“What about walnuts? Put them in or leave them out?”

Gran grunts in disgust. “Leave ’em out. I know banana bread’s supposed to have them, but I never liked it.”

“Sure thing, Gran.” I stir the batter a few more times and grab the muffin tin. I slide in the muffin liners while Gran kneads her bread dough.

She stops to wipe her forehead with her frilly white apron. “This is quite the workout.”

“You doing okay?” I ask, coming up behind her. “Want me to take over?”

“No, no. I’m fine. Beside, you’re the one feeling tired today, remember?”

I duck my head from the embarrassment of my little white lie. This was supposed to be our first day back on the boat after the storm swept through, but when I woke up today, I knew I couldn’t do it. I just didn’t have the nerve to face Koa after what he said. And how he said it. And how he held me. And how it all made me feel.

So I told Koa I was still tired and stayed in bed. It wasn’t technically a lie. I’m always tired at 6am…

Alright, fine, so I’m hiding from my boss. Whatever. I’d rather be called a chicken than come to grips with what my heart is screaming at me. Than what Koa’s becoming to me. For the first time in my life, I’m not in control of my heart, and it’s scaring the bejeezus out of me.

“Summer, are you feeling ill?” Gran asks.

I snap back and realize I’m still standing in the middle of the kitchen holding a batter-covered spatula. “Uh, I’m fine. Much better now.”

“Good. I was hoping all the baking didn’t tucker you out.”

“Are you kidding?” I glance around Gran’s spacious kitchen with envy. “This is my dream kitchen. There’s no way I could do this in my apartment. Maddie would kill me for making a huge mess, and my kitchen’s a quarter of the size.”

“A big kitchen was a must on my list when we moved here. A garage was your grandpa’s. We didn’t have either one in Rhode Island.” She holds up the dough to the light and stretches it apart. It must not pass her test because she throws it back down on the wooden slab and sprinkles it with flour. “Nope. Kneads more time.” She glances a me. “Get it?”

“I always love a good pun,” I say, grabbing a measuring cup out of the drawer. I dip it in the bowl and begin scooping lumpy batter it into the muffin cups. This wasn’t my best attempt at banana bread. “But you know who doesn’t?”

“Who?”

“Koa.”

“Well, they’re not for everyone, dear.”

“Every time I work one in, intentionally or not, he rolls his eyes. So now I do it on purpose.”

Gran slides her gaze over to me. “How are things with you two?”

I shrug. “Fine.”

“I’m glad to see you’re getting along now.”

I glance at her. “Was it obvious we didn’t get along?”

“It sure was, but I’m not surprised. Koa’s not the easiest person to get to know. He’s rather closed off, but once he opens up…” She didn’t have to finish. I know what she means. Koa has a way of growing on you, of creeping into your heart and getting under your skin. And once you got a taste of the real him, he was hard to quit.

“Oh, and your grandpa told me,” Gran adds with a smile.

“Right,” I say sheepishly. “Well, we’re fine now.”

“Good.” Gran picks up her dough and checks the elasticity. “You know, I think you two should go out…”

The measuring cup slips from my grasp and sinks to the bottom of the bowl. “Crap!”

“…to Bar Harbor sometime,” Gran finishes smoothly. She turns to me with a funny look. “Are you alright, dear?”

“What? Oh, yes.” I root around the bowl for the cup, my hand slopping batter everywhere. “Bar Harbor? Yeah, uh, sounds good.”

“Mhmm.”

I feel eyes on me and glance up. She’s watching me with a veiled look. “Gran? Need something?”

She nods, a slow smile gathering on her lips. “You know what? I think I do need a few things. Would you mind going to the store?”

“I’d be happy to,” I say, glad to abandon the banana bread. “What are we out of?”

“Let me draw up a list.” She grabs a ballpoint pen and a notepad with little kittens dancing across the top. She lists a dozen or so items and hands it to me. Her eyes go wide as she studies my face. “My goodness! You sure have a flush to your cheeks.”

