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“His name is Cole, and I don’t think so,” I replied, shaking my head. “I’d rather take my chances.”
                  We flipped over onto our stomachs so we could get some sun on our backs. I tied my hair up into a knot on top of my head.
                  After a couple hours of sun, Sam and I packed up our stuff and headed into a small beachfront café for some sandwiches.
                  “Do you want to catch a movie tonight?” she asked as we finished up our dinner.
                  “Nah, I’m kind of tired. Last night I was up later than usual,” I replied honestly.
                  “Right, kissing strangers,” she brought up again. “Look, I totally get that you needed a break from everything after what had happened last summer. I get it. But I just don’t want to see you miss out on an opportunity. I’m not just talking about that Cole guy, I’m talking about anyone .”
                  “So you’re saying I should lust after one of the guys from Soul Punch tomorrow night?” I teased. I laughed. “I’m sorry, I just can’t take that stupid name seriously.”
                  “The other guys in the band are cute too, just you wait. Maybe one of them will get you back on the horse,” she countered. “Just promise me you’ll think about it. Promise me that if you do see a guy that you could be interested in, that you’ll at least give it a chance.”
                  “I will,” I groaned as we headed back to the clinic for Sam to pick up her car.
                  “Do you want a ride home?”
                  “No, I should walk. I could probably use the exercise,” I replied nonchalantly. I wasn’t really out of shape by any means, I had a pretty slender five-foot-seven frame. But long days at the clinic and slow afternoons at the beach didn’t exactly do much for my cardio intake.
                  “Fine. See you tomorrow night after you get off work. I’ll grab Brandt and we’ll be over to your place by seven forty-five?” she said with a raised brow.
                  “Sounds good,” I replied, waving to her as she pulled out of the lot. I thought about what she said on my walk home. Even if I did see a guy I was interested in, was I finally ready for that? Not that I had my sights on any type of band fling or something flighty like that, it wasn’t my style. But clearly I wasn’t going to meet anyone with something more substantial going on at a dive bar in West Cove. That’s where dreams went to die.
                  I entered my condo and dropped my stuff, feeling more exhausted than I should for seven-thirty on a Monday. I fed all of the animals, gave them all some attention, then headed up to my bedroom for a good night’s sleep. Instead of passing out right away though, my mind wandered.
                  There was honestly a time when I thought I would never be ready to date after Ian. After everything that had happened, for awhile I thought I was too love-stricken to move on. I thought giving my heart away like that to someone could only happen once in a lifetime. I figured after loving someone like that, it wasn’t possible to ever feel that way again.
                  Shortly after that period of time though, I felt the opposite. Not love-stricken about it – but guilt-stricken.
                  Because deep down, I knew it was all my fault.
    I was solely responsible for Ian’s death.
     

CHAPTER 4
                 
                  After a restless sleep, I awoke to a cloudy morning and a very hungry, squealing pig. I reluctantly got up, fed Dexter his breakfast, cleaned up the tortoise tank and got ready for work.
                  My shift at the clinic from eight to five flew by. All of the appointments were pretty routine. I missed having Sam