Chapter Ten
My sister had woken up last night on my way up the stairs and had insisted on driving back to her hotel. Of course, she wanted details first and I obliged.
A little.
There were some things I kept to myself, like how absolutely amazing Billy made me feel when he kissed me.
Or that he even kissed me.
I let out a thoughtful sigh and took another sip of coffee. My sister would be here any second, and I didn’t want her vacation to become all about Billy. Besides, soon he’d be a passing memory as I hiked on to my next pet sitting adventure.
Lucky walked over and nuzzled my palm for treats. He’d had breakfast, but I was sure a little cookie wouldn’t hurt. He ate it up quickly and was licking the floor as my sister rang the doorbell.
“Okay, Lucky. You need to be on your best behavior. No vomiting or producing anything else that demands a trip to the emergency vet.”
He licked his chops, and I rolled my eyes, knowing I was completely at his mercy.
When I reached the door, my sister was bending down looking at a basket full of all kinds of things.
“What in the world?” I asked. “Why’d you bring all this? You don’t trust Lucky?”
“It’s not from me. I love you, but I really wouldn’t go out of my way to bring you flowers on top of whatever else this is.”
I bent over and picked up the heavy basket, surprised by the yellow tulips lying across the top. I brought it inside, and my sister shut the door behind us.
“Is it from that guy?” she asked, coming up behind me.
“Billy, you mean?”
“Is there more than one?” My sister laughed, and I playfully shoved her.
A card was tucked under the flowers and once I read it my heart swelled with warmth. This guy really was a sweetheart, at least on the surface.
I really enjoyed our date. I thought to keep Lucky occupied while your sister is here, he might need a few extra things. P.S. The flowers, chocolate, and tea aren’t for him. - Billy
“What’s it say?” my sister asked, looking over my shoulder.
“Isn’t it always the way that you find someone when you’re least looking for them and when it’s an impossibility.” I lifted the tulips up to see all kinds of gourmet dog treats, plushy toys, tea from Maddie’s tea store, and local chocolates.
“I don’t think that’s what the card said,” she teased, taking in the contents of the basket. “But don’t you think that maybe things aren’t as impossible as you lead yourself to believe?”
I ignored her question and took the tulips, tea, and chocolates to the kitchen while I let my mind whirl around the possibility of actually stumbling into a really great guy.
Who was leaving town any minute.
And not returning for several months.
And I would be long gone before he came back.
Yup. That was precisely how my dating life was bound to go.
“Do you want some tea?”
“Ooh, what kind?” my sister asked.
“Peppermint and white chocolate.”
“I wouldn’t turn it down.” She smiled and sat down at the kitchen table, scratching Lucky’s head while he still licked the kitchen floor. “Do you not feed him or something?”
“Hardly.” I chuckled and put on the electric kettle. “He eats more than me.”
My sister smiled and glanced at the small pouch of tea on the counter. “That’s the same brand tea that’s in my room. Must be local.”
“Yeah. Actually, I just met Maddie and she’s the one who owns the tea shop on Fireweed.”
“Sounds like you’re settling right in.” She beamed as I set her tea in front of her.
“I really do like it here.”
“More after the date?” She wiggled her brows and I laughed.
“Maybe.”
“So, how in the world are we going to make it so I can meet him?” She took a sip of the tea and let out a little moan of delight. “Amazing.”
“Yeah, it is,” I agreed, taking a sip. “Well, had you not fallen asleep last night you could have met him. We even had dessert.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You could have woken me up.”
“I suppose I could have, but…”
“You didn’t want me to meet him.”
“Well, when you’re groggy who knows what might pop out of that mouth of yours.” I sat across from her and watched Lucky trundle into the living room.
“Have you given any thought about why you finally let yourself have a little freedom in the dating world only to have it be with a guy who isn’t available beyond a week or two.”
“A little over a week,” I confirmed. “I think I’m just not ready. I don’t like being tied down and I really don’t think I’m cut out for relationships. To be this old and not have one that ended on a high note?”
“Well, if the relationship was good why would you be ending it?”
“True.” I shrugged and took another sip. “I don’t want to get bogged down in the mess. I like being able to go from one house, one town, one dog to the next without giving it much thought.” I looked over at Lucky. “Except for Lucky. He’s going to be hard to leave.”
“I don’t get how you have such intimacy issues when—”
“Says who now?” I laughed, thinking back to my sister’s less than stellar dating track record. “I don’t have intimacy issues. I can totally sleep with a guy and—”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” She shook her head. “I mean finding that person who you can talk to no matter what. If you’re upset with them, you tell them why. You hash things out, you compromise, you discuss your dreams, goals, fears.” She sounded extremely passionate.
“I don’t like exposing myself like that. I don’t want something used against me.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. It’s really not for me. Can you imagine if I’d opened up to my last boyfriend? He might have screamed my secrets in the middle of a department store because he got mad at me for spending too much.”
“You do know how to pick them.”
“Which makes me leery about the latest.” I cleared my throat, anxious to move onto another topic. “Anyway, do you want to split the last piece of chocolate decadence with me? It’s from last night. I already scarfed down the first slice last night.”
“Why do you have two slices?”
“It was for Billy and I, but…”
“I was snoring in the recliner and you didn’t want to wake me.” She laughed. “Sorry about that.”
“I’m sure it was for the best.” I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the last slice. “This is without a doubt the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten. You’re lucky I’m sharing it with you.”
“You’re too sweet,” she said sarcastically.
I plopped two forks down and decided to text Billy a quick thank you.
“I’ll be right back. I should let Billy know I received the basket and how much we love it.”
