Coming Home to Sunset Cove: A sweet, small-town romance, page 1
Coming Home to Sunset Cove
Tori Mitchell
Sixth Street Books
Copyright © 2024 by Tori Mitchell
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Contents
1. Avery
2. Grant
3. Avery
4. Grant
5. Avery
6. Grant
7. Avery
8. Avery
9. Grant
10. Avery
11. Grant
12. Avery
13. Grant
14. Avery
15. Grant
16. Avery
17. Avery
18. Grant
19. Avery
20. Grant
21. Avery
22. Avery
23. Avery
24. Grant
25. Avery
26. Grant
27. Avery
28. Grant
29. Avery
30. Avery
Epilogue
Join the Kindness Committee!
About the Author
Chapter 1
Avery
Avery Brown eased her car off the highway and onto the road that would take her to Sunset Cove. She’d made the trip from Philadelphia to southern New Jersey in record time, fueled by anger and light traffic.
She glanced back at Sophia, her six-year-old sleeping in the rear seat. Her daughter looked so peaceful while she slept, but it hadn’t been a peaceful month.
Less than a week ago, her husband had declared he needed a divorce. He was in love with his secretary. How cliche, she thought. Falling for the younger secretary. Eric had promised the divorce would be fast and easy, as long as she took Sophia and didn’t ask for money. A clean break for everyone.
His request stung. She’d given up her own career to support his upward rise in the business world, staying home with their daughter and planning social events instead of earning her own income.
She shook her head. The past was done. She had Sophia, and that’s all that mattered. Her daughter was easily the best thing to come from their broken marriage.
Avery took a deep breath as the first familiar landmarks came into view. Their car drove by the old high school and the town hall. She smiled as she looked into the distance and saw the Sunset Cove lighthouse standing proudly over it all.
It had been nearly a decade since she left her hometown. Her grandfather had raised her in Sunset Cove after her parents died. While her grandfather had been wonderful, she hadn’t been a good granddaughter. Avery hadn’t been back to Sunset Cove since her high school graduation.
Grandpa had visited her for every holiday, but Eric hadn’t wanted to visit her hometown. He wasn’t willing to lose time in the office—or maybe he didn’t want to miss spending the holidays with his secretary.
I’m back now, she thought, closing her eyes as she waited for a red light to change. Her grandfather had died just over a year ago. Avery’s brother, Brad, was taking care of the estate, but hadn’t said a word about Grandpa’s house until her divorce. She hadn’t realized the two of them inherited the house.
She pulled up her phone’s Bluetooth and called her brother. He answered the call on the second ring.
“I’m almost there,” she said. “I’m in town, a few blocks from the house.”
“Good. How was the drive?”
“No traffic. Sophia’s upset, though. She fell asleep as we crossed into Sunset County, but she still doesn’t understand why we’re leaving.”
Her brother sighed. “Of course she’s upset. She’s only six. How are you holding up?”
Avery considered the question. “I’m upset, too. I’m done with men. You can’t rely on them, and you can’t trust them. No offense, Brad.”
This earned her a laugh from her brother. “Don’t bring me into this. Eric’s a rotten husband, but we’re not all bad.”
“Maybe you’re right, but I need a break. I need to focus on Sophia and starting over.”
“Give yourself time. I’m glad our old house was empty and waiting for you.”
“I can’t believe you never mentioned the house after Grandpa died. I wish I’d visited while he was still alive.”
“You let him visit you, even when Eric didn’t want company. That counts for something. Besides, you need a safe place for Sophia to live. Grandpa would want you to move back. He always hoped we’d come home, eventually.”
They chatted for a few minutes while she drove through town. Sophia slept soundly.
A tear fell down her cheek as she turned onto Ocean Drive and their childhood home came into view. “Oh, Grandpa. What happened to your house? Brad, this isn’t good.”
While the old Victorian home was still beautiful, some of its grandeur was gone. The faded siding needed a fresh coat of paint. Weeds choked out her grandfather’s once-beautiful flower garden. Someone had mowed the lawn, but even the yard was filled with more weeds than blades of grass.
“Is it that bad?” Brad asked. “I visited Grandpa before he passed. The house was a little shabby, but it was solid.”
She stopped to consider the property. The porch looked sturdy. The roof was in good shape. Maybe Brad was right. As long as the house had good bones, they would be fine.
The home had been in their family for generations, purchased long before beach properties became popular. It had been moved into town decades ago, after nearly falling into the sea during a storm.
Just like Avery, the house had gotten a second chance. The house had lost its first floor to flooding before being moved to its current location. Avery could relate. That’s exactly what she felt like—gutted, transplanted, and expected to stand strong without her missing pieces.
Still, she was grateful for the soft landing. She’d loved living close to the ocean, and there was no way she could afford a home in Sunset Cove now.
