Chapter Three
With his belly full of a really good omelet and his rental car loaded with groceries, Cal stood on the edge of the beach and looked out at all that water. More than he’d ever seen in his life, that was for sure.
The Oregon coast was nothing like home. The water was a restless gray, the waves crashing sharp against jagged rocks and wide stretches of damp, packed sand. Driftwood lined the shore like the bones of old trees, and seagulls wheeled overhead, crying out like they had something urgent to say.
Cal slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket and muttered, “You’re not in Texas anymore.”
The words landed heavier than he expected.
The beach was nothing like the dry ranchland where he grew up, all wide skies and endless pastures.
Nothing like his house in Dallas either, or the downtown office of Bennett Rodeo Promotions, the business he had built from the ground up.
He barely remembered locking the door to that office when he walked away from it all, needing time to heal.
Or maybe needing space to figure out if he even wanted it anymore.
Wild Rose Point was smaller, quieter. But somehow, it spoke to him.
He could understand now why Eden had talked about it as if the town itself was some kind of a second chance.
Despite the weird curses, the soulmate legends, and the fact that the entire population seemed to run on gossip and coffee, the place felt peaceful. It felt… settled.
The image of Willa popped into his head, sharp and clear. Her green eyes, her quick mouth. That face.
Cal sighed and shook his head. “Well, maybe peaceful and settled’s a stretch.”
He watched the waves roll in, already knowing this town was going to get a lot messier before it got simpler.
Cal pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over Eden’s name in his contacts. He figured he should at least text her to let her know he was in town. Maybe they could meet for coffee, something simple. Nothing about this trip was supposed to be complicated.
Before he could press the call button, his phone buzzed.
It was a message from Darlene Sanchez, his office manager. She was sharp as a whip, took no nonsense from anyone, and used to ride broncs back in the day. She was the kind of woman you trusted to keep your business standing while you limped away to figure yourself out.
You are not going to believe this. The text from Darlene lit up his screen. The charity bull from the event? He’s gone viral. Internet famous. People are trying to book him for birthday parties.
Cal stared at the message, torn between laughing and cringing.
The phone buzzed again, and a second text rolled in from Darlene. I am now negotiating appearance fees for a bull named Captain Ball Crusher. This is what my life has become.
Cal rubbed his jaw, a slow grin tugging at his mouth. Of course the bull that nearly wrecked his knee was now a star.
Don’t book him for kids’ parties. Cal typed back. He hates balloons.
Darlene’s response came fast. Too late. He has merch now. The T-shirts arrive Thursday.
Cal let out a low laugh, pocketed his phone, and shook his head at the waves rolling in. Maybe walking away from the rodeo circuit wasn’t the disaster he’d made it out to be. At least the bull was enjoying his second act.
He thumbed out a quick text to Eden. Hey, made it to Oregon. Would be good to catch up while I’m here. Let me know. He hit send and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
The words had barely left the screen when a blur of white came hurtling toward his head. The seagull screeched like it had a personal vendetta, wings flapping wild, aiming straight for his face.
“Seriously?” Cal ducked, moving fast, stepping sideways across the damp sand. The bird circled back for another pass.
Cal waved his arms. “Back off. Go find a French fry.”
The gull let out another angry cry and veered away, swooping low toward someone farther down the beach.
That’s when he saw her.
Willa, jogging along the shoreline, earbuds in, head down, lost in her own rhythm. She had on black leggings, a worn zip-up sweatshirt, and her hair was pulled into a loose braid that bounced with every step.
Cal’s stomach tightened, and it had nothing to do with the gull.
The bird locked onto her as if it had a score to settle.
“Hey!” Cal called out, already limping toward her. “Watch out!”
She didn’t hear him.
The seagull divebombed, close enough that she finally noticed the incoming feathery menace. Willa let out a startled yelp, swatting at it as she stumbled sideways in the sand.
Cal pushed his pace, trying to reach her. His knee gave a sharp warning, but he didn’t slow down.
“Duck!” he shouted.
She turned toward his voice just as the bird swooped again.
Cal lunged, more instinct than plan, caught his foot in the uneven sand, and twisted his knee hard enough to see stars. His balance gave out, and he practically crashed into her, his full weight leaning on her as he fought not to hit the ground.
Willa staggered but caught him, her hands gripping his arms as they both tried to stay upright.
Cal winced, breath sharp. “I was trying to help.”
She blinked up at him, wide-eyed. “You’re being hunted by a seagull.”
“Apparently.”
“Maybe you are cursed,” she muttered.
“Starting to believe it.”
The bird circled once, let out a final screech, then soared off toward the next unlucky victim.
Willa steadied him, her hands still firm on his arms. “Can you walk?”
Cal straightened slowly, biting back a groan. “Yeah. Just… maybe not fast. Or maybe not in a coordinated kind of way.”
She smirked, still catching her breath. “Well, that was smooth. Really top-notch seagull dodging.”
