Chapter Seventeen
Mae
“Whoa. Slow down, boy.” I looked down at Herman, whose tongue had fallen out of his mouth. I bent down and poured some water in the dog dish out front while Bryce shook his head.
Bryce had grown up with us all, and he always loved to fill us in on the gossip of the island, flirt a little, and pretend that he’d like to marry one of my sisters or me. We knew it was harmless fun and so did he, considering all the dirt we knew about him.
“Are you talking to me or my dog?” Bryce asked, laughing.
“Herman, obviously.”
“You should have seen Bethany with her hands all over him.” Bryce shook his head. “And there was no hiding it. Right in public at Milo’s for the world to see.”
“Who?” I shook my head, not wanting to know the answer.
Bryce stared at me with an incredulous look on his face. “The man you were lucky not to fall for. That’s who.”
I let out a wistful sigh and shrugged. “He’s not mine, Bryce. We both made it clear that our little crushes back when we were kids were just that.”
Bryce stared at me with a blank expression. “I don’t buy it for a minute, Mae. You’ve been crushing on that guy since I’ve been around. Do you know how lucky I’d feel if you even gave me half a look like you do to Tyler?”
I rolled my eyes. “Bryce, you’re so full of it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go inside and check on Dottie.”
The moment I said her name, Herman’s ears perked up and he quit lapping up the water. It was a known island fact that Herman had a crush on our family’s pug. Dottie could have cared less, but Herman took it as a challenge.
Bryce grinned. “You know better than to say her name around Herman.”
“I don’t understand how you could get a horndog of a dog as bad as you.” I chuckled. “Makes no sense.”
“We’re kindred spirits.” He waggled his brows. “And for the record, I’m always here to pick up the pieces. You know, if you need a shoulder to cry on or a bed to crawl into.”
“Bryce, you’re lucky you’re our best friend or we would have slugged you a long time ago.” I smiled, shaking my head. “Each and every one of us.”
“Promise?”
“You’re so weird.” I playfully punched his shoulder, and he chuckled.
“Seriously, though. It looked like something was going on over there. I just don’t want you to get your feelings hurt.”
“Why does everyone think I’m going to break or like be unable to function if Tyler sleeps with another woman besides me?” I shrugged. “I’m sure he’s experienced many women over the years.”
There was a long silence as Bryce stared at me.
I waved my hands in the air. “What?”
“Because, Mae.” Bryce’s voice softened from its usual boisterous tone. “You fell so hard for a boy you never had that you haven’t really put yourself out there. It’s like… I don’t know. It’s like you’d rather fantasize about perfection than experience someone’s flaws or experience something that might make you vulnerable, or worse yet, crumble.”
He pointed over his shoulder toward Milo’s, and my hands flew to my face in frustration. Why did everyone think I was so breakable?
My hands moved to my hips and I sighed. “Bryce, don’t you think I want to be with Tyler? He turned me down.”
“What?” Shock registered over Bryce’s expression. “Are you serious?”
I nodded, feeling the tightness in my chest when I thought about things. Tyler turned me down, but he was fine with sleeping with Bethany, and so quickly? Because that was where it would inevitably go with her. She had a free spirit about her that I desperately craved. And for a moment, when Tyler kissed me, I thought for the first time that I might finally get to let go.
I pushed my index fingers into my temples. “And then Brad got involved and put the final nail in the coffin, I’m sure.”
Bryce looked confused. “What does Brad have to do with anything? You guys are like… old.”
“Hey, buddy. We’re all the same age.”
He laughed. “I’m not saying I’m not old. I’m just confused why your brother thinks he should stick his nose in anything other than his own relationship drama.”
“That’s what I said, but I was already worn out and exhausted from being let down gently by Tyler the night before that I just… agreed.”
Bryce rolled his eyes. “This is nuts. When I see Brad, I’m going to set him straight.”
I chuckled, knowing Brad wasn’t exactly prone to taking advice from Bryce.
“Anyway, I need to get back to Dottie. I appreciate your letting me know about Tyler, but that ship has sailed. We kissed. We called it off. We’re finito.”
“You kissed?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Last night at my place.”
“And he’s already making it with Bethany?” Bryce looked perplexed. “Wow. Then you really dodged a bullet.”
“I suppose that’s one way of looking at it, but I was looking forward to at least one tryst with Tyler.”
Bryce cracked up and shook his head. “I knew you had it in you.”
“What can I say? A girl can dream, can’t she?” I shook my head and turned toward the entrance to my coffee shop.
“I’m rooting for you,” Bryce teased.
“Yay me.” I laughed, walking into my place of bliss.
Inside these walls, drama wouldn’t dare to come knocking. I’d built my own slice of heaven. My own dreams lived inside these walls, and my family was only a wall away to help me navigate whatever I might not expect.
Granted, I usually leaned on my mom for such circumstances, and now, she was living her best life in another country.
But other than that, my coffee shop was the perfect place to remind me that I was doing okay with or without a man.
I walked over to the far window and pressed my forehead to the glass, trying to get a good view of Milo’s.
A gasp slipped from my lips when I saw Bethany hanging on Tyler, swaying back and forth like she heard some ballad or something.
Fury rose deep from within when I saw Tyler crack a smile.
So, Brad’s sister wasn’t good enough for Tyler Grant, but some near stranger was right up Tyler’s alley?
I frowned in disgust as Dottie started hyperventilating, her tongue getting caught in the back of her throat in an array of snorts and hacks. I bent over quickly, picked her up, and dangled her upside down before putting her back on the floor to start petting her. The snorts finally subsided as my pulse soared with a mixture of anger for Tyler and worry for Dottie.
