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right now, and I don’t want anything upsetting her further. The divorce isn’t going well. Jim’s a jackass.”
     
    “Could’ve told you that years ago. Never liked that guy. He doesn’t deserve her anyway,” Clay said.
     
    “She’s working at Jolt with me now,” Rebecca volunteered as she walked up and wrapped her arms around Jackson’s shoulders from behind. “In fact, we did some training early this morning.”
     
    “So she’s at Jolt now?” Clay asked, still not making eye contact with any of them and instead keeping his eyes on the water. “Maybe I’ll stop by for a cup of coffee later…”
     
    “I’m sure she’d love to see you, but she won’t be back in until tomorrow morning” Rebecca said, giving Jackson a warning look to keep his mouth shut. It wasn’t that Jackson didn’t like Clay. He just couldn’t stomach the thought of his sister being ogled… by anyone.
     
    It had been very hard to let Addison grow up. Being the only girl, all of the boys had been somewhat protective over her. But Jackson had been like a father to her growing up, and he figured those feelings of protection were never going to change. Jim had already damaged her, and he didn’t intend to let anyone else harm her again. Plus, with a baby on the way, Jackson now felt protective over two people.
     
    “Well, nothing starts a day like a cup of coffee,” Clay said, winking at Rebecca.
     
    ***
     
    Addison had never been a morning person, but since being pregnant she seemed to rise earlier and earlier. Maybe it was God’s way of preparing her for the long nights of being a new mother. Whatever it was, it was becoming irritating, she thought to herself as she looked at the clock on her nightstand. Six thirty in the morning? The coffee shop opened in an hour, but she didn’t need to be there until eight-thirty.
     
    She grabbed a muffin and tossed it into her purse on the way out the door and decided to take a walk on the beach to get her bearings for the day. Addison’s mind was full of problems these days. The problem of being pregnant and not knowing what she wanted to do about the baby. The problem of a terrible, contentious divorce. The problem of a floundering career. Everything had seemed so good until it wasn’t.
     
    She walked slowly, savoring the smell of the salty sea air. The beach had always been her refuge, even as a kid. So many events had been centered around the beach, from July 4 th picnics to family photos to school field trips. She found her center there. Her soul was a mixture of sand and salty water, she was certain of it.
     
    As she made her way down the beach toward the ferry dock, she found a big rock and sat down. Pregnancy was making her more tired than she’d expected. Plus, she had been plagued with unrelenting morning sickness the last couple of days. Everyone said the second trimester was better, but her morning sickness had just begun.
     
    Thankfully, her small frame had allowed her to gain weight slowly so far, and she wasn’t showing all that much yet. In fact, Jenna had kidded that she couldn’t even tell she was pregnant from behind. Still, she could feel a small pooch starting to form below her belly button, and it wouldn’t be long before others could tell too.
     
    She knew it was a matter of time before the whole town would know, and everyone would assume Jim was the father. Yet, Jim was nowhere to be found so she’d be stuck looking like the jilted, pregnant wife. On the other hand, if she told the truth, she’d look like a whore, plain and simple. There was no good answer.
     
    Addison sighed and closed her eyes, taking in the quiet solitude of the ocean. The sound of the waves. The feel of the cold rock under her hands. The smell of coffee? She opened her eyes.
     
    “Clay Hampton?” she said, shocked when she saw her old childhood friend was standing before her, drinking coffee from a thermal mug. What was more shocking than seeing him was how incredibly