The Lighthouse Keeper

Chapter 1

Sandcastle Cove hadn’t changed a bit.

As Olivia Fisher drove through her hometown, an excited energy flowed through her. She hadn’t been back home in years, so she was looking forward to her brief stay. Olivia reminded herself that this was a business trip. Her visit to the coastal town was a professional venture. Once she got the restoration of the historic lighthouse off the ground, she would be on her way back to her office job in the city, where she belonged.

Still, that didn’t mean she couldn’t take in the sights as she navigated her way through the winding streets. A little nostalgia might be good for her. Nestled between the lush green mountains and the sea, Sandcastle Cove was a town full of little shops, seafood restaurants, inns, and charming seaside cottages.

And closer to the coastline, she knew there was the wooden footbridge and the fish market. With this warm and sunny weather, boats of every kind would be out on the water—including kayaks, lobster boats, and sailing vessels.

The sudden scent of salty sea air filled her lungs, bringing back memories of her childhood in Sandcastle Cove. It was wonderful, a charmed and idyllic upbringing. She remembered it all, from excursions out on the water, to adventures by the shore with her friends, to growing up in a beautiful home with her parents. But her parents had wanted more than what the town could offer, so they packed up and moved away to the city when it was time for Olivia to start university. To Olivia’s parents, a small town couldn’t compare to the glamour, variety, and fast pace of the city. They were probably right. If she hadn’t left town and gone to a top university, she never would have landed her prestigious job at the building restoration company.

Her stomach growled. Reminiscing and the long drive to town must have worked up her appetite. Work could wait while she took a detour to get a bite to eat. Taking a left turn, Olivia made it to the Sandy Shore Bakehouse in no time. She stepped towards the bakehouse, and the delicious aroma of coffee and warm pastries invited her in.

Inside, a handful of patrons were eating breakfast at the tables and Olivia glanced at the fish shaped clock on the wall. It would be lunchtime soon, but if she knew the Sandy Shore Bakehouse, they still had breakfast items on offer. As Olivia moved further into the backhouse, a woman she recognized behind the front counter let out a high-pitch squeal.

Olivia! Olivia Fisher! Oh my goodness, I thought you were coming into town next week! The woman hurried from behind the counter.

Penny Garcia, I’ve missed you! Olivia rushed over to hug her friend. Look at you, manager of the bakehouse.

Penny pulled back and beamed with pride. Manager and co-owner. Me and my wife bought the place a few months ago after Mrs. Lacey retired. Business is going great.

It looks absolutely amazing, Olivia said, looking around at the eatery that brought back so many fond memories. There were times she and Penny had come to the bakehouse to chat and gossip about their high school crushes. Congratulations.

Thanks, Penny said. What can I get you? A lobster grilled cheese, a cranberry muffin…

Olivia’s heart swelled when Penny remembered her usual order after all these years. I left town before I acquired my taste for coffee, so I’d love a latte to go with that.

Coming right up!

Within minutes, Penny appeared with the order and Olivia pulled out a chair for her friend.

I’ve got ten minutes to catch up before the lunch crowd arrives, Penny said, smoothing down her apron before taking a seat. What brings you back home anyway?

Oh right. Olivia sat down to take a bite out of her sandwich, savoring the lobster meat and grilled cheese combo. It tasted exactly how she remembered. Delicious. I’m here to get the town’s restoration project off the ground.

Gosh, we really need that. There was some major damage during the hurricane last year, Penny said. Even though the town pitched in to repair most of the damage, we definitely need help with the historic sites. None of us have that expertise, and we didn’t want to make a further mess.

Olivia nodded. Well, I’m here to help. My boss sent me in a week early to start with the lighthouse. I was on my way there before I stopped by—

Wait, you’re going to the lighthouse? Penny’s brown eyes widened. You do know that Jack Greyson works up there right?

Her stomach fluttered at the mere mention of her freshman year crush. Heat stole up her cheeks. I might have heard something about that.

Olivia, you’re blushing. Penny pointed out with a giggle. Do you still have a crush on Jack Greyson?

Did she still have a crush on the sweet, older boy who had played football and taught kids how to fish? Did Olivia remember his dark hair, expressive blue eyes, and smile that was always on his face? No. Of course not. That would be utterly ridiculous.

Stalling for time, Olivia took another bite out of her sandwich.

Penny crossed her arms and shook her head. I know that look. Fine, keep it to yourself, but I can tell you’re still crushing on Jack.

Olivia swallowed her food and took a delicate sip of her latte. I am not. Besides, he’s probably married now or has a girlfriend.

Trust me, he doesn’t. The smile on Penny’s face vanished. Look, a lot’s changed in town since the hurricane. Some things might look the way you left them, but the hurricane left the town pretty battered.

Heart squeezing in sympathy, Olivia reached out to gently pat her friend’s arm. Though she had experienced the storm in the city and had experienced genuine terror, she had been sheltered from the worst of it in her apartment. For the residents in lower income neighborhoods and small towns, however, it had been one of the worst storms in living memory. From all accounts, last year’s hurricane had been traumatic for Sandcastle Cove’s inhabitants and she was going to do her part to help in whatever way she could. She had already made a financial donation, so now, she will use her talents to aid her hometown.