“It’s okay, Dottie. You’re okay. We’re okay.” I shook my head. “But Tyler has another thing coming.”
Her big doe eyes looked up at me just as I heard a man’s voice tickle my spine.
“Tell me about it, Mayflower. What do I have coming?”
I froze in place as Dottie switched her attention to Tyler, and I swore the traitor of a pug smiled at him.
Smiled!
I slowly turned my head and lifted my gaze to Tyler’s. His blue eyes locked on mine, and I swallowed down every single thing I wanted to scream at him.
He didn’t deserve it. He had enough to deal with from his parents.
He.
Was.
Single.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, feeling my heart thump doubly fast as his eyes stayed on mine.
He was just schmoozing with another woman, Mae. Get a grip. Don’t fall for it.
“I wanted to come tell you what I should have told you the other night,” he said in a low timbre that sent shivers through me.
I slowly stood as Dottie wandered over to the doorway between my shop and the antique store, pushing herself through.
I breathed in, feeling my pulse pound harder with each passing second, and returned my gaze to his. “What was that?”
A smile tugged at his lips. “That I can’t just get over you.”
My arms folded over my chest. “I’m pretty pissed.”
He brushed my cheek. “Yeah? Why’s that?”
“I’ve heard a thing or two about a thing or two.”
Tyler took a step closer and flipped the open sign to Closed and locked the door. His eyes stayed on mine, sending a wave of longing through me.
“Pissed about what?”
Just being near him made my stomach twist and turn into a terrific feeling of cartwheels and rollercoasters.
“You’ll get together with someone you’ve just met, but you won’t sleep with me,” I said flatly, unsure of where this courage arose from.
“I’m not sleeping with anyone, Mayflower.” His gaze darkened with stormy desire, and I swallowed down all my questions and worries.
“What about Bethany? She looked pretty happy to be hanging on you,” I muttered, unable to look away from Tyler. “And you looked pretty pleased with the attention.”
Tyler shook his head and ran his palm along his jaw. “Things aren’t always as they seem.”
“But you’d sleep with her.”
“Not ever.”
“Then why did you go out with her?” I asked.
“I thought she wanted to talk about my dad.” He smiled. “She had more on her mind.”
“It’s not like you’re not single.” I looked away and hugged myself for no apparent reason.
“But I’m kind of hung up on someone,” he said, touching my chin softly and turning my face back to him. “And I’m about to do something that will get me in big trouble with your brother.”
I refused to let my nerves get the better of me.
“Unless you’re kissing Brad, I don’t think he should have a say in things.”
Tyler nodded, taking a step forward. “I agree.”
His one hand slid along the base of my neck as his other moved along my waist, pressing me against him as my breath caught.
The energy running between us strengthened with every passing second. The surge of emotion I’d been bottling up felt like it was ready to burst out and consume me.
Tyler took a deep breath as I thought about our very first kiss.
The treehouse.
The innocence.
The challenge.
The passion.
The fumbles.
I closed my eyes and smiled.
“Do you remember what you asked me in the treehouse?” I asked quietly.
Opening my eyes, I saw mischief flicker through Tyler’s eyes as he nodded.
“You mean after the dare?”
I grinned, remembering the challenge I threw in his direction, hoping he’d take me up on it.
“I remember every single thing about that moment.” He nodded, keeping the space between us tight.
My eyes stayed locked on his. “What did you ask?”
“I asked if I could kiss you.” He sucked briefly on his bottom lip and smiled.
“And what did I say?”
“You said yes.” Tyler shook his head. “I almost lost my courage that night, but the moment our eyes met, I couldn’t bear to leave without just one kiss.”
His words made my entire body warm. Everything about that night came pummeling through me. Tyler didn’t just kiss me. We”d explored each other—his hands roaming my hips, my hands running along his chest while I looked at him for approval.
My first kiss with the boy I’d had a crush on for years.
What I remember the most, what was the most vivid to me, was the kindness in his eyes before his mouth touched mine, the heat that ran through me as our kisses deepened and my fear of what was next diminished from his touch.
But we stopped.
It was innocent, and I held onto those moments since.
“I’ve never told anyone about that kiss,” I said, resting my hands on his chest. “It felt too…”
“Precious,” he said shortly.
I nodded, looking into his eyes.
“I’m willing to risk my friendship with Brad. I’m willing to risk everything. I can’t stay away, Mae.” He shook his head. “I just can’t.”
“What about Bethany? I saw…”
“Over drinks, she could see I only had eyes for one person, and it wasn’t her.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “Yeah. She said some things that made me think.”
“I’m totally intrigued.”
Tyler let out a deep breath. “I’ll tell you later, but right now…”
His mouth came to mine before I had a second to breathe. The warmth of his lips pressed against mine, and I couldn’t think of a better way to end the conversation.
Tyler’s hands ran along my spine as I let out a little moan of glee from his touch and the way his tongue slipped along mine.
He looped his arms around my waist and picked me up as I wrapped my legs around him. Our kisses felt hurried and raw, as if this moment might vanish. He set me on the bar where the sugar and straws were kept, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What?” he asked, breaking free.
My breath was ragged with each heartbeat. “Nothing. I just…”
His mouth found mine again, and I savored each passing second, each swipe of his tongue, the motion of his hands.
“Hey, Mae,” Audrey sang out. “Oh, crap. Never mind. Nothing to see here. Ignore me. I’m just… I’m not here. I’ll let Dottie out. Bye. Brad left for the day.”
Tyler chuckled as our kisses slowed, and he rested his forehead against mine as I opened my eyes.
“So, now what?” I asked, searching his gaze for answers neither of us had.