I turn my face away. “Um, well—“

“I’m sure it’s just from the baking,” she says with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “I think baking’s more exciting than fishing. Wouldn’t you agree?”

* * *

“Gran! I’m back!” I heave the two bags onto the counter and toss the car keys in the bowl by the back door. “They were out of the birch beer Gramps likes.”

I’m halfway through unpacking the bags when Gran strolls in. “He drinks too much of it, anyway. Thanks for making the trip, Summer.”

“Happy to! I’m glad I can help around the house.”

“But you have been.”

“I wouldn’t call being on a boat six days a week helping around the house.”

“Nonsense.” She grabs the eggs out of my hands and heads for the fridge. “Helping Koa is far better than carting us around. I told your mother we didn’t need the help, just the company.”

“And you’ve got it,” I say with a smile. I open the pantry and stack the stewed tomatoes on the middle shelf. “Just say the word and I’ll do it.”

“Well, now that you’ve mentioned it…”

I turn. “What?”

“But I’d hate for your to have to go back out.”

“It’s okay. What do you need?”

Gran gives me a grateful look. “I took your grandfather to his follow-up doctor’s appointment while you were out, but I grew tired in the waiting room and came home.”

I gasp. “Are you alright?”

She waves me off with her hand. “Don’t worry about me. I just need to lie down. But he needs to be picked up at four o’clock.”

I glance at the clock above the door. “Well, it’s twenty til now. I’ll finish unpacking and head out.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs, walking toward the hall. She pauses in the doorway. “Hey, Summer? Maybe a change of clothes is in order.”

I glance down at my shorts and t-shirt. “Why?”

“Your jeans are covered in flour, and I think you have a few smudges on your cheeks, too.”

“Okay…”

“You always want to look your best, my dear. Never know who you may run into…” She lowers her voice. “One time, I saw the mayor at Wells Fargo!”

I try to work up a scenario where I might run into the mayor at the hospital.

Why hello, Mr. Mayor. You’re here to pick up your grandfather, too? What are the odds!

But if Gran tells me to change, then that’s what I’ll do.

I pull into the hospital two minutes after four o’clock. Thank God there’s not much traffic in Portland, because it took me longer to change than I thought. I kept thinking “Is this mayor material?” every time I picked out an outfit. I finally settled on a fresh pair of dark jeans, a pale pink tank top, and strappy cheetah print sandals. At least I had time to get most of the flour off my face.

I pause at the information desk because I realize I have no idea where I’m going. “Hello, I’m picking up my grandfather from a follow-up appointment.”

“Do you know which department?”

“No, but he broke his arm.”

She turns and points to the elevators to my right. “Second floor. Follow the signs to the waiting room.”

“Thanks.”

“Funny, though…”

“What?”

She shrugs. “You’re the second person in five minutes to tell me that same thing—about the grandfather and broken arm.”

“Oh. What a coincidence…” I guess a lot of grandparents break their arms. In Portland. During the summer.

Yeah, wishful thinking.

It takes me two minutes to get to the bottom of this mystery—the time it takes me to go from the front desk to the second floor. “Koa?”

The very man I’m trying to avoid is sitting in the waiting room, scrolling through his phone. He jumps to his feet at the sound of his name. “Summer?”

“What are you doing here?” I demand as he walks toward me.

“I’m waiting for Captain. You?”

“I am, too.” I frown. “I thought you took the boat out today.”

“I did, but I came back early when your gran radioed. Said she needed me to pick up Captain from his appointment.”

“Uh, when?” I ask, getting an inkling of what’s going on here.

He shrugs. “Around two?”

Two? That’s when Gran sent me shopping.

“So I came straight over here after stopping by my place to change.”

I take in his wet hair and fresh shirt and jeans. “Did she happen to suggest that you change first?”

