by Jamie Summer
I needed to see him. I needed the reassurance it wasn’t my imagination that put him on the beach. Not even constant eye contact the past few minutes had erased the feeling.
“Off you go,” Jones called, motioning for us to take a seat in one of the boats that had appeared. I had no idea how they had gotten it down there so fast, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was going ashore.
Kendall joined me, holding my hand. We sat in the small wooden boat and started moving.
Jake.
He was there, waiting.
I felt the tug at my heart, the feeling of longing growing with every movement of the oars in the water. It was like a lifeline, pulling us together like a moth to the flame.
Restlessness settled within me as we moved slowly. Too slowly.
Without conscious thought, I stood and jumped overboard. There was no active decision. I just did. The water wasn’t deep, so I was able to stand. I vaguely heard several voices yell out to me, but I ignored them.
My only focus was right in front of me.
Jake. I need to get to Jake.
Then he was right there. Our bodies crashed together like the waves against the shore. I didn’t care that we were wet and dirty. I didn’t care about anything we said and did in the past. In that very moment, all I cared about was feeling Jake’s heartbeat against mine, beating a hundred miles an hour.
All I cared about was him.
“You’re alive,” I whispered as he cradled my face in his hands, resting his forehead on mine. Our breathing was ragged from the fight against the current, but air was the last thing I needed. Before I could say anything else, he captured my lips with his own. Desperation, relief, everything we couldn’t say was in that kiss.
It was frantic. Hasty.
But it was real.
Perfect.
Jake was alive.
And for the first time in years, so was I.
Epilogue
Maddy
The storm had left a trail of devastation behind. We spent days cleaning up, still not feeling as if we had gotten anywhere. The volunteers from the mainland helped, but it was slow progress.
It didn’t help that we also needed to deal with the loss of two of our own. When Jake told me George had died during the storm, I didn’t want to believe him, but the raw pain in his voice and eyes told me more than his words ever could.
I cried. Hard.
Then picked myself up and moved on.
Bart’s death wasn’t any easier to digest, and having to prepare two funerals didn’t make the work on the aftermath of the storm any easier. It was a constant reminder of why they were gone in the first place. I kept myself busy, Anna and Grace always by my side.
The relief at knowing they were all okay had been immense. When Jake and I had walked into the shelter, I had been tackled. Seeing their smiling faces was all the reminder I needed of how lucky I was to see them alive. How different things could have been.
“Maddy?” Jake asked from beside me, fidgeting with his hands. We sat at the head of the small church that also functioned as the island meeting area. More and more people filled in, all wanting to take part in the election. All wanting a reminder things would get better. That they would be able to move on.
“You’ll be fine,” I assured him once again, still unable to understand his nervousness. It was so unlike him. “These people love you. You led them in a time when they needed it most. It’s only natural they would want you to continue to do so.”
Ever since Betty had come forward and suggested Jake take George’s spot as mayor, he’d been plagued with fears and doubts about not being good enough.
“I’m still an outsider,” he remarked. It was the one argument he always brought up when we had this conversation.
Betty came up behind us. “The last thing you are is an outsider, Jake. You’re as much a part of this island as everyone else. We know what you’ve done for us. We know everything could’ve turned out differently if it wasn’t for your quick thinking and the actions you took. It’s only fair you get to lead the people you saved from death.”
“I don’t know if I’m made for this,” he told her.
She nodded. “And that’s exactly the reason I know you’ll be fine. You’ll do everything in your power to make sure the people on Crystal Cove will be okay. Ultimately, that’s all we want.”
With that, she gave him a slight smile before sitting down next to us.
Half an hour later, everyone raised their hand when it came to deciding whether they wanted Jake as their mayor. Informal, as always, but it worked.
“Congratulations,” I said to him with a smile, seeing some of the tension leaving his face. When people came up to shake his hand, I excused myself and went outside.
“Hey, do you want help unpacking the last of your stuff?” Anna asked, joining me on the front steps of the church.
It had been four weeks since the storm, a week since the ferry had started up service again. I had taken the first one, then drove to my apartment, Jake by my side, to pack up everything. There was hardly anything of value there, my possessions only taking up three boxes. The place had come with furniture, so there was barely anything I brought with me from Crystal Cove. And, obviously, I hadn’t bought much while I lived there.
I canceled the lease that very day, made sure my cat found a good home with Rose and moved into my old home on the island. It needed work, but I didn’t want to move in with Jake right away. We needed some time together to get to know one another again. Plus, I needed some time at my dad’s place, rebuilding and making sure it was up to the standard he would have wanted.
