Home / Romance / Travel, Love, and Let go / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Travel, Love, and Let go: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

27 Chapters

Texas Warmth

To the beach

Helotes appears quietly, the way small towns do on this stretch — Stone Churches on either side, the country dance store where concerts are often held. The Helotes gas station is on the right: white stone, country rustic appearance with clean lines, the kind of place that has been kept up and shows it. A couple of vehicles are parked at the pumps. Some customers are entering and exiting the store. Gracie pulls in, cuts the engine, and swings her door open into a wave of still air. Even hotter without the highway moving under her. The air thick and stuffy, barely breathable. She releases a sigh. Gunner looks over at her from the passenger seat, assessing the surroundings, and watching her with loving whiskey eyes; almost like a dark amber marble, softened, melting with love and admiration. I know, she told him, without saying it. We’ll get there. The woman gazes at her dog, pouring her green eyes like sparkling emeralds into his as her long curly golden brown hair flies about in

An Unexpected Visit

About an hour has passed by, Gracie’s waist length golden brown hair is drenched from swimming with Gunner. Her pink two piece bikini remains damp whilst beads of water trickle down her slightly tanned toned physique. A silver mustang pulls up near her, tires roll over the cakey sand, the car stops, the engine cuts off. A slightly tall man around six feet steps out, then a German shepherd appears from the car. A loud rumbling twang voice reaches Gracie’s ears over the rushing ocean waves, “Hi ma’am is your dog friendly? Would it be ok for our dogs to play?” The woman yells back embodying Texas twang, “Sure that is fine!” Gunner and his new friend, splash and frolic near the shoreline, sinking their bodies and rising in the waves, saturating their black, brown and tan coats. Gracie focuses on Gunner, then glances at the man, fiddling with sticks, and digging a hole in the sand. She stands barefoot, toes uniting with the sand, relaxed in a free and easy way; like her spirit as the

A Beach encounter

“Great, hmm Alaska I have not been there yet, I’m thinking of moving to Hawaii soon in about six months.” Paxton replies with a grin, exposing his white spotless teeth. “Do you like cold weather,” asks Gracie. “I like warm weather, Hawaii is warm, tropical, has mountains and the sea.” Paxton says. A dreamy distant voice, as if he is thinking of being in Hawaii right now. “Oh, how neat! Gracie says, covering up the disappointment for his lack of desire for cold weather. She steps in her van, her glass of wine in one hand and grabs the salad with the other. Paxton removes the meat from the grill. I guess he could be a temporary romance before I move to Alaska, hmm he does not like cold weather. He is not for long term. Gracie emerges, Paxton lunges forward and reaches for the large wooded salad bowl and dressing in her hands, “Here ma’am, I will help you with that.” Gracie cheeks redden as she smiles, “Oh, thank you Paxton, that is very helpful.” Sitting down to eat, in betwee

The Texas Coast

The dark sandy road ahead, uneven terrain lays out a bumpy ride. Reduced visibility causes Gracie to strain her green amber eyes whilst navigating from White Beach. Turning right down a paved road, covered in sand slowing her speed, the tires rumble over the gritty road. There it is, the camping zone. Tents and RV’s fill the darkened area, only lit by a few lights and RVs or vehicles passing by, stirring up sand. The moon hangs high and stars sprinkle the midnight black sky. After locking the van, showering and putting up window coverings, Gracie melts into her bed. Unwinding, a long sigh escapes her lungs, bringing her mind to rest in her sanctuary with Gunner at her side.The next morning at The Texas Coast.Gracie awakens to a whining dog. In her van, she lays, opening her eyes to see her German Shepherd, tilting his head, awaiting the outdoors. Feeling restful, she rises up, glances around her camper van. White washed wood panels, the metal wall, with a door between the living

