The New Beginning

ANNA

I stared out at the sunrise as it washed the ocean in a golden glow.

It was always beautiful here, but the mornings were by far my favorite. Starting my day on the deck of my beach house rental had become something of a ritual since I moved in.

Although these days, I’d swapped my coffee for peppermint tea and crackers.

I took a deep breath, enjoying the slight saltiness of the air. So much had changed since I left New York.

Truthfully, I dearly missed the city and all of my friends there. At the same time, I wouldn’t trade the peace I’d found for a moment of the chaos I’d chosen to leave behind.

I shuddered at the memories, and Anubis sank his furry head into my lap with a whine. He stared up at me, his kind brown eyes full of trust and warmth.

“Hey, buddy,” I said, scratching his ears. “Breakfast?”

His tail thumped loudly on the wooden deck at my feet. At least there was one positive thing that came from my brief engagement to Gavin Powell.

Anubis had seen me through the lowest point in my life and remained a steadfast and loyal companion. He had lain with me while I cried, walked with me when I didn’t think I could get out of bed, and made me feel loved even when I didn’t know if I deserved it.

Plus, he kept my feet warm while we watched movies on the couch.

Had anyone told me a dog could basically replace a boyfriend and share zero of their downsides, I probably wouldn’t have had to flee to North Carolina in the first place.

I smirked at the thought before reluctantly leaving my cozy Adirondack chair to start my day.

Although I’d planned on sharing some eggs with Anubis, the sight of the sticky yolks in the frying pan made my stomach turn.

“Guess you get the whole lot today, Nuby,” I said, sliding them into his personalized bowl on the floor.

He licked his lips greedily before devouring the contents. I smiled, watching him. If only we could all be so content with the simple things.

The half-dead flowers on the counter caught my eye, and my face fell. It was Tuesday. Another batch would arrive later this afternoon.

Like clockwork, Gavin had a gorgeous bouquet delivered each week. This time, the note had been simple.

~Thinking of you always, sweetheart. Love, Gavin.~

I wrinkled my nose. At least it hadn’t been another long letter begging me to come back. Thankfully, those had become fewer and farther between.

Reading page after page of his desperate pleas had almost been enough to break my resolve and hear him out. Almost.

Then, memories of him standing on stage next to Chelsea played on repeat. All the lies and half-truths. All the hurt. It was enough to bring me back to my senses.

Given that I was sure Mark kept his word about not helping him, it had taken Gavin an incredibly short amount of time to find my new home.

~Benefits of being a well-connected billionaire,~ I supposed.

After the first flower delivery, I’d braced myself for the morning he showed up on my porch, but he never came. Instead, the fresh blooms continued to arrive in his absence, accompanied only by the occasional, drunken voicemail.

Those were the most painful. Just the sound of his voice was still enough to prickle my skin with goosebumps.

Hearing him apologize and profess undying love? Nearly unbearable.

I’d never responded to any of it, still unsure of how we could possibly repair the rift between us.

I chewed on my lip.

Things had only grown more complicated since I left. The anxiety brought on by the mere thought of facing him was suffocating at times.

I closed the door on our relationship, thinking that would be the end of it. Apparently, fate had other plans.

My gaze trailed over to the black-and-white printout on my fridge, bringing with it the usual mix of emotions. Surprisingly, regret wasn’t one of them.

With a shake of my head, I turned to Anubis. “Swim?”

He clicked his furry paws excitedly on the tile floor.

I grinned. “Thought so.”

We made our way to the sandy shore below my cottage. Anubis trotted at my side, scanning our surroundings almost constantly, ever my trusted guardian.

After carefully selecting the perfect stick, I threw it into the waves and giggled as eighty pounds of muscle and fur splashed after it. He loved the ocean as much as I did.

I closed my eyes as I listened to the sound of the sea’s musical lull, the sand tickling my bare feet.

~This is perfect.~ I took a deep breath of the ocean air, and longing filled my heart. ~If only it could be like this forever.~

I would have to face him soon. I knew that. There were certain things even I felt he had a right to know.

For now, though, I planned to stay in my tranquil little hideaway where my past was easy to forget, and my future was still somewhere over the not-so-distant horizon.

The blare of my ringtone cut through my reverie.

I sighed. ~Nothing lasts forever.~

I paused to suck in a breath at the caller ID. Not one I could ignore for long, even if I wanted to.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Ms. Powell! This is Candace from Dr. Owen’s office. I just wanted to confirm your prenatal appointment for tomorrow afternoon.”

She sounded so sickeningly happy. Probably because most people in my position were excited.

I looked down at the hand I’d absently placed over my stomach and swallowed, willing my pounding heart to slow.

This was happening—whether I’d fully accepted it or not.

Anubis chose that moment to drop his slobbery stick on my bare feet, causing me to jump. I shook my head and felt a smile pull at the corner of my lips.

~Maybe two good things had come from Gavin.~

“Thank you, Candace. I’ll be there.”

End of Book 1