeah. But at least I can see Memaw and Pawpaw before I’m caught in Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell.”

His friend laughed. “I say go for it. I’ll do my part.”

They walked back to their dorm, seeing more fellow students leaving. Sullivan told Zane goodbye and then walked up to the car where Bates waited. The chauffeur tucked his cell into his pocket.

“I have your trunk, Master Sullivan.”

“Could I at least be Sullivan when Mother and Father aren’t around?”

The driver bit back a smile. “Of course.”

He got into the town car, knowing that Bates would be in big trouble once his parents found out Sullivan wasn’t in the car. He doubted they would fire the driver, though. He’d been with them too long and knew too much dirt about the family.

Bates got behind the wheel and started the vehicle, heading toward the gatehouse at the edge of the property.

“Could you raise the privacy screen, Bates? I was up way late studying last night. I’m going to try and catch up on my sleep on the way back.”

“Of course, Sullivan.”

The chauffeur touched a button, and the screen began rising. Sullivan’s heart began beating in double time. He knew what he was doing was dead wrong.

But he was going to do it anyway.

The car slowed, and he prayed that Zane was ready to step in and do his part. Suddenly a rap sounded on the window, and he opened the door. He couldn’t see Bates, but Zane stood there.

“Here. I forgot to give you my grandparents’ new number in case you have a chance to call this summer so we can catch up.”

As Zane spoke, Sullivan rolled from the car and dropped to the ground, moving behind the car, even as he heard the security guard telling Bates goodbye. He raced to a nearby tree with a broad trunk and heard his friend say, “We’ll talk soon. Bye!”

Leaning around, Sullivan watched Zane close the door. “Okay, Bates,” he called. “Bye!”

The town car pulled through the gates which the security guard had opened. He hadn’t thought about having to scale the fence. His gaze met Zane’s, and his friend seemed to know what to do.

Zane hurried to the security window, standing so the guard’s vision was blocked. Sullivan took off, managing to get through the gates just before they closed. He scrambled to the right, praying Bates didn’t look in his rearview mirror as the town car sped down the road to the left. Keeping to the wall, Sullivan moved alongside it, hugging it until he knew he was out of sight.

Then he began walking along the road. He planned to hitchhike to Baker’s Cove. In every movie he’d seen with hitchhikers involved, that was always a mistake, but he didn’t care.

Fortunately, he’d only walked about two miles when an eighteen wheeler approached from behind him. He held out his thumb, hoping the truck’s driver would stop.

He did.

Relief swept through Sullivan as he approached, and the driver rolled down the window.

“Where ya off to?”

“Maine.”

“Going that way myself. Portland.”

Eagerness filled him. “I’m heading to Baker’s Cove. It’s a few towns before Portland.”

“A-yuh. Know it. Have a brotha who lives there. Get in, kid.”

Sullivan did.

The trucker was friendly. Had a son a year younger than Sullivan. They had a decent conversation before a natural silence blanketed them. When they got to Baker’s Cove, the trucker stopped at a light.

“I’ll get out here.”

“Take care of yourself, kid.”

“Will do. Thanks again.”

He walked the two miles to his grandparent’s house, a cottage near the water. As he approached the shop which sat next to the house, he could hear the whine of a sander. Sullivan paused in the open doorway, breathing in the scent.

The shop smelled like home.

For a moment, he drank in the sight of Pawpaw, then he stepped inside. He doubted he would be in Maine for long.

But he was here now.

 

 

CHAPTER 1

Kansas City

 

Piper Roberts was going to make the most of this performance. She had been touring the country in this current production for nine months now. After ten years on the road, she had worked her way up from the company to featured roles to that of lead actress with top billing. She was living the dreams of her youth. Yet she had come to realize she was both happy and incredibly miserable at the same time.

Because of that, she had decided to go home.

Driftwood Bay had begun calling out to her a couple of years ago. Her hometown on the Texas Gulf Coast had been a sweet place to grow up. Swimming and fishing. Riding her bike everywhere. Singing in the choir at church and school. Dancing on the drill team and serving as editor of the Pirate Press, the school’s newspaper.

