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 woke early, the cottage couch creaking under him. He'd crashed at Nora's last night, too tired to drive after their late shift, and she'd insisted he stay. She was still asleep upstairs, her breathing soft through the open door, and he lingered, watching the dawn creep in. Last night had been quiet—kissing, talking, no rush to repeat the lantern room's fire—but it'd settled something in him. She was his again, or close to it, and he wasn't letting go this time.

He made coffee, the pot gurgling as she padded down, hair mussed, wearing his flannel. "Morning," she said, voice rough, and he grinned.

"Morning," he said, handing her a mug. "You stole my shirt."

"Looks better on me," she teased, sipping. He laughed, pulling her in for a kiss, her lips warm against his. It could've gone further—God, he wanted it to—but Jimmy's truck honked outside, breaking the spell.

"Duty calls," he said, reluctantly letting go. They headed to the lighthouse, the crew already at it, the roof nearly done. The air was crisp, the sea calm, and it felt good—working with her, building something real.

Then Jimmy called him over, face grim. "Boss," he said, pointing at the west wall. "New crack. Small, but deep. Storm must've shifted it."

Elias cursed, running a hand over the jagged line. "Can we patch it?"

"Maybe," Jimmy said. "But it's another grand, easy. And time."

Nora joined them, frowning. "What's wrong?"

"West wall," Elias said. "Another hit we didn't see."

Her shoulders slumped. "We're tapped out. Grants are spent, fundraiser's cashed."

"We'll figure it," he said, but doubt gnawed at him. The council vote was days away—April 12th—and this could sink them. He sent Jimmy to price supplies, his mood souring.

Nora paced, phone in hand. "I'll call the trusts again. Beg if I have to."

"Don't," he said, sharper than he meant. "We can't keep chasing miracles."

She stopped, eyes flashing. "You giving up?"

"No," he snapped. "Just being real. We're stretched thin, Nora. Crew's grumbling—haven't paid 'em full in weeks."

"Then I'll pay them," she said, fierce. "My savings. Whatever it takes."

He stared, her stubbornness hitting him hard. "You'd do that?"

"For this?" She gestured at the tower. "For us? Yeah."

He pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "You're crazy," he said, soft. "But okay. We'll make it work."

They spent the day scrambling—Nora on calls, Elias with the crew, patching the crack with what they had. By night, they were back in the lantern room, exhausted, the roof done but the west wall a Band-Aid fix. She leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. "We're cutting it close," she said.

"Yeah," he said, arm around her. "But we're close."

She tilted her face up, kissing him—slow at first, then deeper, her hands sliding under his shirt. He groaned, pulling her onto his lap, the heat flaring fast. "Nora," he murmured, hands roaming, but she pulled back, breathless.

"Not tonight," she said, smiling faint. "Too tired."

He laughed, resting his forehead against hers. "Fair."

They stayed there, tangled but still, the tower holding—for now. The vote loomed, the setback stung, but they had each other, and it was enough to keep fighting.

Chapter 19: The Setback