Page 12 of Must Love Fallen Angels

Note to Self: Who knew fallen angels could be so charming?

When Sunday morning dawned, Tessa walked down to the beach again and sat on the rocky outcropping to drink tea and watch the waves.But this time, she wasn’t unsettled; she was just thinking.

Everything that had brought her to Sable Cove was still raw.

Evan and Lila’s betrayal was just days old.

But being with Venice yesterday had made all of that seem like the distant past.Hitting the sheets had been impulsive, but she felt like it had healed some parts of her that were wounded.Pulled together the edges of her broken heart a little.

She sipped the tea and watched a whitecapped wave as it made its way to the shore, spreading apart on the sand and disappearing.She expected to still feel as numb today as she had when she’d first arrived Friday morning.Instead, she felt alive.More alive than she had been in ages.And it kind of scared her.

Because Venice was occupying her thoughts a whole hell of a lot, and although they’d exchanged phone numbers and he said he wanted to see her again, they hadn’t made any promises.

He’d messaged her last night, wishing her a sweet sleep, and she’d found the note charming.When she’d messaged him this morning that she hoped he had a good day at work, he’d responded immediately that he hoped she enjoyed her day off.

But again, no promises to get together.

She hadn’t been looking for anything but a place to start over when she came to Sable Cove, but something found her anyway.

A fallen angel—she was pretty sure that’s what he was—with a sexy smile and the most kissable lips.

She sighed and cast her gaze toward the lighthouse and the parking lot, but she was alone on the beach, and that was okay.What would she say to him anyway?

That she couldn’t wait to slip between the sheets with him because he was the first guy to ever give her the Big O, and she wanted more?More of his talented fingers and soft lips.

More of everything.

She turned her attention back to the water and the sky and finished her tea, absorbing the peace and quiet of the empty beach.

After spending the morning completely unpacking, she looked in the fridge and was unimpressed by what she’d bought on Friday and opted to take the bike she’d found on the back porch to the diner in town for lunch.

She leaned the bike against the side of the building and walked inside the busy diner.

“Well, hi hon, sit anywhere you like,” a young woman said from behind the counter as she filled the mugs of several patrons.

Tessa sat at an empty stool at the counter and placed one of the books she’d bought from the bookstore on the laminate.

“What can I get you to drink?”she asked as she put a menu in front of Tessa.

“Coke, please,” she said.

“You got it.”

Tessa looked over the menu, finding typical diner fare.

The woman came back with her soda and set it down.“I’m Tia.My brother Tyce and I run the diner.Are you the new girl who lives in the cottage by the beach?”

Tessa chuckled.“This is such a small town.”

Tia nodded.“I could tell you stories.”

“Yes, that’s me.I’m Tessa.”

“Nice to meet you and welcome to town.Your first lunch is on me and Grumpy McGrumperson in the kitchen.”

“That’s so sweet, thanks.How about the pot roast sandwich?”

“A favorite of mine.I’ll put it right in.”