But she had yearned for a life outside the Bay. One of performing. Traveling the US and singing in both classic and contemporary musicals. After only two years, she broke out of the chorus and gained supporting roles in Grease. Mamma Mia. School of Rock. Then had come lead roles. Christine in Phantom of the Opera. Satine in Moulin Rouge. Galinda in Wicked. And finally, Roxie Hart in Chicago.

It was hard to reconcile how much she enjoyed performing with how lonely life on the road could be. Constant travel. A different city every few weeks, one you never really got to see. While travel and performing had appealed to her at twenty, when she had dropped out of college to join a traveling production of Hairspray, suddenly her twenties were gone. At thirty, she had no permanent address. Everything she owned fit into two suitcases and a backpack.

More importantly, she longed to put down roots.

Her closest friends since preschool, Mila and Layne, had done just that. All three girls had been eager to escape the small confines of the Bay and spread their wings. Eventually, Mila returned, serving as their alma mater’s head volleyball coach. She had married a fellow coach last Thanksgiving and was a stepmom to Lily. Layne, who’d had a dazzling business career in Dallas, had also returned to the Bay, inheriting her parents’ Bay Breeze Inn, and finding love with Keaton, a local artist.

Layne and Keaton would be in today’s audience, cheering on Piper’s final appearance on the stage. She would then accompany them back to Driftwood Bay and figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. While doing so, she would serve as temporary manager of the Bay Breeze. She looked forward to being in her hometown once more, spending time with her closest friends.

Piper finished applying her makeup and donned the wig she wore to play Roxie. She glanced in the mirror a final time, ready to give this last matinee her all.

Minutes later, she was onstage. As Roxie. Not Piper. Piper was an actress who could immediately immerse herself into a character. During a performance, she never had a Piper thought in her head. Everything from her posture to her mannerisms to what she was thinking was that of whatever role she had taken.

She sang and danced her way through everything from Funny Honey to We Both Reached for the Gun to Me and My Baby. It was only when she began to sing Nowadays that it almost seemed like an out of body experience. She had read stories of severely injured people dying on the operating table and rising above, watching as medical personnel tried to save them, and then returning to their bodies.

That was what this number felt like as she heard herself singing, her voice rich and full of emotion. It was almost as if she were a separate person, watching someone else perform.

And thinking she was pretty darn good.

Roxie and Velma finished the song, and Piper seemed to float back into her body. The reprise ending the musical became a blur, and she took her bows along with the cast, then a separate bow recognizing her own performance. She floated off-stage into the wings, adrenaline rushing through her, bringing a natural high.

Waiting for her was Eric, who had played Billy Flynn in the production. He gave her a quick kiss.

“One for the books, Piper.”

She smiled. “It sure was.”

She and Eric had been a couple for the last two months. Attachments formed on the road and could be swift and heady. These relationships fizzled quickly, though, as actors moved on to new productions and cities. Piper liked Eric. She thought him witty and fun to be around, but they both knew last night had been an end for them.

“You going back to New York?” she asked.

He shook his head. “LA. I just landed an audition for Fiyero!”

“Ooh, a featured role in Wicked?” Piper threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “I hope you get it, Eric. No, I know you will. Your voice has never sounded better. When would touring begin?”

“In ten days. The guy they cast was hit by a car on the way to rehearsals. He broke both his legs. The understudy had just left to take another role, so they’re in a bind. I’m flying out tonight and will read for the role tomorrow afternoon.”

“Break a leg,” she said. Grinning, she added, “But not two.”

Eric brushed his lips against her cheek. “I had fun with you, Piper. See ya.”

She left for her dressing room, realizing that Eric hadn’t even asked what she would be doing next. Their relationship had been very surface. Trying a new restaurant. Bingeing something together on Netflix. And great sex. Conversation hadn’t really played into things. These temporary road relationships rarely grew serious. And now that Mila was married and Layne was getting married soon, Piper wanted more than surface. She wanted a deep dive, where she really got to know someone. Although she doubted the dating pool in the Bay would be large, hopefully, she might find somebody she had something in common with and get to know them. Share things with them.

And maybe find love.

Quickly, she removed her stage makeup, always glad to get it off her skin so it could breathe. She’d just taken off her Roxie costume when she heard a knock at the door and threw a robe on so she could answer the door.

