Young Millionaire Went To A Beach Town. He Never Expected To Find Love Under The Summer Sky.

A Breath of Fresh Air in Coral Bay

Hayes Thorne slammed the driver’s side door of his matte black convertible a little too hard as the salty breeze slapped him in the face. He hated sand, he hated sunburns, and he hated being this far removed from the city.

But he had no choice; his doctor had practically ordered him to take time off.

“You’re 32, not immortal,” she’d scolded.

“You need a break before your heart gives out”.

So he’d picked the quietest beach town his assistant could find: Coral Bay, population barely 2,000, with nothing but boardwalks, crab shacks, and antique shops. It was the opposite of the Manhattan skyline and boardrooms full of cutthroat investors, but that was the point.

Still, Hayes was already regretting this. He tugged his Ray-Bans down his nose, scanning the sleepy little town. A faded wooden sign read, “Welcome to Coral Bay. Breathe deep, love wide”.

He rolled his eyes. Love wide? God, no. He was here to rest, not fall in love under some cliché summer sky. His oceanfront rental was a modern glass box nestled between old, weathered homes.

He’d barely dropped his duffel bag inside when a knock came at the door. He opened it and froze. A woman stood there wearing cut-off shorts, a white tank top dusted with flour, and a distinct confidence.

She didn’t seem to care what billionaires or bankers thought of her. She had a to-go box in her hand and freckles on her sun-kissed nose.

“Hi,” she said, brushing a strand of dark blonde hair behind her ear.

“I saw your car pull in, figured you haven’t eaten. I run the bakery down the street, Kaia’s, and this is for you”.

He stared at her, momentarily thrown off.

“I didn’t order anything”.

She grinned.

“It’s not a delivery, it’s a hello”.

She pushed the box into his hands before he could argue and turned to go.

“Wait,” he said. “You always welcome strangers like this?”

Kaia glanced over her shoulder.

“Only the ones who look like they haven’t smiled in a decade”.

And with that, she was gone. Hayes blinked at the box in his hands. Inside was a slice of key lime pie; he hadn’t had pie in years.

The next morning, he woke to the sound of crashing waves and something strange: peace. He walked into town, sunglasses on, hands in his pockets. Coral Bay moved slowly. Kids rode bikes with baskets, and old men played cards outside the general store.

The smell of fresh bread drifted from a shop with a hand-painted sign that read “Kaia’s Kitchen”. He wasn’t even surprised she was behind the counter, laughing with an older woman as she kneaded dough.

Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and flour streaked her cheek. She didn’t see him watching.

“Are you going to just stand there or order something?” she called without looking up.

So she had seen him. He stepped inside.

“What do you recommend?”

She wiped her hands.

“Are you a sourdough or cinnamon roll kind of guy?”

“I’m a coffee and spreadsheet kind of guy”.

She raised a brow.

“Then you’re definitely in the wrong town”.

He chuckled, the sound foreign even to his own ears. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman talked to him without an agenda. No one here knew Thorn Capital or the fact that he was worth over 20 million.

He liked it. She handed him a cinnamon roll on the house.

“Unless you hate it, in which case it’s five bucks for wasting my time”.

Hayes took a bite. It was warm, soft, and perfect. He looked at her.

“You just earned yourself five bucks”.