You're in my Sun, Block

By Kalaio

You're in my sun!

Those are the words Emily finds herself shouting at a stranger on her Fourth of July vacation weekend. The attractive but infuriating Block manages to cast a shadow on not only Emily, but on her vacation weekend with his optimism.

As Block challenges her to let loose and join his adventurous spirit, she goes toe-to-toe with her anxiety, and finds herself cautiously opening up to the possibility of a connection. Fleeting or not.

With every minute spent with Block, Emily feels herself cool down, and she finally relaxes in the shade. Block guides Emily through stormy seas, and the waves no longer crash around her, she can find her own way through the riptide. A holiday whirlwind romance becomes a testament to the power of connection and the healing properties of love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patience Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jun 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781958704028

Book preview

Chapter One

Beep — a horn sounded in the street as I wait in the long line of cars attempting to get out of the city. To be honest I should have known better than to attempt to get away on a holiday weekend. Everybody from your brother to your second cousin’s uncle is fleeing in hope of a fun weekend away with friends and family. Myself, not so much, I am looking forward to being alone. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love the city and my apartment that I share with my two closest people. I wouldn’t say we’re real friends, more like acquaintances that live well together. We know all of each other’s quirks and are kind enough to stay out of each other’s way. Making us a perfect match to live with one another in an expensive city like New York. Maria and Heidi are complete opposites in life. Maria is a quiet brilliant lawyer while Heidi is a strong independent writer for the times. Thankfully, we are always super busy and are never required to hang out as if we were in college.

This weekend Maria’s parents are coming into the city in hopes of a quieter visit with all the residents that are headed the same direction as myself. To be honest, I could have stayed and gone into the office, enjoyed my comfortable bed and apartment, if it hadn’t happened. The it I am refusing to acknowledge is the very reason I am foolishly sitting in this compact rental stuck in traffic. My only saving grace right now is that the gas tank is full, and the air conditioning is working perfectly on maximum level.

Traffic starts to move again, and I am grateful. Grateful for the distraction of focusing on the other crazy drivers around me. I am praying they stay at least a car’s length away from me so that I do not have to deal with a car accident in a rental. Uh, just thinking about the amount of the paperwork that would mean gives me the shivers.

This is going to be a grueling two-hour drive up the coast. Tucking my short hair behind my ear, I glance into the rearview mirror. Cars for days in each direction, my brown eyes reflect back at me making me wonder why the coast. Why not head to the Hamptons like much of the city does on the weekend in the summer.

To be honest, I do not know the answer to that. What I do know is when I opened up my browser and started to search for vacation rentals, my mind and body typed in Connecticut coast, and after that, it all fell into play. A cute little one bedroom on the coast away from all the stresses of the city.

More beeping with a steady twenty minutes of bumper-to-bumper traffic. The cars are finally starting to flow enough that I can expect to arrive fifty minutes later than the GPS said I would when I started this trip. Strike that, let’s not call it a trip. A trip seems short and meaningless, something insignificant. This is going to be the ultimate holiday vacation that is going to make me want to come back to my safe rental on the coast of Connecticut for years to come. That is it—BEEP! Focus, Emily, an accident is the last thing you need.

Almost three and a half hours later, I pull onto the street that my house is on to find a huge truck in the way. Great. Can anything else go wrong today? The truck parked blocking the road and my driveway. I wait and see if anyone is unloading groceries, lumber, or anything really. Nope, nothing. Ten minutes pass and I see a woman. She is older than myself with graying hair around her ears. She hollers something I can’t make out before waving me around the truck through the yard. I cannot believe it, this woman is okay with my car tracks in her yard. Still, I can’t get into my drive, but at least I’m around the truck.

Hi. So sorry for the inconvenience, she says to me from her yard. I hollered to have him move the truck, but I swear he never hears me when he is in this mode. The woman’s car conveniently was parked across the street.

Thank you. I wave to her and she places a bag in her trunk, before climbing into the driver’s seat.

I stare in disbelief at the black truck placed so distinctly in the way, as if he owns the street. Shaking my head, how is it that I’m stuck renting a place next this mystery man. I grab a suitcase and drag it to the walkway before rolling it to the door. It is a cute place and is only a short walk to the clubhouse pool or the beach.

When I found the listing, I was shocked to see unique-shaped houses gathered together and in a HOA-made community that obviously does not have strict rules, as illustrated by the truck out front. This house looks like a beach version of a stand alone townhouse on the outside. It is a shade of blue that is not as bright as cornflower, but similar in shade. With a cute porch on the street side. The front door is carmine in color, not too bright for the blue surrounding it.

When I walk in, there’s a small entrance space with two doors, one to the left and the other across from the entrance door. The smaller one is obviously a closet beneath the stairs. Opening the other, I find a half bath, a simple pedestal sink with a shiplap-framed mirror facing an ivory toilet. Turning back towards the front door, I look to my left down the narrow hall. Rolling bag in tow, I walk towards the main area of my getaway home.

It’s better than the pictures. I stand, frozen in time, taking in the gorgeous view. The main room has the most beach-themed color scheme you can think of. Corals, blues and shells shades. The white sofa looks cozy with two blue-gray colored blankets draped over the edges behind the coordinating blue and gray pillows. An oddly oval-shaped one piece tinted a light blue, yet almost white, coffee table in front of it. I walk over and set my purse down on it.

There are two boxy wicker chairs facing the table on either end. Each chair contains plush white cushions for the seat and back, topped with a white accented pillow that is splattered with a tie-dye bleach-washed pineapple. I like it, sitting in one of the chairs I take in the comfort level. I will be cuddling in these chairs with a book in no time. Taking the rest of the space in I notice the kitchen is tucked in to the left behind the staircase.

I stand walking to the deep blue island in the middle of the floor I slide my hand across the smooth surface. This kitchen style has no cabinets, instead the wall has floating shelves that display a variety of mismatched bowls, mugs and plates. Below is a the white carrara marble countertop and vibrant white cabinets. It is crazy how the decor and essence of this place is so contrasting yet fits perfectly together. 

I turn in a circle to find the best view. A small two-seater round table is in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. A narrow yard extends past all the other yards and houses. Complete open space, not a house, yard, or anything standing between the back deck just grass and sand, until I lift my gaze to spot water. My eyes widen and my breath catches when I realize they own everything to the beach. Four blocks of houses and there is nothing, no roads, no houses, nothing but grass, sand and water.

The setting sun