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

Nora woke to the sound of gulls, the cottage bathed in pale morning light. The storm was a memory now, the town licking its wounds, and the lighthouse still stood—battered but defiant. She'd spent yesterday on the phone with grant offices, her voice hoarse by the end, but two had come through—$20,000 total, enough to start repairs if the fundraiser pulled weight. It wasn't a win yet, but it was close.

She drove to the lighthouse, coffee thermos in hand, and found Elias already there, his crew unloading concrete mix and rebar. He looked up as she parked, wiping sweat from his brow, his shirt sticking to his chest. "Morning," he said, voice steady but guarded.

"Morning," she replied, holding up the thermos. "Fuel."

He took it, pouring a cup, and they stood there, the air thick with everything unsaid. Leah was gone—really gone—and the kiss from the storm hung between them like a live wire. "Grants came in," she said, breaking the silence. "Twenty grand. Enough for the foundation, maybe more."

"No shit," she said, smiling faint. "Fundraiser's tomorrow. Could push us over."

He nodded, sipping the coffee. "Crew's starting today. Concrete's first—brace the east wall. You sticking around?"

"Yeah," she said. "Gotta see it through."

They got to work, the day blurring into noise and dust. Jimmy barked orders, the mixer roared, and Nora hauled bags of sand, her arms burning. Elias was everywhere—lifting, hammering, his focus razor-sharp. She caught him watching her once, his eyes lingering, and her stomach flipped. They were tiptoeing around it, the pull stronger now that Leah wasn't a wall between them.

By dusk, the crew packed up, leaving the tower quiet. The east wall was braced, wet concrete gleaming in the fading light. Elias stayed, checking the work, and Nora lingered, too tired to leave. "Looks good," she said, leaning against the stairs.

"Yeah," he said, joining her. "Holding for now."

They sat, sharing the last of the coffee, the sea whispering below. "You okay?" she asked, tentative. "With… everything?"

He exhaled, long and slow. "Not really. Leah's gone, and it's my fault. But I'm not sorry she's not here. That's the messed-up part."

Nora nodded, her throat tight. "I didn't want to break you two."

"You didn't," he said, meeting her eyes. "I did. Been breaking it since you showed up."

Her breath caught, and she wanted to reach for him—close the gap—but he stood, brushing off his jeans. "Gotta finish this," he said, nodding at the tower. "Then we'll see."

She watched him go back to work, the distance aching, but it wasn't rejection. It was time, and she'd give it—however much he needed.

The fundraiser hit the next night, a packed hall of townsfolk—fishermen, shopkeepers, kids with sticky hands. Meg ran the show, auctioning pies and old gear, while Nora pitched the lighthouse's story—Amos and Mary, the grants, the cracks they'd mend. Elias stood in the back, quiet, but his presence steadied her. They raised $8,000—less than hoped, but enough to keep going.

After, he found her outside, the crowd thinning. "Good job," he said, hands in his pockets. "You're pulling it off."

"We are," she corrected, and he smiled, small but real.

They walked to the lighthouse, the night cool and clear. "One more grant," she said. "Then we're set."

"I'll fix what I can 'til then," he said. "No demo. Promise."

She nodded, trust settling between them, fragile but growing. They were rebuilding—more than just the tower—and it felt like a start.

Chapter 16: The Rebuild Begins