Layne was on the other side, and Piper threw herself at her friend, clutching her tightly.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said.

“You were fantastic!” Layne declared. “We loved your performance.”

She released her friend and smiled at Keaton. “You’re even better looking than on FaceTime,” she teased, giving him a hug. “It’s nice to meet you in person.”

“Good to meet you, Piper,” Keaton said. “You’re electrifying on stage.”

Piper glowed at the compliment. “Thank you. Come on in. Let me change.”

She stepped behind a screen, tossing on a shirt and her favorite pair of jeans as they talked about the musical. Emerging, she put on socks and boots.

“You still have those boots?” Layne asked. “They look like they’re in great shape.”

“I enjoy wearing them. They’re fifteen years old. Once I broke them in, they felt like house shoes. Besides, they take up a lot of room, so it’s easier to wear them than pack them.”

Layne touched her forearm. “How are you feeling about coming back to the Bay? Leaving the theater world behind?”

She sighed. “Honestly? I’ve got mixed emotions. This has been my life for a decade. That’s a long time. My entire twenties were spent on the road. I’ve enjoyed professional success.” Her gaze met Layne’s. “But you know something about that.”

Her friend had helped build a business in Dallas, only to see it bought and find herself out of a job. Worse, Layne discovered on the same day that her longtime boyfriend had been cheating on her and that her parents had died by suicide.

“I do,” Layne said quietly, reaching for Keaton’s hand. “Fortunately, this guy came into my life, and I’m the better for it. He’s not only helped me restore the Bay Breeze, but he’s saved me in every way.”

Keaton lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to Layne’s knuckles. “We saved each other,” he said, his voice low and rough.

For a moment, the couple drank one another in, and Piper felt the palpable heat between them. A bit of envy stirred within her. She was happy her friend had found a partner, but she longed for a relationship herself.

“Let’s get out of here,” she told the pair.

“Need to say your goodbyes to anyone?” Keaton asked as they left the dressing room.

“Actually? No. Most of those were said last night after the performance. Theater people can be odd ducks. We have tight bonds, but once a show’s run is done? We move on and don’t make a big deal of a production being over.”

“Any friendships you’re leaving behind?” Layne asked. “Or a romance?”

Piper smiled mysteriously. “You’ll never know.”

She rode with them the few blocks to the hotel where the cast and crew were staying. Keaton checked them in, while Layne accompanied Piper to her room.

Glancing around, her friend said, “It looks as if you’ve pretty much got everything packed.”

“I told you I travel pretty light.”

“Are you sure you want to manage the inn?” Layne asked. “You don’t have to.”

“I want to. It’ll be nice, being useful, as I try to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.”

They both laughed, and Piper added, “You know I’m taking the job simply because it comes with that big suite. That way, I don’t have to be thirty and moving back in with my parents. I still can’t believe Mom and Dad are going to retire at the end of May.”

“I was a little surprised by that,” Layne admitted. “I don’t think of your parents as old. Or Mila’s. But Dr. Perry has already given his notice to the schoolboard that he’ll wrap up his career in June. They’ll have to start the hunt for a new superintendent.”

“What about Mrs. Perry?” she asked.

“She’s going to keep the boutique. For now. Just not go in as often. I have the feeling that Dr. P will want to travel some, along with your parents. Mrs. Perry will need to hire a full-time manager for Coastal Charm.”

“Hmm. Who knows? If I’m good at this managing thing, maybe I can run the boutique for Mrs. Perry.”

Layne’s phone chimed. She glanced at her cell. “Keaton has us checked in and is waiting in the lobby, ready to take us to dinner.”

“Great. I’m starving. I usually am after a performance.”

They met him in the lobby, and he asked where they might want to go for dinner.

“Do you mind if it’s somewhere quiet?” Piper asked. “I’m hungry, but I’m also coming down from an adrenaline high. Any particular food you like, Keaton?”

“He’s a great cook,” Layne said. “He probably likes what he cooks himself the most. But we’re open to anything.”

“There’s a great Italian place about four blocks from the hotel,” she told them. “It’s a little pricey, though.”

“I’m buying,” Keaton said. “To celebrate your last performance.”