The bakehouse door swung open, a bell sounding with the movement. Penny pushed her chair back to get to her feet. The lunch crowd is here. Sorry I have to dash, but we should catch up sometime.

How about I call you this evening?

Great. Talk to you soon, Liv. With that, Penny raced back to the counter to start welcoming new customers.

Olivia soon finished her sandwich and the delicious cranberry muffin. She got back into her car and headed in the direction of the Sandcastle Lighthouse.

When the lighthouse came into view, it took Olivia’s breath away. The structure towered protectively over the coastline, a beacon for anyone who had lost their way at sea. Painted pure white, the lighthouse is the most recognizable building for miles around. Based on memories from class field trips and her own research, Oliva knew that the lighthouse had been built in the late 19th century. It was also one of the few lighthouses that was still operated by a lighthouse keeper. Most had been outfitted with modern technology, but Sandcastle Cove had kept up the tradition all this time. Until now.

Damage from the hurricane had made restoration more urgent than ever which meant the opportunity to bring the lighthouse up to modern standards. A lighthouse keeper wouldn’t be required once the modernization was complete. Even though a keeper wouldn’t be needed, restoring the site would revitalize the town. It would help to show that they weren’t going to be beaten by the storm.

She parked her car in front of the dilapidated lighthouse keeper’s cottage before getting out and making her way across the sand to the lighthouse entrance. Her heart skipped a beat as she drew nearer. Olivia shook her head, telling herself that it was just left over jitters from her high school crush. It was normal to anticipate seeing a crush after so many years. What she was feeling was curiosity more than anything, curiosity about how Jack had turned out. He was probably still handsome and sweet. After all, he had given her money whenever he noticed she was short on change at the convenience store. Probably a nice gesture on his part, but teenaged Olivia had been on cloud nine about that sort of stuff for weeks.

Walking up the steps, she stopped in front of the door and started knocking. After several hard raps, Olivia waited. No response. She tried knocking again, louder this time. Olivia waited another minute to listen out. Nobody answered. With a sigh, she took a step back to fish her phone out of her handbag. She didn’t remember getting contact details for the lighthouse or Jack, but maybe it was stored somewhere. As she swiped at the screen, Olivia reached for the door handle and to her surprise, it swung open.

Unsure of what to do next, she bit her lower lip. It was probably rude to just barge in, but she had a job to do. Failure could mean a demotion and she refused to be defeated. She decided to take a quick look. If the keeper wasn’t around, she could leave a note with her phone number.

She stepped inside, taking a moment to assess her surroundings. Though she had been to the lighthouse on a field trip as a kid, the interior didn’t hold the same memories that the exterior did. Everybody in Sandcastle Cove had a connection to the lighthouse. It had been there for over a hundred years. Through good weather and bad. The sign that there would always be a safe harbor. A comforting, reassuring landmark.

From the inside though, it felt sparse. At least, the ground level did. The wooden floors had seen better days, and there were stairs that led all the way up to a closed hatch. There was a small sitting area beside the stairs with what looked like antique furniture. Above the furniture was a painting of the inlet the lighthouse watched over. From where she was standing, it looked like this main room had been divided by a wooden wall because there was a door off to the side that no doubt led to the keeper’s lodgings or some sort of living space. The rounded wall was also painted white, complete with a pair of large windows, allowing natural light to pour in, bathing everything in a soft gold. Sparse, a bit rough, yet also, strangely, cozy.

Hello? she called out. It was probably futile, but it was best to try. After a long pause, no answer came so she went back to searching her phone. There was a slim chance that her boss had shared contact details with her.

The lighthouse is closed to visitors today.

The deep, gruff voice nearly made her jump ten feet into the air. She jerked back in surprise, almost dropping her phone as she struggled to compose herself.

A stranger was climbing down the stairs and when he got down to the floor, he turned to look at her, assessing her with a very noticeable irritation. She could see he was irritated by the momentary flash in his wintry blue eyes. Never had she seen anything so purely blue in her life. As blue as glacier ice. She found herself hypnotized by those twin pools. So captivated that she felt like she was drowning in them. Submerged before she plunged down into a fathomless sea. As plain as his irritation was, there were hidden depths beneath that discernable emotion. More underneath the surface.

Other than his incredible eyes though, it was hard to figure out the exact expression on his face. He was so tall that Olivia had to tilt her head back to look up at his facial features. The man was sporting the fullest, bushiest beard she had ever seen with a giant moustache to go with it. His hair was black and wavy, slightly too long, but so silky that Olivia wondered what it would be like to run her hand through it. Just once.

His thick, dark eyebrows furrowed, annoyance seeming to intensify as he scowled at her.

Olivia trembled. Was her body’s reaction based on fear? Or was this unexpected desire? As terrifying as he looked, she had to admit, there