Present Day
Bella wanted to believe it was the lake that drew her to the docks on Amavita Estates again, but it would have been a lie. She was hoping to see Ryan again.
After their lunch, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. She barely knew him, but she felt a connection to him. Maybe it was the loss of their parents, or maybe it was the freedom that came with someone having no preconceived notions of who she was, but it was intoxicating being with him.
The moonlight guided Bella down the hill toward the water. She heard the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. She wondered if Ryan would appear again, but even if he didn’t, she wanted to be there.
She was trying to get to know her father, but it wasn’t easy building a relationship with a complete stranger. Especially when th
