faustinaimonmon

Nora Calder swore she’d never return to Cutler Cove, the coastal town where she left her heart—and Elias Hart—ten years ago. But when the lighthouse that holds their teenage pact faces demolition, she’s back, armed with grit and a secret that drove her away: her father’s ruinous debts. At 34, she’s got one shot to save the tower—and maybe herself—before the council tears it down.
Elias, now a rugged contractor engaged to sweet, steady Leah, didn’t expect Nora’s return to crack his world open. Their pact—if single at 35, they’d marry atop the lighthouse—haunts him as she fights for the crumbling landmark he’s hired to destroy. Old initials carved in the railing and stolen glances reignite a fire he thought was ash, but loyalty and love pull him in two.
As storms batter the coast and the town splits over the lighthouse’s fate, Nora and Elias clash, then cling—unearthing her past, shattering his future, and rebuilding more than stone. From desperate kisses in the lantern room to a festival that could save it all, they face a deadline that’s more than a vote: six months to prove the tower’s worth, and theirs. In a tangle of sweat, salt, and second chances, The Lighthouse Pact is a raw, steamy romance about love that won’t stay buried—and a promise that might just hold.

The Lighthouse Pact

Elias kicked a loose rock across the lighthouse lot, the clatter swallowed by the wind. His crew was already there—three guys in hard hats, grumbling about the cold as they hauled gear from the truck. He should've been barking orders, but his head was still stuck on yesterday. Nora, standing there like a storm cloud, all fire and grit, ready to fight him over this damn tower. He hadn't seen her in ten years, and she still got under his skin like salt in a cut.

"Boss, you good?" Jimmy, his lead guy, waved a clipboard. "We're starting the survey."

"Yeah," Elias said, shaking it off. "Check the foundation first. Council's breathing down my neck."

Jimmy nodded and trudged off. Elias grabbed a flashlight and headed inside, the heavy door groaning as it swung open. The air was thick with dust and sea damp, the spiral stairs creaking under his boots. He'd always liked this place—its quiet, its weight. As a kid, he'd pictured fixing it up someday, maybe living here with Nora, watching storms roll in. Dumb dreams.

He was halfway up when the door banged open below. "Elias!"

Her voice hit him like a wave. He turned, peering down the stairwell. Nora stood at the base, hands on her hips, her dark hair tangled from the wind. "We need to talk," she called.

"Busy," he shot back, but she was already climbing, boots echoing. He cursed under his breath and waited, leaning against the railing.

She reached him, out of breath but glaring. "You can't just tear this place down."

"I'm not arguing this again," he said. "It's my job, Nora. I don't get to pick and choose."

"It's not just a job. It's—" She stopped, eyes flicking to the wall. There, scratched into the metal railing, were their initials: N.C. + E.H., carved with his pocketknife one summer night. Her jaw tightened. "You see that, and you're still okay with this?"

He looked at it, and yeah, it stung—like a bruise he'd forgotten about. "Doesn't change the facts. Roof's leaking, foundation's shot. It's a money pit."

"Then help me fix it," she said, stepping closer. "I've got a proposal for the council. Grants, crowdfunding. We can save it."

"We?" He laughed, short and bitter. "There's no 'we' here, Nora. You made sure of that."

Her face flickered—hurt, then anger. "You don't get to throw that at me. I had reasons."

"Never shared 'em, though, did you?" He crossed his arms, the flashlight dangling. "Just left. No note, no call. I waited, you know. Weeks."

She flinched, and he almost felt bad. Almost. "I'm not here to fix us," she said, voice low. "I'm here for this." She jabbed a finger at the tower.

"Then fight your fight," he said. "But don't expect me to play hero. I've got a crew to pay, a life to run."

She stared at him, eyes sharp, then turned and stomped back down. He stayed put, listening to her fade, the initials glaring at him like a dare. He ran a thumb over them, the metal cold and rough, and wondered why it still hurt.

Outside, Jimmy flagged him down. "Boss, we've got cracks in the east wall. Big ones. Demo might be off 'til we test it."

Elias nodded, half-relieved. "Tell the council. And Nora—she'll want in on this."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow but didn't ask. Elias headed to his truck, the wind howling, and tried not to think about how close she'd stood, or how much he'd wanted to reach out.

Chapter 3: The Contractor’s Shadow