Pausing by a mirror before she left her cafe kitchen, Marina smoothed her blue-and-white sundress, dabbed on lip-gloss, and fluffed her new hairstyle. Brandy had done a beautiful job with the shading and long waves.
Feeling better at her age than she had in years, she smiled at her reflection. She was doing what she loved now, and it showed on her face.
Jack or no Jack.
After picking up a plate of cookies she’d made earlier, Marina stepped outside. The summer aromas of warm sand, saltwater, and suntan lotion wafted on the breeze. Beyond the cottage, groups of people lingered on the beach in the sunshine, and the waves lapped the shore.
She strolled across the stone pavers that separated the cafe and its adjoining patios toward the beach house. As she walked, sand crunched beneath the l