“I appreciate that. Let’s walk. It’s not worth driving such a short distance. Plus, I don’t think we’ll run into anyone from the touring company there. At the end of a run, a lot of people go back to the hotel and crash. Order takeout. Or they actually fly out tonight, ready to begin their next job.”

Layne slipped an arm around Piper. “I’m glad you’re taking a break and coming back to the Bay to decompress.”

“It’s not just a break,” Piper told her friend. “I don’t think I’ll ever go back to musical theater. It’s so transient. Don’t laugh—but I’m ready to sink my roots back into the Bay. You and Mila have already done so.”

Her friend squeezed Piper. “I’m so glad you’re coming home.”

They arrived at the restaurant, and Keaton eagerly scoured the menu. The two women told him to order appetizers for the table, and soon they were dining on toasted ravioli and fried calamari, with garlic cheese bread reserved for their entrees. Piper got an Italian potato dumpling pasta with vodka sauce, and she took her time savoring it. Usually, meals were rushed affairs, so it was nice to slow down and truly enjoy her food.

Keaton insisted they have dessert, so she ordered an Italian risotto cheesecake topped with baby strawberries. They lingered over their desserts, sipping coffee, as Layne and Keaton caught her up on various individuals in the Bay.

As they strolled back to their hotel, Keaton said, “I’m not rushing you, but you might want to explore some of the job opportunities that will be available once Tidewater opens.”

“Oh, the new resort?”

“The new resort for the über rich,” Layne said. “It’s going to draw a wealthy crowd who will want to be catered to. They’re still a ways from hiring staff, but there will be a ton of jobs available. We can ask Sullivan about it.”

“Sullivan?” Piper asked.

“He’s a friend of mine,” Keaton said. “The architect of Tidewater. Works for Wagner Enterprises, which builds luxury resorts around the world. He’ll have the inside track on the kinds of jobs available. When recruitment and interviews will start.”

“You’ll like him, Piper,” Layne said. “Sullivan is smart and funny and a really nice guy.” She paused. “Maybe we could set the two of you up.”

“No,” she protested. “No setups. Just let me move back to the Bay and start figuring out my life. Once I know what I want to pursue, then I might think about stirring a guy into the mix. Besides, I’m finally ready to go long-term in a relationship. I’m sure Sullivan will simply move on from the resort once Tidewater is completed.”

“Well, you’ll wind up meeting him anyway,” Layne said. “We see a lot of him, Mila, and Carson. In fact, we can have everyone over for dinner this next week.”

“Aren’t you planning your wedding?” she asked.

“There’s not much to plan. We’re keeping it super-simple. Besides I’ve got your mom and Mila’s organizing everything. We’ll have time to have people over for dinner.”

“I am looking forward to seeing your house. I remember riding my bike past it and thinking how cool it would be to live there, right on the water. And I’m definitely eager to see the B&B and all you’ve done to it.”

“You’ll recognize it. We tried to retain its charm while updating it,” Layne said. “I’m really proud of how it turned out. And reservations are already pouring in.”

“Good. I’m going to like keeping busy. Even if you are insisting I take cooking lessons.”

“Cooking’s actually fun,” her friend said. “Especially if you have a great teacher like Keaton.”

They entered the hotel and made plans to meet downstairs at six. Keaton had suggested getting on the road early in order to avoid Kansas City’s morning rush, then they would stop somewhere after an hour or so to have breakfast. The drive would be long, but they planned to make it in one day.

“See you in the morning,” Piper said, giving both a hug. She was already comfortable with Keaton. It helped that he had joined in some of their FaceTime chats and she had already begun to know him, but in person, he was really a terrific guy.

Piper returned to her hotel room for the final night of sleep. She lay awake a long time, wondering what her thirties would bring. Her twenties had been professionally fulfilling and full of adventure, but she was ready for a slower pace and more personal satisfaction.

Hopefully, she would decide on new dreams—and find them in Driftwood Bay.

 

 

CHAPTER 2

 

When Piper went to the lobby the next morning, she found Layne waiting.

“Keaton’s gone to get the truck,” her friend said. Her cell chimed, and Layne glanced at it. “Okay. He’s outside. Here, I’ll roll one of your suitcases for you.”

