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One

Josie Cole open the front door of her beachfront home and rolled her eyes

“I’ve told you for years to just come on in,” she exclai?”

Her best friend, Reese Conrad, shrugged like he always did when he refused to just walk into her hoht into his house when she stopped by They didn’t live far from each other on this stretch of beach in Sandpiper Cove, North Carolina It was one of the things she treasured about the place

“Respect,” he replied in that low, gravelly tone of his

She always asked the saave the same one-word response She’d also offered him a key, but he always said he didn’t need one because he only stopped by when she was home

Typically, they were either at his place, out on his yacht or traveling together when their schedules permitted

“I thought you were out of town on a work trip” Josie walked through the spacious open layout of her living roo to her patio “I’ coffee if you want to join me”

“It’s five o’clock in the evening”

She stopped and threw a glance over her shoulder “What does that have to do with the love of coffee?”

He laughed and shook his head Like he didn’t know her mad love of coffee?

“I’ood,” he replied as he followed her out onto the outdoor living area “And I cut my trip short because I had seen all I needed to see”

So aluy she knew He had everything—a successful career in the restaurant industry, parents who doted on him and loved him unconditionally, her as a best friend What more could he need?