“Make sure to tell him I’m sorry.” I heard the fork scratch against the plate and knew she’d already started into the dessert by the time I got into the living room and grabbed my phone. I started and erased several starts to messages until I finally settled on this one.
Thank you again for last night. It was incredible and receiving the basket this morning was so thoughtful. I loved the tulips and everything else. Lucky approved too. Hope you and Lady have a great day.
After I sent it, I reread the message and waited a couple seconds. It sounded too formal or plain. Where was the sexiness? I scratched my head and let out a sigh as I started typing again.
Okay, so I couldn’t get you out of my head last night and getting these gifts this morning only made it worse.
I shut my eyes and hit send.
There.
I was being vulnerable.
“You okay in there?” my sister called.
“Yeah. Just overthinking things like usual.” I laughed and made my way back into the kitchen where there was one bite left on the plate.
“I left you some.” She smiled, looking extremely guilty but content.
“Thanks.” I picked up my fork and stabbed the last piece of cake. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I almost didn’t.” She took another sip of tea and stretched out.
“I see that.”
My phone buzzed in my hand and I quickly looked at the screen.
I haven’t been able to get you out of my head either. I need to see you again. What time does your sister go to bed?
I let out a chuckle, feeling like I was back in high school again, waiting until my parents fell asleep so I could sneak out my window.
“Well, someone’s got you grinning over there.”
Another text came over.
I’m meeting with my attorneys this morning and all I can think about is our kiss. You’re making it very hard to get my affairs in order to head out of town.
My heart squeezed a little and I quickly texted back.
Sorry. Not Sorry.
“I haven’t seen you smile like that…ever.” My sister eyed me suspiciously.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but are you ready to go?” I asked, coaxing Lucky with me into the living room. “I don’t want the little shop to give our bicycles away.”
Lucky and I had already gone for a couple of walks this morning and played catch in the backyard. Although, I noticed I did more of the running and catching than he did, but that seems to be his style. He wandered over to the couch and hopped on the blanket I spread out for him.
“You’re trying to change the subject.”
“And you’ve got tennis shoes on, right?” I asked, grinning.
“Fine. I get the hint.” She shuffled into the living room where we both grabbed our jackets.
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about him, but I really don’t think there’s much to talk about. He’s going in one direction and I’m headed in another.”
“And unless you choose otherwise, you’ll always be headed in various directions that are in the opposite direction of a relationship.”
“This isn’t a relationship. It’s only fun,” I corrected. “And I’m not headed in the opposite direction of fun.” I grabbed the keys and we headed out the front door.
My sister wanted to drive to town in her rental car, and I couldn’t blame her. While my car was mostly void of Eau de Lucky, there was still a slight hint.
On our way down the winding road, I took in the beautiful views of the ocean. The day was turning into a gorgeous fall day with not a cloud in the sky.
“This will give us an up close and personal feel of the town.” I spotted the tiny shop with several baby blue beach cruiser bicycles parked out front. “This is the spot.”
“It will be so much fun.”
My sister pulled into a parking place, and before we even had a chance to climb out, an older man came outside holding a clipboard. He opened my door and helped me out of the car.
“You must be Miss Bailey.” His blue eyes matched the sky and his smile was just as pleasant.
“That’s me. I reserved two beach cruisers with baskets.”
“Yes, you did.” He smiled and led us over to two old-fashioned bicycles with matching helmets hanging on the handlebars.
“These are so cute,” my sister gushed.
“They really are.”
“Do you know your hand signals?” the man was all business.
“We do.” My sister nodded and began demonstrating to the delight of the shop owner.
“Perfect.” He handed me the clipboard where I signed my life away and agreed to the extra ten dollars for insurance. Not that I didn’t trust myself on a bike, but it had been a while.
“Okay, just keep heading down that road and you’ll make it into the heart of town. If you decide you want to rent them for longer, no need to come back. You can call and let us know.”
“Thanks so much.”
“My pleasure.”
My sister climbed on her beach cruiser and fastened her helmet on while I took a deep breath and pushed the sudden image of Billy out of my head.
I had to get over this little lust-filled adventure I’d filled my mind with.
“Are you coming or what?” my sister asked, turning to look at me. “Oh, you’re still fumbling with your straps.”
“There’s no point in wearing a helmet unless you actually adjust it to fit your head.”
She rolled her eyes as I scooted my butt on the seat and pedaled toward her.
“Okay, follow me and watch out for the wet leaves,” I instructed.
“Whatever you say, mom,” she joked and I chuckled as I rode on by her.
The shoulder of the road was narrow and mostly gravel so we bumped along as we rode into town, chatting about her job and where I was headed after my three months was up here and then the conversation turned sharply.
“Just what if you happened to hit it off with this Billy guy?” she asked as we rolled onto the main street of town.
“You mean in the next eight days? Not going to happen. You can’t find love in a week.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I think I do and can you keep it down? It’s a small town and I think only one Billy lives on the island.”
My sister chuckled and pedaled a little faster to catch up to me.
“How about we speed over to that chocolate shop over there?” I pointed across the street and down a few shops.
“Sounds like the perfect lunch after our cake breakfast earlier.”
“Chocolate on top of chocolate is never a bad thing.” I smiled and saw a cute clothing store. “I think I want to stop in there too. I’d like to see if they have any dresses. I only packed two.”
“And why would you need more with only you and Lucky?” she teased.
We began to roll to a slow stop, and before I knew what happened, my entire bicycle fell out from under me and I flipped over the handlebars. Everything went into slow motion as I flew into the air with my sister screaming behind me.
And then it went dark.