A few years had passed since you’d left the Outer Banks, chasing the life you’d always dreamed of when you got accepted to college. It was your chance to escape, to start fresh, and you took it without looking back. You left everything—and everyone—behind, building a new world far from the chaos you once called home.

That’s why the sound of Rafe’s voice stopped you in your tracks as you stood on the beach, waiting for Kie. His tone was unmistakable, laced with that familiar mix of confidence and curiosity.

“Well, look who it is. Back in town, huh?”

You turned to see him standing a few steps away, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Even after all these years, there was no mistaking the way his sharp blue eyes lingered on you. Time hadn’t erased the memories for either of you, and it was clear Rafe hadn’t forgotten.