“I would love the help. But don’t you have a date with Scott?” I asked, remembering Anna saying something about it the other day.
“Nah. He said he wants to help Jake get settled into his new office.”
I smiled. “Well, I guess unpacking it is then.”
We strolled toward my former—and new—home in silence. The emotions coursing through me were so different than when I walked the same road a few weeks ago. The fear and anxiety had been replaced with warmth and excitement. The future, once a bleak place, was now something I looked forward to.
I couldn’t wait to start this new chapter in my life. One where I fought against fear, where I didn’t let pain overwhelm me. A chapter filled with love, friendship, and the knowledge that I found my happy place. That this island, these people, were my home.
They had weathered the storm, managed to survive even in the midst of darkness. They had never failed to see the light.
I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to go back to enjoying life to the fullest because if this storm taught me anything, it was that life was too short for regret. For fear. For worry.
We needed to learn to face life head-on.
We needed to learn to take punches, but also to get back up when life knocked us down.
We needed to learn to live.
Always and forever.
The End
Acknowledgments
Writing these will never get easier. And yet, for this one, it feels like the pressure is on. I never expected to write a contemporary romance, yet here we are. “Restless Storm” took me by surprise, but ever since I put the first lines down, I’ve not been able to get Jake and Maddy out of my head.
Along the way, there were so many people who cheered me on, who encouraged me and made sure I never stopped.
Sam, it will never get old putting you here. Your unwavering support and love is what keeps me going. Pair that with the fact that you are one of the most incredible people out there and it’s no surprise you end up at that spot.
My PA, Lucy, who’s so much more than a PA. Thanks for humoring me with this romance and for loving it the same way I do. You are heaven sent and I’m so thankful I get to have you by my side.
Allison, Audrey and the ladies of the ATA. You guys are AMAZING. I have learned so much from your wisdom, from the times spent in office hours,
workshops or in one on one’s with you, Audrey. I am so thankful I met you guys and get to call myself a part of you.
To Kim, for taking this book of mine and making it the best version it could possibly be. Thank you for believing in the story and for wanting the world to see Maddy and Jake.
To JC - you amaze me day in and day out. You work endlessly and I have a million graphics and formatting jobs to prove it. Okay, maybe not quite as much, but you get the drift.
To Ashley…thank you for bringing the cover to life.
To my betas, Kerry and Steph, thank you for helping me sort through this book and make sure I didn’t miss any key notes LOL we all know I like to do that.
To my Wave Riders: Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and help with everything. You guys rock.
To everyone who has been with me on this crazy journey I’ve been at so far. Thank you to authors, bloggers and readers alike. You are what keeps me going, and your continuous support, encouragement and love means more to me than I would ever be able to put into words. You never fail to put a smile on my face when I need it the most.
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.
Love always,
Jamie
About the Author
Jamie is an author, wife, mother, reader and coffee lover who loves to take you on an emotional ride with her books.
When she was younger, it was her best friend who got her into writing in the first place. School was boring? Afternoon off? Fanfic writing was what they would do for hours to no end. Publishing, though, hadn't been anything on Jamie's radar until she woke up one day from a very vivid dream. It was one of those you can't get rid of, so she ended up writing it down. And writing some more on it. Until a full story started to emerge. It was her best friend who ended up pushing her to take the next step and put the book out there.
Ever since then, Jamie has been writing all kinds of different stories, all centering around women or girls fighting against their inner (or sometimes outer) demons. The stories range from Young Adult fantasy, to women's fiction or contemporary romance. Whatever idea comes to Jamie's mind.
When she's not writing, Jamie can be found spending time with her friends and family, sitting on her deck enjoying an Iced Latte, watching one of her million TV shows or simply sleeping (cause let's be honest, sleep is hard to come by with small children). She lives in beautiful Germany where she's currently conjuring up her next book.
Want to stay connected? Sign up for Jamie’s newsletter here. You can also join Jamie’s Wave Riders, her reader group all about books that take you on an emotional ride.
Also by Jamie Summer
Urban Fantasy Romance
The Last Keyholder - out now
Young Adult Fantasy
Dalysia trilogy
Dalysian Hope - out now
Dalysian Struggle - out now
Dalysian Redemption - coming winter 2018
Women’s Fiction/Young Adult Mystery
Broken Jar of Memories - out now