His eyebrows shoot up. “She did. Said I could bump into the mayor or something like that.”

“Yeah, something like that.” I take a deep breath and remind myself to have a little chat with Gran later. “Well, we both don’t need to pick up Gramps. I’m sure you’ve got more important—”

“No,” Koa interrupts, stepping toward me. “I’m glad we ran into each other. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

“Why?”

“To clear the air.” He runs a hand over his hair. “It feels like you’ve been avoiding me since the storm. Since…you know.”

Yup, I do, and that’s exactly why I’m avoiding him. “There’s nothing to talk about, Koa.”

“Summer—”

“I’m fine, you’re fine, the boat’s in one piece. Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Then why did you call out today?”

I lower my eyes to the floor. “I told you. I wasn’t feeling well.”

“You look fine to me.” Koa leans in and lowers his voice. “Really fine.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth, Summer.” He takes my hand. “Can we please talk? I have things to say. Things that I need you to hear.”

Thankfully, Gramps makes his entrance just then, saving me from having to come up with a believable excuse to that enticing offer made by an even more enticing man. He waves at us and begins weaving his way over.

I ease my hand out of Koa’s. “No thanks. I’m done talking about this…this—” I shake my head. “Whatever this is.”

“You mean us?”

“Excuse me?”

“I feel something for you, Summer. Feelings I can’t ignore anymore.”

I swallow. “No. There is no us.”

“You’re wrong about that.” He moves closer, pausing only inches from my body.

Oh my God, what is taking Gramps so long!?

I bite back a curse when I find him. He’s talking to the nurse at the desk, deep in conversation about God knows what.

“We’re just friends,” I whisper, my voice catching in my throat.

“What if I don’t want to be just friends? What if I feel more, want more?”

I don’t answer because I can’t. My voice has left me, my witty retort is lodged in my throat. All I see is Koa and all I hear is the roaring in my ears.

Koa reaches up his hand and brushes a tendril of hair off my cheek, his calloused fingertips brushing my smooth skin and sending a thousand pinpricks dancing across my body. “Say you feel it, too.”

I take a deep breath, filling my nostrils with Koa’s intoxicating scent. Fresh soap, pine, and the sea. Perfection. I drag my tongue over my lips, thinking up any answer but the one he wants to hear; the same one I’m tempted to give. “I—”

“There you are! My two favorite people.” Gramps comes around me and grabs my shoulder. His other hand—the one with the cast—lands on Koa’s shoulder with a loud thwack. “Oh God! Sorry, my boy. This darn thing is such a nuisance…” He trails off as Koa stays silence. “Did I hurt you?”

Koa shakes his head slowly, his eyes still fixed on mine. His gaze lays me bare, stripping me of my defenses and carefully crafted walls. He’s seen the real me, the vulnerable me, and he’s asking for more. He’s asking for all of me.

I can’t take it. This wasn’t part of my plan. I force air into my lungs and wrench my eyes from his. “Hey Gramps, ready to go?”

He gives Koa and me a funny look. “Am I’m interrupting som—”

“No! Uh, not at all. We should get back, actually.”

“Summer,” Koa murmurs.

I throw him a quick look and grab Gramps by his good arm. “I’m sure I’ll be feeling better soon, Koa,” I say, heading for the door. “Good luck tomorrow!”

He frowns. “Wait, you’re not coming out?”

I tug Gramps after me, who’s following our stilted conversation with a bewildered look. “Who knows? Could be coming down with something.”

“I think we should talk—”

“Can’t! Really gotta go.” I turn the corner and beeline for the stairwell. Screw the elevator. Gramps needs the exercise, anyway.

“What was that about?” he asks as we walk down the stairs.

I shrug. “No idea. I’m not sure Koa’s thinking clearly after the storm.”

Gramps moves ahead and grabs the door, ushering me through. “Did something happen out there to him?”

I take a deep breath and root around for the keys. “You could say that…”