“Thanks. I try to set the bar high.”
Her laugh slipped out, soft but real, though her eyes flicked down to his leg with a trace of worry she didn’t quite hide.
“You sure you’re okay?” she asked, keeping her tone light but not letting go of his arm. “I’m not dragging you back to the saloon, cowboy.”
Cal shifted his weight carefully, testing his knee. “I’ll make it. Probably.”
She didn’t roll her eyes, but she came close. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“Yeah, but I make decent company.”
That earned him another quick laugh, but her hand stayed on his arm a little longer than it needed to. Willa slid her arm under his to help steady him as they made their way across the sand toward the parking lot.
“Try to lean on me, not crush me,” she said, her voice teasing but careful.
“I’m leaning responsibly,” Cal promised, though every step made his knee burn like someone had twisted a wire too tight.
As they cleared the beach, he spotted two women standing on the seawall nearby. One of them, older, with silver-streaked hair, waved cheerfully. The other, who Cal immediately recognized, was Willa’s mother.
Willa groaned quietly. “Of course, they’re here.”
Cal squinted at the pair. “Is that your mom?”
“Yes. Delia.” She sighed. “The other is my grandmother, Maeve. Get ready. This is where things go off the rails.”
Delia called out, her grin wide and unapologetic. “Look at that. A soulmate beach stroll for your first date.”
Willa shook her head. “It’s not a date.”
Maeve’s sharp gaze took them both in. “Sure looks like a date to me. Especially with all that hand-holding.”
“I’m keeping him from planting his face in the sand,” Willa called back.
When they reached the seawall, Willa made the quick introduction. “Cal, this is my grandmother, Maeve. Maeve, this is Cal Bennett.”
Maeve gave him a once-over, warm but sharp, like she didn’t miss a thing. “You’re the cowboy who wandered in under the full moon?”
“That’s me,” Cal said. “Also the guy who’s been personally hunted by your local seagull.”
Maeve’s eyes sparkled. “Ah, that would be Edgar. He likes to test newcomers. Keeps the beach interesting.”
“He nearly kept me there permanently.”
“Then you passed. Welcome to Wild Rose Point,” she added.
Cal smiled, steadying himself a little more on his own. “Appreciate it.”
Maeve patted his arm as if she’d just claimed him for the town. “Take care of that knee, cowboy. And keep an eye on Willa. She acts like she’s all grit, but she’s soft inside.”
Willa groaned. “Okay, great talk. We’re leaving now.”
Delia winked. “See you later, lovebirds.”
Cal let Willa guide him toward his rental car. She didn’t say anything, but her stiff shoulders told him exactly how hard she was working not to let her family get to her.
“They seem fun,” he said, biting back a grin.
“Do not encourage them.”
“Too late. I think they already like me.”
She shot him a look as she unlocked the car. “That’s the problem.”
Willa helped him the rest of the way to his rental car, her hand steady on his arm even though she was pretending this was no big deal.
Cal settled against the side of the car for a second, catching his breath. “So, tell me. Do your mom and grandmother seriously believe in the soulmate thing? Or is that just small-town entertainment?”
Willa opened the passenger door and shrugged. “They believe it. Both of them claim that's how they met their husbands. Same story every time. Mooncatcher Lager, full moon, the whole deal. Before that, my great-grandmother claimed the same thing. She’s the one who started the legend.”
“So this is a family tradition then.”
Willa paused, her gaze slipping toward the ocean. “Yeah. Or maybe they just really want to believe.”
Cal watched her closely, catching something else buried in her voice.
Willa let out a slow breath. “Truth is, I’ve got a terrible track record. I’m sort of a turd magnet when it comes to men.”
Cal raised an eyebrow. “Turd magnet?”
She smiled without much humor. “You heard me.”
“They want you to be happy,” he said quietly.
“Yeah. They do. And they’d love nothing more than for this ridiculous legend to be real. For it to actually stick this time.”
Cal pushed off the door, careful with his knee. “Maybe you’ve just been fishing in the wrong pond.”
Willa glanced at him, one side of her mouth pulling into a reluctant smile. “Well, now you sound like my grandmother.”
“Smart woman.”
“Terrifying woman,” Willa corrected.
Cal chuckled. “Yeah, I picked up on that.”
Willa gave the door a gentle pat. “You good to drive?”
“Yeah, I’ll manage.”
“Good. Rest that knee. You’re not allowed to be a hero around angry seagulls anymore.”
“I’ll do my best.”
As Willa turned and jogged back down the beach, Cal slid behind the wheel and watched her go. He hadn’t even managed to start the engine when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Eden’s name on the screen.
You’re really here? Wow. Didn’t expect that.
There was a pause, then another text came through.
I’m in Portland right now on business. Should be back in about a week or two. Would love to catch up then.
Cal read the message twice, the quiet between the lines settling into his chest. He wasn’t in a rush. He had time.
And something told him that whatever he thought he came here for might not be the thing keeping him here after all.