A Shore Thing by Julie Carobini Page A

planned on that fact, nor the more sobering reality of Suz’s husband—Jer’s father—landing in jail. He still couldn’t believe the guy had done what he’d done.
    Gage blew out a sigh with force. Truthfully, though, his sister’s bad fortune had little, if any, effect on his immediate plans because Gage had not cared deeply for a woman in a long, long time. He glanced around. After being unceremoniously tossed from his last job, Gage could have settled anywhere. He had long since passed his exams and become registered in California. As a single guy with no one but himself to worry about, he had built up some savings and had determined to start his own company in a coastal community. So he landed here in Otter Bay. Who was he kidding? The lure of a mammoth-sized job awaiting him had everything to do with that. Still, he could not shake the sense that a larger force was at work.
    A woman appeared before Gage, her shapely figure casting a shadow over him. “Praying?”
    He blinked. After daring to wander back to this spot, Gage might have expected to hear Callie’s voice, but somehow he hadn’t, and now here she stood at the top of the rickety steps, glaring at him.
    He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe.”
    The gritty look on her face faltered. “So how does that work exactly?”
    “Prayer, you mean?”
    “What I mean is I’m praying one way . . .” She glanced around before making eye contact with him again. “. . . and my guess is you’re praying the exact opposite.”
    Gage chuckled and unfolded his legs, allowing his feet to land on the ground. He rested against the rock he’d been sitting on and kept her gaze. “He’s a big God, Callie. I’m sure he can handle it.”
    It happened again. Something faltered in her expression. Did she have a problem with God? Or the fact that Gage was not the godless enemy she had made him out to be? Or maybe she spotted a speck of chive stuck to his teeth.
    “We’re going to fight this all the way, you know.”
    “I understand. Quite a gang you gathered together for the fight, by the way.” That wasn’t called for and he knew it, but such a pain she was! He couldn’t find it within himself to avoid frustrating her if only a little. He gripped the cold, rough surface of the rock beneath his fingers. What did she mean they were going to fight this all the way? How far did she think that pretty face would get her and the geriatric crew she’d recruited for her cause?
    She stared at him as if stunned, and for the briefest instant, he felt another stab of remorse over his flippant comment. But then her eyes narrowed at him and if she had access to a kitchen drawer, he thought she might stab him on the spot. Such beauty, wasted on an angry woman.
    Her intense stare bore into his. “First you carelessly make your presence known before all avenues for saving this property have been explored, and then you foolishly mock the people of this community.” She shook her head slowly, deliberately, as if he were a child. “You are making this easier for me than I had given you credit for.”
    Ouch. He swallowed, trying not to show how bitter his pride tasted sliding down his throat. “Glad I could help.” His voice sounded weak and insincere, even to his own ears.
    “How altruistic of you.”
    “Okay, give.” Gage adjusted his body against the boulder before flashing two open palms in an attempt to end the stalemate. “I don’t care to fight with you, because as I’ve said before, I’m only here to do my job. Maybe if you’d give this thing a chance, you would see just how well the design for this project will complement your community.”
    Callie’s laughter exploded in a wave of snorts, and Gage waited for her to blush and apologize for the unladylike outburst. She didn’t flinch. Instead she took a step, halted, and looked him up and down from his sneakers to the tousled-hair tip of his head, as if daring him to cross her. Her chest rose and fell. Had her animosity