She followed Layne out the front doors of the hotel, a little sad to be leaving her old life behind. She had become comfortable with it, but she was ready for new challenges.

Keaton lifted her two suitcases with ease, placing them in the bed of the truck. Piper kept her backpack and climbed into the back of the cab as Layne joined her husband in the front.

They talked for a few minutes, and then she noticed the direction they were headed. It was in her nature to be organized, and she had called up the directions to the Bay on her map app last night, wanting to see where they would pass.

“Uh, Keaton. Wait. I think you took a wrong turn.”

“Nope,” he said cheerfully. “The airport is this way.”

“Airport?” she said. “I’m confused.”

Layne swiveled around. “Keaton knows the trip is about fourteen hours, and that’s with no stops. We took two days to drive up so we wouldn’t be so exhausted.” She glanced over, smiling. “So, he decided to fly you and me to Corpus.”

“Wow! You are a keeper. If Layne hadn’t already laid claim to you, I think I’d want you for myself,” Piper declared.

“You just ended a long tour,” Keaton told her. “You’re exhausted. You and Layne have a lot to do and go over regarding running the inn. Plus, there’s the wedding next week. I thought it would be easier to fly you ladies home. I’ll drive straight through, just stopping for gas and grabbing a few snacks. If I have smooth sailing, I should be back in the Bay by nine or ten tonight. I’ll bring your luggage. Why don’t you stay with us tonight? That way, you can see the house, and if I get home later than planned, Layne will have some company, and she can even loan you some PJs.”

“This is amazing. You’re the best, Keaton.”

They entered the airport, and he dropped them at their terminal. Layne kissed him goodbye, and Piper hugged him tightly.

“I’ve already arranged for a ride home, so you ladies don’t need to rent a car or do a ride share.”

“Okay, where can I clone this guy, Layne? I want one just like him,” she joked.

“I shared your boarding passes to your wallet,” Keaton told Layne. “Also forwarded the email confirmation. Holler if you need anything.” He kissed her. “See you late tonight.”

Check-in was a breeze since neither of them carried any luggage. Piper even left her backpack in the truck, feeling footloose and fancy-free. They went through security and found a place to grab coffee and croissants, which they took to their gate.

Once they settled into their seats, she said, “Not that I had any doubts—but if I did—Keaton dispelled every one of them with such thoughtfulness.”

Layne smiled. “He’s been like that from the beginning, Piper. I was the lowest I’ve ever been. I swear I cried more the day I ran into him than I had in the previous thirty years total. Keaton rolled with everything. He’s smart. Nurturing. And talented as hell. Sometimes, I wonder how I could get so lucky.”

“You deserve every good thing that comes your way,” Piper insisted. “You’re going to have a wonderful, strong marriage with an amazing man. I hope I’ll get to know him well enough to call him friend.”

“He can be a little on the quiet side, but he’s really opened up around you. I know you didn’t get to come to Mila’s wedding because of touring, but you’re going to see how great she and Carson are together, too. And we’re going to find you a terrific guy, Piper. Maybe he’ll be a teacher at the high school with Mila and Carson. Or a cop from your dad’s police department. It could even be someone new to the Bay who lands a job at Tidewater. The manager. The chef. A hot tennis pro.”

“I hadn’t thought about all the staff which will be needed at the new resort. I might need to look into it. See what might be available. After all, I’ll be coming from hospitality myself, managing a B&B,” she teased.

“Sullivan can help you there, “Layne said. “As the architect, he’ll know every nook and cranny of Tidewater. Plus, he’s designed several resorts for Wagner Enterprises. You can pick his brain at dinner.”

“I plan to do that.”

They boarded their flight, and Piper pulled up her Kindle app on her phone.

Layne leaned over. “What romance novel are you reading now?”

“I’m on a Regency kick. I was reading romantasy for a while, but I cut my teeth on Regency historicals back in high school. No matter how many times I read a romantic suspense or a small-town romance series—or even a medieval or historical western—I always seem to loop around to my beloved Regencies. Give me a hot duke in a ton ballroom, and it’s like I’m addicted all over again.”

She buried herself in her novel, only pausing to order a sparkling water and accepting the biscotti the flight attend passed to her. The plane made a stopover in Dallas, but they didn’t even have to deplane. Some passengers got off, while other ones got on. Then their flight left for Corpus. By the time they reached their destination, the total trip had only been a little over three hours.

