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Sequel to Riding South
Trapped inside Tenney House and at the mercy of his father, Camilla and South are forced to face their greatest fears in order to bring down the Gentleman's Network--an organizat...
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The movers had come and gone, and now everything in my life was boxed, bubble wrapped, and on its way to our new house in Annapolis, Maryland.
I didn't have anything else to do except wander through downtown with Rocky while I waited for South to check out of his command so we could get on the road and start the long ride south.
It was still early, and the streets hadn't come alive with summer tourists who were probably still nursing hangovers and sunburns. Coffee in hand, I took in this version of Newport. The shops and the sailboats and the pretty green parks, while trying to scrub the ugliness that had tainted my view of the city away.
We were leaving and not looking back.
Jae, my swaggering, tattooed Navy SEAL, was going to be a sailing instructor at the Navy Academy. He was nervous about the new position, but from what I could tell, he was also kinda excited. He loved sailing and was good at it too. I knew Jae was going to make a great professor. He had an amazing sense of humor, and everyone loved being around him. He attracted people with his openness and big laugh. In some ways, he reminded me of my sister.
Speaking of Lydie, she had already left for her place in Jacksonville. Eager to jump back into a cockpit and fly jets again. It was what she loved to do.
Everyone seemed to have made their passion into a career—except me.
Rocky stopped to sniff a fire hydrant, and I leaned down and scratched the back of his ears. Encouraging him on.
I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wasn't going back to doing PR at a yacht club. That wasn't me anymore. I wanted to do something that mattered. Something that helped people.
Something that made me feel alive.
Regardless of what my sister had told me, I didn't think I needed to do something each day that scared me, but I also didn't want to be too scared to chase after my dreams. Whatever they ended up being.
I was so consumed with my thoughts, my gaze focused on my feet, that I almost walked right into a man on the sidewalk. I said a quick apology before looking up and realizing I recognized this particular man.
Built like a linebacker and dressed in an impeccably tailored navy blue suit, accented with a floral pocket square.
"Jack?" I sputtered out before regaining my composure. "What are you doing here?"
He smirked. "Isn't it obvious? I'm enjoying a leisurely stroll through beautiful downtown Newport at," he checked his gold watch, "seven in the morning."
