𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄, RAFE CAMERON

1.

| Chapter One |

Stepping off of the private plane my parents owned, I inhaled the salty air as my feet landed on the private airstrip. I grinned as I held a few of my bags in my arms and looked at the sunset.

I was ushered down the steps with my mother's hand as she and my father exited the plane, politely thanking the pilots.

I stood on the sidelines as I watched my father interact with a few crew members before he walked over to me and smiled excitedly.

"It's good to be back, isn't it? The air, the breeze, the smell of the ocean." He let out a sigh of contentment.

When I was eleven, I was forced to move from my home to Arizona because of a huge job offer for my parents. Being Real Estate Agents, my parents were offered a job that consisted of us living somewhere other than North Carolina so naturally they took it and it led to us living in Arizona for seven years.

My father always loved the Outer Banks, it's where he grew up and met my mother. He never wanted to move, but he put his job and family first.

And that's where I am now, finally back in the place that me and my father loved so much.

"It's going to take some time getting used to again, I'm still expecting to see canyons and cacti that we usually see outside of our house." I smirked and nudged his shoulder with my elbow.

He looked over at me and rolled his eyes, "Well, we're back home now, and we can finally bask in the blue water and sit in the sand with no worries at all." He sent me a wink as we walked to our vehicles that were delivered here before we arrived.

I chuckled and shook my head in amusement as my mother joined us, confusion written across her face as to why the two of us were laughing.

"Just follow us, sweetheart, it's only a ten-minute drive to our new home." She smiled and kissed my cheek.

I smiled back at her before hauling all of my bags into the backseat of my Jeep before hopping in, resting my arm on the console as I watched my parents load their stuff into their car.

I followed them as they drove off and I enjoyed the salty air that rushed in from my windows being down. My mind came back to focus as I began driving up a short gravel driveway that led to a big white house. I smiled as I parked my Jeep, looking out at the huge yard that was freshly mowed.

After stepping out of my Jeep, I stretched my limbs and looked around, trying to get an understanding of my surroundings before I grabbed my bags.

As I entered the huge house, I trailed up the stairs while my parents unloaded their stuff in their master bedroom.

I walked down a hallway, searching for my room until I arrived at the end and opened the white door. The room was painted white and it already had all of my furniture set up, along with a few essentials.

Once every piece of luggage was in my room and I had gotten my stuff organized for the night, I trailed downstairs and walked into my parent's room.

"Did you ask Ward if I could come over to surprise Sarah and Rafe?" I asked my father who was best friends with the man.

It was surprising that he still kept in contact with his childhood best friend, but I looked at it as an advantage when I was little.