Layne called Keaton the moment they hit the tarmac, learning he was in Oklahoma City. She told him they had just landed and that she would wait up for him, no matter how late he arrived.

“Love you, too,” Layne said, ending the call. “I wonder who he has picking us up. It’s a school day, so it won’t be Mila or Carson. Maybe Sullivan.”

They left the plane and went through the doors separating the gates from the rest of the terminal, and Piper squealed, running and throwing herself in her dad’s arms. He lifted her off the ground, swinging her around.

“How’s my little girl?” he asked.

“Better, now that I’ve seen you. Oh, Dad. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Not half as glad as I am, baby. Hey, Layne.”

“Hi, Chief. I’m glad Keaton called you. He didn’t tell us who’d be picking us up. This is a nice surprise.”

“It was fun cooking it up.”

Dad slipped an arm about each of them. “Come on, girls. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll use the lights and siren and get us home faster.”

They laughed, accompanying him to his department-issued vehicle. On the way home, he asked a dozen questions about her last few months.

“I’m glad your mom and I flew out to see you perform in San Diego. Are you gonna miss singing and acting, honey?”

“Probably,” she admitted for the first time. “But right now, I’m running on empty. I needed a break from the stage. Being a nomad isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Layne tells me you’re gonna manage the Bay Breeze for her.”

“I am. I’ll be living there. The manager needs to be on site.” Piper made sure to mention this so there’d be no talk about her moving home. “But tell me about retirement. Do you and Mom have any trips planned?”

“Two,” he said, grinning at her. “We’re going to go to Yellowstone. I’ve always wanted to see Old Faithful and all the other geysers and hot springs. We’ll do a little hiking and even some horseback riding.”

“You know, Keaton lived in the Grand Tetons,” Layne said. “I don’t think that’s too far from Yellowstone. You might want to talk to him and extend your trip a little.”

“Not a bad idea. We don’t have a timetable. Except for going with Bill and Laura on a river cruise.”

“Ooh. Where? When?” Piper asked.

“It’s something your mom and Laura cooked up,” Dad explained. “Bill and I are just along for the ride. We’ll be gone the first week of December, cruising along the Rhine River. It’s Christmas market time, so the ladies want to see all the markets and do their Christmas shopping. It’s mostly in Germany, but we will also see a little of Switzerland and France.”

“Boy, I’m already jealous of this retirement,” she said. “Two fun trips planned. I’m glad to hear it, Dad. You and Mom never really go much of anywhere. And that’s crazy, with Don being a travel writer.”

Her brother was ten years older. Because of the age gap, she and Don had never been close. Still, she followed him online, where he wrote a travel blog. He’d also authored numerous travel guides, concentrating mostly on Asia and Eastern Europe.

“Your brother is actually going to meet us in Basel, where the cruise embarks. We’re coming in a few days early, and he’ll take us to Lake Lucerne. It’ll give our bodies time to acclimate to a new time zone seven hours ahead, plus we’ll also get to visit with Don.”

Dad looked to Layne. “Tell me about the Bay Breeze. I know you’ve been working hard to finish the renovation.”

“It’ll open soon. We painted the entire interior and exterior. All new furniture. The floors have been refinished. It’s got a new HVAC system. The bathrooms and kitchen were pretty much gutted and redone. It’s fresh and modern, yet it still retains all of its small-town charm.”

Piper began asking questions about the inn, and Layne easily answered them. They were still talking about it when they arrived in Driftwood Bay. It had been years since she had been here, and she fell silent, studying the passing scenery.

“Some things have changed, but I still recognize most of what I’m seeing.”

Layne nodded. “I was the same way. I hadn’t come back often to visit. My fault. Jeremy didn’t like it here. He thought it was too boring, and I let him influence me. You’ll see a few new shops on the square. The Sonic has expanded some. They’ve also added on a new wing to the high school. Other than that, the Bay is the Bay.”

She liked that. It was good to come home and be familiar with where she was. Piper rolled down her window and took in a deep breath, catching the scent of salt and sea.

“Oh, I’ve missed the water,” she declared.