32. Ashlie
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
ASHLIE
Trevor
Last night in town. Quick dessert date after work?
Me
Yeah! What did you have in mind?
Trevor
Ice cream on Layton’s Pier? 6:00?
Me
Ice cream in March? Is this a snuggling ploy?
Trevor
Maybe
Me
That’s right by my job. I’ll meet you there.
Trevor
Can’t wait!
“ H ey there, pretty lady.” Trevor’s smile lights up his face when he meets me in front of the permanent Melty King ice scream stand. The golden hour glow that illuminates the sky behind him adds to my growing affection.
“Hey!” I wave, turning away from the tiny blue and white structure. The familiar bear hug he wraps me in feels safe and warm as I breathe in the spicy citrus on his EdTechU polo. When we pull apart, his hand lingers on the small of my back. There’s next to no one in line, so he guides me right to the register.
“Banana?” Trevor asks, skeptical eyes scrutinizing the pale-yellow dessert in my cup. “You gave me a hard time about bubblegum when you’re over here eating banana ice cream?”
“Don’t knock it ’til you try it!” I smile around another spoonful.
“Mmm”—he turns up his nose—“I think I’ll just take your word for it.” The breeze prompts us to gravitate for warmth as we walk down the pier. When our arms graze, I’m positive the goosebumps under my jacket aren’t from the breeze.
“So how was work?” I ask.
He blows out a breath charged with the remnants of a long day. “Good. They’re trying to get a new junior sales team off the ground here. Since they like what we’re doing in San Francisco, I’ve stepped into a guest trainer role. Chase and I usually alternate, but I’ve been taking over so he can stay home and focus on wedding plans.”
“That’s really nice of you.” I shouldn’t be struck by the thoughtful actions of this guy. In my limited time spent with him, he’s always shown kindness and initiative. It’s refreshing, meeting someone who is exactly as they appear to be. Too many of the guys I’ve been with portray themselves as the knight in shining armor, only to reveal their tarnished tin a few months in. What you see is what you get with Trevor, and I’m liking what I see.
“Yeah. I mean, Chase is one of my besties, so it’s no big deal.”
“ Bestie ? ” I laugh. “You’re so hip, Trev…”
“Besties for the resties, or whatever the kids are saying.”
“I’m confident no one is saying that except for you and Chase.” I bump him with my elbow, and laughter booms from his chest at my teasing.
He nods, digging his spoon into the blue ice cream for another bite. “Yeah, we’ve gotten pretty close…” At the end of the pier, he leans on the banister and takes a deep breath, staring out at the crashing waves below us. “Man, this makes me miss being on the water.”
“Tell me about the Coast Guard. You said you entered at seventeen?”
“Yep. Graduated high school early, and the recruiter convinced me to give it a shot. I was active for four years, then went into reserves for another four. Always loved the water, so serving while helping people out of distressing situations was rewarding.”
“Why’d you leave?”
He shrugs. “I just wanted a change, you know? Grew a lot over those eight years. Got my degrees. I realized I needed something different, started working for EdTechU shortly after leaving, and the rest is history.”
“ Degrees ?” My eyes flash. “As in, multiple?”
“Yep.” He nods with a sheepish grin. “They paid for it, so I took full advantage.”
“Impressive. One was enough to last a lifetime for me.”
“Kayla mentioned you used to teach…”
“Yeah. And burned out quickly. It wasn’t the kids. I love working with kids. But everything else was just too much pressure for me. My job now is a much better fit. Leggings don’t lecture you about test scores.”
“You gotta do what makes you happy. I get that.” He smiles with no judgment in his eyes, and my protective auto-response quickly dies in my throat. Defending my choice to leave the classroom is such a habit, I’m a little stunned I don’t have to with him.
A shiver travels through me as the cool spring breeze blows off the Pacific. I set my ice cream cup on the ledge and reach for the zipper of my jacket. Trevor’s warmth seeps into me as he wraps his arm around my waist, thawing the chill creeping up my back. Hugging into his side, I shoot him a smirk. “So, this was a snuggling ploy…”
Trevor laughs, but his smile falls slightly as he tucks a curl behind my ear. His hand settles into the crook of my neck, gently pulling me toward him. I lean in, and the coolness from his ice cream lingers on his lips as we kiss. Slow, gentle, and with just enough heat, it makes my head swirl with possibilities. He’s breathless when we pull away, and I bite my lower lip, giving in to the warm-fuzzies blossoming inside me.
“I think I might have a new ice cream flavor,” he whispers.
“Oh, really?” I giggle.
“Let me double-check.” He leans back in, and just before his lips touch mine, the alarm on his phone rings out. “ Damn it .” A wave of disappointment washes over me when he pulls away. He drops his head, digging in his pocket to silence the noise. “That’s my flight reminder. I have to get to the airport.”
“We have something to settle first.” I guide his head back to me, moaning when our lips meet. His hands find my waist, and he gently tugs me against him, molding his body to mine. When his tongue darts past my lips for a taste, the warm-fuzzies burst into glittering sparks inside me. I clutch at the broad plane of his shoulders to get closer, my thoughts spinning into a blur. Where the first was just a simmer, this kiss sears into me. Passion intensifies with each caress and stifled sigh. This is something I could get used to . Pulling back breathlessly, I ask, “So, banana ice cream?”
He nods, eyes glued shut for a beat while he finds his words. With a smile, he whispers, “Banana ice cream tastes so damn good.”
The McMahon Center lights flicker off, bathing my car in darkness as I wait for Willa to respond to my text. I’ve been driving here a few times a week for a month now, parking closer to the doors each time. I even threw swimming gear in my trunk last week, just in case my anxiety took a vacation. It’s not much progress, but it’s more than I’ve been able to do for years. Now if I could just go inside .
I channel my frustration into telling Willa off through text. She still hasn’t answered about having another craft day. I’m running out of hobbies to try, and having her support would keep me from backing out at the first stray paint stroke. It’s not my fault her hands were blue for a week after we tried knitting. How would I know indigo yarn bleeds all over the place? It was months ago; she should be over it by now.
I’m about to send my dramatic message when a banner floats across the screen.
Hunter
Wanna go on another run?
Like hell . My legs still hurt from the last time. My foray into reading only lasted a couple of months, so I tagged along with Hunter on one of his runs. With the amount of time I’ve been spending with him, I haven’t even thought about picking up a book. Running together felt like knocking out two birds with one stone. I used to do it all the time in college anyway, so I figured it could be the hobby I needed. But shin splints and side stitches reminded me how horrible it is, and I realized I only did it to keep in shape for swimming. Clearly, the more I try to avoid the pool, the more things point back to it. I glance at the darkened building, a dejected puff of air wheezing from my lips. What the hell is wrong with me ?
Me
I’ll pass.
Hunter
LOL, ok. What are you up to tonight?
Me
Had a surprise date with Trev.
Hunter
Ah... Where to?
Me
Why are you in my business?
Hunter
I’m just curious…
Me
We had ice cream on the pier, nosy.