Natalie stands on the veranda. When she turns to say goodbye to Ophelia, the door is already closed. She didn’t even hear it click shut, and there aren’t intricate carvings on this side to suggest that Ophelia’s shop is just beyond it. “Okay, thanks, I guess?” she mutters. “Alone again.” The ocean waves roll in and out. The sand looks slick and Natalie heads over there, sliding out of her sandals. Picking them up, she lets them dangle from her fingers. “When was the last time I was at a beach?” Oh, right. With Sarah and the big bonfire after college graduation. The waves roll up over her feet and she watches birds fly over the expanse of blue. Natalie pulls out her phone, but there are no missed calls or texts. With a sigh, she slides it back into her pocket. “Guess no one misses me.” Tears sting her eyes, and she stuffs them down. Sighing, she turns away from the water and realizes she has nothing to dry her feet. “Dammit. Where the hell is this person supposed to meet me?” Natalie huffs, heading back the way she came. She spots a wide opening in the tropical foliage, so she turns to head that way. Still, no one is around that she can see. “Guess I’m on my own.” The path winds through the forest, curving one way, then back to the other. While pretty, it’s also annoying. There are birds calling in the trees and flitting from one to the other, but none of it matters to her. Natalie is hot, sweaty, and mad because she forgot her cup in Ophelia’s shop. Even though she’d finished the coffee, it still had ice in it, which would’ve been nice right now. The path, though wide and maintained, feels like a trek through the jungle. When it finally opens into a clearing, she raises a hand for extra shade, squinting across the expanse. “Did I go the wrong way?” she mutters, turning to scan her surroundings. “Welcome to The Haven, Natalie.” The voice comes from behind her, startling her. Natalie stops dead in her tracks, her heart leaping into her throat. Being outside her comfort zone sucks. “Apologies for my lateness. I got held up assisting someone.” “You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she snaps, turning toward the voice. As she gets closer, recognition dawns, and she freezes. “You!” Natalie stomps over to the guy from the coffee shop, her body tensing more with every step. “What the hell are you doing here?” she demands, gripping the handles of her bag tightly, ready to smack him with it. “Uh… I’m Marcus, and I’ll be your friendly guide today.” Marcus’s attempt at a smile looks more like a grimace. “I’m really sorry about the coffee shop incident. I swear I wasn’t trying to ruin your morning.”