Avery parked her car in the driveway and said goodnight to her brother. While her daughter slept through the talking, she woke to the sound of tires crunching over a shell driveway.
“Are we there yet?” Sophia asked, her words slurring with sleepiness. “I want to see the ocean. I’ve never seen the ocean.”
Avery gathered her daughter in her arms. “The ocean will be there tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep first.”
A full moon lit the way as she carried her daughter up the porch steps. She shimmied the key in the lock until the door opened with a squeal. As they walked across the threshold, her stomach dropped. Sheets protected the furniture, but one of the side windows was cracked. Dusty carpet muffled her footsteps up the stairs toward her old room.
She pulled the sheet off her bed with a spare hand, then laid her daughter onto sheets that hadn’t been changed since she moved out a decade ago.
“It’s dusty, but nothing we can’t clean up. It’s better than the mess we left behind,” she whispered, giving her daughter a gentle kiss on the forehead.
Avery pulled out a blanket from the chest at the foot of the bed. The blanket was blessedly clean, so she used it to tuck in her daughter and closed the door.
In the kitchen, she pulled a chair from its perch on the table and turned it upright. Then she sunk her head onto the table and cried.
How did I get here? she asked herself. Where do I go from here?
After a few minutes of self-pity, she wiped away her tears and gathered her bags from the car. She pulled out a notepad and pen and started a list. There was lots to do, but taking care of Sophia was her top priority. Her daughter needed to go to school, they needed food in the house, and Avery needed a job to pay for it all. She’d need to fix the window and start the furnace, too.
One step at a time. Things would look better in the morning. At least, she hoped they would look better.
She went out onto the porch and sat quietly, listening to the ocean crash against the nearby shore.
She also listened in case Sophia called through the open door. This was a new town, a new house, and a new life. Sophia would be scared and confused, but Avery was determined to make the most of their second chance.
Chapter 2
Grant
Grant threw his toolbox into the back of his truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. It would be another long day. Not a problem. There was no shame in long hours and hard work.
The sun was rising when he pulled onto the job site. His construction company had just started on the O’Neill house, a beachfront beauty that was too small for its current owners. They’d spend the next few weeks here building a new bedroom suite and a kid-friendly area upstairs.
His foreman, Nick Butler, greeted him as walked through the door. “Hey, boss. How’s it going?”
Grant grunted and glanced around at the mess they’d made for the sake of progress. His small crew filled the space, moving materials and planning out their day. “You tell me. Did you get the supplies we ordered?”
“It came an hour ago, while you were sleeping. I hope you got enough beauty rest.” Nick grinned at his boss, then glanced down at his clipboard. “There was a small problem with the order. There’s not enough drywall for the master bedroom. The supplier’s blaming…”
“Supply chain issues, right?”
“You called it. We’re working on the toy room while we wait for the rest of our order.”
Grant slapped Nick on the back and nodded. “Good thinking. I’ll work some nights and weekends once the drywall gets here. We’ll meet our deadline.”
Nick stopped writing for a moment, letting his pencil hover over the clipboard. Grant imagined the gears spinning in his friend’s head. He braced himself, because he knew what was coming. First Nick would poke fun at him, then he would start a pep talk.
The two men had been raised in the same neighborhood. They’d been swinging hammers and exchanging jabs since elementary school. That’s why Grant wasn’t surprised when Nick picked humor over a lecture.
“If you didn’t work all night, you might wake up on time. Besides, there are more fun things to do at night. All work and no play…” Nick punched his boss in the arm and grinned.
It wasn’t easy being the owner of Grant Construction. Grant had worked long hours over the past five years, building his business and a reputation as one of the most honest companies in Sunset Cove. It was important that people trust him. Sunset Cove was his home, and it always would be.
Still, the endless days were wearing him down. Nick was right—he overslept this morning. He’d meant to be here when their shipment arrived. But their last project was running over deadline, and he’d worked until midnight finishing detail work.
Instead of joking with Nick, he grunted again and trudged back to the toolbox in his truck.
Nick crossed his arms and watched Grant stomp back to the house. “You’re working too much if you can’t take a joke at nine a.m. This business is important to you. It’s important to me, too. But you need a life outside of work. When’s the last time you took a vacation?”
Grant rolled his eyes. Here it comes: My monthly lecture on why I should marry a woman instead of my job. Grant couldn’t argue with Nick’s reasoning. The exchange still put him on the defensive. “I don’t have time for a vacation right now. I don’t have time for a girlfriend, either. What kind of life do you think I need?”
His friend scanned his clipboard again, ticking check marks in boxes. “I don’t know. Maybe a wife and a few kids? When you find the right person, you’ll make time for them. You need someone to pull you off the job and home each night.”
“I like my house. Besides, not all of us are that lucky,” he said, shaking his head as he slid on his tool belt and pulled the clipboard from his friend’s hands. “Don’t get cocky because you met a great woman.”
