The salty breeze of the small coastal town whipped through Ethan's hair as he pulled his rental car into the gravel driveway of his childhood home. It had been five years since he'd left Willow Bay, chasing blueprints and deadlines in the bustling heart of the city.

Now, at 29, the architect in him appreciated the irony the sturdy, weathered houses lining the shore mirrored the resilient structures he'd designed, but nothing compared to the pull of nostalgia tugging at his chest.

The town ...