Finding Serenity (Serenity Beach) Read Free Page A

isn’t it?”
    “The ocean?” I asked and he nodded. “It’s breathtaking.”
    “I always wanted to live by the ocean. There’s just something about it that is so…cosmic.”
    “Deep thoughts.” The air had gone still and quiet around us except for the occasional crackle of the fire. “You sound a little like a poet.”
    He chuckled. “That’s the first time I’ve ever been accused of being poetic.”
    We were both quiet for several minutes. It was strange that I didn’t feel the need to fill the quiet. I was comfortable in our silence.
    “It’s so peaceful,” I said quietly. “Sometimes I just want to dive in and let the waves pull me out until there’s nothing but me and the sea.”
    “Now who sounds like a poet?” Nolan said with a small laugh. “If you ever decide to give it a shot, let me know. I’d like to go with you.”
    “Have you ever swam in the ocean at night?” I asked. He shook his head. “You should. It’s very therapeutic.”
    “Sounds nice. I can get onboard with the idea of leaving everything behind.”
    “Is that a warning sign?” I tossed a twig into the fire and watched as it immediately began to crackle. “Should I get you some help?”
    “Please don’t. I don’t want you to go anywhere.” He gave me a shy look. “I think I might enjoy your company.”
    “You won’t,” I said fairly certainly. “I make a good first impression, but that will pass soon and you’ll grow sick of me.”
    “I’m not entirely sure that you are kidding,” he said with a confused smile.
    “Enough about me.” I picked up a long stick and poked it into the fire. “Where are you from originally?”
    “Nebraska.”
    I was surprised. “Farm boy?”
    “Born and raised.” He grinned. “I can rock a farmer’s tan like it’s nobody’s business.”
    “I’m sure you can,” I said without thinking, then immediately blushed. “I take it you don’t still live in Nebraska?”
    “I have a home there, but it’s not where I spend most of my time.”
    “Aren’t you fancy!” I joked. “Where do you prefer to spend your time?”
    “Right now? On the beach with you.”
    He certainly was a charmer. “Cute. Now the real answer, please.”
    “What’s your story, Jordyn?” He asked, again avoiding giving a real answer. “You aren’t from Serenity.”
    “You sound so sure of that.” As was always the case when someone started digging into my past, I felt uncomfortable. “Serenity is my home.”
    “Fine.” His piercing eyes held on for one more second before flitting away. “I used to love to go outside and look at the sky. On the farm, you can see so many stars at night.”
    “You can see quite a few of them here,” I said. Looking up, hundreds of them twinkled overhead.
    Nolan’s arm brushed mine lightly. “This is nothing. Sometime I’ll take you to the farm and show you.”
    “Oh you will?” I laughed. I couldn’t tell if he was being serious. “That’s not exactly a short drive.”
    “We’ll take my plane.” Now he looked at me and smiled. “You free next weekend?”
    In a bit of perfect timing, the high pitched squeal of someone yelling my name echoed down to us. It had to be Kennedy.
    “I should go. Kennedy probably thinks I abandoned her.” I pushed out of the chair and was pleased to find that the world didn’t spin too fast around me.
    “I’ll walk you back.” Nolan offered me his hand.
    I thought about refusing, but my head was still a little hazy from the mystery drink and the uneven sand wasn’t helping matters.
    “I’m not usually such a lightweight,” I said, leaning against him for balance.
    “Everyone misjudges Boomer juice the first time.” Nolan’s hand tightened when my ankle twisted beneath me and I nearly fell. “You’re holding up better than a lot of people.”
    As if on cue, Kennedy stumbled in our direction. “Where’d ya go?”
    “I was on the beach with Nolan,” I said.
    “Nolan?” she glared suspiciously. “Do I