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“Unfortunately, not at the ain “Your na family?”

“It does” She nodded, suddenly looking serious “We used to own a lot of this town, but over the years the family lost most of it My parents sold as left with the exception of the inn Boardwalk properties are prime real estate here I offered to run the place because my brother and sister weren’t interested My parents are retired in Florida”

“Do you like running the inn?”

“I love it”

I could tell she meant it

“Do you like being a doctor?”

“I do”

“How could you not? You’re saving people’s lives” She ate a piece of bacon As soon as she sed it she said, “So what made you want to vacation here?”

I contemplated Bailey because as someone who had lived here her whole life, and whose faenerations before, I could only assume she was pretty familiar with e Beckwith?”

“Sure How do you know George?”

“We have athe question “Anyway, this place was recoe while I’ht?”

Bailey wrinkled her nose “Yeah, but George closed up shop a feeeks ago and took off for Nova Scotia His daughter, Marie, lives in Canada with her fae decided to spend the summer there”

For a e and Marie Sarah’s story suddenly beca Bailey talk about the people mentioned in her letters

That made the disappointment that flooded me even worse

I hadn’t even considered that I e

“So what’s it like working in a wohts and I remembered why I was here

To vacation

I had to put Sarah’s situation out of my mind and force the ache she’d caused out of my chest

“It’s like anywhere You get used to your environment”

“Is it scary or amental?”

I s to be a probleuards on hand Mostly they’re fine withthem out, but there is the minorityI’ve been spat on before” I wrinkledincident

“Ugh, char”

I laughed at her using the sa

“As I said, there are dangerous crierous Many of those wo for them”

“I guess Still, it must be stressful sometimes”

“I’ an inn isn’t any less stressful”

“Running an inn can be stressful,” she agreed “But I love this place I love Hart’s Boardwalk”

“Hart’s Boardwalk?”

“That’s what the locals call this place because of the legend”

“What legend?” I leaned forward, intrigued

“That if you’re destined for true love, you’ll find it on the boardwalk”

I grinned “How romantic”

Bailey smiled softly, a hint of sadness in her eyes “I know it sounds cheesy, but the legend grew froic, actually Back in 1909of Hartwell Our fa the eldest, was expected to marry well Instead she somehow crossed paths and fell in love with a steelworker from the Straiton Railroad Company, which was based just outside of town Jonas Kellerman was considered beneath Eliza and also a con artist Her faain her wealth

“But Eliza didn’t believe her family and she and Jonas randfather, found out their plans and he threatened harainst the Kellermans if Eliza didn’t reed to marry the son of a wealthy Pennsylvania business Eliza snuck out and went to the beach late at night She walked right into the ocean By chance Jonas was up on the boardith so his sorrohen he saw Eliza He rushed down to save her and his friends say they saw hiether and they were never seen again”

Jesus Christ This place was just bri love stories Now e “Wow”

Bailey gave rown to believe in the legend that Jonas’s sacrifice and the purity of their love created the ic Also because townies who fall in love on the boardwalk stay in love their whole lives There’s a spot on the boardwalk near the bandstand with a brass plaque for tourists about the legend It says if they walk the boardwalk together, and they’re truly in love, it will last forever Torinned

“As for randfather,” she continued, “he made a few bad investments and lost a lot of his wealth People believed the Hartwells were being punished for what happened to Eliza” o;Unfortunately, not at the ain “Your na family?”