be part of a research study into ocean currents.”
Sophie beamed. “Supercool. I mean, I kind of wish it was somebody on a deserted island who needed help or maybe a guy who wrote a letter to his dead girlfriend or something. But this is supercool, too.”
“Are you going to answer?” Nate asked.
“Well, yeah.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to receive some postcards from Japan? Maybe you can make a new pen pal.”
“I’m going to send the email right now.”
“Let’s take some pictures of you finding it, then you can send those along with the location and your information,” Nate suggested.
“Use my phone,” she demanded.
He picked up her sparkly pink device and snapped a bunch of pictures of her with his mom and Jess.
“You should be in the picture,” Jess said. “Let me take a few.”
He handed her the phone and tried to ignore the little pulse of heat exchanged between the two of them.
He posed with his mother and Sophie, then Jess took one of just him and Sophie. He really wanted that pic. He would have to ask Sophie to text it to him or take it off her phone when it was charging every night in the kitchen.
“Okay, that’s enough pictures. I want to send it now.”
She took her phone, then her face fell. “Darn it. I always forget we can’t get a good cell signal down here. Not enough bars to send photos, anyway.”
“You can always send it later tonight.”
“I don’t want to wait. I’m going back up to the house.”
“I’ll come with you,” Eleanor said. “This is so exciting. How many times have we hoped to find a message in a bottle? I gave up looking years ago!”
When he and Jess started to follow them, Eleanor waved them back. “Stay. Sunset will be in another twenty minutes or so and it looks like it will be spectacular from all the clouds we had earlier. Jess should have the chance to enjoy our gorgeous sunset displays here.”
“I can walk back on my own,” Jess protested.
“It’s always better to have someone with you, especially when you’re walking back after dusk. If I don’t see you again tonight, good night. Thank you for all your help today.”
“Come on, Gram,” Sophie urged.
Eleanor laughed then followed her up the path, leaving the two of them alone.
8
Jess
Jess watched Eleanor and Sophie climb the path up the hill toward Whitaker House, Sophie taking her grandmother’s arm as the two chattered in excitement to each other.
“I think we’ve been ditched.”
“Apparently.” Nate looked bemused at how quickly the situation had shifted.
“You really don’t have to stay with me,” Jess assured him. “I don’t mind walking up by myself. I spent two tours overseas and put about two hundred thousand miles on my truck for Transitions since I’ve been home. I think I can manage to walk a few hundred yards without any major catastrophes.”
He smiled, teeth gleaming in the dying sunlight, and she felt that ridiculous shiver again. “I never thought otherwise. I’ll go if you would prefer to be alone. Otherwise, I don’t mind staying so I can let the dogs run off more energy.”
She had forgotten all about the dogs. She shifted her gaze from Eleanor and Sophie, almost to the top of the hill, toward the dogs, who were tussling over a piece of driftwood they had found.
The air had cooled a few degrees, making her grateful for her hoodie.
“I would hate to deprive the dogs of their fun.”
By tacit agreement, they both headed for the bench his mother had just vacated. The dogs hurried over, Charlie the victor of the tug-of-war. The dog presented the stick to Nate, who picked it up and threw it in a long arc down the beach for both dogs to chase gleefully.
Given their contentious meeting the day before, Jess wouldn’t have expected to find so much enjoyment in his company. Their conversation since they headed down the path to the cove had been funny, interesting, insightful.
She rather liked the man, which surprised her. It shouldn’t, she supposed. She already adored his mother and was growing quite fond of his daughter.
All of the Whitakers were very hard to resist.
This time when the dogs came back, Cinder had the stick. The Lab disarmed her by bringing it straight to Jess and laying it in her lap.
“Thank you,” she said.
“She doesn’t always know when to stop,” Nate said with a smile. “Now you’re her hostage.”
“I don’t mind.” She scratched the dog’s head and chin, again wishing she could figure a