“I am lucky,” Nick said, perking up. He walked over to a makeshift table and grabbed a thermos of coffee. After a long swig, he grinned. “My wife makes me coffee every morning. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
“You also get no sleep.” Grant laughed and picked up his own thermos. “She made coffee for a reason. Isn’t that why you’re here at seven a.m.?”
“The day starts early when you have kids,” he agreed, taking another chug of caffeine. “Besides, if I start my day early, I can leave early. I’ve got to pick the girls up at school today.”
Grant nodded, skimming over the list in his hand. He’d make sure Nick was off the site in plenty of time, even if it meant Grant stayed later than usual. That’s how it worked when you owned a business. “Let’s finish the upstairs teardown. If we stay focused, we can hang the drywall we’ve got left and both go home early.”
Grant thought about Nick’s words all morning. His friend was right. He was working too many hours. Most of the time, he didn’t mind. Grant loved his job and Sunset Cove. He’d grown up here and enjoyed helping to shape the town, one home or business at a time. He took pride in his work and liked seeing their completed projects as he drove through the small town.
Still, he was almost thirty. He’d wanted a family by now. Not much he could do about it, though. There wasn’t sense in starting a relationship until you found the right woman. Nick was right about that, too.
More than a decade ago, he’d found the perfect partner—or so he’d thought. He’d been best friends with Avery Brown in high school. He’d felt a spark between them a time or two. Still, he’d never been brave enough to ask her out. Avery, Nick, and their friend Brook had gone everywhere together, but none of them had moved beyond friendship.
The day after graduation, Avery left their small town for college life. She’d never returned. He hadn’t seen her since they were eighteen.
He wondered what Avery was doing now. Grant soon found himself daydreaming about her long, dark hair and quiet voice. He picked up a new nail and aimed his hammer at the drywall. One swing. Two swings.
“Ouch!” he yelled.
Nick came running into the room. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “You okay?”
Grant stood with the hammer tucked under his arm. His left hand sported a bright red thumb. “I’m fine. I missed.”
Nick burst out laughing. “You own a construction business, and can’t swing a hammer? I’ll find the bandages.”
Grant sighed and checked his hand. He’d split his thumb open. Blood rushed out of the wound, dripping onto his good hand and making a decent-sized puddle.
Nick handed him a few paper towels, then followed him to the bathroom with the first aid kit. “What were you thinking about when you swung the hammer?”
Grant glanced sideways at his friend before holding his hand under running water. If he told Nick about Avery, his friend would never let it go. He didn’t know where Avery lived now, but Nick would find her. He’d always been a matchmaker and wouldn’t let distance stop him from meddling. Nick was married with three kids and thought everyone deserved the same fate.
His friend finished wrapping up his thumb, and Grant stood up. “Thanks. That’s my sign to head back to the office. I’ve got supplies to order for next month’s restaurant expansion.”
“Good idea. Did you buy the candy for Halloween yet?”
Grant turned on his phone and checked the date. October 25—only a few more days until trick-or-treat night. He loved seeing the town’s kids in costume and handing out candy from their Main Street office. Kids knew he had the best treats in town. They came from all over Sunset Cove to visit.
He’d been so busy this year that trick-or-treat had almost slipped his mind. Hopefully, he could find enough candy to keep the kids happy.
“I’m not ready yet, but I will be,” he said. “Thanks for the reminder. I’ll stop by the store on my way back.”
Grant grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled out a list. Ten large bags of candy, and three packs of full bars for the best costumes. Water bottles for the parents. A few stickers and toys for the kids with food allergies. That should be enough.
Nick shook his head. “For someone without kids, you go all out.”
Grant grabbed his toolbox and headed for his truck. Nick was right again, of course. He loved kids. He just hadn’t found the time or woman to start a family. Maybe one day.
Chapter 3
Avery
Avery walked out of Sunset Cove Elementary School with a smile on her face. Sophia was officially enrolled in first grade. While Avery was nervous about the transition, her daughter had happily skipped off to the playground to join her new classmates. The girl’s resilience amazed her. She would likely come home talking about ten new friends.
The elementary school hadn’t changed much since Avery was a student. Sure, the building had a new foyer and a fresh coat of paint—but much of it looked the same. The hallways hadn’t changed. She even recognized a few people sitting at the front desk.
Looking back, Avery wasn’t sure why she had waited so long to come back to Sunset Cove. She should have visited her grandfather more often. Her ex-husband hadn’t encouraged her to come home, but she had a car and they were only two hours away. She could have made the drive at least once a year.
She hadn’t stayed in touch with her friends, either. Once she’d married Eric, it was like she’d forgotten her past life.
That time was behind her, she reminded herself. It was time to start over, and this would be a good change for Sophia. Avery had grown roots here. Now the two of them could regrow those roots together. It was a nice town filled with great people, so unlike the big city she’d left behind.