Coastal Mingling

Beneath a shaded canopy, sitting in a foldable canvas chair, reading a book, Gracie occasionally glances up to watch the sea waves roll in and retreat. Her golden-brown locks lift gently with the breeze, and she tucks a loose strand behind her ear without looking up from the page. There's a stillness in her chest, a rare kind of peace she doesn't often allow herself to feel. Hours pass on this tranquil morning, and before she knows it, lunchtime arrives, the dark amber sun now higher and warmer overhead. Gracie has found herself in a deeply satisfied mood, her mind quiet and unhurried. She glances over at Gunner, who watches her with patient, hopeful eyes, as though sensing that playtime might be near. She bites into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. For a side, she nibbles on a handful of carrots. Gracie smiles to herself marveling at the sea, grateful for days like this one. She brushes the crumbs from her lap and rises, stretching her arms toward the sky, ready to let Gunner st

Food, Sea, and Kayaks

Gracie wakes on Sunday morning, stretching before rousing Gunner for their usual walk. The air still holds the cool freshness of early morning, and she breathes it in deeply, grateful for another quiet start to the day. As they make their way down toward the shoreline, she spots Paxton running shirtless along the beach with Delilah ranging beside him. His tanned, muscular physique, warmed with reddish undertones from the sun, catches Gracie’s eye, and she feels a small flutter of appreciation she can’t quite suppress.Paxton slows to a stop when he notices her, his breathing still a little heavy from the run, and greets her with an easy smile. He invites Gracie and Gunner to join him. Gunner, never one to miss an opportunity for mischief, immediately bounds over to Delilah, wrestling playfully and nuzzling her face with unrestrained enthusiasm. Silly dogs, Gracie thinks, watching them tumble across the sand.“So, you like running?” Gracie asks, falling into step beside him.“It is

A Texas Hill Country Cabin

Rain hammers down as Gracie’s light blue Jeep rolls along the muddy path, its tires sinking slightly. She parks beneath a canopy of dripping trees and sits for a moment, watching the storm beat against the windshield in relentless sheets. The sound fills the small space around her, drowning out the noise in her head. She closes her eyes and lets out a long breath, feeling the tension in her shoulders loosen for the first time in a week or so.. The exhaustion that has settled into her bones, the stress that has followed her from one obligation to the next, the oppressive heat that has clung to her skin—all of it seems to wash away with the rain streaking down the glass. For a moment, she allows herself to simply exist in the quiet chaos outside, grateful for the storm’s release. There is something comforting about the sound, a rhythm that matches the quiet churn of her thoughts. She glances at the paperwork tucked inside a waterproof folder on the passenger seat: a rental agreement fo

Settling in

The room holds a queen bed flanked by a dresser and two nightstands, each topped with a lamp. A bench sits at the foot of the bed, filled with extra linens, and a window nearby is layered with sheer and blackout curtains. The furniture, dark mahogany and neutral in tone, feels neither feminine nor masculine, simply comfortable. The bed frame matches, complete with a headboard, a white down comforter, and an abundance of pillows.“Hmmm, this could get messy with Gunner,” Gracie murmurs, eyeing the pristine white comforter with a mix of amusement and practicality. “I will have to swap this out with my own.” She quickly strips the bed, folding the linens into the bench trunk at its foot. Then she heads back out to the car, Gunner trotting loyally behind her, to retrieve a large plastic vacuum bedding bag she uses to keep her own linens clean during travel. Once inside, she dresses the bed with care: blue jersey knit sheets first, then a white ruffled sheet, followed by a light blue line

We Meet Again

The sun beams upon Gracie as she emerges from her cabin. It's the kind of day that still carries summer's warmth but hints at the cooler months ahead. She rolls the top off the jeep so she can feel the air rushing around her, tousling her hair, and turns up the radio. Country music echoes into the stillness of the Texas Hills. She cruises into town toward the grocery store, reducing her speed. Along the way, she notices Paxton on the side of the road, yelling at some teenagers to slow down as they speed past. Their windows are rolled down, music blaring, going a little over the limit. Paxton, a fairly tall, athletic man stands in the parking lot when he catches sight of them.Paxton is dressed sharply: a tan western hat, blue sunglasses, a sky-blue plaid western button-up with short sleeves, navy dress slacks, and western boots. Though his brown leather boots are mostly hidden beneath his slacks, only the vamp visible. Wow, what a hunk. She continues down the road toward the sto

1 2 3

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP