Page 18 of Escape to Lighthouse Cove

He turned slightly back to her, his gaze downcast, so his dark lashes fanned his pale cheeks. “My brother—died,” he said abruptly. “I dream about him sometimes.”

“I’m sorry.” Another apology, and yet she knew there was nothing else she could possibly say.

Noah glanced up at her, smiling faintly although the look in his eyes was bleak. “You seem to say that a lot.”

Grace gave a small, sad huff of acknowledgment. “For a long time, I felt like I had to,” she replied.

He inclined his head, and for a long moment they were both silent, absorbing each other’s revelations, the heavy pain of them.

“I want you to know,” Grace said suddenly, her voice hitching in her nervousness, “that I… I won’t look you up on the internet. I try to stay away from it as much as I can. And… I hope you won’t look me up, either.”

Noah regarded her quietly for several moments. “Are you famous?” he asked finally, his tone bland rather than curious.

“No, not at all,” she replied quickly, and then couldn’t help but wince. Fame was a funny thing. “But… on the internet?” she confessed. “Maybe, sort of.” Under her married name, which hopefully would make her harder to find, if he did decide to look. She hoped he wouldn’t. “At least, I was, for about five minutes, but that was long enough.” She shook her head, not wanting to go into it, to have to relive it yet again, and Noah’s navy gaze swept slowly over her.

“Something went viral?” he guessed, and she shook her head.

“No, not really. Just… a kind of relentless… barrage.” A long, low sigh escaped her. She didn’t want to explain about Brad’s concerted attempt to completely discredit her online, on New York City gossip sites, social media, even a TikTok video… or how well it had seemed to work.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Noah stated definitively. “No internet, for either of us. Suits me just fine.”

“Suits me, too,” Grace agreed, and they smiled at each other, so it suddenly felt like they were conspirators.

So she knew about his nightmares. She’dseenhim having one.

The thought made everything in Noah shrivel up in embarrassment and shame, but he was doing his best to ignore those feelings as well as move past them, at least while Grace was here. Later he could return to full recluse mode, but he didn’t have that luxury now. Still, he hated the thought that she’d seen him like that. Had he been writhing? Shouting? God help him, had hecried? Judging by the soft, sad way she’d looked at him, maybe all three.

It was a good thing, averygood thing, that she’d be heading back to the lodge this morning, and then Isaiah could take over checking up on her, which was just as well considering he obviously hadn’t done a good job of it last night.

Why, Noah wondered in irritation, did the thought of not seeing her again make him feel a little disappointed, even sad?

Howstupid.

“I… I should probably check on Jacob,” Grace said uncertainly, and he gave a terse nod.

“Good idea.” As much as he wanted to be normal about things, it was hard after what she’d confessed. Again, Noah wondered how bad he’d been. Had he spoken out loud? Had he said something incriminating or embarrassing or justweird?

He’d woken himself up sometimes, still in the painful grip of a nightmare, the sight of Jem’s lifeless body imprinted on his mind’s eye, as well as the note he’d left, with its five damning words Noah knew he would never, ever forget.

As Grace slipped silently out of the room, Noah exhaled a sigh of relief. The sooner she left, the better. No matter how stupidly disappointed that thought might make him feel.

He was still staring out the window at the sight of sky and sea, willing his mind to empty out of the imaginings of what Grace might have seen, when he heard the door open. “Is Jacob awake?” he asked, turning around, only to see Isaiah come in with a breakfast tray.

“I’m afraid I don’t know,” Isaiah replied as he set the tray down. His faded blue eyes were twinkling and Noah thought he looked far too pleased with himself.

“If I didn’t know you better,” he remarked, taking a sip of his coffee, “I would have suspected you of arranging that whole rescue yourself.”

“I would never willingly put anyone in danger,” Isaiah replied, and now he sounded almost prim. “But I’m glad it happened, because I don’t think you would have met otherwise.”

“Don’t matchmake,” Noah warned him. Grace might be just about the loveliest woman he’d ever seen, but he was pretty sure they werebothtoo damaged to think about even the mildest flirtation, never mind something more. He doubted it was even on her radar, even if it was irritatingly hovering on his.

“Matchmake!” Isaiah repeated on a huff. “Noah, I just want you to have a friend.”

“I don’t need a friend,” Noah informed him shortly. He didn’t deserve one. “I’m not in kindergarten, Isaiah.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “Look, I know you mean well, but it really is better if you just leave it alone.”

Isaiah looked like he wanted to argue, but then the door opened again, and Grace stood there, holding Jacob’s hand. Their conversation would have to keep, but Noah really hoped that the caretaker didn’t have any other nefarious plans up his sleeve to throw him and Grace together.

He didn’t need a flirtationora friend. He was fine on his own. He had to be, Noah acknowledged grimly, because heaven knew he didn’t trust himself with anyone, and he wouldn’t ever again. Not after Jem.